The United Nations, The Hague, ICC and ICJ

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Netanyahu joins a small group of leaders accused of crimes against humanity by the ICC. Here's what that means The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netenyahu, his former defense minister Yoav Gallant, and Mohammed Deif, a top Hamas official that Israel claims to have killed. Read more.

Key points: The ICC becomes involved when nations are unable or unwilling to prosecute crimes on their territory. Israel argues that it has a functioning court system, and disputes over a nation’s ability or willingness to prosecute have fueled past disputes between the court and individual countries. While the warrants could complicate travel abroad for Netanyahu and Gallant, they are unlikely to face judges in The Hague anytime soon. Member countries are required to detain suspects facing a warrant if they set foot on their soil, but the court has no way to enforce that.   Last year, the court issued a warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin on charges that he was responsible for the abductions of children from Ukraine. Former Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi was captured and killed by rebels shortly after the ICC issued a warrant for his arrest on charges linked to the brutal suppression of anti-government protests in 2011. One of Africa’s most notorious warlords, Joseph Kony, was issued an arrest warrant from the ICC in 2005 and Sudan’s former President Omar al-Bashir is wanted by the ICC over accusations related to the conflict in Darfur.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Hungary’s Orbán vows to disregard international arrest warrant for Netanyahu   Many in Gaza are eating just once a day, as hunger spreads amid aid issues   Philippines says it will cooperate if ICC seeks Duterte’s custody over drug killings Middle East The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of war crimes over the war in Gaza. The court said it had "reasonable grounds" to believe Netanyahu bears criminal responsibility for crimes including "starvation as a method of warfare" and "the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts." Netanyahu's office said Israel "utterly rejects the absurd and false actions and accusations." Israel's former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and a senior Hamas commander were also indicted. The ICC announcement came as the Palestinian death toll from Israel's war in Gaza rose to more than 44,000, according to the health ministry there.

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UN talks end in Rome with nations backing $200 billion a year plan to protect nature

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Global negotiators concluded an extended session of the United Nations biodiversity conference, COP16, with key commitments on funds needed and the institutions through which the funds will be channeled to protect the world’s biodiversity.

https://apnews.com/article/climate-cop16-cali-biodiversity-dd270a78e667caa989883f11cf306e55?

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UN says 186 missing and at least 2 dead after migrant boats capsize off Yemen and Djibouti

CAIRO (AP) — At least two people have died and 186 others are missing after four boats carrying migrants from Africa capsized overnight in waters off Yemen and Djibouti, the U.N.'s migration agency said on Friday.

https://apnews.com/article/yemen-djibouti-migrants-boat-capsizes-ed99cf075878387af59194d79a63097c?

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Philippine ex-leader Duterte is being flown to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine police arrested former President Rodrigo Duterte in Manila on Tuesday and sent him by plane to the Netherlands to face charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court, President Ferdinand Marcos said.

https://apnews.com/article/rodrigo-duterte-manila-philippines-icc-9b9d08b8832b43282db53418535fb245?

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ICC takes custody of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in crimes against humanity case

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was turned over Wednesday to the custody of the International Criminal Court, following his arrest on a warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity over deadly anti-drugs crackdowns he oversaw while in office. Read More.

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Palestinian envoy tells UN court Israel is killing Gaza civilians. Israel says it’s being persecuted

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A Palestinian diplomat told the United Nations’ top court on Monday that Israel is killing and displacing civilians and targeting aid workers in Gaza, in a case that Israel criticized as part of its “systematic persecution and delegitimization.”

https://apnews.com/article/israel-icj-court-un-gaza-palestinians-unrwa-df682203e07cea30d89c154c0f87d6e6?

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Trump’s sanctions on ICC prosecutor have halted the tribunal’s work Nearly three months ago, U.S. President Donald Trump slapped sanctions on the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan. Since then, the British barrister has lost access to his email, and his bank accounts have been frozen. American staffers at The Hague-based court have been told that if they travel to the U.S. they risk arrest and non-governmental organizations have stopped working with the ICC. “Work has ground to a halt," one official said. Read more.

