Articles tagged with International Law
Stephanie Law, associate professor of materials science and engineering, received the Young Investigator Award for advances in growing novel optical materials, including heavily doped semiconductors and topological insulators. The award recognizes her work on improving material quality for infrared and terahertz optics and plasmonics.
A new study by global health law scholars reveals that most countries are not fulfilling their international legal obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers argue that the provisions of the International Health Regulations (IHR) are often misunderstood and may not be sufficient to guide governments' responses to pandemics.
Sustainable space management is at risk under US-centric policies that prioritize national regulation over international cooperation. The Artemis Accords could lead to a 'race to the bottom' in space mining regulations, threatening lunar stability and increasing asteroid mining risks.
The study found that Laotians rely heavily on wildlife for food and income, driving the illegal trade of terrestrial vertebrates. Approximately 90% of respondents confirmed using wildlife products, highlighting the need for conservation measures to protect native species.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for clear international laws governing the sharing of pathogen samples and genetic sequence data. Despite critical importance to global public health efforts, there is currently no legal obligation for countries to share such information, impeding scientific progress.
Experts warn that immunity passports pose significant practical, equitable, and legal issues. Vaccination certificates, on the other hand, may be a crucial tool to incentivize vaccination and end the pandemic. The success of public health practices depends on public trust and addressing inequities.
A new study warns that relying too heavily on AI to manage international migration could lead to serious breaches of human rights. AI can improve reception conditions and predict future crises, but it also risks reinforcing unlawful practices and discrimination.
Researchers created a neural network that analyzes fundamental chemical laws to predict tautomerism constants and acidity. The model enhances the accuracy of physicochemical property predictions for designed medications and materials.
A new AI model predicts physicochemical properties of compounds by analyzing fundamental chemical laws, enhancing the precision of medication and material design. The model uses neural networks to forecast chemical reaction parameters.
The RIVERS project explores the relationship between water and indigenous human rights, analyzing traditional knowledge and its impact on extractive projects and international law. Empirical case studies in Colombia, Nepal, and the UN system highlight the need for a new understanding of water beyond nature and culture.
Researchers Karen Culcasi and Cynthia Gorman examine how international laws formed after WWI contributed to today's hostile climate for refugees. They found that the creation of new countries, nationalism, and the establishment of international governance entities like the League of Nations shaped refugee law.
The article discusses human-animal chimeras with brains composed of human cells, raising questions about their moral status. The author argues that a standard view, which considers human cognitive capacities morally significant, is mistaken and proposes a better framework for thinking about the moral status of part-human beings.
A study suggests that existing laws in the US and EU have adaptive and transformative capacities to respond to environmental changes. Innovative cooperation between government and nongovernment entities is necessary to leverage these capacities and keep up with environmental change.
The World Economic Forum has announced a new Space Sustainability Rating system to address growing space traffic and debris in Earth's orbit. The rating will assess satellite operators' environmental impact, with the goal of reducing congestion and promoting sustainability.
A study on European Union international trading markets reveals conditions where the Newcomb-Benford Law applies and where it does not, enabling the detection of frauds. The findings may lead to an automated system for flagging suspicious patterns in transactions.
Dirk Hanschel's research project investigates the intersection of environmental protection and human rights, exploring whether a healthy environment can be considered a human right. The project aims to understand how environmental changes affect people and their cultures.
A national analysis found a significant increase in unhealthy days among sexual minorities in Indiana following the passage of a Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This rise was not seen in neighboring states or heterosexual populations, suggesting the law's impact on public health.
A Finnish-Canadian study found that law firms' professional ethos discourages men from taking parental leave, perpetuating gender inequality. The study suggests organisational solutions and male law firm partners' encouragement are needed to promote a more family-friendly culture.
A new law aims to address contract cheating by placing strict liability on service providers, rather than students. This approach tackles the issue of 'intent' in contract cheating, where services use terms and conditions to protect themselves from student accusations.
A review article assesses the current and potential future role of international treaties in lion conservation. The analysis highlights the importance of various global and regional treaties, such as the World Heritage Convention and CITES, for protecting lion habitats and regulating trade in lion products.
