Incendiary Devices: The Snowden Files – The Inside Story of the World’s Most Wanted Man – London Review of Books

Posted February 13th, 2014 in intelligence services, internet, news, whistleblowers by sally

‘What matters more: the leaker, or the leak? Any one of the following, you’d think, might have been the news story of the year, or the decade: the revelation that America’s biggest spy agency, the NSA, has information on every phone call made in the continental United States as well as abroad; that it claims to have direct access to the servers of Google, Yahoo, Facebook and all the other major web companies; that GCHQ, the NSA’s British equivalent, is siphoning off the entire internet and storing some of it for thirty days; that online encryption has been subverted and nothing is safe from government spies. The drift of the stories – which were at their peak last summer, when the Guardian and others first got their hands on Edward Snowden’s documents – was that we’re all being watched all the time. Anything we do online, and any phone call we make, is potentially being analysed by the NSA and its friends. But, as Luke Harding discloses in his book on the Snowden affair, the most viewed story in the Guardian’s history wasn’t any of this: it wasn’t a piece of news at all. It was the 12-minute video, made by Laura Poitras and Glenn Greenwald, in which Snowden explained who he was and why he’d decided to reveal what he had.’

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London Review of Books, February 2014

Source: www.lrb.co.uk

In re West of England Ship Owners Insurance Services Ltd Retirement Benefits Scheme Board of the Pension Protection Fund v Board of the West of England Ship Owners Insurance Services Ltd Retirement Benefits Scheme and another

Posted February 13th, 2014 in law reports, ombudsmen, pensions, third parties, trusts by sally

In re West of England Ship Owners Insurance Services Ltd Retirement Benefits Scheme
Board of the Pension Protection Fund v Board of the West of England Ship Owners Insurance Services Ltd Retirement Benefits Scheme and another [2014] EWHC 20 (Ch); [2014] WLR (D) 58

‘Considerations of fairness and reasonableness could not be imported into the process of construing the provisions of a Levy Determination issued by the Pension Protection Fund (“PPF”) which set out, pursuant to section 175(5) of the Pensions Act 2004, the rules for calculating the annual levy on defined pension benefit schemes eligible to receive compensation from the PPF. If the relevant rule in the Levy Determination did not permit the board of the PPF to interfere in any individual case so as to procure what might be said to be fair or rational in the calculation of the levy, the ombudsman was similarly constrained on a reference.’

WLR Daily, 23rd January 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Regina (Khan) v Secretary of State for the Home Department – WLR Daily

Posted February 13th, 2014 in appeals, deportation, evidence, immigration, law reports by sally

Regina (Khan) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2014] EWCA Civ 88; [2014] WLR (D) 60

‘The word “matter” in section 96(1)(b) of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 was to be interpreted broadly to include both evidence and issues.’

WLR Daily, 11th February 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Regina v Mitchell (William) – WLR Daily

Posted February 13th, 2014 in appeals, crime, law reports, misfeasance in public office, paramedics by sally

Regina v Mitchell (William) [2014] WLR (D) 61

‘To be the holder of a public office a person had to owe duties to the public over and above duties owed to individual citizens. Therefore a paramedic who did not owe such duties was not a holder of a public office.’

WLR Daily, 12th February 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Ministry of Defence v Kemeh – WLR Daily

Posted February 13th, 2014 in agency, appeals, armed forces, law reports, race discrimination by sally

Ministry of Defence v Kemeh [2014] EWCA Civ 91; [2014] WLR (D) 59

‘Common law principles of agency were applicable when considering section 32(2) of the Race Relations Act 1976.’

WLR Daily, 11th February 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Are judges and opposing parties targeting lawyers? Recent cases suggest they are – Legal Futures

Posted February 13th, 2014 in alternative business structures, costs, law firms, news, solicitors by sally

‘A string of recent cases indicate that judges may be increasingly tempted to remind solicitors of their duty to act impartially in litigation, in an era of alternative business structures (ABSs) where their loyalties might be tested, according to a leading criminal lawyer.’

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Legal Futures, 13th February 2014

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Civil Justice Council slams government’s court fee reforms – Litigation Futures

Posted February 13th, 2014 in consultations, courts, fees, news by sally

‘The Civil Justice Council has become the latest and one of the most influential bodies to lay into the government’s proposed increases in court fees, warning that they could have a “chilling effect” on people who want to bring claims.’

