14 h. ago Donald Trump health fears as White House breaks silence on doctor visit

The White House has given an update on Donald Trump's health after the President was diagnosed with a chronic vein condition in July - but said "no changes" have been made to his lifestyle

Society

39 h. ago Readers' letters: Upgrade Edinburgh City Bypass before building a second tram line

A reader says an upgrade to the Edinburgh City Bypass should be prioritised ahead of a second tram line for the capital

Politics

39 h. ago Scottish city called 'an urban wanderer’s delight' named country's pub capital

A Scottish town has been named country's top pub city, boasting nine pubs per square mile, far ahead of Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Politics

43 h. ago Readers' letters: Qualification questions in Scotland's education ‘data desert’?

I am sure that most of us would accept that, as a sampling exercise, the PISA ratings for reading, mathematics and science may be more approximate than exact. That said, the figures for Scottish pupils have declined pretty steadily since the first such exercise in 2000. This is a very touchy point with Scottish nationalists, especially when it can be shown that English schools are scoring better than Scottish schools, as was the case in the latest PISA results in 2022.

Politics

4 d. ago ‘She’s the one that matters’: the growing influence of Melania on Donald Trump

First lady is facing increased scrutiny as political experts suggest she is behind US president’s recent volte-faces on Gaza and PutinWhen Melania Trump arrives in Britain for her husband’s second state visit next month, it will not just be the photographic pack straining every lens for clues as to her opaque mood or signs of froideur in their marriage. It will also be British officials.Six months into his second term as US president, a period in which Donald Trump has pirouetted on just about every big international issue, mandarins in Whitehall have realised they need to focus less time on trying to tame him, and more on looking at his wife. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Readers' letters: Israel's war in Gaza is not and act of 'self

A reader says it’s ludicrous to sugest Israel’s actions in Gaza are defensive or a proportionate response to Hamas’s terrorism

Politics

4 d. ago JD Vance: Hundreds of police officers to be deployed for US Vice President visit to Scotland next week

JD Vance’s visit comes just a fortnight after Donald Trump travelled to his golf courses in Scotland.

Events

5 d. ago Man dies after plunging from waterfall as rescue teams rush to Scottish beauty spot

The emergency services were called to Reekie Linn Waterfall near Kilry in Angus, Scotland, after reports came in that a man had fallen from the waterfall on Wednesday

Events

5 d. ago Readers' letters: Give the Fringe's favourite uncle the freedom of the city

A reader says it’s high time the founder of the Free Fringe got official recognition

Politics

5 d. ago JD Vance visits Indiana to discuss redistricting amid Trump pressure on GOP states – US politics live

Protests set to greet vice-president on visit after governor said redistricting ‘looks like it’s going to happen across many Republican states’Across the US’s fabled but overstretched national parks, unusual scenes are playing out this summer following budget cuts by Donald Trump’s administration. Archeologists are staffing ticket booths, ecologists are covering visitor centers and the superintendents of parks are even cleaning the toilets.The National Park Service (NPS), responsible for maintaining cherished wildernesses and sites of cultural importance from Yellowstone to the Statue of Liberty, has lost a quarter of its permanent staff since Trump took office in January, with the administration seeking to gut the service’s budget by a third.Donald Trump has claimed “great progress was made” during talks on ending the war in Ukraine between his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Wednesday. The three-hour talks came two days before a deadline the US p...

Politics

5 d. ago US national parks staff in ‘survival mode’ to keep parks open amid Trump cuts

Park bosses say they’re running visitor centers and even cleaning bathrooms as remaining staff try to keep sites openAcross the US’s fabled but overstretched national parks, unusual scenes are playing out this summer following budget cuts by Donald Trump’s administration. Archeologists are staffing ticket booths, ecologists are covering visitor centers and the superintendents of parks are even cleaning the toilets.The National Park Service (NPS), responsible for maintaining cherished wildernesses and sites of cultural importance from Yellowstone to the Statue of Liberty, has lost a quarter of its permanent staff since Trump took office in January, with the administration seeking to gut the service’s budget by a third. Continue reading...

Events

6 d. ago Gordon Brown warns child poverty in Scotland is getting 'worse everyday' as he calls for UK Government action

The former prime minister is demanding Rachel Reeves taxes gambling companies to pay for the scrapping of the two-child cap on benefits.

Events

6 d. ago Readers' Letters: Bridge the attainment gap with pipe bands in schools

A reader supports calls for the formation of pipe bands in schools to boost academic performance

Culture

6 d. ago Trump could meet Putin for Ukraine war talks ‘as soon as next week’

Summit with Russian leader would follow ‘great progress’ made by special envoy Steve Witkoff during Moscow visit Donald Trump could meet Vladimir Putin as soon as next week to discuss the war in Ukraine, White House officials have said, although senior administration officials have warned that serious “impediments” remain to achieving a ceasefire.White House officials briefed US media that Trump would seek a summit with Putin after the US special envoy Steve Witkoff met the Russian leader at the Kremlin on Wednesday. After that meeting, Trump claimed “great progress was made” during the talks on ending the war in Ukraine. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Trump envoys praise ‘incredible’ aid efforts during Gaza visit after UN says nearly 1,400 Palestinians killed seeking food

Three Palestinians were killed at a Gaza aid site just hours after a visit to Rafah by Steve Witkoff and Mike Huckabee

Events

8 d. ago Readers' letters: We must not return to the days of Mary Whitehouse

A reader says freedom of expression should be defended, even if it might offend some people

Events

8 d. ago Trump envoy to visit Moscow this week before deadline for ending Ukraine war

Steve Witkoff to travel to Moscow before US president’s Friday deadline after which new sanctions could be imposedEurope live – latest updatesDonald Trump has said he will dispatch his special envoy to Moscow this week before his Friday deadline for progress to be made on ending the war in Ukraine.Trump said Steve Witkoff would visit Moscow on Wednesday or Thursday. When asked on Sunday what message Witkoff would take to Russia and what Vladimir Putin could do to avoid new sanctions, the US president answered: “Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed.” Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago Readers' Letters: Here's how John Swinney can dig himself out of a hole

A reader has thoughts on how John Swinney can help himself, and Scotland

Politics

3 w. ago Readers' Letters: Sack NHS Fife Board in wake of Sandy Peggie case

So far as the Sandie Peggie employment tribunal goes, NHS Fife keeps digging deeper, says reader

Politics

3 w. ago Stephen Flynn says he would rather 'wash his hair' than meet Donald Trump when President visits Scotland

Stephen Flynn joked today he would be "busy getting a haircut" when the Republican leader arrives in Aberdeenshire.

Politics