Food Standards Scotland and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are advising consumers and food businesses not to eat, sell or distribute eggs originating from Yasensvit Ltd, Kyiv, Ukraine after Salmonella was identified in the product. The affected eggs are stamped with the code 3UA1012066 and may have been supplied to catering businesses or sold through smaller retail outlets. Consumers and food businesses are being urged to check eggs for the code 3UA1012066, which is printed directly onto the shell.

On 11 October 1899 the Boer Republics (South African Republic and Orange Free State) declared war on the British Empire. The war continued until 31 May 1902 with the defeat of the Boers. The Boers …

By Bernie Bell. I remember the demonstrations against the Poll Tax. And before that, there was the Window Tax. I‘m dipping into a book entitled ‘Kilmactigue Parish: History & Memories’ - Kilmactigue being my parent’s home parish in Ireland - and read the following account of the Hearth Tax… “Hearth Money Rolls, Sligo, Kilmacteige 1665 The Hearth Money Roll also known as the Hearth Tax was a tax imposed by the British Parliament in 1662 to support the Royal Household of King Charles 11 following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.

Information from The Met Office. Today 11 October : The odd light shower will be possible at first, most likely for Shetland. Otherwise it will be a dry day with bright or sunny spells and light winds. Maximum temperature 12 °C. Tonight: It will stay dry through the evening and overnight with clear spells. Light winds in the evening becoming fresh south to southeasterlies overnight.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 to Navanethem “Navi” Pillay for her efforts to promote peace and international law. The Norwegian Nobel Committee described the award, " to a person who with exceptional courage and integrity has led the way towards a more comprehensive global legal order. This year’s laureate has been instrumental in ensuring that war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are prosecuted."

The Capital Punishment Amendment Act 1868, 29 May 1868, put an end to public executions for murder in the United Kingdom. Public executions had become notorious for the grotesque behaviour of those who went along to spend the day attending the 'fair-ground' atmosphere that accompanied the spectacle. In the US of 2026 it is now proposed to Livestream a Public Execution so that people can 'enjoy' the spectacle in the comfort of their home.

Baby Loss Awareness Week runs from 9 to 15 October. Financial support is available in Scotland for families that already receive qualifying benefits if they have experienced a stillbirth or have lost their baby after being born. Rowena Pailing, Director of Bereavement Support Services, Community and Volunteering, Sands commented: "Baby loss has a huge emotional impact. It can also have a financial impact.

Information from The Met Office. Today 10 October : Another day of bright or sunny intervals and occasional showers, some on the heavy side. Lighter winds for Shetland, a fresh west to northwesterly over Orkney. Maximum temperature 11 °C. Tonight: Clear spells and a few light showers in the evening. It will become mostly dry overnight as showers fade away. Minimum temperature 5 °C.

Excavations in Orkney have revealed the remains of aurochs in Neolithic settlements. With a shoulder height of up to 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) in bulls and 1.55 m (5 ft 1 in) in cows, it had massive elongated and broad horns that reached 80 cm (31 in) in length. Illustration: Erika Rosengren Aurochs, the predecessor to domestic cows, are now extinct.

By Bernie Bell. Next…the cinema Various sports were organized but having a cinema built, at considerable expense, shows how important keeping up morale was. It was open to the public as well as the Services, and was called the ‘Orcadia Cinema’. It was also used as a dance hall and theatre where, under the auspices of E.N.S.A. (Entertainments National Service Association), many ‘big names’ from show business performed, including Gracie Fields, George Formby and Yehudi Menuhin.

Information from The Met Office. Today 9 October : A wet start to the day with some heavy rain, soon brightening up to sunshine and scattered showers over Orkney, then Shetland brightening in afternoon. Strong southeasterly winds at first over Shetland, veering westerly and easing somewhat as it brightens. Maximum temperature 12 °C. Tonight: There will be a mixture of clear intervals and occasional showers, some heavy especially across Orkney.

Information from The Met Office. Today 8 October : A few scattered early showers, otherwise dry with some good spells of sunshine during the morning and early afternoon. High cloud will then increase from the southwest. Moderate northerly winds becoming light and variable. Maximum temperature 11 °C. Tonight: Shetland staying dry this evening. Some patchy rain will develop across Orkney this turning heavier towards midnight and extending to Shetland overnight.

There have been awards of funding for Orkney out of the latest grants from The Marine Fund Scotland 2026-27. Fisheries Management Scotland in Orkney have been awarded the total cost of their project, £94,217. 36. The project is the 'Development of a national platform for automated fish monitoring using sonar'. Description : This project will use advanced AI and Machine Learning approaches to automate the detection, classification, and quantification of fish from ARIS sonar footage.

The results of Butterfly Conservation's 2026 Big Butterfly Count have revealed it was a great summer for butterflies, but what comes next could be dire. Butterfly Conservation Head of Science Professor Richard Fox said: "This has been one of the hottest, driest summers on record, and the figures certainly suggest that was good news for many of the widespread butterfly species monitored by the Count.

By Ian Cooper, from his excellent series Records of a Bygone Age, first published in The Stronsay Limpet and republished here with kind permission. On 17 March 1969, Orkney faced one of the darkest days in its long maritime history. While responding to a rescue call, the Longhope Lifeboat TGB capsized in ferocious seas, and all eight crewmen were lost.

YouTube video by The Orkney News

The future plans for the development of sites in Stenness and Brodgar, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Heart of Neolithic Orkney have now been uploaded to the OIC website. The Orkney World Heritage Gateway has funding support from the Islands Growth Deal. It is a very ambitious plan to create a modern Visitor Centre at Stenness, with a string of other road management and accessibility features suggested.

