News

Lathallan School Pipe Band entertain the crowds

Lathallan School Mini Highland Games makes a triumphant return

After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the highly anticipated Lathallan School Mini Highland...

Crerar Hotels named AA's 'Hotel Group of the Year'

Crerar Hotels, which has a collection of four- and five-star properties across Scotland, has been aw...

Successive pledges have been made to ban the most damaging fishing methods from sensitive seabed areas to preserve important habitats and species, but nine years after Scotland’s network of marine protected areas was first created, bottom-trawling and dredging are still allowed in more than half of the sites. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Ministers blasted over delays in banning destructive fishing in protected sites

The Scottish Government has been accused of “shameless political greenwash” over its plans to protect the marine environment and reverse loss of nature as it was revealed that long-promised protections for vulnerable parts of Scotland’s seas have been delayed.

Climate campaigners say they are prepared to take the UK Government to court Rachel Amery

Rachel Amery

Inside the Queensferry Crossing as you’ve never seen it before

The Scotsman was given an exclusive tour inside the £1.35 billion structure...

Controversial Rosebank oil field is given the go-ahead

Rosebank, 80 miles west of Shetland, is estimated to contain 350 million barrels of oil....

How Scotland's minister for tenants’ rights is driving up rents Murdo Fraser

A vision of a net-zero world in 2050 and how we got there By The Newsroom

The actions we need to see now will impact how we travel, how we build and heat our homes, how we farm and manage land and whether we keep subsidising actions that are undermining life on the planet, according to Mike Robinson, chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland

Manifesting climate action to benefit people and the planet

‘Look Up’ awareness campaign will help save children’s lives - Susan Dalgety

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn appeared on Debate Night, hosted by The Scotsman's Stephen Jardine, last week (Picture: Hollie Adams/Getty Images)

Readers' Letters: Stephen Flynn 'patronising and disrespectful' to questioner

More than two-thirds of 11-16 year olds say that boys regularly make toxic comments about them at school

What has happened to make our girls so anxious about daily life? - Susan Dalget...

Gayle Hunnicutt at Heathrow Airport in 1975, on her way to film in Israel (Picture: Peter Cade/Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Obituaries: Gayle Hunnicut, 'sexpot' American actress who flourished in Britain

Future Scotland

From left: Mark Mountford, Victoria Mackie, Paul Reid, and Rebecca Christensen of Trickle. Picture: Stewart Attwood.

Seven-figure boost for Edinburgh-based workplace productivity start-up Trickle

Grzegorz Marecki, co-founder and chief executive of Continuum Industries: 'We have an exciting and important opportunity to accelerate the march of the infrastructure industry into the digital age and make a lasting impact for people and the planet.'

Edinburgh AI specialist gets £8 million boost to tackle energy planning delays

Electric heat pumps are crucial for the decarbonisation of heat – they use technology like that found in a refrigerator, but in reverse, extracting heat from a source and then amplifying and transferring the heat to where it is needed

Warmth not warming: Busting the myths is key to green heating roll-out

Transport

The Scottish and UK governments are a national embarrassment Euan McColm

Rishi Sunak visits a Land Rover plant in Warwick in July for an announcement about a new electric car battery factory (Picture: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

SNP shouldn’t have just accepted Sunak’s delay of new petrol car ban

An autonomous bus on the M8 heading towards Edinburgh on September 14. (Photo by Alastair Dalton/The Scotsman)

Scotland's world-first autonomous buses: Wear your seat belt! – Alastair Dalton

After an Avanti West Coast train was cancelled mid-journey, passengers experienced a very long journey (Picture: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

HS2 a distant prospect as 'low-speed one' takes passengers on 11-hour journey

James Nokise said he was among “hundreds” of passengers ordered off an Avanti West Coast train at Preston

Comedian describes 'insane' 11-hour journey to Edinburgh

The huge blaze broke out on Monday evening. Photo: Hugh Hill

Crews battle huge fire at historic Ayr Station Hotel

The motorway is closed while emergency services remain at the scene. Pic: Contributed

Police incident closes M9

Crime

If veteran prison governor still believes in rehab, so should we Karyn McCluskey

Lucy Letby is accused of murdering seven babies and trying to kill a further 10. Credit: SWNS

Lucy Letby to face retrial on allegation she tried to murder baby girl

Russell Brand: Met Police receives number of sex offence allegations following r...

Matt Farrell is a Partner, Brodies LLP.

