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News from October 29, 2025

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For BBC Scotland neither a falling murder rate nor falling NHS Scotland waiting times as the gap widens further with UK Labour’s climbing ones, are ‘news’ for you
Technology

For BBC Scotland neither a falling murder rate nor falling NHS Scotland waiting times as the gap widens further with UK Labour’s climbing ones, are ‘news’ for you

New figures show NHS waiting lists have fallen and waits of more than a year have reduced for the fourth month in a row. When compared with August 2025, September saw a 7.3% decrease in new outpatient waits longer than a year – this number has now fallen for four consecutive months. The total waiting list for outpatients has decreased by 2.0% on the same month last year, and the inpatient and daycase waiting list has fallen by 0.2% over the same period. Treatment Time Guarantee waits of over a year have decreased by 5.9% when compared to last month. These waits have been dropping since February 2025 and are now lower than at the same point last year. Reductions are seen under both 2012 and 2023 waiting times guidance. The latest figures show that activity has increased, with the number of new outpatient attendances for September increasing by 10,136 (9.5%) to 116,776 attendances when compared with August. There has also been an increase of more than 31,000 appointments and procedures from April to September compared to same period in 2024. https://www.gov.scot/news/reduction-in-nhs-waiting-lists

johnrobertson834,Professor John Robertson
Aunt Reads One-Year Old’s ABC Book—Can’t Cope With What’s Under Letter ‘W’
Technology

Aunt Reads One-Year Old’s ABC Book—Can’t Cope With What’s Under Letter ‘W’

While looking through her 1-year-old niece’s books, one woman got a shock after discovering what an alphabet book had picked to represent the letter X. Karen Thomas Mahoney, from North Carolina, shared a video on TikTok after flipping through an A-to-Z board book focused on healthy foods. While most of the letters were straightforward, “A” for avocado, “B” for banana, and zucchini for “Z”, the entry for “X” left her stunned. The book appeared to be restricted to foods only, so the trusty “xylophone”, or “x-ray fish”, wouldn’t have been appropriate, the book instead featured “xīguā,” the Mandarin Chinese word for watermelon. In the video on TikTok that now has more than 1 million views, Mahoney showed off the unusual book page, laughing at the addition to the A-Z. Pictures of the Healthy Babies ABC book that left the internet baffled. When it comes to learning how to read and write, around age 2 children often begin recognizing some letters and singing parts of the alphabet song. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that it is usually by age 5 that children can name letters when you point to them. Mahoney is staring her niece early, “My niece just turned one and received the book after her birth,” she told Newsweek. “I was going through the letters with her when I saw the letter X and picture of the watermelon. To be honest, I was shocked that this particular video received the amount of views that it did. “I posted it because I just thought it was so funny… the fact that they were using a Chinese word to describe it just made it funny to me,” she said. Internet Reacts As the book gained more attention online, people were stunned by the contents and shared their reactions in the comments. “What happened to xylophone as an option?” asked one commenter, referencing the usual option for an A-Z book. “I guess they couldn’t find a food that starts with X,” said one TikToker. One user even joked: “If we use xylitol it can open a discussion about dental care.” Another suggested: “X for Xanthan gum.” The book pictures including X and W. While rare in English-language books, “xigua” (西瓜), pronounced “shee-gwah”, is occasionally used in English dictionaries as one of the few legitimate “X” words, especially in food-themed or multicultural alphabet books, where English words starting with X are scarce. This is not the first time a child’s book has captured viral attention. Earlier this year a New Zealand baby named Eliana was filmed with a book in her lap, and seems to read back in her own made-up “language” after being read to since birth. When it comes to learning the alphabet, a teacher recently revealed how many elementary schools now use a changed version of the classic “Alphabet Song” (to the tune of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”) because the traditional version can confuse children when they hit certain sequences such as “LMNOP.” The new version breaks the alphabet into clearer chunks so children better hear each individual letter name and sound. While another viral post saw people scratching their heads at a child’s spelling homework. The question asked “What is M?” next to a picture of a row with dots, leaving even the adults stumped.