"Island communities in Scotland rely heavily on postal services for access to essential goods, services, and economic participation. Despite this reliance, residents and small businesses in Na h Eileanan an Iar, Orkney, and Shetland have some of the most fragile postal services in the UK." - An equitable postal service for the islands Highlands & Islands SNP MSP Maree Todd has written to the UK Government calling for action to address unfair parcel delivery charges and postal service issues affecting people and businesses across the Highlands and Islands.

By Bernie Bell. We’ve been meaning to visit HMS Tern,  but other things  kept turning up.  I was talking with someone who was puzzled that it’s called HMS when it’s not a ship, and explained that, although the aircraft based at Tern formed part of the defences of Orkney, the site’s main role was to provide training facilities for the Navy and that when the Fleet’s aircraft carriers were in harbour their aircraft would fly ashore rather than stay on board and the facilities at…

Terror takes many forms my friend, in olden days games were far less... forgiving and it's still true to this day. Dark souls? bah I will show you true terror for today in our first October review we delve into Super Ghouls and Ghosts. In my opinion Nintendo's line of IPS can only ever truly be competed with by Capcoms. The Ghouls and Ghost line is remembered for two things: 1.

Information from The Met Office. Today 7 October : A bright day with a mix of sunny spells and occasionally heavy showers, however the showers are expected to become less frequent later in the afternoon. Occasionally fresh southwesterly winds turning northwesterly. Maximum temperature 11 °C. Tonight: Scattered showers this evening and overnight with some long clear spells developing. Feeling rather chilly with occasionally fresh northwesterly winds easing.

"The Scottish Beef Association think that this is the most logical way forward to prevent trade complications, the overall message on bluetongue remains the same, and that is the only way to protect your cattle fully is to vaccinate." - Neil Shand, Chief Executive, Scottish Beef Association.  Movement licences currently required to move susceptible livestock, such as cattle, sheep and other ruminants, into, within and out of the South West Scotland zone will no longer be necessary, as the whole of Scotland will share the same disease status.

By Mike Robertson It all started a year ago in August 2025. Michael Hanratty and Stuart Brown, who already knew each other through Michael's connection with the whisky industry got together and decided to produce a unique gin in support of the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA). Most gins pair juniper with coriander, but they paired it with French tarragon, which they believe no one else in the UK does.

This year's annual Orkney Film Archive programme  Billy's Night Oot takes place at the Phoenix Cinema, Pickaquoy Centre, Kirkwall, on Friday 9th October and at the Cromarty Hall on Saturday 10th, both at 7.30pm. This year's programme features a mix of interesting Orkney Archive films including The Great Pageant (1937). Celebrating the 800th anniversary of St Magnus Cathedral. (courtesy of Mr James Miller)

Information from The Met Office. Today 6 October : Sunny spells and a few showers through the morning, the showers tending to become more frequent and occasionally heavy through the afternoon. Strong westerly winds slowly easing. Maximum temperature 12 °C. Tonight: A mix of clear spells and showers, the showers frequent and heavy at times. Occasionally fresh westerly or southwesterly winds.

YouTube video by WiggyVideos6

An innovative endometriosis pain management programme is to be trialled as part of a £2.3 million study by the University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian. The major, UK-wide study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) will investigate whether the tailor-made plan can improve the quality of life for women living with the condition. Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women, causing persistent pelvic pain, chronic fatigue and can impact all aspects of daily life.

The Scotland’s Places of Worship Fund has opened for applications, providing up to £1m to help listed places of worship across Scotland meet VAT costs associated with repair and conservation work. The pilot fund has been developed in response to the closure of the previous UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. It is open to listed places of worship of all faiths and denominations, with funding available on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible applicants.

By Bernie Bell. I wrote of how finds from the shore-line by the Hall of Rendall could be evidence of a relatively high-grade residence there Recent heavy rain has meant that the stream flowing by the Hall and into the sea is swollen and revealing things which may have been buried for some time. Once again, Mike brought home an interesting piece which caught his eye, shimmering in the stream…

Information from The Met Office. Today 5 October : Overnight rain soon clearing. Then the rest of the day will see some bright or sunny spells and a few passing light showers. Fresh to strong west to southwesterly winds. Maximum temperature 13 °C. Tonight: This evening will see clear periods and the odd shower. Clear periods and occasional passing showers for the rest of the night.

This is an Open Call for artworks on the theme of 'Say It With Flowers' for an upcoming exhibition at The Northlight Gallery, Stromness, for Fair Saturday. Artworks must be handmade by humans - and in any medium. The exhibition opens on Friday 27 November. What is Fair Saturday? Fair Saturday is a global cultural event in response to the mass consumerism of Black Friday.

By Laura Muncie. The University of Tokyo published a study in June 2026 based on 25 university students reading a Manga story on a physical book and a tablet. The students read the first half of the book on one medium and the second half on the other. The results led to some interesting theories. When asked difficult questions about the Manga story, the information read on a tablet took the students significantly longer to answer but the answer was just as accurate as the paper readers.

Information from The Met Office. Today 4 October : It will be a cloudy and windy day with spells of rain and drizzle. Orkney seeing the most persistent of the rain. Strong to gale southwesterly winds. Maximum temperature 14 °C. Tonight: Rain at times this evening. Then the rest of the night will remain cloudy with further spells of rain. A windy night with strong southwesterly winds.

On 4 October 1798, William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge published a collection of their poems in 'Lyrical Ballads, with a Few Other Poems'. In the 'Advertisement' included in the 1798 edition, Wordsworth explained his poetical concept: The majority of the following poems are to be considered as experiments. They were written chiefly with a view to ascertain how far the language of conversation in the middle and lower classes of society is adapted to the purpose of poetic pleasure.

This week Google Earth updated its images of Gaza. Razed to the ground – but under all that rubble bodies are being uncovered – now emerging to show the world the genocide that has been…