News Wrap: Top UN court orders Israel to end military operations in Rafah

Geoff Bennett:

The U.N.'s top court at The Hague ordered Israel today to stop its military operations in the Southern Gazan city of Rafah. But the ruling from the International Court of Justice does not require a full cease-fire.

Amna Nawaz:

It is unlikely that Israel will follow the ICJ's ruling. But the action does add to mounting pressure on Israel just days after three European countries said they would recognize a Palestinian state.

South Africa had brought the case, calling for Israel to halt its military operation in Rafah and accusing the country of genocide. Israel's government today called those charges false, outrageous and morally repugnant.

In its ruling, the court expressed doubt that Israel is doing all it can to minimize civilian harm and deaths.

Nawaf Salam, President, International Court of Justice: The court is not convinced that the evacuation efforts and related measures that Israel affirms to have undertaken to enhance the security of civilians in the Gaza Strip, and, in particular, those recently displaced from the Rafah governorate are sufficient.

Amna Nawaz:

Hamas leaders welcomed the ICJ's decision and called for the U.N. Security Council to enforce the ruling.

The Israeli army said it recovered the bodies of three more hostages during an overnight military operation in the Northern Gazan city of Jabalia. Officials say that Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum, and Orion Hernandez were killed during the October 7 Hamas attack and their bodies taken to Gaza.

Israel says some hundred hostages remain captive in Gaza, along with at least 39 that are presumed dead; 17 bodies have been recovered so far.

An American missionary couple were shot and killed by gang members last night in Haiti's capital. A third victim, Judes Montes, who worked with the couple, also died in the attack in northern Port-au-Prince. The two missionaries were a young married couple, Davy and Natalie Lloyd. That's according to a Facebook post from Natalie's father, Missouri State Representative Ben Baker.

A police official and the religious group said the religious group where the three worked say they were leaving a local church when they were attacked.

More than 100 people in Papua New Guinea are feared dead after a massive landslide overnight. It happened in a remote village nearly 400 miles northwest of the island's capital of Port Moresby. The side of a mountain reportedly collapsed around 3:00 a.m. Video today showed more of it giving way.

A community leader said the entire village was flattened and hundreds are missing under the debris.

Andrew Ruing, Community Leader:

People are — they cannot cry or they cannot do anything, because it's difficult for them, because such situations never happened in the history. We are seeking assistance from the people around here, because people are — right now, they are speechless.

Amna Nawaz:

The country's prime minister is sending disaster officials to help the area to help in the relief and recovery effort. The Australian government has also offered to help.

Families of 19 victims of the Uvalde school shooting are suing three companies that they said played a role in the gunman's actions. They are Instagram parent Meta platforms, plus the maker of the "Call of Duty" video game and the gun company that made the weapon used in the shooting. A lawyer for the families said that — quote — "this three-headed monster knowingly exposed him to the weapon, conditioned him to see it as a tool to solve his problems and trained him to use it."

The lawsuit comes two years to the day since a teenage gunman burst into Robb Elementary School, killing 19 fourth graders and two teachers.

Two high-ranking Democratic senators are calling on Justice Samuel Alito to recuse himself in cases related to the 2020 election. This comes after a pair of New York Times reports about two instances when flags carried by January 6 rioters were flown outside his properties.

In a letter to Chief Justice John Roberts, the senators said that by displaying the flags, Alito — quote — "created reasonable doubt about his impartiality and his ability to fairly discharge his duties in cases related to the 2020 presidential election and January 6 attack on the Capitol."

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is undergoing a medical procedure this evening and will temporarily hand over power to his deputy. The Pentagon says he's still dealing with bladder issues that arose in December following his treatment for prostate cancer. In a statement, Press Secretary Pat Ryder said the procedure is elective and minimally invasive and is — quote — "not related to his cancer diagnosis."

The 70-year-old sparked a political uproar in January after it was revealed he had failed to disclose his initial cancer diagnosis.

On Wall Street today, stocks ended the week on steady footing after sharp declines on Thursday. The Dow Jones industrial average eked out a gain of just four points to close at 39069 points. The Nasdaq ended the week on a new record, gaining 184 points, and the S&P 500 added 36.

And a passing of note. Documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock has died from complications of cancer in New York. Spurlock was best known for his Oscar-nominated 2004 film "Super Size Me." As part of that movie, he ate McDonald's for 30 straight days to highlight the effects of fast food on the body.

His career veered off course during the height of the MeToo movement, when he revealed his own history of sexual misconduct. Morgan Spurlock was 53 years old.