Alice Gibbs
Kebbi Govt Dismisses Social Media Claims On Alleged Hidden Airport In Argungu
Technology

Kebbi Govt Dismisses Social Media Claims On Alleged Hidden Airport In Argungu

News Investigators/ The Kebbi Government, has dismissed as false and malicious a video circulating on social media platforms alleging the existence of a hidden Airport in Argungu forest purportedly used for cocaine smuggling. The dismissal is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Birnin Kebbi by Yahaya Sarki, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Gov. Nasir Idris. Mr Sarki described the viral video as fabricated and baseless, aimed at discrediting the State Government and tarnishing its image. “The entire content of the video is false and misleading. “There has never been any incident of drug trafficking or illegal airport operations in Argungu Local Government Area or any part of Kebbi,” he maintained. He clarified that the only functional airport in the state remains the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi, adding that Argungu has never had an airport, airstrip, or any related facility. Mr Sarki further explained that all the names and characters mentioned in the viral clip were fictitious, He also stressed that no investigation had been carried out by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), or any other security agency to support such claims. Mr Sarki urged members of the public to disregard the falsehood, describing it as a deliberate attempt to mislead citizens and create unnecessary tension. “The Kebbi government under the leadership of Gov. Idris remains committed to transparency, good governance, and collaboration with all federal security and anti-drug agencies,” the special adviser assured.

Editor
HCN Operatives Arrest 30 Illegal Revenue Agents Along Federal Highways
Technology

HCN Operatives Arrest 30 Illegal Revenue Agents Along Federal Highways

By Okey Maduforo Awka. So far 30 Illegal Revenue Agents have been arrested by the Harmony Corps of Nigeria HCN since the commencement of the it’s operations in the last two weeks. The paramilitary outfit was recently engaged by the Agricultural Product Dealers to clear the illegal check points on the federal highways where fake revenue agents rip off transporters of food items from the North to the Southern parts of the country. With the official order of the Inspector General of Police, the body deployed officers and men to the federal highways which has so far resulted in the arrest of thirty suspects. According to the Deputy Commandant General of the Harmony Corps of Nigeria HCN in charge of operations Mr Elvis Okoli “Presently what we are doing on the highways is to clear the highways of all these illegal check points and illegal revenue check points and agents ” “They have been in the highways collecting revenue from vehicles that transport goods and these money that they extort from these truck drivers transporting farm produce are transfered to the cost of the goods and the end victims are the consumers” “When that is done prices of goods are skyrocketed and it has always affected the ordinary masses ” Okoli recalled that the body got a report from the Agricultural Product Dealers about the illegal activities of those people and requested it’s services on the mandate of the Inspector General of Police. $We got information from the Agricultural Product Dealers that when food items are purchased from the North they spend over N,500,000.00 to transport these goods to the Southern parts of Nigeria and it has become so worrisome that they had to employ our services and our collaboration with the joint task force embarked on this journey with the corporation of the Inspector General of Police” “We have sent signals to all the police formations to assist us in executing this great assignment” “So far we have arrested in Cross River state more than twenty five persons and we have arrested also in Enugu about five of them who are principal actors and they have been moved to Abuja and some of our men who are in Abuja, Nasarawa and other states doing the same job ” “We have been to Enugu, Imo and Abia states and we shall touch all the states in Nigeria to make sure that these people who mount illegal check points extorting money from innocent people are apprehended” Okoli sited the 2004 tax law which prohibits the collection of revenues or mounting of check points on the federal highways. “There is a tax law 2004 that says nobody or revenue officials is authorized to be on the federal highway for the purposes of collecting revenue and they know it but they deliberately decided to be on the highways and be collecting revenue from innocent people” “With this development the cost of food items would come down and the end consumers would not by food items at cut throat prices” “The high cost of food items in our markets here in the Southern parts of Nigeria is as a result of the cost of transportation from the North to the South” “Some spend up to N700,000.00 to pass through about seven to eight states of the country to get to the South and this totally unacceptable to us ” he stated.

