Co-founder’s lawyer says group is part of an ‘honourable tradition’ of direct action and civil disobedience The proscription of Palestine Action is a repugnant, unprecedented and disproportionate interference with the right to protest, the high court has heard. On the first day of a legal challenge to the ban brought by co-founder Huda Ammori, her lawyer said the group had been engaged in an “honourable tradition” of direct action and civil disobedience prior to proscription. Continue reading...

Lead singers in bands fare better than solo artists, but fame – rather than lifestyle or job itself – seems to be major factor For those who hanker for the limelight, be careful what you wish for: shooting to stardom as a lead singer really does raise the risk of an early death, researchers say. Their analysis of singers from Europe and the US found that those who rose to fame died on average nearly five years sooner than less well-known singers, suggesting fame itself, rather than the lifestyle and demands of the job, was a major driver. Continue reading...

The EU's highest court ruled on Tuesday that same sex marriages must be respected throughout the bloc and rebuked Poland for refusing to recognise a marriage between two of its citizens that took place in Germany.