The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in connection with their actions during the seven-month war that began on October 7.
Karim Khan said that he believes Netanyahu, his defense minister Yoav Gallant and three Hamas leaders - Yehia Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh - are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip and Israel.
Speaking of the Israeli actions, Khan said in a statement:
"The effects of the use of starvation as a method of warfare, together with other attacks and collective punishment against the civilian population of Gaza are acute, visible and widely known. (...) They include malnutrition, dehydration, profound suffering and an increasing number of deaths among the Palestinian population, including babies, other children, and women."
The ICC's three pretrial judges will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to issue warrants. ICC spokesman Fadi Al-Abdallah told RFE/RL in an e-mail that the ICC judges "will issue their decision in due course" but did not offer a specific time frame.
Louis Charbonneau, United Nations director at Human Rights Watchsaid:
"Karim Khan's decision to seek arrest warrants for five people for grave international crimes committed in Israel and Palestine since October 7 in the face of pressure from U.S. lawmakers and others reaffirms the crucial role of the [court]. Victims of serious abuses in Israel and Palestine have faced a wall of impunity for decades. This principled first step by the prosecutor opens the door to those responsible for the atrocities committed in recent months to answer for their actions at a fair trial."
David Bosco, a professor at Indiana University-Bloomington and an expert on the ICC, said:
"One thing that's important to note is that over the years that the ICC has been operating, the judges and the prosecutor do not always agree. So it's not a foregone conclusion that the prosecutor will get all the arrest warrants that he wants, or for the precise charges that he wants. I think the arrest warrants for Hamas are probably more straightforward in the sense that you have...the October 7 attack that seemed to be aimed primarily at civilians.
"With Israel, you've got a more complicated situation involving humanitarian aid and whether Israel has been allowing enough humanitarian aid in and has it actually been trying to use starvation as a weapon? Those are somewhat more complicated cases, I would say, from a legal perspective."
Anthony Dworkin, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations and former executive director of the Crimes of War Project, said:
"The warrants represent a significant moment, both in the evolution of the International Criminal Court and the conflict in the Middle East."
"We've seen before many countries, a number of leaders, being indicted by the ICC or having arrest warrants issued against them, but this is the first time a country that's an ally of the West in Europe and the United States has had an arrest warrant against them.
"I think even the fact that the prosecutor is seeking arrest warrants is likely to step up pressure on those countries that are particularly supporting Israel militarily to really review the kind of support that they're giving [and] to investigate whether they believe that military assistance is being used to commit war crimes."
The Rome Statute, the 1998 treaty establishing the International Criminal Court, has been signed by 124 countries.
The six-member panel wrote in an opinion article for the Financial Times on May 20:
"It is important to understand that the charges have nothing to do with the reasons for the conflict. The charges concern waging war in a manner that violates the long-established rules of international law that apply to armed groups and the armed forces in every state in the world."
Saudi King Salman will undergo treatment at Al Salam Palace in Jeddah for a lung inflammation, the state news agency said on Sunday, hours after he underwent medical tests.
Citing the royal court, the state news agency said the 88-year-old king would be treated with antibiotics until the inflammation subsides.
Due to King Salman's health issue, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto Saudi leader, postponed a visit to Japan that had been scheduled to begin on Monday, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said.
Comment: This would be the 2nd scheduled visit abroad the prince has cancelled in the last month. With the first one, to Pakistan, cancelled prior to the King's diagnosis and hospitalisation, but after the rumour assassination attempt.
Comment: The rumours of the assassination attempt emerged on social media on May 6th. Shortly afterwards, it was refuted by the mainstream press. Yahoo reports:
No, there wasn't an assassination attempt on Saudi Crown Prince MBS
Both traditional media outletsand social media users started sharing a video of a car accident on the evening of May 6, claiming that it showed an assassination attempt on the life of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS.
In reality, this video shows a car accident that took place on March 16, 2024. No one was injured in the crash, according to emergency responders, the Saudi Civil Defense.
Neither the article by Nabd News nor the tweet from the Beirut News Center mentioned Mohammed bin Salman. However, later on, Russian accounts on Telegram started reporting that the crown prince was the victim of an assassination attempt.
