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☆ Opinion | Hostages Must Be at the Center of Every Conversation About This War
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Moshe Emilio Lavi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

But for my family, there will be no end to this pain and no peace until the 240 hostages that Hamas kidnapped are rescued. Omri, Lishay, Roni and Alma are not political pawns; they are human beings who deserve to be reunited as a family. But amid the chaos and complexity of this conflict, the hostages must not be forgotten. Taking hostages — civilians, including babies, children, the disabled and the elderly — is a grave violation of the Geneva Conventions. Addressing the plight of hostages is not a diversion from the broader political and military issues at the heart of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Persons: Omri Miran, Roni, Alma, Oz, Omri, Lishay, ”, Lishay Lavi, Israel, pidyon shvuyim, “, Omri — Organizations: Israel Defense Forces, Washington , D.C, Hamas, Sapir College Locations: Kibbutz, Gaza, London, Paris, Berlin, United States, Washington ,, Israel, Nahal Oz, Alma, Negev, Geneva, Qatar

☆ Opinion | We Still Have Time to Stop the Worst
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Omer Bartov | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +9 min

But are Israel’s actions — as the nation’s opponents argue — verging on ethnic cleansing or, most explosively, genocide? That means two important things: First, we need to define what it is that we are seeing, and second, we have the chance to stop the situation before it gets worse. That’s well over five times as many people as the more than 1,400 people in Israel murdered by Hamas. War crimes are defined in the 1949 Geneva Conventions and subsequent protocols as serious violations of the laws and customs of war in international armed conflict against both combatants and civilians. There is still time to stop Israel from letting its actions become a genocide.

Persons: —, ”, Benjamin Netanyahu, Gazans, “, Amalek, Yoav Gallant, Ghassan Alian, Giora Eiland, Amichai Friedman, Netanyahu Organizations: Gaza Health Ministry, Criminal, United Nations, Israel Defense Forces, ”, Israeli Ministry of Intelligence, Nahal Brigade, West Bank, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington , D.C Locations: Gaza, Israel, Geneva, Rome, The State, Sinai, Lebanon, ”, Washington ,, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem

☆ Russia parades Ukrainian war prisoners as ‘volunteers’ for its army in apparent violation of international law
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Anna Chernova | Yulia Kesaieva | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A group of former Ukrainian servicemen, including prisoners of war, have “volunteered” to fight on the front lines for Russia, Moscow’s state-run news agency RIA Novosti has claimed, in a potential violation of international law. The Washington-based think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW), citing Russian state media, said in late October that Russia had “recruited” 70 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) from various penal colonies. Coercing POWs to serve in the Russian forces would be a violation of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, which have been adopted by all nations, according to the International Red Cross. “Russian authorities have likely coerced Ukrainian prisoners of war into joining a ‘volunteer’ formation that will fight in Ukraine, which would constitute an apparent violation of the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War,” the ISW said. Russia and Ukraine remain locked in battle as the war enters a third winter with neither country’s forces establishing the upper hand.

Persons: ”, –, Bogdan Khmelnitsky, ” Khmelnitsky, “, Volodymyr Zelensky, Valery Zaluzhny Organizations: CNN, Novosti, RIA Novosti, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Donetsk People’s, Cross, Geneva Convention Locations: Russia, Moscow’s, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Donetsk, Donetsk People’s Republic, Ukraine’s, The Washington, Russian, Geneva

Russia is sending Ukrainian prisoners of war to the front lines of their homeland to fight on Moscow's side in the war, the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported. The news agency said Tuesday the soldiers swore allegiance to Russia when they joined the battalion, which entered service last month. The Institute for the Study of War in Washington said there have been previous reports of Ukrainian POWs being asked to “volunteer” for the battalion. Earlier this year, Russian media reported about 70 Ukrainian POWs joined the battalion. Given the location of the unit, Hird said she expected the Ukrainian POWs would be deployed to the front lines in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Persons: ”, Yulia Gorbunova, Nick Reynolds, Bogdan Khmelnitsky, Karolina Hird, ” Hird, Hird, Reynolds Organizations: RIA Novosti, Associated Press, Ukrainian, Russian Defense Ministry, AP, Human Rights Watch, Land Warfare, Royal United Services Institute Locations: Russia, Russian, Geneva, Ukraine, London, Washington, Moscow, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, russia, ukraine

