Artistic swimming started to flourish in the UAE after the World League was hosted in December last year at the Hamdan Sports Complex
sports1 hour ago
The International Criminal Court’s new chief prosecutor said on Monday he wants to focus his investigation in Afghanistan on the Taliban and Daesh-Khorasan, and to “deprioritise” alleged war crimes by US forces.
Karim Khan said he had asked judges to allow him to relaunch the probe — put on hold last year at the request of Kabul’s then-government while it said it would investigate war crimes itself — following the Taliban takeover in August.
“Recent developments in Afghanistan and the change in the national authorities, represent a significant change of circumstances,” Khan, who took over as prosecutor in June at the Hague-based court, said in a statement.
“After reviewing matters carefully, I have reached the conclusion that, at this time, there is no longer the prospect of genuine and effective domestic investigations.”
Khan asked judges for “expedited” permission to resume the probe.
The Afghanistan probe’s inclusion of alleged US crimes had infuriated Washington.
The administration of former US president Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Khan’s predecessor Fatou Bensouda over the issue.
Khan said that he would now narrow his focus in Afghanistan due to the “limited resources” of the ICC as it investigates various situations around the world.
“I have therefore decided to focus my office’s investigations in Afghanistan on crimes allegedly committed by the Taliban and the Daesh-Khorasan Province and to deprioritise other aspects of this investigation,” he said.
This was because of the “gravity, scale and continuing nature of alleged crimes by the Taliban and Daesh” and the need to “construct credible cases capable of being proved beyond reasonable doubt in the courtroom,” Khan said.
The ICC prosecutor specifically mentioned the deadly August 26 attack on Kabul airport claimed by Daesh-Khorasan in which 13 US service members and more than 100 Afghan civilians were killed.
“In relation to those aspects of the investigation that have not been prioritised, my office will remain alive to its evidence preservation responsibilities, to the extent they arise,” he said.
The ICC was set up in 2002 to investigate the world’s worst crimes in cases where member states were either unable or unwilling to investigate them themselves.
Former prosecutor Bensouda asked ICC judges to approve a formal investigation into Afghanistan in 2017. Appeals judges ruled in March 2020 that it could go ahead.
Artistic swimming started to flourish in the UAE after the World League was hosted in December last year at the Hamdan Sports Complex
sports1 hour ago
Countries are distancing itself from the developed economies with the intent to safeguard their own sovereign interest
personal finance1 hour ago
Food safety authorities in Hong Kong and Singapore banned four spice products from popular Indian brands after finding they contained a harmful substance
uae1 hour ago
An unidentified woman, claiming to be the basis for the series character, expressed her intention to pursue legal action against the creators
entertainment1 hour ago
The memoir is inspired by his famed "Rocky" character's running up the Philadelphia Museum of Art's steps in the 1976 film's legendary training montage
entertainment1 hour ago
The Indian singer could be seen apologising to the Pakistani actor for not recognising her at first instance
entertainment1 hour ago
The singer performed for over 54,000 fans
entertainment2 hours ago
The actor known for his romance flicks in Bollywood has been on a hiatus for 9 years
entertainment2 hours ago