Statehood challenges: sovereignty, violence, and International Law

Statehood challenges: sovereignty, violence, and International Law

“The state is a human community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory,” as Weber said in 1918. But what happens when the state does not boast a monopoly on the legitimate use of violence? What happens when, for instance, there are two monopolies on … Read more

China’s Shaanxi launches international legal affairs office for belt and road

China’s Shaanxi launches international legal affairs office for belt and road

It will also train legal professionals in overseas-related matters, research legal theory and offer legal services with an international focus, it said. Foreign-related rule of law refers to an initiative launched in 2020 aimed at connecting Chinese law with foreign and international law as Beijing’s global ambitions grow and competition with the West intensifies. Shaanxi’s … Read more

Trudeau says Israel needs to follow ICJ ruling and halt operations in Rafah

Trudeau says Israel needs to follow ICJ ruling and halt operations in Rafah

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says military operations in Rafah must stop now that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Israel to halt its offensive in the southern Gaza city. Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Friday, the prime minister repeated Canada’s call for a ceasefire and for Hamas to release the … Read more

China urged to grow legal talent for global fight against terrorism, corruption and cyberscams

China urged to grow legal talent for global fight against terrorism, corruption and cyberscams

Observers said the move signalled that Beijing saw the need for legal professionals who understand “complex multi-jurisdictional matters” amid intensifying geopolitical competition with Washington and its allies. Ying Yong, head of China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate, called on prosecutors to focus on cultivating talent with international legal expertise and experience in “international law enforcement and judicial … Read more

The environmental costs of EV batteries that politicians don’t tend to talk about

The environmental costs of EV batteries that politicians don’t tend to talk about

Along with the massive recent manufacturing investments in electric vehicle (EV) technology and talks of a greener, decarbonized future, there are some not-so-green problems.  In its latest New Energy Finance report, Bloomberg News predicts there will be some 730 million EVs on the road by 2040. The year before, Bloomberg predicted half of all U.S. vehicle sales would be battery electric by 2030.  … Read more