English barrister Abigail Holt explains important changes in what used to be called "affidavits" and are now termed "statements of truth." The changes appear in a practice direction published 6 April 2020. Holt also looks at some of the practical problems that arise when taking statements from those for whom English is not a first or even second language.

A business using, almost inevitably, an e-mail address at one of the large US based anonymous e-mail services (in this case harry.vangundy@msn.com ) claims to be operating out of Luxumbourg. In fact, the form advertises arguably illegal services and promotes it by wilfully committing unlawful access to websites.

In a notice issued 22 April, the Australian Consumer and Competition says "Petrol retailers should not use the current pandemic to further increase profits, which the latest ACCC petrol industry report
https://www.accc.gov.au/public... shows have risen in recent years, and should pass on the full benefit of falling oil prices to motorists." The full notice is below. In this teaser we ask this: with dramatically reducing volumes, if the price per litre falls in line with current oil prices (which are lower than those when the oil that is now current petrol stocks were bought), who's paying for the infrastructure and the staff? Prices per litre must cover those costs and that may mean a higher, not lower, price per litre simply to maintain a cashflow neutral business.

The following notice has been published by the Royal Courts of Justice Criminal Appeals Office

15 April 2020

And yes, the typos are in the original notice as is the mysterious absence of the "s" in Criminal Appeals - probably deliberate even though it's nonsense.

The authorities in Malaysia say that the corona-virus triggered lockdown in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, has led to a 67% reduction in crime. That, of course, might not be all that it seems - crime and reported crime not being the same and if people can't get to a police station, they can't make reports. Also, Malaysians have an odd habit: they make "police reports" at the drop of a hat, for all kinds of reasons, often political or for matters that in other countries would be regarded as civil matters not as police matters. When they do, they often issue a press release tp say they are going to do it and - incredibly, Malaysian media turns up to photograph them entering, or leaving, the police station. If people can't go out, they can't do that, either, so that may (we put it no higher than that) distorts the crime figures anyway.

But that aside, organised crime gangs, which are a business, are finding that their commercial activities are curtailed along with their movements. They...