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UK open for business, Lord Mayor of London assures Kuwaiti investorsSebastian Mack made up for a pair of missed late free throws by converting a three-point play with 33 seconds remaining as No. 22 UCLA earned a 65-62 victory over No. 14 Gonzaga on Saturday in the West Coast Hoops Showdown at Inglewood, Calif. Eric Dailey Jr. led UCLA with 18 points and shot 4 of 5 from 3-point range. Kobe Johnson scored all 12 of his points on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc for the Bruins and added eight rebounds. Skyy Clark scored 11 points for UCLA (11-2) with a game-high nine rebounds, while dishing out seven assists. Graham Ike led all scorers with 24 points on 11-of-16 shooting from the floor for Gonzaga (9-4) and snared eight rebounds. Ryan Nembhard finished with 16 points and eight assists for the Bulldogs. Tied 58-58 with 1:18 remaining, Mack drew a shooting foul on Gonzaga's Ike but missed both free throws. Ike's rebound led to Nembhard's go-ahead, pull-up jumper with 56 seconds to go as Gonzaga led 60-58. Mack earned a chance at redemption when he scored on a floater with contact from Emmanuel Innocenti. Mack's bonus foul shot put the Bruins ahead 61-60 to help make up for a rough 1-of-7 shooting afternoon. Clark made a pair of free throws after Dusty Stormer's missed 3-point attempt as UCLA grabbed a 63-60 lead with 13 seconds remaining. The Bruins needed the cushion, as Gonzaga executed a length-of-the-court play that sprung Nembhard for a streaking layup while he was fouled by Mack. But Nembhard missed the free throw that would have tied the game. Down by three in the closing seconds, Nembhard inexplicably took a shot from well beyond half court with four seconds still remaining that was off target. The victory was the Bruins' first over the Bulldogs since 2015, and the fourth game between the teams since the 2020-21 season that was decided by four points or fewer. Gonzaga lost guard Khalif Battle early in the first half when he was ejected for a flagrant foul call on a blocked-shot attempt against Dailey. Battle's ejection contributed to a rough opening for Gonzaga, which trailed by 11 before pulling within two points by halftime. Neither team led by more than six points over the final 17:12. --Field Level Media
Kenyan President William Ruto has promised to stop abductions of government critics, in an apparent change of stance for a leader who has previously called the wave of disappearances “fake news.” Ruto, his government officials and police have maintained for months that there were no abductions. Ruto has also demanded names of the missing from families, and told parliament that the reports were fabricated to tarnish his government’s name. At least 82 government critics have allegedly gone missing after a youth-led protest movement erupted in June against a controversial finance bill , though some have resurfaced. Ruto’s remarks on Saturday did not acknowledge government culpability for those missing, however. The Kenyan leader also said that parents should better “take care” of their children. “What has been said about abductions, we will stop them so Kenyan youth can live in peace, but they should have discipline and be polite so that we can build Kenya together,” Ruto said at a stadium in Homa Bay, in the west of the country. Among the disappeared are two young men who shared AI-generated images of Ruto in a casket that some considered offensive and a popular cartoonist whose images of the president went viral. Despite Ruto’s speech, a state-funded human rights body says 29 people remain unaccounted for, including six people who disappeared days before Christmas. Human rights defenders allege that all of the missing activists and critics are believed to have been tracked down by government intelligence who tapped into phone signals. The protests were widely mobilized online, before they spread onto the streets. Human rights activist Bob Njagi, who said he was abducted this summer, reacted to Ruto’s comment: “It was an admission that they’re happening under their watch, if not by them.” “This is just damage control, but it does not absolve them of the previous abductions, and we want all the missing people to be set free,” he told CNN. Njagi leads the Free Kenya Movement, which he described as a consortium of organizations united in pursuit of change for the country. He was one of the most prominent figures behind the protests against Ruto’s government before he disappeared. The 47-year-old told CNN he was forcibly dragged out of a matatu (minibus) one night in August by four hooded men wearing black balaclavas, then was blindfolded, beaten and waterboarded. Njagi said that he was driven to an undisclosed location, stripped naked and chained to the floor for the first two days of his detention. He said that Kenyan security officers held him incommunicado, handcuffed and blindfolded in solitary confinement for 30 more days but was released after a judge threatened to jail the police chief for not revealing his whereabouts. “They’re Kenyan security officers who