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Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Starvation is a war crime, but will justice ever be done?
Calls to prosecute the war crime of starvation are becoming louder and more frequent. "[Famine] is a weapon of war being wielded across the globe at the moment. But this has to stop, it's against international humanitarian law," Shayna Lewis, senior adviser on Sudan for the US-based group PAEMA (Preventing and Ending Mass Atrocities) told DW recently. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now She was talking about the Sudanese city of El Fasher, which has been under siege for a year now and where food is running out for around 30,000 people trapped there. "It is a crime internationally and it needs to be prosecuted as such," Lewis argued. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have said similar about Israel's blockade of aid and food into the Gaza Strip. "Israel is starving Gaza. It's genocide. It's a crime against humanity. It's a war crime," Michael Fakhri, the United Nations' special rapporteur on the right to food, told UK newspaper the Guardian last week. Food as a weapon of war Experts say that part of the reason there are now more calls to prosecute starvation of civilians as a war crime, is that there is more famine being caused by conflict. Over the first decade of this century, there was very little famine, researchers at the World Peace Foundation, or WPF, wrote in a 2022 collection of essays, "Accountability for Starvation." But more recently that has changed. "This is an ancient phenomenon, warring parties have been using it for centuries," Rebecca Bakos Blumenthal, a legal adviser with the Starvation Accountability project run by Netherlands-based law foundation, Global Rights Compliance, or GRC, says. After 2015, this kind of tactic has re-emerged, she noted. Over the past decade, there have been conflict-related famines in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Food security experts suggest Russian attacks on Ukraine's agricultural sector could also be seen as criminal attempts to weaponize food. Basically there's just more of this war crime happening again, they argue. "Even while global food security is improving, the incidence of famines is increasing," Alex de Waal, a professor at Tufts University in the US and head of the WPF's research into mass starvation, wrote last week. "This tells us that the global food security is more volatile and unequal. That's consistent with hunger being used as a weapon." The deliberate withholding of food or other essentials needed for civilians' survival is categorized as a war crime by many nations as well as in various iterations of international law, including the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute (which is applied by the International Criminal Court, or ICC). But so far, those who wield that "weapon" have never been brought to trial: The war crime of starvation has never been prosecuted in an international court on its own, only as a part of around 20 other war crimes cases. And just because civilians are going hungry in a conflict, doesn't mean a crime was committed. "One of the issues in law is the question of intent," de Waal told DW. "The war crime of starvation requires that the perpetrator is acting with intent." Starvation happens over the longer term, de Waal points out, and some legal scholars have argued it must be proven that a perpetrator intended to starve people from the very beginning of, for example, a siege or blockade. But most legal experts believe there could also be "indirect intent," de Waal explains. That is, it's clear that starvation will occur "in the normal course of events," and the perpetrator knows that, they've had opportunities to prevent it, but didn't do so. Another issue for any legal case involving starvation is the lack of precedent, and which international or national courts have jurisdiction over the alleged war criminals. Changing views on starvation as war crime Up until a couple of years ago, starvation was often seen as a developmental or humanitarian issue, GRC's Blumenthal explains. But now there is more attention being paid to its criminal aspects. "I've worked on this issue for quite a few years now and these things do move slowly," concedes Blumenthal, who's been looking at the topic since 2020. "But I do think the needle is moving and there have been some consequential steps taken over the past 10 years." In 2018, the UN Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 2417, "condemning the starving of civilians as a method of warfare." In 2019, changes were made to the Rome Statute, making starvation a war crime in non-international armed conflicts too, rather than just international. There have also been UN commissions of inquiry on conflicts in South Sudan and Ethiopia-Tigray specifically focusing on the topic of starvation as a war crime, Blumenthal points out. "We're seeing a lot more international and local organizations, together with accountability mechanisms, calling this out and certain striking examples, like the case of Gaza today, have really amplified awareness around the crime as well," she notes. In fact, the ICC warrants issued against Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024, which specifically mention the war crime of starvation, are a "historic milestone," Blumenthal notes. It's the first time that international warrants have been issued for starvation as a stand-alone crime. The ICC also has an open investigation into Sudan going, she adds. "The issue has undoubtedly gained more attention over the last 10 years," de Waal confirms. "The legal frameworks are all in place. What's lacking is the political will to act." Will perpetrators of starvation ever end up in court? There are still jurisdictional challenges, de Waal told DW. "But I am confident that there are many cases for which conviction is possible. It just requires getting the accused in court." Blumenthal agrees. "There are misconceptions around this and so many people think [starvation] is an inevitable part of war," she says. "But during our in-depth investigations, it's surprising how quickly it becomes clear that actually these patterns are very stark and in many situations, you can discern a deliberate strategy." Blumenthal is cautiously optimistic that one day soon those who deliberately starve civilians will face justice. "That is certainly the hope," she concludes. "That's what we are all working towards."
