- The NY Times carries a piece on life under Islamist rule in Northern Mali, where at least 14 people have had their feet cut off since the takeover last Spring. Last week the UNSC passed a resolution authorising military intervention in Mali.
- The Washington post has published an interesting report on the CIA's little-known Global Response Staff, which employs contractors to provide an "unobtrusive layer of security for CIA officers in high-risk outposts."
- It is reported that UN Secretary General and the UN Security Council have issued statements condemning armed attacks in several towns in the Central African Republic by the Sedeka coalition rebels
- Hamas has banned Palestinian journalists in Gaza from working with or giving interviews to the Israeli media. Israeli journalists have been banned by their own government from entering Gaza since 2006, purportedly for security reasons. In the West Bank, President Abbas has said he will disband the Palestinian Authority and hand over authority to Netanyahu if there is no move to renewing peace talks after the forthcoming Israeli elections in January.
- At the ECCC, Florence Ndepele Mwachande Mumba of Zambia has been appointed as the sitting judge of the Supreme Court Chamber. She formerly served as a trial chamber judge at the ICTY and as an appeals chamber judge in the joint ICTY-ICTR appeals chamber. Phillip Rapoza of the USA, who served as a judge on the Special Panels for Serious Crimes in Timor-Leste, has been appointed as the Supreme Court Chamber's reserve judge.
- In Syria, the Assad regime's military police chief has defected. Maj. Gen. Abdul Aziz Jassem al-Shallal was reported as saying that he decided to leave when the regime deviated from its mission to protect the country and turned into “a gang for killing and destruction.”
- Three people have been killed and six more injured in a suicide bomb attack outside a US Base in Khost in eastern Afghanistan. The base is known to host CIA operatives tracking terror suspects in Pakistan. The Taliban have claimed credit for the attack.
- In Pakistan, there have been attacks on police stations in the town of Darra Adam Khel in the north-western part of Pakistan, in which two policemen have been killed and a further 22 are missing. The Pakistani Taliban, who are believed to be responsible, also announced today their conditions for a ceasefire with the Pakistani government.
- It is reported that the European training mission to Mali, mandated by Security Council Resolution 2085, is to be headed up by General François Lecointre who has previously served served in Djibouti, the Central African Republic, Rwanda, Gabon and Bosnia.
- The ICC Appeals Chamber rejected the OTP's request for a suspensive order regarding Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui's release from detention following his acquittal earlier this week, finding that in the absence of any strong reasons in support of the ordering of suspensive effect, Mr Ngudjolo's liberty interest must prevail.
- Vladimir Putin has stated that Russia is "not preoccupied" with the fate of the Assad regime, signalling Russia's waning support.
- The NY Times has reported on the Syrian regime's use of cluster bombs against civilians. Cluster bombs are the subject of an international ban on account of their inherent imprecision, though neither Syria nor the US are party to the treaty in question.
- Salam Fayaad, Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, has called for a boycott of Israeli goods in response to Israel's refusal to transfer tax revenue to the West Bank. Israel's refusal came after Palestine successfully bid for observer state status at the UN last month.
- At the Khmer Rouge Tribunal (ECCC) in Cambodia, Trial Chamber has rejected a request by Ieng Sary to reconsider its earlier decision of 26 Nov in which it found him fit to stand trial.
- At the ICC, Trial Chamber II has rejected the OTP's application for the continued detention of Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui following his acquittal earlier this week. The OTP has appealed.
- Chair of independent commission of inquiry on Syria Paulo Pinheiro told the Human Rights Council that the fighting in Syria is becoming overtly sectarian and more foreign fighters from the Middle East and Africa are joining the struggle. The NY Times has largely confirmed this through its own investigation in Syria.
- The UN has now suspended its vaccination drive in Pakistan after eight of its workers were killed over a three day period. Taliban commanders in North Waziristan say the drive can continue when the US stops using drones to kill its comrades.
- Yesterday, ICC Chamber II acquitted Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui of all charges against him, marking the third acquittal at the international criminal courts in recent months, following the acquittals of Croatian General Gotovina and Kosovar-Albanian Commander Haradinaj at the ICTY.
- At the ECCC, the International Co-Investigating Judges have issued a statement regarding additional international crime sites in Case 004.
- Gen Salim Idris, military commander of the Syrian rebels has asked again for defensive weapons, claiming that the war would be over in 1-3 months with such assistance being offered. He warned that Assad's regime can and will use chemical weapons against his people. And in a move which arguably signals a loss of confidence in Assad's regime, Russia announced that it was sending warships to Syria, apparently to evacuate its citizens.
- State Dept. spokesperson Victoria Nuland has called Israel's decision to build more settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem "provocative" (whereas William Hague referred to all Israeli settlements as "illegal under international law). '
- The US has blacklisted two M23 DRC rebel leaders, freezing any assets in the US and prohibiting any Americans from transacting with the men. Ms. Nuland stated that they are still considering whether to sanction senior Rwandan officials.
- A resolution on American-and French-backed intervention in Mali may occur by the end of the week. Humanitarian organisations have estimated that intervention would displace at least 700,000 persons.