took us because they told me we had become a threat to the state. These men would just give us one meal a day – ugali (cornmeal) and cabbage or beans,” he said. Until President Ruto’s comments, the Kenyan government has always denied that anyone was missing. “Social media has been used to perpetuate the narrative that certain lawful arrests were abductions when, in fact, those arrested were either awaiting trial or have been released after necessary legal procedures,” Chief Minister Musalia Mudavadi said last week. Njagi said that he was never formally questioned, “but the guys who brought us food would ask random questions, like, ‘who’s been funding you?’ and who our associates were.” The detention was excruciating for many reasons, he said, including that he couldn’t communicate with his family. Njagi was expecting a daughter. She was born nine days before he was released. “I was very traumatized,” he told CNN. He was held in the same premises and released alongside two brothers who are also his neighbors – Jamil and Aslam Longton. Aslam organized and led many protests in the area. He says he was beaten constantly and asked to explain the sources of their funding. Njagi is now reunited with his now three-month-old daughter. But others like Gideon Kibet, a 24-year-old college student who drew the viral cartoon of Ruto, are still missing. Kibet disappeared after meeting opposition senator Okiya Omtatah on Christmas Eve. Kibet’s younger brother Ronny Kiplangat, who is also still missing, had disappeared a few days earlier. The brothers’ family fears that security forces used Kiplangat as bait to lure Kibet – who was studying outside the capital – to Nairobi. Omtatah said that both Njagi and Kibet were abducted by security forces after leaving his office. “(Kibet) boarded a matatu after my driver dropped him off in the city center. As they have done with others, they must have blocked the matatu and snatched him from it,” he said. “If you look at the attitude of the police, they know what is happening. The state is simply allowing it or acquiescing to it,” Omtatah said. Like many young Kenyans, Kibet was once a fervent Ruto supporter. But he turned into a sharp critic as the euphoria that propelled Ruto to power has turned into disappointment with his government over corruption, unemployment, and an anemic economy. Kibet is among many youth that voted for Ruto’s “hustler-in-chief” promise of a better future, but have soured on his government just two years in. Twenty-two-year-old Peter Muteti Njeru was abducted from a suburb outside Nairobi last week. Njeru had posted an AI-generated image of Ruto in a casket on social media, but deleted it after some commenters said it could amount to treason under Kenyan law. CCTV footage from a shop in Njeru’s apartment building showed two men ambushing him before dragging him into a car that speeds off. “Where do you draw the line between power and dictatorship?,” Njeru’s cousin Ansity Kendi Christine said in reference to the abduction. Christine, who says their whole family voted for Ruto, added: “It’s a shame I will carry for the rest of my life.” Kenya’s recently impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has claimed that a rogue unit of security officers outside of the command of the police was carrying out abductions and killings in the country. Some youth who went out to protest and disappeared were later found dead. “Your guess is as good as mine as to who is the commander of that unit,” he told reporters, demanding that it be dismantled. Gachagua hinted that his former boss and running mate Ruto was ultimately responsible after Kenya’s police chief denied involvement in the disappearances. “For the avoidance of doubt, the National Police Service is not involved in any abduction, and there is no police station in the country that is holding the reported abductees,” Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said in a statement last week. The country’s senior-most police officer declined an interview requested by CNN on the cases. Omtatah has called on Kanja and Kenya’s chief detective to “come clean” on the abductions or quit. Meanwhile, Ruto’s promise to stop the abductions can’t come soon enough for the families of the missing. Retired civil servant Gerald Mwangi, whose son has been missing since Saturday, is hoping Ruto will keep his word. Billy Mwangi, 24, disappeared from his barbershop’s doorstep the day after a now suspended X account believed to belong to him, posted a doctored photo showing Ruto’s head emerging from a casket. Mwangi’s barber told CNN that unidentified men jumped out of a car and grabbed Mwangi, who was waiting for a haircut, from his shop. Mwangi’s father hopes his son will be released after Ruto’s announcement. In the meantime, he says, he is continuing what he calls a “layman’s investigation” into his son’s disappearance. Civil society groups and professional bodies have condemned the abductions, calling them enforced disappearances with the regional cartoonists society decrying a return to the “ dark days of censorship , detention without trial, torture