Which traditional media outlets? And just because the video was allegedly wrongly associated with the rumour, does that mean the rumour had no basis in fact? Even without an assassination attempt, these postponements are notable. And, in light of recent incidents, more so.
On the 11th of May, the crown prince postponed a scheduled meeting in Pakistan for, what they stated at the time, 'unspecified reasons'.
Then, on the 20th of May the trip to Japan was cancelled, allegedly because of the king's hospitalisation:
Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman's much-anticipated visit to Pakistan has been deferred for unspecified reasons, a report said on Saturday. He was earlier expectedto arrive in Islamabad on May 19 on a two-day visit, Geo News reported.
Commenting on the visit of the Saudi crown prince, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zehra Baloch on Friday clarified that details of the visit will be made public as soon as a schedule is worked out between Islamabad and Riyadh. Baloch was confident that the visit would take place soon and surely be valuable as the people of Pakistan were anxiously waiting for the leader from the brotherly country.
The high-level visit was likely to take place after the recent diplomatic and trade-related engagements between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to the Kingdom in March.
The expected visit of the top dignitary, which has now been delayed, possesses vital importance to cash-strapped Pakistan eyeing big investment from Saudi Arabia in diverse fields. It would also materialise the understanding between both countries in Makkah for attracting Saudi investments worth USD 5 billion in Pakistan in the coming days.
It would be the first visit of Mohammad Bin Salman to Pakistan in five years as he last visited the country in February 2019 during the rule of former prime minister Imran Khan. He was due to visit Pakistan in 2022 as part of his visit to the region but the visit was called off at the 11th hour.
Another last minute cancellation?
The visit will see the third in-person meeting between Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in a period spanning five weeks. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong trade, defence, and cultural ties.
The Kingdom is home to over 2.7 million Pakistani expatriates and serves as a top source of remittances to the cash-strapped country.
Murad Sadygzade writing for RT, on the 12th of May, gave the following analysis of the rumoured assassination attempt:
Royal bounty: Who would want to kill the Saudi Crown Prince, and why?
Reports about a recent assassination attempt on Mohammed bin Salman appear to have been false - but that doesn't mean it can't happen.
Recently, several media outlets reported an attack on the convoy of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). However, these claims appear to have been false.
The video and information about burning cars in Riyadh emerged in a post by X (formerly Twitter) user Winter Intel, whose account analysis indicates an unreliable source. Later, the General Directorate of Civil Defense of Saudi Arabia reported an accident involving two cars, one of which had caught fire. The agency confirmed that there were no casualties.
Many Saudi journalists also debunked the news of the attack, calling it fake. Despite the widespread presence of fake news in the modern information space, questions remain about who could have an interest in spreading such rumors, and why. Could there indeed be an assassination attempt on MBS, and what might the reasons be?
Vision 2030: A great reformer for a nation of the future
Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, initiated comprehensive reforms in the kingdom from the moment he assumed key positions of power. His ambitious reform program "Vision 2030" reflects a strategic plan to transform various aspects of the country's economy, society, and culture. The primary economic goal is to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil, and MBS has taken several critical steps toward this objective.
Sectors like tourism, entertainment, information technology, healthcare, industry, and mining are being developed. Saudi Arabia aims to increase the share of the non-oil sector in GDP from 16% to 50%. Privatization of state-owned enterprises is another vital element. The process of partial privatization of Saudi Aramco, the state oil company, has begun, as well as privatization of other public enterprises in various sectors.
At the same time, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), one of the largest sovereign funds in the world, with assets exceeding $620 billion, was established. The fund finances many strategic investments within and beyond the country, including the major project to build the futuristic NEOM megacity on the Red Sea coast. To stimulate the private sector, MBS has paid particular attention to developing small and medium-sized businesses, creating favorable conditions for entrepreneurship and foreign investment, including lifting restrictions on foreign ownership of businesses in the country.
MBS has also brought significant changes to Saudi Arabian social life. The most critical step was expanding women's rights: they can now drive, attend sports stadiums, start their own businesses, and travel without a male guardian's permission. Mandatory gender segregation at public events has also been abolished. Additionally, the establishment of the General Entertainment Authority has led to the emergence of concerts, cinemas, festivals, and other forms of entertainment previously strictly prohibited.
