Saudi Arabia on Friday welcomed the UN top court’s decision on Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, and called for the international community to “hold Israel accountable” for “violations” of international law.
In a statement, the kingdom’s Foreign Ministry also called for “more measures” to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and provide protection for the Palestinian people.
A jury in New York ordered former US president and 2024 candidate Donald Trump on Friday to pay $83.3 million to compensate the writer E. Jean Carroll, whom he was found to have sexually assaulted and defamed.
The civil order, which prompted an audible gasp in the federal court, far exceeds the more than $10 million in damages for defamation that Carroll had sought.
Trump lashed out almost immediately, calling the verdict “ridiculous” in a statement and promising to appeal.
The jury reached its decision after slightly less than three hours of deliberations.
Trump had been in court earlier, storming out at one point but subsequently returning for closing arguments. He was not in court when the level of compensatory and punitive damages were read out by a court clerk.
“This is a great victory for every woman who stands up when she’s been knocked down, and a huge defeat for every bully who has tried to keep a woman down,” Carroll said in a statement.
A juror exchanged a smile with Carroll as the nine men and women left the courtroom after the judge encouraged them to protect their privacy.
“It’s clear to me… you paid attention,” Judge Lewis Kaplan told the jury following the verdict.
The order was comprised of $65 million in punitive damages after the jury found Trump acted maliciously in his many public comments about Carroll, $7.3 million in compensatory damages and $11 million for a reputational repair program.
“I was not surprised (by the award) partly because his egregious misbehavior during the trial could actually have alienated the jury,” said Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law.
“(Trump) is unlikely to prevail on appeal, because the (appeal) judges have great respect for Judge Kaplan, who is a very experienced federal jurist.”
Trump — whom a jury found liable for sexually assaulting Carroll in a separate federal civil case in New York — used his Truth Social platform to fire off a spate of insulting messages attacking Carroll, the trial and the judge, whom he called “an extremely abusive individual.”
“We were stripped of every defense — every single defense — before we walked in there,” said Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba outside the court. “I am proud to stand with president Trump… We will immediately appeal.”
Trump, 77, briefly took the stand on Thursday to deny he instructed anyone to harm Carroll with his statements.
During Trump’s testimony, Kaplan limited him to three questions from his lawyers, to which he could only answer yes or no — a precaution taken to prevent the Republican leader from returning to his custom of disparaging the court or Carroll in public.
“This is not America,” Trump said as he left the courtroom following his short appearance.
He was not required to attend the trial or to testify. However, he has used the case, as well as others he faces, to generate heated media coverage and to fuel his claims of being victimized as he campaigns for a return to the White House in November’s election.
Trump separately faces multiple criminal cases, including his alleged attempt to overthrow the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Joe Biden, and a civil business fraud case.
Habba sought to have the case thrown out Thursday on the grounds that threatening messages targeting Carroll, which have been aired in the case, began on social media before Trump’s 2019 comments. Her request was denied.
Jurors were shown Trump’s October 2022 deposition during which he confused a picture of Carroll for his former wife Marla Maples, which threatened to cast doubt on his claim Carroll was not his “type.”
Last year, another federal jury found Trump liable for sexually assaulting Carroll in a department store dressing room in 1996 and subsequently defaming her in 2022, when he called her a “complete con job.”
Trump had been in court while he campaigned ahead of the New Hampshire primary, which he won handily over his only remaining challenger Nikki Haley, as he closes in on becoming the Republican candidate in the November election against Biden.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has announced its first ruling on South Africa’s genocide case against Israel on Friday evening, calling on Israel to take urgent and effective measure to protect Palestinians, contain death toll and destruction, acknowledging that there is a risk of genocide in Gaza. However, it did not call for an immediate ceasefire.
The hearing took place on Friday with 16 judges out of the court’s 17-member panel, present. Presiding Judge Joan Donoghue asserted that the court has the authority to rule over emergency measures in the case.
The court noted that the charges against Israel fall under the provisions of the Genocide Convention, additionally acknowledging that Israeli military operations have killed as well as injured a large number Palestinians in Gaza, destroyed a number of homes and infrastructure, and resulted in the internal displacement of about 1.7 million people.
It was further acknowledged that the Palestinians’ have the right to be protected from acts of genocide.
The issue of “dehumanising language” used against Palestinians was also highlighted, particularly shedding light on statements by Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant ordering a “complete siege” of Gaza and apprising the soldiers that they are fighting against “human animals”.
The International Court of Justice finds that there is sufficient basis for South Africa’s case against Israel and will not dismiss the case as Israel requested.