and murder of voices critical of the government.” And, while a civilian-led police oversight body is investigating, many Kenyans have little faith in their independence. “We believe in God and I believe that my son is going to be released,” Mwangi said.Gun found on suspect in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO matches shell casings at scene, police say ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — New York City’s police commissioner says the gun found on the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO matches shell casings found at the crime scene. Commissioner Jessica Tisch also said Wednesday that lab results matched suspect Luigi Mangione’s prints to a water bottle and a snack bar wrapper found near the scene of the killing. Police had said earlier that they believed the gunman bought the items at a nearby coffee shop while awaiting his target. Mangione is jailed in Pennsylvania on weapon and forgery charges, but he also has been charged in New York with murder in Brian Thompson's death. His lawyer has noted that Mangione is presumed innocent. Authorities are scrutinizing evidence and the suspect’s experiences with the health care industry. Arguments over whether Luigi Mangione is a 'hero' offer a glimpse into an unusual American moment Memes and online posts in support of 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, who's charged with killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO, have mushroomed online. Some cast Mangione as a hero. That's too far, says Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a rising Democrat who was almost the Democratic vice presidential nominee this year. CEO Brian Thompson's death touched off off these ripples. They offer a glimpse into how so many different aspects of 21st-century life can be surreally connected, from public violence to politics, from health care to humor, or attempts at it. FBI Director Wray says he intends to resign before Trump takes office in January WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray says he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January. The announcement Wednesday comes a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the position. His impending resignation will bring him three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations. Trump applauded the news Wednesday, saying it will end the weaponization of what he called the “Department of Injustice.” Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for the first time and be named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thursday's events will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has long seen praise from the business world and media as a sign of success. Four people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press that Trump was expected to be on Wall Street on Thursday to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, while a person familiar with the selection confirmed that Trump had been selected as Time's Person of the Year. The Trump and Biden teams insist they're working hand in glove on foreign crises WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t think much of Joe Biden’s foreign policy record. He frequently casts the outgoing Democratic president as a feckless leader who shredded American credibility around the world during his four-year term. But the Trump and Biden national security teams have come to an understanding that they have no choice but to work together as conflicts in Gaza, Syria and Ukraine have left a significant swath of the world on a knife’s edge. It’s fuzzy how much common ground Biden and Trump’s teams have found as they navigate crises that threaten to cause more global upheaval as Trump prepares to settle back into the White House. Syrians flock to morgues looking for loved ones who perished in Assad's prisons DAMASCUS (AP) — Many bodies have been found in Syrian detention centers and prisons since President Bashar al-Assad's government fell. Now Syrians around the world are circulating images of the corpses in hopes that they will see slain loved ones whose fate had been a mystery. At the morgue visited by The Associated Press on Wednesday in Damascus, families flocked to a wall where some of the pictures were pinned in a haunting gallery of the dead. Relatives desperately scanned the images for a recognizable face. Some of the prisoners died just weeks ago. Others perished months earlier. US warns Russia may be ready to use new lethal missile against Ukraine again in 'coming days' WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says Russia could launch its lethal new intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine again soon. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh cited a U.S. intelligence assessment in telling reporters on Wednesday that an attack could come “in the coming days.” She says the U.S. does not consider the Oreshnik missile a game changer on the battlefield. But that Russia is using the weapon to intimidate Ukraine as both sides wrestle for an advantage that will give them leverage in any negotiations to end the war. The Russian Defense Ministry also is warning it may retaliate against Kyiv for an attack on a military base in the Rostov region in southern Russia on Wednesday. Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 33 including children, Palestinian medics say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian medical officials say Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 33 people. One of the strikes hit a home where displaced people were sheltering in the isolated north, killing 19. A separate strike outside nearby Kamal Adwan Hospital killed a woman and her two children, and another strike in central Gaza killed at least seven people. Israel's military says it tries to avoid harming civilians and accuses militants of hiding among them, putting their lives in danger. Local health officials say Israel’s retaliatory offensive after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023 has killed over 44,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Hannah Kobayashi, missing Hawaii woman whose disappearance prompted a massive search, is found safe LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hannah Kobayashi has been found safe. That’s according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Kobayashi vanished last month in Los Angeles. The missing Hawaii woman's disappearance prompted a massive search and a missing persons investigation. It was not immediately clear where she was found, but police previously said she had voluntarily crossed the border into Mexico. The LAPD said Wednesday the department will wrap up its investigation. Kobayashi's family reported her missing to law enforcement on Nov. 11 after relatives received “strange and cryptic, just alarming” text messages. Kobayashi’s mother and sister said they are “grateful” she has been found safe. Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. But when exactly? ZURICH (AP) — Saudi Arabia scored a major win in its campaign to attract major sports events to the kingdom when it was formally appointed as the 2034 World Cup host on Wednesday. Still, many questions remain about the tournament. Key issues include during which part of the year to stage the tournament, where to play the games, whether alcohol will be allowed at all and how to protect workers rights in the massive construction projects required to host the World Cup.
NEW YORK — Dylan Raiola passed for 228 yards and a touchdown as Nebraska built an 18-point lead through three quarters and hung on to beat Boston College 20-15 on Saturday for its first bowl victory since 2015. After Nebraska built a 13-2 lead in the first half on scoring runs by Rahmir Johnson and Kwinten Ives, Raiola hit Emmett Johnson with a 13-yard TD pass on fourth down with 3:02 remaining in the third quarter for a 20-2 edge, and the Cornhuskers (7-6) held on for the win. Raiola completed 23 of 31 passes in front of a sizable Nebraska crowd that celebrated the team’s first bowl win since topping UCLA in the 2015 Foster Farms Bowl and first winning season since 2016. “The biggest thing is that finally they can walk off the field and say, ‘Hey, we got it done,’” Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said. “We’ll have a lot of momentum heading into the offseason.” Raiola completed passes to 10 receivers, including Jahmal Banks, who finished with four receptions for 79 yards. “He’s gotten so much better as the year’s gone on in terms of the speed, movement and those things,” Rhule said of Raiola. Rahmir Johnson and Ives scored on short TD runs in the second quarter, and Nebraska’s defense set up the critical score in the third. Emmett Johnson scored on fourth-and-3 for a 20-2 lead. That score came after John Bullock sacked Boston College quarterback Grayson James, forcing a fumble that Elijah Jeudy recovered at midfield. James finished 25 of 40 for 296 yards as Boston College (7-6) fell to 0-3 in Pinstripe Bowls. The Eagles got past midfield on five of their first seven drives but committed two turnovers and failed to convert four fourth downs, including two inside the 10-yard line. Boston College finally cashed with 6:11 left in the fourth when Turbo Richard scored on a 1-yard run, but the 2-point conversion failed. BC made it a one-score game on Jordan McDonald’s 2-yard run, a play after getting possession on a blocked punt. “I thought we were productive, but we couldn’t score,” BC coach Bill O’Brien said. “So that’s a problem because you have to score to win.” After a scoreless opening quarter, Rahmir Johnson easily scored on a 4-yard run on the first play of the second quarter. After BC turned it over on downs twice in Nebraska territory, the Cornhuskers took a 13-0 lead on Ives’ 2-yard run that was set up by Rahmir Johnson’s 22-yard run. The Eagles picked up their only points of the first half when Ashton McShane blocked John Hohl’s extra point and returned it for two points. Nebraska: Rahmir Johnson was named MVP in his final game at Nebraska to cap an emotional season in which he lost his mother in November. Johnson finished with 10 carries for 60 yards, and the