The EU-Turkey Statement – Questions on Legality and Efficiency

Introduction The European Union (“EU”) has been facing challenges in recent years related to the large number of people who want to come to Europe. Although the ongoing conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Eritrea were not new, the influx of people migrating to Europe had peaked in 2015. An overwhelming flow of smuggled … Read more

Trouble in the Arctic?

The Arctic, a region that proved elusive to explorers for centuries, is now more important than ever. As ice thaws and the Arctic warms at a rate twice that of the global average,[1] international interest and attention in the region has piqued. The combination of natural resources, potential new trade routes, and strategic interests holds … Read more

Investment Mechanisms Driving the Tech Startup Boom in Palestine

Despite the ongoing Israeli military occupation, Palestinian technology startups have flourished in recent years, providing a glimpse of an independent economy and overall improved quality of life for Palestinians. While more traditional forms of industry—such as textiles, agriculture, and manufacturing—have failed under the obstacles of the occupation, the tech sector is uniquely poised to transcend … Read more

Boko Haram Attacks Again: 110 Girls Missing

On the night of February 19, 2018, armed members of Boko Haram stormed the grounds of Dapchi Government Girls Science and Technology College, a school of 900, in Yobe state, northeast Nigeria. The armed intruders surrounded the school and began to fire their weapons causing girls to run in all directions. While shooting rang out … Read more

The Science Behind Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events

“The environment in which all storms form has changed owing to human activities.” – Dr. Kevin E. Trenberth, Distinguished Senior Scientist What is the science behind climate change? What explains Category 5 hurricanes? Dr. Kevin E. Trenberth, Distinguished Senior Scientist in the Climate Analysis Section at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), offered his … Read more

The Franco Zone: Colonial Tax or Stabilizing Unity?

“Without Africa, France will slide down into the rank of a third [world] power.” Former French President, Jacques Chirac, commented in 2008 on the close relationship and reliance France has on her former colonies. After World War II, France was quickly losing power over several former colonies in Africa and it appeared more bloodshed and … Read more

The Principle of Non-Refoulement: The Legality of Refugee Caps Amidst Record High Migration Rates

This article will discuss the illegality of refugee caps under international law. The first section will discuss the binding customary principles of non-refoulement and the right to seek asylum. The second section uses the United States’ and Austria’s attempt to cap refugees to explore the inconsistency of refugee caps in international law, while the third … Read more

Is less more? Settlement Agreements in the Fight Against Bribery of Foreign Public Officials

The OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions[1] (the Convention) will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the end of this year. There is a consensus that the Convention has achieved an important change in the way that foreign corruption is perceived. Bribery is no longer seen as “business as … Read more

The Impact of Drug Enforcement Policies on Transnational Organized Crime in Latin America: A Case Study

“For illicit drugs, organized crime is sine qua non. In other words, organized crime can exist without drug trafficking, but illicit drugs cannot live without organized crime.”[1] This quote illustrates the long standing and infamously mutually beneficial relationship between organized crime and illicit drug trafficking. While the public threat of this relationship is long recognized … Read more

The EU Takes Ireland to Court: Understanding the Apple Tax Ruling and the Legal Ramifications of Ireland’s Failure to Act

In August 2016, the European Commission ruled that Ireland provided illegal state aid to the Irish subsidiaries of Apple, Inc. between 2003 and 2014, which amounted to approximately €13 billion. The Commission determined that Ireland’s illegal state aid took the form of “undue tax benefits” provided exclusively to Apple’s Irish subsidiaries: Apple Sales International (ASI) … Read more