Investigation sought into Israeli actions

THEHAGUE, Netherlands— Calling it a “historic step” toward justice, the Palestinian foreign minister asked the International Criminal Court on Tuesday toopen an “immediate investigation” into alleged Israeli crimes committed against the Palestinian people.

The development was sure to worsen the already troubled relations between the internationally backed Palestinian Authority and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Peace talks have been frozen for over four years, and contacts between the two sides are minimal.

Speaking at the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said he submitted the “referral” to the court during a meeting with the ICC’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda.

The referral sought an investigation into Israeli policies in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip since the state of Palestine accepted the ICC’s jurisdiction in 2014, he said.

Venezuela expels diplomat

WASHINGTON— Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro said he is expelling the top U.S. diplomat in Venezuela and his deputy for conspiring against Venezuela. He said they must leave for the “dignity and independence” of Venezuela.

Mr. Maduro declared Todd Robinson and his deputy, Brian Naranjo, “persona non grata” and gave them 48 hours to leave the country as he denounced the “offensive” U.S. sanctions, which he said violated international law and caused greater harm and suffering for the Venezuelan people.

The announcement comes after the U.S. sanctions against the Venezuelan government in response to what it called an illegitimate and “sham” election Sunday that gave Mr. Maduro another sixyear term.

Russians freeze exports

MOSCOW— Russia’s parliament on Tuesday adopted a wide-ranging bill that could freeze crucial exports to the United States and imports to Russia from the U.S. and other countries.

The bill, drafted by leading lawmakers at the State Duma in response to the latest round of U.S. sanctions, lays out a wide range of restrictions for U.S. businesses in Russia and for cooperation with the U.S.

Among other things, the bill allows the Russian president to “ban or suspend cooperation with a hostile state” and ban imports of goods from unnamed countries.

The original bill proposed restrictions to U.S. imports including drugs as well as banning crucial exports, such as titanium, to the U.S. But lawmakers toned it down to get rid of references to specific restrictions before adopting the bill.

Many lawmakers who backed the bill portrayed it as a warning to the West against further sanctions on Russia.

Germans deny extradition

BERLIN — A German court has rejected a request from prosecutors to take former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont back into custody pending a decision on whether he is extradited to Spain.

Mr. Puigdemont was detained by German police March 25 after crossing the border from Denmark.

Spain had issued a European arrest warrant and extradition on charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds — charges that stem from an unauthorized referendum last year on Catalonia’s independence from Spain.

He was released April 6 after a court said it appeared he can’t be extradited for re-