News

Children from Lochnell Primary School, Oban, take part in a Maths Week Scotland event (Picture: Martin Shields)

Maths Week means there's lots of educational fun to be had during school strikes

Maths is involved in a range of areas from navigation and forensic science to ceilidh dancing and fo...

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

The Hollywood writers’ strike began on May 2...

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

Andrei Medvedev is a former commander of the Wagner Group

Russell Brand: Met Police receives number of sex offence allegations following reports about comedian

Josh Payne

Shops to face restrictions on vape sales under Scottish Government plans

Shops selling sweet-flavoured vapes would be forced to remove the products from displays in a bid to...

Elderly patient onboard an ambulance dies after crash with taxi

The patient died at the scene despite efforts to save her...

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

Schools will close in 24 council areas in Scotland next week, including in Fife. Picture: PA

School strikes to go ahead in 24 council areas after weekend talks break down

A man has been charged with murder after a woman died from a gunshot wound. Carrie Slater, 37, was found with serious injuries on Thursday near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, and died in hospital on Saturday evening, Leicestershire Police said.

Family pay tribute to woman shot dead - as man faces murder charge

Labour was in control when the flawed contracts for the ambitious Edinburgh trams scheme were signed.

Scotsman Letters: Labour's principal role in costly Edinburgh trams debacle

Alan Munro is an insolvency expert, Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie LLP

Covid fraud aftershocks continue to reverberate - Alan Munro

Matt Farrell is a Partner, Brodies LLP.

Energy efficiency will be key for commercial property - Matt Farrell

A member of staff at the National Museum of Computing demonstrates how the Colossus computer was used during the Second World War at Block H, Bletchley Park (Picture: Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

AI and the human touch - Anna Jaconelli

Future Scotland

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

Senior pupils from Castlebrae Community Campus are helping with the construction of the test home at the Energy Training Academy in Dalkeith.

Scotland's 'first net zero home of its kind' to showcase latest tech

Transport

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

Damning indictment of Swinney's 'lack of candour' reveals much about Scotland Brian Wilson

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

LEZ areas have been enforced in Glasgow since June 1. Picture: John Devlin

Union warns Glasgow LEZ will force hundreds of black cab drivers off the road

Prestwick Airport was bought by the Scottish Government for a nominal £1 in 2013 to save it from closure. (Photo by Robert Perry/Getty Images)

New move to buy Prestwick Airport ‘lacked credibility’, says Scottish minister

Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow.

Legal probe results into 'rigged' ferry contract due 'fairly soon'

An Edinburgh tram runs on the line that was subject to a four-volume inquiry report published this week. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

Swinney urged to make public statement in Parliament on tram inquiry findings

Crime

There are special areas in Perth Prison where inmates can relax and talk to staff members (Picture: Community Justice Scotland)

If veteran prison governor still believes in rehabilitation, so should we

Catherine McGarrell

Pandemic inquiry should heed the plight of our Long Covid Kids - Catherine McGar...

The conference will focus on advancements in data and solutions to tackle child abuse

Former chief constable to speak at abuse conference

Climate change protesters stage a demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament on 16 September. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

Government admits climate law breach and promises fix after court action threat

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

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

First Minister Humza Yousaf, and SNP Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn joined SNP candidate for the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, Katy Loudon, at Cambuslang Miners Monument. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

SNP will consider amendments to independence motion, says Yousaf

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar speaks to the media after himself and Scottish Labour candidate for Rutherglen and Hamilton West Michael Shanks unveiled a billboard on their party's plan to make work pay in Cambuslang.

Anas Sarwar's home heating proposals will 'dramatically increase fuel poverty'

Exclusive Gender pay gap widens to record level at Holyrood body

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...

Kimberly Darroch and daughter Milly Main

Patient safety legislation ‘must include Milly’s Law’, says Labour

Co-leader of the Scottish Green Party Patrick Harvie at the 2023 Scottish Green Party Spring Conference at the Golden Jubilee Conference Centre in Clydebank.

Patrick Harvie says he 'will never condemn' climate activists who break the law

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

Alan Roden

News was at the forefront of trams fiasco reporting - Alan Roden

AI could help negotiators, but it lacks the human element (Picture: AREE - stock.adobe.com)

Will AI change the way we carry out negotiations? - Daniel Freeman

"No Mr Harvie, it is not time to break the law"

3kg of Seville oranges from the freezer, ready to turn into marmalade. Picture: Will Slater

Passions: Orange crush – how I learned to love making marmalade

Flat viewing and house hunting, we're back to negotiating estate agent Gaby Soutar

People

‘Impossible to cut tax’ – Can we believe anything that Hunt says? Brian Monteith

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 new National Theatre of Scotland production Dracula: Mina's Reckoning is at His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen until 9 September and will then tour around Scotland until 14 October. Picture: Mihaela Bodlovic

Theatre, dance and opera companies warn over ‘wilful demise’ of culture sector

The new Scottish galleries at the National Gallery in Edinburgh will open to the public on 30 September. Picture: Campbell Donaldson

Review: New National Gallery spaces 'triumph of space, light and shadow'

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

Anna Marshall in her kitchen

Interview: Anna Marshall, author of The 44 Scotland Street Cookbook

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

Joanna Lumley's pangolin

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

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

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

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a new “pragmatic, proportionate and realistic” approach to achieving net zero climate emissions by 2050, a watering-down of targets which he says will “ease the burden on working people”. Picture: Justin Tallis/Getty Images

What the PM’s 'pragmatic' green targets mean for Scotland

Exclusive Harvie says heat pump critics acting on behalf of natural gas vested interests

Sunak's new net-zero 'strategy' is cynical electioneering Scotsman comment

UK News

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

The Bank of England had been expected to hike rates again

Interest rates left unchanged after 14 rises in a row

Like Ross County, Lib Dems are eyeing more ‘shock results’ David Green

St Mary’s Music School, where the Scottish Government’s Aided Places Scheme is helping maintain a good mix of pupils

Independent Schools Guide: financial assistance ensures sector is as inclusive a...

World

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

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

How AI created naked photos of teenage girls

A Kosovo police officer guards the road near the village of Banjska, 35 miles north of the capital Pristina, northern Kosovo. One police officer was killed and another wounded in an attack he blamed on support from neighbouring Serbia, increasing tensions between the two former war foes at a delicate moment in their European Union-facilitated dialogue to normalise ties.

Kosovan police surround 30 armed gunmen in monastery after ‘terrorist attack’

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

How AI created naked photos of teenage girls

Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the U.N. Security Council (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Is Ukraine losing international support?

Fiona Campbell, chief executive of the ASSC

How let restrictions have impacted on New York and what it means for Scotland

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Lego has ditched plans to make bricks out of recycled bottles (BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

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