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Scottish prosecutors urged to weigh prison overcrowding when charging suspects
Scottish prosecutors have been told to consider prison overcrowding when deciding whether to charge suspects, with warnings, fines and other direct measures presented as ways to ease pressure on jails. The guidance has drawn criticism from the Scottish Conservatives, who say it could mean offenders avoid appropriate punishment and victims are denied justice. An inspector’s…
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Ann Widdecombe murder suspect, 28, charged with planning acts of terrorism against Nigel Farage
Joshua Kerry, 28, has been charged with preparing terrorist acts, including alleged plans targeting Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. The charge adds to an investigation involving threats against a prominent politician and raises questions about the security of people in public life. Kerry, from Rotherham, is accused of conduct between 31 May 2024 and 8…
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Still making your mind up about university? Now you can study Eurovision!
The University of Aberdeen is offering a ten-week online postgraduate course examining Eurovision’s history and its cultural and political significance. The course reflects growing academic interest in the contest, which its lecturer says can illuminate changing identities and social trends across Europe. Starting in January, the standalone course costs £465 and is open to people…
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Master of horror Stephen King digs deep to ease small Scottish football club’s cash nightmare
Stephen King has donated an undisclosed sum to Buckie Thistle, a small Highland League football club facing serious financial difficulties. The author’s support reflects a long-standing connection: he featured the club in his 2020 book *If It Bleeds*. The Banffshire club is reportedly losing £20,000 a month and is fundraising to secure between £150,000 and…
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Woman falsely convinced her ex-partner she had given birth to two children and sold them for £500 in revenge for him abusing her and her son, court hears
A High Court judge has concluded that a woman most likely deceived her former partner into believing she had given birth to two children, then told him she had sold them. The judge said the apparent campaign lasted about three years and was cruel, leaving the man and his mother believing they had children and…
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Manchester City’s England players are worried about their futures, admits Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel said Manchester City’s England players may be worried about the club’s financial rules case, which has become a regular topic of conversation in the England camp. He acknowledged it could be a distraction, though he has not seen it affect the players in meetings or training. City deny wrongdoing and have appealed against…
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Has Penny put her foot down and told Rod it’s time to quit the spotlight, look after his health… and finally sail off into the sunset?
Rod Stewart has announced that his 2027 tour, The Final Encore, will “most definitely” be his last, following a serious heart scare. The article suggests his wife, Penny Lancaster, has helped push him to take his health and the limits of touring more seriously after years of resisting calls to slow down. During a 2026…
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Vance leaves 2028 bid open, says Cruz is clearly running
JD Vance avoided saying whether he will run for president in 2028, but said it was “really obvious” that Texas Senator Ted Cruz is running. Vance said his current focus is helping Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections, while leaving open the possibility that events over the next 35 days could affect his decision. Cruz…
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Scottish soldier’s Normandy grave identified more than 80 years after he went missing
The grave of Private Vincent Coia, a Scottish soldier killed in the Battle of Normandy, has been identified more than 80 years after he went missing. Coia was 19 and had worked as a shop assistant before joining the Seaforth Highlanders; his identification gives his family and others a named grave to visit and remember.…