Cornhuskers totaled 127 yards on the ground and 363 yards overall. “Even with news like that, I still want to play for these guys,” Johnson said. “And that’s just the type of person I am.” Boston College: Without ACC sacks leader Donovan Ezeiruaku, the Eagles could not get Nebraska and had to burn their final two timeouts after getting within 20-15. Nebraska: Opens its 2025 season against Cincinnati on Aug. 30. Boston College: Takes on Fordham on Aug. 30 to open its season and will welcome Alabama transfer Dylan Lonergan into its quarterback mix.LIVERPOOL, England -- maintained their 100% start to the with against on Wednesday that leaves the reigning European champions in danger of missing out qualification for the knockout stages. Second-half goals from and at Anfield sealed Liverpool's fifth successive Champions League victory and moved Arne Slot's team two points clear at the top of the table. It was the Reds' first win against in the Champions League since March 3, 2009, ending an eight-game winless streak against the Spanish capital club (a span that included seven losses). But Real, who won the Champions League for a record 15th time against at Wembley last season, have now lost three of five games so far and sit in 24th position -- the final qualification spot for February's playoff stage. had the chance to equalise for Madrid when he had a penalty saved by Liverpool keeper while the scoreline was 1-0 to the home side. The penalty drama also affected Liverpool, with sending his spot kick wide on 70 minutes. Real now face a tough trip to champions on Matchday 6 next month as they attempt to kickstart their hopes of qualifying for the next stage of the competition. Mbappé and Salah both miss, Mbappé's is costly Nobody will have been more pleased to see Salah skew his second-half penalty wide at Anfield than Mbappé, having seen his own spot kick saved nine minutes earlier. Salah's miss took at least some of the spotlight off Mbappé, after a truly disastrous evening for the Madrid forward. This was the international's s biggest opportunity yet to impress in a Madrid shirt, after a shaky start to life at the Bernabeú. Instead, it was his season so far in microcosm. In 90 minutes, Mbappé had only two shots, one on target, and that was the penalty. He attempted just 22 passes -- only had fewer -- completing 16 of them. Scoring the penalty could have changed his night, and would have had Madrid right back in the game at 1-1. Instead, Mbappé fluffed his lines. His performance will be scrutinised in the Madrid media on Thursday, and the fans' patience won't last forever. Salah's miss was less costly -- even if it was a worse effort -- and might be forgotten soon enough, given Liverpool's win. But it wasn't what he needed, either, in the week having not received a new contract offer. Salah is a Liverpool legend, though, and his team are flying domestically and in Europe. Mbappé is just starting out at Madrid, and with three defeats out of five, their Champions League campaign is already spiraling out of control. Kelleher lives up to Klopp-given nickname If Kelleher's Liverpool career to date could be summed up by a single moment, then his superb penalty save to deny Mbappé would perhaps be it. A bystander for much of the evening against Madrid, the man Jürgen Klopp once dubbed the "best No. 2 in the world" lived up to his title once again, becoming the first goalkeeper to deny the Frenchman from the spot in the Champions League and laying the foundations for Liverpool to secure a famous win against their European nemesis. In truth, Kelleher can no longer be dubbed a "No. 2." He has featured more for Liverpool than in 2024, owing to the Brazilian's ongoing struggles with a hamstring problem. Once again on Wednesday night, he didn't let Slot's side down, making a handful of late saves to preserve the hosts' clean sheet. While the impending arrival of from surely means Kelleher's long-term future lies away from Anfield, his enduring brilliance in Alisson's absence means that if, or when, he does depart he will do so as a cult hero. Bradley gives Alexander-Arnold a look into the future may have had an uncomfortable glimpse into the future while sitting on the Liverpool substitutes' bench as his teammates defeated Real Madrid. On the one hand, the Liverpool full-back will have seen produce a stunning performance at right-back and show that he is more than capable of keeping Alexander-Arnold out of the team now that he is fully fit. And with endless speculation linking Alexander-Arnold with a free agent move to Real next summer if he fails to sign a new deal at Anfield, the 26-year-old might just have learned that the La Liga giants are a team in decline just six months after winning the Champions League and that a move to the Santiago Bernabeú may not be the dream it once seemed. This night was really all about Bradley, though, the impressive 21-year-old who was outstanding against Real. The Northern Ireland international set the tone with a crunching tackle on Mbappé in the first half that brought a huge cheer from The Kop. He went on to produce a