Once the bustling heart of Christian pilgrimage, Bethlehem now faces shuttered hotels, empty streets and a shrinking Christian community, while Israel’s assault on Gaza and the tightening grip of occupation destroy hopes of peace at the birthplace of Christ, writes Father GEOFF BOTTOMS
Latest editorial
The Caledonian Sleeper’s romantic appeal remains stronger than ever
Despite numerous failures and never-ending teething problems there is room for moderate optimism
Caledonian double
[Caledonian Sleeper PR]
After years hidden away, Oldham’s memorial to six local volunteers who died fighting fascism in the Spanish civil war has been restored to public view, marking both a victory for campaigners and a renewed tribute to the town’s proud International Brigade heritage, says ROB HARGREAVES
The June 2025 attacks on Iran have heightened the risk of a wider war, exposed the fiction of a rules-based international order and left ordinary Iranians trapped between external aggression and internal repression, says the Committee for Defence of Iranian People’s Rights
While pretending to seek peace, Europe is heading toward a collision course with Russia – using security guarantees, troop deployments, expropriation and censorship as tools, writes SEVIM DAGDELEN
A WWI hero, renowned ornithologist, medical doctor, trade union organiser and founder member of the Communist Party of Great Britain all rolled in one. MAT COWARD tells the story of a life so improbable it was once dismissed as fiction
The long-term effects of chemical weapons such as Agent Orange mean that the impact of war lasts well beyond a ceasefire
AS REGULAR readers of this column will know, there’s nothing quite like the Caledonian Sleeper. Since my first proper trip north of the border as a kid, I’ve been a fan. I’ve done all five routes — the Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William portions which make up the Highlander, and the Glasgow and Edinburgh carriages which divide at Carstairs after a later departure from London Euston. From the random conversations in the lounge car, to the wealth of literary invocations that overnight trains conjure, even regular trips can’t help me shake off a sense of adventure.
The sleeper has been in the headlines of late — initially in what could only be considered a PR’s wet dream. The introduction of shiny new carriages has allowed for a thousand and one puff pieces to grace Britain’s national media, with the promise of a new golden age of travel.
The transition to the new sleeper started badly for me, with the advent last summer of a new pricing structure. The abolition of shared compartments meant the cheapest berth almost doubled in price. The overnight train could no longer be my default mode of transport between my home in Glasgow and my old London haunts. But could its new status in my life as a rarity to savour send it even further in my estimation?
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From colonialism to the Troubles, the story of England’s first colony is one of exploitation, resistance, and solidarity — and one we should fight to ensure is told, writes teacher ROBERT POOLE
