Gaza Crisis

• May 23rd, 2025: At least 85 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza. UN chief Guterres calls this the "cruelest phase" of the war, with aid deliveries described as a "teaspoon" compared to the need.
• May 20th, 2025: Death toll surpasses 53,500. Israeli airstrikes target residential buildings in northern Gaza, with dozens killed or missing under rubble. Health system near collapse.
• May 18th, 2025: Israel launches extensive ground operation, killing at least 135 in a single day. Operation "Gideon's Chariots" aims to seize more land in Gaza Strip.
• May 6th–17th, 2025: Daily Israeli airstrikes kill dozens each day. Notable strikes on tent encampments, schools, and hospitals. Civilian casualties remain high, with many children among the dead.
• Late March–May 2025: Widespread anti-Hamas protests erupt across Gaza, with thousands demanding an end to the war and Hamas rule. Hamas responds with violence, including executions and kidnappings of protestors.
• March 18th, 2025: Ceasefire collapses as Israel resumes airstrikes, killing over 400 in a single day. Mass displacement and renewed ground operations follow.

• March 18th, 2025: Over 350 Palestinians killed
• 100 hostages estimated remaining, with a third believed deceased

• January 2nd, 2025: 43 killed in Israeli airstrikes.
  • 11 were in a tent encampment for displaced families in the Al-Mawasi district designed as a humanitarian zone for civilians
  • Director General of Gaza's Police Department, Mahmoud Salah and his aide, Hussam Shahwan among the victims.
  • Israel said Shahwan was head of Hamas security forces in Southern Gaza
  • 6 in the Interior Ministry Headquarters in Khan Yunis
  • Jabalia
  • Shati
  • Maghazi
• December 28th, 2024: The Israel army kidnapped Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital after beating him. They then set the hospital on fire with staff and patients inside. 240 Palestinians were kidnapped by Israel, 15 of whom were identified by Israel as participants in the October 7th, attack. 20 Palestinians killed.
  • Unit 504 directed the apprehension process
  • Other notable events:
    • 4 killed on Jala Street in Gaza City
    • Islamic Jihad fired rockets into Holit kibbutz, Israel intercepting one

Key Facts:

• The majority of deaths are civilians, with women and children making up a significant proportion.
• Over 1,200 Palestinian families have been completely wiped out since October 2023.
• Gaza has the highest number of amputated children per capita in the world.
• Famine and catastrophic hunger conditions persist, with over 1.8 million people facing extreme food insecurity.
• Pope Francis has called for an immediate ceasefire and described the situation in Gaza as "a humanitarian catastrophe that shames humanity."

ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu

• June 6, 2025: The Trump administration announced sanctions on four ICC judges—Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou (Benin), Beti Hohler (Slovenia), Solomy Balungi Bossa (Uganda), and Luz Del Carmen Ibanez Carranza (Peru)—freezing their U.S. assets and barring Americans from doing business with them. The move was in response to ICC investigations into alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as U.S. actions in Afghanistan. The ICC, UN, and EU condemned the sanctions as an attack on judicial independence and the rule of law.
• February 2025: President Trump issued an executive order declaring any ICC effort to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute U.S. or allied nationals a threat to U.S. national security, imposing economic sanctions and travel bans on ICC officials and their families.
• November 2024: ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three senior Hamas leaders for alleged war crimes. The move drew protests from the U.S. and Israel. Khan stepped aside in May 2025 amid a UN-led sexual misconduct probe.
• 2024: The ICC issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and others for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

Background

• The International Criminal Court (ICC) is based in The Hague, Netherlands, and operates under the Rome Statute with 125 member states.
• Neither the U.S. nor Israel is a party to the Rome Statute and does not recognize the ICC's jurisdiction.
• The ICC investigates and prosecutes individuals for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression.

International Responses

• The ICC, UN, and EU condemned the U.S. sanctions as an attack on judicial independence and the rule of law.
• European Union Council President Antonio Costa and other international leaders expressed strong support for the ICC's independence and integrity.
• Human rights organizations criticized the U.S. actions as undermining accountability for grave crimes.

