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Circular economy minister Lorna Slater confirming the delay to the planned deposit return

Deposit return scheme falls victim to constitutional bunfight

Alex Salmond is the leader of the Alba Party.

Alex Salmond to return to Edinburgh fringe six years after chat show run

Donald Trump greets supporters at a Team Trump volunteer leadership training event in Iowa last week.

Analysis: Can Donald Trump survive the latest historic legal charge?

Aldi has deployed a new laser deterrent system – which uses light beams to trick birds into thinking there is a predator in the vicinity, prompting them to flee – to stop seagulls nesting on the roof of its Bathgate distribution facility

How to stop seagulls pooing on solar panels and damaging buildings with ‘bombs’

Musicians David Foley, Josie Duncan and Cammy Barnes launch The Reeling festival in Rouken Glen Park. Picture: John Devlin

Stage set for new festival in one of Scotland's biggest public parks

EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley, joins members of the EIS and SSTA unions, on the picket line at St Andrew's and St Brides High School in South Lanarkshire. Secondary schools around Scotland are shut as members of the EIS and SSTA unions are taking strike action in a dispute over pay. Picture date: Wednesday January 11, 2023. PA Photo. Scotland's Education Secretary has said she will leave "no stone unturned" to bring about a quick resolution of teacher strikes affecting schools across the country. See PA story INDUSTRY Strikes TeachersScotland. Photo credit should read: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

Union chief claims school violence is soaring because teacher pleas were ignored

David and Douglas Hamilton will be driving the vehicle to Ukraine.

Former head of SPF to team up with brother to deliver vehicle to Ukraine

Forza Horizon 4 (2018) | © Microsoft Studios / Playground Games / Microsoft Corporation

Here are 5 video games set in Scotland starting with Assassin's Creed Valhalla

First Minister Humza Yousaf

Humza Yousaf considering compensating islanders for ferry disruption

Michaela, Julia, Lucy and Ashlie in front of the Moulin Rouge Pic: ©Philippe Wojazer - Moulin Rouge

The four Scottish Moulin Rouge dancers on being part of the Paris show

Hamdan Aslam died at St Kentigern’s Academy in Blackburn of natural causes, police have said

Teenager, 14, who died at Scottish secondary school had heart condition

Future Scotland

Scottish tech veteran Chris van der Kuyl becomes chair of Ace Aquatec, in which he is an investor via Chrome Ventures. Picture: Peter Gregor.

Jobs boost as Dundee-based Ace Aquatec nets seven-figure funding

NatWest CEO Dame Alison Rose and the University of Edinburgh's principal Sir Peter Mathieson. Picture: Adam Hollingworth Photography.

In depth: NatWest and Edin Uni unite to accelerate innovation in banking

The project will be managed and executed from AND Digital’s base in Glasgow. Picture: contributed.

AND Digital nets further Cabinet Office contract to boost grant-finder service

Transport

The RMT includes station staff and train conductors. Picture: John Devlin

Members of ScotRail’s largest union RMT accept 5 per cent pay deal

People take photos of the sun as smoke from the wildfires in Canada cause hazy conditions in New York City. Picture: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

‘The show must not go on’: Broadway shows cancelled due to wildfires in Canada

Beinn a' Ghlo and its three Munro summits, in Perthshire, is popular with walkers but ad hoc parking had led to environmental damage and littering. Picture: OATS

How a new car park will help protect Scottish mountains

A tram leaving Picardy Place for Newhaven on the final day of testing on the three-mile extension on Tuesday. Picture: The Scotsman

Tram firm reveals 'monkey on shoulder' to finish extension after previous fiasco

An urgent meeting between the Scottish Government and CalMac has been called amid 'disappointment' over ferry company's communication (pic: National World)

Urgent meeting called with CalMac amid Scottish Government 'disappointment'

Residents on South Uist have been protesting the latest CalMac ferry cancellation announcement (pic: Robert Kelly)

'Are we still paying for 1745?' South Uist fury over CalMac ferry chaos

Shipbuilding on the Clyde has a long and proud history (Picture: Jane Barlow/PA)

Ferguson Marine shipyard should not be damaged by flak directed at SNP ministers

Crime

French police officers stand next to an emergency truck in Annecy, central-eastern France following a mass stabbing in the French Alpine town. Picture: Olivier Chassingnole/AFP via Getty Images

British child among those injured after young children stabbed in park

The two eight-year-olds referred for housebreaking incidents were both in Aberdeen

Children as young as eight referred for housebreaking incidents

The Duke of Sussex has been involved in six legal battles at the High Court in recent months

Harry does not have vendetta against the Press, court is told

Police Scotland officers outside Turnberry's hotel during Mr Trump's visit in May 2023. Picture: Robert Perry/Getty

Taxpayers to pick up policing bill for Donald Trump's visit to Scotland

Weather

The Met Office have issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms across the UK.