rock-solid performance at full-back, as well as offering threat going forward. Bradley was only denied a goal when produced a world-class save to keep out his second-half header from close range. If Liverpool are worried about losing Alexander-Arnold, they really shouldn't be. Bellingham feels Anfield's wrath delivered an outspoken news conference ahead of this game when after 's failure to win Euro 2024. He also dismissed speculation that he almost joined Liverpool before signing for Real Madrid in 2023 because Real were on a "different level." Bellingham's comments about Liverpool led to him being booed by the Anfield crowd whenever he touched the ball. It seemed to have an impact on his performance because the 21-year-old was poor against Slot's side. Liverpool midfielders Mac Allister and dominated Bellingham, both in physical challenges and with the ball, and he spent the majority of the game struggling to make an impact. In Bellingham's defence, he was playing in a deeper role than he typically enjoys. Carlo Ancelotti deployed him on the left of midfield behind a front three of Mbappé, and . Just as with England at Euro 2024, though, when the game passes Bellingham by, he offers little and his frustration becomes evident. This game was another example, and it couldn't have been more badly timed considering Bellingham had complained about his treatment after the Euros. When a player talks about being misjudged or harshly treated, the best way to prove a point is usually by doing it on the pitch. At Anfield, he ended up being outshone by two of the players Liverpool recruited after pulling out of the race to sign him 18 months ago.Google Maps under scrutiny after fatal car accident in India
THE HAGUE — The world’s top war-crimes court issued arrest warrants Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas’ military chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the 13-month war in Gaza. The warrants said there was reason to believe Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant have used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and have intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny. The action by the International Criminal Court came as the death toll from Israel’s campaign in Gaza passed 44,000 people, according to local health authorities, who say more than half of those killed were women and children. Their count does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Experts say hunger has become widespread across Gaza and may have reached famine levels in the north of the territory, which is under siege by Israeli troops. Israel says it has been working hard to improve entry of aid, though the trickle of supplies into Gaza remains near the lowest levels of the war. Netanyahu condemned the warrant against him, saying Israel “rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions” by the court. In a statement released by his office, he said: “There is nothing more just than the war that Israel has been waging in Gaza.” Gallant, in a statement, said the decision "sets a dangerous precedent against the right to self-defense and moral warfare and encourages murderous terrorism.” The warrant marked the first time that a sitting leader of a major Western ally has been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by a global court of justice. The decision turns Netanyahu and the others into internationally wanted suspects, putting them at risk of arrest when they travel abroad and potentially further isolating them. Israel and its top ally, the United States, are not members of the court. But others of Israel's allies, including some of its close European friends, are put in an awkward position. Several, including France, welcomed the court's decision and signaled they might arrest Netanyahu if he visited. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden's administration was “deeply concerned by the prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision.” The warrants represent "the most dramatic step yet in the court’s involvement in the conflict between Israel and Hamas," said Anthony Dworkin, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Israeli leaders, politicians and officials across the spectrum denounced the warrants and the ICC. The new defense minister, Israel Katz, who replaced Gallant earlier this month, said Thursday’s decision is “a moral disgrace, entirely tainted by antisemitism, and drags the international judicial system to an unprecedented low.” Human rights groups applauded the move. The warrants against both sides “break through the perception that certain individuals are beyond the reach of the law,” the associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch, Balkees Jarrah, said in a statement. The decision came six months after ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan requested the warrants. The court issued a warrant for Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas’ armed wing, over the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks that triggered Israel’s offensive in Gaza. It said it found reasonable