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Several Labour, Green and Liberal Democrat-run councils have said they will resist new official guidance on single-sex spaces that came into force this week, prompting legal action from campaigners seeking to enforce compliance, The Times reports. The Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) up

A Brazilian state legislature has found itself playing host to an unlikely group of visitors, with capybaras repeatedly wandering into voting sessions. The famously calm rodents entered the Mato Grosso state legislature building in Cuiabá last week, surprising lawmakers who were preparing for

The Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire housing market showed encouraging signs of resilience in the second quarter of 2026, according to the latest Aberdeen Housing Market Report. Published by the Centre for RealEstate Research (CRER) at the University of Aberdeen Business School and using data supplied by

Responses are being sought on proposals to improve guidance around the use of restraint and seclusion in hospitals. The proposed updates to the Code of Practice for the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 aim to strengthen protections for adults and children to ensure that their s

A Chinese pro-democracy activist has been arrested in Tibet after allegedly showing a photograph of the Dalai Lama while visiting a monastery, prompting Amnesty International to call for his immediate release. Zhang Yi, a human rights activist from Wuhan, Hubei province, was detained by police in Lh

Six trainee solicitors are starting their legal careers with Lindsays. New recruits have started this week across its four city offices – Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Perth.

The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) has unveiled her new strategic objectives to support staff to keep delivering the best possible service to communities and partners. PIRC safeguards the rights of those who come into contact with the police either by investigating incidents in

The Crown Office has lodged a first notice to begin the court process for a discretionary fatal accident inquiry into the deaths of Margaret Cawkwell and Shivraj Partab Singh. Mrs Cawkwell, 63, was discharged from hospital on 2 January 2021 after treatment for Covid-19. The Scottish Ambulance Servic

Netflix is facing a $105 million lawsuit after an unencrypted copy of an unreleased World War II thriller was allegedly stolen from its Los Angeles offices. Writer-producer Simon Afram and his company claim the theft has jeopardised the sale of the film, Fortitude, directed by Simon West and starrin

Single-sex spaces open to the public should be organised according to biological sex under new statutory guidance that has come into force across England, Wales and Scotland. The code, issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), says single-sex facilities such as toilets, changing roo

Sheriff Stuart Reid has been appointed temporary sheriff principal of the Sheriffdom of Glasgow and Strathkelvin. The appointment is effective from 24 August 2026 when current Sheriff Principal Aisha Anwar becomes a senator of the College of Justice.

A lack of data on prisoner characteristics is providing an incomplete picture of who dies in prison and why, which may be contributing to preventable deaths in custody, according to a new report. In the report – How recording inequalities can reduce prisoner deaths – a team of experts fr

Law firms across the country are being encouraged to join this year's Will Aid campaign, using their legal expertise to help thousands of people make a will while raising vital funds for charities supporting vulnerable people in the UK and around the world. Will Aid is an annual charity will-writing

Watermans has appointed Colin Higgins as its first chief operating officer. Mr Higgins, who this year celebrated two decades of employment in the business, most recently held the role of head of finance at the firm. The internal promotion will see him take charge of day-to-day operations, finance an

Ann McKechin has been appointed as chair of the Scottish Legal Services Consumer Panel, tasked with leading the panel’s work to champion consumer interests within legal services regulation and to make recommendations for improvement. A former MP and minister, she has experience of working with