China hosts largest ever SCO summit as South Caucasus draws attention
The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit began in Tianjin on 31 August, marking the largest gathering in the bloc’s history, with China dee...
German authorities have arrested a Libyan man accused of overseeing torture and sexual abuse at a notorious prison in Tripoli, the International Criminal Court said on Friday.
A Libyan man wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity has been arrested in Germany on a sealed International Criminal Court warrant. The suspect, Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri, was allegedly a senior figure at Mitiga prison in Tripoli, where thousands of detainees were subjected to torture and sexual violence.
The ICC confirmed El Hishri’s arrest on Wednesday. He will remain in German custody while legal proceedings are underway to transfer him to The Hague.
Prosecutors accuse El Hishri of committing, ordering, or overseeing crimes including murder, torture, rape and sexual violence between February 2015 and early 2020. He is believed to have been a leading member of the Special Deterrence Force, an armed group active during Libya’s civil war.
According to the ICC, Mitiga was the largest detention facility in western Libya. Detainees were held in overcrowded and unhygienic conditions and subjected to brutal treatment, including systematic torture and rape. Both men and women suffered abuse during their time in custody.
The ICC prosecution office called the arrest a significant step in efforts to secure accountability for crimes committed in Libyan detention centers. It said it was prepared to begin trial proceedings and expressed gratitude to witnesses and victims who had come forward during the investigation.
“This development is so needed at a time of unprecedented turmoil in the field of accountability generally and at the ICC specifically,” said Kip Hale, a former UN investigator who documented war crimes in Libya.
El Hishri would be the first Libyan suspect to stand trial at the ICC. The court praised German authorities for executing the arrest warrant and supporting international justice efforts.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
Malaysia marked its 68th National Day on Sunday with a vibrant parade in Putrajaya attended by over 14,000 participants and the country’s top leadership.
Norway will purchase a fleet of British-built frigates to reinforce its naval strength, the government confirmed on Sunday. The move marks a decisive step in what is expected to be the country’s largest-ever military procurement and a significant boost to NATO’s northern maritime defences.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Saturday cancelled a planned visit to China as nationwide protests spread beyond Jakarta, with several regional parliament buildings set on fire.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 31th of August, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin on Sunday for a regional security summit, Chinese and Russian state media reported.
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