☆ Opinion: Biden needs to call for a ceasefire and restore respect for international law
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Mary Ellen O Connell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +45 min

Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images Palestinians inspect a destroyed area following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza on October 21. Ronen Zvulun/Reuters A woman mourns over a dead man at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza City on October 18. Yousef Masoud/The New York Times A morgue worker arranges body bags at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on October 12. Samar Abu Elouf/The New York Times/Redux Children run for cover as bombs fall near the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on October 9. Erik Marmor/AP Six-month-old Sama Alwadia is rescued from the rubble in Gaza City on October 9.

Persons: Mary Ellen O’Connell, Robert, Marion Short, “, ”, Mary Ellen, Khan, Ahmad Hasaballah, Ariel Schalit, Abed Rahim Khatib, Ronen Zvulun, Mahmud Hams, Leo Correa, Mohammed Abed, Amir Cohen, Mohammed Alaloul, Majdi, Fatima Shbair, Alexi J . Rosenfeld, Mustafa Hassona, Neil Hall, Saeed Jaras, Mohammad Abu Hattab, Mohammed Talatene, Ditza Heiman, Shir Torem, Salman Habaka, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Yuval Zilber, Hatem Ali, Jalaa Merey, Ahmad Salem, Ali Jadallah, Atef Safadi, Abed Zagout, Fadel Senna, Anas al, Yosef Vahav, Kiryat Shmona, Jalaa Marey, Albert Miles, Bernat, Ilan Rosenberg, Ashraf Amra, Manna, Tamar Chaya Torpiashvili, Abed Khaled, Tamir Kalifa, Khan Younis, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Ammar Awad, Jehad Al, Kafarnah, Teddy, Dan Kitwood, Dima Vazinovich, Jack Guez, Sagiv Ben Zvi, Evelyn Hockstein, Omar El, Mohammed Salem, Amir Levy, Yasser Qudih, Tsafrir, Francisco Seco, Mohammed Saber, Ali Mohmoud, Mai Yaghi, Yam Goldstein, Nadav, Khaled Joudeh, Samar Abu, Leon Neal, Hatem Moussa, Nir Oz, Wolfgang Schwan, Yousef Masoud, Shadi Tabatibi, Belal al Sabbagh, Rizek Abdeljawad, Ahmad Gharabli, Janis Laizans, Mohammed Dahman, Gallant, Ofir Libstein, Aza, Belal Khaled, Hod, Ayal Margolin, Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Brendan Smialowski, Biden, Netanyahu, Kenny Holston, Kfar Aza, Ilia Yefimovich, Mahmoud Khaled, Dor Reder, Violeta Santos Moura, Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa, Antonio Macías, Macías, Eli Albag, Liri, Sergey Ponomarev, Dor Kedmi, Saher, Abraham Cohen, Valentin Ghnassia, Ghnassia, Yuri Cortez, Ibrahim Hams, Bashar Taleb, Baz Ratner, Yahya Hassouna, Mapal Adam, Agha, Reuters Itzik, Miriam Shafir, Dor Shafir, Savion Kiper, Maya Alleruzzo, CNN Sergey Ponomarev, Eden Guez, Ohad, Mohammed Soboh, Said, Noam Elimeleh Rothenberg, Ilai Bar Sade, Erik Marmor, Oren Ziv, Ramez Mahmoud, Roi Levy, Alleruzzo, Tali Touito, Oded, Ahmad Hasballah, Eyad Baba, Itai Ron, Hadas Parush, —, Ron Dermer, NPR’s Tom Bowman Organizations: Kroc, University of Notre Dame, Defense, CNN, Hamas, Mary Ellen O'Connell University of Notre Dame International, UN, UN Security Council, International Court of Justice, Nasser Medical, AP, Najjar, Reuters, Getty, Israel Defence Forces handout, Israel Defense Forces, Shutterstock, Reuters United Nations, Shifa, Palestine, Pictures, Bloomberg, Israeli Apache, United Nations Relief, Works Agency, Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, Palestinian, Al, IDF, EyePress, New York Times, Israeli, Getty Images, Nasser Medical Hospital, Deir Al, Tel Aviv University, Reuters Civil, AP Rockets, AP Israel's, Regional, Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, Israel's, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Ben Gurion International, Aris Messinis, Haim, Puma, Mount, Mount Herzl Military, Nova, Anadolu Agency, Nova Festival, Ben Gurion, West Bank, Rockets, United Nations, Reuters Police, Reuters Rockets, ISIS, United States, Gaza, US, Criminal, Pentagon Locations: Gaza, Israel, Khan Younis, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, AFP, Jerusalem's, City, Rafah, Jerusalem's Old City, Deir Balah, Mahmud, Southern Israel, Anadolu, Ashkelon, Al, Gaza City, Haifa, Yanuh Jat, Netaim, Israeli, Golan Heights, Lebanon, Egypt, Sderot, Shareef, Beit Guvrin, Reuters Israeli, Kiryat, Al Aqsa, Deir Al, Balah, Kibbutz Be'eri, Ashdod, Holon, Najjar, Ichilov, Kibbutz Shefayim, Deir, Samar, Samar Abu Elouf, Deir al, Kibbutz Kissufim, Zahra City, Europe, Xinhua, East Jerusalem, Ras, Israel's, Yehuda, Aqsa, Hod HaSharon, Kiryat Shmona, Ahli, Gan, Kfar, North Sinai, Beit Kama, Cyprus, Kfar Saba, Be'eri, Rehovot, Mount Herzl, Modiin Maccabim, Kfar Aza, Mount Herzel, Yassin, Palestinian, Beitar Ilit, Ramat Gan, Itai, Beit Hanun, Rishon Lezion, United, Iraq, Syria, Geneva, Rome

