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‘Delusional’ Mairi McAllan defends dismal Pisa results saying success ‘should not be judged’ on school test results
Scotland’s Education Secretary Mairi McAllan has defended the country’s worst-ever performance in the international Pisa study for 2025 by arguing that educational success should not be judged solely on test scores at age 15. Her statement drew sharp criticism from opposition MSPs, who branded her response “delusional” and accused the SNP government of prioritising ideology…
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STEPHEN DAISLEY: Findlay’s voice rasped with disgust at the First Minister and his new allies: Swinn Fein
The article describes a heated exchange at Holyrood between Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay and First Minister John Swinney over Swinney’s meeting with Sinn Féin and other nationalist politicians in Cardiff. Findlay accused Sinn Féin of failing to condemn IRA terrorism and argued that Swinney’s constitutional priorities were distracting from Scotland’s public-service problems, while Swinney…
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FA chair Hewitt demands Infantino release records of failed World Cup plan
Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt has formally asked Fifa president Gianni Infantino to release documents concerning his abandoned Fifa Forward Enterprise World Cup sell-off plan and the controversial lifting of USA striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension. She is also seeking an independent review, increasing pressure on Infantino ahead of a Fifa council meeting and next year’s…
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Trump says Iran war will end ‘soon’ with NEW deal on the table… as devastating photos show US bases severely damaged in Middle East
President Donald Trump said he hoped the conflict with Iran was nearing its end, claiming Tehran was willing to negotiate a new deal and that the United States was communicating with Iranian officials directly. His comments came before talks with Gulf leaders and the UN General Assembly, where the possible shape of a postwar settlement…
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The Guardian view on EU-Canada relations: strategic ambition with lessons for Britain | Editorial
The European Commission has invited Canada to establish a new form of “associate membership” with the EU, creating a relationship of strategic alignment without full membership. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has embraced this proposal, calling for deep cooperation across trade, defence, industrial capacity, science, space and AI, positioning Canada’s response to Donald Trump’s hostility…
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Even the King of England has his hesitations about AI
King Charles hosted a private summit at his Dumfries House estate to discuss artificial intelligence with prominent industry leaders, including executives from OpenAI and Anthropic, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, the UK’s new AI minister, and the head of the country’s foreign intelligence service. The summit was particularly noteworthy because the royal family typically avoids wading into…
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Sweden’s PM resigns after losing general election to centre-left opposition
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has resigned after the centre-left opposition narrowly won the general election, securing 176 of the parliament’s 349 seats. The result gives opposition leader Magdalena Andersson an opportunity to return as prime minister, but forming a stable government may prove difficult because of divisions among left-leaning parties. The opposition’s small majority…
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Trump’s ex-pardon chief reveals truth behind pay-to-play pardon storm, Kash Patel’s rocky start … and the president’s parting advice
Ed Martin, former pardon attorney in Trump’s administration, has departed his role and is publicly defending the clemency process against accusations that it operated as a pay-to-play scheme. A 60 Minutes investigation exposed right-wing operatives Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl attempting to sell backdoor access to presidential pardons for fees up to $600,000. Martin contends…
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Holyrood ‘numpty nursery’ jibe after blundering SNP and Green MSPs show the Scottish Parliament ‘in very poor light’
The Scottish Parliament faced criticism after an SNP MSP appeared unfamiliar with Transport Scotland’s status, while Green MSPs called for a boycott of companies they linked to Israel. Critics said the incidents damaged Holyrood’s reputation and reflected a parliament disconnected from everyday concerns. During a transport committee meeting, Collette Stevenson asked whether Transport Scotland was…