Prison Nurseries in Finland: Balancing the Child’s Best Interests

By Abby Cote.

Since signing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, signatories have struggled on how to consider a child’s rights when it comes to incarcerating a child’s caregiver. Finland presents an interesting example of how one nation revamped its sentencing structure and prison system to balance the impossible- the protection of a child and family unity within the prison setting.

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On Owning the Seas: Japanese Exclusive Economic Zones and Fisheries Management

By Tyler Armstrong.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea allows countries to claim the natural resources within the waters 200 miles from their shores, both accounting for fish and other marine life as well as oil and mineral deposits beneath the sea floor. The island nation of Japan claims several smaller land masses as its own, granting them additional exclusive privilege over larger portions of the Sea of Japan. The Japanese government should take full advantage of this international treaty by subjecting illegal fishing vessels to judicial action and engaging in diplomatic discussions with repeat perpetrators from North Korea and China.

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The Dangers of Mining in Brazil: Affects on the Environment and Indigenous Groups By

By Armando J Barcena.

This article describes the way in way in which continued mining in Brazil has endangered the biodiverse Amazon rainforest. Concerns about the health and the political rights of the indigenous inhabitants are also described. This article also describes how mining affects the relationship between the indigenous groups and the government as their rights are subverted for economic benefits.

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Causes, Effects, and Remedies for Venezuela’s Hyperinflation

By Peter Veldkamp.

Venezuela’s hyperinflation was largely caused by overreliance on oil exports and failing institutions. Once inflation began, it quickly grew exponentially as efforts to contain it were largely ineffective. Potential solutions exist, but they would require significant institutional and policy changes.

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Polish Bachelor Party Problems

By Konrad Starostka.

Poland has a strong presence in the bachelor party scene. However, this comes with a price as tourists wreak havoc on the community. To combat this, Poland violates basic rights.

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Mexico is Moving Towards Legalizing Marijuana

By Jasmine Shafquat.

Mexico has taken significant strides towards legalizing recreational marijuana. In fact, the country’s Chamber of Deputies (Congress) has already approved a bill that would specifically decriminalize cannabis for recreational, medical and scientific uses. And, it is expected that Senate of the Republic (Senate) will soon approve the bill as well.

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The Destruction of the Amazon Rainforest: The Need to Recognize Ecocide as an International Crime Under the Rome Statute

By Margaret Marshall.

Could the intentional and systematic destruction of the environment one day constitute an internationally recognized criminal act? This blog post delves into the recent request of Brazilian Indigenous leaders to the International Criminal Court to investigate Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for crimes against humanity and ecocide and what this lawsuit could mean for environmental protection.

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Australia and the Media Bargaining Code

By Adara Manamperi.

The Australian parliament has passed a new law which requires big tech firms, such as Google and Facebook, to negotiate and pay Australian news outlets for their content, and if they cannot come to a fair price, face binding arbitration. With the passing of the law, both Facebook and Google expressed complaints, with Facebook acting in protest against it. Now that the waters have settled, what does the passing of this code really mean for Australia, and does this open an avenue for more countries to create similar laws?

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History Completes Itself: Will Germany’s New Law Finally Fix Citizenship Problems for Victims of Nazi Germany?

By Andrew Malec.

The new law would “create a new legal framework for the restitution of citizenship” and includes “entitlements to naturalization for persons who lost their German citizenship due to [Nazi persecution] who are not already entitled to restoration” under the current law. Overall, these new amendments would be said to close “loopholes” that previously existed that allowed for so many applicants, who were denied citizenship due to Nazi persecution, to be rejected altogether.

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Uber’s Return in Barcelona, Will it Last?

By Alexandra Welke.

Uber’s operation has been heavily restricted in Barcelona in recent years. After its 2-year absence in the city, Uber services have finally returned with different service options and features that abide by the current regulations. Even with the newly regulated system, taxicab drivers are generally opposed to Uber’s return.

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Guns Are Evolving: Singapore Legislates for the Future of Weapons

By Douglas M. Johnson.

3D-printed guns are here. There have been incidents involving such guns in many countries including the US and Singapore. Singapore recently updated its weapons laws, opting to add an entirely new section on 3D-printed guns and their blueprints with the hope of heading off new source of potential violence.

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New Zealand: Swift Action on Gun Control Leads to Mixed Results

By Dominick Cortez.

On March 15, 2019, fifty-one people were killed, and forty-nine people were injured in the worst mass shooting in New Zealand’s history. Twenty-six days later, all military style semi-automatics were banned in a near unanimous vote by the national assembly. The effect of this stricter gun control measure is mixed considering that gun crimes and deaths are on the rise heavily in New Zealand although they are still much lower than the United States.

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