Iran denies launching missiles at Israel after IDF claims
It said that air defence systems are "operating to intercept the threat" and that air raid alerts had been activated in the north of Israel following the detection of missiles.
READ MORE: Will bombing Iranian uranium stores trigger a nuclear blast? An expert explains
However, Iran has denied firing missiles at Israel, according to Iranian state media.
It comes just hours after a ceasefire deal was reportedly reached between Iran and Israel.
US president Donald Trump announced a deal had been agreed on his social media platform Truth Social overnight, although it took some time for both Israel and Iran to confirm.
Earlier, Iran's foreign minister had said it would only stop its attacks if Israel did the same.
The chief of the general staff of the IDF said the military will "respond with force" to which it called Iran's "severe violation".
"In light of the severe violation of the ceasefire carried out by the Iranian regime, we will respond with force," Eyal Zamir is quoted as saying in a post on Twitter/X by the IDF.
This is a breaking news story. We will bring you more as we have it.
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The Independent
4 minutes ago
- The Independent
Warning Labour's rewilding plans could trigger surge in UK wildfires
Gamekeepers have warned that the government 's rewilding proposals could trigger an increase in wildfires across the UK. Labour has plans to ban winter burning from over half of England's peatland. The changes are claimed to help 're-wet' the country's peat bogs, as well as reduce the chances of wildfires and decrease carbon emissions. Environmentalists argue that peat bogs must be preserved as they soak up huge amounts of carbon, while landowners and gamekeepers say burning restrictions will, in fact, enable wildfires to break out that will be 'too large to fight'. Winter burning is a controlled traditional upland management technique whereby firebreaks in upland areas are established by creating strips of less flammable foliage. It is used to decrease the amount of fuel for possible wildfires and slow the speed at which blazes can spread. However, in conservation areas of 'deep peat', of a depth of 40cm or deeper, the burns were banned in 2021, covering 222,000 hectares of land. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is now looking into lowering the threshold for 'deep peat' to 30cm, which would extend the restrictions to 368,000 hectares. It says wetter peat will decrease the likelihood of wildfires, while gamekeepers argue the plans would leave Britain's moors and heaths more vulnerable. Andrew Gilruth, chief executive of the Moorland Association, told The Telegraph: 'This is our worst-ever year for wildfires. Britain is burning because of the religion of rewilding. 'It is obvious to everyone bar Natural England that, with climate change making vegetation tinder-dry, increasing this fuel load through rewilding is a really stupid idea. It makes for bigger, more intense blazes which can move at frightening speed.' 'I think the whole thing is very concerning – not just from a loss-of-habitat point of view, but also putting firefighters and land managers in real danger from the inevitable wildfires. 'The whole thing is becoming a massive tinderbox and a bomb that is going off. At the moment, re-wetting is increasing the fuel level on the moors and that is a real concern. Prescribed burning will not stop wildfires, but it reduces the length of flames and allows fires to be contained quicker.' More proposals include removing an exemption to current restrictions, which would allow burns to continue on 'inaccessible' land. Adrian Blackmore, the director of shooting at the Countryside Alliance, described Defra's plans as 'staggering'. He told The Telegraph: 'They are showing a staggering lack of understanding or knowledge. Burns reduce the fire load, encourage young growth for the birds to eat and encourage the growth of sphagnum moss, which is the peat-forming moss. 'So if you don't remove the canopy, you can't encourage sphagnum moss, because it's not going to grow underneath it. And sphagnum moss is the be-all and end-all, making moors wetter.' A Defra spokesperson told The Independent: 'Our peatlands are home to Britain's most precious wildlife, while also storing carbon and reducing flooding risk. With 13 per cent of the world's blanket bog in the UK, we've consulted on ways to ensure these rare habitats are better protected. We will set out our response in due course.' Heatwaves and consistent dry weather have seen the London Fire Brigade tackle more wildfires this summer than in the whole of 2024. A senior firefighter said that crews were experiencing a 'busy summer' and that they were working under 'very challenging conditions' to bring the blazes under control. Wildfires have even been raging in Scotland this summer, a place that rarely sees blazes break out. The Scottish Gamekeepers Association warned the fires were limiting the ability of 'stretched' firefighters to respond to other emergencies, so they were 'becoming a danger to human life'. Land managers can apply for licences to burn for the purpose of wildfire management, which are regulated and issued by Defra. The Defra spokesperson said repeated burning risks permanently altering the species composition and hydrology of peatland habitats. They added that peat that is wet is less likely to burn during a wildfire, builds new peat and loses less carbon through oxidation, protecting the stored carbon of old peat and ensuring that the habitat persists.
