ICC application submitted to UN

Palestine: Ambassador Riyad Mansour submitted documents known as instruments of ratification to the United Nations yesterday to join the International Criminal Court.

President Mahmoud Abbas signed the documents after the UN security council failed to ratify a resolution setting a three-year deadline for the establishment of a Palestinian state on lands occupied by Israel.

Becoming a member of the ICC would enable Palestine to pursue war crimes charges against Israel.

Sunni clerics killed in suspected Isis attack

Iraq: Suspected Islamic State (Isis) gunmen have murdered three Sunni clerics near the mostly Shi’ite city of Basra, Interior Ministry spokesman Saad Maan reported yesterday.

He said that assailants had ambushed a car carrying the clerics on Thursday night.

Shi’ite Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi had recently implored all religious and ethnic communities to close ranks in the face of the Isis threat.

Tribes take Shi’ite rebels’ armour

Yemen: Several tanks and armoured vehicles have been seized by tribal opponents of the country’s Shi’ite rebels, security and tribal officials said yesterday.

The vehicles were reportedly captured after clashes broke out in the eastern city of Marib between tribesmen and army troops on Thursday night.

Officials explained that the tribesmen suspected that the soldiers were heading to join gathering Shi’ite rebels.

Opposition leader ‘under house arrest’

Uganda: Opposition group Free Uganda said yesterday that General David Sejusa, who recently returned from exile in Britain, had been put under house arrest.

The group said that the arrest was “a cowardly act” by President Yoweri Museveni’s regime.

Gen Sejusa heads a political party opposed to Mr Museveni’s increasingly authoritarian rule.

Jomaa: Chaotic Libya a threat

Tunisia: Outgoing Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa warned yesterday that the greatest threat to his country comes from chaotic neighbouring Libya.

Mr Jomaa, who became interim prime minister at the start of 2014 and guided the country through presidential and legislative elections, will hand over powers soon to the newly elected government.

On the eve of a trip to France, he said that terrorism remained a major threat, mainly from Libya’s warring rival militias.

Papandreou leaves Pasok to start party

Greece: Former prime minister George Papandreou revealed plans yesterday to create a new political party and break away from the once-powerful Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok) founded by his father.

Mr Papandreou served as prime minister between 2009 and 2011, holding sway during the financial crisis that triggered a collapse of support for Pasok.

He said that further details would be available today after documents were filed with a high court.

Two die in Sarbaz ‘terror’ attacks

Iran: State TV reported two people killed yesterday in what it called a terrorist attack in the south-eastern province of Sistan and Baluchistan.

According to police commander Hossein Rahimi, two masked men on a motorcycle had killed the pair in separate but nearby attacks in the city of Sarbaz.

The first victim was a Sunni who was a member of the Revolutionary Guards paramilitary and the second, a Shi’ite schoolteacher.

Armenia joins new post-Soviet bloc

Armenia: The Eurasian Economic Union of former Soviet states expanded to four nations yesterday when Armenia formally joined.

The bloc came into being on Thursday as an alliance between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

It is expected to attract Kyrgyzstan and possibly Tajikistan later this year in plans to create a single integrated market for a total population of more than 180 million people.