Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been found guilty of child sexual abuse. The 49-year-old denied two charges of lewd and libidinous behaviour towards a girl and a boy between 1993 and 2010. During a trial, the High Court in Glasgow heard that Dott had exposed himself and inappropriately touched a primary school girl in the 1990s and attacked a young boy between 2006 and 2010. Lord Harrower told Dott, who won the sport's world championship at The Crucible in 2006, will be sentenced at a separate hearing in Edinburgh on 29 September. Dott covered his face with his hands and shook his head while the verdict was delivered by jurors following a five-day trial.

A protest on Thursday in Larbert, about 30 miles west of Edinburgh, is said by campaigners to have been attended by more than 100 people. A protest on Thursday in Larbert, about 30 miles west of Edinburgh, is said by campaigners to have been attended by more than 100 people. Police Scotland warns'robust security' needed to stop attacks on AI datacentres'A great deal of public opposition is likely' to a proposed datacentre near Edinburgh, the force says Fri 14 Aug 2026 12.05 EDTLast modified on Fri 14 Aug 2026 14.49 EDT Police in Scotland have issued a stark warning about the need for "robust security measures" to stop proposed AI datacentres from being attacked by protesters. There has been mounting opposition to AI infrastructure globally, including in the US where such projects have become a significant political rallying point. Police Scotland said "a great deal of public opposition is likely" to a datacentre planned in Larbert, about 30 miles west of Edinburgh, in a letter submitted as a part of a planning consultation this month.

Gruinard Island remained toxic for nearly 50 years--until activists started delivering buckets of dirt. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. For decades, a remote island in Scotland was contaminated with deadly anthrax. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy .

Firefighters are spending a third day tackling a major wildfire which has led to evacuations in the Cairngorms. The blaze started in heathland at Ryvoan Bothy, near Nethy Bridge, late on Wednesday morning and had spread across 3.7 miles (6km) by Thursday afternoon. A number of homes and businesses, including campsites and a ski resort in the Glenmore Forest Park area have been closed and evacuated as a safety precaution. A helicopter joined the firefighting efforts on Thursday night. Nine fire appliances and specialist resources remained at the scene on Friday morning.

A large number of datacentre projects around the world are being challenged or cancelled. A large number of datacentre projects around the world are being challenged or cancelled. 'These are some of the most complex structures ever created': how tech reporting moved into the physical world The Guardian's global tech reporting team are investigating the impact of the vast datacentres being built to power the AI revolution. Sun 12 Jul 2026 10.00 EDTLast modified on Sun 12 Jul 2026 10.01 EDT Journalists often use the term "shoe-leather reporting" to refer to the on-the-ground legwork that goes into covering certain stories. As the tech industry's focus has shifted from screen-based realities to the physical world of colossal AI datacentres and social media harms, comfortable footwear has become more essential to a tech reporter's job. Earlier this week, we published the Guardian's latest investigation into the datacentres and energy infrastructures that underpin AI - revealing that an £8.2bn AI complex in rural Scotland has misrepresented its plans to be powered entirely by on-site renewables.

A dog has been rescued from Ben Nevis after it is suspected to have fallen ill from eating discarded cannabis. Christina Bluhme, a dog trainer from Esher in Surrey, was halfway up the UK's highest mountain when her black Labrador Tokyo collapsed on the trail. Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team came to their aid and stretchered Tokyo down from the 4,413ft (1,345m) peak to a local vet. Bluhme said Tokyo had made a full recovery after the incident during a trip to Scotland last weekend. She said vets believe she ingested cannabis left on the trail.

Scotland could freeze datacentre projects in challenge to UK's AI strategy The Scottish government is about to consider a sweeping moratorium on building new datacentres, putting a key plank of the UK's AI strategy at risk. Last Sunday the Scottish National party (SNP)'s national council passed a motion to freeze all new datacentres in Scotland. That motion has been sent to the Scottish government to consider. It could apply to all datacentre projects that have not yet received planning permission - although its exact implementation is up to the Scottish government to decide. Lesley Backhouse, who attended the national council meeting, said that Scotland's current datacentre plans amounted to "overdevelopment" and were "intrusive and not keeping with the local environment".

New Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the Metropolitan police whose pilot with Palantir focuses on detecting misconduct by officers. New Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the Metropolitan police whose pilot with Palantir focuses on detecting misconduct by officers. Mayor's office grants extra 12 months to run pilot while London force procures long-term supplier Wed 24 Jun 2026 18.14 EDTLast modified on Wed 24 Jun 2026 18.50 EDT The Metropolitan police have been granted a 12-month extension to a pilot project with the spy-tech firm Palantir while the force carries out a procurement process. The development comes weeks after the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, blocked a £50m deal between the Met and the US company to automate intelligence analysis in criminal investigations. Last month the mayor's office said there had been a "clear and serious breach" of procurement rules and said police had seriously considered only one supplier. Palantir's lawyers subsequently wrote to the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (Mopac) saying they intended to challenge the decision in court, the Times reported.

The world's oldest football has travelled from Stirling to Florida to make an appearance at Scotland's crunch World Cup match against Brazil. The ball, which is believed to date from between 1540 and 1570 was discovered in the 1970s, lodged in the rafters behind the Queen's Chamber at Stirling Castle. It will be displayed at the Coral Gables Museum in Florida until Saturday as well as being shown at the Scotland match on Wednesday . The ball has been loaned to the museum by Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, where it is the prize exhibit in a collection of more than 40,000 items. The ball, which is recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest, external, is roughly the size of a small melon.

School children in Preston and Manchester had mixed feelings about a proposed social media ban for under-16s following an announcement from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. On Monday, Starmer said under-16s will be banned from social media platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X by spring 2027. Speaking to the BBC, some pupils described the ban as unnecessary as they asked for more responsibility for parents. One student said she hoped the ban will have a positive impact on young people's lives and their mental health. How much screen time is too much for under fives?