Links 10/06/14

Politics: 

Since becoming the court’s chief prosecutor in December 2011, Mrs. Bensouda has emphasized her office’s commitment to fighting sexual and gender-based crimes. The lengthy policy paper is her strongest effort to date to exhort both the court and national governments to pay more attention to such crimes.
The new policy paper, however, seems intended to place such crimes at the center of the court’s examination of war crimes. “The office will apply a gender analysis to all of the crimes within its jurisdiction,” Mrs. Bensouda wrote, adding that her office would integrate “a gender perspective and expertise” into all its activities. 

NY Times: International Criminal Court to Focus on Sex Crimes, June 5, 2014

(here's the policy paper). 

openDemocracy about the effects of European migration policy on migrants coming to Greece. 

Migration in Greece is also distinctly shaped by its location on the external border of the EU, a natural entry point for those wishing to migrate or seek protection elsewhere. Other impacts of the common European migration and asylum policy have been equally significant—in particular the Dublin regulations, which make Greece responsible for reviewing the applications of all asylum-seekers who first enter the EU there. Most EU countries have stopped deporting asylum-seekers back to Greece for now but these rules have trapped many asylum-seekers in the country. 

openDemocracy: Tip of the iceberg: European migration policy in Greece and the Euro-elections, June 5, 2014

Greece, which currently holds the EU presidency, is also pressing for the establishment of holding centres in north Africa and the Middle East in order to process refugees and migrants before they reach European soil. In addition, the Greek government is calling for an international seaborne taskforce to patrol the Mediterranean in an attempt to stem the flow of migrants.  

The Guardian: Europe faces 'colossal humanitarian catastrophe' of refugees dying at sea, June 2, 2014 

And an interview about the conditions that asylum seekers in Australia are facing in largely privatised detention centres. 

Here are some photos of the creative ways in which inhabitants of Beirut deal with the literal obstacles the city puts in their way. 

There are some signs pointing towards more detainees being transferred out of the controversial detention camp in Guantanamo Bay. 

The Columbia Journalism Review on the effects that the misreporting on Iraq's weapons capabilities prior to the war in 2003 had on covering the conflict in Syria. 

Pop Culture: 

Sally Wainwright (Last Tango in Halifax, Scott & Bailey) about writing the crime drama Happy Valley, which just wrapped up a gritty first season (and it would be interesting to compare that ending to that of The Fall). 

Maya Rudolph interviews her friend Natasha Lyonne, one of the very many excellent actresses in Orange is the New Black (which has just begun and finished its second season, depending on how quickly you can watch 13 hours of television). 

Caribou released a new song (Can't Do Without You) from his upcoming album Our Love, and a new track from SBTRKT featuring Sampha.