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Search: kony 2012

02 Oct

Oral arguments were heard yesterday for the second time before the US Supreme Court in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum; the transcript can be found here. You can already read the preliminary thoughts from a few of our regulars Roger, Deborah and Peter, and as Julian mentioned, starting today, we will have a roundtable discussion from a variety of guest contributors about their thoughts on the re-argumentation. Amid sanctions from Western nations, Iran’s rial currency plunged more than 25% in the last week. Geopolitics and resources have...
02.10.12 | |

30 Nov

As expected, the UN General Assembly Resolution granting non-member state status to Palestine passed on Thursday. Israel’s UN ambassador has called it a “reward for terrorism“. This article compares the votes of the European nations on Palestine’s UNESCO membership last year, and this year’s vote, and concludes that European support shifted towards the Palestinian authority. Private Bradley Manning took the stand today at the third day of the hearings in the Wikileaks case. UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon has recommended that the UN approve an African Union mission...
30.11.12 | |

21 Jul

This week on Opinio Juris, Julian Ku discussed how the announcement by two US Senators of their position against ratification of the UNCLOS, has effectively sunk ratification for this year, and argued that the next administration should seek out bilateral agreements to protect commercial exploitation of the seabed on the high seas. Deborah Pearlstein argued why the US, even if it is not at war with Yemen, is at war in Yemen, and discussed the legal consequences thereof. Kevin Jon Heller gave four reasons why the ICC should...
21.07.12 | |

11 Sep

China has dispatched patrol ships after Japan has said it will nationalize two disputed islands in the East China Sea. The Afghan Taliban have now denied a report that they would enter into peace talks with authorities. Saeed al-Shihri, second-in-command of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, has been killed , according to Yemini authorities. Foreign Policy has more here . The United States has transferred control over Bagram prison to Afghan authorities. Three Afghan security personnel members have been killed in a missile attack on Bagram air...
11.09.12 | |

16 Jun

This week on Opinio Juris, we launched our first Readers’ Survey. Your input is valued so we hope you will find a spare ten minutes to complete yours if you have not yet done so. If you want, you can enter your e-mail address in the draw to win a $100 Amazon gift voucher. In our regular posts this week, Kevin Jon Heller asked about publishing etiquette when reviewing a journal essay that has already been published as a substantial blog post. Many readers offered their views in...
16.06.12 | |

24 Sep

Leaders of Sudan and South Sudan met late Sunday to discuss borders and oil exports peace negotiations between the two countries have not yet finalized, with a breakthrough in security negotiations not yet reached. Syria’s internal opposition met in Damascus amid airstrikes calling for a cessation of hostilities. A day after China called off celebrations on the 40th anniversary of Japanese-Chinese relations, it has sent three ships to patrol the waters around the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. Despite protests, experts say that military conflict...
24.09.12 | |

07 Jul

This week on Opinio Juris, we had Kevin Jon Heller weighing in on Melinda Taylor’s release in Libya and offering thoughts related to whether she should be prosecuted there. Additionally, Kevin Jon proposed a thought experiment regarding ICC-State cooperation in response to the Melinda Taylor situation and gave an analysis offering more evidence as to why Libya is unable to prosecute Saif al-Islam Gaddafi with regard to its admissability challenge to the ICC, which he urged the Pre-Trial Chamber to reject until Libya could demonstrate control over Saif....
07.07.12 | |

26 Dec

Israel has approved 1200 additional settlement units around Jerusalem, and with the election looming in less than a month, pressure is reportedly building on PM Netanyahu to drop the two state solution. Turkey is hopeful that progress will be made on its EU membership negotiations during the Ireland’s turn at the helm of the Union in the first six months of 2013. The new Egyptian Constitution was approved by 64% of votes cast, but only 33% of voters turned out. Shinzo Abe has been voted in by...
26.12.12 | |

16 Nov

Israel has intensified its aerial bombardment on the Gaza strip, after shells targeted Tel Aviv for the first time in 20 years. CNN has a Q&A about the conflict. Syrian opposition leaders are in London to meet UK Foreign Secretary William Hague. The UK has summoned the Spanish Ambassador after Spanish naval vessels allegedly intruded in Gibraltar territorial waters. The UK Ambassador to Spain was in turn summoned after a series of incidents involving Spanish fishermen and the Gibraltar police in Spanish waters. On Saturday, President Obama...
16.11.12 | |

12 Sep

Syrian government forces shelled a rebel stronghold in Damascus today killing four and wounding dozens. Foreign Policy points out that Syria is more violent than Iraq was at its worst. Darfur rebels have killed at least 11 in an attack on a market and a mine in North Darfur. Ugandan Lord’s Resistance Army rebels ambushed an army convoy in the Central African Republic, killing one and injuring at least six. The Prosecutor of the ICC, Fatou Bensouda, has submitted her three short-listed candidates for the position of...
12.09.12 | |

25 Oct

Japan claims that four new Chinese ships have appeared in the territorial waters related to the Senkaku/Diaoyu island dispute. The African Union has reinstated Mali to the organization while stating it was planning an intervention against Islamist fighters in the north of the country, a plan that will be ready within weeks. The Syrian government has indicated to Russia that it will accept a ceasefire plan for the holiday of Eid al-Adha. Ecuador fears for the health of Julian Assange and is seeking his safe passage in...
25.10.12 | |

25 Dec

Human Rights Watch has accused Palestinian military units in Gaza of violating laws of war by firing rockets into populated areas of Israel. At least five people were killed in two drone strikes in south Yemen in what security and local officials said were attacks on suspected al Qaeda-linked insurgents. An Internet virus attacked computers at industrial sites in southern Iran in an apparent extension of a covert cyber war that initially targeted the country’s nuclear facilities, according to an Iranian official. In the holiday spirit, Foreign...
25.12.12 | |