One of the few legacies of the British Empire that could be argued is an unalloyed good is the game of cricket. It’s a sport that has it all: excitement, skill, the heights of ecstasy at victory, the depths of despair at defeat. More than that, it is a just game: the British expression, “It’s … Continue Reading
It’s a study in contrast. Recently, Mexico’s Supreme Court struck down a law sanctioning abortion in the state of Coahuila. Meanwhile, America’s Supreme Court refused to block a law passed in the state of Texas which places new restrictions on reproductive rights. I am a solicitor: the Texas law is not only prohibitive, but it … Continue Reading
It’s a cliché to say that the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were “games like no other”, thanks to the pandemic. It was bizarre to see arenas built for large crowds filled sparsely, if at all. The isolation and distancing that COVID-19 has forced upon us all apparently made the International Olympic Committee do a rethink … Continue Reading
I know a former New Yorker. On September 11, 2001, he was working in his company’s British office. The day seemed normal at first: the usual tasks and paperwork lay ahead of him. Then, a colleague ducked his head around the corner and said that there had been a terrible accident. A plane had struck … Continue Reading
As a Muslim woman, witnessing the collapse of Afghanistan has been deeply painful to me. I know very well that if I did not have the good fortune to live where I do, I could be among the multitudes who need to flee. I know that as an outspoken solicitor that I would be a … Continue Reading
Sport has a unique ability to unite a diverse nation. I fondly recall the 2019 Cricket World Cup: England won, and afterwards, the Irish-born captain of the English team, Eoin Morgan, stated “We had Allah with us as well.” According to Morgan, the bowler Adil Rashid told him this. Morgan added, “We had the run … Continue Reading
May 25, 2021 was the first death anniversary of George Floyd. His murder at the hands of the Minneapolis police department has been memorialised in the United States and around the world. His death began a movement which posed direct and difficult questions regarding the structure of white supremacy in America and elsewhere. “Black Lives Matter” is a rallying … Continue Reading
The principle that drives most legal systems is visible on the American Supreme Court building: ‘Equal justice under law’. The idea is a noble and elegant one: no matter what one’s background, we should have the same access to the law, and be judged the same by the courts. The law applies equally to the … Continue Reading
The name Federico Klein is unlikely to be recognised by many. However, he worked on Trump’s 2016 campaign. He was an aide in Trump’s State Department and was recently arrested for participating in the January 6 attack on the Capitol. He apparently “physically and verbally engaged” with the police. Klein’s arc, stretching from being a … Continue Reading
“Liberté, égalité, fraternité” – Liberty, equality, fraternity. These were the values which inspired the French Revolution of 1789. It’s a compelling idea: regardless of background, anyone who chooses to be part of France is French and has access to these values. Although it has been a long climb towards equality, until recently these ideals remained … Continue Reading