Robyn Vinter

Scotland is experiencing strong tourism growth in 2026, including a 15% rise in flight bookings to Scottish airports during June and July, despite broader pressures on European travel. Cooler weather, expanded direct flights from North America, screen productions such as Outlander and The Traitors, major sporting events and the reputation of Scottish football supporters are helping attract visitors. Edinburgh Festival sales are up 30%, but spending per visitor has weakened as British tourists and businesses face the cost-of-living crisis, accommodation taxes, VAT, business rates and higher national insurance costs. Tourism leaders describe the outlook as healthy rather than booming and warn that Scotland must avoid becoming too expensive for international visitors.

Four Ugandan boxers—Nuhu Batte, Ibrahim Kemis, Emily Nakalema and Angel Katushabe—failed to board their flight home after competing at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, while a Pakistani boxer, Qudratullah, was also reported missing. One Ugandan athlete reportedly intended to seek asylum in the UK, but team officials said they did not know the athletes’ motives or whereabouts. Police Scotland is working with the Home Office, while reports suggest the Ugandans were initially sheltered by a Glasgow boxing gym and may have paid a coach to help them disappear. The incident reflects a longstanding pattern of athletes remaining in the UK after major sporting events, with outcomes ranging from exploitation and legal trouble to successful asylum claims and sporting careers.

NatureScot has refused, for the first time in 400 years, to license the annual guga hunt on the Hebridean island of Sula Sgeir, where up to 2,000 gannet chicks are killed over 10 days. Updated population modelling found that the hunt could adversely affect gannet numbers even if the quota were reduced to 500 birds. Animal-rights groups welcomed the decision, while people from Ness and the Save Our Guga Harvest group accused anti-hunt activists of bullying and vandalism. The refusal applies only to this year and does not rule out future licences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

The murders of Eddie Lyons Jr and Ross Monaghan in Fuengirola, Spain, marked the latest and possibly final escalation in a 25-year feud between Glasgow’s Lyons and Daniels crime families. Police Scotland reports a sharp decline in public gang violence after dozens of arrests, weapons seizures and intelligence gathered through the EncroChat breach. Experts suggest the reduction reflects police pressure and a strategic shift toward less visible drug trafficking rather than the end of organised crime. The arrest of Lyons leader Steven Lyons and the deaths of key figures have weakened the rival gangs, but the profitability of the drug trade means criminal activity is likely to continue.

Val McDermid and Jo Sharp discuss collaborating on This Door of the Seas, a novella about Scotland’s disastrous 1698 Darien expedition to Panama. Sharp’s research uncovered historical material that inspired the project, while McDermid helped shape it into an epistolary work; the pair alternated drafting and editing after McDermid underwent heart surgery. They sought to challenge myths that portray the venture simply as Scottish incompetence, emphasizing Spanish attacks, disease, famine and the wider European pattern of failed colonial projects. The book also confronts Scotland’s involvement in empire, slavery and racism, and draws parallels between 17th-century migrants fleeing famine and contemporary refugees. Both authors support Scottish independence and view the story as relevant to enduring debates over Scotland’s relationship with England.

A major wildfire has burned across large areas of Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park for 12 days, leaving extensive blackened land and threatening rare habitats. Authorities expect containment to take weeks or months and ecological recovery could take decades. More than 75 firefighters, private helicopters, emergency services and conservation organisations are working to limit the spread, while residents of Nethy Bridge have returned after an evacuation. The fire’s cause remains unknown, but local residents and the Scottish Green Party have criticised Scotland’s reliance on privately contracted or borrowed firefighting aircraft.

Glasgow prepares to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games after stepping in when Victoria withdrew, delivering a scaled‑back event with a significantly reduced budget, fewer sports and fewer tickets. While local awareness has been muted, enthusiasm is growing as visitors arrive and merchandise sales improve. Concerns include limited advertising, the move of broadcast rights from the BBC to a subscription service, and ongoing criticism of the Games’ colonial legacy and unequal investment across member nations. Organisers highlight efforts to promote equality, and athletes continue to view the event as meaningful. Overall sentiment in the city trends optimistic despite logistical setbacks and debates about the Games’ relevance.

Anas Sarwar’s resignation as Scottish Labour leader to join Andy Burnham’s UK government drew sharp criticism from rival parties, who accused him of hypocrisy for accepting a peerage after previously opposing the House of Lords. SNP and Green figures charged him with misleading voters, while Labour insiders expressed surprise at the abrupt timing. Monica Lennon is expected to take over his parliamentary seat, with Lennon and Michael Marra emerging as potential leadership contenders. Sarwar’s appointment is seen by some as a way to improve Burnham’s relationship with the devolved nations, and supporters argue his move reflects ambition and a desire to wield political influence from Westminster.

Edinburgh trading standards officials, working with Police Scotland and national trading standards authorities, seized more than 158,000 counterfeit football shirts weighing nine tonnes and valued at an estimated £5.5m. The fake kits included merchandise for Scotland, England, France and Spain and will be recycled after verification by rights holders. Authorities warned that counterfeit goods can contain hazardous materials, undermine legitimate businesses and be linked to organised crime, human trafficking and exploitation. The Scottish Football Association said Scotland’s return to the World Cup had increased demand for official merchandise while also driving a rise in fakes.

Undercover reporting in Laos found souvenir shops and Chinese-tourist cultural centres operating as fronts for illegal wildlife trafficking, selling pangolin scales, bear bile, tiger bones, rhino horn and other endangered-animal products. The trade appears to be expanding as the Laos-China railway and Belt and Road-linked tourism bring more Chinese visitors, with low-cost tour operators allegedly pressuring tourists to buy products and falsely claiming they are legal. Conservationists are finding more pangolins in Vientiane and rescuing animals from restaurants and shops, while criminal networks profit and push already threatened species closer to extinction.

Guardian reporter Robyn Vinter examines the distinctive football kits featured during the World Cup and considers why some shirts capture fans’ imagination and may achieve iconic status.

Chinese tourism and a new high-speed rail line are linked to the expansion of illegal wildlife trafficking in Laos. Secret shops and restaurants reportedly sell pangolin scales, rhino horn and elephant ivory, while criminal networks profit from the trade. An undercover investigation conducted with Chinese activists examines how trafficking is pushing the critically endangered pangolin closer to extinction.

Police Scotland has urged people to verify online claims before attending protests after several nights of disorder in Glasgow, including gatherings triggered by mistaken identity and unsubstantiated rumours. Five officers were injured and two men were arrested for attacking police. Assistant chief constable Alan Waddell said misinformation, often spread by people outside Glasgow, was exploiting fears about alleged sex offenders and ethnic minorities. He warned that a planned protest over false claims about a care home and asylum-seeker accommodation could lead to disorder, while stressing that lawful and peaceful protest would be facilitated. Scottish Police Federation representative David Kennedy condemned the violence and said outside influences were manipulating people.

Keir Starmer defended the government’s Defence Investment Plan during PMQs after Kemi Badenoch demanded that Andy Burnham condemn it. The plan includes £15bn in additional weapons investment but has a projected £4.7bn funding gap over four years; Starmer said borrowing against £22bn of fiscal headroom could cover it, while economists warned that the Iran war has already narrowed that room. The live coverage also reported growing pressure on Burnham over the implications of devolution, with ministers arguing that transferring powers to regions should lead to a smaller central government. Other developments included a partially funded teacher pay settlement that prompted the National Education Union to consider a strike ballot, a 41% fall in Channel arrivals in the first half of 2026 compared with 2025, reforms to Flood Re, and reports that David Miliband could join a future Burnham government.

Anti-immigration protests erupted across Belfast after a Sudanese man was charged with attempted murder over a knife attack that seriously injured a person. Protesters set fire to vehicles, buildings and street furniture, attacked homes and businesses, and looted shops, prompting fears among immigrant communities and the cancellation of evening prayers at the Belfast Islamic Centre. The accused, who arrived in the UK via Dublin in 2023, had leave to remain until 2028 and is due to appear in court. Northern Ireland’s political leaders and the PSNI condemned the disorder, warned against online incitement and urged peaceful protest, while officials said there was no evidence the stabbing was terror-related.

Violence broke out across Belfast and surrounding areas after far-right activists, including Tommy Robinson and Elon Musk, urged protests over a knife attack allegedly carried out by a Sudanese refugee. Masked crowds burned vehicles and homes, attacked police, looted shops and targeted immigrant communities, while disturbances also occurred elsewhere in Northern Ireland and in London. Police charged the suspect with attempted murder and related offences but said there was no current evidence of terrorism. Northern Irish and UK politicians, police leaders and community representatives condemned the disorder and urged calm, while immigrant and Muslim communities reported fear of further attacks.

Lauris Saldana survived a 2022 attack by her estranged husband, Miguel Angel Florentino, in which her mother, Yolanda Saldana Feliz, was stabbed 40 times and killed. An inquest found that the death was preventable and exposed serious Metropolitan Police failures, including assigning the case to an untrained officer, failing to respond to repeated emails and evidence, and releasing Florentino without questioning him. Florentino later died by suicide. Saldana continues to suffer physical and psychological trauma and says unsafe housing has worsened her recovery. The Metropolitan Police expressed sympathy, acknowledged mistakes and cited reforms to its handling of stalking and domestic abuse, but had not yet formally apologized.

A survey of 2,000 Britons by Attest found that more than a third believe they have changed social class, while about 6 million identify with more than one class, described by researchers as “polyclass.” Millennials were especially likely to report changing or overlapping class identities, whereas 70% of working-class respondents said they remained in the category into which they were born. The research also found widespread sensitivity about class-based judgment and behavioral adaptation across social groups. Separate Sutton Trust research found that social mobility can improve employment and happiness but does not eliminate wellbeing disparities rooted in class background, highlighting the lasting effects of family resources, education, community ties and financial security.

The MV Hondius, linked to a hantavirus outbreak that killed three passengers, arrived off Tenerife carrying 149 remaining passengers and crew, prompting both public fascination and a major international evacuation. Passengers were removed in protective clothing, while their luggage remained aboard for decontamination. The WHO recommended 45 days of isolation after the last possible exposure, but countries differed over quarantine and testing arrangements, raising concerns about oversight and the risk of further spread. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak was not the beginning of another Covid-19 pandemic, while Spain coordinated the repatriation operation with international health authorities.

Dozens of passengers and crew were evacuated from the MV Hondius in Tenerife after three people died and eight became ill in a hantavirus outbreak. British passengers were flown to Manchester for quarantine at Arrowe Park hospital, while others were repatriated to countries including Spain, France, the US, the Netherlands and the Philippines. France and the US later reported suspected or confirmed symptoms among some evacuees. Authorities used temperature checks, health questionnaires and country-specific testing, with isolation periods of up to 45 days. The WHO said hantavirus was unlikely to cause a Covid-like pandemic, but warned that its long incubation period required international tracing and coordination.

Passengers and crew began leaving the hantavirus-hit MV Hondius in Tenerife, with 14 Spanish nationals flown to Madrid for quarantine at a military hospital and five French passengers sent to Paris for hospital monitoring followed by 45 days of home isolation. The ship arrived with 146 people after three deaths and eight illnesses; further repatriation flights were planned for passengers from several countries, while the vessel was due to sail to Rotterdam for decontamination and resupply. Britain also deployed paratroopers, clinicians and medical supplies to remote Tristan da Cunha after a suspected case linked to the ship. Separately, Russia and Ukraine exchanged accusations over violations of a temporary ceasefire, while Germany reportedly revived efforts to buy US Tomahawk missiles amid concerns about Europe’s long-range strike capabilities. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also faced pressure after Labour’s poor local-election results.

Nineteen British passengers and three crew members aboard the hantavirus-affected MV Hondius are due to be flown from Tenerife to Merseyside for a 42-day precautionary quarantine at Arrowe Park hospital. The ship, where three people have died, was denied permission to dock in Cape Verde and is heading to Tenerife, where all passengers will be screened before being transferred to their home countries. Spanish authorities will allow the vessel to anchor offshore, while WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has sought to reassure the public that the current hantavirus risk remains low and is not comparable to Covid-19.

The evacuation of the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius may be delayed for days or weeks if authorities cannot complete the operation during a narrow weather window after the ship reaches Tenerife. Spain plans to assess passengers while the vessel remains anchored, repatriate foreign nationals and send 14 Spanish citizens to Madrid for compulsory quarantine, with strict measures intended to prevent contact with the local population. Three people have died and four have confirmed infections, while authorities investigate additional possible cases and monitor passengers in several countries. The WHO says the virus spreads mainly through very close contact and poses a low risk to the general public, though uncertainty about transmission remains. Canary Islands officials and some local residents remain concerned about tourism and the cost of hosting the operation.

Prosecutors told Leeds Crown Court that Rico Gedel fatally stabbed former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins in his cell at HMP Wakefield on 11 October, then passed a homemade knife to fellow prisoner Samuel Dodsworth. The prosecution alleges the attack was a joint offence, with Dodsworth acting as a lookout and disposing of the weapon. Watkins, who was serving a 29-year sentence for child sexual offences, died shortly afterward despite prison staff and paramedics attempting to save him. Both defendants deny murder and possession of a makeshift knife.

A free exhibition in Hamburg from 8 to 25 May will showcase rare letters and photographs documenting the Beatles’ formative period in the city from 1960 to 1962. The collection includes the only known letter containing words from both Paul McCartney and John Lennon, along with material from George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best. Donations from Mike McCartney, The Cavern Club and the Liverpool Beatles Museum illustrate the band’s demanding performance schedule, emerging fame, evolving style and growing professionalism. Liverpool authorities are considering bringing the exhibition to the city in the future.

Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old engineer and independent game developer from Torrance, California, was identified by law-enforcement sources as the suspected gunman in the shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner. Authorities say he allegedly carried a shotgun, handgun and knives, exchanged fire with an officer wearing a bulletproof vest, and was tackled and taken into custody; the officer was released from hospital. Prosecutors charged Allen with two counts and indicated further charges could follow. Investigators believe he acted alone and may have targeted the Trump administration, but no motive has been established. Allen’s background includes degrees from Caltech and California State University, game development, and part-time teaching, while acquaintances described him as intelligent, gentle and unremarkable, making the alleged attack unexpected.