Dr George Ndi's research highlights the need to upgrade international laws governing warfare due to increasingly asymmetric conflicts involving states and non-state parties. His paper also explores the legal implications of drone technology and stockpiling weapons of mass destruction.
Researchers demonstrate a universal probe for exotic states of matter by heating up quantum systems. This phenomenon is linked to the topological nature of the system and can be quantized in terms of a unique physical observable: the heating rate.
Researchers recommend banning transshipment at-sea to curb illegal fishing and human trafficking. The practice allows ships to evade monitoring and enforcement, enabling the laundering of illicit fish into the seafood market.
A Canadian research team studied the ethics codes of the Canadian Medical Association and the Department of National Defence. They found that dual loyalty between medical and military professions can coexist with the principle of 'do no harm'. The researchers interviewed over 50 military health professionals, who face complex challenge...
A study estimates that 814 medical personnel were killed in the Syrian conflict, with nearly 200 attacks on health facilities in 2016. The authors call for greater accountability and protection for health workers, highlighting the need to address human rights law violations.
Global health experts call for UN Security Council mandate to protect healthcare facilities from attacks, amid persistent and blatant breaches of Geneva Convention. The international community needs to stand up for medical neutrality, mandating the UN Security Council to provide protection for health facilities.
A new RAND Corporation report highlights the need for clearer US rules on targeted killing using drones. The study proposes a framework that balances protection of civilians and human rights with flexibility in the fight against terrorism. By adopting such an approach, the US can build public support at home and abroad.
Canada's plan to legalize marijuana contravenes its obligations to the UN's international drug-control conventions. The Canadian government should seek a reservation or renegotiate treaties if possible, but may need to withdraw from them altogether to avoid undermining international law.
An estimated 140,000 women die in conflict every year, with many more expected to die in pregnancy and childbirth due to inadequate protection and medical care. Doctors argue that a focus on women's health could provide an area of common interest between warring parties seeking political solutions.
Stephen Greenblatt, an American author and literature professor, has been awarded the prestigious Holberg Prize for his distinctive role in literature and influential voice in the humanities. The prize recognizes his scholarship's impact on literary studies, history, and cultural criticism.
A new report by Physicians for Human Rights documents 45 hospital attacks in eastern Aleppo, with two-thirds forced to close. The authors call for an international stance against violating medical neutrality, warning that such attacks could become the 'new normal' in armed conflicts.
Lawrence Gostin, a renowned public health lawyer, has made significant contributions to the field of public health law. He continues to lead major global health law reform initiatives and serves on various commissions to report on global health risks.
A new study examines the impact of remoteness on health care access in rural Liberia, highlighting strategies to close disparities. Strategies include shifting care to lowest level providers and training community health workers.
A new article recommends laws to criminalise face recognition technology use on online images without consent, aiming to protect individual identity and autonomy. The current lack of regulations poses significant threats to privacy in the digital environment.
Global health experts Lawrence O. Gostin and Daniel Lucey outline strategies for managing the MERS-CoV outbreak, focusing on transparency, trust, and infection control in healthcare settings. Key findings include training health workers and conducting diagnostic testing of travelers to limit quarantines.
A new manifesto calls for a shift in power from internet giants to ordinary consumers, citing the need for more control over online data and content. Dr Paul Bernal argues that the internet is messy and dynamic, and that few people want to be forgotten but most want influence on how they are remembered.
A quantum system's configurations oscillate endlessly without relaxation, unlike classical physics where equilibrium is the norm. Researchers discovered that these systems are extremely robust and exist on a discrete grid, influencing non-local effects.
Global health experts offer a new framework for creating a robust global health system with national health systems at its foundation. The framework proposes key priorities, including funding, technical excellence, operational capacities, normative standards, regional offices, and engaging non-state parties.
Two legal experts argue that the proposed Medicaid block grant in the Patient CARE Act would be unconstitutional as it violates the Tenth Amendment. The block grant's fixed sum allocation and limited growth rate would coerce states into accepting a reduced financing structure, similar to the 2012 NFIB v. Sebelius ruling.
A newly formed high-level commission, in partnership with The Lancet, focuses on law's role in addressing pressing global health concerns. The Commission seeks to define the current landscape of law affecting global health and safety and highlight opportunities for improvement.
