Opinio Juris » Weekday News Wrap

Weekday News Wrap: Thursday, March 28, 2013

by Jessica Dorsey

Thailand has started peace negotiations with the Muslim separatists in its southern provinces.
UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon has argued that Mali needs an 11,000-strong peacekeeping force and a parallel force for combat and counter-terrorism operations.
Bush v. Gore in Africa? Kenya’s Supreme Court has started hearing evidence to resolve the disputed presidential elections earlier this month.
Theresa May, the UK’s Home Secretary, has lost the appeal against a decision that prevented the deportation of Abu Qatada to Jordan.
The ICTY has sentenced Mićo Stanišić and Stojan Župljanin, two high level officials in Bosnian Serb structures, to 22 years’ imprisonment for crimes against humanity and war crimes (ICTY press release here).
North Korea has cut off a military hotline with South Korea, breaking the last communication line between the two countries amid heightened tensions; in response, the US has deployed two nuclear-capable stealth bombers above South Korea as part of a “deterrence” mission.
The biggest cyber attack in history of the internet has been taking place since mid-March against the British-Swiss anti-spam watchdog group Spamhaus.
Though the BRICS nations have agreed in principle on a joint infrastructure fund, there need to be more discussions to hammer out the finalities of the plan for the new bank.
The Syrian opposition has opened its first embassy in Qatar, but still voices frustration at the lack of international cooperation.

March 28th, 2013 - 6:56 AM EDT | Comments Off http://opiniojuris.org/2013/03/28/weekday-news-wrap-thursday-march-28-2013/ |

Weekday News Wrap: Wednesday, March 27, 2013

by Jessica Dorsey

At the Arab League summit yesterday, a member of the opposition to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad took his vacant seat, a move that was met with applause from Arab heads of state.
The BRICS have reached a deal approving a development bank that would rival Western-backed financial institutions.
In his first appearance before the ICC yesterday, Congolese suspect Bosco Ntaganda has denied the charges against him of 10 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, pillage, using child soldiers and other crimes, though he will not need to enter his plea until his confirmation of charges hearing begins in September (ICC press release). A video of the proceedings from yesterday can be found here.
Vietnam alleges that China fired flares at a Vietnamese fishing boat in the South China Sea last week; China disputes any reports of damage to the ship and considers its actions appropriate and reasonable.
Italy’s Foreign Minister has resigned to protest his government’s decision to send two Italian marines back to India to stand trial over the killing Indian fishermen they mistook for pirates while protecting the Enrica Lexie.
Croatia will become the 28th member of the EU on July 1, the second former Yugoslav republic to join after Slovenia in 2004.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has recommended to the Security Council that the forces currently in Mali be converted into a UN peacekeeping operation and a separate force should be trained to confront Islamist threats in the area.
Secretary Ban also urged members to ratify the Arms Trade Treaty.
Over at Geographical Imaginations is a post about the Out of Sight, Out of Mind graphic on drone strikes in Pakistan since 2004 we mentioned yesterday.
In other drone news, Quartz reports that they’re not just for the Taliban anymore: drones are now going to be used to protect endagered species of rhinoceros in India, a move becoming more common tool to help reserve administrators keep their eyes on their animals.

March 27th, 2013 - 8:00 AM EDT | Comments Off http://opiniojuris.org/2013/03/27/weekday-news-wrap-wednesday-march-27-2013/ |