247ureports
7 Android 16 additions that are quietly working for you
Technology

7 Android 16 additions that are quietly working for you

JR Raphael is obsessed with productivity and finding clever ways to make the most of modern technology. He's written about almost everything imaginable at some point — including even construction, crime, and climate in his past life as a TV news producer — but these days, he's known primarily for his unmatched analysis of Google's Android and ChromeOS platforms (both of which he's covered closely since their starts) along with his knack for digging up off-the-beaten-path tech tips and treasures. JR writes Computerworld's Android Intelligence column — the internet's longest-standing Android column and one he's conducted since its inception way back in 2010 — along with a variety of practical pieces about business productivity. That aside, he's the founder and editorial director of The Intelligence, where he waxes poetic with his calorie-packed Android Intelligence newsletter (a saucy sibling to the same-named CW column) as well as his cross-platform Cool Tools recommendation station. He is also a contributing editor at Fast Company and has written or been cited in everywhere from The Verge and Mental Floss to The New York Times, ABC World News, and USA Today. (Random trivia: JR was actually quoted in Walter Isaacson’s best-selling biography of Steve Jobs — for, erm, somewhat salacious and very appropriately Android-related reasons.) Despite his refusal to comb his hair, JR's work has been honored with a gaggle of awards over the years — including two Emmys, three Murrows, and a smattering of top distinctions from the Associated Press. He has also received a handful of coveted Azbee Awards for standout business reporting, most recently in recognition of his in-depth exposé of Google's business-aimed Android phone recommendations. In his spare time, JR enjoys breathing, chewing, and staring aimlessly into space.

Jr Raphael
In only 4 minutes, four out of four BBC Scotland broadcast reports aim to worry viewers and three are explicitly associated with Scottish Government responsibility
Technology

In only 4 minutes, four out of four BBC Scotland broadcast reports aim to worry viewers and three are explicitly associated with Scottish Government responsibility

Professor John Robertson OBA Following on from a tale of ‘serious’ concerns in a maternity unit, BBC Scotland’s four morning inserts were all equally concerning and three of them were explicitly linked to Scottish Government (SNP) responsibility as in the first, above, on prison overcrowding. I’ve discussed several times before how such a morning diet for viewers, especially the elderly and the vulnerable, predisposes them to conservative political preferences and against change such as Scottish independence. For research evidence of this see: Reporting Scotland Darkly – how research reveals only BBC Scotland’s editors select the nightmares to make you so anxious you fear big changes such as independence at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2025/05/28/reporting-scotland-darkly-how-only-bbc-scotlands-editors-select-the-nightmares-to-make-you-so-anxious-you-fear-big-changes-such-as-independence/ Evidence of BBC Scotland’s far stronger tendency also to associate government with problematic issues, in sharp contrast with BBC Wales can be seen here – New Research finds BBC Scotland is twice as likely to politicise negative reporting, to platform opposition voices and to ‘accuse’ the devolved government at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2023/06/02/new-research-finds-bbc-scotland-is-twice-as-likely-to-politicise-negative-reporting-to-platform-opposition-voices-and-to-accuse-the-devolved-government/ Evidence of BBC Scotland’s far stronger tendency than even STV to worry its viewers and thus promote conservative electoral choices can be see here – Research: BBC Scotland News constructs a far more anxious and conservative world than STV News does at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2023/06/30/research-bbc-scotland-news-constructs-a-far-more-anxious-and-conservative-world-than-stv-news-does/ In the second BBC Scotland report this morning, on ambulance staff being assaulted by those under the influence of alcohol, the Scottish Government is again quickly implicated. Not in the above report, even by the interviewed academic researcher, this: Alcohol related hospital admissions in Scotland fall by one third after Labour Government ousted and plummet after minimum unit pricing introduced From Alcohol related hospital statistics, Scotland financial year 2023 to 2024, published today: In 2023/24, the European Age-sex standardised rate of alcohol-related hospital admissions to general acute hospitals was 548 per 100,000 population and was 3% higher than the rate in 2022/23 (532 per 100,000). The above rate peaked at 885.4 per 100 000 in 2007/2008, the last year of the New Labour Scottish Government and the trend since, with one-year fluctuations as is typical, such as last year, has been steadily downward from 885.4 to 548, then dramatically plummeting from 669.6 in 2017/2018, as minimum unit pricing was introduced, to 548. Finally, on private jets not yet being taxed properly, the Scottish Government is connected with this problem. This is a Scottish Government devolved responsibility which has been delayed due to exemptions for Highlands and Islands routes and subsidy control issues. Other than just getting another negative story where they can say ‘Scottish Government’ again, it’s not clear why this has been included. It’s not anywhere on their website and has no new news update element since it was last reported by them in June 2025.