Implications

• The sanctions risk undermining global efforts to ensure accountability for the gravest crimes and erode the shared commitment to the rule of law.
• The warrants could significantly restrict Netanyahu's and others' international travel to ICC member states, as these nations are obligated to enforce the arrest.
• The situation has heightened tensions between the U.S., Israel, and the international community regarding the ICC's authority and independence.

Diddy on Trial

Federal racketeering and sex trafficking trial began May 5th, 2025, in Brooklyn, New York

Key Testimony

• June 5th, 2025: Joshua Zemmour, a computer forensics agent, testified about extracting data from Cassie Ventura's laptops, noting one set to factory default and another with a "Frank Black" user profile.
• June 4th, 2025: Mylah Morales, a makeup artist, described treating Cassie Ventura's injuries after an alleged 2010 assault by Combs, confirming she saw bruises but not the incident itself.
• June 3rd, 2025: Derek Ferguson, former CFO of Combs Enterprises, testified he never witnessed Combs commit crimes or violence, and bank statements showed a $20,000 transaction related to Cassie Ventura.
• May 30th, 2025: "Mia," a former assistant, faced cross-examination, defending positive social media posts about Combs and explaining her "trauma brain" versus "logic brain" dynamic regarding alleged assaults.
• May 29th, 2025: "Mia" testified about experiencing drug use, violence, and sexual assaults by Combs, expressing fear and reluctance to testify.
• May 28th, 2025: Deonte Nash, a celebrity stylist, recounted Combs attacking Cassie Ventura, including threats to her career and family, while the defense sought a mistrial over destroyed arson evidence (denied by Judge Subramanian).
• May 27th, 2025: Capricorn Clark, a former employee, testified that Combs controlled Ventura's career approvals and that she was "blacklisted" after leaving, though some testimony was struck from the record.
• May 22nd, 2025: Day 9 of testimony. Jury dismissed for Memorial Day weekend; trial resumes Tuesday.
  • Cassie Ventura, Diddy's former girlfriend, testified to years of physical and sexual abuse, describing orchestrated drug-fueled "Freak Offs."
  • Kid Cudi testified about a break-in at his home, his car being set on fire with a Molotov cocktail after Diddy learned of his relationship with Cassie, and threats he received. He described a tense meeting with Diddy, who denied involvement, and later apologized years after the incident.
  • Frédéric Zemmour, general manager of L'Ermitage Beverly Hills, testified about Diddy's use of aliases and hotel records noting excessive use of oil and candle wax, and extra cleaning fees after his stays.
  • Mylah Morales, Cassie's former makeup artist, recounted seeing Cassie with a swollen eye, busted lip, and knots on her head after a hotel incident with Diddy in 2010, and described her fear of Diddy as the reason for not calling police.
  • Cassie's mother testified about receiving threats from Diddy, including demands for $20,000 and threats to release explicit videos and harm Cassie and Kid Cudi.

Trial Details:

• Diddy faces charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and related offenses. He has pleaded not guilty.
• Prosecutors allege a criminal enterprise spanning 2004–2024, involving coercion, violence, and cover-ups.
• Testimony has included accounts from former staff, alleged victims, and expert witnesses on abuse and trauma bonds.
• If convicted, Diddy could face up to life in prison.

Israel Invades Southern Lebanon

• May 22nd, 2025: Israeli military launched a wave of strikes on southern Lebanon, including Toul, Soujod, Touline, Sawanna, and Rihan Mountain, ahead of municipal elections. Lebanese PM condemned the attacks as violations of the November ceasefire. One Hezbollah fighter killed in Rab el-Thalathine, a shepherd injured, and heavy bombardment reported—the heaviest since the truce.
• April 22nd, 2025: Israeli airstrike killed Hussein Atoui, Commander of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya's al-Fajr Forces
• April 1st, 2025: Israel killed Hezbollah member Hassan Bdeir and 3 others in Dahiyeh.
• January 26–27, 2025: Israeli troops opened fire on displaced Lebanese civilians returning to their homes in Kfar Kila, killing at least 26 and injuring over 147. A Lebanese Army soldier was also killed. The following day, two more civilians were killed and 17 wounded in renewed gunfire.
• Israel violates ceasefire agreement
• November 26th, 2024: Israel and Lebanon signed a ceasefire agreement mediated by France and the United States.
• October 1st, 2024: Israel launched a ground invasion of Southern Lebanon, marking the sixth Israeli invasion since 1978.
• The invasion was preceded by intense airstrikes in late September 2024.
• Some experts view this as part of Israel's broader "Greater Israel" strategy in the region.

