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James Sweeney

Professor, Lancaster Law School, Lancaster University
Prof. James A. Sweeney's research is about the after-effects of conflict: principally human rights in transitional democracies, and the rights of refugees. His monograph, 'The European Court of Human Rights in the post-Cold War Era: Universality in Transition' was published in hardback by Routledge in November 2012, and in paperback in 2014. His work on the human rights of failed asylum seekers was cited by the House of Lords in the case of R (on the application of M) v Slough BC [2008] UKHL 52, by the Court of Appeal in R. (on the application of SL) v Westminster City Council [2011] EWCA Civ 954, and most recently in R. (on the application of Refugee Action) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2014] EWHC 1033 (Admin). In the latter case Home Secretary Theresa May was found to have acted irrationally by freezing the level of cash support to be provided to asylum seekers to meet their essential living needs, for the financial year 2013/14, at the rates which had applied since 2011.

Prof. Sweeney has acted as an expert advisor to the Council of Europe in relation to freedom of assembly projects in Armenia, Azerbaijan (with the Venice Commission), Georgia, and Kosovo. In March 2011 he delivered human rights legal training to judges of the Ukrainian Supreme Court as part of a UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office project. Likewise in 2013 and 2014 he convened a series of workshops on human rights and judicial interpretation for the Constitutional and Supreme Courts of Kosovo, on behalf of the FCO. Throughout 2009 he acted as an expert advisor to the EU's Committee of the Regions as it prepared its Opinion on reforms to the Common European Asylum System.

Prof. Sweeney joined Lancaster University Law School in 2013. Prior to that, he has worked at Durham, Newcastle and Hull. From 2011-2013 he was Deputy Director of Durham Global Security Institute.

Why have so few atrocities ever been recognised as genocide?

May 30, 2025 11:50 am UTC| Insights & Views Life Politics

An intense argument is raging over whether what has been happening in Gaza since October 2023 is an act of genocide. It is the subject of a case being heard in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in which South Africa...

Economy

U.S. Inflation Cools in January as Gas Prices Fall, Core CPI Signals Sticky Price Pressures

U.S. consumer prices rose less than expected in January, offering modest relief to households as gasoline and rental costs eased. However, persistent increases in service-related expenses suggest the Federal Reserve may...

U.S. Stocks End Mixed as January CPI Cools, Treasury Yields Slide

U.S. stocks closed mixed on Friday after a volatile trading session, as investors reacted to softer-than-expected January CPI data and falling Treasury yields. The SP 500 finished flat at 6,835.08, while the Dow Jones...

Asian Currencies Slip as Dollar Stabilizes Ahead of U.S. CPI Data

Asian currencies edged lower on Friday as the U.S. dollar steadied, with traders closely monitoring upcoming U.S. consumer price index (CPI) data for signals on the Federal Reserves interest rate outlook. Despite the daily...

Oil Prices Steady but Head for Weekly Loss as Supply Glut Concerns Weigh

Oil prices were mostly steady during Asian trading on Friday, yet both benchmark crude contracts remained on track for weekly losses after a sharp selloff in the previous session. Brent crude futures for April delivery...

Fed Governor Stephen Miran Warns Tight Monetary Policy Threatens U.S. Economic Growth

Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran cautioned that the central banks current monetary policy stance could pose a significant risk to U.S. economic growth. Speaking at a Dallas Fed event on Thursday, Miran argued that...

Politics

Anduril Eyes $60 Billion Valuation in New Funding Round to Expand Defense Manufacturing and Autonomous Fighter Jet Development

U.S. defense technology firm Anduril Industries is reportedly in discussions to raise billions of dollars in fresh funding at a valuation of at least $60 billion, according to a recent report by The Information citing...

Trump Maritime Action Plan Targets U.S. Shipbuilding Revival and Port Fee Funding

The Trump administration has unveiled a sweeping Maritime Action Plan aimed at rebuilding U.S. shipbuilding and strengthening the nations broader maritime industry. The more than 30-page strategy outlines a long-term...

Peru Congress Schedules Debate on Motion to Remove President Jose Jeri Amid Scandal

Perus Congress has scheduled a key debate for Tuesday on a motion to remove President Jose Jeri, intensifying political uncertainty in the country. Congressional leader Fernando Rospigliosi announced the decision on social...

Starmer Calls for Stronger European Defence Cooperation to Reinforce NATO and Reduce U.S. Reliance

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to call for closer European defence cooperation to reduce NATOs reliance on the United States, emphasizing greater integration across Europes defence industry. Speaking at the...

U.S.-Iran and Russia-Ukraine Talks Set for High-Stakes Geneva Meeting

Two critical rounds of diplomatic negotiations focusing on Iran and the Russia-Ukraine war are scheduled to take place in Geneva on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the matter. The high-level meetings signal...

Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

Grok AI Market Share Surges as xAI Faces Scrutiny Over Image Generation Controversy

Elon Musks AI chatbot Grok is rapidly gaining traction in the U.S., even as it faces mounting global criticism over the generation of non-consensual and sexualized AI images. According to data from app intelligence firm...

Lockheed Martin Secures $101M in U.S. Defense Contracts for AEGIS, F-35, and Missile Systems

Lockheed Martin has been awarded three U.S. Department of Defense contracts worth approximately $101 million, reinforcing its role as a leading defense contractor in advanced military systems, fighter jet support, and...

GE Aerospace Expands Singapore Engine Repair Hub with Automation and AI to Tackle Aviation Bottlenecks

GE Aerospace is accelerating automation and AI-driven innovation at its Singapore engine repair hub as global airlines grapple with maintenance delays, parts shortages, and extended turnaround times. At the center of this...

U.S. Commerce Department Reaches $252 Million Settlement With Applied Materials Over China Exports

The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced a $252 million settlement with Applied Materials, resolving allegations that the semiconductor equipment maker illegally exported U.S. chip manufacturing technology to China....

Russia Moves to Fully Block WhatsApp as Kremlin Pushes State-Backed MAX App

Russia has reportedly attempted to fully block WhatsApp, the popular messaging service owned by Meta Platforms, as part of its broader efforts to tighten control over the countrys digital space. According to a company...