THE BIG STORIES
Europe - sorta - backs Ukraine | Murray takes aim at Glasgow airport decision | Tice’s awkward visit

📣 European leaders agreed to a big rise in defence spending at their emergency talks in Brussels. But - for all the talk of unity and action - they fell short of any new commitments to back Ukraine in the short-term, and hard numbers were in short supply.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban blocked part of a resolution on Ukraine, continuing his support for Putin, although other EU nations agreed on red lines for future peace talks, called for Ukraine to join the union, and pledged that big - although unspecified - increase in military spending. (Politico)

• Trump said he was “encouraged” by Ukraine’s commitment to peace, according to his defence secretary (The Times £)

• Russia attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in a wave of overnight attacks (BBC)

📣 Ian Murray is taking aim at John Swinney’s 2009 decision to scrap plans for Glasgow Airport’s rail link, in a decision described at the time as a “dagger in the heart of Glasgow”. Murray is speaking at an event organised by the Reform think tank in Edinburgh later today, and is due to say “It is incredible that you can get a direct train from Glasgow Central to Manchester Airport but not to Glasgow Airport just a few miles away.” (The Herald) (Reform Scotland)

📣 Reform deputy leader Richard Tice had a largely disastrous visit to Scotland yesterday, with social media lighting up with a clip of him failing to remember the names of councillors defecting to the party. But he claimed the party will have more members in Scotland than Labour by the end of the month, despite “having no discernable Scottish policies”. (The Times £) (That viral clip)

IDEAS
From the weekly magazines

You may, now, be ready to push memories of events last week in Washington (only a week ago!) to the back of your mind, and I think we’d all understand. But the weekly magazines are having their nibble at all that happened after their print deadlines, and some of the writing is quite good. I’m honour-bound, etc.

🗣️ In the Spectator’s Diary, Harry Cole offers some lovely colour that will, eventually, find longer form in a book about these times. He travelled to Washington with the British press corps for Keir Starmer’s “ring kissing at the White House” and, evidently, had a good time. “To the Queen Anne splendour of the British ambassador’s residence in Washington for Peter Mandelson’s welcome party as our man in D.C.,” he writes. “The Lutyens palace sparkled after its £120 million refit, but it was still perhaps a little understated for someone of [Peter’s] stature.” Starmer looked nervous in the run-up to his big meeting - “as though he might vomit […] I inadvertently caught the PM’s eye before proceedings begin and, without thinking, gave him a wink. No.” (The Spectator £)

🗣️The former Europe Minister of Portugal writes for The New Statesman these days, and says Europe isn’t doomed yet, with cards it can play against Russia. But, he warns: “Starmer and Macron are not merely wrong, they are pursuing a strategy – lowering the temperature, mollifying Trump, avoiding even the hint of confrontation – that seems increasingly irresponsible. They intend to keep a number of illusions alive about contemporary America, illusions that can only delay Europe from standing fully on its own feet. Delay further and Europeans may quickly find themselves mired in catastrophe.” There are two paths ahead, he writes: a plan that ends in Ukraine’s demise, or a plan - eventually presented in opposition to Trump’s “dangerous ideas” that saves the country. (New Statesman £)

🗣️In the latest edition of the monthly Prospect magazine, US law professor and author Randall Kennedy warns Donald Trump’s smashing of democratic norms, government institutions and the postwar international order will lead to the US’s destruction. He highlights three “bundles” of decisions. First, a “degrading misjudgement" in the people he’s chosen for leadership posts in his government. Second, his mistreatment of the federal bureaucracy: “In years to come, in small ways and large, Americans will pay exorbitantly for the Trump administration’s signature savagery.” Third, Trump’s playing of “base social prejudices”. Kennedy goes on to examine the “guardrails” that might hold Trump back: what he finds is not reassuring. (Prospect)

🗣️The Economist agrees. “With his aggressive and erratic protectionism, Mr Trump is playing with fire,” the magazine says in a leader this week. “In economics as in foreign relations, it is becoming clear that policy is being set on the president’s whim. That will cause lasting damage at home and abroad.” (The Economist)

AROUND SCOTLAND

📣 A major investigation has been launched after a 15-year-old boy died from serious injuries on a Glasgow street. (Mail)

📣 First Minister John Swinney accepted NHS delays can be “too long” amid further evidence that patients are being forced to spend vast sums to get private treatment. (Scotsman)

📣 A Rangers fan died in Istanbul early yesterday morning after being run down by two cars. (Daily Record)

AROUND THE UK & WORLD

📣 Details emerged yesterday of “the arrogant ex-soldier” who turned into a brutal triple killer, raping and murdering Louise Hunt and killing her sister Hannah and mother Carol. Judge Mr Justice Bennathan said Clifford's crimes were "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable". (BBC)

📣 Patients with long covid are getting their sense of taste and smell back thanks to “pioneering” surgery. Around 6% of Covid sufferers develop long covid. (Guardian)

📣 Keeping track of Trump tariffs is becoming a job in itself: the number of goods coming from Canada and Mexico being exempted has grown with a new order signed by the US president. (BBC)

📣 Elon Musk’s latest SpaceX rocket exploded into a giant metaphor last night as another launch failed, a huge (unmanned) Starship rocket losing contact with earth and raining debris down on Florida. It’s the second such failure this year. (AP)

BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

💰 William Grant & Sons will acquire The Famous Grouse and Naked Malt whisky brands to its portfolio after the Competition and Markets Authority gave the Glenfiddich owner the green light to buy them from Edrington Group. (Daily Business)

💰 Drugmakers are making a fortune with their weight-loss drugs: now a modest price war is breaking out, as cash-paying patients are offered discounts for their treatment. Denmark’s Novo Nordisk (NVO ( ▼ 9.43% )) is the latest to move: it has cut the price of its Wegovy treatment, after US rival Eli Lilly (LLY ( ▼ 4.58% )) did the same last week. The moves are likely to expand the market for the drugs: the company’s shares have gone up on the moves. (Semafor)

💰 Donald Trump’s crypto project made “at least” $350 million from the launch of a presidential $TRUMP memecoin, according to an FT analysis. (FT £)

SPORT

⚽️ It was “The special win”, according to the Daily Record, while the Sun hails “Fergie time” - although they’re talking about Barry Ferguson, not Sir Alex. The BBC salutes, baffled, the “weirdest Rangers team ever”, spearheaded by a striker in Cyriel Dessers who looks unfamiliar with the basics in Scotland, but “one of the best Rangers strikers of several decades” in Europe.

The result that sparked the rapture? Rangers’ 3-1 victory over Turkish giants Fenerbahce, in Istanbul, Jose Mourinho et al. The Ibrox club couldn’t buy a break in Scotland - home defeats to Queen’s Park, St Mirren and Motherwell in the last month point to a team devoid of form.

But Thursday nights in Europe have been different for a while, and so it was again last night. Ferguson warns it’s only half time in a tie that concludes next week at Ibrox. Rangers fans will be happy, and maybe a little surprised, to be in with such a shout. (Daily Record) (Sun) (BBC)

🏉 Scotland need to beat Wales or face big questions warns former Scotland international Fraser Brown in his Scotsman column. That said, he acknowledges Wales will be a tougher nut to crack than at the start of the Six Nations: “they’ve had an immediate lift from the departure of Warren Gatland… it’s the new manager bounce”. (The Scotsman)

• Townsend plays down pack power problems (The Offside Line)