US imposes ‘terrorist-grade sanctions’
on UN expert, ICC judges amid Gaza
accountability drive
February 6th, 9:51pm
(PressTV)
The United States has imposed - what critics describe as
“terrorist-grade sanctions” on a United Nations human
rights expert and multiple judges and prosecutors at
the International Criminal Court, an investigative
report has pointed out.
Reuters published the report on Friday, suggesting that
the move had extended punitive economic measures
traditionally reserved for criminals and terror
suspects - to international legal officials
examining the Israeli regime’s war
crimes in Gaza.
According to the investigation, the Trump administration has
placed Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on
the occupied Palestinian territories... along with senior
ICC staff, on the US Treasury Department’s Specially
Designated Nationals list, freezing assets.... and
cutting access to the global financial system.
Reuters reported that US officials have tried to justify the
measures by accusing the ICC of pursuing “illegitimate
and baseless” investigations into Israeli officials over
the regime’s war of genocide on Gaza, as well as
past probes involving US military personnel.
The move followed arrest warrants issued by the ICC in
November 2024 for Israeli prime minister Benjamin
Netanyahu and his minister for military affairs at
the time, Yoav Gallant - on charges including
war crimes and crimes against humanity,
notably the use of starvation ------ as a
method of warfare against Gazans.
Corporate pressure and Albanese’ letters
The investigation found that the sanctions against Albanese
were preceded by confidential letters she sent to over a
dozen US companies - warning they could be named in
a UN report --- for “contributing to gross violations of
human rights” linked to Israeli military operations
in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Companies contacted included Alphabet, Amazon, Caterpillar,
Chevron, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft,
and Palantir.
At least two companies sought help from the White House
after receiving the letters, US officials told Reuters.
The Trump administration later cited the correspondence as
evidence that Albanese was conducting what it described
as “political and economic warfare.”
Under the same executive order, Washington sanctioned
eight ICC judges and several prosecutors, including
officials involved in authorizing investigations
related to Gaza and Afghanistan.
Those targeted --- were added to the same sanctions list
used for suspected al-Qaeda affiliates, drug traffickers,
and arms proliferators.
Legal experts cited by Reuters said targeting judges and
UN mandate holders -- marked a sharp escalation in the
use of US sanctions.
The United Nations has said Albanese enjoyed diplomatic
immunity in relation to her official duties - and that this
status - was communicated directly to US authorities.
Despite this, Washington proceeded with sanctions.
“It is clear that my diplomatic immunity has not been
respected,” Albanese told the agency, adding that
responsibility lay... with member states’ failure
to act decisively.
The US State Department said its correspondence with
the UN - had focused on calls for Albanese’s removal
and rejected the court’s jurisdiction over US and
Israeli individuals.
Big picture
According to the report, the measures form part of a broader
US campaign to pressure international institutions viewed
as threatening US or allied interests.
Beyond freezing assets, the sanctions effectively bar access
to banking services, restrict travel, and expose third parties
to penalties for providing assistance.
Human rights advocates and legal scholars warned - that such
actions risked crippling the ICC’s ability to function and set a
precedent for using economic force to target international
courts and UN mechanisms.
The ICC has condemned the sanctions and said it will continue
its work “to provide justice and hope to millions of innocent
victims of atrocities.”
_____________________________________________
Defying the rubble, Gaza opens its
first face-to-face school since
start of war
February 6th, 6:12pm
by Minas Al Jabbour
Press TV, Gaza City
Despite the dire humanitarian situation, school bells
are replacing the echoes of Israeli war in Gaza City.
After months of displacement and deprivation, the
Ministry of Education, working with international
partners, has launched the first in-person
elementary school.
_______________________________
‘Ready ------- for next round’:
Million-man rally in Yemen
backs Gaza, resistance
February 6th, 5:38pm
(PressTV)
Yemenis have staged a million-strong march in the capital
Sana’a to reiterate their support for Palestinians and
the axis of resistance.
On Friday, Yemeni people rallied under the slogan
"In response to, and in support of Palestinian
people, we are steadfast and ready for the
next round".
