News.Scotland.Org

January, 31

Representing Scotland in the International finals of a major counselling competition, two law students from Dundee University will head to India for the finals. It was told that Steven Blane and Bruce Langlands both students of School of Law at Dundee are doing their diploma in legal practice. These students will head to Bangalore in India for the competition in which teams from all parts of the world will be participating.

The main aim of this global competition is to test the different skills and quality a lawyer should possess in his profession. It tests their ability, confidence, awareness, counselling and other legal aspects. These two law students are looking to repeat the success of the Scottish team from Glasgow who were the winners in the 2002 competition in Florida.

Meanwhile the Scottish round of this competition included five institutions which offer the Diploma in legal practice. Dundee also has hosted this competition in 2006 in which the team from Glasgow school of graduates won the competition. This global competition gives these future lawyers to test their ability and skill and also to know the different facet of the case.

Scotland, Jan 31: As an attempt to check the increasing number of suicides in the Highlands, a brand new website will be launched to cater this noble purpose. This website is considered as the first of its kind in the world and it will provide all the necessary information about the contact details of the charities.

The website is named as “Chooselife Highland” is expected to support people who show aversion towards the face-to-face counselling. This new website will be launched on the eve of the meeting of national working group on suicide in remote and rural Scotland. The meeting in Inverness includes health organisation such as the NHS.

While commenting on this the coordinator of the Chooselife Highland, Angela Fisher said: “Internet is gaining prominence and it is the medium of the young generation in general and men in particular. The message targeting them should have to be presented in that form, this is a positive step in this regard. To our knowledge this is the first website of its kind.”

In the year 2002 Chooselife was introduced as a 10-year strategy and action plan to check suicides in Scotland by the Scottish Executives. An extra amount of £200,000 was allocated for the years 2006-2008 to tackle the issue in remote and rural areas. The meeting conducted in Inverness gave focus to chalk out a comprehensive strategy on how to spread the information to people who are depressed and moving towards the tendency to commit suicide in remote and rural Scotland.

January, 30

With the growing terrorism and terrorist activities, a new initiative was taken to eradicate this huge threat in Edinburgh. The shop workers in Edinburgh are not only busy in their daily work these days, but are also learning the art of tracking these terrorist. These shop workers are taught the skills to spot out these terrorist and also to identify suspicious packages. In this training program several delegates from various retail and security sectors took part.

The project named Griffin training seminar not only included the Edinburgh shop workers, but it also roped in several experts from Edinburgh City Council, Lothian and Borders police and Counter terrorism branch from London police. All these expert minds discussed about the growing terrorism and the ways and measures to contour them with proper planning and formulation.

They also put forth the need for civilians to step up and contribute their efforts to slow down the terrorist activities around them. In this seminar it was also discussed that, the police look for positive assistance from public to identify any such suspicious activities which can be helpful to stop any untoward incidents. It was also felt that time has come when all should act together to throw out terrorism from our society.

Meanwhile plans are to make Edinburgh safe from all such terror threats and improve the security of the place for a better and safe tomorrow.

Scotland, Jan 30: The deadly rabbit disease is stretching its wings to the north of Scotland. Pet owners are warned about the deadly disease that is hounding rabbits. Letters urging people to vaccinate their animals for viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD) have been distributed by Moray Coast Veterinary Group.

According to the Vet Andrew Stevens, VHD is prevalent in the northern part of the country before. The main symptoms of the disease are floppiness and diarrhoea and it will cause sudden death.

An annual vaccination has also been recommended for rabbits as a precaution against the spread of the disease in future. The rapid spread of this disease has spread a panic message across the rabbit owners in southern Britain right from the 1990s.

The website named Rabbit Rehome has hinted the way in which the disease is spreading. According to the website the contaminated surfaces including the bedding, clothing and hutches and direct contact between the rabbits are attributed as the main ways through which the disease spreads.

January, 29

The youths in Scotland have embraced this boozing culture like a new trend and most of the youths are having this hard drink as a child’s play. This problem is growing more and more and illegal drinking is seen in huge number now a days. In one of such incident the Grampian police caught an under-age drinker who was found with alcohol in a baby’s bottle. It was known that with the growing number of under-age drinking police were put on alert to nab these illegal drinkers, and in the same process this youth was caught by the police here yesterday.

According to police during this patrolling in sensitive area where these young drinkers could we nabbed, they caught couple of youth with alcohol in their possession. While the patrol police caught one youth who was carrying a baby feeding bottle containing cider with him. It was also known that during this past weekend alone, police have caught two more youths under-aged who were conveyed home after they were under the influence of alcohol. As in recent past it was learnt that many such untoward accident occurred where youths who were driving under influence of liquor claimed lives of many innocent people on roads.

Even the parents were unaware of the fact that their wards are risking their lives and also of others, with this alcohol mania. It has to be thought from the side of the parents that what their children are doing. Parents should keep an eye on their children and try to protect them from all these unhealthy things. Police is trying all measure to curb this growing menace and have also issued a fine of £40 for any youth of 16 and over to be caught drinking liquor in public. Hope with these initiative such illegal incidents will decrease.

Scotland, Jan 29: Environmental pollution and the related climatic change remains the hot topic of discussion among the countries of the world. The government of Scotland as an attempt to minimise the adverse effect of climatic change is planning to take measures to minimise the pollution rate by 80%. A coalition of environmental groups has claimed that with this initiative Scotland is expected to become a “global leader” in the fight against climate change.