Syria's New Transitional Government Formed

• May 16th, 2025: Amnesty International calls on Syria's new government to prioritize justice, truth, and reparations, and to include victims and civil society in shaping transitional justice mechanisms. The government is urged to investigate the March coastal massacres of Alawite civilians as war crimes.
• May 14th, 2025: President Ahmad al-Sharaa meets US President Donald Trump in Riyadh after the US announces the lifting of sanctions on Syria, boosting hopes for economic recovery and international reintegration.
• May 3rd, 2025: Israeli airstrikes target areas near the presidential palace in Damascus and Druze-majority regions after sectarian clashes; dozens reported killed. Israel states it will not allow threats to minorities in Syria.
• April 1st, 2025: President al-Sharaa appoints a 23-member transitional cabinet, including representatives from Christian, Alawite, Druze, and Kurdish communities. Hind Kabawat, a Catholic, is named Minister of Labour and Social Affairs—the only woman in the cabinet. The government pledges to draft a new constitution and organize elections.
• March 29th, 2025: The Syrian Transitional Government is officially established, replacing the caretaker government. The new government structure is dominated by allies of al-Sharaa and includes technocrats and minority representatives.
• March 13th, 2025: The Constitutional Declaration for the Transitional Period is adopted, establishing a legal framework for the post-Assad era and creating a Transitional Justice Commission.
• February 27th, 2025: The National High Commission for Missing Persons is announced, but victims' groups criticize lack of consultation and progress.
• January 31st, 2025: President al-Sharaa delivers his first national address, vowing to pursue those responsible for war crimes and to hold a national dialogue conference. The 2012 constitution and former regime's institutions are dissolved.
• December 27th, 2024: The U.S. military conducted airstrikes on 83 ISIS positions in eastern Syria, supporting ground operations by Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
• December 25th, 2024: Israel announced plans to establish a 10-kilometer "security zone" along its border with Syria.
• December 22nd, 2024: Former President Bashar al-Assad was granted asylum in Moscow, Russia
• December 20th, 2024: The Syrian National Coalition announced the formation of an interim government.
• December 18th, 2024: Opposition forces seized control of the presidential palace and state television headquarters.
• December 15th, 2024: The Syrian government fell, ending the Assad family's 54-year rule. A coalition of opposition forces, led by the Syrian National Army and supported by Turkish-backed militias, captured Damascus. The rebel offensive, dubbed "Operation Dawn of Freedom," surprise attacked key military installations around the capital.

Yemen-Israel Conflict

Recent Developments:

• May 6th, 2025: Israel launched airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport and several power stations in Yemen after a Houthi hypersonic missile attack on Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. The airport was rendered inoperable, and power infrastructure was damaged. Strikes in the vicinity of Hodeidah on May 5th killed four and injured 39, according to Houthi sources.
• April 17th, 2025: The United States struck Ras Isa fuel port, killing at least 74 people
• December 27th, 2024: Houthi rebels claimed new attacks against Israel, including a missile fired at Ben Gurion Airport and drones launched at Tel Aviv.
• Israel's military reported intercepting a missile launched from Yemen before it crossed into Israeli territory.
• December 26th, 2024: Israel launched airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport and other targets in Yemen, killing at least three people.
• WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was at the airport during the strike, and a UN plane crew member was injured.

International Reactions:

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel would "continue until the job is done" in cutting off "this branch of terrorism from the Iranian axis of evil."
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the escalation and called the Sanaa airport strikes "especially alarming."
• Iran's foreign ministry condemned Israel's strikes as a "clear violation of international peace and security."

Mark Carney Elected

Prime Minister and Liberal Party Leader

January 3rd, 2025: The United States House of Representatives elected Johnson for Speaker of the House

December 10th, 2024: The United States Senate Judiciary Committee Debated Mass Deportations