Advisory 2 Current Events Quiz 1

UK Judicial Branch

The justice secretary announced reforms to address the backlog of court cases by not holding jury trials for crimes that would likely result in a sentence of less than 3 years 

Many cases that could be tried by a jury would be tried by a single judge instead

Many people including conservatives think this is negative and takes away from a fundamental right and the protections of the courts 

Course Connection: 

• Political institutions: 

  • Judicial systems: Reforms directly affect the judiciary and any Supreme Court cases, affects the precedent for any court cases to come over whether or not they will have a jury 

Russia Judicial Branch

The Human Rights Watch, an organization that protected human rights and spoke out against the war in Ukraine, was labeled as an "undesirable organization" by Russian authorities, ordered to cease all activities and disclose all members of the organization for prosecution 

Course Connection: 

• Political institutions:  

  • Executive branch: Use bureaucracy to label organizations as undesirable and execute the closing of the organizations  

  • Judicial branch: Will prosecute organization members, judicial branch not independent, doing what the executive wants  

 

UK Legislative Branch

According to a report by the police in England and Wales, there were the highest recorded number of child abuse and exploitation offenses in 2024

Police forces criticized for not collecting demographic data so they can't see patterns  

Wales and England police forces have different standard for investigation and data collection 

Course Connection: 

• Political institutions: 

  • Executive: Police force responsible for enforcing laws 

  • Legislative: Parliament did not standardize data collection across Wales and England or exercise oversight over the executive's investigation 

Mexico Executive Branch

Carlos Manzo, the mayor of Urupan, Mexico, was assassinated 

Took and aggressive and militant stance against cartel violence, while Sheinbaum is taking a more methodical and less aggressive approach

People using his death to say Sheinbaum's strategy is not working and more aggression is needed, but Sheinbaum refuses to change her stance 

Course Connection:

• Political institutions: 

  • Executive: Sheinbaum using her power to decide how to approach the issue of drug cartels, despite public outcry for a different strategy, she is using her power to continue executing the same strategy

  • Legislative: Dramatic difference between the legislative's opinion and executive

Russia Executive Branch

Trump has proposed a cease-fire deal between Russia and Ukraine, which says that there will be no more attacks on Ukraine, but Ukraine must give up some land and make its army smaller 

Putin happy with proposal, but not Ukraine 

Course Connection: 

• Political institutions: Executive branch of Russia, US, and Ukraine are making these foreign policy arrangements, executive leader of Russia signs treaties, but legislatures must ratify it 

Iran Executive Branch

Iran's foreign minister reiterated their support for Sudanese sovereignty, supporting the Sudanese Arms Forces (government forces), who have been fighting a civil war against the Rapid Support Forces (rebel group), backed by the United Arab Emirates 

Course Connection: 

• Foreign ministry, who issued the statements, are part of the executive branch 

• Supreme leader (executive) determine the general direction of foreign policy  

• Executive branch controls foreign policy  

• Majlis (legislative) doesn't have a role in the decision to show support