Why this matters: Trump sanctioned the court after a panel of ICC judges in November issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant. Judges found there was reason to believe that the pair may have committed war crimes by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeting civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny.   Meanwhile, the court is facing an increasing lack of cooperation from countries normally considered to be its staunchest supporters. The ICC has no enforcement apparatus of its own and relies on member states. In the past year, three countries – including two in the European Union – have refused to execute warrants issued by the court.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ UN chief pleads with countries to pay their share for peacekeeping, points to financial problems   NATO’s procurement agency under investigation for alleged corruption linked to military contracts

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UN agency, Rohingya refugees allege Indian authorities cast dozens of them into the sea near Myanmar

Indian authorities allegedly forced dozens of Rohingya refugees off a naval vessel into the sea near Myanmar last week after providing them with life jackets, a United Nations agency, family members of the refugees and their lawyer said. India’s navy and foreign ministry declined to comment. Read More.   ICC’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, to step aside until investigation ends The chief prosecutor of the international criminal court, Karim Khan, will take a leave of absence until an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct reaches a conclusion, the court has confirmed. https://www.theguardian.com/law/2025/may/16/international-criminal-court-chief-prosecutor-karim-khan-to-step-aside-until-investigation-ends?

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Five countries win seats on the UN Security Council

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Five countries won seats on the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday in uncontested elections and will start serving two-year terms in January on the U.N.’s most powerful but deeply divided body.

https://apnews.com/article/un-security-council-new-members-latvia-36b9ed65e770f6fed3354872fc14dafe?

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International Criminal Court

Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiled new sanctions on Thursday that targeted four judges on the International Criminal Court for attempting to investigate the US and Israel for alleged war crimes. President Trump authorized the sanctions and possible entrance bans in an executive order he signed in February. That order had already been used to sanction ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan. In response, the ICC said the sanctions were “a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 States Parties from all corners of the globe.” Last November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and for top Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, who was later killed.

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UN nuclear watchdog board censures Iran, which retaliates by announcing a new enrichment site The U.N. nuclear watchdog’s board of governors on Thursday formally found that Iran isn’t complying with its nuclear obligations for the first time in 20 years, a move that could lead to further tensions and set in motion an effort to restore United Nations sanctions on Tehran later this year. Read more.

Why this matters: Iran reacted immediately, saying it will establish a new enrichment facility “in a secure location” and that “other measures are also being planned.”   U.S. President Donald Trump previously warned that Israel or America could carry out airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations failed. The escalation over Iran’s nuclear program comes ahead of a new round of Iran-U.S. talks Sunday in Oman.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ US reduces the presence of staffers not deemed essential in the Middle East as tensions rise   Hamas says it killed 12 Israeli-backed fighters. Israeli-supported group says they were aid workers   Netanyahu survives attempt to dissolve parliament

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UN refugee agency says more than 122 million people forcibly displaced worldwide The findings come as the U.N. refugee agency released its Global Trends Report on Thursday, which said the number of people driven abroad or displaced in their home countries by war, violence, and persecution as of April rose to 122.1 million, up from 120 million last year. Read more.

Why this matters: The agency says the number of people forcibly displaced by violence and persecution around the world has nearly doubled over the last decade. Among those, the number of internally displaced people jumped by more than 9% to 73.5 million at the end of last year. The numbers represent cumulative figures from years of conflict, violence, and persecution, and some displaced people returned home last year, even as others fled.   The report comes at a time when humanitarian groups are facing budget cuts from the United States and other traditional Western donors.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ 45 minutes to pack up a lifetime as Pakistan’s foreigner crackdown sends Afghans scrambling   Gang violence displaced a record 1.3 million people in Haiti, UN report finds

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A confidential brief urges the ICC to investigate Wagner’s promotion of atrocities in West Africa

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Editor’s Note: This story contains graphic images and descriptions of atrocities.

https://apnews.com/article/wagner-russia-videos-war-crimes-mali-burkina-icc-c4dc7d04846d02b014ed4c645d265475?

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European court finds Russia committed violations in Ukraine and was behind downing Flight MH17

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Europe’s top human rights court delivered damning judgments Wednesday against Russia in four cases brought by Kyiv and the Netherlands accusing Moscow of atrocities in Ukraine dating back more than a decade.

https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-european-human-rights-court-mh17-1bac36842f8a4cfe0e3e787f0fab0c1f?

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ICC issues arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over persecution of women and girls

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants Tuesday for the Taliban’s supreme leader and the head of Afghanistan’s Supreme Court on charges of persecuting women and girls since seizing power nearly four years ago.

https://apnews.com/article/icc-tribunal-arrests-taliban-women-36e471179d6059ab1c9ae6699e5082c0?

