Case Comment: Herculito Maritime Ltd and Ors v Gunvor International BV and Ors [2024] UKSC 2 – UKSC Blog

Posted February 29th, 2024 in charterparties, insurance, news, piracy, shipping law, war by sally

‘On 17 January 2024, the Supreme Court handed down judgment in Herculito Maritime Ltd & Ors v Gunvor International BV & Ors unanimously dismissing the appeal. In this post David McKie, Partner at CMS, comments on that judgment.’

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UKSC Blog, 27th February 2024

Source: ukscblog.com

High court rejects legal challenge over UK arms sales to Israel – The Guardian

Posted February 21st, 2024 in government departments, human rights, international law, Israel, news, war, weapons by sally

‘The high court has dismissed a case urging the suspension of UK arms sales to Israel.’

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The Guardian, 20th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Home Office plans new protest offences and anti-Zionism is a protected belief – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The Home Office has announced its intention to create new offences relating to actions taken by attendees at protests. The plans include making it an offence to possess flares or pyrotechnics at a protest, to wear a face covering at a protest, and to climb on war memorials. The changes will be added as amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill. The Home Office has emphasised that the new rules are not a blanket ban on face coverings, and only apply where the protester’s intention is to conceal their identity.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 12th February 2024

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Unmanaged illegal migration brings rule of law into disrepute – Chalk – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 2nd, 2024 in immigration, international law, news, rule of law, Russia, Ukraine, war by sally

‘Unmanaged illegal migration risks bringing the rule of law into disrepute, the lord chancellor said last night. In a speech to legislators and lawyers during a visit to the US, Alex Chalk MP said such migration “disregards borders and is putting undue pressure on the national systems of rules-based countries like ours and is a fundamental challenge to our democracies.”‘

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Law Society's Gazette, 1st February 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Top Cases of 2023: the good, the bad and the legally complicated – UK Human Rights Blog

‘As the dust settles on another year, it is (just about still) time to look back over the year gone to review some of the most dramatic, legally interesting or impactful cases of the year gone by. As ever, this is only a selection of the top cases of the year, but as a whole they reveal yet another year in which the courts have been drawn into the centre of the most important social and political debates of the society in which they find themselves.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 29th January 2024

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Financial Sanction and Free Speech in the High Court – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Graham Phillips, the Claimant, is a British national and video blogger who posts content from the Donbass dressed in Russian military fatigues. He says he is a journalist who provides a “counterbalance” to widespread western misunderstanding of the true situation in Ukraine but the Administrative Court disagrees. On 12 January 2024, it handed down judgment in R (Phillips) v Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs [2024] EWHC 32 (Admin), in which it upheld the Government’s view that the Claimant is a propagandist for Russia who is lawfully subject to a sanctions regime which allows the state to freeze his assets.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 25th January 2024

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Hitler partly to blame for 2021 blast damage, Court of Appeal confirms – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 19th, 2023 in explosives, insurance, news, war by tracey

‘A judge was correct to find that damage caused by the detonation of a 79-year-old German bomb was the fault of the Luftwaffe and not a 2021 bomb disposal squad, the Court of Appeal has ruled. In University of Exeter v Allianz Insurance plc, three judges led by Lord Justice Coulson dismissed an appeal by the University of Exeter against a High Court ruling earlier this year over a denied insurance claim for damage caused.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 18th December 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Andy McDonald sues Tory MP who accused him of ‘seeking to justify’ Hamas atrocity – The Guardian

Posted November 3rd, 2023 in damages, defamation, Israel, news, political parties, war by tracey

‘A suspended Labour MP is suing the Conservative MP Chris Clarkson, who accused him of “seeking to justify the murderous actions of Hamas” in the Israel-Hamas conflict.’

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The Guardian, 3rd November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

CPS prosecution guidance on protests and demonstrations in light of the Middle East conflict – Crown Prosecution Service

‘The CPS is aware that following the recent disturbing events in the Middle East, the public and many different communities may be concerned about protests or demonstrations. The CPS recognises that whilst in the main demonstrations and protests will be peaceful and lawful, there may be incidents of public disorder and it is possible that some individuals may commit criminal offences.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 13th October 2023

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

UK to declare Wagner group a terrorist organisation – The Guardian

Posted September 6th, 2023 in government departments, news, proscribed organisations, Russia, terrorism, Ukraine, war by sally

‘The Wagner mercenary group will be declared a terrorist organisation, the Home Office has announced.’

