Friday 15 August 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day, and commemorates the ending of the Second World War.
The Royal Scots Museum Outreach Team will hold a VJ Day 80 event in the George Washington Browne Room at Central Library.
The Family Research Area will be staffed by Museum research volunteers, National Records Scotland, Scottish Genealogical Society, and Commonwealth War Graves Commission who will have access to • Regimental War Diaries • Regimental Journal, “The Thistle” • Royal Scots World War Two Attestation Books • documents and photographs from the Royal Scots Museum Archive • and much more…
There will also be a small display of Royal Scots-related items and memorabilia and display boards telling the stories of • 2nd Battalion The Royal Scots who at the outbreak of World War Two were serving on Garrison Duty in Hong Kong • the sinking of the Lisbon Maru • 1st Battalion The Royal Scots, who after the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940, were reconstituted at Bradford and were responsible for a stretch of the Yorkshire coastal defences. The Battalion was then sent to India in 1942. • officers and soldiers from the Royal Scots who served with specialist units in the Far East.
You will also be able to view the Museum’s new 12 minute VJ 80th film, which includes interviews with those Royal Scots who served in the Far East and their families.
The Family Research Area will run from 12 to 15 August, from 10am to 4.30pm each day, and is free to attend.
Illegal workers arrested in nationwide enforcement surge as part of government’s drive to crack down on immigration crime
Hundreds of arrests have been made across the UK following a week-long crackdown on riders working illegally for delivery firms.
Under Operation Equalize, the Home Office’s Immigration Enforcement teams launched a nationwide intensification week of activity targeting illegal working hotspots, with a focus on the gig economy and migrants working as delivery riders.
Between 20 and 27 July 2025, a total of 1,780 individuals were stopped and spoken to, leading to 280 arrests for illegal working activity.
As a direct result of this operation, 53 individuals are now having their asylum support reviewed, which could result in their support being suspended or withdrawn.
This follows warnings from ministers last month that anyone caught flagrantly abusing the immigration system could face having their asylum support ceased, such as entitlement to accommodation or payments. Those caught working illegally face removal from the UK.
The results come as the Home Office confirms today (9 August) that Immigration Enforcement teams will receive a £5 million funding boost to ramp up illegal working intensification activity even further.
The cash injection, to be drawn from the £100 million investment for border security announced earlier this week, will contribute to a major surge in enforcement visits over the coming months.
It will allow officers to revisit and re-attend illegal working hotspots more frequently and increase enforcement teams’ intelligence gathering capabilities to support frontline enforcement activity.
The results of Operation Equalize come just weeks after the Home Office announced a new agreement with top food delivery firms that will see Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat receive new information concerning the location of asylum hotels to help better target people working illegally.
Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle said: Illegal working undermines our border security and we’re cracking down hard on it.
“That’s why we have intensified our enforcement activity right across the UK to crack down on those who think they can evade immigration and employment laws in the UK.
“This government is making sure rules are respected and enforced – this operation is just one example of our relentless efforts to bear down on organised immigration crime at every level in our communities.”
In addition to the arrests made as part of Operation Equalize, 51 businesses, including car washes, restaurants and retail premises, were issued with Civil Penalty Referral Notices. This could see them face hefty fines if they are found to have employed illegal workers and failed to conduct relevant pre-employment checks.
The operation was also supported by police forces across the UK, with officers seizing 71 vehicles throughout the week, including 58 e-bikes, as well as £8,000 in cash under the Proceeds of Crime Act and around £460,000 in illicit cigarettes.
During one Operation Equalize visit on Tuesday 22 July, officers in West London arrested 7 Indian nationals in Hillingdon, with 5 detained as a result.
Meanwhile, Immigration Enforcement Officers made 3 arrests in Dumfries, Scotland during a joint operation with police and Trading Standards on tobacco control.
And on Friday 25 July, 5 e-bikes were seized by police in Birmingham city centre where Immigration Officers arrested 2 riders of Bangladeshi and Ethiopian nationality for illegal working offences.
280 people have been arrested across the UK in a week-long crackdown on illegal delivery riders.
This comes as we announce a £5 million funding boost for Immigration Enforcement teams to ramp up illegal working enforcement even more. pic.twitter.com/7mgudpmIJj
Eddy Montgomery, Director of Enforcement, Compliance and Crime at the Home Office, said: “We continue to intensify our activity against those who think they can get away with working illegally.
“My teams have been taking action around the clock, all across the country and I thank them for their hard work, co-operation and skill in dealing with this challenging issue.
“I welcome the additional funding which will allow us to strengthen our enforcement efforts against illegal working further, to ensure those fuelling it are caught.”
The government is also tightening the law by making it a legal requirement for all companies, including the gig economy, to check that anyone working for them has the legal right to do so.
This will end the abuse of flexible working arrangements. The new measures will be introduced through the landmark Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.
These measures form a key part of a whole system approach to tackling illegal migration from every angle, by removing the false promise of jobs used by smuggling gangs to sell spaces on small boats.
