Britain removed the last death penalty offences from its law books in 1998

the gist

On 9 November 1998 the United Kingdom completely abolished capital punishment. The last executions had been carried out by hanging in 1964, and the death penalty for murder was suspended in 1965 and abolished in 1969 in England, Wales and Scotland, and in 1973 in Northern Ireland. But it remained a legal punishment for a few rare offences, such as treason and piracy with violence, and for some military crimes. These stayed on the books even though they had not been used in decades. The 1998 step removed the last of them, making abolition complete in law, and it was tied to the UK's alignment with the European Convention on Human Rights.

so what

It closed a long process that began with campaigns after wrongful hangings in the 1950s. It also made it easier for the UK to ratify human rights protocols that bar executions in all circumstances.

has this happened before?

Many countries abolished capital punishment first in practice and later in law. Over recent decades, a majority of the world's countries have ended it in law or practice.

fun fact

The last people hanged in the UK, in 1964, were executed on the same day in two different prisons.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