The First Minister has slammed a motion tabled by the Scottish Conservatives seeking to block free bus travel for asylum seekers as “populist rubbish”.

Port operator Forth Ports has announced a £50 million private investment in infrastructure at the Port of Leith after securing its largest-ever offshore wind contract.

John Swinney has pledged the Scottish Government will give “serious consideration” for non-fatal strangulation to be made a specific criminal offence.

A tissue paper mill in Fife is back operational after a large fire broke out in the storage area.

A priest who was caught sexually assaulting a sleeping man on a train has been jailed.

Dozens of puppies have been rescued after being found under a lorry travelling from Northern Ireland to Scotland.

A man stabbed an Aldi worker during a robbery bid before being pursued by her colleagues, a court has heard.

An investigation has been launched after a body was found following a fire at a house in the Highlands.

Bosses at Clyde FC say the club is in "serious danger" as a bid to raise £55,000 was launched.

Scotland has its highest ever number of people aged 90 and above, new population statistics reveal.

A man was taken to hospital after being bitten by a dog on a street in Fife.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was punched and stamped on at a train station in West Dunbartonshire.

Two “gardeners” have been jailed for almost four years for cultivating cannabis worth up to £3.6 million in a town centre.

John Swinney will face First Minister's Questions after confirming that he is considering a social media ban for under-16s.

Scotland’s former chief medical officer Dr Catherine Calderwood has been excused indefinitely from giving evidence at the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.

Glasgow's OVO Hydro has been crowned the UK's best live entertainment venue of the year.

Regular bin collections for glass recycling across Edinburgh could be scrapped in the New Year thanks to new sensors which will alert the council when they are full.

Visitors are being urged to avoid a popular tourist spot on the Isle of Skye due to disruption on the road.

Two people have been arrested after a baby girl was attacked by a dog believed to be an XL bully.

The UK’s first drug consumption room may not now open until early next year after delays.

A Glasgow councillor whose brother died after being hit by an off-road motorbike is pushing for action to make the city’s streets safer.

A motion calling on Shetland Islands Council (SIC) to look at a possible two-year trial of free bus fares for all has failed to secure the majority of support of elected members.

A passenger was hauled off an easyJet flight to Glasgow by police after the plane was forced to divert to Portugal.

Magners maker C&C Group has hired former AG Barr boss Roger White to take the helm after its former chief executive quit in the wake of an accounting blunder.

First Minister John Swinney is considering a social media ban for under-16s.

The national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II has a provisional construction budget of up to £46m, with the Government calling on leading artists, architects and engineers to compete to design the project’s masterplan.

The number of Scots students entering Scottish universities this year has risen by 7%, reaching a new record.

Hearts will be bidding to boost their prospects of remaining in Europe beyond Christmas for the first time since 1988-89 when they visit Copenhagen in their fifth Conference League match on Thursday.

Ange Postecoglou says he knows what kind of reception to expect when the former Celtic manager leads his Spurs side out against Rangers on Thursday.

Irn-Bru has launched its first-ever Christmas truck and is set to tour the UK in an effort to help office workers suffering from the "festive fear" after holiday parties.

People recovering from drug and alcohol problems are to perform a special stage adaptation of 'A Christmas Carol'.

Rangers return to European action on Thursday night in a highly-anticipated clash with Spurs at Ibrox.

All levels of government need to improve capacity in the consenting process for wind projects, a report on the UK’s clean power ambitions says.

Five years ago, aged just 15, Aoife found herself targeted by an online predator.

Over 150,000 children in Scotland are likely to have experienced online sexual abuse in the last year, STV News can exclusively reveal.

Fife council has called on students to give name suggestions for a new high school set to open.

Hearts head coach Neil Critchley declared attack was the best form of defence as he stressed they did not want to leave Conference League progression to the last game.

40 new jobs have been secured as the latest Inverness Home Bargains complex in Stratton has been approved in a narrow council vote.

A sea mammal expert has developed a groundbreaking tool that can track dolphins by their regional accents.

Two male rabbits were found abandoned in recycling bins behind a retail park in Ayr.

A "technical issue" is impacting users of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp, Meta has said.

East Ayrshire Council is set to retire the hawks brought in to deter seagulls around a number of its properties.

Calls have been made for a levy on tickets for gigs at the Hydro to be introduced to support grassroots music in the city.

A union official has said there will be strike action “if needs be” over proposals to cut ticket office opening hours on Scotland’s railways.

A racehorse was filmed making its escape through an East Lothian town after breaking free from a racecourse.

Police have warned that it is "only a matter of time" before those involved in Bonfire Night disorder are brought to justice.

Mothers and babies have been put at risk due to staff shortages at the maternity unit in Edinburgh, an investigation has found.

Former first minister Alex Salmond’s niece will run to be an MSP in one of his former seats, the Alba Party has announced.

Rangers manager Philippe Clement has urged his players to seize the opportunity for a famous victory over Spurs on Thursday.

The president of the National Farmer's Union was brought to tears while giving evidence to a parliamentary committee on Wednesday.

