A Precessing Jet in the CH Cyg Symbiotic System

Jets have been detected in only a few symbiotic binaries to date, and CH Cyg is one of them. In 2001, a non-relativistic jet was detected in CH Cyg for the first time in X-rays. We carried out coordinated Chandra, HST, and VLA observations in 2008 to study the propagation of this jet and its interaction with the circumbinary medium. We detected the jet with Chandra and HST and determined that the apex has expanded to the South from about 300 AU to about 1400 AU, with the shock front propagating with velocity < 100 km/s. The shock front has significantly slowed down since 2001. Unexpectedly, we also discovered a powerful jet in the NE-SW direction, in the X-ray, optical and radio. This jet has a multi-component structure, including an inner jet and a counter-jet at about 170 AU, and a SW component ending in several clumps extending out to approximately 750 AU. The structure of the jet and the curvature of the outer portion of the SW jet suggest an episodically powered precessing jet, or a continuous precessing jet with occasional mass ejections or pulses. We carried out detailed spatial mapping of the X-ray emission and correlation with the optical and radio emission. X-ray spectra were extracted of the central source, inner NE counter jet, and the brightest clump at a distance of approximately 500 AU from the central source. We discuss the initial results of our analyses, including the multi-component spectral fitting of the jet-components and of the central source.Comment: 15 pages with 4 figures, Accepted by ApJ Letter

Distances on Cosmological Scales with VLTI

We present here a new method using interferometric measurements of quasars, that allows the determination of direct geometrical distances on cosmic scales. Quasar Broad Emission Line Regions sizes provide a "meter rule" with which to measure the metric of the Universe. This method is less dependent of model assumptions, and even of variations in the fundamental constants (other than c). We discuss the spectral and spatial requirements on the VLTI observations needed to carry out these measurements.Comment: 6 pages, 2 postscript figures, to appear in the proceedings of the JENAM 2002 Workshop WS-VLTI "The Very Large Telescope Interferometer: Challenges for the Future", Editors: P.J.V. Garcia, A. Glindemann, Th. Henning, F. Malbet, Ap&SS, Kluwer, in pres

Ustavna odstupanja od ljudskih prava u izvanrednom stanju – europska iskustva tijekom pandemije bolesti COVID-19

In a state of emergency when the safety of citizens usually is seriously endangered, in state constitutions special powers are provided for the state bodies. These special powers are imposed by the need to successfully deal with the threats. In those circumstances the governments impose extraordinary measures for citizens which usually derogate some fundamental human rights. Hence, from a human rights perspective declared state of emergency is a huge challenge because it could pave the way for human rights unjustified restrictions and violations. The explanation and justification from the state officials usually is that this is the way of protection wider public interest. However, because emergency powers could be abused, it is essential to create strict constitutional limits regarding the circumstances, duration and scope of such powers. In this paper we made a comparative overview of the conditions under which a state of emergency could be declared according to constitutions of various European countries. Special focus was placed on the provisions for restriction of human rights in extraordinary situations with review on experiences of European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.U izvanrednom stanju, kad je sigurnost građana obično ozbiljno ugrožena, ustavom države predviđaju se posebne ovlasti državnih tijela. Te posebne ovlasti nametnute su potrebom za uspješnim suočavanjem s prijetnjama. U takvim okolnostima vlade građanima nameću izvanredne mjere, koje obično odstupaju od nekih temeljnih ljudskih prava. Stoga je iz perspektive ljudskih prava proglašavanje izvanrednog stanja velik izazov jer bi se time moglo utrti put neopravdanim ograničenjima i kršenjima ljudskih prava. Državni dužnosnici obično daju objašnjenja i opravdanja da je to način zaštite šireg javnog interesa. Budući da bi se izvanredne ovlasti mogle zloupotrijebiti, ipak je prijeko potrebno uspostaviti stroga ustavna ograničenja s obzirom na okolnosti, trajanje i opseg takvih ovlasti. Ovim radom dali smo usporedni pregled uvjeta u kojima se može proglasiti izvanredno stanje u skladu s ustavom pojedinih europskih država. Posebno smo se usredotočili na odredbe o ograničavanju ljudskih prava u izvanrednim situacijama s osvrtom na iskustva europskih država tijekom pandemije bolesti COVID-19

HUMAN RIGHTS LAW AND HUMANITARIAN LAW: BETWEEN COMPLEMENTARITY AND CONTRADICTION

International human rights law and international humanitarian law are two specialized areas of the public international law, which exist as distinct legal branches. These legal branches have a different origin and legal basis, but a common humanist ideal, and consequently areas of overlap in practice. Both legal regimes share the responsibility to protect human beings’ rights; Humanitarian law in time of armed conflict, human rights law in peacetime and in wartime as well. Because of this, in practice there is sometimes concurrent application of the legal norms of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. At the same time, there are also differences between these two legal regimes that arise from the different circumstances which are relevant in a state of peace and in state of war. Hence, regarding this relationship, many relevant questions arise: Whether these legal branches are mutually exclusive? Under what circumstances does humanitarian law apply, and how does this differ from the applicability of human rights law? Which are the areas of overlap? What are the practical consequences of the legal issues resulting from parallel application of the two legal frameworks? This paper is not intended to resolve all these questions, but to make contributions in the ongoing debate by presenting similarities between human rights law and humanitarian law, areas of overlap, and situations of concurrent application. We will also underline the differences which exist in this relationship, especially the differences in the scope of protection guaranteed within the legal norms, the responsibility for breaking the norms, as well as permitted derogations in implementation of the norms. One part of the paper applies the principle lex specialis in cases where one of the legal branches is more specific in a concrete situation

