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Hundreds of prisoners freed in UK as early release scheme takes effect

Hundreds of eligible offenders are set to leave prisons in England and Wales as the government’s early-release scheme took effect Thursday. The scheme was introduced after the prison system came close to running out of capacity in the summer of 2024, with fewer than 100 spaces remaining. Under the new rules, eligible offenders serving sentences of up to 19 months can be released after serving a third of their term. The government has faced criticism over the plan, with the main opposition Conservative Party warning that dangerous criminals could be released under the early-release scheme. Read: UK rapper gets 12-year jail term for hit-and-run killing “I think what would make the public less safe is if we had no prison capacity in which to put people who are arrested, suspected of crimes, today,” Treasury minister James Murray told Sky News. Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s office said last month that more than 3,200 prison places had already been bui...
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South Korea to enshrine nuclear non-proliferation pledge in law as it pursues nuclear-powered subs: report

South Korea plans to introduce a special bill that would legally reaffirm its commitment not to develop or possess nuclear weapons while advancing its program to build nuclear-powered submarines, according to a Yonhap News Agency report on Tuesday citing government sources. The proposed legislation, expected to be announced for public consultation by the Defence Ministry, outlines five basic principles for the country's nuclear-powered submarine project. If passed, it would mark the first time South Korea's pledge not to develop or possess nuclear weapons is explicitly codified in domestic law. Read: South Korea, Japan reaffirm denuclearisation goal, closer defence ties Under the bill, the government would be prohibited from developing, manufacturing, possessing, or using nuclear weapons, as well as engaging in activities involving nuclear materials intended exclusively for nuclear weapons purposes or actions that could undermine the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. The move is seen as an effort to address concerns, particularly in the United States, that Seoul's pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines could eventually lead to a domestic nuclear weapons program. According to the report, the bill also reaffirms South Korea's obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), mandates cooperation with international organisations during the submarine development process, and requires safeguards to protect the public and the environment from radioactive materials. The legislation is also designed to accelerate the submarine project by exempting it from a preliminary feasibility study, among other measures. South Korea's "Jang Bogo N" program aims to develop low-enriched uranium-fueled nuclear-powered attack submarines with US consent, following an agreement reached during a summit between the allies' leaders last October. Read More: North Korea condemns NATO summit, says denuclearisation should start with US allies The government plans to launch its first nuclear-powered submarine in the mid-2030s, with operational deployment expected in the latter half of the decade. Although technical specifications have not been officially disclosed, defence authorities are reportedly planning to build three submarines in the 8,000-ton class. When unveiling the project's roadmap in May, South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back stressed that Seoul remains committed to its international non-proliferation obligations and will work closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency throughout the program.

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