January 11, 2024

*) All eyes on ICJ as South Africa’s Gaza genocide case against Israel begins A legal battle over whether Israel’s war in Gaza amounts to genocide is set to open at the UN’s top court with preliminary hearings into South Africa’s call for judges to order an immediate suspension of Israel’s military invasion. Israel denies the genocide charge even as it has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians, mostly kids and women, wounded nearly 60,000, uprooted 85 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million population and flattened some 60 percent of the enclave’s infrastructure. The case that will begin on Thursday, and is likely to take years to resolve, strikes at the heart of Israel’s national identity as a state created by the Zionists in the aftermath of the Nazi genocide in the Holocaust. *) WHO cancels sixth aid mission to Gaza in two weeks over security concerns The World Health Organization has cancelled another planned medical aid mission to Gaza over security concerns. This was the sixth cancellation by the UN agency in just two weeks, as it sounded a fresh alarm over the spread of infectious diseases in the besieged Palestinian enclave. WHO said intense Israeli bombardment, restrictions on movement, fuel shortage and interrupted communications make it impossible for WHO and its partners to reach those in need. *) Netanyahu diverges from his key ministers on Gaza reoccupation Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has no plans to reoccupy Gaza or expel its Palestinian population. Netanyahu’s statement stood in contrast to extremist members of his far-right government who have repeatedly called for an ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza. Netanyahu went further to claim that the Israeli military is doing its utmost “to minimise civilian casualties,” despite the Israeli army killing more than 23,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounding nearly 60,000 others. *) Looting, arson in Papua New Guinea cities leave 15 people dead At least 15 people were killed in widespread looting and arson across Papua New Guinea’s two largest cities, the country’s police commissioner said. A police and public sector protest on Wednesday over a pay cut that officials blamed on an administrative glitch descended into lawlessness over the day. TV footage showed thousands in the streets of Port Moresby, many carrying what appeared to be looted merchandise as black smoke billowed over the city. *) Musk’s X sheds over 1,000 staff from teams combating online hate — watchdog Elon Musk’s X has shed more than 1,000 staff globally from teams responsible for stopping abusive content online, according to new figures by Australia’s online watchdog. Australia’s eSafety Commission said these “deep cuts” and the reinstatement of thousands of banned accounts has created a “perfect storm” for the spread of harmful content. The regulator has in recent months zeroed in on X — formerly known as Twitter — previously saying Musk’s takeover coincided with a spike in “toxicity and hate” on the platform.