Ukraine: Russia accused of using chemical weapons
US officials have accused Russia of using chemical weapons in Ukraine, violating international laws. They claim that the choking agent chloropicrin was used to make ‘battlefield gains’. The Kremlin has yet to respond but has denied similar allegations previously. Although in 2017 Russia said it had destroyed all of its Cold War-era stockpile in 2017, it faces accusations of incomplete declarations and subsequent chemical attacks, including the Salisbury attack and Navalny poisoning. Reports suggest Russian forces deployed tear gas grenades, resulting in Ukrainian casualties. Joe Biden has warned of severe consequences if the accusations are proved, and the USA has sanctioned Russian state bodies and firms allegedly linked to biological and chemical weapons programmes. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has called for a war crimes investigation, alleging Russian forces executed over a dozen surrendering Ukrainian troops a few months ago.
Germany: ICJ rules against halting arms sales to Israel
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has denied Nicaragua's request for emergency measures to halt Germany's arms sales to Israel, claiming that this violated the UN genocide convention. Germany is a key ally of Israel and its second-largest arms supplier after the USA, supplying 30% in 2023. Nicaragua also accused Germany of breaching the UN genocide convention by halting funding for UNRWA, the UN's aid agency, over allegations of staff involvement in attacks on Israel. While Germany welcomed the ICJ's decision, it said that it is the largest donor of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, and that it was working ‘urgently’ to ensure that aid reaches the people of Gaza. The ICJ's decision on emergency measures came swiftly, but a final ruling could take years: it will now decide if it has jurisdiction over the case. Nicaragua, a longtime supporter for the Palestinian cause, has itself often been criticised for its human rights issues, including crackdowns on dissent and protests.
Gaza: where do truce negotiations stand?
On 29 April senior Hamas representatives headed to Egypt for talks aimed at halting Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza. Although previous talks have yielded few results, both sides have expressed a willingness to pursue a ceasefire. A new Israeli proposal includes discussions on restoring calm and the release of Israeli captives, potentially in phases. Hamas has been urged by a number of countries, including the USA and the UK to accept this new proposal, but seems reluctant to do so. The talks have gained urgency amid Israeli threats of a ground assault on Rafah, which might be suspended if negotiations progress. For Benjamin Netanyahu, the problem is that if he concedes too much, he would face opposition not just from opposition parties but from some of his own ministers.
USA: hundreds of campus protesters arrested
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested across US campuses on 1 May, as a protest movement over the Israel-Hamas war has put student demonstrators at odds with university leadership. Demonstrators have set-up encampments on about 30 campuses across the US and are demanding that academic institutions stop doing business with Israel or companies that are connected to the Israeli military. The exact number of arrests remains unclear but is believed to have exceeded 1,300. 282 arrests were made at Columbia University, where the first protests started on 17 April, with some accusations of police brutality. At UCLA, at least fifteen were injured in clashes when counter-protesters attacked a pro-Palestinian encampment. Joe Biden has condemned the violence, saying ‘Dissent must never lead to disorder’: he has refused to change his policy. See
