After a year of street protests, Serbia’s students split on what should come next 31. October 2025 (08:31) As a radicalised generation presses its calls for political change, a debate has opened up over whether to join battle by the ballot boxMidway through a 16-day, 250-mile (400km) march from Novi Pazar to Novi Sad, Inas Hodžić was still remarkably energetic. Like thousands of other Serbian students, he was making his way to the city which, last autumn, become the scene of national tragedy.Sixteen people were killed when the newly renovated canopy of Novi Sad’s main railway station collapsed on 1 November 2024, a disaster that critics say exposed much more than faulty construction and sparked Serbia’s largest youth-led protest movement since the fall of Slobodan Milošević. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Liberals hold cordial party room after public brawling but chasm on net zero remains 31. October 2025 (08:06) Regional and metropolitan MPs at loggerheads as members warned not to ‘verbal’ each other over the issueFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAfter months of public and private brawling, the Liberals had what many described as a respectful, cordial and constructive meeting about net zero.Some participants joked that was almost news in itself. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Warren Tredrea removed from Port Adelaide board after podcast controversy 31. October 2025 (07:29) AFL club says it is not in its ‘best interests’ for former player to remainTredrea had refused to apologise for podcast guest’s commentsPort Adelaide has removed Warren Tredrea from its board after the former club great refused to apologise for comments made by a guest on his podcast.An interview published in May with a former British Army veteran drew criticism from the Jewish Council of Australia, accusing it of amplifying far-right antisemitic conspiracy theories, prompting the AFL club to commence a governance review. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Charities and stars call on UK government to set child poverty reduction targets 31. October 2025 (07:00) Signatories of open letter include National Children’s Bureau, Barnardo’s and celebrities such as Emilia ClarkeCelebrities, MPs and children’s charities are among dozens of signatories to an open letter ramping up pressure on the government to set targets for reducing child poverty in the UK.The actor Emilia Clarke, the broadcaster Chris Packham and the presenter George Clarke have put their names to the letter, coordinated by the Big Issue founder John Bird, stating that the government’s reluctance to set binding child poverty reduction targets has “rung alarm bells”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Head of UK government’s anti-Islamophobia partner ‘refused service in shop for being Muslim’ 31. October 2025 (07:00) Akeela Ahmed, of British Muslim Trust, says experience is part of a wider rise in anti-Muslim hatredThe chief executive of the government’s new official partner in tackling Islamophobia has spoken about being refused service in a shop for being Muslim, amid concerns about a rise in insidious anti-Muslim “microaggressions”.The British Muslim Trust (BMT) is launching a government-backed telephone and online reporting service for hate crimes. In July, the trust was selected as a recipient of the government’s “combating hate against Muslims fund”, and in the months since its chief executive, Akeela Ahmed, has been meeting members of Muslim communities, including in Bradford in West Yorkshire, East Sussex, Greater London and Greater Manchester. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Drone-blocking technology ‘urgently’ required at jails in England and Wales 31. October 2025 (07:00) Ability to maintain control in prisons ‘critically undermined’ by scale of illicit drug use and trade, MPs sayDrone-jamming technology must be rolled out urgently across jails in England and Wales to help stem the endemic use and trade of drugs by organised gangs, MPs have concluded.The Commons justice select committee has found that the Prison Service’s ability to maintain safety and control is being “critically undermined by the scale of the trade and use of illicit drugs”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Two million energy customers are due £240m from old accounts, says Ofgem 31. October 2025 (06:00) Regulator is urging anyone who has moved in recent years to check whether they are owed a refundAlmost 2 million energy bill payers could be owed a share of £240m from old accounts that were closed while still in credit, according to the regulator.The latest figures from Ofgem show that about 1.9m energy accounts were closed over the past five years, with outstanding credit balances totalling £240m left unclaimed. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Soaring costs trigger calls to address transport for Send pupils in England 31. October 2025 (06:00) National Audit Office finds £415m overspend as more children travel farther to schools that meet their needsHome-to-school transport costs in England have risen to £2.3bn a year, as increasing numbers of children with special educational needs and disabilities travel farther afield to schools that can meet their requirements, according to a report.More than half a million children and young people up to the age of 25 now get council-funded transport from their home to school or college, triggering a £415m overspend by local authorities last year, the National Audit Office (NAO) found. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Egypt’s vast $1bn museum to open in Cairo after two-decade build 31. October 2025 (06:00) Grand Egyptian Museum next to pyramids of Giza billed as world’s largest archaeological facility for single civilisationA vast $1bn museum billed as the world’s largest archaeological facility dedicated to a single civilisation will open outside Cairo on Saturday, after countless delays over the course of its two-decade construction.The Grand Egyptian Museum, located a mile away from the pyramids of Giza, covers an area of 470,000 sq metres. The complex was announced in 1992 but it was not until 2005 that construction began. Some areas of the museum opened in a soft launch in 2024. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nurse banned over relationship with mental health patient she kissed and took to Canberra escape room 31. October 2025 (05:44) Dilnoor Kang exchanged up to 5,000 messages and calls with vulnerable young patient over just one year Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA nurse has been banned over an intimate relationship with a vulnerable mental health patient, after taking him to an escape room, exchanging thousands of calls and texts and being seen kissing him.Dilnoor Kang, who was a nurse at Wagga Wagga’s mental health unit in regional NSW, was on Friday found guilty of professional misconduct over the years-long relationship and for lying to various health authorities about it.In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...(The Guardian)
