The National (Scotland)
Oldest football off to US in World Cup first
THE world’s oldest football – one of Scotland’s most remarkable historical objects – is heading to the United States for the World Cup match between Brazil and Scotland on Wednesday. It is the first time in its near 500-year history that the ball will...
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‘Reinforcements incoming’ for the Tartan Army
EDINBURGH Airport has revealed that around 12,000 Scots have passed through its gates travelling to Boston to cheer on Scotland at the World Cup – with more Tartan Army reinforcements on their way. An estimated 50,000 Scots have travelled to Boston to...
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Voters hit the polls in three Westminster by-elections which could prove pivotal
VOTERS in constituencies across the UK go to the polls today to decide the outcomes of three Westminster by-elections. In Aberdeen South, the SNP are standing former MP Richard Thomson against the Tories’ Douglas Lumsden, currently an MSP for the North...
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$20k boost for US charities after ‘open arms’ World Cup welcome
THE Tartan Army is set to donate more than $20,000 to charities in the US region of Providence, Rhode Island, after being welcomed with “open arms” after struggling to find accommodation in nearby Boston. Providence is closer to the Boston Stadium...
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PALESTINE ACTION BAN FIGHT ‘WILL GO TO HIGHEST COURT’
EXCLUSIVE Scots activist: ‘Tipping point towards authoritarian British state’
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Now let’s make History!
JOHN Swinney called Scotland’s 1-0 World Cup victory over Haiti early yesterday as “seismic”, adding that he was “ecstatic”. The First Minister was at the game in Boston, where midfielder John McGinn scored the only goal, Swinney said: “This is a...
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Thousands of anti-racism protesters drown out the far right
THOUSANDS of antiracism protesters gathered in a show of solidarity against far-right disorder. Organised by Stand Up To Racism (SUTR), the rally was set up to “send a clear message to the racist far-right that they are not welcome in our diverse city”...
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Fever pitch
Don’t miss our great World Cup stories: l£1m Tartan Trek reaches Boston lFans go wild over McTominay advert lCouncil changes name in honour of skipper Robertson
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A celebration ... and a clear message
FOR this year’s Refugee Festival Scotland, we have created a front page for The National to launch the festival and mark the beginning of this year’s programme, which runs from today until June 21. We wanted the cover to feel like a celebration, while...
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‘SHOCKING AND UNACCEPTABLE’
First Minister joins politicians and campaigners to condemn violence Three people attacked for their skin colour, two officers injured, say police Worshippers ‘locked in mosque’ as people attacked Reform UK and Farage ‘fanned flames’ of race riots...
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A KALEIDO-SCOT ...
ROSIE Corbett poses in a Scotlandthemed kit inside the giant kaleidoscope at Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, for the launch of its World Cup-themed installations
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Knife amnesties ‘will be considered’ after fatal stabbings
SCOTLAND’S Justice Secretary has said he would consider knife amnesties in the wake of two trials which resulted in teenagers found guilty of killing their victims using knives. On Friday, two teenagers were found guilty of murdering a 16-yearold on a...
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ISRAELI TROOPS KILL
ISRAELI troops killed a sevenmonth-old Palestinian baby boy after firing at his parents’ vehicle in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry has said. Sam Fahd Abu Haikal was killed, and his parents were wounded while driving in the Tel...
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Ireland slaps entry ban on far-right Israeli ministers
THE Republic of Ireland yesterday announced it had banned two far-right Israeli ministers from entering the country. Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich have been banned over their “behaviour”...
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Pro-Palestine group urges Celtic not to appoint Keane
PRO-Palestine campaigners have urged Celtic to heed fans’ calls and not appoint Robbie Keane, who managed an Israeli side during the genocide in Gaza, after it emerged he is leading an alternative to Martin O’Neill. Celtic have faced backlash from...