— Assal Rad (@AssalRad) January 26, 2024
This is a historic moment. The Court’s decision makes U.S. complicity more difficult for Biden officials to deny. pic.twitter.com/c5OE2ZQolP
Social Media Reacts
#ICJ Hugely disappointing that the Court has not ordered an immediate cease-fire or an end to Israel’s military campaign, despite acknowledging the ongoing indiscriminate bombardment and attacks against the people in Gaza and the West Bank
— Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh (@kaajal1) January 26, 2024
#ICJ Hugely disappointing that the Court has not ordered an immediate cease-fire or an end to Israel’s military campaign, despite acknowledging the ongoing indiscriminate bombardment and attacks against the people in Gaza and the West Bank
— Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh (@kaajal1) January 26, 2024
I know ppl are disappointed the ICJ didn’t order ceasefire. That’s quite understandable. But we’re in a situation where even talking abt the case was a radical act. The case is on record. Israel’s been told to stop killing. It won’t. It was never going to. But it’s all on record.
— Zebunnisa Burki (@zburki) January 26, 2024
The ICJ has just ruled that the evidence is “sufficient to conclude that at least some” of South Africa’s claims of genocide against Israel “are plausible”.
— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) January 26, 2024
They can’t adjudicate at this stage on whether it is genocide.
They have concluded there’s a plausible risk of genocide.
In a significant development, the Sindh High Court (SHC) has granted a three-week deadline to the Federal Defence Ministry and the Sindh Home Department to submit a comprehensive report on all detention camps across the country.
The directive came from a two-judge bench, with Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto presiding, during a hearing on Thursday concerning petitions related to the recovery of missing persons.
The bench took cognizance of the case after one petitioner revealed that her husband, Tahir Rehan, had been missing since 2015, with no investigative action taken by the police.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the public prosecutor’s claim of providing Rs500,000 in compensation, the petitioner asserted that she had not received any such compensation.
The Sindh Home Department officially announced the suspension of compensation payments to families of missing persons, as revealed in a report submitted to the Sindh High Court.
The court had directed the submission of a comprehensive report to federal authorities, including the Interior Secretary and Defense Secretary, concerning applications related to compensation for families of missing persons.
In a proactive measure, the court ordered the publication of advertisements in both print and electronic media to aid in the search for Shahri Majid, missing since 2015.
Additionally, the court directed the gathering of information on missing persons from jail authorities and various locations across the country.
Independent candidate Qazi Tayyab Shahzad on Thursday decided to withdraw from NA-15 Mansehra in favour of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, SAMMA has reported.
Shahzad had announced that he will support the former prime minister in the upcoming general elections. According to the details, Tayyab Shahzad’s nomination papers were accepted, but he had decided not to take part in the elections.
The returning officer had issued a notification of Shehzad’s withdrawal from NA-15.
On the other hand, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Saifullah Abro called on Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and expressed his trust in his leadership, announcing to withdraw from the election race in NA-194 constituency and promised to support the candidate of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
On the other hand, PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif promised to give youth loans after coming into power.
Addressing the public gathering in Mandi Bahauddin on Thursday, the former prime minister took a dig at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying, ‘’The long march was staged against Nawaz Sharif during his tenure as the premier. The Chinese president’s tour was delayed due to the PTI’s protests.’’
‘’Who were those people who were indulging in such tactics? The protests in Islamabad were staged, and foul language was embraced. The conspiracy against Nawaz Sharif was started after 2013,’’ Shehbaz Sharif maintained.
In an interesting interaction on X (former Twitter), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari shared videos highlighting the ‘reality’ of NA 127, an important constituency in Lahore.
Elections are around the corner and candidates from different constituencies are using social media platforms to convince voters to vote for them. Journalist and anchor person Mansoor Ali Khan took to X and shared an image of a banner.
“Banners displayed in Bilawal’s constituency,” the tweet said while banner stated, “Karachi nahi Lahore Chahiye”.
Bilawal quote tweeted this with two videos stating, “Meanwhile the ground reality of Lahore NA127.”
The videos showed debris and garbage in the constituency along with sewerage issues.
The Supreme Court (SC) has on Friday granted major relief to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) by allowing three of its frontline candidates, including incarcerated party president Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, to contest the upcoming February 8 elections.
The top court on Friday approved appeals of PTI candidates Umer Aslam, Major (retd) Tahir Sadiq, and Elahi against Returning Officer decisions to reject their nomination papers from multiple constituencies.
Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has been allowed to contest from Gujarat district’s PP-32 seat.
The former chief minister of Punjab had filed a petition in the apex court to challenge the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) verdict of upholding the decision of the Election Tribunal to reject his nomination paper.
A three-member bench of the SC, comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, and Justice Athar Minallah, heard Elahi’s plea.