Opening Saudi Arabia to foreign tourists is another key social reform. Thanks to the introduction of tourist visas, the country has for the first time become accessible to visitors not involved in a pilgrimage. In the cultural sphere, MBS is promoting development of arts and culture. The General Culture Authority was created, launching initiatives to support local artists and cultural projects. Special attention is also given to preserving Saudi Arabia's cultural heritage, restoring historical sites and opening them to visitors.
Political reforms have also become an essential part of "Vision 2030." In November 2017, MBS launched an anti-corruption campaign, arresting dozens of princes and businessmen. This campaign allowed significant sums to be returned to the state treasury, which were then used to finance key reforms. The government service reform introduced new standards for civil servants and improved the efficiency of the government apparatus.
Despite the complexity and scale of the changes, MBS continues to advance Vision 2030, striving to make Saudi Arabia more progressive, modern, and sustainable in the future.
"Challenges of 2030": What problems does MBS face?
MBS' reforms are already changing the face of Saudi Arabia, but they have sparked strong reactions, both domestically and internationally. Vision 2030 is an ambitious plan to transform Saudi Arabia but the implementation of the program faces significant challenges.
Despite notable achievements, MBS' reforms have drawn criticism from both inside the country and abroad. The anti-corruption campaign was accompanied by harsh repression of dissent. The November 2017 move on princes and businessmen returned significant sums to the state. However, this step by MBS was also seen as an attempt to eliminate political opponents, consolidate his power, and suppress dissent.
The arrests of activists and journalists have restricted freedom of speech and political participation, provoking strong criticism from international human-rights organizations. The murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 cemented a negative image of MBS in the eyes of the global community. This crime became a symbol of a brutal suppression of opposition, and several Western countries imposed sanctions on Saudi officials suspected of involvement in the killing.
The UN and international human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have raised concerns and leveled criticism at MBS for the arrests of journalists, bloggers and activists, including female activists fighting for women's rights such as Loujain al-Hathloul. Strict laws on insulting religion and the state, mistreatment of prisoners, and the kingdom's use of the death penalty continue to attract global attention.
Another source of international criticism is the war in Yemen. Saudi Arabia, led by MBS, headed a coalition against the Houthis in 2015. The conflict has led to massive civilian casualties and a humanitarian crisis in Yemen. MBS was accused of waging a war that disproportionately targeted civilian infrastructure, and of blockading Yemen, which led to widespread famine.
Sharp economic and social changes have also triggered resistance within Saudi Arabia. Despite efforts to develop non-oil sectors, oil remains a significant source of the country's revenue. The recent sharp decline in global oil prices has exposed the vulnerability of the kingdom's economy. Vision 2030 aims to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil revenue, but economic diversification has proven to be a challenging task.
The reforms have faced the most resistance from religious and conservative circles. Most significantly, expanding women's rights was met with fierce criticism from the religious establishment and conservative parts of the population, who see such reforms as a threat to traditional Islamic values.
These problems are not without historical parallels to the reforms of King Faisal, who also faced challenges in modernizing Saudi Arabia in the mid-20th century. King Faisal, the uncle of MBS, also carried out reforms that changed Saudi Arabia. He sought to reduce the country's dependence on oil by developing infrastructure and non-oil sectors of the economy. In the 1960s and 1970s, he introduced a mandatory education system for girls despite conservative opposition, and sought a more modern, open Saudi Arabia. However, he was shot and killed by his nephew, although the real reasons behind this act remain unclear.
However, there are significant differences between the reforms of MBS and King Faisal. King Faisal acted cautiously and gradually, avoiding abrupt changes, while MBS aims for rapid results, often causing social upheaval. King Faisal was more diplomatic in his approach to opponents, whereas MBS employs harsh methods to suppress adversaries of reform. The anti-corruption campaign and its mass arrests have become part of MBS' strategy to consolidate power, which critics see as authoritarian.
Rising external tensions
The United States remains Saudi Arabia's primary strategic partner, but relations between the two countries have often been strained due to MBS' policies. After the Khashoggi murder, the US Congress and the Biden administration sharply criticized the crown prince. The CIA linked this crime directly to MBS, which led to sanctions against several Saudi officials and complicated relations with Washington. The US also expressed concern over the war in Yemen. President Biden announced the end of US support for the Saudi campaign and reviewed arms supplies. An additional source of tension was the October 2022 OPEC+ decision led by Saudi Arabia to cut oil production, which raised energy prices and angered the Biden administration.