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Litigation Futures, 13th February 2014

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Police failings left suspect free to shoot man in face resulting in ‘life-changing’ injuries – The Independent

Posted February 13th, 2014 in complaints, delay, firearms, news, police, professional conduct by sally

‘A suspected gunman was free to shoot a man in the face after apparent police failings meant that he was not identified as the owner of a sawn-off shotgun seized in a police operation 17 months earlier, it has emerged.’

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The Independent, 12th February 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

EU uncertainty – the impact on EU migrants in the UK – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted February 13th, 2014 in citizenship, EC law, freedom of movement, immigration, news by sally

‘Recently I have seen an increase in EU nationals enquiring about becoming British. I always ask the client why they feel the need (given the extensive rights that EU law secures) to move between EU states. The invariable answer is a fear that Britain will leave the EU.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 12th February 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

FGM: government is in breach of legal obligations, say lawyers – The Guardian

Posted February 13th, 2014 in child abuse, female genital mutilation, human rights, international law, news by sally

‘An influential group of Britain’s leading human rights barristers has told MPs that the government is in breach of its legal obligation to protect children by failing to stop girls becoming victims of female genital mutilation.’

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The Guardian, 12th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High Court quashes government’s refusal to proceed with Litvinenko inquiry – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 13th, 2014 in inquiries, judicial review, news, poisoning, public interest immunity by sally

‘This was an application by the widow of Alexander Litvinenko for judicial review of the refusal by the Secretary of State for the Home Department to order the setting up of a statutory inquiry into his death in London in November 2006. The Secretary of State had been asked to set up such an inquiry by Sir Robert Owen, the judge appointed to conduct the inquest into Mr Litvinenko’s death as Assistant Coroner.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 12th February 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

High Court throws out Legal Ombudsman ruling, branding it ‘irrational’ – The Lawyer

Posted February 13th, 2014 in appeals, barristers, complaints, fees, legal ombudsman, news by sally

‘The High Court has slammed the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) over its decision to order a barrister to reimburse fees to a client, branding the LeO ruling “irrational”.’

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The Lawyer, 12th February 2014

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Lawyers to stage full-day walkout over legal aid cuts in England and Wales – The Guardian

‘Criminal courts across England and Wales will be severely disrupted next month when barristers and solicitors escalate their protests against legal aid cuts by staging a full-day walkout.’

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The Guardian, 12th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Suspected foreign war criminals ‘able to stay in UK’ – BBC News

Posted February 13th, 2014 in asylum, deportation, human rights, news, war crimes by sally

‘Forty-nine people suspected of genocide, torture or other serious crimes abroad are living in the UK despite being priority cases for deportation, figures reveal.’

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BBC News, 13th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Care fees ruling: the implications for other families – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 13th, 2014 in care homes, elderly, families, fees, housing, news by sally

‘Worcestershire County Council has lost a court battle over its attempt to sell a woman’s home to pay for care.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th February 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Tranquilliser ketamine will be upgraded to Class B – The Independent

Posted February 13th, 2014 in drug abuse, drug offences, medicines, news by sally

‘Ketamine, the horse tranquiliser that has become a popular party drug, is to be upgraded from a class C to a class B banned substance by the Government in an attempt to deter its increasing use.’

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The Independent, 12th February 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK launches £500,000 fund to help male victims of rape and sexual abuse – The Guardian

Posted February 13th, 2014 in news, rape, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘A £500,000 fund to provide help, including counselling and advice, to male victims of rape and sexual violence is to be launched on Thursday.’

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The Guardian, 13th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Dennehy murder case: Why do women kill? – BBC News

Posted February 13th, 2014 in murder, news, recidivists, women by sally

‘Two men have been found guilty of aiding triple murderer Joanna Dennehy. What makes her case so rare, and why do women kill?’

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BBC News, 12th February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Joanna Dennehy’s two ‘willing accomplices’ found guilty – The Guardian

‘Two men “in the thrall” of triple-murderer Joanna Dennehy who were her “willing accomplices” have been convicted of offences related to her killing spree.’

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The Guardian, 12th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk