Strasbourg’s human-rights court interpreting the European Convention
A non-binding Chișinău declaration has been adopted by all 46 members of the Council of Europe, endorsing the use of third-country return hubs and other measures to deter irregular migration. The move is forecast to press courts to apply rights laws more restrictively in asylum and immigration cases while sparking political battles among EU states.
The Hague's Permanent Court of Arbitration has rejected Rwanda's financial claims over the collapsed UK–Rwanda asylum deal, finding diplomatic exchanges after the scheme's 2024 cancellation amounted to agreement not to pay two £50m tranches. The tribunal has dismissed all Rwandan claims and both governments have said the matter is concluded.
The Court of Appeal has ruled that the home secretary lawfully proscribed Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, reversing a High Court judgment. The ruling preserves a ban that criminalises membership or support and has already prompted thousands of arrests and fresh police action at protests outside the Royal Courts of Justice.
A UK Court of Appeal panel has ruled that the government’s proscription of Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000 is justified and proportionate. The move bans membership and support for the group, a policy the court says balances national security with civil liberties. The decision follows a lower court ruling that the ban was unlawful.
The draft Conversion Practices Bill has been published, aiming to criminalise abusive acts intended to change or suppress LGBT+ identities. It sets two offences and introduces protections orders; penalties include unlimited fines and up to five years’ imprisonment. The government argues the law is needed to shield LGBT+ people, while critics warn it could curb honest discussions and raise civil liberty concerns.
Shabir Ahmed, 73, the Rochdale grooming gang ringleader, has been released on licence and cannot be deported due to Immigration Act provisions. He will face strict license conditions and an exclusion zone around Rochdale, with victims and lawmakers reacting to the decision as details emerge from multiple sources.
Campaigners in the Chinook HC-2 case have pressed for a new independent review into the Mull of Kintyre crash, arguing airworthiness concerns call into question the aircraft’s safety. The MoD contends the challenge is too late; the High Court continues to hear the case.
Abderrahim Fakir, a 42-year-old Moroccan-born businessman, has died after police restrained him in Bologna. Video shows officers holding him face down while he pleads for help; paramedics are visible at the scene. Prosecutors have opened a manslaughter inquiry, bodycam footage has been requested and protests have since erupted across the city.
Technical delegations from Lebanon and Israel have met in Rome this week to progress a US-brokered framework that links Israeli withdrawals to verified Hezbollah disarmament and Lebanese army deployments in pilot zones. Talks are running as Israeli forces continue strikes and demolitions in southern Lebanon and as Beirut presses for more pullbacks and international verification.
Families of the Chinook crash victims have urged Prime Minister-designate Burnham to secure a fresh, independent review within his first 100 days, arguing for a transparent inquiry into the 1994 Mull of Kintyre disaster and the MoD’s handling of airworthiness information.
Lebanon says it will pursue legal action over Israeli actions in southern Lebanon as negotiations in Rome aim to move forward on the June framework. Human rights figures warn of potential war crimes amid continued demolitions and displacement.
The UK Supreme Court has granted Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori permission to appeal the Court of Appeal ruling that upheld the group's proscription under terrorism laws. The appeal will be expedited and is expected between October and December; more than 3,500 arrests linked to the ban remain paused while the courts decide.
The National Assembly has confirmed Baka as Hungary’s president with 140 votes in favour, six against, and no abstentions, in a secret ballot. The nomination by the Tisza party follows a constitutional shift reshaping state power; Fidesz boycotts the vote. Baka’s appointment is seen as a rebuke of Viktor Orbán’s legacy despite ceremonial powers.
Ukraine has described Russian missile strikes as an escalation, with attacks on Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv and Donetsk leaving multiple casualties. Kyiv calls for stronger air defenses and further sanctions while Ukraine conducts drone strikes inside Russia. Western capitals face pressure to bolster interceptors as the conflict intensifies.