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Scotland is looking for its next national park, and the process will be entirely driven by local communities and organisations. The Scottish Government has opened the official nominations for areas that have outstanding natural or cultural heritage, a distinctive character or identity, and local support. The aim is to establish at least one new national park by 2026, as part of the cooperation agreement between the SNP and the Scottish Greens. What are the benefits of a national park? National parks are areas of land that are designated for the conservation and enhancement of their natural and cultural heritage, while…

The spark that ignited the fire The latest escalation of violence between Israel and Gaza began on May 10, when Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza, fired rockets at Jerusalem. This was in response to Israeli police storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a holy site for Muslims and Jews, and clashing with Palestinian worshippers. The police action came after weeks of rising tensions and protests over the planned evictions of Palestinian families from Sheikh Jarrah, a neighborhood in East Jerusalem that is claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians. The deadly toll of the fighting Since then, the conflict has…

A humble two-bedroom house in Scotland has been registered as the new headquarters of a vodka company allegedly used by the notorious Kinahan crime cartel to launder millions of euros in drug money. How a modest home became a money laundering hub The house, located at 15 Cumbernauld Road in Stepps, a town near Glasgow, was listed as the new address for Nero Drinks on Tuesday by Nicola Morrissey, the wife and business partner of Johnny Morrissey, a convicted drug trafficker and associate of Daniel Kinahan. According to documents filed with the UK company’s office, Nicola Morrissey is the sole…

How the incident happened A kitesurfer got into trouble off the coast of Arbroath on Tuesday afternoon, when their equipment malfunctioned and left them stranded in the water. A concerned member of the public spotted the kitesurfer in difficulty and called 999 to alert the Coastguard. How the rescue operation was carried out The Coastguard dispatched Arbroath and Dundee Coastguard Rescue Teams, along with Arbroath RNLI lifeboats, to the scene. The kitesurfer was able to self-recover, meaning they managed to get back to shore by themselves, with the help of their kite. The Coastguard rescue teams met them on the…

A train carrying cement to North Lanarkshire derailed on a junction near Carlisle due to faulty wheels, an investigation has found. The accident closed the line for two months and caused significant damage to the track and the bridge. How the derailment happened According to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), the derailment occurred because one set of wheels on the ninth wagon in the train stopped rotating during the journey. These wheels had stopped rotating up to 55 miles before the junction and continued to slide along the railhead causing considerable damage to the profile of the wheel treads.…

Heavy rain triggers flood warnings and road closures Scotland is facing more wet weather after a weekend of record-breaking rainfall that caused landslides, floods and disruption across the country. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for rain for parts of western Scotland until 9pm on Tuesday, saying there is a small chance of further flooding and travel disruption. Some roads, including the A83 in Argyll and Bute, remain closed due to landslips and damage. The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) has also issued 16 flood warnings and nine flood alerts for various areas. Missing man search continues…

The luxury hotel wants to allow passenger vehicles to access its front door through a pedestrianized square, sparking controversy and safety concerns. Why does the W Hotel want to drive cars to its main entrance? The W Hotel is a 12-storey development that is part of the St James Quarter, a new shopping and entertainment complex in Edinburgh. The hotel managers say they need to give permission to passenger vehicles to drive up to its main entrance at the St James Square, which is designed primarily as a pedestrian environment. They argue that this is necessary to facilitate “red carpet…

How the weekend weather caused chaos and disruption Scotland experienced torrential, heavy and persistent rain over the weekend, breaking records for the wettest October day in some locations. The rain caused landslips, flooding, railway and station closures, and nearly a month’s worth of rain falling in 24 hours in some places. Dunstaffnage, in Argyll and Bute, recorded 68.8mm of rainfall in 24 hours, beating the previous record of 59.5mm held since October 1971. Why the weather is turning colder and wintry A cold Arctic wind is forecast to bring freezing temperatures below the averages for this time of year by…

How vapes can harm the environment and wildlife Vapes, also known as e-cigarettes, are devices that deliver nicotine or other substances to users through a heated aerosol. They are often marketed as a safer alternative to smoking, but they can also pose serious risks to the environment and wildlife if not disposed of properly. According to Zero Waste Scotland, an estimated 26 million disposable vapes are thrown away in Scotland each year, of which 10% are littered and more than half are disposed of incorrectly. This means that millions of vapes end up in landfills, incinerators, or the natural environment,…