Weekday News Wrap: Tuesday, March 26, 2013

by Jessica Dorsey

Following last week’s apology, Israel and Turkey have started negotiations on compensation to the families of the victims of Israel’s botched raid on the Mavi Marmara in 2010.
During their annual summit, starting in Durban today, the leaders of the BRICS are set to approve the establishment of a new development bank and currency fund to compete with the World Bank and the IMF.
Russian officials have raided Amnesty International’s Russian headquarters in Moscow under new regulations that impose tighter controls on NGOs.
Following international criticism of the coup, the leader of the rebels in the Central African Republic has vowed to announce a power-sharing government as soon as possible. This comes after he suspended the constitution and pledged to dissolve parliament.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has urged restoration of constitutional order in the CAR as swiftly as possible.
An Egyptian prosecutor has ordered the arrest of five activists accused of inciting violence against the Muslim Brotherhood.
Jordan has closed its main border crossing with Syria after two days of fighting between rebel forces and Syrian troops.
North Korea has threatened to strike the US and has put rocket units prepared to launch at Hawaii, Guam and the mainland on “combat-ready” status.
Bosco Ntaganda will make his first appearance today before the ICC (ICC press release here).
The Kenyan Supreme Court has ordered a recount of the votes in 22 out of 291 precincts amid claims of fraud during the March 4th presidential election; Uhuru Kenyatta–also sought by the ICC–won the election with 50.7% of the vote.
Over at the Arms Control Blog, there is a post analyzing the Stuxnet virus as an “act of force” against Iran.
An interactive graph of every known US drone strike since 2004, pulled from data from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, can be found here.

March 26th, 2013 - 8:00 AM EDT | Comments Off http://opiniojuris.org/2013/03/26/weekday-news-wrap-tuesday-march-26-2013/ |

Weekday News Wrap: Monday, March 25, 2013

by Jessica Dorsey

The EU has approved a new bailout for Cyprus.
The leader of Syria’s opposition has resigned. The Syrian crisis has also triggered a political crisis in neighboring Lebanon, as this article in the FT explains.
The UN has reported that at least 35 have been killed over the weekend in Lubumbashi in southeast Congo when militia attacked the city before surrendering to UN troops.
Violence in Mali continues as the army battles Islamist rebels in Goa.
The United States will transfer custody of the Bagram prison in Kabul to Afghan authorities later today.
The leader of the Seleka rebel group in the Central African Republic has declared himself president over the weekend, a move condemned by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon.
Afghanistan’s Hamid Karzai is headed to Qatar today to discuss peace prospects with the Taliban.
Human Rights Watch has called on Pakistan to hold former military ruler Pervez Musharraf accountable for human rights abuses carried out under his regime. Musharraf has been in a self-imposed exile in London and Dubai for five years and plans to return to Pakistan to run for political office. The Pakistani Taliban have said if he does return, they will send a “death squad” to kill him.
Bosco Ntaganda has been transferred from the US Embassy in Rwanda to the ICC holding facility in the Netherlands. Diane Marie Amann reviews the charges against him, now that he’s in ICC custody.
Justice in Conflict points to a clip of ICTY President Theodore Meron on BBC’s HARDtalk over the weekend discussing the progress of international justice since Nuremberg.

March 25th, 2013 - 8:00 AM EDT | Comments Off http://opiniojuris.org/2013/03/25/weekday-news-wrap-monday-march-25-2013/ |

Weekday News Wrap: Friday, March 22, 2013

by Jessica Dorsey

Italy has promised India that the two Italian marines facing murder charges over the killing of two Indian fishermen mistaken for pirates will return to India today, after promises were made that the special court set up to rule on their case will respect their fundamental rights.
Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia, President Putin has said that the two former rivals help create a fairer world order.
Religious tensions between Muslim and Buddhist communities are increasing in Western Myanmar with the government seemingly uninterested or unable to intervene.
The UN Human Rights Council has unanimously voted to start an inquiry into human rights abuses in North Korea.
The UN has also launched an investigation into allegations of use of chemical weapons in Syria.
Kurdish PKK leader Ocalan has declared a ceasefire with Turkey in a historic gesture trying to bring an end to the nearly 30-year conflict.
China is “extremely concerned” about joint discussions between the US and Japan on potential joint military efforts in case of armed conflict over the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Khameini is not against nuclear discussions with the US, though he also mentioned he was not too optimistic.
Colombia and FARC have said that progress has been made in peace negotiations but that there are still disagreements.