Yellow weather warning in place across Scotland as heatwave sweeps UK

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said the blaze, near Cannich, has now been contained, but crews would remain at the scene until it is “safe to leave” (pic: FLS)

Analysis: We can all do one thing to help prevent wildfires

Gamekeepers putting out a wildfire in the Highlands (pic: Scottish Gamekeepers Association)

What's the latest advice on how to manage Scottish moorlands with wildfire risk?

Scots are set to bask in the UK's hottest spring day of 2023. with the mercury expected to hit 25C on Wednesday -- but there will be a geographical divide, with the west expected to be as much as 10C warmer than eastern coasts. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

Why this weekend is set to be so warm in Scotland as hottest day forecast

Politics

Janine Reilly and Sharron McKean of Falkirk District Action Group who are delighted Falkirk Council are launching the pilot project to tackle issue of rats in council homes.

Pilot project to rid council homes of rats

Protesters from Ocean Rebellion demonstrate next to an oil platform on the banks of the river Tay, calling for a halt to plans to open the giant Rosebank oil field, off Shetland, which could yield up to 500 million barrels of oil. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Protesters act out dangers of drilling giant North Sea oil field

Former US president Donald Trump is facing charges. Picture: Getty Images

Donald Trump facing seven charges over secret files in latest indictment

The UK Government has announced a threshold under which the additional windfall tax on oil and gas profits would be eliminated. Picture: PA.

Windfall tax to be eliminated if oil prices fall a little lower

AirBnB locks outside a block of flats in Edinburgh in 2019.

Ministers must 'return to drawing board' on short-term lets policy

Minister for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Angus Robertson in the main chamber at the Scottish Parliament

'Devolution is at risk' warns SNP as parliament votes against bonfire of EU laws

Members of the Scottish Family Party protest alongside supporters of the Gender Recognition Reform Bill (Scotland) outside the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, ahead of a debate on the bill.

Gender critical event would have 'peddled misinformation and transphobia'

Coronavirus

Rishi Sunak's government needs to co-operate fully with the Covid-19 Inquiry (Picture: Leon Neal/WPA pool /Getty Images)

Sunak's government must be open with Covid inquiry – Christine Jardine

Cats can contract Covid from humans

Warning as Scottish study shows cats can contract Covid from their owners

Being a carer can be a full-time job (Picture: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Many carers are living in poverty and struggling with their own health problems

Opinion

I like to think I have the backhand of Richard Gasquet - the reality is very different!

From Wimbledon to a club game, it’s game, set and match for tennis

Lidl has come a long way, in Britain now boasting more than 950 stores and about 30,000 staff. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images.

Why budget-friendly Lidl puts the 'super' in supermarket - Emma Newlands comment

'The carbon intensity of the energy network is important, but so too is the energy efficiency of a data centre,' says the DataVita boss. Picture: contributed.

'Check your data centre is helping your journey to net zero, not hindering it'

Kate Dodd, Legal Director and diversity and inclusion specialist at Pinsent Masons

We need to rethink our approach to flexible working and childcare - Kate Dodd

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater delivers a statement to the Scottish Parliament on the deposit return scheme this week (Picture Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Readers' Letters: What was the point of the deposit return scheme?

People

Murrayfield Ice Rink will be turned into a Fringe venue this August.

12 of of the most unusual venues at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

The Doune The Rabbit Hole Festival is due to return to the Cardross Estate, near Stirling, in July. Picture: Ryan Buchanan

Union issues warning to 'avoid' controversial Scottish music festival

Hasbulla Magomedov and legendary pro MMA fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov celebrate in the Octagon after a UFC 267 event in the UAE in 2021.

