International Law

Burma activist freed from jail after 19 years vows to fight on

Posted on September 24, 2008
Burma activist freed from jail after 19 years vows to fight onOne of Burma's most prominent political detainees, U Win Tin, was freed from jail yesterday after 19 years' imprisonment, and vowed to continue the fight for democracy in the country.The ailing journalist, one of Burma's longest-serving political detainees, was one of the founders of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD)...

White Rabbit tries to poison kiddies

Posted on September 24, 2008
White Rabbit tries to poison kiddiesI am not sure that Andrew Keogh, White Rabbit, should be moonlighting as a sweet manufacturer. It would appear that this venture makes the Pied Piper of Hamlyn look like a saint. The man is a scoundrel, a cad, a bounder etc, etc...

Dutch cannabis smoker fined - for using tobacco

Posted on September 24, 2008
Dutch cannabis smoker fined - for using tobaccoA man was fined by the Dutch police for smoking a cannabis joint but only because it was mixed with tobacco.While the Netherlands has kept its liberal policy on the smoking of cannabis in the country's legendary "coffee shops", zero tolerance is now shown to tobacco smokers in Dutch cafes and restaurants after a smoking came ban came into force last July...

On reflection

Posted on September 24, 2008
On reflectionA white tiger relaxes in water at the zoological park in Hyderabad, IndiaPicture: AP

To access this complete feed in the blog feed reader login or register for free.

Prison by numbers

Posted on September 23, 2008
Prison by numbersThis year's prison population projections are the first sign that the relentless rise in the prison population is slowingNew prison population projections, published by the Ministry of Justice but quality-assured by the UK Statistics Authority, estimate that by June 2015 between 83,400 and 95,800 people will be in prison in England and Wales...

Malaysian blogger jailed for 2 years

Posted on September 23, 2008
Malaysian blogger jailed for 2 years"Malaysia jailed a prominent anti-government blogger for two years under a strict security law that can keep him in prison indefinitely for allegedly inciting racial tensions with his writings, a lawyer said today.Online commentator Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin was already in police custody and was served a detention order last night under the Internal Security Act, said his lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar...

Palin charges rape victims $1,200

Posted on September 23, 2008
Palin charges rape victims $1,200"Alaska routinely has the highest rate of sexual assault in the United States, two and a half times the national average". Sarah Palin set about reducing the amount of reported sexual assaults. Make the victim pay $1,200 for the rape examination kits used to determine whether the victim has been raped...

Dog spared death sentence as owner at fault

Posted on September 23, 2008
Dog spared death sentence as owner at faultA dog has had its death sentence lifted after a judge ruled that its attacks on two people were the fault of its owner. Judge Mark Horton said he was satisfied that Lilly, a Labrador collie cross, was not dangerous and that she has the potential to "provide both joy and entertainment to any future owner for years to come...

In praise of ... votes for prisoners

Posted on September 22, 2008
In praise of ... votes for prisonersDostoevsky wrote that "the degree of civilisation in a society can be judged by entering its prisons". If that is right, British civilisation is none too healthy just now. Record numbers of inmates are crammed into the jails...

Number of children locked up 'rises fivefold'

Posted on September 22, 2008
Number of children locked up 'rises fivefold'The number of children locked up by the courts in England and Wales has increased fivefold in a decade, the charity Barnardo's said today.Barnardo's said the use of custody for 10 to 14-year-olds rose by 550% from 1996 to 2006 and had led to children "being written off" by the age of 12...

Murder probe over prisoner death

Posted on September 21, 2008
Murder probe over prisoner deathA murder investigation has been opened after the death of an inmate at a jail in Greater Manchester.Ryan Beaver, from Stockport, suffered serious injuries in the assault at Forest Bank Prison in Salford on Friday morning and died in hospital...

Cameron to sell helmet to make ends meet

Posted on September 21, 2008
Cameron to sell helmet to make ends meetLife is tough at the top in this economic climate, that even David Cameron is forced to sell his old cycle helmet at a car boot sale to make ends meet. As I recall, Cameron's bike and helmet are no strangers to car boots...

Vaz urged to quit key Commons job

Posted on September 21, 2008
Vaz urged to quit key Commons jobLabour MP under renewed pressure over 'failure' to declare link with solicitor facing court costsOne committee member said that he should step down until he has cleared his name. 'The allegations against Keith are so serious that he is in effect casting a shadow over the committee as a whole...

Fairness is still our guide

Posted on September 21, 2008
Fairness is still our guideOnly New Labour can help businesses and families through this economic turbulenceIt is only a Labour government that is able to act now to tackle the instability in the economy and provide the security that businesses and families need...

Down and out in London (part 2)

Posted on September 21, 2008
Down and out in London (part 2)A refugee from the fallout of the London Mayoral Election with a message for George Galloway?