☆ How the Nigerian military fatally shot a young captive
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +19 min

The Nigerian government and military – including the presidency, Ministry of Defence, defence headquarters and army leaders – did not respond to detailed questions for this story. Various entities have accused Nigerian security forces of other abuses in connection with killings of civilians and captives. Two security force members told Reuters they saw multiple prisoners brought out of the barracks and shot after the fighting ceased. Tweets from Nigerian defence headquarters in Abuja show the military declared the hostilities over shortly after 11 a.m. Nine shots fired A uniformed security force member shot nine rounds at the young captive, pulling the trigger at least seven times, according to forensic audio experts who listened to the recording at Reuters’ request.

Persons: Melanie O’Brien, –, Ocampo, Christopher Musa, Musa, ” Musa, “, extrajudicially, Michael Oluoha Agi, ’ ”, ”, Boko, ‘ Allahu akbar ’, Yahaya, Haram, Biu, Bellingcat, Belllingcat, Chris Olukolade, Emmanuel Emeka, Emeka, Reade Levinson, David Lewis, Tim Cocks, Carlos Gonzales, Paul Carsten, Daphne Psaledakis, Stephanie van den Berg, Youri van, Adolfo Arranz, Sam Hart, Feilding, Julie Marquis, Alexandra Zavis Organizations: Reuters, International Association of, Nigerian, Ministry of Defence, ICC, Islamic, Human Rights Commission, United Nations, Twitter, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, U.S . State Department, U.S, Boko, Civilian, Task Force, Defence, Facebook, 231, Battalion, 331 Artillery Regiment Locations: Geneva, Nigeria, Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, Nigerian, United States, Britain, U.S, Biu, Boko Haram, Abuja, Largema

☆ What I Read and Watch to Decompress
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Amanda Taub | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

“India’s Daughters,” the special newsletter series that I created with my colleagues Emily Schmall and Shalini Venugopal Bhagat, premiered last week. There will be a new chapter on Friday, and you can catch up with the first installment here if you missed it. Longtime readers will probably guess that “Pride and Prejudice,” by Jane Austen, is at the top of my decompress-and-disconnect list. As someone who isn’t a particularly fervent fan of even real tennis matches, I find fictional ones pleasantly untaxing. I want to hear about things you have read (or watched or listened to) that you recommend to the Interpreter community.