Various environmental organisations have put forth their suggestion to tackle increase in the pollution rate. Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) has suggested a list of measures the country should introduce to be a role model to the rest of the world. SCCS is an umbrella group for more than 30 organisations such as the National Trust for Scotland, Friends of the Earth Scotland, and the Church of Scotland.

While commenting on this the Chairman of the Climate Change Bill said: “This bill is more positive and historically significant one. Scotland has the great chance to become a role model for the rest of the world in this regard. The reduction of green house gas by at least 3% a year is essential; this should be done without any harm to our environment.”

He further added that: “Climate change is not a problem of the future, the adverse effect of it can be witnessed in the developing countries. It is our duty as being the developed world to take responsibility for our actions and seriously consider about minimising the emission rate. If the proposal is made into a reality this could be considered as the more positive and historically significant bill in our lifetime.”

John Swinney, Finance and Sustainable Growth Secretary will formally launch the consultation on the Climate Change Bill at the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh.

January, 28

The working culture is making people of Europe to dump their creativity and fun-filled nature, to fit into the working environment of the industry. One of the recent report revealed that more than one-in-every three people use to suppress the lighter side of their personality as they switch to work. With so much corporate culture and hectic working environment these days, people are living on the edge sacrificing their creativity and interest for adapting to the work atmosphere.

This study conducted on the employees showed some hidden facts, which pointed out that around 37 percent of employees agreed that they hold back their fun factor, as they arrive at work. It was noticed that people after getting in to the working ambit tend to cull their personal interest and creativity in order to be part of that working population.

This growing problem is slowly widening its scope to few other countries to, where the working population are compromising their personal interest and fun for the sake of their job. This is not only affecting the employees, but it was learnt that even the recruiters were seen having a divided opinion when it comes to picking up the right candidates for jobs. Half of these recruiters eyes for candidates who could fit to their working culture, while rest looked for people who could bring in some difference to their company.

With all these mixed opinions, and employees embracing a workaholic kind of living, it seems these professionals are killing their interest to fit in to the working atmosphere. The growing industrialisation can soon turn these working creatures to a machine with no feelings and interest in their life.

Scotland, Jan 28: Shortage in water supply is compelling to look for new sources. As an initiative in this regard proposals will soon be declared to upgrade water supplies for consumers living in and around Cairngorms.

Deep underground water will cater to the scarcity in the supply of Scottish water. The present facilities near Aviemore are more than fifty years old and the supply come from a remote hill loch. The firm that is in-charge of water supply assured that the £15m upgrade work will help in maintaining the quality of water and will ensure the smooth supply of water to over 10,000 people.

The age old water infrastructure cannot be able to cope with the growing demands, the sudden boom in the residential areas also adds up more burden as they combined together to pressurise the Scottish Water to find alternative solution.

The options under considerations are boreholes and river extraction, on this backdrop the present source Loch Einich was considered as incapable of catering the requirement of Strathspey area.

We can expect this new proposal to bear fruit to minimise the deficiency in the supply of water.

January, 25

With the decline in the rate of the mortgage sanction in recent months, there are clear chances that the price of houses would drop down in coming months. The recent reports from the British Bankers Association suggested that it is the first time till last ten years the mortgage for buying property has fallen to such a low.

If we look at the record of BBA, the gross mortgage lending with remortgages were £15.1 billion last month, which was down by 22.2 percent on Dec 2006 and £1.4 billion lower than last November. This steep decline in the mortgage rates is hinting towards a fall in the prices of houses in near future.

Many economist and bankers suggests that if this downward trend continues, then it will affect the economy on long run. Another major reason for this change is said to be the credit crunch blocking the way for banks to raise money. The increased borrowing cost and lower disposable income is also making the mortgage percentage at a lower level. Also the market has changed a bit with lenders becoming a bit stringent on the part of their lending measures due to the credit crunch.

Now with such a situation in the market one has to see whether this present swing will continue for a long in the coming months. If that happens then it is for sure that the prices for houses will be at a record low and will be a big transformation and something to worry for the banks.

Scotland, Jan 25: In an attempt to overcome the obesity problem the Scottish government will take initiative to provide free fruit to pregnant women and pre-school children. A budget of £40m is earmarked for this purpose that extends to the period of three years. The project also includes giving lifestyle, diet and fitness guidance to patients to instil clear understanding about healthy living in them. Besides this a weight-loss programme named Counterweight is at present implemented in Tayside, Lothian and Lanarkshire on a trial basis in future it will be extended nationwide.

While commenting on this the Health Secretary, Nicolas Sturgeon said: “Obesity is posing a huge threat to our nation’s health. The plans aim to boost the Scottish government’s initiative to create awareness about healthy living. The fund allocated for this purpose will encourage healthy weight, healthy eating and physical activity initiatives.”

Ms Sturgeon further added that: “As a nation we all have to play a vital role in overcoming our unhealthy approach towards food, weight and physical activities. We would like to provide a congenial atmosphere that encourages people to make healthy choices in what they eat and be more active in everyday life. Behaviour change will not happen all of a sudden it will take time. By giving higher priority to the rising level of overweight adults and children in Scotland we can address the issue effectively.”

Healthy eating habits will help to build healthy citizens; in this regard the new initiatives will have a far reaching impact.