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ICC believes war crimes and crimes against humanity are taking place now in Sudan’s Darfur region

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The International Criminal Court believes war crimes and crimes against humanity are continuing to take place in Sudan’s vast western Darfur region where civil war has raged for more than two years, the tribunal’s deputy prosecutor said Thursday.

https://apnews.com/article/sudan-darfur-icc-war-crimes-humanity-khan-e54744adc5b0a06eb6a44fe94d72683d?

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UN says booming solar, wind and other green energy hits global tipping point for even lower costs

The global switch to renewable energy has passed a “positive tipping point” where solar and wind power will become even cheaper and more widespread, according to two United Nations reports released Tuesday, describing a bright spot amid otherwise gloomy progress to curb climate change. Read More.

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UN’s top court says failing to protect planet from climate change could violate international law

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The United Nations’ top court in a landmark advisory opinion Wednesday said countries could be in violation of international law if they fail to take measures to protect the planet from climate change, and nations harmed by its effects could be entitled to reparations.

https://apnews.com/article/un-court-opinion-climate-change-1ac84a94a5aaffd63518ef1da3502a9e?

ps:What a top court!! It seems no one does nothing anyway!!!!!

• ?‍⚖️ Multiple international agreements require countries to battle climate change and cut emissions, the UN's judicial arm ruled. Go deeper.

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Central African Republic rebels found guilty of war crimes by International Criminal Court

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — International Criminal Court judges convicted two leaders of a predominantly Christian rebel group in the Central African Republic of multiple counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity on Thursday, sentencing each to more than a decade in prison.

https://apnews.com/article/international-court-war-crimes-central-african-republic-e0c65fc4ef65d107f54e296ac7214de4?

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Islamic State and al-Qaida threat is intense in Africa, with growing risks in Syria, UN experts say

The threat from Islamic State and al-Qaida extremists and their affiliates is most intense in parts of Africa, and risks are growing in Syria, which both groups view as a “a strategic base for external operations,” U.N. experts said in a new report. Read More.

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UN says 68 African migrants were killed when boat capsized off Yemen

The tragedy was the latest in a series of shipwrecks off Yemen that have killed hundreds of African migrants hoping to reach the wealthy Gulf Arab countries.

https://apnews.com/article/migration-yemen-shipwreck-c2c28d70e51ed01086493aaece2e4f35?

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A record 383 aid workers were killed in global hotspots in 2024, nearly half in Gaza, UN says A record 383 aid workers were killed in global hotspots in 2024, nearly half of them in Gaza during the war between Israel and Hamas, the U.N. humanitarian office said Tuesday on the annual day honoring the thousands of people who step into crises to help others. Read more.

What to know: Most of the aid workers killed were serving communities in their own countries and attacked on the job or in their homes, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported.   The highest number of major attacks last year were in the Palestinian territories with 194, followed by Sudan with 64, South Sudan with 47, Nigeria with 31 and Congo with 27, the database reported.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Hamas accepts an Arab ceasefire proposal on Gaza as Palestinian death toll passes 62,000   A ship with hundreds of tons of food aid for Gaza nears an Israeli port after leaving Cyprus   Sexual violence in conflicts worldwide increased by 25% last year, UN says

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UN votes to end its peacekeeping force in Lebanon next year after nearly 5 decades

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously on Thursday to terminate the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon at the end of next year after nearly five decades, bowing to demands from the United States and its close ally Israel.

https://apnews.com/article/un-lebanon-peacekeeping-unifil-trump-290a9c481b7323bff4695c55f066a403?

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Iran increased stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium before Israeli attack, UN agency says

VIENNA (AP) — A confidential report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog circulated to member states and seen by The Associated Press said Wednesday that Iran increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels before Israel launched its military attack on June 13.

https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-iaea-weapons-grade-uranium-c3ae6a8aae96d54355df73842916a324?

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UN commission of inquiry accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza and urge global action

GENEVA (AP) — A team of independent experts commissioned by the United Nations’ Human Rights Council has concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, issuing a report Tuesday that calls on the international community to end the genocide and take steps to punish those responsible for it.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-palestinians-c9d40ab3714b46957c5716132f9eb2a6?