Security Council Paralysis in Face of Gaza Crisis Highlights Imperative of UN Reform
On November 15, 2023, more than five weeks after Hamas‘ heinous October 7 attack on Israel, and after thousands of lives were lost, the Security Council, the United Nations body with the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, finally managed to pass a somewhat controversial resolution in response to the crisis. [...]
UN moves to draft new convention on international tax cooperation
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday adopted a resolution to move forward with a proposal for a UN tax convention to promote international tax cooperation. The resolution, tabled by the Africa Group, was adopted with 125 member states voting for the resolution, 48 voting against and 9 abstaining. The resolution provides for an intergovernmental [...]
UK Supreme Court rules Deliveroo riders cannot collectively bargain as a union
The UK Supreme Court held Tuesday that Deliveroo riders were not entitled to form a union and collectively bargain with Deliveroo for better working conditions due to a lack of employment relationship. This case was an appeal from an original ruling by the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) in 2017. Deliveroo riders wanted the Independent Workers [...]
Driven by a broadly maligned interpretation of Islamic law, the Taliban has waged a violent campaign against girls’ education. Driven by the belief that education is a human right — and the more broadly accepted view across the Muslim world that contrary to Taliban beliefs, women and girls are obligated to receive an education — [...]
On Tuesday His Majesty King Charles III took part in The State Opening of Parliament, a ceremonial event that marks the formal beginning of a new parliamentary session. It is a significant constitutional event in the United Kingdom, involving the monarch, Members of Parliament, and other dignitaries. During the State Opening, the reigning monarch delivers [...]
UK Member of Parliament Bob Stewart found guilty of hate crime towards Bahrain activist
The UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced on Friday that Conservative MP Bob Stewart was found guilty in a Westminster Magistrates court of racially abusing a Bahraini activist outside of an event hosted by the Government of Bahrain in December 2022, after a one day trial. Stewart had told Sayed Ahmed Alwadei to “go back [...]
A recent report by One, an aid campaign, and figures from the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have found that the United Kingdom spends 40% more than its European neighbors on housing a single potential refugee or asylum seeker. This cost takes up nearly a third of its official aid budget and has [...]
ECHR hears landmark lawsuit brought by youth climate activists against 33 governments
In a nearly five-hour long hearing on Wednesday, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) heard a landmark case brought by six youth plaintiffs against 33 European governments to spur stronger climate change mitigation measures. Duarte Agostinho and Others v. Portugal and 32 Others featured six plaintiffs from Portugal: Catarina, 23, Cláudia, 24, Martim, 20, [...]
Police in the German city of Stuttgart stated on Sunday that they had arrested a total of 228 rioters following unrest near an Eritrean cultural festival the previous afternoon. Authorities said rioters gathered and attacked festivalgoers and police officers, adding that 27 officers were injured while dispersing the riot. The cultural festival was organized by [...]
Marjorie Cohn is a professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California. She has authored publications arguing against the legality of the 2003 US military intervention in Iraq as well as the US-led NATO interventions into Afghanistan and the former Yugoslavia. Professor Cohn is also a national board member of Assange [...]
