Payam Akhavan is a professor of international law and a senior fellow at Massey College in Toronto and a special adviser to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. He says the arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin will take time, and that people should be prepared to 'dig in' and wait to see a resolution.

Moscow

Russia has been hit by global sanctions following President Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine.

Russian Sanctions

Analysis: Putin arrest warrant 'just the beginning'

What was the point where the arrest warrant? Could finally be issued? What was the turning point? Well without entering into any particular details in this specific case, when the prosecutor concludes that there is sufficient evidence. That is when there is a request made to a pre-trial chamber for the issuance of an arrest warrant. so at this point now, what sort of evidence is the court looking at Well, the evidence relates to the, what appears to be a policy of the forcible transfer of children from Ukrainian territories under Russian occupation, at to the Russian Federation. And this, of course, is a war crime. It's a flagrant violation of the provisions of the 1949 Geneva conventions, and one of the notable instances where the adoption of children was actually on public display was on the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which was in February 24. And in the luzhniki stadium in Moscow where President Putin was speaking. At a rally supporting the Russian military, several of these Ukrainian children were paraded in front of a crowd of tens of thousands. And we're a coerced into a thanking, the Russian military for rescuing them from the city of Mario poll. Which in fact, the Russian military had reduced to Rubble through Relentless bombardments. So what we have really is a at Sinister orwellian at use of children and I believe that today is a historic day for an international criminal justice and the arrest warrant sent the message that no one and no matter how powerful is above the door. What Russia would probably say it? Is that it doesn't recognize the legitimacy of the international criminal court. How does that? Complicate the procedure Well, it's not so much the legitimacy of the Court, that's an issue, but legally its jurisdiction. Russia is not a member of the international criminal court. It has not assigned onto a statute, so it is correct that what doesn't have jurisdiction, the respect of Russia. But there are one hundred and twenty-three States parties to the ICC statue and they would be under an obligation to execute that arrest. Warrant should Mr. Putin step foot on their territory, and we have to bear in mind that although the famous expression is that Justice delayed is Justice denied, an international criminal justice justice, do they bury often is Justice delivered because those who are in power today may not be in power tomorrow when I worked at as legal advisor to the prosecutor of the international criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague. It was Unthinkable. One day. People like President Slobodan milosevic with face Justice or this so-called Butcher of Bosnia general knowledge. Who is responsible for the mass execution of 8,000 Boston inscriber needs. I would one day be caught and in fact it took 16 years before he was arrested and transferred to the Hague and just recently he was sentenced to life imprisonment. So the important point to remember is that the arrest warrant is only the beginning and not the end of this app half which will hopefully lead to Justice one day. How do you see it playing out from here? Well, it's very difficult to speculate about how this armed conflict will unfold. What is important from the point of view of the international criminal court, is that there is now an arrest warrants. And there are credible allegations against the President Putin and his so-called children's rights commissioner Maria. Labo verbal offer in respect of the forcible transfer of children. And the International Community must now ensure that those arrest warrants are executed, notwithstanding the fact that the Russian Federation is not a party. So I think that this is really a Moment of Truth for the International Community are for the rule of law. And if thousands of children can be abducted with Community and its International Community allows that to stand. I believe that it would indeed be a dark moment for all of us at my hope is that the world Community will not allow the perpetrators to enjoy immunity and that they will somehow someday be brought to Justice guys. Do you ever see the Russian president Behind Bars? Once again, it's difficult for me to speculate on what happened as I explained when I was in The Hague at the UN prosecutor. I never imagined that President. Milosevich Serbia would one day stand trial in The Hague, but that came to pass it to time. It took determination. And as I said earlier, those who are in power today, may not be in power tomorrow. No one knows what will happen in the coming months and years and that's why it is essential for the International Community to a digging for the long-term and to send a clear message that they will not sweep these crimes under the carpet and that the perpetrators will be pursued. And will one day be brought to justice. That is the message which everyone who today is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity needs to hear so that we can, in fact deter these further, All cities. And when it comes to the forcible transfer of tens of thousands of children, I think we really need to reflect on how a truly appalling a crime at Daddy's.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese fought back tears on Thursday as he revealed the question the government wants to ask in a referendum on whether to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the country's constitution. 

