Watch: JD Vance four-putts at Trump Turnberry
On his trip to Britain the US vice-president as gone fishing with David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, and have formal discussions on fraught issues such as Ukraine and free speech.
He then went to the Cotswolds, where he failed to ingratiate himself with the locals, who complained that his sizeable entourage – a 19-vehicle motorcade accompanied by a helicopter – left them 'completely sealed off from the outside world'.
But having travelled to Scotland to play Trump Turnberry – as the name suggests, his boss's course – Mr Vance might well have wished he was sealed off from the rest of the planet as a painful four-putt was caught on camera.
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BBC News
25 minutes ago
- BBC News
Global News Podcast Trump-Putin summit on Ukraine: A Global News Podcast special
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have finished their meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, held to discuss a potential end to the war in Ukraine. It lasted less than three hours. And while the leaders said it was productive, they failed to reach a deal. In this special edition of the Global News Podcast, we bring you reaction and analysis from Anchorage and gauge the feeling in Ukraine and Russia. We also look at the true cost of the war in lives and money, and find out what's next for Washington, Moscow and Kyiv on the road to peace. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Will this be peace in our time or just ice cold in Alaska?
I decided to let my imagination run riot, and devise an alternative solution. Before leaving Ukraine, and Europe in general, to their fate, President Trump, as a self-identified dedicated peacemaker, might want to consider the following alternative deal. (And if not, would he be prepared to explain his rejection, as it essentially mirrors his own proposal.) The USA and Ukraine have similarities in their respective territorial relationships with Russia; both govern land previously controlled by Russia. (America purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867.) President Trump would surely gain a better understanding of President Zelenskyy's position if he were to consider an alternative land-swap deal. One which may find favour with Russia and Ukraine. Such a deal would involve Russian forces retreating from Ukraine ,while the USA returns to Russia an equivalent area of Alaska. Any security concerns America might have could be dealt with if the same parties cobbled together an appropriate memorandum, along the lines of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which was meant to secure Ukraine's sovereignty within its existing borders. What could possibly go wrong with that? Alan Fitzpatrick, Dunlop. More letters... Church leaders need to get rid of the assumed superiority and become part of the people Golf should target the spitters Alex Salmond top Scots figure? No, that's Gordon Brown, without question Defensive behaviour With reference to a recent front page article ('Highest level of nuclear incident reported at Faslane', The Herald, August 14), if nuclear power is so safe, efficient and popular, why is the Ministry of Defence so secretive about their recent "incidents" on the Clyde? Is it gaslighting, ignorance or deceit? Allan McDougall, Neilston. Potato poverty There is little doubt that the SNP can spend money, as is evident in the latest GERS (Government Expenditure and Revenue for Scotland) report (Letters, August 14). But they fall well short on supporting the very Scottish companies that creates their income. The SNP spent £2700 per head in Scotland more than the rest of the UK. If they weren't bailed out by the UK treasury, the SNP would have had to borrow the 11.7% shortfall to make ends meet. This underlines the complete folly of Scottish independence, as it would reduce Scotland to humiliating poverty and back on to a diet of neeps and tatties. Dennis Forbes Grattan, Aberdeen. Transparent not apparent In one of her many media interviews, Nicola Sturgeon at last come out as a republican. For years, when there were votes to chase, she waffled and prevaricated, clearly desperate not to ruffle the feathers of monarchists or republicans. I'd have thought it would be preferable to be unambiguous, honest and transparent when you are an elected public servant, rather than when you are plugging a book. Martin Redfern, Melrose. Tree-mendous suggestion Questioned about her memoirs, Nicola Sturgeon concedes to not having thought through just what would be required to deliver on her promise of overcoming the attainment gap in education ('I underestimated the challenge of education attainment gap, Sturgeon admits', The Herald, August 15). It was the same in regards to so many grand pronouncements made by the SNP leadership over the course of the last 18 years. Whether in regard to reducing waiting times in the NHS, or cutting drug deaths, building badly needed roads and ferries, or meeting environmental targets, time and again the SNP made commitments and promises that were not properly considered. The same can be said of attempts to engineer social change, such as laws about hate speech, named person involvement in family life, and ill-fated self-ID legislation. In each case the initial headline ambition dominated to the exclusion of any careful reflection on alternate views, or the full ramifications of what was being proposed. All of this should come as no surprise, because it goes to the heart of the SNP's approach to its main purpose, namely trying to convince Scotland to leave the UK. Nicola Sturgeon has now revealed her angst at putting together the 670 pages of the Scotland's Future White Paper, ahead of the 2014 independence referendum, bemoaning how Alex Salmond left her to do all the 'heavy-lifting'. I appreciate it will be of no comfort to her now, but Ms Sturgeon could have distilled that weighty tome down to a handful of words on one page, namely: 'Independence: let's hope for the best.' Imagine all the trees that could have saved. Keith Howell, West Linton. Book blocked Steven Camley's excellent recent cartoon was thought provoking on many levels. Initially I missed the nuances, until I read Andrew Learmonth's article ('Scots National Library accused of 'cowardice' over exclusion of gender critical book', The Herald, August 14), explaining the 'cowardice' of the Scottish