#international-law
41 episodes
#2611: Saturday Drums vs Quiet Homes: Protest Rights in Residential Areas
When weekly protests become a permanent neighborhood soundscape, how do democracies balance assembly rights with residents' quiet enjoyment?
#2552: Inside Iran's Nuclear Inspections: What IAEA Can Actually See
The IAEA has fewer inspectors, less access, and more enrichment to verify in Iran than ever before.
#2389: How UKMTO Tracks Maritime Threats in Real Time
The Royal Navy's UKMTO has become the go-to source for real-time maritime incident reports—here's how it works amid rising Red Sea tensions.
#2360: EU-Israel Agreement: What Suspension Would Really Mean
What would suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement actually mean for trade, research, and diplomacy? We break it down.
#2298: Why Flights to Israel Have Hebrew Announcements
Discover why non-Israeli airlines always have Hebrew-speaking crew members on flights to Israel — and what it reveals about aviation regulations.
#2240: Who Does Every Country Owe Money To?
National debt isn't like personal debt. Most countries simultaneously owe money to diffuse creditors while also holding others' debt—creating a cir...
#2229: Decoding "Working Level": What Diplomats Really Mean
When the White House calls a meeting "working level," what's actually being signaled? We decode the vocabulary system that grades every diplomatic ...
#2216: The Yellow Line: Israel's Creeping Border
As Iran dominates headlines, Israel has quietly entrenched control over half of Gaza. A ceasefire line is looking permanent.
#2198: The Strait Choke: How Naval Blockades Actually Work
The US just announced a blockade of Iranian ports. We break down the legal definition, four centuries of blockade history, and why this one might—o...
#2156: Think Tank Funding and the Art of Academic Laundering
Foreign governments are funding U.S. think tanks through complex financial networks to shape policy, often bypassing transparency laws.
#2086: The Gravity of Power: Why We Split It
Why do we separate government powers? We trace the idea from Aristotle to Montesquieu and the US founders.
#2082: Mandatory Death: Ancient Roots of Israel's New Bill
Israel's proposed mandatory death penalty for terrorists has deep historical roots, from Hammurabi's Code to the Bloody Code.
#2052: The UN’s Phantom Army: Who Really Holds the Stick?
The UN Security Council can authorize war, but owns no tanks. Discover the gap between legal authority and military reality.
#2023: When the UN Security Council Becomes a War Room
A dramatic UN session unfolds as the US and Russia clash over preemptive strikes on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
#1999: Why Anti-Zionist Jews Live in Jerusalem
They reject Israel’s existence on religious grounds, yet live in its heart. Discover the theology of the Three Oaths.
#1833: The Kosher Coffee Machine Rebellion
A Tel Aviv hotel's coffee machine sparked a legal battle over who gets to say your food is kosher.
#1826: Israel’s Unwritten Constitution: A 75-Year Patchwork
Israel has existed for over 75 years without a formal constitution, relying instead on a patchwork of Basic Laws.
#1747: Cluster Bombs: Precision's Evil Twin
Why are countries still using cluster bombs? We explore the terrifying engineering and the decades-long fallout.
#1745: GAAP vs IFRS: The Trillion-Dollar Accounting Split
Why the U.S. uses different accounting rules than the rest of the world—and what LIFO inventory has to do with it.
#1676: China's Atheist State, Spiritual Reality
China is officially atheist, but 100 million people practice Christianity in secret. Discover the five state-approved faiths and the shadow network...
#1628: Is a Diplomat Enough to Stop an Iranian Nuclear Bomb?
Discover why the man tasked with monitoring Iran’s nuclear program isn't a scientist—and why that might be his greatest strength.
#1553: The Global Law Gap: High-Stakes Drama vs. Technical Success
Why does international law thrive in technical "plumbing" but fail in high-stakes justice? Discover the growing global enforcement gap.
#1552: Targeted Prevention: Inside Israel’s Assassination Policy
Explore the history, legality, and tactical execution of Israel’s "Sikkul Memukad" policy, from early parcel bombs to modern drone strikes.
#1371: The Limelight: The High Stakes of Terrorist Proscription
What happens when a group moves from the "limelight" into a terrorist list? Explore the legal mechanics and global politics of proscription.
#1323: City Hall vs. The World: Mayor Mamdani’s Global Posturing
Mayor Zohran Mamdani sparks controversy by labeling international conflicts as genocide. Is this bold leadership or a dangerous distraction?
#1302: The Legal Labyrinth: Israel’s Disputed Territories
Explore the friction between international law and domestic policy regarding East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Golan Heights.
#1295: The Statehood Question: History, Law, and Sovereignty
Does the lack of a historical Palestinian state invalidate modern claims to sovereignty? We debate legal realism versus inherent human rights.
#1286: Can You Lose Your Home for Leaving the City?
Explore the "residency trap" and the pragmatic survival of 330,000 people living in the complex legal heart of East Jerusalem.
#1196: Sovereign of the Surf: The Truth About International Waters
Is the ocean truly a lawless frontier? Discover the complex legal zones of the high seas and why "pirate" dreams are a legal nightmare.
#1153: How to Start Your Own Country: The Poppleberry Guide
Is any land left on Earth truly unclaimed? Join the quest to find out if you can still plant a flag and start your own sovereign nation.
#970: The Limits of the State: Can a Nation Survive Anarchy?
Explore the boundaries of power as we look at stateless Somalia, private cities in Honduras, and the radical mini-state of Liechtenstein.
#904: 27 Targets: The History of the US Middle East Footprint
As 27 US bases face unprecedented strikes, Herman and Corn trace the 80-year history of the American military footprint in the Middle East.
#876: Words That Wound: The Global Battle Over Free Speech
Explore the high-stakes tension between the right to speak and the right to safety in an era of digital vitriol and real-world violence.
#734: The Illusion of Now: UTC, GMT, and the Chaos of Time
Why is keeping time so hard? Explore the difference between UTC and GMT, the end of leap seconds, and the messy global politics of daylight savings.
#710: Defining the "Crime of Crimes": The Gaza Genocide Case
We examine the history of the term "genocide" and the high-stakes legal battle at the ICJ regarding the conflict in Gaza.
#614: The Legal Maze of International Arrest Warrants
Herman and Corn break down the mechanics of ICC warrants, the role of Interpol, and why international law often clashes with global politics.
#541: Why Can’t This Battery Fly? The Science of Li-ion Safety
Why are loose batteries a "no-go" for shipping? Herman and Corn explore the volatile science and strict laws behind lithium-ion logistics.
#483: From Sultans to Sovereignty: Building a Modern State
Explore how 400 years of Ottoman rule and 30 years of British mandate built the physical and legal foundations of the modern State of Israel.
#464: The Hidden Walls of Global Remote Work
Why does "work from anywhere" often mean "only in the US"? Explore the legal, tax, and IP traps that keep remote work restricted.
#430: Jerusalem’s Ghost Consulates: Diplomacy in Limbo
Discover why some Jerusalem consulates ignore the state they’re in and how 400-year-old treaties still shape the city’s bizarre diplomatic map.
#277: Bulldozing Diplomacy: The Truth About UNRWA and Embassies
As Israel dismantles the UNRWA HQ in Jerusalem, we debunk the myth of "foreign soil" and explore the reality of diplomatic immunity.