Persons: “, ”, Emily Schmall, Venugopal Bhagat, I’ve, Jane Austen, that’s, Lydia Bennet, Witch, Melinda Taub, Amal El, Mohtar, “ Beckham, ” Netflix’s, David Beckham, Will, Kirsten Dunst, Paul Bettany, Nora Ephron, Margot Miller, Mohamed Mbougar Sarr Organizations: The Times, Times, Wimbledon Locations: Israel, Gaza, Geneva, ”, “ Beckham, Easton , Md

Israel is escalating its bombardment of targets in the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected ground invasion against Hamas militants. More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly civilians who died in the initial Hamas rampage. In addition, 222 people including foreigners were believed captured by Hamas during the incursion and taken into Gaza, Israel's military has said. UNRWA said it found shrapnel in its facilities in the Bureij camp and in Nuseirat in central Gaza from Israel’s bombardment of nearby areas Sunday. Israel said Monday it struck 320 militant targets throughout the besieged Gaza Strip over the last 24 hours.

Persons: Israel, HAVE, won’t, —, ROME —, Antonio Tajani, Nir Forti, ’, Forti, “, barbarously, ’ Tajani, Tajani, Ní Aoláin, Ní, Antonio Guterres’s, ” Ní Aoláin, ” Organizations: Hamas, Health Ministry, West Bank, U.S . Department of Defense, UNRWA, Association of University Heads, Israel Army Radio, Gaza, Gaza’s Health Ministry, UNITED, United Nations, University of Minnesota Locations: Israel, Gaza, U.S, Beirut, israel, CAIRO, Nuseirat, Sunday, ISRAEL, al, Aqsa, Deir al, “, ITALY, Geneva, United

☆ Opinion: Uncomfortable reality for Biden
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. He didn’t live to see the allies’ victory in World War II that year or the conference in San Francisco that month that established the United Nations. But his diplomatic efforts to meet with Arab leaders came undone after a devastating explosion at a hospital in Gaza. Biden himself initially supported the US 2003 war in Iraq only to end up as the president who ordered the US pullout of Afghanistan. “This is the politics that Donald Trump’s rhetoric has wrought among his supporters in the Republican Party,” wrote Avlon.

Persons: Franklin D, Roosevelt, Joe Biden, FDR, “, ” Biden, Steve Breen, GoComics.com Biden, Seth Moulton, ”, David Petraeus, ‘, Petraeus, Moulton, Shmuel Rosner, “ Israel, Biden, David Mark, Donald Trump, Gaza Hani Almadhoun, ” Yasmine Mohammed, Will Heath, Pete Davidson, Dean Obeidallah, Davidson, ” Obeidallah, ” Wadea, Khaled, Wadea’s, Mukesh Kapila, Frida Ghitis, Nicole Hemmer, Michael, Peter Bergen, Israel, ” Bergen, “ Khaled Hroub, ’, ” Hroub, what’s, ” Jim Jordan flunks, Nick Anderson, Jim Jordan, Julian Zelizer, “ Jordan, MAGA, Trump, shutdowns, Jordan, —, ” Zelizer, ” John Avlon, Jake Tapper, Donald Trump’s, Utah Sen, Mitt Romney, Cupp, Bill Bramhall, Trump Sidney Powell, Powell “, Jennifer Rodgers, ” Clay Jones, Kenneth Chesebro, Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Jack Smith, Trump’s, Jill Filipovic, “ It’s, …, Don’t, Scott Stantis, David Goldblatt, Amy Bass, Mary Lou Retton, Amy Klein, Glock, homebuyers Holly Thomas, Frasier ’, Richie Hofmann, Lily Gladstone, Leonardo DiCaprio, Niro, DiCaprio, Scorsese, David Grann’s, White, Noah Berlatsky, “ Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro Organizations: CNN, United Nations, UN, Arab, Marine Corps, Democratic, Twitter, Facebook, Republican, Capitol, United Nations Relief, Works Agency, “, NBC, New York City, World Trade, Chicago, Hamas, Tribune, Trump, Tea Party, Republican Party, GOP, Utah, Republicans, Agency, White Locations: Warm Springs , Georgia, San Francisco, United, United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, China, Ukraine, Israel, America, Gaza, What’s, Massachusetts, Iraq, “ Israel, Afghanistan, Iraqi, Najaf, Iran, Lebanon, ”, New, Geneva, Palestinian, Fulton County , Georgia, Hollywood, Oklahoma