March 22nd, 2013 - 8:00 AM EDT | Comments Off http://opiniojuris.org/2013/03/22/weekday-news-wrap-friday-march-22-2013/ |

Weekday News Wrap: Thursday, March 21, 2013

by Jessica Dorsey

NATO and the Afghan government have reached an agreement on the phased withdrawal of US special forces from Wardak province, near Kabul.
A Zimbabwean court has denied bail to a high profile human rights lawyer arrested over the weekend on charges of obstruction of justice during police searches.
After reaffirming ties with Israel, US President Barack Obama faced Palestinian discontent while visiting the occupied West Bank, with leaders accusing Obama of sidelining their plans for statehood.
Two rockets fired from the Gaza Strip hit the Israeli city of Sderot while President Obama was visiting Jerusalem.
North Korea threatens a strike on US airbases in response to joint military exercises performed recently by the US and South Korea.
The US wants M23 rebel leader Bosco Ntaganda out of its Rwandan embassy soon and into ICC custody. Justice in Conflict covers whether Rwanda could potentially stop this transfer by not allowing Ntaganda’s safe passage from the embassy in Kagali to the airport.
The UN Dispute Tribunal has awarded $65,000 to whistleblower James Wasserstrom, only 2% of what he had claimed; the tribunal found U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon and the U.N. Ethics Office failed to properly review claims that he suffered retaliation for alleging U.N. corruption in Kosovo.
Indonesia’s government is proposing ratification of the Rome Statute, although the reasons may have more to do with domestic elections than with a sudden commitment to international criminal law.
Despite charges being dropped against his co-accused Muthara last week due to problems with evidence and a key witness, Uhuru Kenyatta’s case at the ICC will continue, according to the Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.
Foreign Policy has a piece related to Deborah’s post yesterday about getting the CIA out of the drone business warning drone critics to be careful what they wish for.

March 21st, 2013 - 8:00 AM EDT | Comments Off http://opiniojuris.org/2013/03/21/weekday-news-wrap-thursday-march-21-2013/ |

Weekday News Wrap: Wednesday, March 20, 2013

by Jessica Dorsey

For more on M23 leader Bosco Ntaganda’s surrender to the US Embassy in Rwanda Monday, the Armed Groups and International Law blog has a background piece here, Justice in Conflict talks about it at length here, the BBC coverage of the ICC’s welcoming his surrender is here and Reuters talks about the US’ efforts in transferring him to the ICC here.
In other ICC-related news, Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has an op-ed in the NY Times about international justice and diplomacy.
According to military officials, hunger strikes at Guantanamo Bay have nearly doubled since last week.
A man claiming to be Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb’s spokesperson in Mali has claimed that a French hostage, kidnapped in November 2011, has been beheaded as a result of French intervention in Mali.
Amnesty International has said that arms embargoes don’t work and has urged countries to go forth with ratifying an arms control treaty.
The imprisoned PKK leader, Abdullah Ocalan, has said he will make a “historic call” today, raising expectations for a ceasefire announcement to end the almost 30-year-old conflict.
In Ankara, two explosions have damaged Turkey’s Justice Ministry and the offices of the Prime Minister Erdogan’s party.
President Obama is visiting Israel and Palestine.
Days before the start of his posthumous trial, Russia has closed the investigation into the death of Sergei Magnitsky, while he was imprisoned for tax evasion. His death was the trigger for the US Magnitsky Act in late 2012, which in turn caused Russia to freeze US adoptions.
South Korea is investigating a cyber attack that affected three broadcasters and two major banks, and although officials refuse to speculate there are concerns that North Korea may have been involved.

