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Drug deaths have fallen by 279 (21 per cent) compared with 2021, figures from National Records of Scotland show. Drugs minister Elena Whitham said: “My sympathy goes out to all those affected by the loss of a loved one through drugs.

The owners of a popular 50-acre sunflower field have begged visitors to stop stripping off to take risqué photographs among the flowers. Stoke Fruit Farm in the south of England said there had been at least six incidents of "naked photography taking place" since the end of July, CNN reports.

Disruption to jury trials on the islands must be resolved, Justice Secretary Angela Constance has been told. Last month Sheriff Principal Pyle published an order of court introducing changes to the jury court operations for Grampian, Highland and Islands Sheriffdom. The order requires new jury trial

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has secured certification trademark status for 'Scotch Whisky' in Hong Kong, ensuring that only whiskies produced in Scotland following strict guidelines can be labelled as such. To qualify, whisky must be crafted using water, cereals, and yeast, and must mature i

The use of snare traps could be banned as part of new plans to protect vulnerable wildlife and promote sustainable wildlife management. The Scottish government is seeking the public’s views on whether an outright ban should be put in place or if any exemptions should be considered. A snare is

Addleshaw Goddard has unveiled the 15 high-growth tech businesses chosen for its 2023 AG Elevate mentoring scheme – with three Scottish businesses making the final cut. More than a quarter of this year's intake have AI central to their proposition, with health tech also featuring prominently a

With its iconic theme tune and gritty storylines, Taggart set the standard for the modern TV police drama and turned its much-loved cast into household names. But one character remained ever present during its record-breaking 27-season run – the city of Glasgow.

The average time between pleading diet and evidence led trial is 43 weeks for High Court, compared to the pre-Covid level of 22 weeks, new figures have revealed. Data from the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) show the volume of cases being progressed each month in the High Court, Sheriff

Mackinnons partners Neil Torrance, Pamela Bursill and Gregor Sim will be tackling Ride the North together with friends and family this Saturday to raise money for local children’s charity Charlie House.

Iranian authorities are harassing and intimidating the families of those killed by security forces during the nationwide protests which followed Mahsa Amini's death in police custody as the anniversary of the unrest approaches, Amnesty International has said. A new 42-page report, Iran: Harassment o

A more comprehensive review of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 is needed, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) has argued. The call comes after the Charities (Regulation and Administration) Act 2023, with relatively limited reforms, received Ro

Slater and Gordon has agreed a £33 million committed facility with litigation funder and lender to law firms, Harbour, in what is believed to be one of the largest lending deals in the sector this year.  The firm, which has an office in Edinburgh, will use Harbour’s capital to inves

Only 23 per cent of the public support Britain's departure from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), a poll has revealed. The poll, conducted by think tank More in Common, suggests that 49 per cent of respondents want the UK to continue its membership in the ECHR.

A football tournament intended to promote world peace descended into chaos after hundreds of people brawled over political disagreements until riot police were deployed. The annual Canada World Peace Soccer Tournament in Edmonton was called off at short notice due to rain, but hundreds of people gat

The Scottish government is careful to limit the public's participation in the legal system so as not to frustrate its own ends, suggests Andrew Stevenson. In the preface to his 1906 satire The Doctor’s Dilemma, George Bernard Shaw launched a coruscating attack on the medical profession as it t