carole hodge

"You don't hit schools, you don't hit energy sources, you don't hit bridges: those are war crimes." UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher criticises actions in the Iran war and says leaders have chosen 'game show gambling' over humanity by hitting civilian infrastructure.

I shall be on Al Jazeera English at 1.30pm in New York and Caracas, 6.30pm in Edinburgh, discussing the legal position of the Straits of Hormuz. I think it's fair to say I opened up some unexpected angles!

🇪🇺 Belgian MEP criticizes EU’s “submissive” stance toward US, Israel ◼️ Marc Botenga says Europe must stop “bandwagoning” with Washington and act independently ◼️ He accuses EU of complicity in Israel’s crimes, citing funding and inaction on Gaza v.aa.com.tr/3889530

This isn’t even capitalism. It’s medieval lordship. Father starts a war. Sons sell the weapons to countries that need his protection to survive. Buyers know the purchase is tribute. Saddam Hussein would have recognised it instantly. The US isn’t a democracy right now. It’s a protection racket with a flag. Britain needs to face that fact - and build something different with Europe before it’s too late.

#OTD On 3rd April 1992, the Siege of Mostar began. The first lasting until June. Many buildings were destroyed, and 90,000 citizens displaced. In the second siege, from 1993-4, further suffering was inflicted on the city, including the destruction of the famous Stari Most. #RememberingSrebrenica Image: Diego Sideburns/Flickr (Creative Commons)

@MR57129325 Thank you!

Want to know the truth behind the Balkan conflict? Carole Hodge’s work is a must-read: 📖 Britain and the Balkans (Policy & Power) ⚖️ The Balkans on Trial (Justice & Accountability) Her research exposes the complex reality of international intervention. #History #Balkans 🇧🇦

Miro Lazović: Interes Bošnjaka i svih nas Bosanaca i Hercegovaca je jedinstven, i zato se borimo za građansku državu

"We're a vassal state, we don't control our own security, we can't control our own economy.. we need to rethink our whole relationship with the US, the role it plays in the world & how we're complicit in it" @schneiderhome on our relationship with the US 🎯

If Djokovic is genuine in wanting reconciliation with Serbia's neighbours, he could begin by acknowledging the Bosnian genocide orchestrated by the Serbian regime rather than obfuscating the facts and suggesting a symmetry of guilt. His position is disingenuous, to say the least

Oh dear, when a world leader threatens to, or boasts of, bringing an enemy 'back to the Stone Ages where they belong', I feel that we are all drawn back a little towards the Stone Age (if that's not an insult to the Stone Age).

Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen seems to have slept through her classes on the Nuremberg tribunals, which dealt with the Nazi legacy. Nuremberg defined a war of aggression – of the kind committed by the US and Israel in attacking Iran – as the “supreme international crime” because "it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole". In other words, parties like the US and Israel that commit the crime of aggression are responsible for everything that flows from their crime – and that includes Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz. It is not Iran’s actions "putting global economic stability at risk". It is the criminal endeavours of the US and Israel. The Nuremberg judges understood that this cause and effect had to be understood correctly, otherwise the logic of the Nazis would take hold again. It is deeply disturbing that the lessons of Nuremberg are so utterly lost on von der Leyen and Starmer.

Krug 99 warns that changes to the Southern Gas Interconnection law could weaken Bosnia and Herzegovina’s energy sovereignty. They oppose shifting control from BH-Gas to an unproven, foreign private firm, citing transparency risks and misalignment with EU clean energy goals. Stop!

Pitali selektora BIH Sergeja Barbareza, šta je po nacionalnosti. On reče: Srbin, jer mi je otac Srbin iz Mostara, Hrvat i Bošnjak, jer mi je majka i Hrvatica i Bošnjakinja iz Ljubuškog. Sve ukupno Hercegovac i uz to i Bosanac. Dakle, čovek. 🇧🇦🇧🇦🇧🇦❤️❤️❤️

The unifying symbolism of this historic win last night at Zenica can not be over-estimated. It demonstrated the true spirit of Bosnia.

Too little, too late. This should have been foreseen way back. Sadly, the @FCDOGovUK lacks vision. Or is it integrity?

I am appalled by today’s verdict against Ben Jamal and Chris Nineham. In January 2025, we held an entirely peaceful demonstration in support of Palestinian people. At all times, they — and we — followed all police instructions. We ended the demonstration by laying down flowers at their feet to mourn the deaths of Palestinian children. Today’s verdict is a dark day for civil liberties in this country — and is a disgraceful assault on the right to protest. My solidarity is with Ben, Chris and all those who have stood up for our common humanity in the face of genocide. This case is part of a wider attempt to intimidate the Palestinian solidarity movement into silence. They will never succeed.

Do you also extend your congratulations to the Bosnian team for their well-deserved win in Zenica last night @MiloradDodik, qualifying them for the World Cup? They represent the true spirit of Bosnia, wouldn't you agree?

A word about Bosnian national team boss Sergej Barbarez, who deserves so much of the credit for tonight's win. Like Edin Dzeko, he too is something of a mythical figure in Bosnia and it's worth explaining why. Prior to Barbarez's assumption of the manager post in April 2024, the national side had been in a terrible rut. Since last qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, Bosnia had gone through seven different coaches, including brief stints by former regional stars Robert Prosinecki of Croatia and Savo Milosevic of Serbia. In that time, there were some especially galling losses to footballing minnows. And as is often the case, those losses in the minds of many Bosnians came to reflect the country's general political malaise. In no small part because the national team itself had so often been the object of political influence and conflict, to say nothing of corruption. Barbarez, on the other hand, had been the "people's champion" and the popular choice for bench boss almost since the moment he retired from the national team in 2006. But the nod had eluded him for so long that the prevailing sentiment was that he was effectively blackballed by the FA. Why? Because he cared too much, because he was a genuine patriot. Because during the iconic Bosnia-Serbia and Montenegro match in Belgrade's Marakana stadium, when Serbian nationalist hooligans pelted the small batch of Bosnian fans and players alike with everything they could get their hands on, a livid Captain Barbarez berated the officials on the field for allowing the shameful display without sanction for the hosts. He went into an environment that could scarcely have been more hostile, and he defended his people; his players, and their fans. Bosnia lost the match 1-0 but Barbarez walked out of Belgrade a folk hero. How much his legend grew in the intervening years is best testified to by the release of the 2019 single "Sergej" by popular Bosnian hip-hop artist Kontra. A song whose chorus captured his status succinctly: "Sergej, the face of his country/Sergej, sensei". How Barbarez has transformed this Bosnian side, how he has brought on generational young talents, while tapping the last ounces of brilliance from the likes of Dzeko will now become the stuff of legend. So, to many Bosnians whatever happens at the World Cup this summer is somewhat moot. Because Barbarez, like Dzeko, may already well be the closest contemporary approximation to the ancient Slavic and Illyrian elemental idols; embodiments of the lighting, and the mountains. They are living, breathing myths to a small people and their ferocious passions. youtube.com/watch?v=cXC1Hf…

"A state banquet? While he's bombing the hell out of Iran and people are dying all over the Middle East...?" David Dimbleby, journalist and presenter, argues against King Charles' planned state visit to the US in April. #Newsnight