March 20th, 2013 - 8:00 AM EDT | Comments Off http://opiniojuris.org/2013/03/20/weekday-news-wrap-wednesday-march-20-2013/ |

Weekday News Wrap: Tuesday, March 19, 2013

by Jessica Dorsey

Bosco Ntaganda, the leader of the M23 rebel group in the DRC, turned himself into the US Embassy in Kigali, Rwanda yesterday. Ntaganda is wanted by the ICC for charges including recruiting and using child soldiers, murder, rape and sexual slavery, and persecution.
Counsel for Kenyan Uhuru Kenyatta asked the ICC yesterday to drop charges against his client for a lack of evidence.
The Council of Europe has urged Azerbaijan to uphold basic freedoms and human rights.
The US confirmed that Syrian rockets have been fired into northern Lebanon, demonstrating an escalating level of violence and violations of Lebanese sovereignty.
The Argentine president, Cristina Fernandez, asked the new Pope to intervene on Argentina’s behalf in the Falkland Islands dispute.
Israel’s new housing minister pledged new settlement building in Judea and Samaria, in line with the policy of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s previous cabinet.
The trial of ex-Guatamalan president Montt is slated to begin in Guatamala City today; Montt faces charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.
On the 10th anniversary of the US invasion in Iraq, Baghdad‘s Shia areas have been the target of a series of deadly car bombs.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew met in Beijing earlier today to discuss trade and economic issues.
China is seeking trade negotiations with Japan and South Korea later this year in an effort to counter the TPPA negotiations.

March 19th, 2013 - 8:00 AM EDT | Comments Off http://opiniojuris.org/2013/03/19/weekday-news-wrap-tuesday-march-19-2013/ |

Weekday News Wrap: Monday, March 18, 2013

by Jessica Dorsey

Burma’s President is visiting Australia where the government has pledged aid as well as increased defense co-operation.
Lawyers for Kenya’s President-Elect Uhuru Kenyatta will argue later today at the ICC that charges against their client should be dropped.
Also later today, the UN Human Rights Council is slated to discuss the report of its fact-finding commission on Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
India’s Supreme Court has extended its order prohibiting Italy’s ambassador to leave the country, despite his calls of immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counterterrorism, Ben Emmerson, has concluded from a recent visit to Pakistan that the US is violating Pakistani sovereignty with its use of drone strikes.
Representatives from over 150 countries are gathering today in New York to finish negotiations about a UN arms control treaty.
China has replaced the UK in the world’s top-five arms exporters.
Bosco Ntaganda, the leader of the M23 rebel group who is sought by the ICC, has allegedly fled the DRC to Rwanda.
Human Rights Watch has urged the World Bank to investigate what it calls “development” project abuses.
Human Rights Watch has also reported that Syrian forces have been using banned cluster bombs against civilians.

March 18th, 2013 - 8:00 AM EDT | Comments Off http://opiniojuris.org/2013/03/18/weekday-news-wrap-monday-march-18-2013/ |

Weekday News Wrap: Friday, March 15, 2013

by Jessica Dorsey

French President Hollande has joined the UK’s David Cameron in calling on the EU to lift the arms embargo on Syria, to enable them to arm the rebels.
Israel’s military intelligence chief has warned against arming the rebels and has claimed that Iran is sponsoring a Hezbollah-run “people’s army” of 50,000 to fight in Syria on the side of the government forces.
The UK’s Justice Secretary wants to attract more “forum shoppers” to the UK and actively promote (commercial) legal services as an important UK export industry.
The United Nations expert on torture has called on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to investigate the practice of solitary confinement and its harmful effects in the Americas, and asked for stronger regulation of its use.
The ECHR Blog points readers to new and updated fact-sheets at the Court.
In other news at the ECHR, the Court upheld (.pdf) The Pirate Bay co-founders’ criminal conviction for aiding copyright infringement on the Internet, declaring the application inadmissible.
The head of the UNDP, Helen Clark, has said there is increasing evidence to show that the US-led “war on drugs” has failed, often “creating more problems than it solves.”
The meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora was by many accounts a success, with a pledge from Thailand to end its domestic ivory trade and a historic agreement to restrict the commercial trade in sharks and manta rays.
Egypt’s ruling Muslim Brotherhood warns that a U.N. declaration on the status of women could destroy society by allowing a woman to travel, work and use contraception without her husband’s approval and letting her control family spending.

