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TODAY’S INSTALMENT (17 August) of the CommonSpace daily news roundup includes the Turkish Government’s conditional release for Turkish prisoners, the fall in unemployment in Scotland and a bonny view of Scotland from space.
News: Conditional release for 38,000 prisoners jailed before Turkish coup
Turkey is to conditionally release 38,000 prisoners who were jailed before last month’s coup
Turkey is to conditionally release 38,000 prisoners who were jailed before the failed coup in July. The Turkish justice minister said that prisoners who had served half their sentence would be eligible for release and that those detained for crimes involving murder and sexual violence would be excluded. More than 23,000 people were detained following the failed coup in July.
Australia’s Manus Island immigration detention centre to close
Australia and Papua New Guinea have announced that the immigration detention centre on Manus Island will be closed, the Guardian reports. In a statement issued after a meeting with the Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Australia’s foreign minister Peter Dutton said “that no one from Manus Island regional processing centre will ever be settled in Australia”.
State of emergency declared in San Bernadino, California, as wildfire scorches 9,000 acres
A state of emergency has been declared in the San Bernadino area of California as wildfires encouraged by strong winds scorched 9,000 acres of land and caused more than 80,000 people to be evacuated. 700 firefighters have been tackling the Blue Cut blaze which began 60 miles east of Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Politics: Unemployment falls in Scotland between April and June
Unemployment falls in Scotland but overall rate of unemployment remains higher than rest of UK
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that unemployment in Scotland fell between April and June by 26,000 people. The rate of unemployment in Scotland remains higher than the rest of the UK, at 5.2 per cent versus 4.9 per cent. However, figures from the ONS show that Scotland outperforms the rest of the UK on female and youth employment and unemployment rates.
Curriculum for Excellence guidance for teachers delayed
Guidance intended to assist teachers with the Curriculum for Excellence has been delayed until at least the end of the month. Speaking in June the education secretary John Swinney had said that guidance would be in place by the first day of term. The Scottish Government confirmed that the guidance would now not be published until 29 August, but a spokeswoman quoted in the Herald said that it would provide “an emphatic statement of priorities for Scotland's schools that addresses all of the relevant issues and provides the clarity that teachers need.”
Sport: Eilidh Doyle reaches 400 metre hurdles final at Rio 2016
Eilidh Doyle through to final of 400 metre hurdles at Rio Olympics
Eilidh Doyle is through to the final of the 400 metre hurdles at the Rio 2016 Olympics. The 28-year-old Scot qualified as the fastest loser with a time of 54.99 seconds and afterwards said “My race just showed that it's wide open this year.”
Culture: Scottish Ballet debuts ‘radical’ programme at Edinburgh International Festival
Scottish Ballet will bring two shows to the Edinburgh International Festival from Thursday
Scottish Ballet will showcase two “ very different, but equally radical” works at the Edinburgh International Festival from Thursday. Emergence, by Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite and MC 14/22 (Ceci est mon Corps) by France’s Angelin Preljocaj will run at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh from 18-20 August.
Weather: Sunshine, lollipops and… Good weather to continue into Thursday
Sales of ice lollies have shot up in the Co-Op across from the CommonSpace office
The good weather has made itself at home this week, with sunshine and high temperatures forecast to continue on into tomorrow. We reckon that’s enough justification for a Calippo or two.
And another thing: Scotland looks pretty good from space
We had a great view of Scotland today…very rare to not be covered with clouds. pic.twitter.com/R31MXg2I1U
— Jeff Williams (@Astro_Jeff) August 16, 2016
Astronaut Jeff Williams tweeted an extraordinary view of Scotland
American astronaut Jeff Williams captured the ultimate bird’s eye view of Scotland as he tweeted a picture of the country taken from space. The image was widely shared on Twitter and other social media, and shows an extraordinary view of the nation from the International Space Station. If you look closely enough, you can almost see the CommonSpace staff waving from the office.
Pictures courtesy of alexeyklyukin, Claire Dickson, HelenCobain, Tom Page, John Lord, scribbletaylor, Twitter/Jeff Williams
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