NEW YORK (AP) — Paddy Cosgrave, the chief executive officer of a prominent European tech conference called Web Summit, resigned from his role on Saturday amid backlash for his public statements that suggested Israel was committing war crimes. A spokesperson for Web Summit, which organizes one of the world's largest tech conferences every year, said in an e-mailed statement sent to The Associated Press that it will appoint a new CEO, and the conference will go ahead next month in Lisbon as planned. Jewish groups have criticized tepid responses or slow reactions to the Oct. 7 Hamas rampage that killed 1,400 people in Israel and triggered the latest war. ”“War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies, and should be called out for what they are,” he added. not commit war crimes.

Persons: — Paddy Cosgrave, Israel, Cosgrave, ” “, ”, Cosgrave’s, Anne Organizations: Web, Associated Press, Hamas, Intel, Meta, Google Locations: Lisbon, Irish, Israel, Gaza, Geneva

☆ Web Summit CEO Paddy Cosgrave resigns after backlash to Israel-Hamas war comments
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Paddy Cosgrave, the chief executive of Web Summit, stepped down Saturday after several Big Tech companies withdrew from the company’s upcoming annual technology conference over his comments on the Israel-Hamas war. On Tuesday, Cosgrave posted a nearly 600-word statement on Web Summit’s blog to apologize and clarify his stance. A spokesperson for Web Summit told CNN that the company will appoint a new CEO as soon as possible. “Web Summit 2023 in Lisbon will go ahead as planned,” the spokesperson added. Cosgrave, 41, co-founded Web Summit in 2009 with David Kelly and Daire Hickey.

Persons: CNN — Paddy Cosgrave, ” Cosgrave, “, ”, Cosgrave, unreservedly, David Kelly, Daire Hickey Organizations: CNN, Web, Big Tech, Ministry of Health, Amnesty, Google, Siemens, Amazon, Web Summit Locations: Israel, Gaza, Geneva, Lisbon

☆ Web Summit CEO Paddy Cosgrave steps down in wake of controversy over his Israel comments
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Paddy Cosgrave, the CEO of Web Summit, announced Saturday he's stepping down immediately. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementAdvertisementPaddy Cosgrave, the CEO of Web Summit, said Saturday he was resigning with immediate effect. The conference — one of Europe's biggest tech events — is to take place November 13 to 16 in Lisbon, with 70,000 delegates, a Web Summit spokesperson previously told Insider. A representative said a new CEO would be appointed as soon as possible and that the conference would proceed as planned.

Persons: Paddy Cosgrave, Cosgrave, — Organizations: Web Summit, Service, Web, Intel, Siemens Locations: Israel, Geneva, Lisbon

CNN —The United States has vetoed a draft resolution at the UN Security Council which called for a humanitarian pause in besieged Gaza – sparking more criticism of political paralysis in the powerful global body. The international community should engineer “humanitarian pauses” in the fighting to allow for aid delivery, it said. In New York, several members of the Security Council expressed disappointment and frustration over the failure of a joint statement on the importance of aid and civilian protection. The Security Council “missed an opportunity,” French representative Nicolas de Rivière told press after the vote. Russia last week proposed another resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza that also failed to pass.

Persons: Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Barbara Woodward, Brazil Sergio Franca Danese, “, ”, Nicolas de Rivière, Lana Nusseibah Organizations: CNN, UN Security Council, Hamas, Russia, UN, Security, United, United Arab Emirates Locations: United States, Gaza, Brazil, Israel, Palestinian, British, Egypt, Rafah, New York, Geneva, United Arab, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Opinion: War didn’t look like this when the Geneva Conventions were written
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Sheena Mckenzie | Opinion Mukesh Kapila | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Fatima Shbair/APHowever, modern urban warfare sets new records of ruination because more than half of us live in built-up areas. This is not illegal under the UN Charter but the concept of ’just’ war in international law requires protecting non-combatants. In urban war, fighters and civilians intermingleOften, the frontlines of urban conflicts cannot be clearly demarcated when fighters and civilians are intermingled. War has changed since the Geneva ConventionsThese new-style warriors were unknown when the Geneva Conventions emerged over a century ago. That violates international humanitarian law and is contrary to a UN political declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas.

