16/08/2025

SATURDAY | AUG 16, 2025

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UN warns Russia, Israel of conflict sex crimes listing

AFRICAN UNION SUPPORTS MAP CHANGE DAKAR: The African Union has backed a campaign to end the use by governments and international organisations of the 16th-century Mercator map of the world in favour of one that more accurately displays Africa’s size. Created by cartographer Gerardus Mercator for navigation, the projection distorts continent sizes, enlarging areas near the poles like North America and Greenland while shrinking Africa and South America. AU Commission deputy chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi said the Mercator fostered a false impression that Africa was “marginal”, despite being the world’s second-largest continent by area. ‘Correct The Map’ campaign led by advocacy groups Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa has urged organisations to adopt the 2018 Equal Earth projection, which tries to reflect countries’ true sizes. – Reuters NATIONAL GUARD REPORTS FOR DC DUTY WASHINGTON: All 800 National Guard troops who were ordered to the US capital Washington to aid law enforcement personnel by President Donald Trump have now been mobilised, the Pentagon said on Thursday. Trump ordered the deployment as part of what he billed as a crackdown on crime in Washington. “As of today, all 800 Army and Air National Guardsmen are mobilised ... as part of Joint Task Force DC, and they are now here in our capital,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson. They “will assist the DC Metropolitan Police Department and federal law enforcement partners with monument security, community safety patrols, protecting federal facilities and officers” and traffic control posts, Wilson said. The troops “will remain until law and order has been restored in the District”, she said. – AFP GENERAL UNDER FIRE FOR IRAN REMARK PRETORIA: President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office criticised South Africa’s top general on Thursday for reported comments about solidarity with Iran as unhelpful during the process of resetting ties with the United States. The Foreign Ministry has also condemned South African National Defence Force chief General Rudzani Maphwanya for his statements during a recent trip to Iran, and a leading political party has called for his court-martial. Pretoria is working to improve its rock bottom ties with Washington. The Tehran Times reported on Tuesday that Maphwanya had called for deeper cooperation with Iran, especially in defence matters, during meetings with top Iranian defence officials. – AFP

BR I E F S

In February, the Israeli army said it had charged five soldiers for abusing a detainee at a site used to hold Palestinians following the start of the war in Gaza. Among the charges was an allegation that the accused had stabbed a man with a sharp object “which had penetrated near the detainee’s rectum”. The report said there was “credible” evidence of violations “against Ukrainian prisoners of war, in 50 official and 22 unofficial detention facilities in Ukraine” and Russia. “These cases comprised a significant number of documented incidents of genital violence, including electrocution, beatings and burns to the genitals, and forced

reach the American embassy.” The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, which left parts of Lebanon in ruins, erupted in October 2023 when the group opened fire at Israeli positions along the southern border. Hezbollah and Amal still retain influence politically, appointing ministers to Cabinet and holding seats in parliament. But for the first time in years, they do not hold a “blocking third” of Cabinet, enabling them to veto government decisions. – Reuters to halt settlement construction,” Kallas said in a statement. The UN human rights office said yesterday Israel’s decision to build a new settlement near East Jerusalem was illegal under international law and that it put nearby Palestinians at risk of forced eviction, which it described as a war crime. Germany called on the Israeli government to stop settlement construction in the West Bank. Its Foreign Ministry spokesperson said: “Germany firmly rejects the Israeli announcements regarding the approval of thousands of new housing units in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.” Plans for the “E1” settlement and the expansion of Maale Adumim would further restrict the mobility of the Palestinian population in the West Bank by splitting it in half and cutting the area off from East Jerusalem, said the spokesperson. Smotrich’s spokesperson said the minister had approved the plan to build 3,401 houses for Israeli settlers between an existing settlement in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Germany has repeatedly warned the Israeli government to stop settlement construction in the West Bank, which violates international law and UN resolutions. Such moves complicate steps towards a negotiated two-state solution, it said. – Reuters stripping and prolonged nudity, used to humiliate and elicit confessions or information,” it said. Israel has cooperated with a special representative on the issue of sexual violence in conflict, whereas Russia has not, the report said. The report said however that Israel’s refusal to grant access to inspectors had frustrated its ability to determine patterns and trends. Israel rejected the report’s findings and called a letter that accompanied it from Guterres “unusual”. “The UN must focus on the shocking war crimes and sexual violence of Hamas and the release of all hostages,” Israel’s ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said. – AFP

o Tel Aviv rejects report findings

NEW YORK: The United Nations warned Israel and Russia on Thursday that their militaries faced being listed as parties suspected of committing sexual violence in conflict in light of credible evidence of violations. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ report said the two countries risked being added to a list of parties thought to use sexual violence. “Due to significant concerns regarding patterns of certain forms of sexual violence perpetrated by Israeli armed and security forces and Russian armed and security

forces and affiliated armed groups, these parties have been put on notice for potential listing in the next reporting period,” said the annual report. “These concerns relate primarily to violations recorded in detention settings.” In the case of Israel, the report alleges “credible information” military and security forces perpetrated patterns of sexual violence including “genital violence, prolonged forced nudity and repeated strip searches conducted in an abusive and degrading manner”.

West Bank settlement plan breaches international law

BRUSSELS: European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Thursday that an Israeli settlement plan is not in line with international law, and she called on Israeli authorities not to go ahead with it.

“The decision of Israeli authorities to advance the E1 settlement plan further undermines the two-state solution while being a breach of international law. “The EU reiterates its call on Israel

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced that work would start on a long-delayed settlement that would divide the West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem.

A peace activist holds a Palestinian flag during a vigil for Gaza in Dearborn, Michigan, on Thursday. – REUTERSPIC

Hezbollah raises spectre of Lebanon civil war BEIRUT: Hezbollah raised the spectre of civil war yesterday with a warning there would be “no life” in Lebanon if the government sought to confront or eliminate the group. until Israel ends its strikes and occupation of a southern strip of Lebanon that had been a Hezbollah stronghold. many of its top brass including former leader Hassan Nasrallah and 5,000 of its fighters, and destroying much of its arsenal.

However, he said Hezbollah and the Amal movement had decided to delay any street protests while there was still scope for talks. “There is still room for discussion, for adjustments, and for a political resolution before the situation escalates to a confrontation no one wants,” Qassem said. “But if it is imposed on us, we are ready, and we have no other choice ... At that point, there will be a protest in the street, all across Lebanon, that will

The Lebanese Cabinet last week tasked the army with confining weapons only to state security forces, a move that has outraged Hezbollah. Qassem accused the government of implementing an “American-Israeli order to eliminate the resistance, even if that leads to civil war and internal strife”.

“This is our nation together. We live in dignity together, and we build its sovereignty together – or Lebanon will have no life if you stand on the other side and try to confront us and eliminate us,” its leader Naim Qassem said in a televised speech. Israel has dealt Hezbollah heavy blows in the last two years, killing

The government wants to control arms in line with a US-backed plan following Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah which was founded four decades ago with the backing of Tehran’s Revolutionary Guards. But the group is resisting pressure to disarm, saying that cannot happen