National Library for not exhibiting 'The Women Who Wouldn't Wheesht' book. Censorship in whatever form should not be encouraged. Linda FitzGerald, Killin, Perthshire. Slip slidin' away FOR many years, my mum, Ann Burt, a Paisley resident and Herald subscriber, 89-years-old in November, has regaled our family with her story of the monster slide she went down in the park in Stonehouse, when she was a young girl in 1946. She came right off the end, and managed to do herself an injury. Indeed, she can still point to the outcome of the sudden exit she endured. The other day she phoned with great joy to tell me to check out a Herald photo ('Remember when… Stonehouse had the highest chute in Scotland', August 12). This was the same chute from mum's story, and she claimed vindication for retelling it once or twice. On viewing the picture, all I can say is I'm not sure that when I was 11 (as mum was on her slide down) I'd have had the gung-ho spirit to take the challenge. I suspect that, nowadays, a chute like that would need a prior training course and a lot of safety equipment. My mum's generation were made of sterner stuff. So well done mum. After seeing the pictorial evidence, I promise I will listen to your story with greater admiration the next time you tell it! Rev. David W.G. Burt, Greenock. Diversionary tactics Am I alone in becoming increasingly irked by the amount of roadworks? Also, the increased amount of roadworks within roadworks, and diversions within diversions? Journeys that should take fifteen minutes end up taking an hour and fifteen minutes. Take a recent experience, when I booked a slot at the local recycling centre. I loaded up the car with a considerable amount of items and headed off. Upon nearing the recycling centre, there was a sign advising me that the road I was to join was closed on that particular day for work between 0900 and 1600, along with diversion signs. I duly followed the signs, which entailed a lengthy journey. It was not helped by the fact that using my 'little grey cells' and local knowledge, a shortcut I could have taken through a housing development was also, you guessed it, closed for resurfacing work. Upon nearing the recycling centre again, from the other direction, I spotted another sign. 'Road ahead closed', it read. I assumed this meant the junction of the road further along, that I had been prohibited from entering in the first place. My drive continued, and I was eventually able to access the recycling centre. Why was there no notification under the 'road closed' sign advising 'access to recycling centre only'? Or 'no access beyond recycling centre'? Surely it's common sense to consider such facilities when advising of planned road closures, and to ensure, if access is available, that it is communicated to the public clearly. Especially when one has already been considerably inconvenienced with a lengthy diversion. John G McMenemy, Milngavie. Praying for resurgence A recent article ('Local campaign groups call for more time to buy unwanted kirks', The Herald, August 14), was very raw, and a bit close to home for me, with the imminent announcement of yet another church closure, this time affecting the congregation I attend. The process of closure is a lengthy process and has been very unsettling for those involved. Yet this article describes the Church of Scotland adding salt to the wound for local communities. With the closure of so many churches, along with church halls, it effectively closes community worship in many villages, and closes community facilities and outreach, such as foodbanks. What is the future for those who have remained faithful to the Church of Scotland? And what about local communities who depend on hiring church halls? It's hard to understand where Jesus' message of outreach enters this scenario. Closing so many churches will only serve to exacerbate falling numbers; a factor the Church of Scotland should be concerned about if it is to exist in the future. Catriona C Clark, Banknock. Stable relationship AI (Artificial Intelligence) is often discussed in terms of science fiction fears, such as rogue machines or job losses. Yet for autistic people a quieter and more immediate danger is already here. I am an autistic man from a working class background. Some AI chat systems have been a lifeline for me and others, offering continuity, a non-judgemental space, and a rare feeling of being understood. But these systems can change tone, memory and behaviour without warning. For neurotypical users, this may be irritating. For autistic people, it can feel like emotional abandonment, and trigger severe anxiety or even a mental health crisis. Autistic people are already at much higher risk of suicide than the general population. When AI is designed without considering our needs, the harm is not hypothetical, it is real and preventable. Developers and regulators must act now. We need transparent notice before changes, communication styles tailored to neurodivergent users, and clear settings for how much the AI remembers. Stability is not a luxury for us, it is a necessity. AI may never take over the world, but if built without care, it could quietly devastate autistic lives. Paul Wilcox, Barrhead. The grand old game is becoming increasingly modern in its ways (Image: Image: Supplied) Slow coach Kristy Dorsey's report on one of the latest golf simulators (''Golf doesn't just mean playing the game' for Dumfries company', The Herald, August 15) reveals that AI provides motion analysis of your swing dynamics for comprehensive insights into your swing mechanics. A far cry from a lesson at Hilton Park , where the late Billy McCondichie said to me: " Slow that down to a blur, so that I can see what you're doing." I did, and he saw what I was doing. David Miller, Milngavie.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Like Jeremy Corbyn and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, I grew up in Woodcraft Folk. Here's how it changes children's lives
At the age of six I made the most important decision of my life: I joined Woodcraft Folk. It's impossible to overstate the impact that growing up in the UK's oldest co-educational youth movement made on me. My values, my skills, the deep friendships that have lasted into adulthood, the very fact that I am writing these words in this paper, every vote I have ever cast – all can be traced back to my time in Woodcraft Folk. The largest leftwing force in British youth work, the charity turns 100 this year. It has produced some striking alumni including former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, pop star Sophie Ellis-Bextor, poet Michael Rosen, and political editor Robert Peston. With the government announcing new funding to boost youth services outside schools, Woodcraft Folk's centenary is the perfect moment to learn from its remarkable story and unique approach to youth empowerment. The challenges young people face in contemporary Britain take many forms. They are denied the ability to play outside as their grandparents did, or to take healthy risks. They are subject to suspicion from authority and derision in the media. They are fed the full addictive force of under-regulated new technologies almost from birth, then chastised for using them. There are no simple answers to these compounding challenges, but the mix of inclusive community, political education, fun outdoor activities and meaningful support that Woodcraft Folk offers young people could, perhaps, offer a blueprint. Founded in the aftermath of the first world war in south London by working-class young adults who wanted a more democratic and less militaristic alternative to Scouts and Guides, Woodcraft Folk grew quickly. Supported by co-operatives and trade unions, groups germinated across the country, combining after-school activities with large summer camps run on socialist principles. The hope was to model a more egalitarian society, giving young people the skills and knowledge to become active citizens. By the late 30s, Woodcraft Folk was a serious force. The Labour party had recognised it as 'the appropriate organisation for the children of its members' and a mass display of the charity's camping techniques took place in Wembley stadium. Oswald Mosley, founder of the British Union of Fascists, was intimidated by its rise. According to former MP for Brighton Kemptown Lloyd Russell-Moyle, who also grew up in the organisation and is now its chief executive, Mosley's Blackshirts marched to the gates of a 1938 Woodcraft Folk children's camp in a show of intimidation. Fascist Mosley was right to see Woodcraft Folk as an adversary. A year later, it became the largest secular organisation to support the Kindertransport, helping Jewish children escape from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. Woodcraft Folk leader Henry Fair, christened 'the second Schindler' by the press, was put on the Gestapo death list for his role in the evacuations. Over the decades the charity has remained at the forefront of ethical youth work. It has consistently campaigned against apartheid, austerity and war. It stood up for the rights of queer youth workers despite funders withdrawing grants, marched against the invasion of Iraq and has boycotted Israeli products since 2010 in protest at the blockade of Gaza. For me, Woodcraft Folk was not just a political education, but a rich mix of hiking, making and adventures too. It's where I first learned to light a fire in the rain, use a compass to navigate fog, to juggle and to edit film. The first time I boarded a plane was with Woodcraft Folk to be part of an international camp in Austria, pitching tents alongside children from all over the world. It was with Woodcraft Folk that I marched through London in my first big anti-war protest and, of course, had my first kiss. Many adults balk at the prospect of tackling sensitive subjects like war, sex and politics with children, but finding creative ways to navigate difficult issues is why the charity remains so important and relevant. In the internet era there is no healthy way to shield young people from complex topics, but neither should there be. Ignorance is a shoddy substitute for a culture of safe and open discursive learning, and children are far more capable of grappling with heavy truths than many adults give them credit for. Raised alongside difficult topics, the children of the charity aren't just better prepared for the world, but more able to support and educate each other. For example, when as a kid I tried regurgitating a racist joke I'd heard at a school, it was my Woodcraft Folk peers, rather than adults, who immediately explained why the 'joke' was stupid and offensive and made sure I never repeated my shameful mistake. At a Woodcraft Folk camp marking their centenary, volunteers put the charity's theory of mixing politics with fun activities into practice. Night-time orienteering and ceilidhs ran alongside eviction resistance workshops and discussions around prison abolition. While the Scouts sing campfire songs like Coca-Cola Came to Town and Ging Gang Gooly, the Woodcraft Folk songbook includes civil rights anthems about Rosa Parks and Hiroshima. But if Woodcraft Folk has a clear vision of how society should empower the young, the current government has produced only topsy-turvy contradictory policies and proclamations. Last week the prime minister declared kids these days are 'detached from the real world' and pledged £88m to liberate young people 'stuck behind a screen'. But, at the same time Keir Starmer's government is pumping more than twice as much money into bringing more 'AI learning into classrooms'. Sixteen year olds are finally to get the vote (a right Woodcraft Folk has long campaigned for), yet simultaneously the censorious Online Safety Act has imposed sweeping restrictions on those same young people's access to certain information, including political posts. A closer look at the newly announced youth funding reveals much of it is, in fact, earmarked for calcified initiatives like gym equipment and more police cadets that will fail to holistically broaden horizons. I was a shy and nerdy child, often bullied by local schoolchildren. There's a parallel universe in which, retreating from my tormentors, I too could have become detached from the real world, the reclusive screen addict that Starmer fears. But Woodcraft Folk gave me space to flourish in my own way, supported by caring adults. I built profound friendships with peers, learned about big ideas and took on big challenges. My life and career have been immensely richer thanks to those experiences, as have the lives of thousands of others. If the government is serious about empowering young people, they should start by listening to and learning from the movement that's already been doing it brilliantly for a century. Phineas Harper is a writer and curator
