United Kingdom: International Law

The UK announced, on 29 May, that it had become the first G7 country to strike a trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) after almost four years of negotiations. The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) opens unprecedented opportunities for businesses across the Gulf region, supporting economic diversification and the vision strategies driving the nations forward.

The UK Supreme Court's narrow 3-2 decision in The Kingdom of Bahrain v Shehabi denies state immunity to foreign governments accused of remotely hacking individuals within UK territory, establishing that cyber surveillance operations causing harm to UK residents fall outside traditional immunity protections. This landmark ruling clarifies the territorial tort exception under the State Immunity Act 1978 and may expose foreign states to liability for state-sponsored cyberattacks targeting UK-based individuals

When can shipowners refuse voyage orders on sanctions grounds? This case examines whether owners must prove an actual sanctions breach would occur, or whether a reasonable assessment of sanctions risk is sufficient to trigger protective charterparty clauses.