The Harry Dunn Tragedy
Harry Dunn, 19, died last August when on his motorbike he collided with a car, driven by Anne Sacoola. Sacoola subsequently fled to the US claiming diplomatic immunity on account of her husband being a US intelligence official. Months later, on the 20th of December 2019, she was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, yet her extradition request was rejected by Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State.
This chaos has sparked international controversy and brings to light the obvious preferential treatment of certain government officials in the US. Similarly, this sensitive situation has brought out the worst in the UK’s judicial system, where there have been serious accusations of international conflicts disrupting the course of justice.
Britain’s Border Blunder
Boris Johnson is currently trying to convince the public, and his own government, that new proposed legislation, which breaches international law by overriding the Brexit divorce agreement, is merely an “insurance policy”. The UK Internal Market Bill controversially gives ministers powers to “disapply” parts of rules agreed in October 2019, concerning goods crossing in and out of Northern Ireland.
The excuse being used is that the EU are threatening the UK’s access to Northern Island.
Though, does this justify breaking international law? Boris Johnson’s government is arguably out of favour with much of the public due to their handling of the current COVID-19 crisis and now they risk harming further Britain’s international reputation and integrity too. It would seem that there is a serious risk that the UK may find itself unable to condemn more serious breaches of international law in the future (without being hypocritical), indeed breaches that may very negatively impact the UK, if this Market Bill does pass.
Thou Shalt Not Gossip
Pope Francis made a slightly unusual request last Monday (7th September) and urged worshippers at St Peter’s Square to make an effort not to gossip among themselves. Pope Francis, leader of the Roman Catholic Church, addressed people gathering at the Vatican from a window and pleaded, “Please, brothers and sisters, let’s make an effort not to gossip. Gossiping is a worse plague than COVID.”
According to the Pope, one should “Offer silence and prayer…but never gossip”. Whether one agrees with the claim that gossiping is worse than Corona Virus, maybe it is fitting the Pope made this request the day pupils returned to schools across the UK.