Journalists at Dawn reporting on Imran Khan’s trial in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, shared on Twitter that the former Prime Minister said that although he was critical of the newspaper while he was in power, he is surprised at the outlet’s coverage since his ouster from the government. The editor at Dawn shared this on Twitter.
As per Dawn’s Malik Asad, who is covering PTI leader Imran Khan’s trial inside Adiala Prison
— Zaffar Abbas (@abbasz55) January 25, 2024
” ڈان اخبار پر تو میں بہت تنقید کرتا تھا حیران ہوں کہ ڈان اب میری بڑی زبردست کوریج کر رہا ہے ” عمران خان کا اڈیالہ جیل میں ڈان اخبار سے وابسطہ سینئر صحافی اسد ملک @asadrp سے مکالمہ
Dawn reporters Saqib Bashir, Asad Malik and Amir Saeed Abbasi posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Imran Khan said to reporter Asad Malik, “I have always been critical of Dawn but the coverage is stupendous now, which is surprising for me.”
” ڈان اخبار پر تو میں بہت تنقید کرتا تھا حیران ہوں کہ ڈان اب میری بڑی زبردست کوریج کر رہا ہے ” عمران خان کا اڈیالہ جیل میں ڈان اخبار سے وابسطہ سینئر صحافی اسد ملک @asadrp سے مکالمہ
— Saqib Bashir (@saqibbashir156) January 25, 2024
دور اقتدار میں ڈان اخبار پر تنقید کرتا رہا لیکن اب سب سے اچھی رپورٹنگ ڈان اخبار کررہا ہے، عمران خان
— Aamir Saeed Abbasi (@AmirSaeedAbbasi) January 25, 2024
The statement spurred many, including journalists, to react. Norbert Almeida tweeted, “Always covered him he just didn’t like what was said in the past and now likes it.”
Always covered him he just didn’t like what was said in the past and now likes it.
— Norbert Almeida (@norbalm) January 25, 2024
Omar R Qureshi also joined in to share his two cents, writing, “Proof that for Imran Khan a good paper praises him and writes editorials favouring him and his party”. He went on to add that in case the former Prime Minister comes to power again, Dawn has nothing to worry about.
Proof that for Imran Khan a good paper is one that praises him and writes editorials favouring him and his party – Chalo in case he does come back to power Dawn should have nothing to worry about https://t.co/FQrxTYUS9l
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) January 26, 2024
Lawyer and Columnist Abdul Moiz Jaferri tweeted, “Imran Khan still doesn’t get it. Everything is not about him. Journalists were not after him when they criticised him, and they were not with him when they report on his current plight. Journalism is a duty to the people. He should recognise its value.”
Imran khan still doesn’t get it.
— Abdul Moiz Jaferii (@Jaferii) January 26, 2024
Everything is not about him. Journalists were not after him when they criticised him, and they’re not with him when they report on his current plight.
Journalism is a duty to the people. He should recognise its value. https://t.co/Haa1xGvn9V
A follower jumped into the discussion as many others shared a Cartoon published on January 23 in Dawn that mocked the duplicity of Imran Khan’s stance.
I am sure this Gentleman, Rohait, is nothing but a military pay roll tout Journalist.
— Mo Usman Shk(Release Imran Khan) (@SadaatAli0) January 23, 2024
The picture he wants to depict here is a total lie and baseless.
Imran Khan said it many times that hes not going to talk to any anti-Pakistan. How come dawn news, who claims to be neutral,…
Dawn, long considered Pakistan’s ‘paper of record’, was repeatedly targeted by PTI followers for criticising Imran Khan’s government.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari urged Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supporters to vote for his party; earlier he had requested the same from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) voters.
As the elections approach, Bilawal is branding himself as a leader willing to bridge the gap between political actors, vowing to ensure that no person becomes a “political prisoner” during his government if he is voted into power, and putting an end to the “old ways” of political revenge.
The former foreign minister asked the crowds at a political rally in Gujrat to stamp on the ‘arrow’ if they want to see “real democracy” in Pakistan.
“Today the lion is sucking people’s blood. Those who said that the PPP is no match for them are now obsessed with the PPP,” Bilawal Bhutto said while taking a jibe at his political opponents.
He asserted that “the lion is not coming out to prey” for a reason.
The PPP chairman also criticised PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif for his fourth attempt to become prime minister.
Bilawal had also said in a recent interview with Reuters that Nawaz Sharif wants to come into power again via a backdoor.
In a press conference held on Thursday, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Syrus Qazi revealed what he termed as “credible evidence” linking Indian agents to the orchestrated killings of two Pakistani citizens on Pakistani soil.
Qazi characterized the alleged actions as part of a “sophisticated and sinister” Indian campaign involving extra-territorial and extra-judicial assassinations.
“These are killings-for-hire cases involving a sophisticated international set-up spread over multiple jurisdictions,” Qazi told reporters during a press conference in Islamabad.
