Good morning, Welcome to Tuesday's newsletter from The Scotsman. Want to get your brain in gear this morning? Try our interactive puzzles. Until 3 February we're offering free access to our puzzles for non-subscribers. If you want unlimited access to all our stories, special offers, features and 70% fewer ads, subscribe today from just £3 a month. What next for Scotland's lockdown? If we can all make it through a January lockdown we can handle anything. This might be important to bear in mind ahead of Nicola Sturgeon's briefing today where she is expected to provide updates on current restrictions and “other steps we are planning to take”. As ever, The Scotsman will be running a live blog, where you can follow all the updates. Here's when we expect the First Minister to speak and what could change. Alex Salmond inquiry: MSPs set to scrutinise 'absolutely devastating' SNP messages MSPs are set to examine texts and WhatsApp messages from the so-called ‘Vietnam’ group of high-ranking SNP officials today after the Crown Office agreed to hand over material to the Alex Salmond inquiry. The committee, which is examining the botched handling of harassment complaints against former first minister Salmond, will scrutinise the material during a private session today before deciding whether to make them public. It follows the inquiry’s decision to invoke never-before-used powers, demanding the Crown Office release WhatsApp messages. Read the full story from Conor Matchett, here Joanna Cherry MP calls police over 'vicious threat' SNP MP Joanna Cherry has contacted police over a “vicious threat” to her personal safety after she said she had been “sacked” from her party’s front bench team at Westminster, as a reshuffle was announced. The Edinburgh South West MP confirmed that she had made the report to police after an astonishing turn of events earlier today where she was sacked in an SNP reshuffle. Ms Cherry had been the SNP justice and home affairs spokeswoman at Westminster – but was also seen by many as being close to former leader Alex Salmond, as well as having come in for criticism from some for her stance on transgender issues. Read the full story here And finally... There are some very talented photographers among our readership. This week, as part of our lockdown photo club on the Scotsman’s ‘Destination Scotland’ Facebook page, we’ve asked you to share your best pictures of Scotland’s coastline and we were not disappointed Take a deep breath, relax and enjoy these stunning pictures of Scotland's coastline. Thanks for reading, more headlines below. Sam Shedden, [email protected] |