Explainer Who is Hasbulla? Why is the Russian famous? Medical condition and age

Francis Monkman in 1971 when he was with Curved Air (Picture: Shutterstock)

Scotsman Obituaries: Francis Monkman, composer and synthesiser pioneer

Isle of Eriska Hotel & Spa

The best luxury Scottish island hotels and self-catering cottages

An illustration of how a deficiency of a molecule known as taurine - produced in the body and found in foods with protein such as meat or fish - may drive the ageing process. Picture: Columbia University Irving Medical Centre/PA Wire

Taurine supplements may be key to slowing down ageing process and extending huma...

Fife Coastal Path

Passions: Fife Coastal Path

Obituaries

Magi McGlynn was known as the Bard of Balquhidder

Scotsman Obituaries: Magi McGlynn, Scottish hermit and street performer

Ray Megson in action on the field in 1992

Scotsman Obituaries: Ray Megson, lawyer, rugby player and referee

George Logan photographed for The Scotsman in 2015 (Picture: Ian Georgeson)

Scotsman Obituaries: George Logan, Scots actor who was half of Hinge and Bracket

Environment

A herring gull

Passions: How can we hate seagulls when they are just like us?

The deposit return scheme has been delayed until 2025. Image: Press Association.

Businesses call for compensation over deposit return scheme

Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater has been heading the decision on bracken herbicide permission (pic: Jane Barlow/PA)

'It could cost lives': Farmers reach tipping point over herbicide decision

Scotland's DRS would save 160,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually in its proposed form, but would lose more than a quarter of these emissions savings if glass is removed from the scheme, according to figures from Zero Waste Scotland. Picture: Warren Media

Would the deposit return recycling scheme slash greenhouse gas emissions?

Peatland restoration work is being scaled up at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park in a bid to tackle climate change

For peat’s sake: Ramping up restoration in Scotland’s original national park

SSE – which is led by CEO Alistair Phillips-Davies (pictured) – had its fine reduced for settling the investigation early. Picture: contributed.

Perth-headquartered energy giant SSE fined £9.8m by Ofgem for overcharging

Steel recycling is currently a high-carbon activity, using plenty of fossil fuel.

Scotland has a unique opportunity to create a greener steel industry

UK News

Conor Matchett was named Political Journalist of the Year. Picture: Andrew Barr

The Scotsman picks up string of honours at Scottish Press Awards

Haystacks and kids at Satran in 1963. PIC: Minginish Centenary Project.

Scottish island celebrates 100 years since land resettled after clearances

Would Labour leader Keir Starmer be able to reform the UK in a way that Gordon Brown could not when he was Chancellor and then Prime Minister? (Picture: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

Independent Scotland must be a good neighbour to UK – Stewart McDonald

Many EU supporters are frustrated with Labour leader Keir Starmer over his dismissal of a return to the EU (Picture: Hollie Adams/Getty Images)

Brexit regret is growing and the campaign to rejoin the EU will come

Tram line construction in Princes Street in September 2009. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Edinburgh Tram Inquiry: Why is it being held? What went wrong with the project?

John Torode and Gregg Wallace, of Masterchef, are the Statler and Waldorf of TV cookery shows (Picture: PA)

How MasterChef has become a wonderfully reassuring British institution

World

Cam Cameron on Rockall

Rockall adventurer reveals Desert Island Discs choices and daily routine

A local resident sails on a paddle board during an evacuation from a flooded area in Kherson, Ukraine, following damages sustained at Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant dam.

Landmines float in floodwaters as Ukraine and Russia trade accusations

Florida governor Ron DeSantis

Could Ron DeSantis be more dangerous than Donald Trump? Henry McLeish

This screen grab from a video posted on Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky's Twitter account shows an aerial view of the dam of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station after it was partially destroyed. Picture: Twitter/@ZelenskyyUa Twitter acc/AFP via Getty Images

War against Ukraine: Dam explosion a ‘bomb of mass environmental destruction’

The Duke of Sussex at the Rolls Buildings in central London for the phone hacking trial against Mirror Group Newspapers. Picture: Jeff Moore/PA Wire

Prince Harry felt 'physically sick' over detective payments about Diana

A British soldier and Ukrainian soldiers take part in urban combat exercises at a British Army military base in Northern England last week.

Ukraine launches offensive with Depeche Mode song

Read This

There’s trouble in paradise for Mitchel and Molly

Love Island 2023: First Islander to be dumped tonight

The UK Health Security Agency has extended the warm weather alert until next week

Breaking Heat-health alert extended as hot weather expected to last days

Dogs stuck in hot cars can quickly become unwell

Animal laws you should be aware of as RSPCA issue hot weather warning