Energy efficiency will be key for commercial property - Matt Farrell

Weather

Yellow warnings for wind and rain have been issued by the Met Office as Storm Agnes bears down on the UK

When does Storm Agnes hit Scotland, as yellow wind warning issued for rain

A team of plant scientists would like to turn this science “fiction” into reality by using light-based messaging to communicate with plants. Picture: SWNS

Can we talk to plants and warn them about dangers?

Rebecca MacDonald and Chris Oram pictured under the Northern Lights which appeared during their wedding on Monday. PIC: Michael Carver Photography.

Bride and groom captured under Northern Lights as 'everything aligns'

The tradition of changing the clocks in Britain dates back to over a century, here’s what you should know.

Explainer When do the clocks go back in 2023 and why do we change them?

Politics

Scotland's falling life expectancy is an indictment of its government Scotsman comment

Dr Lisa Cameron, the Scottish National Party MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow.

Sitting MSP backs challenger to SNP incumbent in Westminster selection battle

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey after giving his keynote speech during the Liberal Democrat conference at the Bournemouth Conference Centre.

Lib Dems predicting 'same level of success' as under Charles Kennedy

Campaigners protest outside the Holyrood parliament over the Scottish Government's plans to license short-term lets (Picture: Lisa Ferguson)

Holiday let owners say they are being made a ‘scapegoat’

Donald Trump, who thinks climate change is a 'hoax', likes Rishi Sunak's approach to the problem (Picture: Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

After Donald Trump backs Rishi Sunak's climate plans, will David Icke be next?

Yousaf must learn from Sunak about unachievable climate plans John McLellan

Media tycoon Jimmy Lai, pictured in June 2020. He was arrested two months later over his support for Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests (Picture: Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

When will Sunak stand up for detained Hong Kong democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai?

Coronavirus

Aamer Anwar (centre), lead solicitor for the Scottish Covid Bereaved group, speaks outside the UK Covid-19 Inquiry at Dorland House in London. Picture: Belinda Jiao/PA Wire

Lawyer calls for return to masks, free tests amid 'dangerous feeling of deja vu'

Travellers at Edinburgh's Waverley Station. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Passenger numbers on ScotRail services soar close to pre-pandemic levels

What are Covid symptoms in 2023?

Opinion

Dr Zoë Russell, Rethink Carbon Co-Founder

Women-led and rural businesses want to save the world - given the chance

Zumba, which has 15 million participants each week, is for all ages. Credit: Getty

Passions: 'Where else would you find this cross generational span of the sister...

Yousaf's independence plan is nonsense. So why is he pursuing it? Scotsman comment

This Mediterranean beach resort feels just like being at home - Vladimir McTavi...

Crackpots’ defence of Brand leaves me feeling sorry for him - Vladimir McTavish

People

Nearly completed: One of the glass panels needs to be replaced on the bandstand.

Lessons learnt from Drummers Corner project

Paul Zerdin and his sponge family Pic: Steve Ullathorne

Interview: ventriloquist Paul Zerdin

Clachan Church by Loch Broom, where the last communion was held before the Hector voyage. PIC: Creative Commons.

Emotional search for Highland ancestors 250 years after the Hector sailed

NHS Grampian colleagues are standing shoulder to shoulder in the fight against racism

NHS Grampian to launch Anti-Racism Plan

The Invercauld Arms will undergo a major transformation.

Tourist accommodation projects gain planning approval

There were two Scottish bakers in the tent during The Great British Bake Off in 2022. Image: Mark Bourdillon/Channel 4

Every Scottish baker to have appeared on The Great British Bake Off

Twenty years after her father planted a tree at the opening of Jupiter Wildlife Centre, Sally Magnusson marked the 2012 anniversary with a similar ceremony. Pic: Michael Gillen

Plan to close wildlife centre in heart of town

Obituaries

Stuart Sellar unveils the plaque bearing his own name - W S Sellar - on locomotive 37175

Obituaries: Stuart Sellar, railwayman and photographer

David Jones ran for Great Britain at the 1960 Rome Olympics, winning a bronze medal

Obituaries: David Jones, British sprinter who enjoyed trophy-laden career

John Cairney first played Robert Burns in There was a Man at the Traverse in 1965

Obituaries: John Cairney, actor best known for solo performances as Robert Burns

Environment

Former prime minister Gordon Brown who has said that states which banked 'staggering' profits from the high price of oil last year should pay a global windfall levy to help poorer nations in the fight against climate change. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Gordon Brown: States that reaped 'staggering' oil profits should pay global wind...

Joanna Lumley's pangolin

Fancy an original artwork by Alexander McCall Smith or another celebrity?

