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Developments across the Sahel underscore the concentration of power: Mali’s junta is using an alleged coup plot to consolidate control, while Guinea has suspended major opposition parties ahead of a constitutional referendum. In Sudan and Gaza, continued strikes on civilian populations make a mockery of international legal norms.

Against this backdrop, today’s lead story turns to the deepening rift over global justice, as Washington escalates its confrontation with the ICC by sanctioning senior court officials.

More details below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇺🇳 🇷🇺 🇨🇳 🇮🇷 Russia and China push draft resolution to extend UN snapback deadline on Iran: Russia has circulated a draft resolution to extend UN Security Council Resolution 2231, set to expire in October, in what appears to be an attempt to prevent an imminent clash between Iran and the West. Moscow, reportedly backed by China, proposed a six-month extension that would temporarily block the “snapback” reimposition of sanctions under the 2015 nuclear deal. The move comes as the E3—Britain, France, and Germany—threaten to trigger snapback by 31 August unless Iran resumes full IAEA cooperation and returns to talks with Washington. Tehran, still reeling from U.S. and Israeli strikes on Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz in June, has resisted E3 demands, hinting instead that it might accept a UN-brokered extension. Whether this initiative averts confrontation or simply delays it remains uncertain.

2️⃣ 🇬🇳 Guinea suspends opposition parties ahead of constitutional referendum: Guinea’s military junta has suspended the country’s three main opposition parties, including former President Alpha Conde’s Rally of the Guinean People, weeks before a referendum on a new constitution. The order, effective for 90 days, also targets Cellou Dalein Diallo’s Union of Democratic Forces and the Party of Renewal and Progress, barring them from political activity. The move comes as opposition groups planned protests against General Mamady Doumbouya’s push for a new charter, scheduled for a September 21 vote. Critics call the suspension a clear power grab, stripping away any pretence of democratic transition since Doumbouya’s 2021 coup. The draft constitution could pave the way for civilian rule, but uncertainty remains over whether Doumbouya himself will be allowed to contest future elections.

3️⃣ 🇲🇱 Mali junta uses alleged coup plot to tighten grip on power: Mali’s ruling junta announced on 14 August it had foiled a plot to “destabilise” the country, arresting eleven officers, including two respected generals: Abass Dembélé, a veteran of counter-terror operations, and Néma Sagara, one of Mali’s most prominent female commanders. Authorities claimed France was linked to the affair and detained a French national accused of espionage, though Paris dismissed the allegations, insisting the individual has diplomatic immunity. The arrests mark the junta’s biggest internal rupture since seizing power in 2020 and extending its rule indefinitely last month. Analysts suggest discontent within the army over casualty reporting and alleged abuses by Russian paramilitaries may have played a role. Meanwhile, the regime is also targeting political critics, fuelling fears of widening dissent both in society and within military ranks.

4️⃣ 🇫🇷 Prime Minister Bayrou risks collapse over austerity plan: France’s minority government faces possible collapse as Prime Minister François Bayrou prepares a confidence vote on Sept. 8 over his €43.8 billion austerity budget. Framing the move as a necessary “calculated risk” to avert national financial disaster, Bayrou hopes lawmakers will rally behind his plan to reduce France’s deficit to 4.6% of GDP by 2026. But opposition parties from both the left and far right, including Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, have vowed to topple him. Support from the Socialists is essential but unlikely, with party leader Olivier Faure ruling out a lifeline after failed pension reform talks. Bayrou’s proposals, which slash spending and even eliminate two public holidays, have triggered widespread anger, leaving his government’s survival deeply uncertain.

5️⃣ 🇧🇩 🇲🇲 Bangladesh urges global action as Rohingya crisis enters eighth year: Bangladesh can no longer commit additional resources to support its 1.3 million Rohingya refugees, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus warned, calling on the international community to deliver a sustainable solution. Hosting the refugees—half of them children—has placed severe pressure on the country’s economy, environment, and governance. Yunus urged a clear roadmap for repatriation, stressing that the plight of the Rohingya must remain on the global agenda. His remarks came as refugees marked the eighth anniversary of the 2017 exodus from Myanmar, rallying in Cox’s Bazar under banners reading “No more refugee life” and “Repatriation the ultimate solution.” Attempts at return have repeatedly failed, while renewed fighting in Myanmar’s Rakhine state continues to drive new arrivals into Bangladesh, deepening fears of permanent displacement.