DW
4 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Starvation is a war crime, but will justice ever be done? – DW – 08/15/2025
Experts say that food is increasingly being used as a weapon in conflicts in places like Sudan, Syria and Gaza. But there's never been a war crimes case about it in an international court. That may soon change. Calls to prosecute the war crime of starvation are becoming louder and more frequent. "[Famine] is a weapon of war being wielded across the globe at the moment. But this has to stop, it's against international humanitarian law," Shayna Lewis, senior adviser on Sudan for the US-based group PAEMA (Preventing and Ending Mass Atrocities) told DW recently. She was talking about the Sudanese city of El Fasher, which has been under siege for a year now and where food is running out for around 30,000 people trapped there. "It is a crime internationally and it needs to be prosecuted as such," Lewis argued. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have said similar about Israel's blockade of aid and food into the Gaza Strip. "Israel is starving Gaza. It's genocide. It's a crime against humanity. It's a war crime," Michael Fakhri, the United Nations' special rapporteur on the right to food, told UK newspaper the last week. Experts say that part of the reason there are now more calls to prosecute starvation of civilians as a war crime, is that there is more famine being caused by conflict. Over the first decade of this century, there was very little famine, researchers at the World Peace Foundation, or WPF, wrote in a 2022 collection of essays, "Accountability for Starvation." But more recently that has changed. "This is an ancient phenomenon, fighting parties have been using it for centuries," Rebecca Bakos Blumenthal, a legal adviser with the Starvation Accountability project run by Netherlands-based law foundation, Global Rights Compliance, or GRC, says. " I think prior to 2015, we were doing quite well in terms of food security. But there's been a resurgence of this kind of conduct." Over the past decade, there have been conflict-related famines in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Food security experts suggest Russian attacks on Ukraine's agricultural sector could also be seen as criminal attempts to weaponize food. Basically there's just more of this war crime happening again, they argue. "Even while global food security is improving, the incidence of famines is increasing," Alex de Waal, a professor at Tufts University in the US and head of the WPF's research into mass starvation, wrote last week. "This tells us that the global food security is more volatile and unequal. That's consistent with hunger being used as a weapon." The deliberate withholding of food or other essentials needed for civilians' survival is categorized as a war crime by many nations as well as in various iterations of international law, including the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute (which is applied by the International Criminal Court, or ICC). But so far, those who wield that "weapon" have never been brought to trial: The war crime of starvation has never been prosecuted in an international court on its own, only as a part of around 20 other war crimes cases. And just because civilians are going hungry in a conflict, doesn't mean a crime was committed. "One of the issues in law is the question of intent," de Waal told DW. "The war crime of starvation requires that the perpetrator is acting with intent." Starvation happens over the longer term, de Waal points out, and some legal scholars have argued it must be proven that a perpetrator intended to starve people from the very beginning of, for example, a siege or blockade. But most legal experts believe there could also be "indirect intent," de Waal explains. That is, it's clear that starvation will occur "in the normal course of events," and the perpetrator knows that, they've had opportunities to prevent it, but didn't do so. Another issue for any legal case involving starvation is the lack of precedent, and which international or national courts have jurisdiction over the alleged war criminals. Up until a couple of years ago, starvation was often seen as a developmental or humanitarian issue, GRC's Blumenthal explains. But now there is more attention being paid to its criminal aspects. "I've worked on this issue for quite a few years now and these things do move slowly," concedes Blumenthal, who's been looking at the issue since 2017. "But I do think the needle is moving and there have been some consequential steps taken over the past 10 years." In 2018, the UN Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 2417, "condemning the starving of civilians as a method of warfare." In 2019, changes were made to the Rome Statute, making starvation a war crime in non-international armed conflicts too, rather than just international. There have also been UN commissions on conflicts in South Sudan and Ethiopia-Tigray specifically focusing on the topic of starvation as a war crime, Blumenthal points out. "We're seeing a lot more international organizations calling this out and certain striking examples, like the case of Gaza today, have really amplified awareness around the crime as well," she notes. In fact, the ICC warrants issued against Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024, which specifically mention starvation, are a "historic milestone," Blumenthal notes. It's the first time that international warrants have been issued for starvation as a stand-alone crime. The ICC also has an open investigation into Sudan going, she adds. "The issue has undoubtedly gained more attention over the last 10 years," de Waal confirms. "The legal frameworks are all in place. What's lacking is the political will to act." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video There are still jurisdictional challenges, de Waal told DW. "But I am confident that there are many cases for which conviction is possible. It just requires getting the accused in court." Blumenthal agrees. "There are misconceptions around this and so many people think [starvation] is an inevitable part of war," she says. "But during our in-depth investigations, it's surprising how quickly it becomes clear that actually these patterns are very stark and in many situations, you can discern a deliberate strategy." Blumenthal is cautiously optimistic that one day soon those who deliberately starve civilians will face justice. "That is certainly the hope," she concludes. "That's what we are all working towards."
