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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 4 OctOber 2023
A bus crash near the Italian city of Venice kills at least 21 people,

including Ukrainian tourists

By Giada Zampano Ukrainians, and said the
Associated Press bus was bringing tourists to
ROME (AP) — A bus carry- a camping site.
ing foreign tourists includ- Venice Mayor Luigi Brugn-
ing Ukrainians crashed near aro wrote on X, formerly
the Italian city of Venice Twitter, that the scene of
when it fell from an elevat- the crash was “apocalyp-
ed street Tuesday, killing at tic” and that he had al-
least 21 people and injuring ready declared the “city's
18 others, authorities said. mourning" for the “numer-
Four of the injured were in ous victims” who were on
serious condition following the bus.
the accident in the Mestre According to local me-
borough, on the mainland dia, the bus fell a few me-
opposite the historic old ters before crashing close
city of Venice, said Renato to Mestre's railway tracks,
Boraso, a Venice city offi- where it caught fire. Emer-
cial. Two of the dead were gency crews were on the
children, Venice prefect scene.
Michele Di Bari said. In this image made available by Italian State Police, Italian state police agents attend the scene Premier Giorgia Meloni ex-
Boraso confirmed that of a passenger bus accident near the city of Venice, Italy, that fell from an elevated road, late pressed her “deepest sor-
Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, killing at least 21 people near the northern city of Venice.
some of the victims are (Italian State Police via AP) row” after the crash.q

Armenia’s parliament votes to join the International Criminal Court,

straining ties with ally Russia

By Avet Demourian nian people.” Asked if Pu- Nagorno-Karabakh, a part
Associated Press tin would have to refrain of Azerbaijan with a pre-
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — from traveling to Armenia, dominantly Armenian pop-
Armenia's parliament vot- he added: “Of course, we ulation. Russia then sent
ed Tuesday to join the In- wouldn't want the presi- some 2,000 peacekeepers
ternational Criminal Court, dent to have to ever, for to the tumultuous region
a move that further strains whatever reason, refuse a and Armenia has accused
the country's ties with its old visit to Armenia.” the troops of failing to pre-
ally Russia after the court A diplomatic solution is vent recent hostilities by
issued an arrest warrant needed and will be dis- Azerbaijan that led to Baku
for President Vladimir Putin cussed with Yerevan, he taking full control of the re-
over events in Ukraine. said. Armenian officials gion. The Kremlin, in turn,
Moscow last month called have argued the move has accused Armenian
Yerevan's effort to join the has nothing to do with Rus- Prime Minister Nikol Pashin-
the ICC an “unfriendly sia and was prompted by yan of precipitating the fall
step," and the Russian For- what they call Azerbaijan's of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenian lawmakers attend the session of the National
eign Ministry summoned aggression against the acknowledging Azerbai- Assembly of the Republic of Armenia in Yerevan, Armenia,
Armenia's ambassador. country. jan’s sovereignty over the Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023.
Countries that have signed Lawmakers voted to ratify region. (Hayk Baghdasaryan/PHOTOLURE via AP)
and ratified the Rome Stat- the Rome Statute by a vote Moscow also blames Yere-
ute that created the ICC of 60-22. The measure goes van for damaging ties with Court ruled that the Rome Armenia. Armenian officials
are bound to arrest Putin, next to Armenia's president, Russia by embracing the Statute contradicted the last year accused Azerbai-
who was indicted for war who must prepare a ratifi- West, including hosting U.S. country’s constitution at jan of killing a number of Ar-
crimes connected to the cation document, which troops for joint military drills. the time, putting the pro- menian prisoners of war, an
deportation of children is then deposited with the It remains unclear whether cess on pause. The consti- allegation Baku had prom-
from Ukraine, if he sets foot U.N. secretary-general. The Pashinyan might take Ar- tution has been amended ised to investigate.
on their soil. decision comes into force menia out of the Moscow- twice since then. In March, Human Rights Watch hailed
Armenia later sought to as- 60 days after the ratifica- dominated Collective Se- the Constitutional Court Armenia's move and urged
sure Russia that Putin would tion, according to Arme- curity Treaty Organization, ruled that the obligations other countries in the re-
not be arrested if he en- nian lawmakers. a group of several former for signatories outlined by gion to follow its example.
tered the country. Armenia's relations with Soviet nations, and other the Rome Statute are in line “Armenia’s decision to join
Still, Kremlin spokesman Russia have frayed signifi- Russia-led alliances. Arme- with the existing constitu- the International Criminal
Dmitry Peskov called Tues- cantly in recent years. nia also hosts a Russian mili- tion. Court in the face of strong
day's decision “incorrect,” In 2020, Moscow brokered tary base and Russian bor- Armenia’s envoy on in- opposition – including from
saying it will raise “addi- a deal that ended a six- der guards help patrol Ar- ternational legal matters, Russia – deserves interna-
tional questions” in Mos- week war between Ar- menia’s frontier with Turkey. Yegishe Kirakosyan, said tional support,'' Balkees
cow, even though Armenia menia and Azerbaijan. It Armenia had started the Yerevan decided to re- Jarrah, associate interna-
is “our ally, a friendly state, mandated that Yerevan process of joining the ICC sume the process of joining tional justice director at Hu-
our partner, and a lot unites cede to Baku large swaths more than 20 years ago, the ICC because of Baku’s man Rights Watch, said in a
us with the brotherly Arme- of territory in and around but in 2004 its Constitutional alleged aggression against statement. q