January 26, 2024

*) World awaits ICJ verdict on Gaza genocide case against Israel The top UN court will hand down an initial decision in a case against Israel over what South Africa and many others say is a genocide in besieged Gaza, a landmark ruling closely watched in the Middle East and around the world. The International Court of Justice could order Israel to stop its war on Gaza or to facilitate humanitarian aid. The court will not, however, pass judgement on whether or not Israel is actually committing genocide in Gaza. *) US, Israel seal huge arms deal as Tel Aviv rains bombs on Gaza The US and Israel have concluded a massive arms deal that includes the supply of F-35 and F-15 fighter jets to Tel Aviv, Israeli Channel 12 reported. The channel cited officials from the Israeli Defence Ministry who participated in the deal as saying an agreement has been reached between the US and Israel in which the Israeli army will be supplied with drones and thousands of rounds of ammunition in the coming days. The officials said the deal is of an exceptional size as Israeli war continues in Gaza and fighting in the north with the Lebanese Hezbollah group escalates. *) Pakistan alleges Indian involvement in killing of two citizens on its soil Pakistan has accused neighbouring India’s intelligence agency of involvement in the extrajudicial killings of its citizens. Islamabad said it had “credible evidence” linking two Indian agents to the assassinations of two Pakistanis in Pakistan last year. Pakistan’s foreign office said the assassination of Pakistani nationals on Pakistani soil was a violation of the country’s sovereignty and a breach of the UN Charter. *) India razes Muslim shops in Mumbai after controversial temple opening Authorities in India’s financial capital Mumbai have torn down several Muslim-owned makeshift shopfronts after religious clashes sparked by a divisive temple that was opened this week by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Minor clashes broke out Sunday in parts of Mumbai, including one incident where Hindus chanting religious slogans passed through a Muslim neighbourhood on the megacity's outskirts. No serious injuries were reported in the melee but by Tuesday, authorities had called in excavators to knock down more than a dozen shopfronts belonging to Muslims in that locality, according to local media reports. And finally… *) ‘Salt-tea’ suggestion kicks off a storm in a teacup and rocks US-UK ties The US Embassy in London has stepped in after an American professor made an “unthinkable” suggestion that “threatens the very foundation” of the US-UK “special relationship.” Michelle Francl, a professor of chemistry at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, authored a just-released book, “Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea,” in which she suggested that adding a pinch of salt to tea could help reduce its bitterness. Her suggestions, however, are anathema to Britain’s tea culture. It prompted the US embassy to issue a statement, ensuring the “good people of the UK that the unthinkable notion of adding salt to Britain’s national drink is not official United States policy. And never will be.”