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Arrests made after violent clashes near site of murder
MINISTERS appealed for calm yesterday after violent clashes between protesters and police near where Henry Nowak was stabbed to death. The unrest came amid an outcry about the policing response to the murder after the student’s killer claimed he had...
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Murrell used fake invoices and made misleading entries in accounts
MORE details of Peter Murrell’s crimes emerged yesterday as the former SNP chief executive returned to court eight days after he pleaded guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from the party. Murrell arrived in a white prison van, wearing a dark blue...
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‘AN ATTACK ON THE FREEDOM TO CRITICISE ISRAEL’
UK Government is happy to invite head of apartheid state that has killed at least 73,000 Gazans but bans pro-Palestinian voices from entering
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World Cup bound
STEVE Clarke and the Scotland squad jetted off to the World Cup in North America yesterday morning. The squad flew out to a training base in Florida, two weeks before the Tartan Army will descend on Boston for Scotland’s first group match against Haiti...
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FM: Voters still have ‘strong confidence’ in SNP
JOHN Swinney has insisted voters have “strong confidence” in the SNP following former chief executive Peter Murrell’s admission that he embezzled £400,000 from the party. Murrell pleaded guilty this week to embezzling the sum from the SNP between 2010...
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Children’s Festival Lifts off
THE Edinburgh International Children’s Festival kicks off this weekend with a packed programme of circus, dance, storytelling and theatre for young people, their schools and families. The festival opens today with a free Family Day at the National...
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Outlander wrap a ‘dream fit’ for Sleeper train
THE Caledonian Sleeper train has been given a new look in celebration of Outlander, with the makeover hailed as “exciting and surreal” by one of the show’s stars, Sam Heughan. Four coaches have been wrapped in designs showing striking moments from the...
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FM to seek Section 30 order for indyref2 in talks with Starmer
FIRST Minister John Swinney will request a Section 30 order from the Prime Minister when they meet in “the next few weeks” following Holyrood calling for powers over an independence referendum to be devolved. Swinney told Bauer Media yesterday that he...
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Immediate no from No 10 as MSPs vote to demand indyref powers
SCOTLAND’S newly elected parliament voted yesterday to call for Westminster to devolve the powers which would allow it to hold a second independence referendum. MSPs voted by 72-55 to support First Minister John Swinney’s call for the UK Government...
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Murrell sent behind bars after admitting embezzlement
FORMER SNP chief executive Peter Murrell was remanded in custody at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday after pleading guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from the party. Murrell arrived at Edinburgh High Court yesterday for a hearing after...
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Banknote
THE Bank of Scotland has unveiled a limited-edition £20 note featuring an image of footballer Scott McTominay’s celebrated overhead kick goal. The design blends traditional banknote elements with imagery inspired by McTominay’s strike against...
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Cheaper energy could ‘transform’ Scots economy
CHEAPER energy costs could be “transformational” for Scotland’s economy, John Swinney said yesterday, providing the country with “prosperity and security” in an “ever more uncertain world”. The First Minister told how a “golden combination” of greater...
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Ban on trans women in female toilets, changing rooms and sports teams
TRANSGENDER women will be banned from using female toilets, changing facilities and sports teams, following the publication of long-awaited guidance from the UK’s equalities watchdog. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) guidance follows...
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Minister denies plan to cap food ‘mimicking SNP’
ATREASURY minister has denied that the UK Government asking supermarkets to cap essential food prices is “mimicking” an SNP election pledge. On Tuesday, the Financial Times reported that the Treasury was set to ask large supermarkets to introduce...
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Scottish Government agency panned for plans to attend major defence industry event
ASCOTTISH Government agency was slammed as it prepared to attend a major defence industry event in Glasgow. Scottish Enterprise will join firms like BAE Systems, Thales UK and Leonardo at the Scottish Defence Procurement & Supply Chain Summit in...
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Supreme Court hears cases as it sits in Scotland
THE UK Supreme Court will sit in Glasgow for four days this week in the city chambers, with three appeal cases set to be heard. The court, which is the highest court of appeal for civil cases across the UK, began its sitting in the Burgh Hall of the...
