International

Tag: International

Pipeline adoptions hang in the balance as Russia, US dispute adoption ban protocol

Russia’s ban on the adoption of its orphans by American citizens was fast-tracked in the aftermath of the US decision to impose sanctions against certain Russian individuals believed to have violated human rights in the context of the 2009 death of attorney Sergei Magnitsky in a Moscow pre-trial detention center.

17:06 10.01.2013

Top 10 criminal dramas of 2012

2012 has left us with no shortage of criminal drama. In a year replete with momentous judgments, epic downfalls, political intrigue, and revolutionary aftermaths, RAPSI struggled to pick just ten events to highlight. Still, we have chosen the ten judgments that – in our view, and in no particular order – best illustrated 2012’s criminal legacy. Please note, we have excluded cases that occurred primarily within Russia, as those called for a list of their own.

10:02 28.12.2012

Treaty with Italy on railway transit to Afghanistan submitted to State Duma

President Vladimir Putin has submitted for State Duma’s ratification an agreement between the Russian and Italian government on a railway transit of arms, ammo, military vehicles, munition and personnel through Russia to Afghanistan.

10:35 27.12.2012

Russia ratifies agreement on simplifying visa regime with Japan

Russia's upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, has ratified an agreement on simplifying the visa regime with Japan.

14:16 26.12.2012

Egypt passes new constitution

Over 60 percent of Egyptians who took part in the referendum on the country's new constitution have voted in favor of it, says Samir Abu al-Matti, head of the Supreme Election Committee.

10:13 26.12.2012

US "concerned" by Russia's adoption ban amendment

The White House voiced concerns Tuesday over the Russian bill that would ban adoptions of Russian children by US citizens. In its response to a petition calling for sanctions to be imposed on Russian lawmakers, the White House issued a statement saying that the US “will continue to raise these concerns with the Russian government.”

16:05 25.12.2012

Obama officially announces cancellation of Jackson-Vanik amendment

U.S. President Barack Obama has signed a decree on the cancellation of the Jackson-Vanik amendment. The Jackson-Vanik amendment was adopted by Congress in 1974 and imposed restrictions on trade with the Soviet Union.

10:59 21.12.2012

Americans linked to Bout, Yaroshenko “kidnappings” may be blacklisted

Russia’s doppelganger version of the Magnitsky List may include Americans suspected of involvement in the arrests and detentions – or, in the words of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in the “kidnapping” – of arms dealer Viktor Bout and pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, Lavrov told Euronews TV.

10:26 21.12.2012

Ukrainian prosecutor’s US visa revoked over Tymoshenko case - report

Ukrainian Deputy Prosecutor General Renat Kuzmin’s long-term US visa has been cancelled in what has been seen by some as a sign of political pressure on those spearheading the prosecution of the country’s former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

12:15 12.12.2012

Russia vows to retaliate against US Magnitsky bill

Russia will take retaliatory measures in response to the US legislature's decision to adopt new laws imposing sanctions against certain Russian individuals believed to have been connected with the death of Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian presidential aide said on Sunday.

18:08 09.12.2012

Mixing visa talks with human rights to procrastinate EU- Russia deal

The European Union's tying up of the transition to a visa-free regime with human rights issues in Russia might result in the procrastination of talks for an indefinite time period.

18:46 06.12.2012

The world's highest-grossing law firms list

The American Lawyer released a ranking of the world’s 100 highest grossing law firms.

18:46 05.12.2012

Russia ranks low in new Transparency International corruption index

Global anti-corruption advocacy group Transparency International released on Wednesday its raking of the world’s countries and territories based on perceived corruption within the public sector. The ranking is established according to a scale of zero to 100, 100 being perfection in anti-corruption terms, and zero being essentially disastrous corruption-wise. Two-thirds of the 176 countries assessed fell under the 50 mark, Russia included.

16:31 05.12.2012

U.S. amendment does not ensure full observance of human rights

Moscow welcomes the U.S. senators' attempts to bring U.S. legislation in correspondence with international law, but not all flaws have been removed, says Konstantin Dolgov, Russian Foreign Ministry's Commissioner for Human Rights.

12:11 05.12.2012

Russia ratifies contract with Czech Republic on social maintenance

President Vladimir Putin has signed a law on the ratification of a contract with the Czech Republic on social maintenance. The contract stipulates the regulation of social maintenance and obligatory insurance relations for Russian and Czech citizens and their family members, who permanently reside in Russia and Czech Republic.

17:22 04.12.2012

Obstacles remain in the path to Palestine's statehood

By an overwhelming majority, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted on Thursday to grant Palestine the status of a non-member observer state in the United Nations (UN).

14:46 30.11.2012

'Innocence of Muslims' creators sentenced to death in Egypt

The Cairo Criminal Court has handed down a death sentence to six Egyptian Coptic Christians and U.S. pastor Terry Jones, who were accused of creating and distributing the anti-Islamic film, "Innocence of Muslims".

15:45 29.11.2012

New York State Court of Appeals suspends Argentina's payment of debts

The New York State Court of Appeals has suspended the federal court ruling which obligated the Argentinean government to pay over $1.3 billion to "holdout creditors" as an immediate one-time payment of the country's debt obligations made 11 years ago.

13:45 29.11.2012

Russia overshadowed by Scandinavian neighbors in Rule of Law index

The World Justice Project (WJP) released on Wednesday its 2012 Rule of Law Index, a detailed analysis of where the countries of the world stand in relation to one another with respect to practically adhering to the Rule of Law.

18:32 28.11.2012

Interior Ministry calls on police in 51 countries to participate in child porn sting

The Interior Ministry has called on the police in 51 countries to join a special operation to find child porn on the Internet.

17:38 23.11.2012