War criminal kills himself
The week's news at a glance.
The Hague, Netherlands
Milan Babic, the former leader of Croatia’s rebel Serbs and a strong ally of Slobodan Milosevic, reportedly killed himself this week in his jail cell in The Hague. Babic, 50, created the breakaway Krajina Serb Republic and ruthlessly expelled Croats from the Serb-dominated region in one of the worst acts of ethnic cleansing in the Balkan wars of the 1990s. He pleaded guilty in 2003 to a single count and received a 13-year sentence, which he was serving in an undisclosed location. But Babic was transferred to The Hague temporarily to testify for the prosecution in the trial of another Croatian Serb. Babic had previously expressed regret for his crimes, but officials said he didn’t seem to be suicidal. Dutch authorities refused to reveal his method of suicide.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 low ratings cartoons about the Late Show cancellation
Cartoons Artists take on early warning signs, the Gen Z stare, and more
-
Connie Francis: Superstar of the early 1960s pop scene
In the Spotlight The 'Pretty Little Baby' and 'Stupid Cupid' singer has died aged 87
-
Crossword: July 26, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle