Gareth Edwards

Three-year-old Armaan Waqas from Glasgow was diagnosed with leukaemia after months of limping, hospital visits and tests. He underwent an 11-week initial course of chemotherapy, during which he suffered seizures and required intensive care, but is now recovering at home and playing with his siblings. Friends have established Armaan's Army and raised more than £1,200, with plans to participate in Edinburgh's Kiltwalk to support the Schiehallion ward at Glasgow Children's Hospital.

Lanarkshire nurse Catherine McAllister has written a memoir about her daughter Ellie, who died aged three in 2007 after complications related to hydrocephalus. McAllister says the book honours Ellie's life, offers hope to people experiencing grief and reflects how her daughter inspired her nursing career. She plans to raise funds for the bereavement suite at University Hospital Wishaw through the book launch, an effort recognised by the Scottish Parliament following a motion by MSP Clare Adamson.

Newly elected Falkirk Labour MP Euan Stainbank says proposed reductions to school hours across the district are the biggest issue raised by constituents and would harm families, local businesses and the wider economy. He attributes his defeat of a substantial SNP majority to door-to-door campaigning and his record as a Falkirk councillor, including efforts to keep school swimming pools open. Stainbank plans to relinquish his council allowance and eventually leave the council, triggering a by-election, while continuing to focus on the cost of living, housing issues and anti-social behaviour in his new Westminster role.

Independent Falkirk councillor Brian McCabe, who represents Denny and Banknock, has been ordered to attend an online Standards Commission hearing on September 4. The hearing follows an investigation by the Ethical Standards Commissioner into an alleged breach of the councillors’ code of conduct. The substance of the complaint has not yet been made public, and the hearing will be livestreamed but not recorded.

Keir Starmer became UK Prime Minister after Labour won a landslide general election victory, ending 14 years of Conservative government. Rishi Sunak conceded defeat and said he would step down as Conservative leader, while senior Conservatives including Liz Truss, Penny Mordaunt, Grant Shapps and Douglas Ross lost their seats. Labour also dramatically reduced the SNP’s Scottish representation from 38 MPs to nine, with one Scottish constituency still to declare. Starmer appointed Angela Rayner as Deputy Prime Minister, Rachel Reeves as the first woman Chancellor, David Lammy as Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper as Home Secretary and other senior ministers. The new government identified economic growth, NHS reform, border security and neighbourhood policing as priorities, while Lammy called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and renewed diplomatic efforts.

A 17-year-old boy from London drowned during a school trip to West Wittering beach in Sussex on July 2, 2024. He was rescued from the water, airlifted to hospital in front of distressed classmates and later pronounced dead. Sussex Police said his next of kin had been informed and that an investigation was underway.

Veterinary surgeon Dr Oliver Reeve was asked to euthanise Toby, a seven-week-old Labrador-Poodle mix weighing only five kilograms. Instead, he offered the owners the option of surrendering the puppy, which they accepted. Reeve then took Toby into his own family, where the puppy quickly settled in. His response prompted widespread praise on social media.

Jay Slater’s final phone call to friend Lucy Mae Law, in which he said he had cut his leg on a cactus, was treated by Spanish Civil Guard rescuers as a key clue that he had left the main road and entered Tenerife’s mountainous terrain. Despite extensive searches around Masca and nearby ravines, no trace of the 19-year-old had been found and the formal police search was called off after nearly two weeks, although the investigation remained ongoing. Investigator Mark Williams-Thomas said he had developed a detailed account of Slater’s movements and urged the family to use GoFundMe donations to continue searching with specialist teams.

Anthony Walker was sentenced to 12 years in prison at the High Court in Livingston after being convicted of seven charges involving the sexual abuse of five girls during sleepovers at his Falkirk home between 1998 and 2007. The victims were aged six to 13 when the abuse began. Walker, who raped one child and subjected all five to indecent conduct, was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely. Prosecutor Katrina Parkes said he had exploited a position of trust and urged others affected by similar offences to come forward.

Aberdeen air traffic control officer Wayne Clarke is preparing to ride 3,225 miles with three colleagues, visiting National Air Traffic Services control towers across the UK and in Gibraltar. The journey, scheduled for 14–30 April 2024, honours his friend Alan, who died aged 57 from stage-four prostate cancer. The BigTour, 24 in 2024 aims to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK, Aerobility and the Solidarity Wings Fund while highlighting the disease’s impact on patients, families and partners. Ferry operator Brittany Ferries and several motorcycle companies are supporting the challenge.

After Raffles lost his longtime companion Harry suddenly in November 2022, owners Rosie and Mike Dewhurst sought help from The Donkey Sanctuary Leeds. They became Guardians and welcomed Bob, a donkey rehomed after repeatedly escaping from his previous owners. Bob and Raffles bonded within two months, giving both animals companionship and a happier home while freeing sanctuary space for donkeys needing specialist care.

Sir Chris Hoy will lead a 50km virtual cycle on Zwift as part of Doddie Aid 2024, the main fundraising campaign of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. The event has raised nearly £500,000 in its first two weeks and more than £4 million overall for research into motor neurone disease treatments. More than 16,000 people have registered, with over 1,000 expected to join the cycle, while other sporting and entertainment figures are leading events across Scotland and the UK. Funds will support research seeking effective treatments and a cure for MND, continuing the legacy of the late Scotland rugby player Doddie Weir.

Forensic experts working with Peru’s prosecutor’s office concluded that two doll-like figures and an alleged three-fingered hand seized from a shipment to Mexico were not extraterrestrial remains. The figures were assembled from animal bones, paper, metal and modern synthetic glue, while the hand was made from human bones. The findings undermine claims promoted by Mexican journalist Jose Jaime Maussan and others, including appearances before Mexico’s Congress, that the objects were non-human beings.