The demonstrators reiterated their solidarity with
Palestinians who are subjected to Israel’s
genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Amid ongoing crimes perpetrated by Israeli forces in
violation of the US-backed ceasefire agreement,
protesters chanted, “With Gaza, our initial
stance, it will not change ----- or waver,”
“O Gaza, we stand by our principles,
eager to strike the enemies.”
They also expressed their solidarity with Iran and
Lebanon against the US and Israeli tyranny
and arrogance.
The demonstrators also voiced their support ---- for any
“appropriate” decision made by the leader of Yemen’s
Ansarullah movement, Abdul Malik al-Houthi -- to
confront the enemies’ aggression, on nations
that oppose the "Zionist-US" tyranny.
They chanted “Yemen of wisdom and faith… with Iran and
Lebanon,” and “O all Muslim peoples…... rise up against
the crimes,” decrying Arab silence on US arrogance
and Israeli crimes.
A statement issued by the protest organizers stressed the
Yemeni people’s "complete readiness for the next round
of confrontation with the Israeli enemy and its allies
and partners.”
Referring to the recent release -- of documents linked to the
case of the late convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein
which reveal corruption and abuse among Western elites,
the statement said "The events unfolding before us in
the world increase our awareness, certainty, and
conviction about the truth we stand for and
the correct course of action.”
“Allah has revealed and -- exposed -- our Zionist enemies,
uncovering their appalling and unprecedented morally
and humanly degenerate reality, which has shocked
the world, particularly concerning the global
scandal of the Jew Jeffrey Epstein, his
partner Trump, and the leaders of
America and the infidel West,
and the hypocrites in
our region."
Similar demonstrations took place in other Yemeni
provinces, including Sa’ada, Hudaydah, Hajjah,
Ibb, Lahej, Bayda, Dhamar, Dhale, Ma’rib,
and Raymah on Friday.
The protests came as the leader of Abdul Malik al-Houthi
called for a massive rally on Friday in support of Muslim
nations and in condemnation of what he described as
US-Zionist plots against the Islamic Ummah.
Since the onset of Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip
in October 2023, Yemen's forces have carried out scores
of operations in support of the war-hit Gazans, striking
targets throughout occupied Palestinian territories,
in addition to targeting Israeli ships - or vessels
heading to ports in the occupied territories.
According to the Gaza-based Health Ministry, more than
71,803 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s war
on Gaza.
Last year, a fragile ceasefire deal, brokered by the US,
was reached in the strip. Despite the truce, Israel..
has killed over 576 Palestinians.
_________________________________
Hezbollah --- Condemns
Deadly Mosque Attack
in Pakistan’s Islamabad
February 6th, 4pm
(al Manar)
Hezbollah condemned in the strongest terms, the terrorist
attack - carried out by Takfiri extremists - at the Khadija
Al-Kubra Mosque in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad,
which claimed the lives of dozens of martyrs and
left many wounded.
Takfiri Ideology: A Continuing Threat
The group’s statement emphasized ---- that the attack reflects
the enduring danger posed by Takfiri ideology, which unites
extremist factions and declares anyone who disagrees
with their beliefs an enemy. Hezbollah described this
ideology as a “dangerous tool” exploited by global
powers seeking to spread discord, undermine
stability, and destabilize nations
and societies.
Hezbollah stressed that this terrorist ideology does not target
one group over another but strikes anyone who stands for
truth against falsehood, regardless of their religion,
nationality, or ethnicity. The group - called for full
cooperation among Arab and Islamic countries,
across security, intellectual, cultural, religious
and educational spheres - to eradicate the
ideology and remove its perpetrators
from societies.
Condolences to Victims and Call for Peace
Hezbollah extended its condolences to the families of
the martyrs and prayed for mercy for the martyrs, a
swift recovery for the injured, and security for
the Pakistani people.
Source: Al-Manar Website
_________________________________
Israelis keep killing more Palestinian
civilians in Gaza amid relentless
ceasefire violations
February 6th, 3:50pm
(PressTV)
At least two more Palestinians have been killed and another
wounded by Israeli fire across the Gaza Strip, as the regime
continues near-daily violations of its ceasefire agreement
with Palestinian resistance factions.
