Pompeo on ICC: US won’t be threatened by 'kangaroo court'
US President Donald Trump on Thursday issued an executive order authorising sanctions against officials from the International Criminal Court over an investigation by the body into potential war crimes by American forces in Afghanistan.
A senior Trump administration official, without providing details, said the ICC investigation is "being pushed forward by an organisation of dubious integrity" and accused Russia of having a role.
The order authorises Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in consultation with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, to block assets in the United States of ICC employees involved in the probe, the official said.
It also authorises Mr Pompeo to block entry into the United States of these individuals.
America's top general regrets appearing with Trump at protest site
America's top general has said he was wrong to appear with President Donald Trump in a photo op near the White House last week after the area was forcefully cleared of anti-racism protesters.
"I should not have been there. My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of military involvement in domestic politics," General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Thursday.
Mr Milley and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper were both strongly criticised for participating in what was widely seen as a political show by Mr Trump, who walked with officials from the White House to pose in front of St. John's Episcopal Church, holding up a bible.
Iraq makes arrest over attacks on anti-government protesters
Iraqi security forces on Thursday announced their first arrest after Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi ordered an independent fact-finding inquiry into the hundreds of deaths, injuries and abductions among anti-government protesters since last October.
Defence Ministry spokesman Yehia Rasool said the man, identified only as Al Jurithi, confessed to "rioting, burning, attacking security forces, stabbing and killing peaceful protesters".
“Under the directives of the prime minister an additional investigation was established to expedite the ongoing inquiry and allow the arrest of perpetrators,” he said.
Security forces “managed within 48 hours to arrest the criminal known as Al Jurithi who confessed to co-operating with members of gangs to stab, kill and burn a person with gasoline as well as intimidating peaceful protesters."
Syria’s Bashar Al Assad fires prime minister
Syrian President Bashar Al Assad on Thursday dismissed Imad Khamis as prime minister and appointed Water Minister Hussein Arnous in his place, according to a short statement on state media.
No reason was given for the removal of Mr Khamis, who had held the post since 2016.
Under the Assad family regime, Syria's prime ministers are appointed from the Sunni majority, but the post is largely inconsequential as all power is held by an inner circle dominated by the president's Alawite minority.
Mr Al Assad's sudden move appears to be designed to absorb discontent among loyalists as regime-held regions lurch off an economic cliff with the currency in freefall.
