Scotland on Sunday leads with paediatricians who say children could experience “quite a big trauma” when the majority return to school this week. Experts quoted in the paper say the pandemic has had a “profound effect” on children who may be anxious after months of disrupted schooling.
Scientists behind a landmark UN report on climate change have questioned plans for a “huge and contentious” oil field off the coast of Shetland in The Sunday Post. They say it is a “shambolic state of affairs” for the UK to approve plans shortly before hosting COP26, the paper reports.
Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) has won a legal fight with the Scottish government over its £24m compensation claim for land taken from them, which they argued would have been used for a lucrative housing development, reports The Herald on Sunday. The paper says ministers are now facing compensation claims estimated at up to £100m.
Police should trawl through social media accounts of people applying for firearms licenses to prevent those with extremist views from having access to deadly weapons, a former chief of the Metropolitan Police has said. The comments from Lord Stevens comes after it emerged Plymouth gunman Jake Davison had a firearms licence, despite having a history of mental health problems and having posted hate-filled rants online about women.
Experts have said the extremist, women-hating “incel” community should be treated like terrorists, the Scottish Sunday Express reports, as it emerged Davison is being celebrated by members of the group. Davison shot dead five people in an attack on Thursday evening in the Keyham area.
An investigation by the Sunday Times raises concerns about the independence of the World Health Organization. It accuses the agency of allowing China to secure influence over its decision-making and leadership, and of prioritising Beijing’s economic interests over halting the spread of Covid-19 when it first emerged. The WHO said the paper had rehashed “old events, falsehoods and baseless claims” and that its priority was to end the acute stage of the pandemic.
The BBC is to attempt to “make amends” for the Martin Bashir scandal by paying about £1.5m to a charity chosen by the Royal Family, the Scottish Mail on Sunday reports. The “unprecedented donation” includes £1.15m – the amount the corporation made from selling the global rights to Bashir’s interview with Princess Diana on Panorama – plus reparations. The BBC and Kensington Palace have not commented on the report.
A former Afghan British Army interpreter is “facing death” after the UK refused him entry, reports the Sunday National. The paper leads with a stark quote from the man who pleads in the paper for the UK to support him and his family “for a safe life”.
And the Sunday Mail leads with claims that SPT chief executive Gordon Maclennan drives a cloned car. The paper claims Mr Maclennan had a VW Passat in his staff car park and another at his holiday home – both with the same registration.
