Ireland to intervene in South Africa genocide case against Israel
Ireland said on March 27 it would intervene in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, in the strongest signal to date of Dublin’s concern about Israeli operations in Gaza since Oct 7.
Announcing the move, Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said that while it was for the World Court to decide whether genocide is being committed, he wanted to be clear that Hamas’ Oct 7 attack and what is happening in Gaza now “represents the blatant violation of international humanitarian law on a mass scale.”
“The taking of hostages. The purposeful withholding of humanitarian assistance to civilians. The targeting of civilians and of civilian infrastructure. The indiscriminate use of explosive weapons in populated areas. The use of civilian objects for military purposes. The collective punishment of an entire population,” Martin said in a statement.
EU envoys agree deal on Ukraine agricultural imports, Belgium says
Ambassadors from European Union countries reached a deal on March 27 to extend tariff-free food imports from Ukraine, with a “balanced approach between support for Ukraine and protection of EU agricultural markets”, the Belgian EU presidency said.
The agreement will now go to the European Parliament for its approval, with the aim of a “swift agreement”, the Belgian presidency said in a post on social media platform X.
The EU had reached a provisional agreement on the matter last week but France and Poland said planned restrictions did not go far enough and pushed for further curbs to prevent what they called the destabilisation of EU agricultural markets.
Israel asks US to reschedule scrapped meeting on Rafah offensive plans
Israel has asked to reschedule a meeting with US officials to discuss its military plans in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, a US official said on March 27, days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly scrapped the planned talks.
Netanyahu called off a planned visit to Washington by a senior Israeli delegation after the US allowed passage of a Gaza ceasefire resolution at the United Nations on March 25, in a move that appeared to reflect growing US frustration with the Israeli premier.
US officials said the Biden administration was perplexed by the Israeli cancellation and considered it an overreaction to the Security Council resolution, insisting there had been no change in policy.
Liverpool ‘not the right option’ for Alonso, says Matthaeus
Ballon d’Or winner Lothar Matthaeus said March 27 a move to Liverpool in the summer was “not the right option” for in-demand Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso.
Alonso has been linked with moves to Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, clubs where he all spent time as a player, having so far done a stunning job at runaway Bundesliga leaders Leverkusen.
Alonso has the unbeaten side 10 points clear of Bayern Munich and on track for a first-ever German title with eight games remaining this season.
Age won’t determine when I retire, says Messi
Lionel Messi will not consider his age as a deciding factor in his retirement plans, the Argentine forward said, adding that he has no clear idea of what he will do when that time comes.
Messi, who played for 17 years at Barcelona before signing for Paris St Germain in 2021 and Inter Miami last year, will turn 37 in under three months but knows for sure that his age will not determine when it is time to hang up his boots.
“I know that the moment I feel that I am no longer performing, that I am no longer enjoying it or helping my teammates (I will retire),” Messi told the Big Time podcast in an interview published on Wednesday.