PIC LISA FERGUSON 0/05/2022

Lower Largo Beach, Lower Largo Bathing Pool has been added to SEPA

Scotland has highest number of bathing waters ever â€“ as two new locations designated for 2022

Lower Largo in Fife and Barassie in Ayrshire are now Scottish designated bathing waters following a decision by Minister for Environment and Land Reform, Mairi McAllan MSP. This brings the total number of bathing waters in Scotland to 87, the highest number on record.

Minister for Environment and Land Reform, Mairi McAllan, designates Lower Largo in Fife and Barassie in Ayrshire as Scottish bathing waters.

Designations brings the total number of Bathing Waters in Scotland to 87 â€“ the highest number on record.

Locals and visitors are encouraged to play their part in protecting and improving the quality of the new bathing waters.

Two further applications for bathing waters did not meet the criteria for designation.

Four applications were received for designation in 2022 and considered by the Bathing Water Review Panel. Recommendations based on the criteria for designation were passed to the Minister for Environment and Land Reform who has made the following decisions:

The applications for Lower Largo in Fife, submitted by Largo Area Community Council with support from Fife Council, and Barassie in Ayr, submitted by Friends of Troon beaches with support from South Ayrshire Council, showed they met the criteria for bathing water designation:

A large number of bathers use the bathing water.

There was community support for designation

There was support from the local authority and willingness to accept beach management duties.

Two applications did not meet the criteria for designation.

Evidence provided with the application for Wardie Bay in Edinburgh demonstrated it met two of the criteria for bathing water designation, as a large number of bathers use the bathing water during the season and there was community support for the designation.

More than half of wild swimming spots have unsafe levels of sewage

Exclusive Scotland's largest landowner pours £44m into firm with NHS care home planned

A paddleboarder in the foreground as the Seabourn Ovation cruise ship arrives. Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

Scottish council wants all motorhome users and cruise ships to pay tourist tax

Sunak’s retreat from true pragmatism may herald return of Trussonomics Scotsman comment

From Ruchill Park to Costa Rica, the beauty of nature can lift your spirits Philip Lymbery

UK News

Sir Geoff Palmer, who headed the steering group which recommended a national museum of slavery and empire for Scotland, said progress was being made on the proposal at government level. PIC: Phil Wilkinson.

Scotland's national slavery museum needs to progress 'at greater speed'

Dear Rishi, net-zero technologies can help reduce the cost of living Christine Jardine

Analysis Could financial pressures cause a Scottish council to go bust?

The Matterhorn is regarded as a Swiss national symbol - despite being half-Italian (image: Getty Images)

These are the 25 Freest nations according to the Human Freedom Index

Tories’ descent into fantasy politics should shock us all Joyce McMillan

It may one day be possible to warn potato plants of impending bad weather (Picture: Carsten Koall/Getty Images)

Breakthrough in 'talking' to plants could enable us to pass on weather forecasts

World

Striking WGA (Writers Guild of America) members picket with striking SAG-AFTRA members outside Paramount Studios earlier this month in Los Angeles, California.

Hollywood writers' strike set to come to an end after five months

Andrei Medvedev, claiming to have deserted Russian mercenary group Wagner, and his lawyer Brynjulf Risnes listen during Medvedev's trial at the District Court in Oslo in April.

Wagner group defector caught allegedly trying to return to Russia

Mark Sabah and Chloe Cheung of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, with MSP Jeremy Balfour at the Scottish Parliament.

Hong Kongers tell Police Scotland stories of persecution

The transfer of Italy's top wanted mafia boss, Matteo Messina Denaro (centre) from the Carabinieri police station of San Lorenzo in Palermo, following his arrest in his native Sicily in January. Picture: Italian Carabinieri Press Office/AFP via Getty Images

Mafia mastermind Matteo Messina Denaro dies in hospital

The closure of Russian airspace has added 20-30 per cent to Finnair's flight times to Asia. (Photo by Finnair)

Russian airspace could be closed for ten years by Ukraine war – Finnair

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming commonly used in many different areas.

How AI created naked photos of teenage girls

Read This

Storm Agnes to cause more travel chaos this week as 80mph winds forecast. (Photo: Getty Images)

Storm Agnes to cause more travel chaos as 80mph winds forecast

Zoleka Mandela, the granddaughter of Nelson Mandela, has died aged 43. (Credit: Getty Images)

Nelson Mandela's granddaughter dies aged 43 after cancer battle

Europa or "Jupiter II" is the smallest of the four Galilean moons orbiting Jupiter, with this moon orbiting at about 417,000 miles from the gas giant.

A huge carbon source has been found on Europa