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John Byrne, a Scottish artist, playwright, and author, passed away on December 3, 2023, at the age of 83. He was widely regarded as one of the most influential and original figures in the Scottish cultural scene, with a prolific and diverse body of work that spanned various genres and media. In this article, we pay homage to his remarkable life and legacy, and celebrate his contributions to the arts and society. A Self-Taught Genius with a Distinctive Style John Byrne was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, on January 6, 1940, to a working-class family. He showed an early talent for…

The debate over wealth taxation has been reignited in recent years, as the gap between the rich and the poor has widened and the climate crisis has intensified. One of the proposals that has gained traction is to impose a levy on the owners of private jets, who are among the wealthiest and most polluting individuals in the world. In this article, we will explore the rationale, the benefits, and the challenges of implementing a wealth tax and a private jet levy, and how they could raise millions for the public sector. What is a Wealth Tax and a Private…

SNP slams Labour leader for praising former Tory PM The leader of the Labour Party, Keir Starmer, has faced criticism from the Scottish National Party (SNP) for quoting and praising Margaret Thatcher in a speech on crime. Starmer said that Thatcher was “right” about the rule of law being the “first duty of government” in a speech at Port Vale FC in Burslem on Wednesday. He was unveiling Labour’s “mission to halve serious violent crime and raise confidence in the police and criminal justice system” . Mhairi Black, the SNP’s depute leader at Westminster, said that Starmer’s comments showed that his Labour…

Police make multiple arrests after weekend of violence Police Scotland have arrested and charged several people in connection with a series of violent incidents in the Auchinleck area of East Ayrshire over the weekend. Riot police were deployed to deal with a “hostile crowd” that threw fireworks and bricks at officers, injuring one of them. The disturbances started on Friday, November 24 and continued until Monday, November 27. One police officer was injured by a brick during the disorder and had to be treated in hospital before being released. Temporary chief superintendent Raymond Higgins said: "This type of disorder causes fear…

What is sextortion and why is it on the rise? Sextortion is a form of cyber-enabled extortion that involves the threat of sharing sexual information, images or videos with others, whether they exist or not. The perpetrators often coerce or manipulate their victims into sending them explicit photos or videos, or perform sexual acts on a webcam, and then demand money or more material to prevent exposure. Sextortion can have devastating consequences for the victims, such as emotional distress, anxiety, depression, shame, isolation and even suicide. According to Police Scotland, cases of sextortion have increased significantly across the country, especially…

A webcam set up at Loch Morlich in the Cairngorms National Park has been capturing stunning views of the snow-covered landscape, reminiscent of the paintings of the late American artist Bob Ross. The ‘happy little trees’ of Loch Morlich The webcam, which is operated by the Loch Morlich Watersports Centre, shows the frozen loch and the surrounding pine trees, which have been coated with a thick layer of snow. The scene has been compared to the works of Bob Ross, who was famous for his TV show The Joy of Painting, where he taught viewers how to create landscapes with…

A hardback copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, bought for a few pennies from a bargain bucket in the Scottish Highlands, is expected to sell for up to £60,000 at auction. The book is one of only 500 first edition copies printed by Bloomsbury in 1997, and one of only 300 that were sent to libraries and schools. The lucky find The book was discovered by a buyer who visited a bookshop in the Highlands in the late 1990s. The book had no jacket and was in a poor condition, but the buyer recognized its potential value and…

A large explosion destroyed a house in Edinburgh and left two people trapped under the rubble on Friday night. Emergency services were called to the scene at Baberton Mains Avenue at around 10.25pm and managed to rescue the two victims after a three-hour operation. The cause of the blast is still under investigation. Explosion heard across the city The explosion was so powerful that it was heard across the city and shattered windows of nearby properties. Residents described hearing a loud bang and feeling their houses shake. Some said they thought it was a bomb or an earthquake. One neighbour,…