Medical sources said that Mohammed Salah Abu Rukba,
33, was shot dead by Israeli forces in the Zikim area
northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza.
Another Palestinian, Ahmad Imran Al-Qanou, was killed
by Israeli fire on Masoud Street in the town of Jabalia,
also in northern Gaza.
The bodies of those killed in the cities of Jabalia and
Beit Lahiya were transported on Friday to al-Shifa
Medical Complex in Gaza City.
In southern Gaza, Israeli forces destroyed a four-story
residential building in central Khan Yunis at dawn,
wounding at least one Palestinian..... and
displacing its residents.
Israeli fire was also reported east of Rafah and in several
areas of Gaza City, including an airstrike on an open
area in Sheikh Ajleen, southwest of the city, as
well as demolitions east of Gaza City and
intense gunfire toward eastern Jabalia
camp and the Tuffah neighbourhood.
Elsewhere, in the central besieged region, several Israeli
tanks and engineering vehicles advanced east of Deir
el-Balah, bulldozing and conducting so-called
clearing operations in the area.
The attacks come - two days after Israel killed about two
dozen Palestinians on Wednesday, one of the deadliest
days since the Gaza US-brokered “ceasefire” began
in early October.
Israel has continued to violate the ceasefire deal, despite a
January announcement by the US administration that the
second phase of the agreement had begun. That phase
includes additional Israeli withdrawals from Gaza and
the launch of reconstruction efforts, which the UN
estimates will cost about 70 billion dollars.
Since the ceasefire agreement came into effect, Israeli
forces have committed hundreds of violations,
resulting in the killing of at least 574
Palestinians and the injury of
1,518 others.
The truce agreement followed Israel’s genocidal war
on Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023, and
lasted more than two years.
The genocide has left about 72,000 Palestinians
killed, over 171,000 wounded, and caused
widespread destruction, with about
90 percent of Gaza’s civilian
infrastructure damaged.
While strikes ripped through Gaza, health officials reported
that Israel - had also stopped medical patients crossing
the Rafah border crossing to Egypt. The crossing had
partly reopened on Monday, allowing a trickle of a
limited number of Palestinians to cross... for the
first time in months.
To date, only a few dozen people have been
allowed to enter and leave the war-
devastated coastal region.
Sources, citing the Red Crescent, said there were
currently no plans for any movement at the
crossing on Friday.
Meanwhile, the pace of medical evacuations since
the crossing’s partial reopening has been slower
than the numbers promised, and far short of
what was required to meet the needs of
the approximately 20,000 patients in
need of medical treatment in
other countries.
Reopening the crossing ----- was one of the
requirements under the October ceasefire.
Key issues, such as the withdrawal of Israeli forces
.....from more than 50% of Gaza that they occupy,
remain unresolved, while the fragile ceasefire
has been marked by near-daily violence.
____________________________________
Al-Qard Al-Hasan Foundation
Resumes Disbursement of
New Housing Allowances
February 6th, 3:18pm
(al Manar)
The Al-Qard Al-Hasan Foundation - has announced the
resumption of payments for new housing allowances,
after a decision issued by the Central Compensation
Committee. Disbursements will begin on Monday,
9 February 2026.
According to an administrative circular... released by the
foundation, the issuance of promissory notes will apply
exclusively to new housing allowances - and will be
limited to a three-month period. These promissory
notes will be clearly distinguished by a different
colour and marked with the phrase “Housing
Only” to prevent any confusion with other
forms of compensation.
The circular further clarified that previously approved
compensation promissory notes — covering home
repairs, furniture and earlier housing allowances
— will remain suspended.... until a subsequent
decision is issued by the relevant authorities.
The move comes as part of an effort to reorganize the
compensation disbursement mechanism, pending
the completion of procedures related to other
outstanding files.
Engineer: Details Beneficiary Categories
and Payment Amounts
Engineer Hussein Khaireddine, the coordinator of the
reconstruction file.. at Jihad Al-Binaa Foundation,
stated that the housing allowance will be paid
for a three-month period — February, March,
and April 2026.
