The interests of offenders’ children should be considered at sentencing, write Aisling Parkes and Fiona Donson.

A former African National Congress activist appointed by Nelson Mandela as a justice to South Africa’s Constitutional Court has been lined up for a two day conference on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

South Africa’s highest court today ruled it is unconstitutional to prevent gay people from marrying, paving the way for the country to become the first to legalise same-sex unions on a continent where homosexuality remains largely taboo.

A question mark was today still hanging over the England cricket team’s opening World Cup match in Zimbabwe on Thursday as the wrangle over security concerns surrounding the game continued.

England have lost their appeal against an International Cricket Council ruling that their controversial World Cup match against Zimbabwe must go ahead in Harare next week.