Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Saturday, including complaints filed against Israeli President Herzog in Switzerland, a UNICEF report on 20,000 babies born during the Gaza war and a phone conversation between the Pakistani and Iranian foreign ministers over a row about airstrikes.
Criminal complaints have been filed against Israeli President Isaac Herzog during his visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Office of the Swiss Attorney General (OAG) confirmed.
“The criminal charges are now being examined in accordance with the usual procedure,” OAG told Anadolu in a statement.
It added that the prosecutor’s office is in contact with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs to examine the question of the immunity of the person concerned.
Nearly 20,000 babies have been born during the current war in Gaza, while 135,000 children in the Gaza Strip under 2 are at “severe risk” of malnutrition, according to UNICEF.
Noting that the number equals one baby born every 10 minutes since Oct. 7, when the conflict began, UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram told a news conference in Geneva: “The situation of pregnant women and newborns in the Gaza Strip is beyond belief, and it demands intensified and immediate actions.”
“The already precarious situation of infant and maternal mortality has worsened as the healthcare system collapses,” said Ingram, adding that mothers face unimaginable challenges in accessing adequate medical care, nutrition and protection before, during, and after birth.
Pakistani, Iranian foreign ministers speak after row over airstrikes
The top diplomats of Pakistan and Iran agreed to de-escalate tensions between the two countries.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, Jalil Abbas Jilani spoke with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and told him that his country is ready to work with Iran.
Jilani stressed that respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty must underpin this cooperation, while the two officials also discussed the return of their ambassadors to their respective capitals and agreed to de-escalate the situation.
“The two Foreign Ministers agreed that working level cooperation and close coordination on counter terrorism and other aspects of mutual concern should be strengthened,” said the ministry in a statement.
The move came after Iran on Tuesday launched attacks in Pakistan targeting what it described as bases for the militant group Jaish al-Adl in the border town of Panjgur in Balochistan, prompting strong condemnation from Islamabad.
