Breaking news

Labour candidate Karen Doran lifts the lid on the bees in her bonnet.

I am delighted to have been selected to stand as the Labour Party candidate, in the City Centre Ward, for the local by-election being held on Thursday 18 August.

All candidates in the City Centre (Ward 11) by-election have been invited to outline the main strands of their campaigns. John Carson (Independent) kicks off.

Spurtle will host a hustings on Tuesday 9 August from 7.15–9.15pm at Broughton St Mary's Parish Church in Bellevue Crescent.

Although the Spurtle is a Broughton-based entity, this is an event for everyone in Ward 11 (see map). STV will blogcast live from the event.

Here, for reel enthusiasts, are photos of the Green Goddess sold today at Lyon & Turnbull for £5,000 (£3,000 more than expected).

Apparently the machine was in perfect working order, except for the siren.

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Dear Spurtle

I was somewhat surprised to see that Royal Mail are currently operating a fleet of vans in Scotland which are sign-written in Welsh.

Following incidents in the 1950s that saw postboxes with the EIIR cypher being attacked by militant Scottish nationalists who objected

'Carrion' is a two-person exhibition fascinated by physical and psychological vulnerability. Coincidentally, both Sarah Green and Gregor Laird focus that sense of vulnerability on the human eye, and the sense of exterior threat on the uncanny gaze and ruthless appetite of birds.

You'd think there was enough of a stench hanging over the financial sector already without a national institution adding to it. But apparently not.

The Royal Bank of Scotland has a strict no smoking policy within its Dundas Street premises, meaning that staff wishing to commune with nature and the real world whilst enjoying a gasper must stand outside in all weathers.

This has the good effect of exposing them to the kindly financial advice of local taxi drivers, but it has the bad effect of forcing pedestrians to pass through nauseating smoors of blue tobacco smoke.

Coco Chocolate launched their new venture at 71 Broughton Street on 16 July.

The great, the good and the greedy gathered to meet staff and try some of the firm's top-quality, organic, fairly traded, Kosher, AMBAO-certified, 100% cocoa butter chocolate products.

Scrumdiddlyumptious was the general verdict, though few could pronounce it with mouths full and brains addled on time-bottled cocktails and champagne.

Overnight torrents and morning showers have once again raised river levels alarmingly along the Water of Leith.

Flattened foliage on the banks downstream from Canonmills suggest the water was a foot or two higher at its peak, but it remains sufficiently high to have inundated flood prevention works along Warriston Road by B&Q.

In St Mark's Park, the Gormley is clinging on, but will surely topple soon if rain continues.
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Lothian and Borders Police (LBP) are appealing for witnesses after a man was seriously assaulted.

The incident happened on Sunday 3 July at Canonmills Service Station at around 3.45am. The 26-year old was waiting in a queue when, without provocation, a man walked up and punched him in the face. The victim was taken to hospital and received an operation for a broken jaw.

He only reported the incident on Monday 11 July.

LBP are following a positive line of inquiry but are asking for anyone who was in the area and saw what happened to come forward.