ICJ: Myanmar must prevent genocide
The United Nation’s top court on Thursday ruled that Myanmar must implement emergency measures to protect Rohingya Muslims against violence and preserve evidence of possible genocide.
The decision from the International Court of Justice on a request filed by Gambia represented the first reckoning against Myanmar after decades of alleged atrocities against the beleaguered Muslim minority, including charges of indiscriminate killing, torture and rape.
Thursday’s ruling, the first step in a legal process that is likely to run for years, did not make a final determination of whether Myanmar — which is run by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi — could be found responsible for genocide, among the most severe crimes under international law.
Those charges have been rejected by Myanmar authorities, who have maintained that they were responding to an insurgency by Rohingya Muslim radicals and did not have any premeditated intention against the group.
However, it does mean that Myanmar must now cease destroying any evidence of genocide, making it more likely that a court could find proof of this crime further down the road, and will have to take immediate steps to protect the minority living in its borders. Separate international proceedings at the International Criminal Court are ongoing against Myanmar.
Mideast peace plan talks
JERUSALEM — Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and his chief political rival, Benny Gantz, to the White House to discuss the administration’s plan for Middle East peace — a proposal that had appeared to stall in recent months.
“President Trump asked me to extend an invitation to Prime Minister Netanyahu to come to the White House next week to discuss regional issues as well as the prospect of peace here in the Holy Land,” Mr. Pence said in Jerusalem after an event commemorating the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
Mr. Netanyahu said he had “gladly” accepted the invitation.
The peace plan was spearheaded by the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner. It is believed to be weighted heavily in favor of Israel, and there is little expectation that it would be acceptable to the Palestinians.
Brexit bill becomes law
LONDON — Britain’s delayed and disputed Brexit bill became law on Thursday, removing the last U.K. obstacle to the country leaving the European Union in just over a week.
The U.K. is leaving the bloc more than 3½ years after voters narrowly opted to do so in a June 2016 referendum — and after interminable rounds of political wrangling.
Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans announced Thursday in the House of Commons that the Withdrawal Agreement Act had received royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II, the final formality in its legislative journey. An identical announcement was made by the speaker of Parliament’s upper House of Lords.
The announcements came hours after the bill completed its passage through Parliament late Wednesday by getting approval from the House of Lords.