The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, the world's top war crimes court, sought arrest warrants for the leaders of Israel and Hamas, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over actions taken during their seven-month war. The announcement by chief prosecutor Karim Khan was a symbolic blow that deepened Israel's isolation over the war in Gaza. Khan accused Netanyahu, Gallant, and three Hamas leaders - Yehya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh - of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip and Israel.

Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders condemned the move as disgraceful and antisemitic. US President Joe Biden also lambasted the prosecutor and supported Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas. A panel of three judges will decide whether to issue the arrest warrants and allow a case to proceed. Typically it takes two months to make such decisions. Israel may need reminding though, since it is not a member of the court, so even if the arrest warrants are issued, Netanyahu and Gallant do not face any immediate risk of prosecution.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak set July 4 as the date for a national election that will determine who governs the UK, as his divided and demoralised Conservative Party faces the biggest challenge to its 14-year rule. "Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future," Sunak said in an announcement that took many people who expected a fall election by surprise. He spoke on a day of good economic news, hoping to remind wavering voters of one relative success of his time in office.

But Sunak was drenched by heavy rain outside the prime minister's residence, and his announcement was nearly drowned out by protesters blasting a rival Labour campaign song from the Tony Blair era. Sunak's Tory party has seen its support dwindle, as it has struggled to overcome a series of crises including an economic slump, ethics scandals and a revolving door of leaders in the past two years, while Labour under Keir Starmer has been regarded as a 'government in waiting'.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can appeal an extradition order to the United States on espionage charges, a London court ruled this week - a decision likely to further drag out an already long legal saga. High Court judges Victoria Sharp and Jeremy Johnson ruled for Assange after his lawyers argued that the US government provided "blatantly inadequate" assurances that he would have the same free speech protections as an American citizen if extradited from Britain.

Assange, 52, has been indicted on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over his website's publication of a trove of classified US documents almost 15 years ago. American prosecutors allege that Assange encouraged and helped US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to steal diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks published. Assange's lawyers have argued sending him to the US would expose him to a politically motivated prosecution and risk a "flagrant denial of justice."

A passenger died and dozens were injured when a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight heading to Singapore from London's Heathrow Airport encountered severe turbulence. In a Facebook post on May 21, SIA said the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft experienced "sudden extreme turbulence" over the Irrawaddy Basin about 10 hours after departing from London. The pilot declared a medical emergency and landed at Thailand's Suvarnabhumi Airport. The airline said 18 passengers have been hospitalised, with another 12 receiving treatment for their injuries in hospitals.

But the number injured had swelled to 71 of the 211 passengers on board within 36 hours. The dead passenger was identified as a 73-year-old Brit, Geoffrey Kitchen. Kittipong Kittikachorn, general manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport, said the plane fell into an air pocket while the cabin crew were serving breakfast before it encountered turbulence, prompting the pilot to request an emergency landing in Bangkok. The incident is almost identical to what happened aboard LATAM Airlines flight 800 from Sydney to Auckland in March this year.