War crimes on trial
The week's news at a glance.
Khartoum, Sudan
The Sudanese government said this week that it would block an International Criminal Court investigation into alleged war crimes in the Darfur region. Tens of thousands of people, mostly black villagers, have been killed or starved to death in an ethnic-cleansing operation believed to be supported by the Arab-dominated government. The ICC said it had thousands of documents of evidence, including interviews with refugees, to support charges of crimes against humanity. But rules adopted at the request of the U.S. allow any country to reject the court’s jurisdiction if it is investigating the crimes itself. Sudan said it is doing so, which means that the ICC will have to prove the Sudanese courts biased or ineffective before it can proceed.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
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.
-
Today's political cartoons - February 19, 2025
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons - marking territory, living under a rock, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Mickey 17: 'charming space oddity' that's a 'sparky one-off'
The Week Recommends 'Remarkable' Robert Pattinson stars in Bong Joon-ho's sci-fi comedy
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
EastEnders at 40: are soaps still relevant?
Talking Point Albert Square's residents are celebrating, but falling viewer figures have fans worried the soap bubble has burst
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published