Bluetooth Instead of GPS Should Be Utilized to do Contact-tracing During the Covid-19 Pandemic
By Jinke Pu According to Article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the right to privacy is one of the fundamental human rights which should not be ignored even in the era of Covid-19 pandemic.[1] Therefore, Bluetooth, a less intrusive technology, instead of GPS should
The Power of Regulatory Takings Claims: A Note of Caution on the Pack the ISDS Tribunal Debate
By Danielle Hoffman In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, many countries party to international investment agreements (IIAs) imposed reactive measures restricting the export of masks and other medical equipment.[1] As a result of these measures, masks and other medical equipment contractually arranged to be exported, were not.[2] Accordingly, disgruntled
The Biden Airstrike and the Need to Update the Legal Regime Governing Use of Force Against Non-State-Actors
By Jesse Calo On February 25, President Biden ordered an airstrike in Syria against Iranian-backed militias in response to their rocketing of U.S. targets in Baghdad and Erbil from ten days prior.[1] While President Biden asserted a constitutional basis for his authority to act, he also provided a basis for
TikTok, WeChat, and IEEPA
By Jiaying Zhang On February 10th, 2021, the Biden Administration decided to halt two executive orders, which were signed by his predecessor, which banned social media platforms Tiktok and Wechat from the U.S. market.[1] This move will allow American users to continue their enjoyment of these communications applications, but it
Recent Debates on International Digital Taxation
By Sicheng Shen The digitalization of the economy has been a key focus of tax debates in recent years.[1] Political debates have focused on the differences between taxing physical business operations and virtual operations.[2] Changing international rules on digital taxation will impact both where and how much tax the impacted
The Irony of the U.N. Resolution on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Nicaragua
By Fabiola Gretzinger On March 23, 2021, the United Nations Human Rights Council passed the U.N. Resolution on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Nicaragua, urging the Nicaraguan Government to respect the basic human rights of Nicaraguans.[1] The country has faced civilian unrest and government oppression since 2018
Cyclists’ Uphill Battle for Space on Berlin’s Streets
By Andrea Rosato Berlin’s city planning exists between two identities. The city is simultaneously known for its outstanding transportation system,[1] while also being the capital of the “country of cars.”[2] Now, there is a third player seeking space on Berlin’s roads: cyclists.[3] In 2018, cyclists achieved a major win with
Why Can’t the UN Protect Human Rights in Yemen and Syria?
By John Weber Arguably the two worst humanitarian crises in the world, Yemen and Syria, are a result of civil wars fueled by foreign intervention and replete with international law violations. You’d think these are exactly the type of conflicts the UN was designed to solve. After all, the UN’s
The Future of Autonomous Weapons: The Need for A Strict Liability Stopgap
By Matt Nelson A recent recommendation made by the U.S. National Security Commission for AI, led by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, has urged the Biden Administration to reject any calls toward a ban on autonomous weapon systems.[1] Primarily, the panel asserts that the U.S. could use these robotic weapons
Russia’s Twitter Slowdown
By Erik Allerson On March 10th, 2021, Russia’s federal agency in charge of communications and information technology, Roskomnadzor, announced via the Russian social media website VKontakte that it had deliberately slowed down internet service speed for users in the country attempting to access Twitter.[1] It claimed to have decelerated the