Ruth Green

Ahead of the UK general election in July, there are concerns the country’s light-handed approach to regulating artificial intelligence (AI) has left the electorate vulnerable to disinformation and risks further undermining public trust in democracy.

Freedom of expression is among the most important hallmarks of a democratic society. Yet, there’s growing unease in the UK that recent and proposed amendments by Parliament risk undermining free speech, exacerbating divisions in society, and generating hefty legal costs.

Since the start of the year, more than a dozen US states have moved to give embryos or foetuses legal rights and protections, pushing reproductive rights back up the agenda of national debate at a febrile time ahead of the US presidential election.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state-of-the-nation address on 29 February began punchily. After the usual justifications for Russia’s ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine, he warned the US against entering an ‘arms race’ and said Western powers risked provoking a nuclear war if they sent troops to Ukraine.

The Taliban’s increasingly draconian policies in Afghanistan, the return to Sharia law and attacks on women’s rights have rightly drawn the world’s attention. However, almost 18 months after the Taliban seized power, there are growing calls to ensure that Afghan men, including those working in the legal profession, are also safe from harm.

As the world reflects on Mikhail Gorbachev’s role in dissolving the Soviet Union, and Ukraine continues its fight for independence, Global Insight assesses the challenges the country and its leaders are facing to meet the requirements for EU accession.