What we learned this week…
The UK is experiencing a tomato shortage. Shelves which usually hold them were bare in many supermarkets across the country. Bad weather has disrupted supplies of tomatoes, and some other items such as peppers.
Morocco and Spain are major suppliers and have had to cope with adverse weather conditions which have hit tomato ripening. So if you were planning to make tomato soup or spaghetti bolognese, you might have to shelve it or get creative and think of an alternative!
Open heart surgery for Dons chairman
Dons chairman Dave Cormack revealed he was set to undergo open heart surgery after it was discovered he had three significant blockages in his arteries.
Cormack pointed to Alan Burrows coming on board as the team’s chief executive as something which will give him time to recover. Meanwhile, Dons fans sent their good wishes to him ahead of his surgery.
Leadership race
The leadership race for the next first minister is very much on. By the start of the week, there was a field of three candidates battling to take the top job after Nicola Sturgeon’s shock resignation.
Ash Regan, Kate Forbes and Humza Yousaf all threw their hats into the ring. Yousaf has emerged as a frontrunner, while Forbes has insisted her campaign isn’t over despite the controversy over comments she made saying she wouldn’t have voted for same-sex marriage.
Baking star
Life is sweet for baking and TikTok sensation Kayla Bond. The 20-year-old, of Peterhead, had to shut down her website due to soaring demand after racking up 4.2 million views on TikTok.
The young baker loves to show off her creations on the platform and her business Kayla’s Bakes, based in Boddam Chip Shop, has seen an influx in orders.
The war in Ukraine one year on
Friday marked one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. The conflict has seen the death of thousands on both sides and a humanitarian crisis which resulted in more than 8 million refugees from the country.
US President Joe Biden visited Kyiv before making a trip to Poland where he gave a speech to rally the allies.
In contrast, Vladimir Putin gave a blistering state-of-the-nation address this week where he blamed the west for the war. But perhaps it’s time for him to concede the blame lies at his own front door.
Rewriting Roald Dahl
Classic works by the children’s author have had parts reworked to remove content which could be deemed offensive. Novels such as Charlie And The Chocolate Factory are among those which had edits made. Though publisher Puffin UK said on Friday it will release a second edition, the Roald Dahl Classic Collection, “to keep the author’s classic texts in print”
While some of the language and depictions in Dahl’s books are at odds with how we view things today, the beauty of literature is that it holds a mirror up to society. We can’t edit history no matter how much we want to. And by rewriting novels to suit modern times we erase the opportunity to learn lessons from the past.
Turkey rocked by second earthquake
A second earthquake struck Turkey on Monday, with a death toll of eight.
It had its epicentre in the Defne district of Turkey’s Hatay province. The area was one of worst affected by the magnitude 7.8 quake on February 6, which claimed the lives of over 45,000 in Turkey and Syria.
North-east firefighters told of the devastation they witnessed during the 10-day search for survivors. John Aitchison, crew commander Steven Adams and firefighters Tony Armstrong and Keith Gauld joined the 77-strong UK rescue team dispatched to the two countries.
Historic art works to move south
A painting of Mary, Queen of Scots worth over £1 million is among historic items based in the north-east set to be relocated.
It is understood they will move to a venue in Glasgow with the closure of Blairs Museum in Deeside. The collection also includes a watch owned by Bonnie Prince Charlie.
The items were a draw for tourists and concerns have been raised about the loss of the collection from the area.
Wave of success
Orkney, the cruise ship capital of Britain, is set for a record-breaking season worth up to £15 million to the local economy.
A total of 234 ships are booked to berth in the islands over the course of the year. But it’s not all plain sailing, with warnings over the environmental impact to the islands’ infrastructures with thousands of visitors to small sites like St Magnus Cathedral.
Those involved in the industry say managing the environmental impact is a challenge, but one they are confident they can rise to.
And in a sign of the times, there could be a new addition to Aberdeen city centre. Business chiefs believe giant light-up letters spelling out Aberdeen could be a tourist attraction.
Similar schemes around the world have been a hit. If it goes ahead the Instagram-friendly letters could see the Castlegate become the ultimate selfie location. Say cheese.
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