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Iran lawsuit against US

Iran has begun presenting its arguments at the International Court of Justice over a complaint against the United States for seizing billions of dollars of the country’s assets. Mohebi decried US court decisions against Iran as erratic and contradictory. He criticized the US government for authorizing direct claims against Iranian state-owned companies in complete denial of their separate judiciary status. Mohebi said the US has also abused its judicial agreements with other countries to enforce illegitimate judgments of its courts against Iran.

Saudi journo disappearance

Turkey’s probe into the mysterious disappearance of dissident Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, has entered a new phase. Investigators say the Saudi consulate has removed the security camera footage. Authorities say the consulate’s Turkish staff were granted a holiday on the day when Khashoggi went missing. On Tuesday, a Turkish pro-government newspaper published a story containing the photos of 15 Saudi nationals who it claims travelled to Istanbul on the day of the incident. Social media users have identified several of the men as members of Saudi security forces. Meanwhile, New York Times quoted a Turkish official as saying that Jamal Khashoggi was assassinated inside the consulate by the order of the highest level of the Saudi royal court. Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi monarchy, went missing on Sunday when visited the Saudi consulate.

Yemen retaliation

The Yemeni navy has targeted a Saudi military vessel off the northwestern port of Midi in the Red Sea. Reports say the vessel was destroyed and all its crew were killed. Meanwhile, the Yemeni army and popular committees say they have repelled an infiltration attempt by Saudi-backed militants into the Nihm district in Sana’a province. The Yemeni forces managed to push back the militants and kill a number of them. The army also pounded areas under the control of Saudi-backed forces in retaliation.

Climate disasters cost

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction says the economic cost of climate-related disasters has hit over two-point-two trillion dollars since 19-97. The UNISDR has listed the United States, China, Japan and India as the countries where the financial toll has been the highest. It said climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as floods and storms. The UN office described the extreme weather events as a major brake on eradicating poverty. It also put the total loss for climate-related disasters between 1978 and 1997 at 895 billion dollars.

Costs of Brexit

The European Union chief Brexit negotiator has warned the bloc’s officials to prepare for a “no-deal” Brexit scenario. Michel Barnier said the EU and the UK have not yet concluded a deal despite holding intense talks. Barnier called for making decisive progress before the October 18 meeting. Earlier, the UK Brexit secretary downplayed a possible breakthrough in October talks over the country’s withdrawal from the EU. Meanwhile, a senior British official has warned that the UK will lose five-thousand jobs in the finance sector once it leaves the EU. In July, British Prime Minister Theresa May came up with some proposals to unblock talks between the two sides. But her so-called Chequers Plan, has been roundly rejected both at home and abroad. Britain is nearing a March 2019 deadline to leave the EU.

UN Afghanistan warning

The United Nations has expressed grave concern about the dire security situation in Afghanistan ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan says more than eight-thousand people have been killed or wounded as a result of violence in the first nine months of 2018. UNAMA says the number of the deaths has risen to five percent comparing last year’s figure. The UN agency recalls that attacks deliberately targeting civilians and murdering them are serious violation of international humanitarian law which amount to war crimes. UNAMA warns that attacks are likely to target polling stations and other elections sites located in schools, mosques and health clinics. The elections are due on October 20.

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