The US didn't care for Yemen, it cared that Saudi was pivoting to the multipolar alliance.
Saudi Arabia and Iran have traditionally been regional rivals, supporting opposing sides in conflicts in Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon while also competing for influence in the Persian Gulf. The severing of their diplomatic relations in 2016 and mutual accusations of destabilizing the region heightened enmity between Riyadh and Tehran. Saudi Arabia criticizes Iran's nuclear program and supports sanctions against Tehran, fearing the possible development of Iranian nuclear weapons. However, in March 2023, with China's help, the two nations agreed to restore diplomatic relations, opening a new chapter in the Riyadh-Tehran dialogue and promising a potential reduction in regional tensions, though the fundamental causes of competition and rivalry remain.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has traditionally been a close partner of Saudi Arabia in the region, but the ambitions of its leader, Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ), create friction. The UAE seeks to become a regional economic hub, which creates competition between Dubai and Riyadh. Saudi Arabia requires international companies to move their headquarters to Riyadh to secure contracts in the kingdom, which displeases Dubai. In Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the UAE fight the Houthis together but pursue different goals: the UAE supports the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which seeks southern Yemen's independence, while Saudi Arabia advocates a unified Yemen. In relations with Israel, the UAE normalized ties through the Abraham Accords in 2020, promoting regional cooperation, while Saudi Arabia remains hesitant to follow suit due to concerns over internal backlash.
Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have official diplomatic relations, but against the backdrop of common opposition to Iran, both states are cautiously moving towards rapprochement. Tehran remains the main adversary for both countries, providing a basis for informal security cooperation. Israel offers Saudi Arabia support in countering the Iranian threat. In the framework of the Abraham Accords, several Arab countries have normalized relations with Israel. Saudi Arabia has yet to grant official recognition, but negotiations were actively ongoing until the conflict in Gaza erupted in October 2023.
Relations between Saudi Arabia and Türkiye improved after a period of tension over the Khashoggi murder. Türkiye seeks to strengthen its influence in the Middle East, competing with Saudi Arabia. Earlier, Ankara had strongly criticized Riyadh's actions in Yemen and its blockade of Qatar. In 2022, MBS visited Turkey, and the two countries agreed to improve relations. This demonstrates MBS's pragmatic approach to cooperation, even with those who have criticized him in the past.
In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, led by the UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain, imposed a blockade on Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism and of maintaining close ties with Iran. This created deep regional divisions and strengthened Türkiye's and Iran's influence over Qatar. However, in January 2021, Riyadh and Doha signed an agreement to restore relations and ended the blockade. Nevertheless, mutual distrust remains.
In the changing global world, Saudi Arabia faces difficulties as MBS seeks to pursue a sovereign and diversified foreign policy. Western criticism often stems not only from human-rights issues and the crown prince's harsh governance methods but also from his desire to develop relations with Russia and China. Riyadh sees China as a strategic partner in trade and investment. Saudi Arabia and Russia cooperate within OPEC+ on oil-price regulation. Riyadh maintains contacts with Moscow despite Western isolation of Russia due to the war in Ukraine.
MBS' domestic and foreign policies, despite complicated relations with many countries and forces, reflects his desire to strengthen Saudi Arabia's position as a regional leader and to reshape the kingdom. However, his harsh methods and uncompromising struggle against the opposition have intensified criticism from global and regional players, creating new challenges for the crown prince. Therefore, potential assassination attempts on the de-facto leader of modern Saudi Arabia may not be fake in the future.
His reforms are opening a new chapter in Saudi Arabian history, but they also highlight the difficulty of modernizing the kingdom amidst contradictions and resistance from various segments of society. The Vision 2030 program remains an ambitious attempt to make the kingdom more progressive, modern, and sustainable in the future, despite the many challenges on this path. After all, not everyone is interested in a strong and sovereign Saudi Arabia.
The developments in Saudi Arabia are particularly notable considering in just the last month or so there's been: a thwarted coup attempt in Turkey, with Erdogan allegedly specifically targeted; the suspicious assassination attempt of Slovakia's Fico; DR Congo's thwarted coup attempt, with evidence of American mercenaries; and the allegedly accidental death of President Raisi in Iran.
