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A round-up of human rights stories from around the world. Kenyan policemen get sentences for murder of human rights lawyer | Al Jazeera

Leslie George Deans LLB, WS has passed away at the age of 71. "Leslie Deans was born in Edinburgh and, like parents George and Marlene, stayed there. His horizons were, however, not dominated by the city: he was fluent in French and Spanish, had a command of Italian and travelled widely in Euro

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said her government would “carefully consider” the issues raised by more than 100 businesses after publication of an open letter on a proposed ban on alcohol advertising. Industry big hitters including BrewDog, Diageo, Whyte & Mackay and Tennents di

An urgent case review into the management of a transgender person in custody states that at no point were any women in the care of the prison service at risk of harm. The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) review also confirmed the person did not come into contact with any other prisoners during their ti

Hospitality businesses will be able to place tables and chairs on the pavement outside their premises without submitting a planning application under measures expected to come into force at the end of next month. Strong support was expressed in a public consultation for the extension of permitted de

Schoolchildren, teachers, parents and Faculty members gathered in Parliament House last weekend for a lively day of debating during the finals of the Young Speakers Scotland’s School Mace competition. Young Speakers Scotland is an educational charity that aims to use debating and public speaki

Aberdeen house prices have decreased -0.8 per cent in Q4, indicating a slight downward shift in the local market against Q3 2022 but also a "degree of resilience", according to the latest Aberdeen Housing Market report.

A partnership that claimed that the Royal Bank of Scotland had misappropriated its funds instead of using them for the repayment of a loan agreement between the parties has had its petition for return of the funds dismissed. LD Partnership sought orders for disclosure of the whereabouts of the missi

Ark Housing Association has been fined £100,000 for health and safety failings which led to the death of a vulnerable 64-year-old woman in their care. The Edinburgh-based organisation, which provides care, support, and housing for adults with complex needs, pled guilty to a health and safety a

The Criminal Justice Committee has questioned whether the Scottish government’s proposal to include criminal justice social work in the National Care Service (NCS) is necessary, citing concerns over a lack of evidence to support the change. In a report published today, the committee examine pr

The Spanish government has been rebuked by judges for excluding bullfighting from a youth culture subsidy scheme. Under an initiative launched last year, young people can apply to receive a €400 culture voucher after they turn 18 which can be used for a range of cultural and artistic activities

Legislation creating protest-free buffer zones around abortion clinics in Northern Ireland has received Royal Assent and become law. The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act was one of the last pieces of legislation approved by MLAs shortly before the Northern Ireland Assembly dissolved at the

Land leaders have joined forces to complete a development programme to ensure Scotland’s land is managed responsibly.

The man accused of building the bomb that destroyed Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988 has pleaded not guilty before a US court.

The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) has published an open letter to the profession – reproduced below – on the duty to co-operate to support an efficient and effective complaints system. For a number of years, we have been raising concerns about a significant minority of firm