Human rights
20 public bodies pressing for restrictions on public right to know
Twenty public sector bodies have urged MSPs to weaken freedom of information law by increasing charges, widening exemptions and relaxing deadlines.
University of Edinburgh
Finance, Housing and homelessness, Politics
Property industry treats top Scots politicians to £5,000 dinner in Cannes
Top Scottish politicians quaffed champagne and dined on veal alongside property investors at a secret £5,000 VIP dinner in the south of France, The Ferret has learned.
Human rights, International
China promotes propaganda in Scottish universities, says report
Chinese cultural centres in Scottish universities promote Chinese Communist Party propaganda and “threaten academic freedom and freedom of expression”, claims a new report.
Education, Health, Society
Lucky and still here: students struggle to access mental health services
The mental health crisis at Scottish universities: stories from students
Education
Brexit impact: university research ‘will take decade to recover’
Brexit could damage university research in Scotland for at least a decade, hitting funding, vital collaborations and disciplines crucial to the economy, confidential documents have revealed.
Environment
Climate change: the ‘devastating’ risks facing Scotland
Scotland’s vital infrastructure is under threat from coastal erosion and flooding, according to official assessments of climate pollution.
Politics
Angry far right posts are dominating political Facebook
Facebook data shows that right wing groups are adept at using anger as a means of outperforming their rivals on the social media platform.
Finance
Revealed: the £932m cost of private finance projects
Private finance schemes are to be investigated by public spending watchdogs after they punched a £932m hole in the Scottish Government’s budget.
Environment, Fracking
Fracking: US study warns of toxic chemical risks
Fresh fears about fracking Scotland’s central belt after scientists discover dangerous levels of toxic chemicals at a US fracking site.