Canberra

Australia set to vote on indigenous referendum

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan says it is only a matter of time before he is imprisoned or killed. He made the remarks in an online post, in which he spoke out against the government and the military. The Lahore district administration has granted permission to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold a rally at Minar Pakistan between the night of the 25th and 26th of March.

Lahore

Imran Khan wars 'matter of time' before his murder

The United States Federal Reserve has announced its latest interest rate hike, a move aimed at lowering inflation by making borrowing more expensive for consumers. The increase of a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday sets the US central bank’s benchmark overnight interest rate in the 4.75 to 5 percent range, its highest level in 15 years.

Wall Street

U.S interest rates hiked again

Former U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson clashed with MPs at a hearing over parties held at Downing Street while the rest of the country was in lockdown. The scandal, which drove Johnson out of the prime minister’s office, could now get him booted from Parliament.

London

Boris Johnson grilled over Partygate

Seventeen Ukrainian children who were sent to camps in Crimea by Russian officials were reunited with their families in Kyiv today. They are among thousands who were transferred to Russia or the regions it occupies. It follows charges laid against Vladimir Putin over the alleged kidnappings levelled by the International Criminal Court.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Children 'taken' by Russia returned

The House of Commons voted 515-29 to back a key portion of The Windsor Framework, designed to resolve a trade dispute between the UK and Northern Ireland.

Westminster

Sunak's Brexit deal clears Commons vote

Two Defence Force personnel have been injured after an Australian Army helicopter crashed into the water during routine counterterrorism training on New South Wales south coast. There were 10 personnel on board the aircraft when the incident occurred and all have been recovered from the water. Chief of Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart says the incident had the potential to end in "tragedy".

Jervis Bay

Two army personnel injured in helicopter crash

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited his troops near the frontline city of Bakhmut, the ongoing battle for the city being one of the bloodiest of the war. Footage released by the president's office shows him handing out medals and visiting wounded in the Donetsk region, where Bakhmut is located.

Bakhmut

Zelenskyy visits Bakhmut frontlines

Emmanuel Macron has defended his Government's decision to force the controversial pension reforms through Parliament during a rare national 
television address, designed to quell the violent protests that have gripped the country. The French President condemning the violence, saying he had 'no regrets' despite facing multiple no-confidence motions.

Paris

'No regrets': Macron defiance amid protests

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson insists he did not lie to lawmakers, defending himself at a parliamentary hearing as part of a probe into whether he misled lawmakers over rule-breaking Covid-19 lockdown parties. Johnson faced a grilling before a cross-party committee that has the powers to suspend the MP and force a by-election in his London seat.

'Hand on heart': Boris denies lying

Stocks on Wall Street have climbed after the rescue of Credit Suisse calmed nerves about a larger banking crisis. The United States treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, says the local financial sector is stabilising after it was put to the test by the collapse of two banks this month. But the world's largest economy is still facing some strong headwinds.

Banking Crisis

U.S bank failures 'very different' from 2008

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin stress that'“responsible dialogue' is the best way to resolve the Ukraine crisis as Moscow reaffirms its commitment to peace negotiations. The Chinese leader says Beijing has an “impartial position” on the conflict in Ukraine and supports peace as Putin says China’s peace proposals could be used as the basis for talks.

Xi's trip to Russia: A boost for Putin

A Virginia grand jury formally indicted 10 people, including police officers and hospital workers, over the death of Irvo Otieno - a Black man who was restrained before he died in a mental health facility. His family demanded justice and mental health reform. 

