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Scotland is facing another spell of wintry weather as the Met Office has issued a yellow warning for ice across most of the country. The warning, which is in place from 6pm on Sunday to 10am on Monday, warns of possible travel disruption and injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces. Snow showers and freezing temperatures expected According to the Met Office, snow showers are likely to affect parts of the Western Isles, Highlands, Grampian, Central, Tayside and Fife, Strathclyde and South West Scotland on Sunday evening and overnight. Some places may see 1-3 cm of snow, mainly above…

Transgender inmates with history of violence against women may still be placed in female jails The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has confirmed that transgender prisoners with a history of violence against women, including sexual offences, could still be allowed to serve their sentences in female jails under certain circumstances. This policy has been criticized by some campaigners and politicians as “unacceptable” and “dangerous” for the safety and wellbeing of female inmates. The SPS said that any newly convicted or remanded transgender prisoner will initially be placed in an establishment commensurate with their birth gender, and that any exceptional cases will require…

Heat pumps are devices that use electricity to transfer heat from one place to another, either for heating or cooling purposes. They are considered as a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuel-based heating systems, as they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption. However, not everyone is convinced of their benefits, and some groups are opposing their widespread adoption. In this article, we will explore the arguments for and against heat pumps, and the challenges and opportunities they present for the future of heating and cooling. How do heat pumps work and why are they good for the environment? Heat…

The Scottish National Party (SNP) is set to elect a new president after Michael Russell announced his resignation on 1 December 2023. Russell, who served as the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs from 2020 to 2021, was elected as the president of the SNP in November 2020. He said he decided to step down to focus on his role as the chair of the party’s independence taskforce and to make way for a younger generation of leaders. How does the SNP president election work? The SNP president is one of the four national office-bearers of the…