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The MV Stena Immaculate oil tanker at anchor in the Humber Estuary off the coast of East Yorkshire following a collision with the Solong container ship

‘Heroic’ crew of North Sea crash ship triggered fire-fighting system

Michael Matheson

iPad row Michael Matheson to stand down as MSP next year

Police are investigating the incident in Renfrewshire

Two women ‘critical’ after A82 crash

Glen Sannox hull crack: Defects in another Ferguson Marine vessel

Police are investigating the incident in Renfrewshire

Man taken to hospital after dog attack
Police investigate after 28-year-old man rushed to hospital

Dundee University's main library

'Real danger' Scottish university will go to the wall, says think tank

Keir Starmer is making tough decisions

Cuts are popular but that doesn’t make them right Alexander Brown

Glasgow must take chance of Commonwealth Games legacy - Whittle

In the present day, Halloween is largely used as an excuse to whip out your best fancy dress costume and eat lots of sweets. However, in ancient Scotland the festival represented not only a significant milestone in the year relating to the harvest but also the time of year when the veil between the world of the living and the world of spirits such as demons, spirits and witches was at its thinnest. As such, this was when the Celts would take action to ward off the evil which threatened them and their land.

Story of Scotland's 'witches' revealed in book by pair who won pardon

Solar panels on the roof of a property

Exclusive Solar panels on newbuilds 'wasting the sun', Scottish firm warns

Lear is a new reimagining of the iconic King Lear play by William Shakespeare.

Scottish reimagining of iconic play by deaf actor and writer

UK News

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is under pressure to boost defence spending and get the economy growing (Picture: Dan Kitwood)

SNP and Reform will benefit if Labour can't find ways to boost economy Scotsman comment

David Lloyd George, Prime Minister during the First World War, knew the value of Orkney farmers like this one, pictured in 1915 (Picture: Hulton Archive)

How we can end scandalously low prices paid to farmers Alistair Carmichael

Mark Carney, who has since become Canada's Prime Minister and Liberal leader, speaks to supporters at a party to watch an ice hockey game against the US last month (Picture: Andrej Ivanov)

Canadian Liberals' revival in polls is warning for Trump-style Tories Ian Johnston

The Stena Immaculate

Explainer North Sea oil tanker collision - what we know so far

Expected fate of Solong cargo ship in North Sea collision confirmed

The Scotsman Video Bulletin

Watch The Scotsman Daily video Bulletin

World

Ian and Karen Addie on their wedding day (Pic: Submitted)

Trapped in Australia: Man unable to be with family he raised for 30 years

Derek Sword was killed in the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York, and nearly a quarter of a century later, his family is fighting for compensation. Picture: PA

Exclusive Family of Scot killed in 9/11 in legal action against US government

A woman sheds tears at a makeshift memorial for fallen soldiers in Kyiv's Independence Square on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion (Picture: Sergei Supinsky)

No one should be in any doubt about who's to blame for Ukraine War Scotsman comment

Police guard the nose section of Pan Am flight 103, which was blown up over Lockerbie, on December 21, 1988 (Picture: Bryn Colton)

Lockerbie bombing trial delayed by US judge

The Travelling Gallery takes art exhibitions around Scotland in a bus.

Glasshouses which survived war bombing inspire touring art exhibition

Eric Trump at Trump International Golf Links near Balmedie

Eric Trump meets Swinney after scathing attack on Scottish Government

Get The Scotsman app for mobile and tablet

The Scotsman app brings you exclusive, quality news and analysis from The Scotsman, Scotland’s National Newspaper.

Weather

Cyclists in the park,

Today is the first day of spring - When do the clocks change?

Met Office UK weather map 07:00 February 24.

Watch: Met Office’s UK 5 day weather forecast

Politics

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves during a visit Babcock in Rosyth, to talk about growing the defence sector to kickstart economic growth and bolster national security

Reeves doubles down on welfare and says ministers must get a grip

Chancellor faces opposition to reform from within Labour as new figures reveal economy shrinking

Why Sturgeon will be remembered as a mediocre politician who failed

Nicola Sturgeon was not a deep political thinker or a skilled strategist but a mediocre, thin-skinne...

A rally by university union members outside the Scottish Parliament (Picture: Lisa Ferguson)

University’s troubles worsened by UK’s hostility towards migrants

It has been estimated that Dundee University supports one in 12 jobs in the city and that international students generate £329 million annually for Tayside and Fife alone

Spring Statement risks Scottish Budget hit and forcing SNP tax review Alexander Brown

Alexander Brown

Starmer's decision to scrap huge quango should shame SNP into action

Scotland, a nation of quangos, needs to learn how to be more efficient in delivering public services