Furthermore, following those, there was also a threat made against the life of Serbia's President Vucic.
Perhaps one thread running through all of these is the desire of these leaders and nations to adopt friendly relations with Russia, and China (and, in effect, Iran), contrary to the schemes of the nefarious actors in the West-Israel; who are notorious for their involvement in coups and assassinations :
Comment: Multiple assassination attempts on world leaders in recent days, including an apparent accidental death of one, and now this. It's all 'quickening'...
A DR Congo military spokesman said the perpetrators of the failed takeover, including several foreigners, had been arrested
Three people have been reported killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DR Congo) capital following a shootout between armed men in military uniform and guards of a top politician, an incident the army described as an attempted coup.
Two police officers and one of the attackers were among those killed in the shootout that started early on Sunday.
The armed men attacked the Kinshasa residence of Vital Kamerhe, a federal legislator and a candidate for speaker of the National Assembly of DR Congo, but were stopped by his guards, Kamerhe's spokesman Michel Moto Muhima said on social media.
Comment: There certainly seems to have been an uptick in the number of incidents that can likely be attributed to the machinations of the West, and this is happening alongside a number of more overt actions:
A man has been apprehended in Serbia after allegedly making threats against President Aleksandar Vucic, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic, as reported by local media and BTA.
The individual, identified as D.M. from Sombor, has been placed under arrest and held in custody for 48 hours, as announced by the Serbian Ministry of the Interior in a statement relayed by Tanjug news agency.
The threats against President Vucic surfaced following his expression of shock over the recent assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Vucic had conveyed his prayers for Fico's recovery, referring to him as a close friend of Serbia. Subsequently, menacing messages appeared on Vucic's social media post, suggesting that he could be the next target.
Comment: Whilst people behaving untoward on social media is nothing new, given the new suspicions behind Fico's assassination attempt, the suspicious death of Iran's President Raisi, and considering Serbia's relatively Russia friendly policies, in addition to the various other seemingly related incidents that have occurred of late, the threat is worth noting:
Iranian president confirmed dead in helicopter crashEbrahim Raisi, 63, was elected president in 2021, after a decades-long career in the judiciary
Iranian state media have confirmed that President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday in the northwestern province of East Azerbaijan.
His entire entourage, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Governor of East Azerbaijan Malek Rahmati, also perished.
2) The Israeli press has fresh comment on the significance for the political situation in Iran and the Middle East
Haaretz attributing The Associated Press writes:
During the Israel-Hamas war, he met with foreign officials and the leader of Hamas and Hezbollah. He also threatened retaliation against Israel and praised an April attack on Israel
The Associated Press May 20, 2024 10:07 am IDT
Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, a hardliner close to the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard who confronted the West while also overseeing indirect talks with the U.S. over the country's nuclear program, died in the helicopter crash that also killed the country's president, state media
The Times of Israel:
Iran's Raisi confirmed dead in helicopter crash near Azerbaijan border Officials declare deaths of president and foreign minister after lengthy overnight search in difficult conditions; Hamas conveys 'deepest condolences' to the Iranian government By AGENCIES and TOI STAFF Today, 9:08 am
[...]
The charred wreckage of the helicopter, which crashed on Sunday carrying Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, along with seven others, was found early on Monday after a 15-hour search in foggy weather conditions.
There is also an opinion piece by LAZAR BERMAN, The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter:
Raisi "works for the Supreme Leader," noted Ori Goldberg of Reichman University. "Certainly this guy, because he was elected in the least democratic elections the Islamic Republic ever had."
At the same time, however, the sudden loss of Iran's president creates a power vacuum that senior figures will start maneuvering to take advantage of.
According to Article 131 of Iran's constitution, in the case of the president's death, the first deputy temporarily assumes the presidency. Mohammad Mokhber, a Khamenei loyalist, currently fills that role.
Elections must be held within fifty days.
There is no shortage of powerful officials who have been waiting for an opportunity like this to move further up the regime's power structure, and the sudden shock of the death of Iran's president now presents itself as a test for Khamenei.