A study published in the International Journal of Health Services found that the Affordable Care Act's requirement to increase medical loss ratios had no significant impact on insurers' overhead spending. Insurers' financial filings show that the law did not lead to a greater share of premium dollars being channelled into actual patien...
The DFG is establishing five new Research Units and four new Humanities Centres for Advanced Studies to tackle pressing issues in various fields. The centres will receive a total of approximately 23.5 million euros over three or four years.
The TRACE Matrix tool assesses countries' business bribery risks across four domains and nine sub-domains, providing a score from 1 to 100. This allows companies to tailor their compliance practices more effectively.
Research suggests that effective interventions require a comprehensive approach addressing mental illness, substance abuse, trauma exposure, and social issues. New strategies aim to alleviate overrepresentation of individuals with serious mental health issues in the criminal justice system.
The mHealth app industry has tremendous potential to broaden access to medical treatment and control costs, but lacks sufficient regulation by the FDA. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine notes that only about 100 out of 100,000 apps have been cleared by the FDA, while opponents see this as a deterrent to innovation.
The article highlights the dangers of new anti-homosexuality laws that restrict freedoms, healthcare access, and create a climate of fear. These laws can lead to increased rates of HIV transmission, torture, and murder of LGBTQ+ activists, underscoring the need for continued research and support.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists explores the impact of emerging military technologies on the laws of war, highlighting the need for new legal thinking and institutions to address asymmetric warfare. The article argues that current international law is no longer sufficient to handle the complexity of modern warfare.
Researchers will investigate global practices and principles of life imprisonment, aiming to make recommendations on its application. The study will focus on human rights, conditions of service, and the controversial question of irreducible life sentences.
A recent study co-authored by health care and law expert David Orentlicher examines the evolution of concussion understanding over several decades. The study finds that both the NFL and neurologists were slow to respond to concussions, with many viewing them as a 'benign phenomenon.'
A joint study by Stefan Reichmuth and Reinhold Glei reveals the Koran's term 'dīn' changed meaning from 'law' to 'religion' in Latin translations, with implications for European understanding of Islam. This shift reflects a gradual development in Western philosophy, paralleling Judaism and Christianity.
Technological advances like citizen journalism and WikiLeaks aim to increase transparency in government. However, Mohamed Chawki argues that current laws may not effectively balance disclosure with potential harm.
Two Georgetown University professors argue that a fair, transparent process is preferable to governmental constraints on scientific information. They recommend strengthening precautions around high-risk research and suggest a balanced approach between scientific freedom and national security.
The authors propose transferring the public health responsibility for controlled medicines from the International Narcotic Control Board to the World Health Organization, citing restrictive drug laws as a major barrier to access. This shift would aim to create better legal frameworks that extricate pain treatment from drug prohibition.
Georgetown University Medical Center has been awarded a Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation by the FDA, supported by an initial $1 million grant. The center aims to strengthen science and training needed for modernizing drug development and evaluation.
A study suggests that punitive damages should be calculated based on a company's financial worth to effectively deter corporate wrongdoing. Research highlights cases where increased penalties led to behavioral changes, such as BMW's policy shift after being forced to pay $4 million in punitive damages.
The thesis analyzes three national appellate asylum procedures in Europe, comparing their evidentiary standards and relating them to the EU legal order and international law. The study finds that national impacts play a significant role in adapting national procedures to external requirements.
A growing number of countries are supporting Australia's trailblazing stance on plain packaging, while others align themselves with the tobacco industry. The legislation aims to break the affiliation smokers have with a particular brand, helping them quit and prevent teenagers from becoming smokers.
A repeat corporate tax holiday is unlikely to boost the stagnant US economy, according to a University of Illinois expert. The previous 2005 tax holiday resulted in repurchases of shares rather than increased domestic investment and employment.
Research from North Carolina State University reveals that international laws can create uncertainty and confusion in addressing piracy, leading to inconsistent responses from countries. The existing framework of international laws leaves room for pirates to exploit loopholes and escape justice.
A centralized reference pool could help employers and workers by providing a legal safe harbor for employees and allowing them access to references while also enabling recourse through a neutral third party. This system would promote the flow of accurate information with low transaction costs, making labor markets more efficient.