China sanctions US defense manufacturers over arms trade with Taiwan
The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that China intends to impose sanctions on five US defense manufacturers over recent US arms sales to Taiwan. The is the latest in a series of retaliatory measures to the US State Department’s approval of an estimated $300M in foreign military and arms sales to Taiwan, disclosed in [...]
Explainer: The Philippines-China Maritime Dispute and International Law
Through 2023, tensions in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines have escalated, marked by such significant escalations as the removal of a floating barrier by the Philippines near the Scarborough Shoal and the deployment of its Coast Guard amid increased activity by the Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) near Julian Felipe Reef (or [...]
Echoes of Dostoevsky: An Appeal Against Alabama's Deadly Experiment
As we prepare to usher in 2024, the outlook on Alabama’s administration of the death penalty holds many terrible knowns, and an even greater number of grim unknowns. At the top of any capital punishment-watcher’s list: Is Alabama really going to move forward with the first state-sanctioned nitrogen gassing execution in US history? If all goes according [...]
Iran seeks return of former official convicted for human rights abuses in Sweden
Spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry Nasser Kanaani stated in a news conference Monday that Iran will continue to seek the release of former Iranian official Hamid Nouri, whose conviction and sentence of life in prison for human rights abuses in Sweden was upheld last week in the Svea Court of Appeal. Kanaani stated that the [...]
UK soldier charged over Bloody Sunday killings to be tried for murder
A Northern Ireland court ruled Thursday that the sole British soldier facing charges in connection with the 1972 “Bloody Sunday” killings of Catholic protesters will be tried for murder. Ted Magill, a District Judge in Londonderry, decided that the case against the defendant “Soldier F” would proceed, as there was enough evidence to send him [...]
US Supreme Court to consider restricting access to widely used abortion drug
The US Supreme Court agreed on Wednesday to hear two cases regarding access to the drug mifepristone, which is widely prescribed for abortions and miscarriages. The court previously allowed the drug to remain on the market while the cases wound their way through the appellate process in the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth [...]
ECHR hears oral arguments from Ukraine in case over Russian occupation of Crimea
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) heard oral arguments on Wednesday in a case concerning potential human rights violations committed by Russia via its occupation of Crimea. Though Russia is a party to the case of Ukraine v. Russia (re Crimea), no Russian representative was present at the Wednesday arguments since Russia left the [...]
Philippines summons China ambassador amid escalating tensions in South China Sea
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs announced Tuesday that it summoned the Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines, Huang Xilian, to lodge a diplomatic protest in the wake of the most recent confrontation between Chinese and Filipino vessels in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) near the Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal) and the Scarborough [...]
A California federal grand jury indicted Hunter Biden, the son of US President Joe Biden, on Thursday on nine new federal criminal tax charges. The new charges join the two previous charges filed against him in a federal court in Delaware. Biden now faces 11 charges in total—three felonies and eight misdemeanors. The indictment concerns [...]
Lawrence Wilkerson is a retired United States Army Colonel who held key roles in government, including serving as Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell from 2002 to 2005. Wilkerson played a role in preparing US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s presentation in 2003 at the United Nations in making the case for [...]
