South Africa Expels Top Israeli Diplomat Amidst Rising Tensions
South Africa expelled Israel's top diplomat, Ariel Seidman, the chargé d'affaires at the Israeli embassy, for "violating diplomatic norms," including making "insulting remarks" against South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, according to South Africa's foreign ministry. The ministry declared Seidman persona non grata and gave him 72 hours to leave the country.
The expulsion comes amidst already strained relations between the two countries. South Africa has accused Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice. Seidman was accused of using official social media platforms to attack Ramaphosa and inviting Israeli officials to South Africa without permission, according to reports.
The action underscores the deteriorating relationship between South Africa and Israel, particularly in light of South Africa's accusations against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
Other World News in Brief
In other international news, Burkina Faso's junta announced a ban on all political parties, whose activities had been suspended since the military seized power in 2022. Interior Minister Emile Zerbo stated the ban was part of plans to "rebuild the state" after "numerous abuses" in the country's multiparty system, which he claimed had been "promoting division among citizens and weakening the social fabric." Junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré has faced criticism for suppressing dissent. Burkina Faso reportedly had more than 100 registered parties before the 2022 coup.
Panama's Supreme Court annulled contracts allowing a Hong Kong-based company, CK Hutchison Holding, through its subsidiary Panama Ports Company (PPC), to operate container ports on the Panama Canal. The court found that laws allowing the firm to operate the ports were "unconstitutional." PPC had operated two of the five ports since the 1990s and had previously agreed to sell them to a group led by a US investment firm. The ruling comes a year after then-US President Donald Trump claimed China was "operating the Panama Canal" in his inaugural speech.
In the United States, former President Donald Trump and his sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., filed a billion-dollar lawsuit against the federal government over leaks of their business and personal tax returns. The civil complaint, filed in Miami federal court, seeks $10 billion in damages. The Trump family accuses the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department of failing to prevent the disclosure of "confidential, personal financial information" by a former IRS contractor, Charles "Chaz" Littlejohn, who is currently serving a five-year prison sentence.
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