Our weekly look at international news from a Scottish perspective, Scotland’s place in the world, and stories about people who make our communities their home.
‘Literally thousands’ donated for Afghan families coming to Perthshire after fleeing the Taliban
Thousands of toiletries, toys and winter clothing are being donated to help the Afghan refugees who will soon be arriving in Perthshire.
PKAVS Minority Communities’ Hub will be making up ‘welcome packs’ for the incoming families to help them settle in and set up their new home in Scotland.
As Rachel Amery reports, the charity has been inundated with supplies from the local community – from a single bag of shopping, to minibuses bursting full of essentials.
Watch our video and read more here.
Our local communities stepping up to help people in need from Afghanistan
Lots of other groups across the region are playing their part to get ready to welcome refugees who are fleeing the Taliban – as councils agree to take part in resettlement schemes.
- A small Fife charity Acorn Aid has been collecting lots of donations.
- Six Afghan families – or 10 individuals – will be taken in by Perth & Kinross council.
- The Scottish Government is promising an extra £250,000 humanitarian aid for Afghanistan.
- Dundee is ready to play its part in housing Afghan refugees, with city council leader John Alexander saying:
The vast majority of Dundonians understand and appreciate that saving human lives, wherever they are, is important.”
Dundee’s Pakistani community calls for relaxation of travel rules as loved ones ‘priced out’ of returning home
Members of Dundee’s Pakistani community are backing nationwide calls for travel rules for those arriving from the country to be relaxed.
Anyone coming to the UK from Pakistan has to go into hotel quarantine at a cost of hundreds of pounds, because the country is on the travel red list.
As James Simpson reports some members of the local Pakistani community have been stuck there, while a wider campaign backed by the Dundee Islamic Society is calling for Pakistan to be removed from the UK’s red list.
Scots face travel uncertainty as it’s revealed new Covid vaccine QR codes don’t work across Europe
Scots traveling to European countries could face problems getting into bars, restaurants, sports events and tourist attractions after it was revealed that Covid vaccine QR codes, launched recently by Nicola Sturgeon, aren’t compatible with major EU digital apps.
As David Mac Dougall reports, the new QR codes work in conjunction with Irish and Belgian vaccine checker apps, but now with other major countries like France, Italy and Germany.
MoD denies report nuclear subs ‘could be moved abroad’ if Scotland votes for independence
The Ministry of Defence has denied reports it has drawn up secret plans to move the UK’s nuclear deterrent abroad if Scotland becomes independent.
As Derek Healey reports, the Royal Navy’s base at Faslane is home to the UK’s nuclear submarines but sources told the Financial Times this week that they could be moved to bases in the US or France if Scotland votes Yes in a second referendum on independence.
Mexico opens doors to Scottish pork in multi-million pound deal
Scottish pig farmers will soon be able to export meat to Mexico as part of a new trade deal announced this week.
The UK has signed an agreement worth an estimated £50million, and as Gemma Mackie reports, Mexico is the world’s 8th biggest consumer of pork products so it could be very lucrative indeed for Scottish pig farmers.
Dutch family searching for relatives of Dundee soldier who died in Second World War after adopting his grave
A Dutch family are searching for the family of a Lochee-born Second World War soldier after adopting his grave in the Netherlands.
The Braam family, who live in the city of Venray, want to find out more about William Joseph Gray, who died during the liberation of the Netherlands in 1944.
As Matteo Bell reports, the family want to track down any surviving relatives of the fallen sergeant.
We all thought that it would be nice for us to get a picture of William and for any living family to know where he is so that they can come and visit him if they want.”