johnrobertson834,Professor John Robertson
MEP: EU-India trade deal a ‘major opportunity’ for Irish whiskey
Technology

MEP: EU-India trade deal a ‘major opportunity’ for Irish whiskey

An EU-India trade deal would represent 'enormous potential' for Ireland’s spirits and drinks sector, according to an Irish MEP. Fianna Fáil MEP for the Midlands North-West, Barry Cowen is currently in New Delhi where he will meet with senior members of the Indian government today (Wednesday, October 29). The meetings are part of the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee (INTA) mission to India as a EU-India trade and investment agreement moves closer to completion. Barry Cowen, a member of the European Parliament’s INTA Committee, believes the emerging EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) represents a ‘major opportunity’ for Irish whiskey and other spirits exports. "The EU-India trade deal represents a vital opportunity to expand market access for Irish whiskey, currently facing prohibitively high tariffs in one of the world’s fastest-growing spirits markets. "This is a once-in-a-generation chance to create a level playing field for our producers in a country where consumer demand is rising sharply," he said. Data provided to MEP Cowen shows Irish whiskey exports to India have already grown tenfold over the past five years while still facing tariffs of approximately 150% under current import arrangements. The Fianna Fáil MEP will tell the Indian government ministers that a meaningful reduction of these tariffs would transform market access for Irish producers and drive new growth across Ireland’s wider agri-food and export economy. He will say that the recent UK-India trade deal, which cuts whisky and gin tariffs from 150% to 75% initially and further to 40% in 10 years, sets a benchmark that the EU must at least match. In addition to tariffs, the meetings will focus on market access, rules of origin, regulatory alignment and protecting the premium positioning of Irish spirits. "Securing a fair and ambitious agreement is essential to ensure Irish and EU spirits compete on an equal footing with Scotch and other global categories in this important market for Irish whiskey. "Anything less than parity with the UK-India deal would leave our exporters at a serious disadvantage," Cowen said. "It would also send a strong signal that the EU remains a credible, outward-looking trade partner committed to fair competition and quality," he added.

Aisling O,Aisling O'Brien
Now is the time to start preparing ewes for the 2026 lambing season
Technology