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Senior police chief expresses anger after fan disorder
ASENIOR Police Scotland officer has called on Celtic to be “more accountable”, as he expressed frustration following fan disorder in the wake of the Scottish Premiership decider. There have been 14 arrests in Glasgow so far following Celtic’s Scottish...
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Church of Scotland moderator thanks First Minister in first address to new assembly
THE Church of Scotland’s new moderator has delivered a message of thanks to John Swinney and all the newly-elected MSPs at Holyrood. The First Minister attended the church’s General Assembly in Edinburgh, where the Rt Rev Gordon Kennedy addressed him...
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Lord Advocate confirms plans to resign from role
SCOTLAND’S Lord Advocate has informed the First Minister that she plans to step down from the role. Dorothy Bain KC was appointed Lord Advocate in June 2021 after she was nominated for the post by former first minister Nicola Sturgeon. The Scottish...
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NAKBA DAY:
l‘15 lCatastrophe of Palestine has a British author lFormer elite IDF soldier on why truth must be voiced
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Starmer rolls back on independence referendum talks with First Minister
THE Prime Minister has rolled back on John Swinney’s claims that the pair will meet to discuss a second referendum on Scottish independence. Scotland’s First Minister said late on Tuesday that the issue of a second referendum on Scottish independence...
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CalMac resumes normal service for several key routes
ANUMBER of key CalMac routes are set to be “restored to normal service” with the return of a major ferry. MV Hebrides will return to service on the Little Minch this afternoon, following repair work to address a leak on her bow visor seal. The return...
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New MSPs Arrive at Holyrood
SCOTLAND’S new and returning MSPs arrived for their first day at Holyrood yesterday, after last week’s election. Some 64 new faces walked the halls of the Edinburgh parliament. But little is expected to change after the SNP continued its domination of...
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‘Disgraceful’ abuse aimed at transgender MSPs
THE Scottish Greens condemned the transphobic and racist abuse which has been directed at Scotland’s first transgender MSPs since their election was announced on Friday. Dr Q Manivannan and Iris Duane both secured regional list seats for the Greens....
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‘UK MUST CATCH UP TO REALITY’
WESTMINSTER has to “catch up” with the reality of devolved nations being led by pro-independence parties, John Swinney has said. The First Minister told the Sunday National at a press conference in Edinburgh yesterday that he hadn’t yet spoken to Keir...
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Five in a row but No majority
THE SNP won a historic fifth election but fell short of an overall majority. Among the 73 constituency seats, the SNP won 57, the Scottish LibDems won seven, the Scottish Conservatives won four, Scottish Labour won three and the Greens won two. The...
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Pair evacuated off Virus-hit ship ‘improving’
TWO Britons who were medically evacuated from a hantavirus-hit cruise ship are improving, global health officials said yesterday. A British passenger, understood to be a 69-year-old man, was taken to South Africa on April 27 and is receiving care at a...
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Kidnapped Gaza flotilla activists remain in prison after Israel rejects appeal
ISRAEL yesterday rejected an appeal to release two activists who were kidnapped while taking part in a historic aid mission to Gaza – hundreds of miles away from their destination. Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Avila were...
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Anti-monarchy rally at Holyrood day after election count
ANTI-monarchy campaigners are preparing to stage a major rally outside the Scottish Parliament the day after the Holyrood election count. The three-hour event on Saturday will be held as part of the UK-wide Republic Day, with organisers and speakers...
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Refugee charity hits out at ‘confused’ Kerr over Reform plans for detention centres
ASCOTTISH refugee charity hit out at Reform UK’s Thomas Kerr over Reform UK’s new migrant detention centre policy. On Sunday, the party’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf announced that a Reform UK Government at Westminster would not build immigration...
