anti ISIS

Anti-fascist flag raised as Kurds advance on ISIS

Catalan leadersSpain's Supreme Court ordered imprisoned nine Catalan political leaders—with sentences ranging from nine to 13 years for the crimes of sedition and misuse of public funds—over their role in organizing the 2017 independence referendum. The sentences are each followed by equal periods of absolute ineligibility for public office. Oriol Junqueras—the former vice-president of Catalonia and the highest-ranking of the defendants—received the longest sentence. The sentences sparked protests in the region, with assembled crowds causing flights to be canceled at Barcelona's airport. Police used rubber bullets to regain control of the facility. Demonstrators also gathered at Barcelona's Plaça San Jaume, the seat of the Catalan government, and erected barricades across roads and rail lines. Catalonia's feared anti-riot force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, has been mobilized to clear the streets. (Image via Twitter)

IRAQ’S DEEPENING DIVIDES

KyivInternational Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Karim AA Khan announced that he will open an investigation into the situation in Ukraine. In light of Ukraine's acceptance of the ICC's jurisdiction on an open-ended basis to address crimes committed on its territory since 2014, Khan said the ICC may proceed despite Ukraine not being a state party to the Rome Statute. Ukraine's Ambassador to the UN Yevheniia Filipenko is demanding an inquiry into possible war crimes perpetrated by Russia as its invasion of the country unfolds. Filipenko said: "Russian forces attempt to sow panic among the population by specifically targeting kindergartens and orphanages, hospitals and mobile medical aid brigades, thus committing acts that may amount to war crimes." (Photo of March 1 air-strike on Kyiv TV tower: Kyiv Independent via Twitter)

Continue ReadingIRAQ’S DEEPENING DIVIDES