March 15th, 2013 - 8:00 AM EDT | Comments Off http://opiniojuris.org/2013/03/15/weekday-news-wrap-friday-march-15-2013/ |

Weekday News Wrap: Thursday, March 14, 2013

by Jessica Dorsey

In testimony to Congress, US groups have complained about protectionist policies in India.
The US has asked Ukraine not to renegotiate its WTO commitments, worrying that it might inspire other WTO members to do the same.
President Obama has appointed Deborah Jones as the next US ambassador to Libya.
India’s Supreme Court has issued a notice to Italy’s ambassador barring him from leaving India without its permission, after he had personally assured that the Italian marines wanted for trial over the shooting of two Indian fishermen would return to India.
Ieng Sary, the former Foreign Minister during Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge regime, has died before his trial at the ECCC was completed.
Xi Jinping has been formally appointed as China’s new President.
The PKK has released eight hostages in a bid for peace with the Turkish government.
The Dutch have raised the terrorism alert level for the first time in history to “substantial” based on a number of Islamist militants traveling from the Netherlands to Syria and claims of radicalization of Dutch youth.
Iran has increased its weapons supply to Syrian government forces, according to Western diplomats.
A former Argentinian general, Reynaldo Bignone, was sentenced to life in prison yesterday, being convicted of crimes against humanity in the nation’s “Dirty War” from 1976-1983.
The CIA has ratcheted up covert efforts in Iraq to counter Al-Qaeda.
EJIL: Talk! has a post analyzing the recently released second part of the Turkel Commission Report and the duty of investigation by armed forces.
Justice in Conflict offers some thoughts about whether Canada is trying to undermine the ICC with its recent statements regarding Palestine.
Lawfare points to a recent statement by UK Home Secretary Theresa May stating that the UK ought to think about parting ways with the ECHR.

March 14th, 2013 - 8:00 AM EDT | Comments Off http://opiniojuris.org/2013/03/14/weekday-news-wrap-thursday-march-14-2013/ |

Weekday News Wrap: Wednesday, March 13, 2013

by Jessica Dorsey

The US Air Force has stopped releasing statistical data on drone strikes in Afghanistan and has erased previoiusly published statistics from its website.
The UK warned Argentina that it would always be ready to defend its citizens on the Falkland Islands after they voted nearly unanimously to remain British.
Iran plans to “sue Hollywood” about the Oscar-winning film Argo, which Iran claims has an “unrealistic portrayal” of the country and the hostage crisis of 1979.
Suspected Islamists stormed a school in Kano, Nigeria, opening fire and wounding four teachers.
A recent World Bank report (.pdf) has said that Israel’s checkpoints and delays in transferring money are causing “lasting damage” to the Palestinian economy.
North Korea has confirmed that it considers the 1953 armistice agreement with South Korea to be null and void.
UK Prime Minister Cameron has indicated that the UK could decide to arm Syrian rebels, and would if necessary veto the extension of the EU arms embargo.
Save The Children, a London-based NGO, has issued a report (.pdf) outlining that children in Syria are being raped, shot at and tortured.
India has summoned the Italian ambassador after Italy decided that two Italian marines did not have to return to India to stand trial over the shooting of Indian fishermen who they mistook for pirates.
In testimony to Congress, the head of Cyber Command stated that the US has teams that could launch a counter-cyberattack if the US were the subject of a cyberattack.
TPP negotiators have concluded the 16th round of negotations in Singapore, a lot of work still remains and it is unlikely that Japan will be able to join the negotiations in time for the next round in Peru.
The EU has finalized the text to “stop the clock” on the inclusion of aviation in its ETS, to allow for negotiations within the ICAO to bear fruit.
Justice in Conflict has a post with some praise for ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in the wake of a tumultuous week at the Court.

March 13th, 2013 - 8:00 AM EDT | Comments Off http://opiniojuris.org/2013/03/13/weekday-news-wrap-wednesday-march-13-2013/ |

Archive of posts for categoryWeekday News Wrap

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Weekday News Wrap