Persons: Mukesh Kapila, “, Mukesh, Khan, Fatima Shbair Organizations: UN, Global Health, Humanitarian Affairs, University of Manchester, CNN, United Nations, Islamic, Hamas, International, International Committee, Cross, Food Program Locations: United, Sarajevo, Kabul, Kigali, Huambo, Goma, Gaza, Khartoum, Port, Jerusalem, Britain, Germany, Stalingrad, Beirut, Khan Younis, Geneva, Russian, Ukraine, Islamic State, Afghanistan, Yemen, Australia, Iraq, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Al, Aqsa, Israel

☆ Bernie Sanders says Israel is violating international law with blockade on 'open-air prison' in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Bernie Sanders is calling for restraint in the wake of Hamas's attack on Israel. He says the Jewish state is violating international law by imposing a punishing blockade on Gaza. Sanders, a two-time presidential candidate, is one of the most prominent Jewish politicians in the US. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn one of the most strident criticisms of Israel yet by a prominent American politician, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is accusing Israel of violating international law. Following Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel over the weekend, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a "complete siege" of Gaza, the densely-populated territory where Gaza rules.

Persons: Sen, Bernie Sanders, Sanders, —, Israel, Yoav Gallant, Gallant, gunning, Joe Biden Organizations: Service, Israeli, Capitol, Israel, West Bank Locations: Israel, Gaza, American, Vermont, Geneva, America, Washington

Domestic courts can apply so-called universal jurisdiction in war crimes cases, but that would be limited in scope. It has jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in its 123 member states or committed by its nationals. The ICC has had an ongoing investigation into allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the occupied Palestinian territories since 2021. WHAT ACTS COULD VIOLATE WAR CRIMES LAW? The taking of hostages, murder and torture are explicitly banned under the Geneva Conventions, while Israel's response could also be subject to a war crimes investigation.

Persons: Prosecutors, Omar Shakir, Yoav Gallant, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Nick Kaufman, Stephanie van den Berg, Anthony Deutsch, Heather Timmons, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: HAGUE, Hamas, Criminal Court, ICC, Palestine, Rights, Israeli, GENEVA, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Geneva, The Hague, Rome, China, United States, Russia, India, Egypt, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Sudan, Myanmar, York, Gaza, Palestine, U.S, British, Kibbutz

☆ Ukraine is trying to get a captured mayor back from Russia more than a year after he went missing
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Ukrainian mayor went missing more than a year ago, when his city was under Russian control. Ukraine confirmed for the first time that he is a Russian captive, saying it's trying to get him back. Ihor Kolykhaev was the mayor of the southeastern city of Kherson, which was captured by Russia in March and then retaken by Ukrainian forces in November. Yusov would not comment on whether Russia had identified any prisoners that Ukraine holds that it might exchange for Kolykhaev. Kherson is the biggest city that Russia has captured since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022.

Persons: it's, Ihor Kolykhaev, Andriy Yusov, Kolykhaev, Yusov, Galyna Organizations: Service, Kyiv Post, Kolykhaev, Military, Cross Locations: Ukrainian, Russian, Ukraine, Kherson, Wall, Silicon, Russia, Ihor, Kyiv, Geneva

☆ War crimes investigators establish office in Ukraine after Russia charged with abducting more than 19,000 children
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

ICC investigators are gathering evidence of alleged Russian war crimes, including child abduction. The office is a "pivotal" move toward "restoring justice," Ukraine's top prosecutor said. Ukrainian officials accuse Russia of having deported or forcibly displaced more than 19,500 children, a claim bolstered by independent investigations. Russia has admitted taking minors from Ukraine — and having them adopted by Russian families — but insists it has done so for their own safety. A. Khan, was in Kyiv to mark the opening of the new office following the signing of a cooperation agreement in March, under which Ukraine will share evidence it has gathered of possible Russian war crimes.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Krim, Andriy Kostin, Kostin, cdavis@insider.com Organizations: ICC, Service, Criminal Court, Ukraine — Locations: Kyiv, Wall, Silicon, Russia, Ukraine, Geneva, Ukraine's