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The Guardian, 5th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Emphasis on sanctions compliance legal advice record-keeping under new licence – OUT-LAW.com

‘The UK government has granted a general licence to enable UK lawyers to provide legal advice to non-UK individuals and businesses in relation to their compliance with international sanctions on Russia, without breaching UK sanctions regulations themselves.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 22nd August 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Abramovich ally begins high court challenge against UK sanctions – The Guardian

‘Eugene Shvidler, a longtime ally of the billionaire Roman Abramovich, has accused the UK government of “oppressive treatment” as he launched a legal challenge against sanctions imposed upon him after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.’

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The Guardian, 20th July 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ban on providing legal advisory services to Russians comes into force – Legal Futures

Posted June 30th, 2023 in barristers, legal profession, legal services, news, Russia, sanctions, Ukraine, war by tracey

‘A ban on UK lawyers providing “legal advisory services” to Russians comes into force today as the government ratchets up sanctions following the Ukraine invasion yet further.’

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Legal Futures, 30th June 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB survey of sanctions compliance at the Commercial Bar finds good levels of compliance but room for improvement in some areas – Bar Standards Board

Posted June 30th, 2023 in barristers, news, Russia, sanctions, Ukraine, war by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published a thematic review of sanctions compliance focused on 31 chambers that are members of the Commercial Bar Association. The BSB generally found that barristers were aware of the risks of unwittingly engaging with a designated person without a licence and that they were taking a cautious approach to compliance. We also found examples of good practice which we would encourage all barristers and their chambers or entity staff to consider regardless of their area of practice.’

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Bar Standards Board, 28th June 2023

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

UK to clamp down on sanctions loopholes used by Wagner group head – The Guardian

Posted March 31st, 2023 in costs, defamation, media, news, Russia, sanctions, Ukraine, war by sally

‘UK ministers have tightened up sanctions rules to avoid a repeat of a recent controversy in which lawyers acting for the head of the Wagner group obtained an exemption from curbs to sue a British journalist.’

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The Guardian, 30th March 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Insurer wins court fight over University of Exeter bomb damage claim – BBC News

Posted March 23rd, 2023 in explosives, insurance, news, universities, war by tracey

‘An insurance company has won a High Court fight over its refusal to pay out on a claim for damage caused by the disposal of a World War Two bomb.’

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BBC News, 22nd March 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Inquiry into claims of unlawful killings in Afghanistan by UK armed forces officially begins – The Independent

Posted March 22nd, 2023 in Afghanistan, armed forces, inquiries, news, unlawful killing, war by tracey

‘The inquiry into allegations of unlawful killings by the UK armed forces in Afghanistan is set to be officially launched. The probe’s chair, Lord Justice Haddon-Cave, is expected to announce a call for evidence of illegal activity in the war-torn nation between 2010 and 2013 when the inquiry gets underway on Wednesday.’

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The Independent, 22nd March 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

EU and UK action shows role for sanctions in tackling gender inequality – OUT-LAW.com

‘Action announced by the EU and UK highlights the role that sanctions can play in tackling gender inequality globally, an expert has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 10th March 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Court can enter judgment in favour of sanctioned Russian party – Legal Futures

Posted February 1st, 2023 in banking, dispute resolution, fraud, news, Russia, sanctions, Ukraine, war by sally

‘The UK sanctions regime does not block the courts from entering judgments in favour of a party on the sanctions list, the High Court has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 1st February 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ukraine war ‘opening eyes’ to need to reform England’s libel laws, says lawyer – The Guardian

Posted February 1st, 2023 in barristers, defamation, freedom of expression, media, news, Russia, Ukraine, war by sally

‘Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has helped “open eyes” to the idea of reforming England’s increasingly draconian libel and privacy laws, according to one of the country’s leading media advocates.’

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The Guardian, 31st January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com