Korea Herald
10-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
GstarCAD 2026 Launches with Breakthrough Speed, Enhanced Precision, and a Reimagined User Experience
Gstarsoft Introduces GstarCAD 2026: A reimagined experience that works the way you do. SUZHOU, China, July 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Gstarsoft, a leading provider of industrial software with expertise in CAD solutions, announced the transformative release of GstarCAD 2026. Designed to elevate every aspect of the user journey—from how it looks to how it works—this version reflects a bold new standard in CAD performance, usability, and intelligent design. With a refreshed UI, unprecedented speed, and smarter tools that solve real-world challenges, GstarCAD 2026 offers not just features but a complete design experience. As one of the world's most trusted CAD platforms with users in over 100 countries, GstarCAD has long stood for high compatibility, flexible licensing, and relentless product innovation. "With GstarCAD 2026, we're setting a new bar: giving creators the freedom, power, and fluidity they need to bring ideas to life faster and better," said Meiyu Huang, Head of International Business Development at Gstarsoft. "This release reflects our deepening connection with users, turning their feedback into meaningful upgrades." Fresh Look — A Better Visual and Usability Experience to Enjoy Your Design The all-new interface in GstarCAD 2026 is built to make designing more intuitive and enjoyable. After two years of complete redevelopment, every element has been refined—from over 1,500 redrawn SVG icons to updated theme colors and a restructured layout that brings better focus and clarity. Engineered for long working sessions, the new design reduces visual fatigue while offering a clean, modern environment that feels right at home in today's creative workflows. Behind the scenes, the reworked interface built on WPF architecture not only improves responsiveness but also offers optimized secondary development interfaces. Everyday usability has also been refined with thoughtful touches like clearer recent document previews, quick right-click customization of ribbon panels, and a ribbon-embedded text editor that helps maximize workspace efficiency. Faster Speed — A Smoother Performance to Realize Your Ideas The 2026 release is the fastest and smoothest GstarCAD experience ever delivered. Whether opening large drawings, switching views, or executing core commands, every interaction feels lighter and faster. Internal testing reveals an average 40% speed increase in drawing load times, with operations such as hatch and extend achieving over 30X and 11X improvements, respectively. These performance upgrades aren't just numbers, but specifically targeted to eliminate bottlenecks in real-world design tasks, especially for teams managing large or detailed drawings. By reducing wait times and improving responsiveness, GstarCAD 2026 helps users stay in flow and deliver projects faster, even under tight deadlines Smarter Design — A More Powerful Toolset to Simplify Your Process and Boost Productivity The heart of GstarCAD 2026 lies in its intelligent design tools, crafted to simplify complex workflows and empower precision. Building on the parametric design system introduced in the 2025 release, the latest version adds Dimensional Constraints and a Parameters Manager, allowing users to define object dimensions, group variables, and apply rule-based logic. This ensures both precision and flexibility, particularly for repeat-pattern designs, product layouts, and architectural plans where updates need to cascade reliably. A range of practical tools has also been added to help professionals save time, reduce redundancy, and maintain clarity across iterations, including: From smoother performance to scalable customization, every upgrade in GstarCAD 2026 reflects a deep understanding of what CAD professionals truly need: tools that adapt to your workflow, accelerate your ideas, and unleash creative efficiency. Experience the all-new GstarCAD 2026 — faster, smarter, and more intuitive than ever. Try it today and redefine the way you design. About Gstarsoft Gstarsoft Co., Ltd., established in 2001, is a leading provider of R&D-focused industrial software in China. With a mission to be "customer-centric - making design more efficient, collaboration smoother, and value sustainable," the company is committed to becoming a world-class, product-innovation-driven industrial software provider, delivering a full spectrum of solutions including 2D CAD, 3D CAD, 3D BIM, and cloud-based CAD. Headquartered in Suzhou, the company went public on the Shanghai Stock Exchange STAR Market on October 10, 2023 (stock code: 688657). Currently, its products and services cover more than 100 countries, with a cumulative global user base exceeding 100 million.
India Gazette
17-06-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
IPF, WPF unify to form global governing body for Pickleball
New Delhi [India], June 17 (ANI): In a historic move for the sport of pickleball, member nations of the International Pickleball Federation (IPF) and the World Pickleball Federation (WPF) voted unanimously at Special General Meetings (SGMs) to unify into a single international governing body. The unified entity will uniquely continue to champion 'One Country One Vote' - ensuring proper representation for all nations. The new organisation will initially operate under the name World Pickleball Federation (WPF) and is established as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) entity registered in Illinois, USA. It will combine the assets and resources of both federations into one unified structure. To align with the global sports community and meet the highest standards of governance, the new WPF will also be registered in Lausanne, Switzerland--home to the International Olympic Committee (IOC)--and is fully committed to meeting all IOC recognition requirements, including: Democratic governance and equal voting rights for all member nations Transparent operations and financial oversight Gender equity and athlete representation Compliance with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standards Conflict resolution and disciplinary frameworks Adherence to the Olympic Charter With WPF having been established over six years ago, the unified body is well-positioned to immediately begin the IOC recognition process. In contrast to any other organisations claiming to represent the sport internationally, the new WPF distinguishes itself through full democracy, transparency, and international legitimacy. 'This unification is a landmark achievement for pickleball worldwide. By combining our strengths and committing to the highest international standards, we are sending a clear message: pickleball is ready to take its place among the world's most respected sports,' said Arvind Prabhoo, President, IPF 'The pickleball community wants and needs one International Governing Body for the sport of pickleball. With 100 member countries and six years in business, the new unified WPF has met the first two critical requirements for IOC membership. We look forward to continuing to grow pickleball at the grassroots worldwide while pursuing our dream of being a full participating sport at an upcoming Olympic Games,' said Seymour Rifkind, President, WPF As part of its founding process, the new WPF is inviting nominations for Directors to form its inaugural Board. These Directors will be elected by member countries at the first Annual General Meeting (AGM) in August 2025, ensuring that governance reflects the sport's diversity, inclusivity, and global reach. This unification marks a transformative step in the evolution of pickleball on the world stage, laying a strong foundation for growth, legitimacy, and global recognition. Finally, with true democratic representation & governance on the world stage: Pickleball Wins! (ANI)
Al Etihad
04-06-2025
- General
- Al Etihad
UAE to host second Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) Women Parliamentary Forum
4 June 2025 17:07 ABU DHABI (WAM)Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the Mother of the Nation, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood (SCMC), and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), the UAE - represented by the Federal National Council (FNC) - will host the Second Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) Women Parliamentary Forum (WPF) from June 17-18, 2025 in Abu annual forum, established on March 8, 2021 on the occasion of International Women's Day aims to discuss gender issues, including achieving gender equality, increasing female representation in politics, and addressing the impact of the pandemic on gender balance. The two-day event will be chaired by FNC's Second Deputy Speaker, Maryam Majid bin Theneya, and current President of WPF, and held under the theme 'Empowering Women for Cohesive and Inclusive Societies: From the Gulf to the Mediterranean''.
