Imprisonment for Public Protection: 'The Greatest Single Stain' on the UK Justice System
In a distressing and seemingly interminable saga within the UK justice system, individuals sentenced to a mere two years have found themselves ensnared in unyielding decades-long stints of confinement—a grim consequence of the since-abolished Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) policy. In 2020, Lord Brown, a former justice of the UK Supreme Court wrote he had “no [...]
UK former PM Boris Johnson acknowledges government 'may have made mistakes' during COVID-19 inquiry
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave testimony to the COVID-19 Inquiry, a body examining the UK’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, on Wednesday and Thursday. During the hearing, he acknowledged that his government “may have made mistakes” in their handling of the pandemic and said he was “deeply sorry for the pain and suffering” [...]
Crackdown on Tamil Commemoration: How Sri Lanka’s Use of Terrorism Law Sparks International Concern
Last week, Tamils in Sri Lanka and across the globe observed Maveerar Naal, an annual commemoration honoring fallen Tamil separatist soldiers of the Sri Lankan Civil War. In the aftermath of their observance, the Sri Lankan government conducted widespread arrests against Tamils who had participated. By November 30, the government had arrested at least 10 [...]
The UK government recently announced a strategy to cut migration levels in response to increasing demands for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to address net migration figures. The Monday plan includes raising the minimum salary needed for skilled overseas workers and prohibiting care workers from bringing dependents to the UK, with the ultimate goal of reducing [...]
Baroness Helena Kennedy of the Shaws, KC, is one of the UK’s most established lawyers, a bencher at Gray’s Inn and a member of the House of Lords. Kennedy is also a broadcaster, journalist and lecturer. She has not only acted in many of the most prominent cases of the last decade but has promoted civil [...]
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 [...]