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New techniques uncover fresh crannog secrets
ARCHAEOLOGISTS have used innovative techniques to reveal the secrets of an artificial island older than Stonehenge in a Scottish loch, discovering a large timber platform hidden beneath it. The island in Loch Bhorgastail on Lewis appears to be made of...
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Jewish academics Call for unity to fight racism
LEADING Jewish academics in Scotland have called for unity to fight against racism on all grounds in the wake of a string of antisemitic attacks in London. The Scottish Universities Jewish Staff Network (SUJSN) said it “strongly and unconditionally”...
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‘Emotional’ stories of writers in Gaza feature in powerful exhibition
APOWERFUL exhibition of writings by authors from Gaza has gone on display in Scotland. The Zines from Gaza exhibition, at the Palestine Museum Scotland in Edinburgh, aims to show how writing can be both “a refuge and a form of resistance”. The...
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Clooney and Geldof visit homelessness village
GEORGE Clooney joined Bob Geldof to tour a homeless charity’s prototype village. The actor is in Scotland for two events to raise money for Social Bite, the Edinburgh-based charity which aims to help homeless people access housing, food and jobs. The...
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‘Plenty alternatives' to group's Proscription, court hears
THERE were “plenty” of alternatives to target the actions of Palestine Action aside from banning them as a terror group, the Court of Appeal has been told. The Home Office is challenging the High Court’s ruling in February that the decision to ban...
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Offord excels at being Out of touch
IN an election campaign period already lacking inspiration, the televised debates have been especially bleak. Would you like to see six men in suits argue with one another for several hours? As a special treat, would you like to see five men argue...
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Amnesty hits out at King’s US visit
KING Charles’s state visit to the US to meet with president Donald Trump has been branded an “act of national humiliation” for the UK. Amnesty, the leading human rights charity, said the UK Government had failed to stand up for international law in the...
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History of city’s streets brought to life by exhibition
ANEW exhibition will explore the past and present of the vennels, closes and alleys that have crisscrossed a Scottish city for centuries. Vennels: Perth’s Little Streets will open at Perth Museum next month. It will feature rarely-seen archaeological...
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Independence supporters march through Glasgow
INDEPENDENCE activists gathered for a major march in Glasgow city centre yesterday. The rally is the first of the year by All Under One Banner (AUOB) and comes less than two weeks from the Holyrood election, with supporters encouraged to “make some...
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Compston warns of Reform threat as he joins Swinney on campaign trail
MARTIN Compston joined First Minister John Swinney on the campaign trail to warn of the “significant threat” from Reform UK. The Line Of Duty star met with Swinney in Greenock yesterday, where Reform’s leader in Scotland Malcolm Offord is from. As...
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Schools locked down amid alert caused by ‘suspicious package’
TWO schools were put into lockdown in South Lanarkshire yesterday as police attended an emergency incident. Emergency services swarmed Blantyre after reports of a suspicious package in the grounds of the town’s health centre. The health centre was...
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Baillie quizzed on ‘Labour election stitch-up’ after former MSP’s allegations
SCOTTISH Labour are facing questions over how they selected their candidates for the upcoming Holyrood elections after a former party MSP and leadership hopeful said that “stitchups were the norm”. Neil Findlay, who left the Scottish Parliament at the...
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Labour plan to break energy prices link branded ‘misleading’
LABOUR’s so-called “decisive action” to break the link between gas and electricity prices “falls short” of the fundamental changes needed to help bill payers, the Scottish Greens said. The UK Government announced a series of reforms yesterday to...
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‘Joy of sax’ world Record bid
AWORLD record attempt is being planned that would see 2000 saxophone players performing Gerry Rafferty’s Baker Street at the same time in Paisley. It will be part of a landmark festival celebrating the life of singer-songwriter Rafferty around what...
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Exercise to test offshore industry’s response to threats
THE offshore energy industry will hold an exercise to test its response to simulated threats involving suspicious vessels, drones and cyber attacks. Ahead of a conference in Aberdeen this week, “exercise Granite Resolve” will gauge how the industry,...