CNN —The Biden administration is debating whether to designate Travis King, the US Army soldier who crossed into North Korea last month, as a prisoner of war, defense officials told CNN. But VanLandingham said it’s unclear that North Korea would even acknowledge POW status or afford King the protections it bestows. A former senior Air Force lawyer said it’s unlikely King would receive POW status because there was no active fighting when he entered North Korea. In addition, King wasn’t forced into North Korea or captured by their forces, instead entering the country of his own free will. “He chose to go to North Korea,” the lawyer said, pointing out that King’s entry into North Korea was not related to the conflict in any way.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Travis King, King, King “, ”, I’m, Private King, Fort, Rachel VanLandingham, VanLandingham, “, ” VanLandingham, wasn’t, King wasn’t Organizations: CNN, US Army, Geneva Convention, North, Defense, Private, US Forces Korea, Reuters, Southwestern Law School, Korean, Air Force Locations: North Korea, Geneva, South Korea, Fort Bliss , Texas, United States, Korea

[1/3] A general view of a grain terminal at the port of Odesa, Ukraine, April 10, 2023. Drone attacks wrecked buildings in the port of Izmail and prevented ships on the Danube River from loading grain for export. WHAT DOES INTERNATIONAL LAW SAY? The Geneva Conventions and additional protocols say that parties involved in military conflict must distinguish between “civilian objects and military objectives”, and that attacks on civilian objects are forbidden. This prohibition is also codified in the Rome Statute of the ICC, which opened an investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine soon after the invasion.

Persons: Ritzau Scanpix, Bo Amstrup, Russia's, Yousuf Syed Khan, RIA, Katharine Fortin, Michael Schmitt, Marko Milanovic, Anthony Deutsch, Stephanie van den Berg, Kevin Liffey Organizations: REUTERS, Criminal, Global Rights, ICC, Utrecht University, Lieber, U.S, West, International, University of Reading, Nova, Thomson Locations: Odesa, Ukraine, Izmail, The Hague, Kherson, Geneva, Rome, Russian, Nova, Russia

☆ Ukrainians forced to become Russian citizens, US-backed research finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Anthony Deutsch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Gleb GaranichAMSTERDAM, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Ukrainians living in Russian-occupied territory are being forced to assume Russian citizenship or face harsh retaliation, including possible deportation or detention, U.S.-backed research published on Wednesday said. A series of decrees signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin compel Ukrainians to get Russian passports, in violation of international humanitarian law, the report said. Ukrainians in occupied territory who do not seek Russian citizenship "are subjected to threats, intimidation, restrictions on humanitarian aid and basic necessities, and possible detention or deportation – all designed to force them to become Russian citizens," the report said. "What is concerning here is that it represents, basically, a violation of the Hague and Geneva Conventions," said Executive Director Nathaniel Raymond of the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health. The report was released as part of the Conflict Observatory program, with the support of the U.S. State Department and conducted by research partner the Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab.

Persons: Gleb Garanich AMSTERDAM, Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Mishustin, Nathaniel Raymond, Raymond, Putin, Anthony Deutsch, Giles Elgood, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Moscow, REUTERS, Yale University, Russian, Hague, Yale School of Public Health, Kremlin, International Criminal Court, U.S . State Department, Yale School of Public, Research, Thomson Locations: Mayorsk, Ukraine, Moscow, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Russia, Russian, Ukraine's Donetsk, Geneva

☆ The making of a fake war hero: An American who reinvented himself as a social-media soldier in Ukraine is accused of 'stolen valor'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +21 min

Four foreign fighters and volunteers in Ukraine who knew Vasquez told Insider it was widely known he wasn't actually taking part in front-line fighting. A Pentagon representative, however, told Insider that Vasquez was never deployed to either of those places — or anywhere else. "I had to tell a million lies to get ahead," Vasquez told the Times. When Ashton-Cirillo took to Twitter to expose Vasquez, Huggett said she felt compelled to make a video to back her up. Huggett told Insider: "I'm tired, but I'm not sorry I exposed the lying scammer.

