The Taliban has reportedly circulated poison in girls' classrooms in northern Afghanistan poisoning girls with toxic powder sent through the air shafts, leaving more than 120 students and teachers unconscious. Amnesty International launched a stinging accusation in its annual report (available here) at the UN Security Council, accusing the body of "failed leadership" and saying the Council is "tired, out of...
The head of the IAEA, Yukiya Amono, has said that a deal with Iran is very close ahead of talks in Baghdad with the UK, the US, France, Russia, China and Germany. The junta that toppled the government six weeks ago in Guinea Bissau has reportedly handed back the government control to civilians. US President Barack Obama’s administration pushes for ratification of...
Iraq is buying US-made drones in order to carry out surveillance over their oil fields. After a suicide bomber kills 90 people in Yemen, al-Qaeda vows more attacks until the US-backed campaign against militants stops. The US is apparently weighing their stance on secrecy of the drone program employed to carry out targeted killings, according to the Wall Street Journal. Former dictator of...
Sudan has freed four captured foreign workers, initially held for "spying" for South Sudan. AFP reports on gun battles between pro- and anti-Syrian groups in Beirut, triggering fears of spillovers of the Syrian conflict into Lebanon. A Voice of America blog post reports that the NATO's missile defense shield for Europe has entered "interim capability". The Associated Press has received footage from Israeli human rights...
Reuters reports that the G8 leaders are meeting today amidst further fears about the Eurozone crisis and the possibility of a "Grexit". According to the Independent, UK PM Cameron will pressure German Chancellor Merkel to do more to save the euro. The Washington Post compares the opposing points of view of Germany and most other nations on how to improve growth in Europe. Over on...
The trial against Ratko Mladic at the ICTY continued today, with testimony today covering the systematic execution of 8,000 Muslim men and boys. However, due to prosecutorial error, Judge Orie has suspended the presentation of evidence indefinitely, originally to begin May 29. Foreign Policy takes us back to the early days of the tribunal with this graphic representation. In Libya, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi is refusing...
Plenty to report on international criminal law tribunals today: Ratko Mladic's trial began yesterday at the ICTY, where he said he was proud of his Bosnian "legacy;" Charles Taylor's sentencing hearing is today at the SCSL, where he will reject calls for the 80-year sentence the prosecution is seeking; and at the ICC, closing statements began yesterday in the Katanga and Ngudjolo case. In...
Based on a study released yesterday from the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), overconsumption is threatening the earth’s resources and the health of the planet. The full report is here and more from WWF about the report is here. The Prosecutor of the ICC has sought new warrants in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as well as filed new charges against...
In honor of Mother's Day yesterday, Foreign Policy offers some insight into the top countries who score the best on Save The Children's State of the World's Mothers report. The Dalai Lama told Britain's The Telegraph he was warned that China may have tried to kill him, in a plot involving two Tibetan females with poison in their hair and on their...
Last week’s announcements can be found here. If you are organizing a conference or other event and would like to see the call for papers or the program announced on Opinio Juris, please contact us. Calls for Papers Tel Aviv University is hosting a conference entitled: Migration and Well-Being: Research Frontiers, to take place January 8-10, 2013. Up to 500-word abstract submissions must be in no later than...
Responding to a letter to which we linked yesterday, US Trade Representative Kirk has rejected criticism that the negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement have not been transparent. The Greek left leader has asked the EU to re-examine its commitment to austerity. In talks to normalize bilateral relations, Zimbabwe has asked the EU to lift all remaining sanctions on Mugabe and senior...
US President Barack Obama has backed same-sex marriage. Foreign Policy gives a global look into which countries have already legalized same-sex marriage. Stricter international rules of the Hague Adoption Convention are seen as contributing to a drastic drop in international adoptions worldwide. As another sign of heightening tensions between China and the Philippines over disputed islands in the South China Sea, Chinese...