Major Story

🇺🇸 🇳🇱 WASHINGTON’S SANCTIONS ON ICC OFFICIALS DEEPEN RIFT OVER GLOBAL JUSTICE

The United States has escalated its campaign against the International Criminal Court (ICC), imposing sanctions on four senior officials for pursuing investigations into alleged war crimes committed by U.S. and Israeli leaders. Judges Kimberly Prost and Nicolas Guillou, along with prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan and Mame Mandiaye Niang, now face asset freezes and travel restrictions under a designation that frames their judicial work as a threat to U.S. national security. Washington’s move follows earlier sanctions on ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan, reflecting an entrenched hostility toward any scrutiny of U.S. or Israeli conduct.

The ICC’s Defiant Response

The ICC denounced the sanctions as a “flagrant attack” on judicial independence, warning they obstruct its mandate to deliver justice where domestic systems fail. UN officials echoed this concern, with spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stressing that the Court remains a “key pillar of international criminal justice.” The punitive measures, critics argue, are not only punitive toward individuals but also undermine the very infrastructure of accountability for victims of atrocities worldwide.

A Troubling Precedent

For many observers, the sanctions deepen a troubling precedent: Washington, long a rhetorical champion of international justice in principle, now penalises judges for fulfilling their legal duties. This undermines the credibility of U.S. advocacy for the rule of law elsewhere and risks emboldening other states to obstruct international accountability. As former ICC prosecutor James Goldston observed, the Court is often the only recourse for victims of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. By targeting its officials, the U.S. narrows that avenue and shields perpetrators from scrutiny.

The Larger Stakes

At stake is more than the ICC’s functioning. The confrontation pits American realpolitik against the fragile architecture of international justice. The outcome will shape not only accountability for Gaza and Afghanistan but also whether institutions meant to protect civilians can withstand pressure from the world’s most powerful states.

Other News

1️⃣ 🇮🇱 🇵🇸 Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital kills 19, including five journalists: At least 19 people, including five journalists, were killed when Israeli forces struck Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza’s main medical facility. According to the Gaza health ministry, the “double tap” strike hit the hospital’s fourth floor before targeting emergency responders, killing a rescuer and injuring seven others. Among the dead were Reuters cameraman Hossam al-Masri, Al Jazeera’s Mohammed Salama, photographer Mariam Abu Daqqa, NBC contributor Muath Abu Taha, and journalist Ahmed Abu Aziz. Elsewhere in Gaza, 20 more were killed in separate attacks, while famine deepens: 11 people, including two children, died of starvation in the past day, raising the toll to 300 since October 2023. Meanwhile, Israel’s military chief urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a Qatari-Egyptian ceasefire, warning further occupation risks.

2️⃣ 🇸🇩 RSF accused of ethnic killings and forced displacement as group continues El Fasher offensive: The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have launched a new wave of attacks on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, and the nearby Abu Shouk camp, home to nearly 190,000 displaced people. Camp representatives told Sudan Tribune that RSF fighters are expelling residents from entire neighbourhoods, with some civilians forced back into the besieged city while others fled towards Sudan Liberation Movement–controlled areas. Over 20 civilians—including women, children, and the elderly—have reportedly been abducted amid fears of executions under accusations of aiding the army. The Sudan Doctors Network accused the RSF of killing 13 civilians, five of them children, in Golo as they attempted to flee El Fasher. The group denounced the killings as ethnically targeted and part of an “organised policy” of displacement amounting to war crimes, urging the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on RSF leaders.

3️⃣ 🇱🇾 🇪🇺 Libyan coast guard fires on humanitarian rescue ship in Mediterranean: Humanitarian group SOS Mediterranee says Libya’s coast guard opened fire on its rescue vessel Ocean Viking while it searched for a migrant boat in distress, 40 nautical miles north of the Libyan coast. The attack, one of the most violent against a European rescue ship to date, left the vessel badly damaged but caused no casualties. The Ocean Viking, chartered with the Red Cross, had already rescued 87 people from Sudan and elsewhere and was en route to Italy when it was intercepted. According to crew, the coast guard fired for up to 20 minutes and threatened to kill everyone on board if they did not leave. The patrol boat used in the assault was reportedly an Italian donation to Libya under the EU’s border management programme, as EU complicity in Libyan human rights violations comes under increased scrutiny.

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