In association with the International Commission of Jurists

Author: Jessica Dorsey

21 May

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...

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18 May

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...

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17 May

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...

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16 May

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...

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15 May

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...

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14 May

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...

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13 May

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...

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11 May

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...

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10 May

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...

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09 May

The Arab League has joined the ICRC in warning of a civil war within Syria; a UN envoy bolsters this claim with reports that arms are flowing in both directions between neighboring Lebanon and Syria. Citizens of North Carolina have voted to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions, dealing a setback to LGBT-rights activists and those in favor of equal treatment...

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08 May

The National Security Council has confirmed to Al Jazeera that the US has thwarted an airline bombing attempt by Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. There has been a mass defection of Sudanese troops to South Sudan in the clash between the two nations. In other al-Qaeda news, an American aid worker, based in Lahore, has made a video pleading with President...

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07 May

The UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples concluded his report in the United States Friday, warning that historical wrongs-particularly the loss of lands-continue to have an impact on Native American communities and calling on the US to step up efforts to address injustices. Reports have surfaced of child soldiers in rebel ranks in Mali; Human Rights Watch has a report...

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