"He has to show that he can carry, not the country, but the leadership, through this transition," said Goldberg.
But more importantly, Raisi had been seen as the leading candidate to replace Khamenei. He was immensely experienced — a cleric, ex-chief justice and former head of a massive foundation, in addition to being president.
"To have him off the field or incapacitated, dead, what have you, is a real shock for the politics of the system," said Brodsky.
While overshadowed by Raisi, the loss of Amir-Abdollahian is also significant, as he has been an extremely effective foreign minister, overseeing a successful reconciliation with Saudi Arabia and navigating a series of difficult crises, including with powerful neighbor Pakistan.
Though Iran's broad foreign policy won't change, having to deal with unexpected political upheaval is expected to take attention away from the multi-front fight against Israel.
The country can now be "a little more self-engaged, wrapped up in internal politics, as it sorts out the election for the next president," noted Michael Makovsky, CEO of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America.
3) The Iranian Press TV was initially slow to comment on the missing helicopter, but this morning there is an the indication of a twist to the crash, whether that is to cover up internal incompetence, to unite the nation, or allude to what led to the crash:
The above article has statements from India, Pakistan, Venezuela and Iraq.
4) It is not yet clear what caused the crash, apart from it being damned stupid to fly in poor conditions, in difficult terrain after going to a neighbouring country to inaugurate a mere dam. However, given that the pilot was probably experienced, that the other two helicopters did manage and that there was a lot at stake for some foreign governments, the investigation into the reason for the crash could prove interesting.
The man suspected of attempting to assassinate Prime Minister Robert Fico may not have been working alone, Slovakia's interior minister says.
A team is investigating the possibility Wednesday's attack was not carried out by a "lone wolf", as previously believed, Matus Sutaj Estok told reporters on Sunday.
Mr Fico's life is no longer in danger following hours of surgery, but the 59-year-old still requires intensive care, his deputy said earlier.
On Saturday, the man charged with his attempted murder was placed in custody until his trial.
The alleged assailant has not been formally named, but Slovak reports have widely identified him as 71-year-old Juraj Cintula from the town of Levice.
Local media have described him as a poet who has been involved in political organisations with various ideologies.
Comment: We'll take the Mossad-CIA-MI6 trifecta for $600, Alex.
The aircraft with Ebrahim Raisi on board suffered a "hard landing," according to some media.
A helicopter on which Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was a passenger encountered a "hard landing" on Sunday, according to reports by Iranian state television and other media outlets.
The Interior Minister of Iran Ahmad Vahidi has reportedly confirmed that the helicopter with Raisi on board had made a hard landing in the city of Jolfa in the northwestern Iranian province of East Azarbaijan.
Several other senior officials, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Governor of East Azarbaijan Malek Rahmati, were traveling with the president, reports claim.
About an hour after the incident, rescue teams reportedly managed to reach the area and began a search operation that is currently ongoing.
Tonight, around 0:46 CET (23:46 Lisbon time), a bright fireball has illuminated the skies of Spain and Portugal. According to the Civil Protection of Portugal, the meteor would have fallen in the village of Pereira, in Castro Daire, northern Portugal, 60 km southwest of Porto. Portugal declared an alert and mobilized its firefighters in case there was any information.
Here we can see an impressive video recorded by @rvbzzx in Lisbon and slowed down by @jpunto88_ to make it look better:
Comment: Other videos:
The following selfie-video from Avéro in Portugal was captured by Mila Vladimirovna, @milarefacho
The fireball has entered the CNEOS list: Peak Brightness Date/Time (UT) 2024-05-18 22:46:50
Latitude(deg. 41.0N
Longitude(deg.) 8.8W
Altitude(km) 74.3
Velocity(km/s 40.4
Velocity Components(km/s) vx -26.5, vy -24.1, vz 18.7
Total Radiated Energy(J) 3.7e10
Calculated Total Impact Energy(kt) 0.13 This year six others have entered the list, curiously, of very similar size. There now is one at 0.15, fourat 0.13, one at 0.11 and on at 0.098. The variation last year was between 0.076 and 7.2. kt!