He explained that the allowance applies to three categories:
owners of homes previously destroyed, those whose homes
were destroyed in an earlier phase but did not receive
housing compensation, and owners of homes
destroyed after 27 November 2024.
Khaireddine further specified that eligibility for the allowance
falls under 3 main categories: owners of destroyed homes,
owners of homes in buildings requiring structural
reconstruction, and owners of homes that
have sustained severe damage.
He noted that the value of the allowance is capped based on
geographic distribution, with housing compensation for the
three-month period set at $1,500 in Beirut & its southern
suburbs ...and $1,000 in other Lebanese regions. The
distribution of cheques is scheduled to begin on 9
February 2026, with eligible beneficiaries to be
contacted by local administrative zones and
informed of the designated collection
points. Cheques will be issued
through Al-Qard Al-Hasan.
Source: Al-Manar Website and Al-Ahed News
____________________________________
IRNA: Iran-US nuclear talks may ease
tensions ........if deal delivers results
February 6th, 12:06pm
(Al Mayadeen English)
IRNA reports that Tehran sees the current negotiations as
more realistic than past rounds, stressing --- measurable
sanctions relief and opposition to any preconditions
on its nuclear program.
Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that reaching a political
statement following the first round of indirect nuclear talks
between Iran and the United States, could represent a
constructive step toward reducing current regional
tensions by providing a framework for resolving
the Iranian nuclear issue.
The agency noted that both the Iranian and US sides now
have a clearer and more realistic understanding of the
costs of confrontation, as well as the mutual need
to manage the crisis.
IRNA highlighted that the defining feature of this round of talks,
which could produce a different outcome from previous
rounds, is a stronger element of realism. Statements
by Iranian officials indicate that Tehran entered
the negotiations with a clear agenda and a
strong focus on tangible results.
Iran emphasizes right to uranium
enrichment and sanctions relief
According to IRNA, the current talks are primarily focused on
the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions. The agency
said Iran’s central demand in the Muscat talks is the
removal of economic sanctions in a manner that
produces concrete, measurable results.
Iran is also reaffirming its legal right to enrich uranium
on its own soil, describing the matter as a red line.
IRNA reported that Iran considers any potential technical
steps under discussion in the talks to be directly tied to
recognition of its right to uranium enrichment.
Furthermore, Tehran regards any precondition imposed on its
nuclear program as evidence of bad faith by the other side.
The agency added that Iran is seeking a realistic
agreement with clear outcomes that safeguard
its nuclear rights and provide a basis for
lifting sanctions.
Such an agreement, it stressed, can only be achieved through
mutual respect and practical adherence to commitments by
all parties.
Iran holds talks in Muscat as 1st
round of nuclear talks starts
Earlier today, Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced that the first
round of indirect nuclear talks had officially begun in the
Omani capital, Muscat.
In a statement ----- the ministry said Foreign Minister Abbas
Araghchi stressed during the opening meeting that Iran
is committed to pursuing diplomacy as a means of
safeguarding its national interests. He also
underscored Tehran’s full readiness to
defend its sovereignty against any
form of aggression ----- or
external pressure.
According to the statement, Araghchi presented Iran’s
positions, proposals, demands, and concerns to
Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi within
the framework of the negotiations.
The ministry added that al-Busaidi expressed hope that the
current round of talks would provide an opportunity for all
the parties involved and help lay the groundwork for a
durable and lasting understanding.
Araghchi lands in Muscat
This morning, Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that
Araghchi landed at Muscat International Airport, where
he was received by Omani officials.
He is leading a high-level delegation that includes Majid Takht-
Ravanchi, deputy foreign minister for political affairs; Esmaeil
Baghaei, the foreign ministry’s spokesperson; Hamid
Ghanbari, deputy for economic affairs; and
several senior diplomats.
Oman has historically played a mediating role in indirect
negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
On the US side, officials said the US delegation will be led
by Steve Witkoff, the US President’s special envoy for the
Middle East, alongside Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s
son-in-law and adviser. Witkoff arrived in Muscat
several hours before the Iranian delegation.