Jailbirds creating eco-havens in prison

Posted on September 21, 2008
Jailbirds creating eco-havens in prisonInmates are becoming conservationists as they use their time behind bars to help protect vital natural habitats that are home to rare speciesThousands of prisoners across the country are turning their jails into some of the most species-rich sites in the country and a newly found interest in conservation is aiding their rehabilitation...

Pinch of salt dear?

Posted on September 21, 2008
Pinch of salt dear?Happy birthday to Charles "Big Ears" Clarke who is 100 today.I was tickled to see Peter Mandelson on top of Sunny Hundal.I thought all of this was serious until I discovered that Iain Dale was behind it.

Norfolk goes bonkers over conkers

Posted on September 21, 2008
Norfolk goes bonkers over conkersThis has to be the joke of the week..."No more chestnut trees lining the streets of Norwich, in case the conkers fall on your head - as if that would make a difference, in Norfolk."

Orphaned hare raised in woman's bra

Posted on September 21, 2008
Orphaned hare raised in woman's braWhen Cherida Cannon's labrador Teal chased and killed a hare, she set about preparing it for the pot.But there was a surprise in store. The hare turned out to be pregnant, and its unborn baby's heart was still beating...

Arise Lady JK Rowling?

Posted on September 20, 2008
Arise Lady JK Rowling?JK Rowling gives Labour £1m donationHarry Potter author gives party financial boost as annual conference begins in Manchester

Sleazy Keith Vaz to face inquiry

Posted on September 20, 2008
Sleazy Keith Vaz to face inquiryA senior Labour MP is facing demands for a sleaze inquiry after intervening in a court case on behalf of a party donor. Keith Vaz, chairman of the influential home affairs select committee, urged the High Court to delay proceedings involving a friend from whom he and his family had received lavish hospitality...

Obituary column: LabourHome

Posted on September 20, 2008
Obituary column: LabourHome

Christmas in September at Aldi

Posted on September 20, 2008
Christmas in September at AldiI don't think it quite worked out my trip up to Aldi's to save money, my shopping bill came to £33. Mind you, I did buy half a leg of lamb, rump steak, some trainers and 5kg of dog biscuits...The Christmas Market signs did tickle my sense of humour.

Blues and Twos traffic stop on Beverley Road (A1079)

Posted on September 20, 2008
Blues and Twos traffic stop on Beverley Road (A1079)

Mexican jail riot leaves 19 dead

Posted on September 19, 2008
Mexican jail riot leaves 19 deadAt least 19 people have been killed in a riot at a prison in Mexico - the second outbreak of violence at the jail in less than a week, officials say.

Give prisoners right to vote, says UN

Posted on September 19, 2008
Give prisoners right to vote, says UNDenial of franchise may infringe human rightsNo date set for public consultation, says ministryBy Duncan CampbellPrisoners in British jails should be allowed to vote and the government should enact legislation to that effect, according to a United Nations report...

Some pics

Posted on September 19, 2008
Some picsElephants at the zoo in Emmen play with a newborn elephant, which was born unexpectedly in the morning outside the stables, surprising the caretakers of the zoo in the NetherlandsPicture: AFP/GETTYFlamingos are seen at a pond at the Jurong Bird Park in SingaporePicture: REUTERSFreeze Frame: Living on Thin Ice - images by Sue Flood and Doug AllanPolar bear mother and cubs (Ursus maritimus) en route to North Pole, July 2007Picture: SUE FLOODPolar bear and cub walking in snowPicture: SUB02031 / DOUG ALLAN / GETTYLone polar bear in the Arctic OceanPicture: SUB05051 / SUE FLOOD / GETTYLone polar bear yawning in the Arctic OceanPicture: SUB05047 / SUE FLOOD / GETTYSouth Pacific, Tonga, Vava'u, humpback whale and calf, underwater viewPicture: 200513096 / DOUG ALLAN / GETTYA black cat snuggles up to a dog on the pavement in front of the home of an Amish family in Middlefield, OhioPicture: AP

cocaine flavoured wigs

Posted on September 18, 2008
cocaine flavoured wigsTwo women have begun a year-long prison sentence in Jamaica after trying to smuggle cocaine out of the country in wigs they were wearing.Which gives me an excuse to wheel out this story again, particularly as I like this photo with its link to cocaine and a wig...

This that or the other

Posted on September 18, 2008
This that or the otherPrison numbers could rise by 15%The BBC is reporting: "The prison population in England and Wales could rise to 95,800 by 2015, the Ministry of Justice has said".The prison numbers game. Take your pick. What's it going to be in 2015?1...

Tales of a skip rat

Posted on September 18, 2008
Tales of a skip ratI caught the weather girl on BBC 1 Look North last night, and she said it would be a bright, sunny and warm day today. So far, the forecast has been spot on it is simply glorious here in Hull.Last night RonKnee mounted a rescue mission and crossed the Humber Bridge to visit me...

Bloggers, promote your law blog by nominating your blog for inclusion in USLaw.com's Law Blog Directory and RSS Reader. Benefits described.