CHEERS results on Mrk 573: Study of deep Chandra observations

We present results on Mrk 573 obtained as part of the CHandra survey of Extended Emission-line Regions in nearby Seyfert galaxies (CHEERS). Previous studies showed that this source features a biconical emission in the soft X-ray band closely related with the Narrow Line Region as mapped by the [O iii] emission line and the radio emission, though on a smaller scale; we investigate the properties of soft X-ray emission from this source with new deep Chandra observations. Making use of the subpixel resolution of the Chandra/ACIS image and PSF-deconvolution, we resolve and study substructures in each ionizing cone. The two cone spectra are fitted with photoionization model, showing a mildly photoionized phase diffused over the bicone. Thermal collisional gas at about ~ 1.1 keV and ~ 0.8 keV appears to be located between the nucleus and the "knots" resolved in radio observations, and between the "arcs" resolved in the optical images, respectively; this can be interpreted in terms of shock interaction with the host galactic plane. The nucleus shows a significant flux decrease across the observations indicating variability of the AGN, with the nuclear region featuring higher ionization parameter with respect to the bicone region. The long exposure allows us to find extended emission up to ~ 7 kpc from the nucleus along the bicone axis. Significant emission is also detected in the direction perpendicular to the ionizing cones, disagreeing with the fully obscuring torus prescribed in the AGN unified model, and suggesting instead the presence of a clumpy structure.Comment: 38 pages, 15 figures, 8 tables, accepted for publication on Ap

HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION: LEGAL AND ETHICAL DILEMMAS

Humanitarian intervention as a form of use of military force undertaken against a sovereign state in а case of flagrant violations of fundamental human rights of its citizens, is one of the most controversial issues in the international relations that opens a series of legal and ethical dilemmas. The issues that dominate in the debate on humanitarian intervention are related to its legality versus its justification, and are reduced primarily to the following dilemma: Should the international community act with military force in a case of evident violations of international human rights law or should it be treated as an issue that falls exclusively under the internal affairs of the state? This fundamental question is also complemented by the following: What intensity should the violations of human rights be, to influence over or derogate the state sovereignty? The practice of undertaken humanitarian interventions has also raised the following dilemma: Whether the use of military force can be justified when the humanitarian intervention is undertaken without a decision by the UN Security Council? This paper is not intended to resolve all existing dilemmas, but to make an appropriate contribution to the debate on humanitarian intervention, as well as to identify the issues that are still open and to address the further discussions on this topic

Ustavna odstupanja od ljudskih prava u izvanrednom stanju – europska iskustva tijekom pandemije bolesti COVID-19

In a state of emergency when the safety of citizens usually is seriously endangered, in state constitutions special powers are provided for the state bodies. These special powers are imposed by the need to successfully deal with the threats. In those circumstances the governments impose extraordinary measures for citizens which usually derogate some fundamental human rights. Hence, from a human rights perspective declared state of emergency is a huge challenge because it could pave the way for human rights unjustified restrictions and violations. The explanation and justification from the state officials usually is that this is the way of protection wider public interest. However, because emergency powers could be abused, it is essential to create strict constitutional limits regarding the circumstances, duration and scope of such powers. In this paper we made a comparative overview of the conditions under which a state of emergency could be declared according to constitutions of various European countries. Special focus was placed on the provisions for restriction of human rights in extraordinary situations with review on experiences of European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.U izvanrednom stanju, kad je sigurnost građana obično ozbiljno ugrožena, ustavom države predviđaju se posebne ovlasti državnih tijela. Te posebne ovlasti nametnute su potrebom za uspješnim suočavanjem s prijetnjama. U takvim okolnostima vlade građanima nameću izvanredne mjere, koje obično odstupaju od nekih temeljnih ljudskih prava. Stoga je iz perspektive ljudskih prava proglašavanje izvanrednog stanja velik izazov jer bi se time moglo utrti put neopravdanim ograničenjima i kršenjima ljudskih prava. Državni dužnosnici obično daju objašnjenja i opravdanja da je to način zaštite šireg javnog interesa. Budući da bi se izvanredne ovlasti mogle zloupotrijebiti, ipak je prijeko potrebno uspostaviti stroga ustavna ograničenja s obzirom na okolnosti, trajanje i opseg takvih ovlasti. Ovim radom dali smo usporedni pregled uvjeta u kojima se može proglasiti izvanredno stanje u skladu s ustavom pojedinih europskih država. Posebno smo se usredotočili na odredbe o ograničavanju ljudskih prava u izvanrednim situacijama s osvrtom na iskustva europskih država tijekom pandemije bolesti COVID-19