• In Focus

    House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee: UN Convention on the Law of the Sea report

    The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) was a landmark convention setting out rules relating to the world’s oceans and seas. The convention covers issues including territorial limits, resources and protection of the marine environment. In March 2022 the House of Lords International Affairs and Defence Committee published a report examining whether the convention was still fit for purpose.

  • In Focus

    War in Ukraine: Could Russia use nuclear weapons?

    This article summarises recent developments in the war between Russia and Ukraine and assessments of whether Russia could use tactical nuclear weapons in the conflict. Tactical nuclear weapons are designed for use on the battlefield, and they have lower explosive yields than ‘strategic’ nuclear weapons. Commentators have argued that the risk of Russia using tactical nuclear weapons is low, but it could rise if Russia faced defeat in Ukraine.

  • In Focus

    BBC World Service: Soft power and funding challenges

    The BBC World Service delivers news in over 40 languages through TV, radio and digital services. It has a weekly reach of 365 million people and is principally funded by the BBC licence fee, with some grants from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. In September 2022, the BBC announced plans to “accelerate its digital offering” which, it said, would lead to around 382 job losses and more language services being digital only. It said “tough choices” were necessary to make savings.

  • In Focus

    COP27: Progress and outcomes

    COP27 is an international climate change conference held under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It stands for ‘conference of the parties’ and is the 27th meeting of the parties to the UNFCCC. COP27 was scheduled to run from 6 to 18 November 2022, but it ran into the weekend. It was held in Sharm El-Sheikh under Egypt’s presidency of the COP.

  • In Focus

    Human rights in the Gulf states

    The six countries that together comprise the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have long been criticised for their human rights records. The UK’s engagement with GCC members, whether bilaterally or collectively through recent trade negotiations, has drawn criticism as a result. Critics of continued engagement suggest it could risk the UK being seen to condone continuing human rights abuses, although the UK government maintains that it regularly raises human rights concerns with GCC partners.

  • In Focus

    Human rights in India

    International governments and non-governmental organisations have raised concerns about the human rights situation in India. Recent allegations have been disputed by the Indian government, which has reiterated its commitment to human rights. This article focuses on some of the concerns raised, including in relation to Kashmir, and outlines the UK government’s response.

  • In Focus

    China: Allegations of human rights abuses

    The UK assesses China as a priority country for tackling human rights issues. The UK believes there is compelling evidence of widespread and systematic abuses of the human rights of the Uyghur minority in China’s Xinjiang province. The House of Commons passed a resolution describing this as genocide, but the UK government’s position is that only the courts can make such a determination.

  • In Focus

    Conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia

    On 2 November 2022, the African Union announced a peace agreement had been reached between the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan forces. The truce followed nearly two years of intermittent fighting between the two, which has also drawn in troops from neighbouring Eritrea. A recent UN report concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe that extrajudicial killings, rape, sexual violence and starvation of the civilian population had been used as a method of warfare during the conflict.

  • In Focus

    Protests in Iran: Death of Mahsa Amini

    In recent weeks, Iran has seen widespread protests following allegations that the country’s morality police caused the death of a 22-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini. This briefing looks at how the protests have developed and the reaction of the Iranian authorities. It also considers how the international community, including the UK, has responded.

  • In Focus

    UK-China relations: International Relations and Defence Committee report

    The House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee published a report in 2021 calling for the government to produce a “single, coherent China strategy”. The committee report focused on the UK-China security and trade relationship. It concluded that a clear plan was needed on how to balance the UK’s ambition for increased economic engagement with China and the need to protect the UK’s national security and its values.

  • Research Briefing

    Northern Ireland Protocol Bill: HL Bill 52 of 2022–23

    The Northern Ireland Protocol Bill is due to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 11 October 2022. It would exclude some provisions of the Northern Ireland Protocol from applying in domestic law. The government says this is justified by necessity and consistent with international law, but others have disagreed. The bill’s wide use of delegated powers has also been criticised.

  • In Focus

    Effects of corruption in the UK

    Corruption can be defined as dishonest and illegal behaviour by people in positions of power. It threatens national security, reduces access to services, erodes public trust in institutions and impedes investment. Measures of corruption produced by organisations such as Transparency International indicate stability in the UK’s recent global corruption rank. However, anti-corruption experts have pointed to a number of recent scandals which are leading to the perception that corruption in the UK is worsening.

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