10 Apr 2017

Hundreds of thousands of pounds is spent each year dealing with vermin infestation across Scottish schools, research has revealed.

The analysis shows that between 2011-2016, more than £1.5million was spent controlling the likes of cockroaches, flies, rats and ants in schools.

Glasgow was shown to have paid out the most on pest control – spending £132,919 during 2012 alone – and £460,893 between 2011-2015.

The Scottish Conservatives have called for ministers to do more to ensure every child in Scotland can receive education without worrying about pest infestation.

Scottish Conservative schools spokesman Ross Thomson said:

“Given how much is spent each year, these statistics reveal a genuine problem with vermin in Scottish schools.

“Parents and teachers will quite rightly be disgusted at the thought of children being educated in unhygienic environments.

“It’s important for youngsters to be attending a school that is both clean and suitable if they are to reach their true potential during their time in education.”

Full spreadsheet of pest control stats by council area:

Copy of Pest Control

Chinese space tracking ship Yuanwang-7 started its maritime space monitoring and communication mission for Tianzhou-1, China’s first cargo spacecraft, on Monday morning.

Yuanwang-7 is sailing into the Pacific Ocean, the first time for the ship to carry out a journey independently. During its maiden voyage in July 2016, the ship was accompanied by Yuanwang-6.

The vessel is also expected to perform emergency response and scientific tasks after reaching its destination in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday.

Designed by China, Yuanwang-7 is 220 meters long, 40 meters high and has a displacement of nearly 30,000 tons.

Yuanwang-7, part of the country’s new generation of spacecraft tracking ships, entered service on July 12, 2016. It has performed scientific research and experiment-related tasks, including tracking missions for the maiden flight of the Long March-5, space rendezvous and docking of manned spacecraft Shenzhou-11 and the Tiangong-2 space lab.

The Yuanwang-1 and Yuanwang-2 ships, China’s first-generation space tracking vessels, entered service in 1979, making China the fourth country to master space tracking technology after the United States, Russia and France.

SCIO Vice Minister Guo Weimin addresses the book launch ceremony in Beijing on April 9. [Photo/CRI]

Vice minister of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) Guo Weimin attended a book launch ceremony on April 9 in Beijing.

The book “Min Thu Wun’s Affinity with China” collects the translation and original works of Min Thu Wun, a Myanmar poet and scholar, as well as the father of current Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw. The book includes Min Thu Wun’s translation of Chinese literature – ranging from famous writer Lu Xun and ancient Chinese poetry – as well as essays he wrote on China when he visited the country in the1950s and 1960s.

During the book launch event, Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw, who is currently visiting China, said his father was always interested in Chinese literature, and he hoped the book can contribute to the cultural exchanges between the two countries.

SCIO Vice Minister Guo Weimin said the book is a testimony to Min Thu Wun’s interest in Chinese culture and the foundation of people-to-people exchanges between the countries. The president’s visit to China and attendance at the book launch ceremony “continues to write a new chapter of the cultural and people-to-people exchanges of the two countries,” he added.

Drawing on previous exchanges between China and Myanmar, Guo continued, “China and Myanmar are friendly neighbors linked by mountains and river, sharing deep and profound traditional ‘Paukphaw’ (fraternal) friendship….China is willing to work along with Myanmar to make more progress in the China-Myanmar comprehensive strategic partnership to benefit the two countries and their people.”

The book is compiled in both Chinese and Burmese and published by the Foreign Languages Press under the China International Publishing Group.

John
McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, responding to reports
that the Bank of England was involved in the Libor rigging, said:

“This is
an extremely serious revelation that contradicts past assurances about the role
of the Bank of England in the Libor scandal. 

"It goes
to the very heart of whether our financial institutions can be
trusted. Therefore, it warrants an immediate high level investigation, and
the Chancellor must act straight away to ensure this happens.”