News

A round-up of human rights stories from around the world. Morocco to lead UN Human Rights Council despite South Africa’s disapproval

Alabama is to test a controversial new method of execution on a death row prisoner who previously survived a botched lethal injection. Kenneth Smith, 58, was sentenced to death after being convicted, along with a co-defendant, for his role in the 1988 murder of Elizabeth Sennett.

A notorious mob boss's daughter turned TikTok influencer has launched a fragrance in honour of her father, 'the Lion'. Nunzia Giuliano, who has over 15,000 followers on the video-sharing platform, named the O Liò fragrance after her late father, Carmine Giuliano.

Brodies LLP has advised on a first-of-its-kind war risk insurance that enables Ukraine's international exports to be shipped across the Black Sea. Acting for Ukraine's Export Credit Agency (the ECA), Brodies advised on an insurance facility that places relevant funds in accounts at Ukrainian state b

Burges Salmon has advised cancer therapeutics company Cumulus Oncology Limited on the £9 million funding package it secured from the Scottish National Investment Bank and Eos Advisory. An Edinburgh-based team from Burges Salmon’s corporate and M&A team advised Cumulus Oncology, led b

Complete Clarity Solicitors and Simplicity Legal has made two internal promotions and has appointed a new solicitor. Susan Grierson-Rattray and Molly Somerville have been made senior solicitors.

Gillespie Macandrew has appointed rural law specialist Lizzie McFadzean to its partnership. Ms McFadzean joins the firm’s land and rural business team from Anderson Beaton Lamond. She brings almost 20 years’ experience advising in the sector with particular expertise in the sale and

Pre-recorded evidence could harm a complainant's chance of securing a conviction in rape cases, new research shows. A study led by Professor Cheryl Thomas KC at University College London found there were 20 per cent fewer rape convictions in such cases.

Joanna Cherry KC has called on her fellow MPs to back a bid to reform the office of lord advocate in order to allay “suspicion of political interference”. Ms Cherry would like the power to vary the office to be devolved to Holyrood. She said concern over the lord advocate's dual role &ld

Scotland's Covid inquiry is set to face further delays after it was announced that chairman Lord Brailsford has been diagnosed with a kidney tumour. Under the Inquiries Act 2005, public hearings cannot be held without the chair present, either in person or remotely. This means the timing of the inqu

Lord Advocate Dororthy Bain KC has said that the prosecution of sexual offences “just isn’t good enough” as she called for the creation of a sexual offences court in Scotland. Speaking to MSPs on Holyrood's Criminal Justice Committee, Ms Bain was giving evidence on the Scottish gov

A new article reflects on the work of the Strathclyde Law Clinic, which recently passed the milestone of £2 million won or saved for its clients over the 20 years since it was established by Professor Donald Nicolson OBE in 2003. "The Clinic has continually evolved and expanded throughout its

Dear Editor, I read with sadness the article about Len Murray, a man I knew well through my father.

An Italian celebrity is facing a criminal investigation after allegedly implicating his neighbours in the high-profile disappearance of his cat. The disappearance of Hiro, one of three cats owned by Nino Frassica and his family, set the town of Spoleto ablaze last year – not least because the

McKee Campbell Morrison Solicitors has welcomed Jacqueline Tainsh as a senior associate director to its private client team. Ms Tainsh joins from Blackadders and has years of experience in tax planning, care cost planning, executry administration, succession issues, guardianships, wills and powers o