grounds to believe Deif was involved in murder, rape, torture and the taking of hostages amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity. In the Hamas-led attack, militants stormed into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking some 250 others hostage. Around 100 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, around a third of them believed to be dead. Khan withdrew requests for warrants for two other senior Hamas figures, Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, who have both since been killed. Israel says it also killed Deif in an airstrike, but Hamas has never confirmed his death. The warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant were issued by a three-judge panel in a unanimous decision. The panel said there were reasonable grounds to believe that both men bear responsibility for the war crime of starvation and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts. The judges said the lack of food, water, electricity, fuel and specific medical supplies created conditions “calculated to bring about the destruction of part of the civilian population in Gaza,” including the deaths of children due to malnutrition and dehydration. They also found that by preventing hospital supplies and medicine from getting into Gaza, doctors were forced to operate, including performing amputations, without anesthesia or with unsafe means of sedation that led to “great suffering.” Israeli diplomatic officials said the government is lobbying the international community to speak out against the warrants and is considering an appeal to the court. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal decision on how the government will proceed. Despite the warrants, none of the suspects is likely 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. For example, Russian President Vladimir Putin, wanted on an ICC warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, recently visited Mongolia, a member state in the court but also a Russian ally. He was not arrested. Still, the threat of arrest now complicates any travel abroad by Netanyahu and Gallant. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the warrants are binding on all 27 members countries of the European Union. France signaled it could arrest Netanyahu if he came to its territory. Foreign Ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine called it a “complex legal issue” but said France supports the court’s actions. “Combating impunity is our priority,” he said. “Our response will align with these principles.” Hamas in a statement welcomed the warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant but made no mention of the one against Deif. Israel’s opposition leaders fiercely criticized the ICC’s move. Benny Gantz, a retired general and political rival to Netanyahu, said it showed “moral blindness” and was a “shameful stain of historic proportion that will never be forgotten.” Israel’s campaign has caused heavy destruction across Gaza and driven almost the entire population of 2.3 million people from their homes, leaving most dependent on aid to survive. Two days after Hamas’ attack on southern Israel, Gallant announced a total seal on Gaza, vowing not to let in food, fuel or other supplies. Under U.S. pressure, Israel began allowing a trickle of humanitarian aid to enter a few weeks later. Israel now says it puts no limit on the supplies permitted into Gaza, and it blames the U.N. distribution system. But Israel's official figures show the amount of aid it has let in has plunged since the beginning of October. The U.N has blamed Israeli military restrictions, along with widespread lawlessness that has led to theft of aid shipments. The case at the ICC is separate from another legal battle Israel is waging at the top U.N. court, the International Court of Justice, in which South Africa accuses Israel of genocide, an allegation Israeli leaders staunchly deny. Lawyers for Israel argued in court that the war in Gaza was a legitimate defense of its people and that it was Hamas militants who were guilty of genocide. Associated Press journalists Raf Casert in Brussels, Mike Corder in The Hague and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
Twitchy VIP readers, I'm BaaaAAAaack! I am so happy to be writing again. I have had a lot going on. My oldest daughter got married, and then I was quite sick for several weeks leading up to the election, plus the day after the election, I took a little trip to a little place across the pond we call London. For those of you who follow me on X, you know how exciting that is for me. It was like being at the NERD Super Bowl. I went to the Harry Potter Studio Tour and it was so cool! But I digress, Even though I could write 4 pages on my NERD dream vacation I want to tell you about what I noticed that the media does not tell us. From all of the media and entertainment I consume, I assumed people there would hate us just because we are American and I really thought they would hate us for electing Donald Trump. Surprisingly that was not the case. The first thing that is very different