It was later reported by the Wall Street Journal.. that the US
delegation in the Oman talks would also include CENTCOM
commander Admiral Brad Cooper
Non-nuclear issues - off the table
Since taking the initiative to resume mediated talks with
the US, Iran maintained that talks would strictly include
the nuclear file. Topics beyond, such as its missile
program and domestic issues, were off the table.
It is worth noting that eliminating Iran's advanced ballistic
missile program has been a top priority for the US and
"Israel", both of whom launched an aggression on
the Islamic Republic in June.
Israeli concerns centre on the possibility that any bilateral
agreement between Tehran and Washington could side-
line two key issues: Iran’s ballistic missile program
and its support for regional allies.
Iran... open to diplomacy
Iran maintains that it is open to diplomatic dialogue if
Washington provides guarantees of its commitment
to constructive talks.
Araghchi published a post earlier today on X outlining Tehran’s
approach to the negotiations, hours before the talks were set
to begin. He said Iran was entering diplomacy “with open
eyes and a steady memory of the past year,” stressing
that Tehran was engaging in good faith ---- while
remaining firm on its rights.
He added that any diplomatic process must be grounded in
concrete principles rather than slogans, emphasizing that
commitments must be honoured and that equal standing,
mutual respect, and mutual interest ------ are essential
foundations for a durable agreement.
Distrust looms over talks
The talks come against the backdrop of a growing US military
buildup in the region, alongside renewed threats and
accusations directed at Iran, developments that
Tehran has warned could further destabilize
regional security.
Iran is entering the indirect talks with deep skepticism, shaped
by what officials describe as the bitter legacy of five previous
rounds of talks ....with Washington. Those negotiations
ultimately collapsed after military strikes by "Israel"
and the US on Iranian nuclear facilities, leaving
trust as one of Tehran’s central concerns
in the current process.
The latest round of negotiations has been the subject of
intense speculation over the past week, with reports
suggesting... they came close to being called off
altogether before the delegations confirmed
their participation.
Source: IRNA
______________________________
Syria bets on Russia for
railway modernization
February 6th, 8:54am
(Prensa Latina)
Syria and Russia held talks aimed at strengthening bilateral
cooperation in the transportation sector, with emphasis on
the development and modernization of railway lines, the
Syrian Ministry of Transport reported today.
According to a statement released by the ministry on its
official Facebook page, Transport Minister Yarub Badr,
met with the Russian president's special advisor, Igor
Levitin, and the delegation that accompanies him, to
examine projects aimed at improving the country's
railway infrastructure.
Both sides stressed the importance of rehabilitating and
modernizing the Syrian railway network, in particular
the line connecting the phosphate mines with the
port of Tartus, a project considered key to
boosting transportation and expanding
commercial exchange between
Damascus and Moscow.
The text specified that it was agreed to prepare the
necessary technical studies.. to define the needs
and execution phases of the proposed projects.
Initial stages were also addressed.... including the
restoration of railway lines and the development
of dry ports, with the aim of improving Syria's
logistics capacity, at the regional and
international levels.
In this context, Badr explained that future projects
contemplate the transformation of dry ports, into
integrated logistics centres - which will mean a
qualitative leap in transportation infrastructure
& will reinforce Syria's position as a strategic
connection axis between the countries of
the region.
The Syrian Minister of Transport --- recently held a
video-conference meeting, with representatives
of the World Bank to analyze the rehabilitation
and development mechanisms of the railway
network, within the framework of efforts
aimed at improving infrastructure
projects open to investment.
During that meeting, joint proposals were debated ---- and
the World Bank's vision for a technical support program
focused on the recovery of transportation networks
was reviewed, prioritizing projects with
economic viability.
According to a statement published by the Ministry on the
Telegram platform, the proposed projects.. include the
relocation of the phosphate railway line... from the
Mahin mines to the port of Tartus, the transport
of containers from the port of Latakia - to the
dry port of Sheikh Najjar area of Aleppo ---
as well as the rehabilitation of the Midan-
Ekbes border line with Türkiye... to the
city of Aleppo.
Last November, Minister Yarub Badr revealed that nearly
1,800 kilometres of the Syrian railway network, whose
total length is around 2,800 kms, were damaged, and
that only about 1,000 kms now remain in operation.