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Swinney says ‘incompetent PM must resign over vetting scandal
JOHN Swinney has called on the Prime Minister to resign over the revelations that Peter Mandelson was appointed US ambassador despite failing a vetting process. The First Minister is the latest party leader to urge the Prime Minister to resign after...
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BBC interview with FM ‘borderline contemptuous’
BROADCASTERS hit out at the BBC after a “borderline contemptuous” interview with John Swinney. The SNP leader appeared on BBC Radio Scotland yesterday morning to discuss his party’s manifesto, which was launched on Thursday. It saw the SNP pledge to...
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Price cap plan for Food basics
THE SNP have pledged to introduce price caps on up to 50 essential food items if they form the new Scottish Government after the election. The party’s manifesto, launched at the Barra’s Art and Design in Glasgow yesterday, states that it will introduce...
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All you need to know about The latest 2026 polling
THE Scottish election will be held on May 7, meaning there’s less than a month to go until polling day. In the run-up to the election, several major pollsters and newspapers have been publishing predictions. Here’s all you need to know. How are these...
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‘Grubby deal’ as Offord says Labour want Reform pact
ANAS Sarwar was accused of being in “cahoots” with Nigel Farage after the party’s Scotland leader claimed that he was approached to “work” with Labour to beat the SNP in the upcoming elections. The SNP hit out at the Scottish Labour leader, saying...
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Energy firm rolls out ‘groundbreaking’ tariff in Scotland
OCTOPUS Energy has partnered with a social housing firm to bring a new “groundbreaking” tariff to dozens of homes in the north-east of Scotland. The energy supplier, which earlier this year launched a “Zero Bills” scheme in Scotland, has partnered...
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SNP mock Sarwar and Cole-Hamilton over ‘cringey’ unearthed ‘love you’ posts
THE LibDems have been accused of being “simply a foil for the Labour Party” after an unearthed social media exchange between the two parties’ leaders showed them joking about having a “bromance”. The SNP claimed the LibDems would be “all too happy” to...
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First manned Moon mission in 50 years lands
NASA astronauts have landed safely back on Earth following their record-breaking lunar flyby which marks a stepping stone towards a future Moon landing and eventual Mars mission. The Artemis II crew splashed down off the coast of San Diego in...
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Postcards take centre stage at exhibition
HUNDREDS of international artists and designers from around the world are featured in a free, immersive and interactive exhibition. Riso Club 100 runs from today until April 19 at the Glue Factory Galleries in Glasgow – and includes a focus on...
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Major protest to be held against use of airports in ‘illegal’ US wars
AMAJOR protest is set to take place tomorrow against the use of Scottish airports as a launchpad for “illegal wars of aggression”. A number of anti-war and trade union organisations such as Stop the War Scotland, Scottish Campaign for Nuclear...
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Sarwar ‘backs plans to cut NHS dental services’
ANAS Sarwar is under pressure to explain whether he supports cutting NHS Scotland dentistry so that it no longer provides services such as crowns and braces – after a report suggested he backed proposals from Reform UK leader Malcolm Offord’s brother...
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TRUMP THREAT TO WIPE OUT IRAN
DONALD Trump warned yesterday that a “whole civilisation will die tonight” if Tehran did not meet his latest deadline for Iran to agree to a deal to end the US and Israel’s war on the Islamic Republic. World leaders and experts warned that strikes as...
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Plan put forward for ‘deliverable’ upgrades to two major roads
EXPERTS have recommended key upgrades to two major Scottish roads which can be “realistically delivered” in the coming years. The South West Scotland Transport Alliance (SWSTA) commissioned a study which has identified a list of upgrades to the A75 and...
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Swinney: ‘We offer Hope with independence’
THE SNP campaign is the only one working to win this election, the First Minister has claimed, as he said he wants to offer people hope through the “fresh start” of independence. John Swinney, who was visiting a farmers’ market in Perth yesterday,...
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