Families are being invited to put their puzzle-solving skills to the test after GCHQ launched its annual Christmas Challenge.

Concerns are growing for a man who went missing over two weeks ago from Dundee.

A body has been confirmed as that of a woman who became stuck in estuary mud in Annan.

Rangers captain James Tavernier admits there's a lot of excitement around Thursday's Europa League tie against Tottenham Hotspur - and he hopes Ibrox noise can unsettle Ange Postecoglou's side.

The 2034 men's World Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia, world governing body FIFA has confirmed.

A man who raped a teenage girl and a sleeping woman has been jailed for eight years.

A judge has expressed concern about the lack of involvement by social services with an ill baby boy whose mum died following his birth.

Sir Elton John has hit out at the legalisation of marijuana in parts of North America, saying it was “one of the greatest mistakes of all time”, as he was named Time magazine’s icon of the year.

A pupil has been taken to hospital after being knocked down near Kirkcaldy High School.

A carer from Perth has been struck off after having been found to have stolen almost £10,000 from a person in their care.

A man has been charged in connection with the theft of two vehicles and a spate of house break-ins in Aberdeen.

The water industry regulator at the centre of a public spending scandal insists progress is being made in changing the culture of the organisation.

Specsavers will offer free eye checks and glasses to homeless people in Edinburgh over the festive period.

A man is to stand trial charged with the murder of his wife.

The UK Government has said that, following official advice from medical experts, existing emergency measures banning the sale and supply of puberty blockers will be made indefinite.

The Scottish Government has launched a charter of rights for drug users.

John Swinney and Donald Trump did not discuss the US president-elect’s “policy agenda” during a call, the First Minister has said.

A sex offender repeatedly raped an adult woman and sexually assaulted a young girl.

A woman who stole more than £85,000 from a cancer charity set up in memory of her best friend’s daughter, who died from leukaemia, has been given three months to pay all of it back.

A man has been arrested and charged in connection with the alleged theft and attempted theft of nine vehicles and the supply of drugs in Whitburn.

An armed robber who left a lone shop worker traumatised after he threatened to stab her with a knife has been jailed for three and a half years.

The owners of Inverlochy Castle in Fort William have bought the Knockendarroch Hotel in Pitlochry for an undisclosed sum.

A former Scottish Premiership player has appeared in court accused of assaulting a woman in a chip shop.

Hundreds of farmers are expected to bring their machines to the streets around Parliament as Sir Keir Starmer faces Prime Minister’s Questions.

A man is to stand trial charged with the murder of a bus driver.

Firefighters have extinguished a large blaze at a paper mill in Fife.

A new AI-powered blood test is the first to detect signs of breast cancer in its earliest stages when it is “far more easily treated”, scientists have announced.

Edinburgh Rugby's Duhan van der Merwe has committed his future to the capital club by signing a new long-term contract.

The average cost of renting a newly let property has risen by £3,240 per year since the end of the string of Covid-19 lockdowns, according to new research.

A major road in Glasgow city centre will be reduced to one lane for eight weeks in the New Year due to sewage repair.

Marriage between first cousins could be banned in the UK under a new proposal set to be tabled in Parliament.

President-elect Donald Trump has launched a new fragrance line.

A Canadian woman has been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle more than 10kg of meth into New Zealand wrapped as Christmas presents.

Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx has opened up about the brain bleed he suffered last year which led to a stroke.

Tommy Robinson has been ordered to pay £50,000 in costs after he was jailed for contempt of court, with the final amount still to be decided.

Around 5,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in Malibu Firefighters are battling a rapidly spreading wildfire in Malibu as around 5,000 people have been told to leave their homes.

In an exclusive interview with ITV News' Health Correspondent Rebecca Barry, Sarah Thompson’s sister Gabriella spoke of their family's heartbreak The family of a mother-of-two have told ITV News they believe her sudden death could be linked to illegal "weight loss drops”.

Thick freezing fog has disrupted ferry sailings in Scotland.

Plans for a major estate on the site of a former Edinburgh Airport runway have been recommended for approval.

BBC radio presenter Kirsty Young has said she is now feeling “pretty good” after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS).

The court process for a fatal accident inquiry into a train derailment which claimed three lives is to begin next month.

First Minister John Swinney welcomed children to his official residence as he unveiled his Christmas card, which will raise cash to help a leading children’s charity.

Churches have banded together to urge MSPs to avoid pitting vulnerable groups in society against each other and recommit to providing free bus travel for asylum seekers.

The proposed National Care Service (NCS) in Scotland should be thought of outside an “institutional architecture,” the country’s First Minister has said, as he urged focus on how it could improve services.

Proposals for a new law which could mean major polluters are jailed for up to 20 years have received enough support from MSPs to be introduced at Holyrood.

Health chiefs are urging people to avoid coming to A&E unless they are seriously ill to ease pressure on overstretched hospitals this winter.

Physiotherapists are experiencing “unprecedented levels of stress and burnout”, with a new survey showing almost half are considering quitting their job.

Domestic abuse crimes have increased 11% in Scotland, according to figures released on Wednesday.