If the reports most distant from the trajectory are reliable, it was viewable at a distance of up to 1200 km. to verify if this is even possible one an use a Distance to Horizon Calculator, like this German online calculator that also is configurable to show miles. From Paris, the altitude from the suburbs could be 100 meters, easily achieved if the observation was from a tall building. Since the meteor
"Dr. Tabak," asked Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.) of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, "did NIH fund gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology through [Manhattan-based nonprofit] EcoHealth [Alliance]?"
"It depends on your definition of gain-of-function research," Tabak answered. "If you're speaking about the generic term, yes, we did."
At least 10 people have died in floods caused by torrential rains in Brazil's south, authorities said Wednesday, as rescuers searched for nearly two dozen individuals reported missing.
Deluges in the state of Rio Grande do Sul have displaced some 3,300 people in more than 100 municipalities, many of whom have been moved to shelters.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced he would visit the area, which governor Eduardo Leite said was dealing with "the worst disaster in the history of our state."
Leite said work was continuing to locate the missing even as more heavy rains were forecast.
The death toll keeps climbing from continuous rains in Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. At least 58 people have been killed, while another 67 remain missing according to the state's civil defense agency. The rains have triggered the worst floods in more than 80 years.
Rescuers rushed to evacuate people stranded by devastating floods across the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul on Tuesday, with 90 reported dead and desperate survivors seeking food and basic supplies.
On the outskirts of Eldorado do Sul, 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) from the state capital of Porto Alegre, many people who left their homes were sleeping on the roadside and told Reuters they were going hungry. Entire families were leaving on foot, carrying belongings in backpacks and shopping carts.
"We've been without food for three days and we've only just got this blanket. I'm with people I don't even know, I don't know where my family is," said a young man who gave his name as Ricardo Junior.
The flooding has hampered rescue efforts, with dozens of people still waiting to be evacuated by boat or helicopter from stricken homes. Small boats crisscrossed the flooded town searching for survivors.
The state's Civil Defense agency said the death toll has risen to 90 with another four deaths being investigated, while 131 people are still unaccounted for and 155,000 are homeless.
Heavy rains that began last week have caused rivers to flood, inundating whole towns and destroying roads and bridges.
In Porto Alegre, a city of 1.3 million inhabitants on the Guaiba river, downtown streets were under water.
Porto Alegre residents faced empty supermarket shelves and closed gas stations, with shops rationing sales of mineral water. The city distributed water in trucks to hospitals and shelters.
The floods have also impacted water and electricity services, with more than 1.4 million affected overall, according to Brazil's Civil Defense.
The death toll from floods caused by heavy rains in Brazil has risen to 137, authorities reported Saturday.
Following heavy rains that have been affecting the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul since last week, the loss of life and property is steadily increasing.
According to a statement from the Civil Defense of the state, the number is 125 people still missing.
The number of injured has risen to 756, and more than 2 million people have been affected.
Additionally, the statement noted that more tha 600,000 people have been displaced.
The statement highlighted that hospitals have reached full capacity, necessitating additional support for patient care.
As many as 151 people have died to date from south Brazil's worst climate disaster on record and another 104 people remain missing, the Civil Defense agency said Thursday.
Since torrential rains began to lash the country's southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul, on April 29, floods and mudslides have left some 600,000 people homeless.
Horse in an unstable condition.
In the last 24 hours, the number of fatal victims rose from 149 to 151 as 458 of the state's 497 cities were suffering from severe flooding, including the capital Porto Alegre, where the Guaiba River burst its banks and inundated most of the metropolis.
According to the Civil Defense agency's latest report, over 2.28 million residents have been directly impacted by the disaster in the state, which borders Argentina and Uruguay, and is a center of Brazilian agribusiness, as well as the top rice producer in Latin America.
"The purpose of GLADIO was to attack civilians, the people - women, children, innocent people, unknown people, far removed from any political game. The reason was quite simple: to force the public to turn to the State and demand greater security. Under a strategy of tension, you 'destabilize in order to stabilize', to create tension within society and promote conservative, reactionary social and political tendencies."
~ Italian neo-fascist whose prosecution led to the discovery of NATO's 'Gladio' networks across Western Europe
- Vincenzo Vinciguerra
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Recent Comments
i met this asshole at a talk in Derby,uk..i infiltrated a climate coalition meeting attended by some mask wearing extinction rebellion members...
Comment: RFE/RL has more: