Palestine
Israeli army shells Gaza —again
The Israeli army shelled a site allegedly used by Palestinian militant groups in the central Gaza Strip after a rocket fired from the Strip hit an open area in southern Israel.
Southeast Asia
Philippines: more Duterte death-squad links revealed
A former death-squad hitman testified to the Philippine Senate that extrajudicial executions in Mindanao were personally ordered by now-president Rodrigo Duterte.
Watching the Shadows
Ex-CIA officials ordered to testify in torture suit
A federal judge ruled that four former high-ranking CIA officials must testify in a lawsuit against two psychologists who designed the Bush-era agency torture program.
Afghanistan
Germany: no compensation in Afghan air-strike
Germany's Federal Court of Justice ruled that relatives of the victims of a 2009 air-strike in Afghanistan are not entitled to compensation under international law.
Southeast Asia
Hong Kong activist barred by Thai military regime
Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong was barred from entering Thailand to attend commemorations of the 1976 massacre of student protesters.
Oceania
World Court turns down nuclear arms case
The International Court of Justice refused to hear a claim by the Marshall Islands that the UK, India and Pakistan have failed to fulfill treaty obligations to halt the nuclear arms race.
The Andes
Bolivia tilting back to prohibitionist stance?
Bolivia broached legislation that would impose criminal penalties for illict coca cultivation—just as the government has turned to Russia for military and anti-narcotics aid.
North America
Court blocks Indiana from refusing Syrian refugees
A federal appeals court affirmed an Indiana district court ruling that blocked the state government's effort to prevent resettlement of Syrian refugee families in the state.
Iraq
More US troops to Iraq —on whose side?
The Pentagon will send 600 additional troops to Iraq to help in the offensive to retake Mosul from ISIS—but it is unclear if they will be backing Shi'ite, Sunni or Kurdish forces.
Central America
El Salvador reopens massacre investigation
A court in El Salvador will reopen an investigation into the Mozote massacre of 1981, following petitioning by attorneys and international human rights groups.
Planet Watch
Mohawk band forms indigenous legal system
The Mohawk band council of Akwesasne introduced its own legal system independent of Canada's federal system, marking the first such indigenous judiciary in the country.
Europe
Hungary refugee referendum invalidated
Low voter turnout invalidated the referendum in which Hungarians voted to oppose any EU mandatory placement of refugees—but President Viktor Orbán remains intransigent.