World

The United States military has confirmed that at least 157 people have been killed in lethal strikes against alleged drug-trafficking boats off Latin America, described as a campaign of extrajudicial killings by legal experts. In a written statement to members of the US Congress, senior defence official Joseph Humire stated that 47 “narco-trafficking vessels” have been struck in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific since the campaign began in September.

A Brussels court on Tuesday ruled that 93-year-old former Belgian diplomat and European Commission vice-president Etienne Davignon must stand trial over war crimes linked to the 1961 assassination of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The case represents a historic moment in confronting Belgium's colonial past, as Davignon is the only surviving suspect among ten Belgians accused by Lumumba's family of complicity in his murder.

Eighteen days into the conflict, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remains active despite major setbacks, including the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other political and military leaders in attacks by the US and Israel allegedly launched at the war's onset. Middle East analyst Habib Hosseini-Fard told DW that Iran's power structure has overcome the initial shock, with the IRGC continuing attacks on multiple fronts against the US, Israel, and neighboring Arab states, relying on a decentralized and well-connected command structure.

According to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Israel has forcibly displaced more than 36,000 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank within one year. The report warns that illegal Israeli settlement expansion and a push to annex the territory are accelerating, with settler violence increasing by 24% compared to the previous year.

A Brussels court has ordered that 93-year-old former Belgian diplomat and ex-European Commissioner Etienne Davignon stand trial over the 1961 assassination of Congo's first prime minister and anti-colonial icon, Patrice Lumumba. This marks the first trial directly related to Lumumba's death, coming decades after the crime that has long haunted Belgium's colonial legacy.

A Vatican appeals court this week overturned the conviction of senior Catholic Cardinal Angelo Becciu, sentencing him to five and a half years in prison, in a landmark fraud case related to a botched London property deal worth around £200 million (approximately €230 million). The court ruled the initial judgment was flawed due to procedural errors by prosecutors and by former Pope Francis, highlighting significant legal irregularities in the Holy See's judicial process.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Tuesday in London that international attention must remain on Ukraine despite the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran. Starmer, welcoming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his residence and office at 10 Downing Street, stated, "There's obviously a conflict in Iran going on, in the Middle East, but we can't lose focus on what's going on in Ukraine and the need for our support." NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also joined the meeting.

Eighteen days into the conflict, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remains active despite significant setbacks. Although the US and Israeli attacks killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other political-military leaders in the initial hours, Iran's power structure has overcome the initial shock. Middle East analyst Habib Hosseini-Fard told DW that this assessment does not match reality, as the regime's flexible command system sustains operations.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has directed top security chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri following Monday's suicide bombings that killed at least 23 people. Authorities suspect Boko Haram militants are behind the attacks, marking the first major incident in the city since 2021 and highlighting the persistent terrorism issue that has plagued northeastern Nigeria for nearly two decades. Tinubu expressed grief and condolences to the victims' families while ordering an intensification of operations in Borno State.

The United Nations human rights office stated that Israeli attacks on residential buildings and civilian infrastructure in Lebanon may amount to war crimes, as the Israeli military intensifies its assault on its northern neighbor amid the broader regional conflict. At a news briefing on Tuesday in Geneva, a spokesperson for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, Thameen al-Kheetan, reported that hundreds of homes and other structures, including healthcare facilities, have been destroyed in intensified Israeli strikes on the capital, Beirut, and other areas of Lebanon.

The director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, has resigned from his position, citing opposition to the war in Iran and urging President Trump to "reverse course." In an open letter posted on his X account, Kent stated that Iran poses "no imminent threat" to the US and claimed that the Trump administration "started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby."

Liverpool and Galatasaray are set to clash in the UEFA Champions League last 16 second leg on Wednesday at 8pm GMT at Anfield in Liverpool, England. Galatasaray holds a narrow 1-0 lead from the first leg, but Liverpool aims for a comeback on home soil, though their troubled season casts doubt on such prospects. The match is crucial for both teams, with Liverpool seeking to salvage their European campaign after a disappointing Premier League title defence.