The strained relations between Pakistan and India, exacerbated by historical tensions and border disputes, took a hit with the arrest of spy Kulbushan Yadav in 2016 and the 2019 revocation of the special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The move led to a freeze in diplomacy and trade between the two neighboring nations.
Qazi’s statements come months after both Canada and the United States separately accused Indian agents of involvement in assassination attempts on their soil. While India rejected Ottawa’s allegations, it initiated an investigation into Washington’s claims.
Providing details of the alleged Indian campaign, Qazi claimed that Indian agents utilized technology and safe havens on foreign soil to carry out assassinations in Pakistan.
“They recruited, financed, and supported criminals, terrorists, and unsuspecting civilians to play defined roles in these assassinations,” he added.
The foreign secretary blasted Indian media and social media accounts for their quick claims and glorification of the said killings as “successful retribution against ‘enemies’ of India” and projecting their capacity to carry out these illegal acts.
“Potential assassins were recruited, using social media, talent spotters, and fake Da’esh accounts,” Qazi said.
The Foreign Secretary criticized Indian media and social media accounts for glorifying the killings and projecting them as successful retribution against perceived enemies.
He alleged that potential assassins were recruited through social media, talent spotters, and fake Da’esh accounts.
Qazi focused on two specific cases during the press conference: the assassinations of Shahid Latif and Muhammad Riaz.
Assassination of Shahid Latif
Qazi said that on October 11, 2023, a group of criminals assassinated Latif outside a mosque in the city of Sialkot.
A detailed investigation revealed that an Indian agent, Yogesh Kumar, based in a third country orchestrated the assassination through criminals and terrorists, he added.
Going deeper into the details of the killing, the foreign secretary revealed that Kumar recruited Muhammad Umair, a labourer in that third country to act as a contact with local criminals in Pakistan to trace and assassinate Latif.
The recruited local criminals were able to locate and trace Latif, however, the killers-for-hire were unable to carry out the execution, Qazi added.
“After some failed attempts, Muhammad Umair was personally sent to Pakistan to carry out the assassination. Muhammad Umair organised a team of five target killers which after the first failed attempt on 9 October 2023, succeeded in assassinating Shahid Latif on 11 October 2023.”
The foreign secretary further stated that the law enforcement authorities apprehended the target killers, including Umair, based on confessional statements and technical evidence, thwarting their bid to flee Pakistan on October 12, 2023.
Qazi said that all those involved in reconnaissance and killing have been apprehended and are being tried in a court of law.
He added that the FO also had evidence of transactions made in the process linking the entire chain to Indian agent Yogesh Kumar.
Assassination of Muhammad Riaz
Sharing the details of the second extra-territorial killing, Qazi said that another Indian agent was involved in killing of Pakistani national Muhammad Riaz. As per the foreign secretary, Riaz was assassinated in a mosque in Rawalakot during Fajr prayer on September 8, 2023.
He said that the law enforcement agencies tracked and apprehended the killer, Muhammad Abdullah Ali, on September 15, 2023, while boarding a flight at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi.
“Interrogation revealed that Muhammad Abdullah Ali was recruited and guided by Indian agents Ashok Kumar Anand and Yogesh Kumar. Indian agents utilised social media app Telegram to recruit Muhammad Abdullah Ali, who was asked to locate Muhammad Riaz,” Qazi revealed.
He further stated that Ali received payments through the middlemen based in a third country, and he was also provided with weapons and ammunition.
“After a failed attempt on September 7, 2023, Muhammad Abdullah Ali succeeded in killing Muhammad Riaz on September 8, 2023,” he added.
Later, the law enforcement authorities apprehended the killer, his supporters and facilitators from various cities of Pakistan, and the case is being tried in a court of law.
Qazi said that the investigators quickly identified the facilitators inside the country and in the third countries on the basis of confessional statements of Ali and technical evidence.
“We have documentary, financial and forensic evidence of the involvement of the two Indian agents, who masterminded these assassinations. We are releasing the passport details of Yogesh Kumar and Ashok Kumar,” he added.
per the foreign secretary, Pakistan had reached out to the governments of the relevant third countries in this regard.
The Foreign Secretary asserted that Pakistan had evidence linking the entire chain of events to the Indian agents and called for international accountability for India’s “blatant violation of international law.”
He emphasized that such actions not only violated Pakistan’s sovereignty but also breached the UN Charter.
Concluding his remarks, Qazi demanded justice for the victims, their facilitators, and financiers involved in the alleged assassinations, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to protecting its people and securing its sovereignty.
The accused Indian agents’ passport details were also disclosed, and Pakistan reportedly reached out to the relevant third countries regarding the matter.