Persons: James Vasquez, Vasquez, Tucker Carlson, Adam Kinzinger, wasn't, he'd, Tina Vasquez, Libkos Vasquez, Sarah Ashton, Huggett, James, Tim, I'm, Viktor Yatsunyk, Vasquez —, Ashton, Cirillo, James messaged, I've, Diego Herrera Carcedo, Wagner, Vasquez's, Peg Leg, that's, selflessly, Ripley's, hadn't, John, Twitter John, Da Vinci, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Da, Malcolm Nance, Nance Organizations: Service, Twitter, Operation, Storm, Pentagon, New York National Guard, Army Reserve, The New York Times, Army, Times, New York Post, AP, Territorial Defense Force, Armed Forces of, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Wagner Group, UN, United Nations, Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces, Armed Forces, Legion, Ripley's, New York Times, Da Vinci Wolves, Wolverines, Wolves, National Police, Security Service, MSNBC, Ukraine's International Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Russia, Connecticut, Soledar, Kuwait, Iraq, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Donetsk region, American, Armed Forces of Ukraine, Maidan, Geneva, Ashton, US

☆ Putin's comment on funding Wagner shows link to Ukraine -prosecutor
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Anthony Deutsch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Putin said last week that Wagner and its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, had received almost $2 billion from Russia in the past year. Among more than 93,000 incidents of potential war crimes Kostin's office was investigating were many atrocities Wagner forces committed, Kostin said. They are "among the most severe crimes against our civilians and our prisoners of war," Kostin said. Kostin appealed to allies, including the U.S. and Britain, to classify Wagner as a terrorist organisation so it can be prosecuted and its assets frozen. "Prigozhin is already a suspect in criminal proceedings in Ukraine, but the main thing is to stop the activity of such groups," he said.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, Wagner, Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Andriy Kostin, Kostin, Putin's, Anthony Deutsch, Josie Kao Organizations: HAGUE, International Centre, U.S, Thomson Locations: Russia, The Hague, Geneva, Ukraine, Latin America, Africa, Britain

☆ Exclusive: Ukraine brings first charges for deporting Kherson orphans
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Anthony Deutsch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

On Friday, the charges were filed in Ukraine, a pre-trial stage when prosecutors determine there is sufficient evidence to suspect a person of committing a criminal offence. They may have been illegally adopted by Russian citizens, or taken to Russian institutions, she said. The bulk of the orphans were taken on Oct. 21, 2022 under the supervision of the lead, Russian suspect. "We want to hold accountable all the war criminals, all the people that committed horrible international crimes against our Ukrainian children." Ukrainian prosecutors shared a video allegedly showing one of the suspects helping to load the children onto a bus marked with the pro-Russian symbol "Z".

Persons: Ukraine's, Vladimir Putin, Maria Lvova, Karim Khan, Andriy Kostin, General's, Usenko, Anthony Deutsch, Andrii Pryimachenko, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: HAGUE, Reuters, Hague, Court, Kherson Children's, ICC, Russian, Children's, Wednesday, Kherson Regional Children's, Criminal Court, Kherson Region Children's, Russian Ministry of Health, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Russian, Kherson, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, Crimea, Ukrainian, Vyshhorod, Geneva, Kherson Region, Ukraine's, Kyiv

☆ Opinion: The Ukraine dam disaster demands accountability
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Meanwhile, Kyiv and Moscow engaged in an intense round of finger pointing over responsibility for the unfolding environmental disaster. The dam’s collapse is not just devastating for those who reside in the immediate environs — it is a nationwide disaster for Ukraine that could reverberate across the globe. Stalin’s goal in the midst of World War II was to prevent Nazi armies from sweeping across Ukraine, which at the time was part of the Soviet Union. The dam collapsed as Ukraine stepped up operations in anticipation of a much-awaited counter-offensive. The broken walls of the Nova Kakhovka dam, and its destructive rushing waters, should strengthen the resolve of Ukraine’s backers.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Joseph Stalin, Dmitry Peskov, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky’s, Andriy Yermak, Ursula Von der Leyen, “, Antonio Guterres Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, Frida Ghitis CNN, Soviet Union, EU, ”, UN, UN Security Council, United Nations General Assembly, Human Rights, Twitter, NATO, Kyiv Locations: Ukraine’s, Dnipro, Ukraine, Kyiv, Moscow, Soviet, Russia, “ Russia, Geneva, Ukrainian, Vilnius, Lithuania, Baltic, Nova

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