Persian Gulf Name Dispute in International Law – EJIL: Talk! – Go Health Pro

Persian Gulf Name Dispute in International Law – EJIL: Talk! – Go Health Pro

On May 7, the Associated Press published an unconfirmed report indicating that the Trump Administration is considering adopting the term “Arabian Gulf” in place of the historically established name “Persian Gulf.” During a press briefing, President Trump remained deliberately noncommittal, stating, “I don’t want to hurt any feelings,” and added that he would make a final determination during his upcoming visit to the Middle East. As of this writing, no official change has been enacted, but speculation is mounting that the administration may soon formalize the use of “Arabian Gulf” in official U.S. communications. This would mark the second instance of the Trump Administration attempting to revise a long-standing geographic name, following the recent executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”

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In the Graveyard of International Law – Go Health Pro

In the Graveyard of International Law – Go Health Pro

Last October, Palestinian human rights lawyer Raji Sourani told The Guardian: Gaza is becoming the graveyard of international law. The diagnosis has only sharpened since Trump’s return, across multiple areas of international law. Refugees, climate, health, and trade are just the first collapsing regimes that come to mind. In this reflection, I try to grapple … Read more

Trial in Absentia Under the Bangladesh International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 – EJIL: Talk! – Go Health Pro

Persian Gulf Name Dispute in International Law – EJIL: Talk! – Go Health Pro

Introduction

Following mass student protests and a violent crackdown that killed at least 1,400 people, Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year authoritarian rule as Prime Minister of Bangladesh ended on 5 August 2024 (here, here, here). Amid unprecedented public outrage, she fled to India, and an interim Government led by Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus took charge. The violence was largely triggered by the Government’s shoot-on-sight orders to suppress the protests. Legal proceedings under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act (ICTA) have since been initiated against Hasina and other Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) leaders for alleged crimes against humanity. Although the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) has requested her extradition from India, Indian authorities have refused, citing carve-out clauses under the extradition treaty. Special Adviser to the Chief Prosecutor, Toby Cadman, has asserted that the trial will proceed in Hasina’s absence, if necessary. However, this post challenges the legality of conducting such trials in absentia, arguing they lack justification under both the ICTA and international criminal law. This argument gains further weight from the fact that the ICTA prescribes death penalty as its maximum punishment. The post will start by exploring the historical background of the ICTA, then move on to examine its core legal provisions and significant judicial decisions, both domestic and international, complemented by a comparative analysis of the well-established jurisprudence of the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). It ultimately argues that, unless the law is reformed to align with international standards, conducting a trial against Hasina and other defendants in absentia would be inconsistent with established legal norms and would undermine fundamental principles of due process.

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US tourism ‘losing out’ on US$12.5 billion as international visitor numbers dwindle – Go Health Pro

US tourism ‘losing out’ on US.5 billion as international visitor numbers dwindle – Go Health Pro

The US is on track for a very bad tourism year. According to new data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), shared exclusively with Bloomberg, the country is set to lose US$12.5 billion in travel revenue in 2025, with visitor spending estimated to fall under US$169 billion by year’s end. The numbers represent … Read more

SiriusPoint Promotes Fenn to Global Head of Marine; Arch Insurance International Promotes Mansouri to UK PI Underwriting Manager – Go Health Pro

SiriusPoint Promotes Fenn to Global Head of Marine; Arch Insurance International Promotes Mansouri to UK PI Underwriting Manager – Go Health Pro

SiriusPoint Promotes Fenn to Global Head of Marine SiriusPoint Ltd., the Bermuda-based specialty insurer and reinsurer, announced the promotion of Chris Fenn to global head of Marine, in addition to two strategic appointments to strengthen its global marine offering. Chris Fenn Previously head of Marine, London, for SiriusPoint International, Fenn joined the company in February … Read more