Additional £10m support announced amid Dundee University cash crisis

It brings the total additional support for the university sector to £25 million

Transport

A9 dualling: New rest areas with electric vehicle charging planned

Crunch time for shipyard as winner of CalMac order to be announced

Glen Sannox ferry forced out of service by hull fault

Glen Rosa being launched at the Ferguson Marine yard

New setback for Ferguson Marine shipyard as key boss quits

Education

Lincluden Primary School in Dumfries, where the knife was discovered

Police called after child brings knife into primary school

Dundee University plans to cut 632 jobs, about 20 per cent of its workforce, as it struggles to deal witha £35 million deficit. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

I support free tuition, but the university funding model is broken Martyn McLaughlin

Sam Heughan, who has become one of Scotland's biggest stars since starring in Outlander, is an alumni of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

The performing arts college with Heughan link named in world's top 10

Dundee University plans to cut 632 jobs, about 20 per cent of its workforce, as it struggles to deal with £35 million deficit (Picture: Lisa Ferguson)

SNP must consider emergency funds to prevent job losses at university Scotsman comment

Environment

Better manure management and selective breeding of livestock could reduce methane emissions from agriculture (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

How a day of reckoning is coming for Scottish farm businesses Seamus Murphy

A wind farm near Thurso in Caithness

Highland communities 'drowning' under rush of energy developments

Red and roe deer are naturally woodland animals, and many starve to death on Scotland’s bare hillsides over the winter (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell)

Deer have become one of the greatest threats to Scotland's environment Duncan Orr-Ewing

Health

Joscelyne Kerr, a 19-year-old from Scotland who was diagnosed with an extremely rare brain tumour, who is raising funds with her family for a trial drug named DCVax-L, which costs £250,000, in the hope that it can save her life

Teenager with rare brain tumour raising funds for lifesaving treatment

Europe has recorded the highest number of measles cases in 25 years.

Worrying signs of measles to watch out for as cases rise in the UK

It takes on average eight years and 10 months to get an endometriosis diagnosis in Scotland.

‘I travelled 2,000 miles for endometriosis care - we need change now’

Keir Starmer delivers a speech on his plans to reform the civil service and the NHS during a visit to Hull (Picture: Oli Scarff-WPA pool)

Why SNP need to be as brave as Keir Starmer if NHS is to be saved Scotsman comment

Crime

A teenage girl has been arrested over cannabis possession

Teenage girl arrested after police find cannabis haul worth over £200k

Liam Entwistle has tips for employers navigating conflicts of belief in the workplace

Why bosses must take a proportionate view on staff conduct

Euan Bathgate says homes must become more energy efficient

Here’s how we can help Scotland meet net zero targets

Independence is a cornerstone of the Scottish civil justice system, says Val Pitt

The wrong expert witness can sink your case

Tech a big leap into the future with AI

Viv, a 20-month-old Cocker Spaniel, has just completed training

Paw patrol: Police in the Western Isles reveal their latest recruit

Future Scotland

In 2005, a vast protest march took place in Edinburgh under the banner of Make Poverty History amid calls for G8 countries to write off Developing World debt (Picture: Scott Barbour)

Why UK was wrong to cut overseas aid budget
The partnership between Scotland and Malawi has been described as ‘one of the most unique, remarkable, interesting and human interweavings of two nations anywhere in the world’
Jack McConnell

The UNA Watch design allows users to repair, replace and upgrade components instead of discarding entire devices.

Scottish start-up behind ‘Lego-like’ smartwatch secures £300,000 boost

Audience members at a Converge programme event. Picture: Converge

Converge: Record £400,000 prize pot for Scottish academic enterprise programme

Susan Nightingale, director, UK network, devolved nations at the British Business Bank.

‘Strength and resilience’ - How Scotland’s equity market is fighting back

FanDuel was founded in Scotland and has become a leading player in the US online betting marketplace. Picture: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Exclusive Scottish betting giant embroiled in legal action in US

Obituaries

Celebrate your loved one with GUESTPIX – The thoughtful way to cherish memories

Celebrate your loved one with GUESTPIX

Charles Foster regularly cut a dash in medieval costume

Scotsman Obituaries: Charles Foster, inspirational musician and teacher

Stewart MacLeod took pride in producing quality workmanship

Obituaries: Stewart MacLeod, civil engineer

World travel was one of Esther Crawford's many and varied interests

Scotsman Obituaries: Esther Crawford, medical secretary turned swimming coach

UK Trending

Bar staff get showered in Carling as beer keg explodes in pub cellar

Watch: Bar staff get showered in Carling as beer keg explodes

Victoria Quinlan, a dog groomer, was crowned Miss Manchester and will compete in Miss England beauty pageant.

I'm a dog-mad beauty queen. I want an end to cruel puppy farms

Inside Soft Paws play area with a huge ball pit and slide

Video: I took my dog to a soft play area...he LOVED the huge ball pit

Video grab of the moments before and after Israel Baber setting fire to a sofa in Eccleston House, in Aiken Street, Bristol.

Watch: Building goes up in flames as 'dangerous' man set fire to sofa

Ten Pound Poms return to screens in March.

Exact time Ten Pound Poms starts tonight

Siobhan Finneran and Katherine Kelly in Protection

Who is in cast of ITV’s Protection - and start time