Here we are at the middle of the week!  A good time to peek at what’s been going on in Scotland over the last few days:

Scottish Environment: Scots Government Taking Heat For Banning GMOs

August 11:  Expert who advised SNP slams move to ban GMO crops (Herald Scotland)

August 9:  Scottish government under fire for GMO crops ban (Herald Scotland)

Scottish Wildlife: Another Raptor Fatally Shot On Scottish Grouse Moor

August 11:  RSPB Scotland appeal after rare raptor shot dead in south-west (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Scotland)

[Backgrounder] March 23:  New drive to tackle Scottish wildlife crime (The Scotsman)

Scottish Independence: A new Scottish Independence Party pops up, disappears and then …

August 11:  Is the SNP about to split as a new Scottish Independence Party is formed? (Telegraph)

August 10:  New Scottish pro-independence party aims to field candidates for next year’s Holyrood election (Daily Record)

Scottish Youth: Scotland’s campaign to register 15 – 17 year old Scots to vote in May 2016 Scottish Parliamentary elections is underway

August 10:  New campaign launched to encourage young voters in Dumfries and Galloway to register (Dumfries & Galloway What’s Going On)

[Backgrounder] March 8:  Campaign to encourage young voters to register is launched across Scotland (UK Electoral Commission press release)

Scottish Arts:  August means things get weird in Edinburgh at the Fringe!

August 11:  The Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015 – In Pictures (FestivalSherpa.com)

August 6:  Surviving 24 hours at the Edinburgh festival (BBC News)