there is they all just think you will openly talk about who you voted for and why. Every shop owner, every Uber driver, even people just walking down the street would hear our accents and say: 'AMERICANS!! - What did you think of the election?' They were also very vocal about what they thought, and they were as divided as America. It was a 50/50 chance if they loved or hated Trump but even those who did not like Trump were not nearly as rabid and upset as the Left in the USA. This trip was a mother-daughter trip with my youngest, 2 of her oldest friends and their mothers. I did not know either of the mothers very well but before the trip, we all put out guidelines that we would not talk politics. We were evenly divided in our votes 3 Harris and 3 Trump but They did not know that. My daughter was a secret Trump vote, and they all thought I voted Libertarian as I had in a few past elections. When people would ask if we were happy about the election, the answer was usually 'We are split in this group so some of us are happy and some of us are not.' It was always tense though. Being an introvert, I did not want to deal with politics and people at the same time! I talk about politics regularly on the internet but I actually avoid talking about it IRL and on Facebook where I know people. I do not avoid it out of shame, I avoid it because I try to be a mostly polite human and it makes me feel like I am rude if I make people I know to be mostly decent humans look stupid, and we all know making Leftists look stupid is very easy! BACK TO LONDON! One gentleman heard one of us point out a vegetarian cafe to one of the friends and he yelled at the top of his lungs 'Don't be a vegetarian eat a pig! GO TRUMP!' and I had to laugh. Actually just about everyone in the vicinity laughed except for the Harris voters in the group. *SNORT* Another woman was selling jewelry at a street market and she had the girls captivated for a good 30 minutes while she told them why the Left is a bunch of hypocrites and why the USA is the only hope for the Western world. Watching them listen to her was kind of awesome. That talk moved at least two of the girls. My daughter who was the secret Trump vote came home from this trip saying she appreciated America and the blessings we have even more than she had before the vacation. The other young lady did not say much but she seemed touched and moved by the jewelry maker. The people who wanted Harris seemed to think it was obvious why they wanted her but they were not rude or acting like we were evil for not agreeing. It was really quite the opposite of what I had assumed would be the case. My daughter left London proud of her vote and actually chanted USA, USA, USA once we landed back in America. I love her. haha Anyway, all of that is to say, I learned that the Left in the United States is much worse than I thought. 80% of them do not seem to be able to have a normal conversation without pulling politics into everything, they can not seem to disagree with your politics but still be friendly. The people I traveled with were able to do that fine and I was happy about that, but I wish the Left in general could take a small lesson from the Londoners. They should be able to state their point but still be friendly and able to talk about something other than politics once they know we disagree. This used to be a skill we all had, but the Left has radicalized young people to the point where they are unable to even speak to their own family members without making a scene. Some to the point of posting on social media how they have officially stopped speaking to thier parents or siblings over a Trump vote. It is sad. Watching how they melted down while we were gone was wild. Shaving heads, crying, yelling. It is too much. The Left needs to get back to basics, allow people to disagree, and have normal discussions without the stunts and the hypocrisy. Anyway, I just wanted to say I am back, I had a wonderful time, and from my experience, the whole of England does not hate us, even those who disagree just dislike our politics but they do not seem to wish death upon us and our descendants for the next 100 years. I doubt they would ever try to get us fired from our jobs or SWAT our homes for our politics if they had the chance. It was quite an interesting trip. I am glad I got to see it, and I am VERY glad to be back home. AMERICA! Blessed to have been born here and so happy Kamala is not going to be our President in 2025. As my daughter said as we landed back home: USA! USA! USA! God Bless America!
HIGH POINT, N.C. (AP) — D'Maurian Williams scored 18 points as High Point beat Pfeiffer 81-50 on Saturday. Williams went 8 of 13 from the field (2 for 3 from 3-point range) for the Panthers (8-1). Kezza Giffa scored 14 points, going 3 of 8 from the floor, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and 7 for 8 from the line. Kimani Hamilton shot 4 for 8, including 1 for 3 from beyond the arc to finish with 11 points. The Falcons were led by Doug Smith and Justin Gaten with nine points apiece. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .