🗞️ Letter from the Edi tor: Modern life means e arthquake tragedy is brought very close to home

This week will, alas, come to be remembered for the heartbreaking scenes and harrowing tales coming from Turkey and Syria, in the aftermath of the huge earthquake which struck on Monday. View email online

News Opinion Sport I N S I D E R Feb 10, 2023 Neil McIntosh Editor of The Scotsman Hello Voornaam from The Scotsman. This week will, alas, come to be remembered for the heartbreaking scenes and harrowing tales coming from Turkey and Syria, in the aftermath of the huge earthquake which struck on Monday. We know more than 20,000 people have died, and hundreds of thousands more have lost their homes. And the interconnectedness of modern life means tragedy is brought very close to home: our World Editor Jane Bradley was outside the Scottish Parliament yesterday, at an event to promote the aid drive for victims of the tragedy, when she met a young man who had, only moments earlier, learned his cousin and her family had died in the disaster. "You cannot do anything physically, just praying for them and do fundraising," he told Jane. "That’s what we can do the best." You can donate to the Disasters Emergency Committee's Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal here. Closer to home, I sometimes worry that we take the extraordinary arts scene here in Scotland for granted, and that our complacency runs the risk of us not spotting the existential risk the cost of living crisis, coupled with declines in public funding, poses to the sector. Moreover, we sometimes seem determined to put barriers in the way of the arts - especially in Edinburgh, which appears to have a love-hate relationship with its Festivals. Our front page led, last Saturday, with an exclusive report on how new rent controls could cause the Festival Fringe to shrink by a third unless a clampdown on room and flat rentals was rethought. The plans are driven by well-intentioned attempts to drive down the number of Airbnb properties in the city, which push up prices all year round. Yet they also threatened to make it simply too hard - and expensive - for many performers to attend each August. Today, we report the council is planning a rethink after admitting there may be "unintended consequences" to its planned clampdown. We'll continue to keep you posted on developments with that, and across the Scottish arts scene, on which we continue to have unrivalled coverage. Finally, after last week's memorable win over England, Scotland's rugby team takes to the pitch at Murrayfield tomorrow, for a big game against Wales. We rather fizzled out last year, after another win over England - let's hope the team has learnt from that experience, and can build on that performance with another win tomorrow. Scotland coach Gregor Townsend isn't looking for a mere repeat of that performance - he wants better. The Scotsman will have its own top team in Edinburgh tomorrow to keep you posted on events, in text, pictures and video - and as a subscriber you'll have access to it all the minute it's ready. I hope we'll all be wanting to revel in another win... Whatever happens, enjoy your weekend. Best wishes, Neil McIntosh Editor, The Scotsman Turkey Syria earthquake: ‘The building collapsed and I didn’t hear from her for five hours’ Borders cafe owner Tekin Esmer was speaking on a video call to his sister-in-law in their home town of Iskenderun in Turkey, when the building behind ... Read more + Turkey Syria earthquake: ‘We found out this morning they understand that they are dead’ Ahmet Burak Ozyurt is visibly emotional as he stands outside the Scottish Parliament, where he has come with other Turkish students to promote an aid ... Read more + Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Venues warn event is at 'tipping point' and will 'wither away' over short-term lets clampdown The biggest venue operators at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe have warned that the event is at a “tipping point” and will “wither away” unless there is... Read more + City leader pledges rethink over Edinburgh's festival flats curbs after admitting ‘unintended consequences’ Edinburgh City Council’s leader has pledged a rethink on new curbs on the short-term letting of flats in the Scottish capital after admitting they wou... Read more + ‘Lot more to come’ - Gregor Townsend criticises first-half showing at Twickenham and calls for Scotland to improve Gregor Townsend insists there is a lot more to come from his Scotland team as they look to follow their win over England in round one of the Guinness ... Read more +

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