Cornell University to take ‘serious look’ at fraternities after rape allegations 04. October 2026 (11:43) Ivy League school’s president promises action after woman alleged she was drugged and raped by fraternity membersCornell University will examine the role of fraternities and sororities on campus after an outcry over the school’s handling of a student’s rape allegations, the Ivy League school’s president said on Saturday.A civil lawsuit filed last month by the woman, who alleges she was drugged and raped in 2024 by several members of the Chi Phi fraternity, has sparked outrage and soul-searching at Cornell over its campus culture at the school in Ithaca, New York. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Glasgow council workers face pay cuts in fire-and-rehire plan after union talks break down 04. October 2026 (11:13) Unison refuses to ballot members on offer that would see thousands of council employees worse offThousands of Glasgow council workers face being sacked and reappointed under less favourable terms in one of the UK’s biggest ever “fire-and-rehire” exercises, after union negotiations broke down once again this week.About 23,000 workers – all of the council’s non-teaching staff – first heard they were affected last week when talks between the SNP-led council and the GMB, Unison and Unite unions fell apart. Those negotiations concerned a new pay and grading system designed to resolve historical pay equality issues. Unison refused to ballot its members on an offer that would see pay cuts for 11% of council employees, prompting the council to begin issuing fire-and-rehire letters. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Brazil goes to polls in decisive election for future of Latin America 04. October 2026 (10:53) Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro face off in battle between leftwing incumbent and far-right son of jailed ex-presidentBrazilians go to the polls on Sunday in the first round of a highly polarised and high-stakes presidential election that could change not only the direction of Latin America’s largest country but that of the entire region.The election pits the leftwing president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is seeking a fourth non-consecutive term, against the far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro, an ally of Donald Trump and the son of the former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup after his failed 2022 re-election attempt. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Lack of inspections at fish slaughterhouses a ‘disgrace’, says Animal Equality UK 04. October 2026 (10:00) Charity calls for faster progress on humane slaughter laws for farmed fish in England and WalesUp to 77m fish are slaughtered each year in the UK but there are no routine or mandatory inspections of fish slaughterhouses in England and Wales, it can be revealed.Concerns within government about the way fish are slaughtered date back decades but all of the official bodies responsible for animal welfare and food standards in England and Wales said they do not undertake regular inspections. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Welsh racing ban rehoming standoff sparks fears for greyhounds’ welfare 04. October 2026 (10:00) Industry says a phased end to racing, to avoid sudden jump in caring responsibilities, is unworkableWales’s greyhound racing ban – a UK first – has run into difficulties regarding how and when to wind down the practice, potentially risking the animals’ welfare, a charity has warned.The law, which received royal assent in April, includes a three-year window for the ban to come into effect and is overseen by a Welsh government working group, which includes racing industry representatives and animal health and welfare organisations. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Revealed: Government quietly dropped plan to prepare England for wildfires 04. October 2026 (09:00) FOI request shows wildfire risk scheme scrapped, as survey highlights many fire services lack proper protective gearThe government quietly scrapped plans to prepare the countryside in England for wildfires, it has been revealed. This was despite new data showing fire crews do not have the proper protective gear to tackle them.This summer has been a potent reminder of the scale of the threat posed by the climate crisis, with the UK experiencing record-breaking wildfires after punishingly hot and dry weather turned large parts of the countryside into a tinderbox. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Party conference will be more upbeat than last year, Tories say – but that’s not the whole story 04. October 2026 (08:00) The mood is better but ‘overhyped’, says one Conservative MP as party remains a distant third in pollsThe forthcoming Conservative conference will be, almost everyone in the party agrees, notably more upbeat and unified than last year. There is a similar consensus that Kemi Badenoch is doing well as party leader. That is, however, not the whole story.“The mood is better but the facts are still very poor,” one Conservative MP said. “We are still a distant third in the polls, and if there was an election tomorrow we would lose, and badly. That means the mood is overhyped.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘You have 10 minutes to decide’: answering the life-changing call to become a kinship carer 04. October 2026 (08:00) Those who have stepped in to keep young family members from going into care in England and Wales say the decision has brought them joy and hardshipClive vividly remembers the day when, without warning or time to work out what he was really letting himself in for, he became a kinship carer.“The social worker left, the door closed and Savannah was lying there in a carry cot, wrapped up in a pink blanket. She looked so calm and so comfy, absolutely oblivious about what’s just happened. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Polish activists launch abortion pill locker to bypass near-total ban 04. October 2026 (07:00) ‘AbortOmat’ in Warsaw offers novel way to challenge country’s restrictions and allow women swift, anonymous access They call it the “world’s first parcel locker for abortion pills”. Polish campaigners have launched a new means of distribution as part of their ongoing effort to skirt the country’s near-total ban on abortion.Painted pink and framed by zebra-striped curtains, the 22-compartment “AbortOmat” in Warsaw allows women to access the pills swiftly and anonymously using a six-digit code. The service was envisaged for those who cannot or do not want to wait days for mail delivery due to a missed miscarriage or health complications, or who worry about receiving the pills at home. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK car industry faces ‘difficult trade-off’ between Chinese and EU markets 04. October 2026 (07:00) Britain under pressure to put tariffs on cheap Chinese vehicle imports ahead of protectionist trade measuresBritain’s car industry is grappling with a “difficult trade-off” between China and Europe, as manufacturers struggle to balance the benefits of both markets ahead of looming trade measures that could restrict UK exports to the EU.The UK is an outlier in choosing not to put import taxes on Chinese vehicles, even as the US has shut them out almost entirely, and the EU imposes duties of up to 45%. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
