Scotland's papers: Cancer 'breakthrough' and obese children

21 January 2019

The Herald leads with scientists at the University of Edinburgh making a "startling breakthrough" which they say could help prevent some women from being hit by secondary breast cancer. Researchers have identified "genetic changes" in women who take a certain type of hormone therapy and believe they can now predict the chances of a cancer relapse.

The Daily Mail says obese children as young as six have been left needing hip surgery due to fractures caused by their weight. The paper claims more than 200 Scots children were treated for weight-related hip problems in the last seven years.

The National devotes its front page to former first minister Alex Salmond saying Scotland will "never have better circumstances for winning independence". His claim follows a week of "unprecedented turmoil" for the UK government.

The Scotsman also leads with the Alex Salmond story, saying he has "heaped further pressure" on Ms Sturgeon to demand a second independence referendum. The paper says the call goes against the advice of senior SNP figures who have warned against seeking another vote.

The Sun follows up on its sister paper's exclusive interview with Ant McPartlin, who returned to work on Britain's Got Talent last week after a spell in rehab. He said his comedy partner Declan Donnelly was angry after he was arrested for drink-driving last year.

The Daily Record leads with a Scots drug smuggler who has fathered a child from behind bars. The paper says Daniel Squires, who was jailed for 10 years in the Dominican Republic in 2010, got a local woman pregnant during a prison visit.

A Brexit-supporting Cabinet minister told pro-Brussels MPs "don't hijack Brexit", the Daily Express reports. It comes as a cross-party group of MPs plan to table a bill to take a no-deal Brexit off the table, and possibly extend Article 50, on Monday.

The Courier's Dundee edition says up to 24 jobs are under threat after private hire bus company Airport Travel Dundee called in administrators. The company has school contracts for Perth and Dundee.

The Daily Telegraph reports Theresa May is considering amending the Good Friday Agreement and abandoning attempts to negotiate a cross-party deal to solve the Brexit deadlock. The paper also reports that the prime minister had a telephone call with her Cabinet, where she said her focus was to win over Conservative MPs and the DUP by rewording or dropping the Irish backstop.

The Times says Theresa May used a conference call on Sunday evening with the Cabinet to say she has halted the cross-party approach to Brexit, and will now focus on securing changes from Brussels designed to win over rebel Conservatives and the DUP.

The Daily Star warns that the UK is set for sub-zero temperatures in the next five weeks. It says up to 10 inches of snow could soon fall on the UK, and it is set to be the country's coldest snap in six years.

The i leads on Theresa May's battle with Parliament over a withdrawal agreement with the EU. It says the prime minister will present a revised Brexit offer to MPs on Monday knowing a fresh setback could lead to a general election.

The Press and Journal's Inverness and Highlands edition leads with hundreds of people from around the world "clamouring" to become the newest residents of one of Scotland's smallest island communities. It follows the decision to grant islanders on Ulva near Mull £4.4m of funding for a community buyout.

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