China is escalating cyber operations against critical infrastructure and government networks in the Indo-Pacific. To respond, Morgan Peirce of the @cnas.bsky.social argues the U.S. should engage in capacity building to help regional allies build a defensive cyber shield.

Operation Hawkeye Strike: Attacking ISIS in Syria and International Law By Michael Schmitt and Ryan Goodman @mikeschmitt.bsky.social @rgoodlaw.bsky.social

NEW Expert Backgrounder on international law and maritime law enforcement on the high seas involving the US boarding and seizure of U.S. sanctioned vessels. The case of The Skipper off the coast of Venezuela. By Coast Guard lawyer CDR Elizabeth Hutton:

With immense thanks to the corpus of stellar @justsecurity.org analysis on international humanitarian law, I hope those preparing for Spring semester courses can benefit from this curated supplement. Please share with anyone who could use!

Reup of this public resource we created Timeline of Jeffrey Epstein-Ghislaine Maxwell Law Enforcement Failures (1996-2025) with links to all the publicly available documents

(1/3) Catch up on our recent analysis: • U.S. strikes / Venezuela • Resource: Syllabus supplements • Emerging technologies • Academia / Democracy • Anti-corruption series • Trump executive actions • United States / Syria • Military / Immigration • Climate • Western Sahara

Daily Developments: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions See here for the full tracker: www.justsecurity.org/107087/track...

Teaching a legal course this semester where recent armed conflict events are relevant, or know someone who is? The IHL Syllabus Supplement connects educators with salient law and policy discussions. Curated from JS archives by @bechamilton.bsky.social and Danae Askar.

The NDAA enacted yesterday takes a significant step towards the full removal of sanctions on Syria, the latest in a remarkable series of developments following Assad’s removal. Rachel Alpert and Garrett Salzman on Syria’s emergence from sanctions seclusion: #Syria #Sanctions #CaesarAct

The Jus Ad Bellum Syllabus Supplement is a powerful tool for educators to bring additional currency & salience to the classroom. If you or those in your network are teaching JAB-related topics, take a look at this new resource. Curated from JS archives by @bechamilton.bsky.social & Danae Askar:

Today's news roundup: -US says 2 strikes on alleged drug boats kill 5 in Pacific -DOJ faces deadline today to release files on Epstein -TikTok signs deal for US unit after years-long saga -Judge convicted of obstructing ICE as they sought to detain an immigrant 👇 www.justsecurity.org/127502/early...

(1/2) Daily Developments: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions

Blockading Venezuela: The International Law Consequences By top experts Mike Schmitt and Rob McLaughlin “Execution of the blockade would constitute an act of aggression, which by definition is an unlawful use of force. It would also qualify as an armed attack by the United States on Venezuela.”

As a longtime climate negotiator and former US Principal Deputy Special Envoy for Climate, Sue Biniaz writes that she expected an unusual COP 30 in Belem – but it managed to be even more surprising than anticipated: www.justsecurity.org/126999/cop-3...

The U.S. is about to publish a new report evaluating other countries’ anti-corruption efforts—but can it lead by example while its own guardrails erode? Dani Schulkin, Sky Miller & Adam Keith (fmr State Dept) discuss the Combating Global Corruption Act. www.justsecurity.org/127389/podca...

Today's news roundup: -Aid agencies warn Gaza response at breaking point, urging Israel to lift new restrictions -Trump admin aims to strip more foreign-born Americans of citizenship -Brazil Senate approves bill to cut Bolsonaro's 27-year sentence 👇 www.justsecurity.org/127423/early...

(1/2) Daily Developments: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions

The #UNCharter promised sovereignty would shield states from conquest, partition, and protectorates. Eyal Benvenisti writes the #UNSecurityCouncil itself is quietly rewriting this system, and outlines what small and middle powers could do: www.justsecurity.org/127215/umaki...

An expert break down of the U.S. boarding and seizure of the “shadow fleet” ship carrying Venezuelan oil: www.justsecurity.org/127199/seizu...

Today's news roundup: -RSF trying to cover up mass killings in El Fasher: Yale HRL -US sends Cuban migrants to base at Guantánamo Bay -South African authorities raid US refugee facility -Groups offer legal assistance to U.S. troops amid debate over boat strikes 👇 www.justsecurity.org/127268/early...

Daily Developments: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions See here for the full tracker: www.justsecurity.org/107087/track...

This Timeline of Boat Strikes and Related Actions (including international reactions) is now updated due to 3 strikes on Monday Overview as of December 16, 2025: 25 strikes; 95 reported killed; 2 known survivors

Why are members of Congress going after law school clinics? Lisa Davis explains why these investigations punish public interest lawyers for their clients, chilling legal advocacy that is essential to a functioning democracy. www.justsecurity.org/126738/assau...

Hypothetical Legal Review on Judge Advocates Serving as Immigration Judges By Steven J. Lepper www.justsecurity.org/126460/olc-m...

Today's news roundup: -Trump declares fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction -US offers NATO-like security guarantees to Ukraine -Jared Kushner drops plan to build a Trump Hotel in Serbia -ICC rejects Israeli bid to halt Gaza war investigation 👇 www.justsecurity.org/127175/early...

Daily Developments: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions See here for the full tracker: www.justsecurity.org/107087/track...

The 22 boat strikes have triggered an international obligation to investigate potential illegalities. Michael Schmitt and Marko Milanovic discuss - legal sources for the obligation to investigate - criteria for carrying out independent investigation www.justsecurity.org/127136/inter...

In geo-economic competition, the Trump administration celebrates short-term deals, while #China executes a multi-decade strategy to dominate the #semiconductor #SupplyChain. Michael Schiffer writes it’s not too late to recalibrate: www.justsecurity.org/127032/trump...

Today's news roundup: -6 UN peacekeepers killed in strike on UN facility in Sudan -ICE use air-travel passenger data in deportation effort -National parks ordered to remove items promoting D.E.I. from gift shops -HK convicts Jimmy Lai in national security case 👇 www.justsecurity.org/127132/early...

Weekend Special - updated with 11 new Q&A (including on seizure of sanctioned vessels) and expanded answer on law of proportionality and boat strikes involving the shipwrecked. Expert Q&A By @tessbridgeman.bsky.social, @mikeschmitt.bsky.social, @rgoodlaw.bsky.social

(1/3) Catch up on our recent analysis: • U.S. strikes / Venezuela • Russia-Ukraine War • Israel-Hamas War • Rwanda-DRC conflict • Signalgate • Anti-corruption series • Emerging technologies • Trump executive actions • Counterterrorism • United Nations • Intelligence sharing

(1/2) Daily Developments: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions

The UnitedNations Security Council and General Assembly are starting the nominations process for the next #UNSecretaryGeneral. Could it be a woman this time? Adama Balde, Ben Donaldson, Mavic Cabrera, and Claudette Segura outline new research on the prospects: www.justsecurity.org/126730/next-...

President Trump has tied his name and political capital to one of #Africa’s most intractable wars – between #Rwanda and the #DRC. Hardin Lang and Mark Wood on the pitfalls and what it would take to make it work: www.justsecurity.org/126910/rwand...

Can AI-generated outputs be subject to export controls? Yes, write Joe Khawam and Tim Schnabel. But the agencies responsible for enforcing these controls have yet to address this challenge: www.justsecurity.org/126643/ai-mo...

Today's news roundup: -Abrego Garcia is released from ICE detention -Venezuela paves the way for withdrawal from International Criminal Court -M23 offensive in DRC's South Kivu kills over 400 civilians -A grand jury again declines to reindict Letitia James 👇 www.justsecurity.org/126895/early...

Daily Developments: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions See here for the full tracker: www.justsecurity.org/107087/track...

Expert Backgrounder on how, under different scenarios, international law and U.S. past practices apply to Sept. 2 boat strike on survivors. By Professor @marknevitt.bsky.social, Navy Commander, JAGC (ret.) www.justsecurity.org/126802/exper...

An amnesty provision in any Ukraine-Russia peace plan would not only be a “moral abdication of the pursuit of accountability” for war crimes, but would violate Geneva Convention obligations, per Tracey Begley. www.justsecurity.org/126637/ukrai...

Ukrainian scholar @katerynabusol.bsky.social argues “Ukraine – and its democratic and law-abiding partners” must not agree to amnesties or “de facto impunity” for atrocities. www.justsecurity.org/126820/histo...

Today's news roundup: -US weighs hitting UNRWA with terrorism-related sanctions -Danish intelligence report raises security concerns about US -Eastern DRC city falls to M23 rebels -Trump admin opens applications for Million-Dollar visas 👇 www.justsecurity.org/126813/early...

Daily Developments: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions See here for the full tracker: www.justsecurity.org/107087/track...

UNSC Resolution 2803 and the International Stabilization Force that it establishes rest on shaky legal grounds, write Samiksha Mukherjee and Sanmay Moitra. It also fails to effectively advance either Israeli security or Palestinian self-determination. www.justsecurity.org/125993/resol...

Last week, DoD’s Office of the Inspector General published an unclassified version of a report on Signalgate. @justinhendrix.bsky.social breaks down the report and explains how Congress can act now to address “DoD-wide” problems stemming from the use of consumer messaging platforms:

Today's news roundup: -Microsoft unveils $17.5 billion in AI investments in India -US sanctions network recruiting Colombian fighters for Sudan's RSF -US military to use Google Gemini for new AI platform -Federal agents use pepper spray on crowd in Minneapolis 👇 www.justsecurity.org/126736/early...

Does the United States Still Oppose Torture? Gabor Rona analyzes the U.S. vote against the UN Resolution on Torture, which passed 169-3. #HumanRightsDay www.justsecurity.org/126649/does-...

From Abu Ghraib to Today: Rebecca Ingber on What Breaks Through to the Public www.instagram.com/reel/DSD95Qr...

(1/2) Daily Developments: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions

Lawsuits, access restrictions, rhetoric, a deportation – President Trump and his administration have escalated hostile actions against media in the U.S. Law Prof. and former journalist @bechamilton.bsky.social keeps track of the big picture in the latest update of her #PressFreedom tracker:

Legal Mad Libs: How the U.S. Government is Justifying its Actions in the Caribbean @tessbridgeman.bsky.social from the latest episode of Murder on the High Seas youtube.com/shorts/fs2OT...