Scotsman
4 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Readers' letters: Trump is best hope we have of securing peace in Ukraine
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office on Monday (Picture:) A reader suggests Donald Trump may get a peace deal where other leaders have failed Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Trevor Rigg takes Donald Trump to task for being a 'patsy' etc when it comes to Vladimir Putin and Ukraine (Letters, 19 August). This may perhaps be true but, at the moment, a peace deal is still possible and it actually is Donald Trump leading the charge for this. Has Europe, or even our own globe-trotting Prime Minister, managed to influence Putin on their own? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Donald Trump seems to generate hugely negative headlines from some sections of the media but he has good ideas and he appears to get a lot more done for those who voted for him than most other politicians. If Mr Trump is wrong we will all soon know. The alternative to peace is war. Gerald Edwards, Glasgow Nato is the answer We didn't really expect Donald Trump to best Vladimir Putin single-handed, did we? Putin is quick to avenge any real or imagined slight. Russians who may have opposed or simply seriously annoyed Putin in some way have then mysteriously fallen out a top floor window or balcony. Or been poisoned. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad I'm going into Salisbury tomorrow, where Putin's spies attempted to Novichok Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. Putin is, in all respects, a ruthless and cold-blooded killer. Trump, neither a man of courage integrity or principle, is verifiably a coward; having faked an injury to avoid the Vietnam draft. But he's not a killer…. Apart from the Quisling Victor Orban, Nato countries are united in how to put Putin in his place. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad My own view? Make Ukraine a member of Nato. If Putin doesn't withdraw from all of Ukraine, he will face a Nato he cannot possibly defeat. Doug Morrison, Tenterden, Kent Notable absence The breathless and excited tones of broadcast journalists about the White House jamboree with practically all of the 'old Europe' leaders, Frau Von der Leyen and Paul Rutte of Nato is most revealing. None of them appear to be exercised in the least about their fellow journalists who have been mown down in cold blood by Israel in greater numbers than all other wars on record. As for the politicians, is it merely the case that we are on the side of the people to whom we have made lucrative arms donations? In the case of Britain, it seems there is a never ending flow of cash with no 'tough decisions' needing to be taken other than when it comes to our own people with their fast declining standard of living, already lower than that of the Irish and soon to be surpassed by the Poles and Romanians. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad I guess it would be too much for them to caution Trump about his recent green light for Netanyahu to continue the slaughter of the Palestinian people. Marjorie Ellis Thompson, Edinburgh Limits of language James Kelman's remarks on language at the International Book Festival (Scotsman, 19 August), are puzzling: 'Imperial forces' are making writers too timid to use authentic languge, and our culture is in danger. We have here the strange phenomenon of a successful writer, and Booker Prize winner, who seems to have no clue about how language actually works. Of course struggling languages, and Gaelic is among them, remain fascinating. If there are only five speakers left of a language somewhere in the world, academics will get on a plane to go study it. Nationhood, politics, language and culture are all involved with one another. When Germany invaded its neighbours where there were some German speakers, they proceeded to 'Germanicise' the children there. Russia does the same in Ukraine, and the Irish make language part of their republcan struggle. Writers, however, are stuck with the language as it is, and how it is evolving. Their job is to communicate, whatever the economic and political forces acting on the language, which they do not lead. Therefore, if James Kelman cannot get himself published in the UK, he should perhaps think this through, and find out how language works. Crawford Mackie, Edinburgh Soft power Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Each August, Edinburgh becomes a global meeting point, drawing artists, cultural leaders, and audiences from more than 70 countries. Scotland's festivals are not just a celebration of creativity, they are a demonstration of the UK's internationalism in practice and a powerful expression of soft power. The British Council played a founding role in establishing the Edinburgh International Festival