Now is the time to start preparing ewes for the 2026 lambing season

Despite the fact that 2025 has been a good grass growing year in many parts of the country, grazing quality will take its usual drop as the shorter days of late autumn and winter beckon. Metabolisable energy (ME) values below 10.5 MJ/kg of dry matter (DM) are already being widely reported for many grass swards, with protein values corresponding lower as well. However, grazed grass remains the key nutrient source for all breeding ewes at this time of the year. While ground conditions remain good, flock owners will commit to keeping their flocks out at pasture for as long as possible. So, the need to maximise the nutritional value of the grass that is available remains a priority. Sheep buckets For flock owners with ewes now in lamb or about to go the ram, the priority management challenge centres on the need to make best use of the forages available to sheep over the coming weeks and months - grazed grass and silage. Making this happen will require the strategic use of Crystalyx Extra High Energy sheep buckets. Luke Morgan from Caltech Crystalyx explained: “Crystalyx Extra High Energy is a feed tub that can be used all year round to provide supplementation for ewes, rams, and lambs. “The tubs are high in protein, energy and with a full complement of minerals, trace elements and vitamins. “Extra High Energy buckets and forage can be all that’s required to operate a highly effective and profitable sheep rearing system.” He outlined the impact insufficient nutrient intakes can have on ewes. “Trials conducted at Newcastle University have found that ewes with access to Crystalyx Extra High Energy buckets maintained better condition than ewes on forage alone. "In addition, their lambs subsequently had a 5% higher growth rate," he said. The Crystalyx representative also confirmed that demand for Extra High Energy feed blocks has risen consistently across the island of Ireland over in recent years. He said: “This is due to the consistent level of performance secured from the tubs. "They add real value to the nutrient intakes secured by sheep of all ages and at all stages across the production cycle.” Significantly, the Crystalyx Extra High Energy buckets are eligible for Ireland’s National Sheep Welfare Scheme, now worth €13/ewe. Independent trials Morgan highlighted that independent trial work has shown that Crystalyx increases the rate of forage digestion by rumen bacteria (by up to 10%). In turn, this stimulates forage intakes due to a reduced gut fill effect, increasing grass intake rather than replacing it. He added: “Crystalyx also increases forage digestibility, so animals actually get more energy out of what they eat. “The Extra High Energy buckets provide all the minerals, trace elements and vitamins needed to balance grass, which is essential for optimum animal performance and health. “The rumen bugs also need minerals to help them digest the grass and the 'little and often' trickle feeding system supplied by Crystalyx is an ideal method of ensuring this. “Crystalyx also provides a concentrated source of sugar, which is important to help maintain rumen digestive efficiency. All of this can be achieved for as little as 5c/ewe/day. Year-round use Luke also confirmed that Extra High Energy buckets can be used the year round. He said: “There is plenty of grass available on farms around the country at the present time. “Flock owners can use the Extra High Energy buckets prior to breeding, in the run up to lambing and, again, after the ewes have gone out to the fields with their newborn lambs. It’s all about improving performance from grazed grass.” Luke made these comments while on a recent visit to the Co. Donegal sheep farm of Gerard Breslin. The farmer has consistently used the Extra High Energy sheep buckets as an invaluable source of supplementary feed for his ewes. Gerard manages a flock of 70 pedigree Blackface sheep on 80ac close to the town of Ardara. He has worked diligently over many years to build up the quality of his sheep bloodlines. Gerard explained: “I am trying to breed the best bloodlines while also achieving the highest levels of performance from the sheep. “Tup lambs from the flock are sold on an annual basis at sales, both in Northern Ireland and Donegal.” The Co. Donegal farmer spoke of the benefits he has seen from using the Extra High Energy feed buckets. “In the first instance, the Extra High Energy feed buckets are acting to boost the quality of the colostrum produced by the ewes," he said. Gerard traditionally scans his ewes in early January. At this stage the Extra High Energy feed buckets are put in with the flock. Gerard works closely with his brother Laurence, who also manages the Homeland farm store in Ardara. The business has a strong commitment to Donegal’s extremely important sheep sector. Laurence said: “We stock the entire range of Crystalyx feed buckets in our stores throughout Donegal and beyond. “Sheep farmers are very happy with the quality of the Extra High Energy feed bucket. “They just look out for the red tub. That’s because they know it will do the job for them.” Gerard added: “I have been using the Extra High Energy feed blocks for the past 13 years. And I have always been very happy with them." Meanwhile, 2026 beckons with the promise of sustainable sheep prices remaining a strong possibility. According to Luke Morgan: “It’s important that ewe fertility levels are maximised and, thereafter, that every lamb is born without difficulty and reared successfully. “Crystalyx High Energy feed buckets have a proven track record in allowing these objectives to be met. “They perfectly complement the nutritional imbalanced found in grazed grass and silages. “Added energy, fats, minerals and vitamins ensure optimal levels of fertility, ease of lambing and a more than significant reduction in levels of twin lamb disease. “It all adds up to a win/win scenario for Irish sheep farmers.”

Agriland Team
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