The SNP is calling for an overhaul of the UK’s age-based minimum-wage system, arguing that younger workers doing the same jobs can earn thousands of pounds less than colleagues aged 23 and over. House of Commons Library figures cited by the party suggest annual differences of £5,423 for workers aged 18 to 20 and £9,516 for those aged 16 to 17. Mhairi Black said the UK Government should introduce a real living wage for all ages or devolve pay-setting powers to Scotland. The UK Government responded that the national living wage will rise to £11.44 an hour from April 2024 and extend to 21- and 22-year-olds.

SSEN said it was very confident that the remaining 750 Scottish properties without electricity after Storm Gerrit would be reconnected by the end of Friday. The storm caused widespread localized damage through high winds, heavy rain and snow, and SSEN reported restoring power to more than 45,000 homes. The company attributed the extensive damage to wind speeds exceeding forecasts, including gusts of 86 mph at Inverbervie, while thanking affected residents for their patience.

Thousands of homes in Scotland remained without electricity after Storm Gerrit, with around 1,500 properties facing a second night without power, particularly in the north-east and Shetland. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks had restored service to more than 46,000 properties and expected to reconnect the remaining homes, while welfare vans supplied hot food and drinks. Severe weather also caused deaths in North Yorkshire, tornado damage in Greater Manchester, widespread rail and ferry disruption, and some flight cancellations. The Met Office warned of further heavy rain, strong winds and possible snow on higher ground.

Edinburgh copywriter Sophy Dale, 49, suffered a minor traumatic brain injury and post-concussion syndrome after fainting at a bus stop and hitting her head in November 2021. Following hospital treatment, GP care and occupational therapy referrals, she sought private neuropsychological advice and began a 12-minute daily meditation using Insight Timer. Dale says the practice improved her focus from about two hours of work a day to four and helped her manage pain during dental treatment. She now meditates every day and recommends accessible, free routines that fit easily into daily life.

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck near the boundary of Gansu and Qinghai provinces in north-western China, killing at least 118 people and injuring more than 500. The shallow quake severely damaged homes, roads and utility and communications networks, while 20 people were reported missing after a landslide. More than 4,000 firefighters, soldiers and police officers were deployed alongside emergency supplies, with authorities warning the public to avoid the affected area. Freezing temperatures and difficult mountainous terrain complicated rescue efforts, and aftershocks continued following the initial tremor.

A fatal accident inquiry into the deaths of Katie Allan, 21, and William Lindsay, 16, at Polmont Young Offenders Institution is scheduled to begin on January 8. Allan died in June 2018 while serving a sentence for a driving offence, and Lindsay died in October 2018, two days after being remanded at the institution. Lawyers agreed that three joint minutes would be finalized and that no additional witnesses or evidence would be introduced before the inquiry. The investigation will examine the circumstances of both deaths, including the Scottish Prison Service's “Talk To Me” suicide-prevention strategy, the role of mental health services, and whether reasonable precautions could have prevented similar deaths.

During an episode of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, Nigel Farage recalled surviving a 2010 plane crash in Northamptonshire. He said his final thoughts were about women, children and hoping the ordeal would end quickly. Farage described being trapped upside down with broken ribs, returning to the European Parliament soon afterward, and later reminiscing about the privileges, social life and influence he enjoyed as an MEP.

A 44-year-old man has been charged in connection with the death of 33-year-old Robbie Yuill, who was found unconscious on Smyllum Road in Lanark on December 2 and later pronounced dead. The accused is due to appear at Hamilton Sheriff Court on December 11. Police Scotland thanked the public for their assistance with the investigation.

Caroline Gray, 42, and Jessica Stevens, 31, were sentenced at Falkirk Sheriff Court to 21 and 19 months in prison respectively after pleading guilty to jointly assaulting Jean Whyte outside a pub in Alloa. CCTV showed the women repeatedly punching, kicking, dragging and returning to attack Whyte over more than 10 minutes, putting her life in danger. The sheriff described the unprovoked assault as “unimaginably brutal” and said the public needed protection from both women. Whyte suffered bruising, a black eye and traumatised nasal bones, while the defendants offered no explanation for the attack.

Edinburgh Zoo's giant pandas, Yang Guang and Tian Tian, have left Scotland after a 12-year stay and were flown from Edinburgh Airport to China on a China Southern cargo plane. The pandas travelled in metal crates accompanied by a zoo vet and keeper, with bamboo supplied for the journey. Their agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association has ended; despite hopes they would breed in Scotland, they produced no cub. After further quarantine on arrival, they will live at a sanctuary in Chengdu. Zoo keeper Michael Livingstone described caring for them as a career highlight and said their departure was emotionally difficult for the team.

Edinburgh Zoo's giant pandas, Yang Guang and Tian Tian, are returning to China after 12 years in Scotland. They will travel in specially designed crates on a flight to China, accompanied by a zoo keeper and an RZSS vet, and will undergo further quarantine before moving to a sanctuary in Chengdu. Although the pair did not produce a cub, zoo staff say their presence supported international research, veterinary expertise and public engagement with conservation. Staff and visitors are saddened by their departure but pleased that both pandas are healthy, while the RZSS says improved prospects for wild giant pandas offer hope for the species' future.

Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf accused Labour leader Keir Starmer of insulting Scotland after Starmer described Margaret Thatcher as having unleashed Britain’s entrepreneurialism. Yousaf said Thatcher’s impact on mining and industrial communities was vandalism rather than entrepreneurship. SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn similarly criticized Starmer and urged Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to reject the comments, which were made as Labour seeks support from Conservative voters ahead of the next general election.