Richmond

Video shows police 'piling on' man before his death

Lawyers for Fox Corp faced a sceptical judge on Tuesday (March 21) as they sought to block a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems from going to trial, while the voting-technology company accused Fox News of knowingly airing vote-rigging claims that the network knew were false.

Delaware

Fox News fights to avoid trial by jury

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday a Chinese peace plan could provide a basis for a settlement of the fighting in Ukraine when the West is ready for it. Speaking after talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Putin charged that Ukraine’s Western allies so far have shown no interest in that.

Putin: Ukraine 'doesn't want' peace

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is battling for his political future as he tries to convince a cross-party committee that he 'unintentionally' misled Parliament over the Partygate scandal. If the committee decides he 'recklessly' misled MPs, he faces a suspension from Parliament that could force a by-election in his West London seat.

Boris Johnson in trouble again

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake was felt across huge swathes of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of India on Tuesday night, forcing people to spend the night outside.

Islamabad

Deadly earthquake rocks Pakistan, Afghanistan

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has offered strong support to Ukraine during a visit to Kyiv, inviting President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to the G-7 Summit in May.

In Kyiv, Japan's Kishida backs Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping discussed Beijing's proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine in talks in Moscow, while displaying a warm friendship forged on a mutual rivalry with the West. China has refrained from condemning Russia or referring to Moscow's intervention in its neighbor as an "invasion". It has also criticized Western sanctions on Russia.

Xi urges Ukraine ceasefire during Putin talks

The NATO Secretary General said China needs to "understand Ukraine's perspective" and engage with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

China 'must condemn' Russian aggression; NATO

Russian authorities on Tuesday detained human rights activists including members of the Nobel-winning Memorial organisation after raids on homes and offices, sparking an outcry among the international human rights community. 

Tsentralnyy administrativnyy okrug

Russian Police raid homes of Nobel Prize winners

Protesters are trying to pressure lawmakers to bring down the government and doom the unpopular retirement age increase President Macronis trying to impose without a vote in the National Assembly.

Protestors rally as Macron survives no-confidence vote

U.S. President Joe Biden signed a bill that requires declassification of information related to the origins of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Whether the pandemic was the result of a lab leak from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology, or jumped from animals to humans at a Wuhan market remains a hotly contested debate. China has said there is no credibility behind the lab leak theory.

Wuhan

Biden orders release of COVID intelligence

Russia has opened its own criminal investigation into the International Criminal Court's (ICC) prosecutor and judges. Russia’s Investigative Committee says the ICC has knowingly accused an innocent person of a crime, in another show of defiance against the court.

Russia retaliates after Putin arrest warrant

A damning report by an independent member of Britain's House of Lords has found that London's Metropolitan Police force is institutionally racist, sexist, and homophobic. In her report, Louise Casey says officers are not properly vetted and calls for wide-ranging reform.

London Police 'racist, sexist and homophobic'

Anticipation is building over reports that former U.S. President Donald Trump could be indicted as early as today. Barriers have been erected around a Manhattan courthouse in anticipation of protests after Trump called on his supporters to protest any moves to arrest him. 

New York

U.S braces for 'unprecedented' Trump arrest

China's Xi Jinping received a warm welcome from Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Western allies will be watching this visit closely for signs China may be considering supplying weapons for Russia’s war in Ukraine, despite China’s claims of impartiality.

Xi Jinping calls for Ukraine ceasefire

Top climate scientists released their final assessment report on climate change, declaring this is the last chance to limit human-caused global warming to 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels before the damage becomes irreversible.

Climate Crisis

Report finds global warming 'likely' to hit 1.5C

The French government has survived two no-confidence votes in the lower chamber of parliament after its push last week to raise the retirement age to 64.

Macron survives no-confidence votes

New York City police officers erected security barricades outside Manhattan Criminal Court and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office Monday ahead of a possible indictment of former President Donald Trump and potential civil unrest from his supporters.

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Russian Sanctions