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Lammy defends Starmer’s stance on Gaza conflict David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary of the UK, has said that Israel’s airstrike on a refugee camp in Gaza, which killed more than 50 civilians, “can be legally justified” if there was a military objective. He also defended Labour leader Keir Starmer’s refusal to call for a ceasefire, saying that the party was “united” on its concern for the humanitarian crisis. Lammy was speaking to BBC Radio 4 Today programme on Wednesday, amid growing criticism of Starmer’s position on the escalating violence between Israel and Hamas. Starmer has been accused of lacking…

Dundee Bairns provides food and clothes to needy families Dundee Bairns is a charity that aims to tackle child poverty in Dundee by providing food and clothes to children and families who are struggling. The charity was founded in 2014 and has since helped thousands of people in the city. The charity runs various projects, such as the Fun and Food programme, which offers free meals and activities to children during school holidays, and the School Uniform Bank, which supplies new and second-hand uniforms to pupils. Bairns at Home delivers essential items to homes The charity has recently launched a…

A planned fireworks display at a country park in Scotland was cancelled on Tuesday evening after the organisers received threats to harm the staff and the animals living in the park. The event, called Fawkes Festival, was supposed to be held at Dean Castle Country Park in Kilmarnock, but was called off by East Ayrshire Leisure Trust, which runs the park. Why were the threats made? The threats were made by some members of the public who were concerned about the welfare of the animals in the park. The Scottish SPCA, an animal welfare charity, had also called for the cancellation…

The UK government has announced that it will ban the ownership and breeding of American XL bullies, a type of dog that has been involved in several fatal attacks. The ban will take effect from December 31, 2021 in England and Wales, but not in Scotland. What are American XL bullies? American XL bullies are a crossbreed of American pit bull terriers and mastiffs, created in the US in the 1990s. They are known for their large size, muscular build, and powerful jaws. They can weigh up to 150 pounds and stand up to 23 inches tall at the shoulder.…

A 16th century silver-gilt ewer and basin, known as the Panmure set, has been acquired for the nation under a scheme that allows inheritance tax to be paid with artworks. The Panmure ewer and basin: a glimpse into the past The Panmure ewer and basin are among the rarest and most exquisite examples of Renaissance silverware in Britain. They were made in London in 1586 or 1587 by a Dutch immigrant goldsmith named Harman Copleman. They have intricate designs of dolphins, flying fish, snails and other animals, reflecting the fascination with natural history at the time. The ewer and basin…

Why are school staff striking? School staff in Scotland are members of Unison, a trade union that represents public service workers. Unison members rejected a pay deal from Cosla, the council body that negotiates with local government workers, that was accepted by other unions. Unison says the pay deal amounts to a real-terms pay cut and does not reflect the value and contribution of school staff. Unison wants a decent wage rise and a minimum rate of pay of £15 per hour for all local government workers. How is the strike affecting schools and nurseries? The strike on Wednesday is part of a rolling programme of action, Unison says,…

How the third named storm of the season is affecting the country Storm Ciarán, the third named storm of the season, has brought strong winds and rain to parts of the UK, especially Scotland. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for heavy rain in southwest, central and eastern Scotland until 6am on Friday. The warning comes as clean-up operations in the wake of Storm Babet continue with hundreds still unable to return to their homes. The heavy rain is expected to cause flooding, disruption to transport and difficult driving conditions. Some areas could see 20-30 mm of…