in the aftermath of the Second World War. Then, as now, the aim was clear: to build mutual understanding and foster reconciliation through cultural exchange. Nearly 80 years on, that mission remains critical. At a time of heightened global tension and rising authoritarianism, international collaboration through the arts strengthens the UK's reputation as an open, connected and trusted partner. This summer alone, the British Council is supporting cultural representatives from more than 34 countries participating in Edinburgh's August festivals. From supporting Ukrainian artists at the Fringe, launching a new season connecting UK-to Brazil and connecting Lebanon to the Art Festival, we're helping build bridges through culture. The impact is measurable: last year's work led to 27 new international collaborations. These are not one-off moments; they are long-term relationships that expand the reach of UK culture and reinforce the UK's global standing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad At a time when global engagement is under pressure, the UK should continue to invest in the cultural spaces and platforms that best embody its values. Whether through festivals, artistic exchanges or international collaborations, these efforts demonstrate the UK as it aspires to be seen – creative, outward-looking, and committed to partnership across borders. Scott McDonald, Chief Executive, British Council Counter culture In commenting on the ineffectiveness of the church when judged against a business model, Doug Morrison (Letters, 18 August) apologises that he may offend believers. As a Christian, I am not offended. He is simply defining the church in accordance with the values of our society, which affirms the primacy of the individual and assumes fulfilment comes through satisfying personal needs and desires. But that has never been the purpose of Christianity. At the centre of Christ's teaching is the call to turn from self-centredness and, through Jesus himself, to restore our relationship with God, our creator. Until the early 20th century, schools in Scotland taught the Westminster Shorter Catechism, which begins: 'Man[kind]'s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.' This reflects the biblical truth that our primary purpose is not self-fulfilment but to honour God and find lasting joy in Him. Falling attendances tend not to be an issue for those churches which preach this counter-cultural message. Indeed there is evidence of growth particularly among young people who seek a deeper truth beyond the prevalent superficiality and hollow ideologies that surround them. George Rennie, Inverness, Highland Too little too late Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The UK Government has just confirmed an MOD report of a Serious Category A nuclear leak at Faslane between 1 January and 22 April this year. Now they tell us. Loch Long was contaminated in this latest leak. Is it still? Can we believe anything the Ministry of Defence tells us? How long was it before they even told the locals? There must be some worried people who live around and in Faslane or went sailing in the loch in spring. Does the Westminster government care? Not a bit. Scotland needs to protect itself and to do that, we need to govern our own country and to have any hope of doing so, love them or not, we'll have to vote for the SNP and get behind them. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Who wants Scotland to be treated as the UK's nuclear dumping ground? Not me! Elizabeth Scott, Edinburgh Banned books Cast your mind back to 2011. The National Library of Scotland staged a Banned Books exhibition. The then National Librarian and chief executive of the National Library of Scotland, said: 'Over the centuries many books have been burned, censored or challenged by the state and religious authorities, and society itself, because their contents did not conform to the political, religious or moral codes of their day. 'Libraries such as the National Library of Scotland have a vital role in freedom of expression and speech, allowing everyone to explore knowledge and ideas now and into the future. 'Our exhibition presents an opportunity for visitors to learn more about censorship… with a view to encouraging informed discussion and debate around these issues.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad So – a major change in political code since then? And the library itself is now a censor? It's 'wheest no more' for me. When two major, historic institutions in our capital city seem to have fallen victim to political correctness on steroids, it's time for a silent majority to speak out. Let us have informed debate, with all sides of opinion allowed freedom of expression. Let's keep it calm, and avoid personal attacks. As one who campaigned for a Scottish Parliament, and felt honoured to be a member of the Constitutional Convention which helped shape it, it breaks my heart to feel so out of touch with the current political code. Moyra Forrest, Edinburgh Write to The Scotsman
Telegraph
5 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Trump abolishes ‘silly season' – and summer holidays are off
Congress is on holiday, much of Washington DC has emptied out, and journalists should be writing about waterskiing dogs or celebrity sightings to keep the news machine ticking over during 'silly season'. That kind of summertime ennui is a distant memory now that Donald Trump has returned to power. A senior administration source told The Telegraph that the 79-year-old president abruptly ditched a planned August break to push forward with Ukraine peace talks. 'Two weeks were blocked out for him to be at Bedminster [the president's New Jersey golf club] but he decided to cancel it,' said the official. Instead, last week he flew to Alaska to meet Vladimir Putin, his Russian counterpart, on Monday he hosted Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, and seven European leaders at the White House, and in between he has taken over policing of Washington and signed executive orders on everything from 'debanking' to overhauling scientific research. The result is a continuation of the president's 'flood the zone' strategy to governing, a bump in his poll ratings, and no rest for anyone else in his team. Some staffers have had to repeatedly postpone their own plans for a holiday, or quietly make do with a snatched day off here or there. There is no silly season this year, according to David Urban, a former Trump campaign adviser and confidant. 'He's killed it off,' he said. 'There is no downtime in this administration.' This weekend the president is expected to stay at the White House, at a time when members of Congress and their staffs escape Washington's sticky summer season, and when diplomats head for their holiday homes. One member of staff described how their own plans for a summer break had been thwarted three times by the president changing his schedule at the last minute to fit in more travel. 'But it's worth it,' they added. Craig Shirley, the presidential historian, said Mr Trump was in a hurry to push through his agenda as time ticked down on his second and final term. Past presidents might not be seen in the capital for the whole of August, he added. 'But I think it really depends on what is going on at the time,' he said. 'Trump is dealing with multiple crises right now so it makes more sense to stay close to the White House even with all the modern communications he has – the image of being seen at the White House is very important.' That's not to say it has all been work and no play for the president. A five-day working trip to Scotland last month was centred around his two golf courses, but included agreeing a European Union trade deal and a sit-down with Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister. And last weekend he managed to fit in two trips to his golf course in Virginia despite only getting back from Alaska in the early hours of Saturday morning. 'Many staff on Air Force One were sleeping on the way home, not President Trump. He was awake and working the entire flight,' said Karoline Leavitt, his press secretary. Mr Trump called Mr Zelensky and a string of European leaders as he flew back from the summit. He arrived back at the White House at 3am. Ms Leavitt added: 'President Trump is the hardest working man in politics, and he literally works around the clock, as evidenced by his being here at the White House in the Oval Office 12 to 15 hours a day, going up to the residence immediately to continue working throughout the night.' This August stands in contrast to his first summer in the White House, when he took a 17-day 'working vacation' at Bedminster, contrary to even his own advice. 'Don't take vacations. What's the point? If you're not enjoying your work, you're in the wrong job,' he wrote in his 2004 book, 'Think Like a Billionaire.' There are signs that his strategy is paying off. A poll published on Monday suggested he had seen a bump in his approval rating after his Alaska summit with Putin. An InsiderAdvantage poll conducted over the weekend found that Mr Trump has the backing of 54 per cent of respondents, with 44 per cent saying they disapproved of his performance. That 10-point net approval rating is up from two points in July, when the survey was last conducted. Mr Urban said there was plenty more work to be done. Thoughts were now turning to promoting the 'big, beautiful bill,' Mr Trump's signature domestic policy agenda, ahead of next year's midterm elections, he still had dozens of appointees that needed to be approved by the Senate, and then there was the matter of peace in Ukraine. 'There's no rest for the weary,' he said.