Just this week, the Home Office announced the latest step towards dismantling the criminal trade in small boat crossings as the UK-France treaty to target illegal crossings came into force. The groundbreaking agreement means anyone entering the UK on a small boat can be detained immediately on arrival and returned to France by the UK government, with detentions having already begun.
On top of this, a wider £100 million investment in border security, confirmed earlier this week, will drive a major new crackdown by funding up to 300 extra National Crime Agency Officers and state of the art technology to smash the networks putting lives at risk in the Channel.
Since coming into power a year ago, the government has also returned 35,000 people with no right to be in the UK, including failed asylum seekers, immigration and foreign national offenders. Since the election, there are now fewer asylum hotels open, saving millions of taxpayers’ money.
Two people have been arrested in connection with drugs offences in Edinburgh.
Around 11.30am on Friday, 8 August, 2025, officers stopped and searched a 21-year-old man in Hailesland Grove, who was found in possession of cannabis.
Further enquiries led officers to a car parked nearby where officers recovered quantities of Cocaine and Heroin. The estimated value of the drugs is more than £74,000.
Officers also searched two addresses in the Wester Hailes and Pilton areas of Edinburgh with a quantity of cash being recovered from one of the addresses.
A man and woman, both aged 21, have been arrested and charged in connection with drugs offences.
They are due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 11 August, 2025.
Detective Sergeant John Dunn said: “We work tirelessly to remove illegal drugs from communities every day and remain committed to disrupting the activities of those who supply drugs.
“We cannot tackle this issue alone and would urge the public to continue supporting us in building intelligence about the possession and supply of drugs by contacting Police Scotland on 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
The twinkle lights are up, the books are on the shelves, the food trucks have pulled up – oh yes, the Book Festival site at Edinburgh Futures Institute is ready for all the amazing authors, artists, costume characters, musicians, thinkers, dreamers, and, most importantly, YOU – our wonderful audience – to start arriving from Saturday. 9th August – i.e. TODAY!.
If you still haven’t decided what to come along to yet, we’ve got you! This e-news will give you plenty of events to pick from:
Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has announced a new selection of guests attending this year’s Festival in support of World and UK Premieres and events.
Attending the Festival for the UK premiere of acclaimed film Dragonfly are director Paul Andrew Williams (London to Brighton, Bull), Andrea Riseborough (Oblivion, Birdman), Brenda Blethyn (Saving Grace, Pride & Prejudice) and Jason Watkins (The Last Honour of Christopher Jefferies, The Catch).
For the World Premiere of taut psychological crime thriller All The Devils Are Here director Barnaby Roper (The Interview, Scratch’n’Sniff) will attend the Festival with stars Eddie Marsan (Sherlock Holmes, Ray Donovan), Burn Gorman (Pacific Rim, Watcher) and Tienne Simon (Grime Kids, C. B. Strike).
In town for the World Premiere of the exuberant and thoroughly entertaining family film Grow, director John McPhail (Anna and The Apocalypse, Dear David) will be joined by stars Golda Rosheuvel (Bridgerton, Eye For An Eye), Jane Horrocks (Little Voice, Cabaret), Dominic McLaughlin (HBO’s Harry Potter series), Priya Rose (Young Becky, The Lazarus Project) and Jeremy Swift (Ted Lasso, Snow White).
For the UK Premiere of beautifully performed psychological thriller Islands, star Sam Riley (Maleficent, On The Road) will join director Jan Ole Gerster (Oh Boy!, A Friend Of Mine, Lara), Jack Farthing (Poldark, Spencer) and Stacy Martin (The Brutalist).
The UK Premiere of The Golden Spurtle will see director Constantine Costi (Karakorum, Abduction) in attendance alongside participants from the competitive porridge making documentary including Charlie Miller, the former self-titled Chieftain of the Golden Spurtle.
Attending the Festival are the Competition filmmakers who make up this year’s main competition, TheSean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence. They are: Director Harry Lagoussis (Stratos), Zlatko Burić (Triangle of Sadness, Pusher) and Ella Rumpf (Raw, Tiger Girl) for Novak; Director Jaclyn Bethany (Indigo Valley, The Delta Girl), writer Alex Sarregeorgiou and star Francois Arnaud (The Borgias, I Killed My Mother) for In Transit; Campbell X (Stud Life, Des!re) for Low Rider; Filmmakers Per Bifrost (Autonomous, Giants and the Morning After) & Alexander Rynéus (The Glitter Factory, Giants and the Morning After) for Once You Shall Be One of Those Who Lived Here Long Ago; Director Mas Bouzidi (Flâneur, Four Grooves) for Concessions; Filmmakers Ondine Vinao (Holy Fools, Bottom of a Bottle), Ivy Freeman-Attwood (Bob Marley: One Love, On Point) and Ralph Ineson (The Witch, Fantastic Four) for Two Neighbors; Director Jesse Noah Klein (Shadowboxing, We’re Still Together) for Best Boy; Abdolreza Kahani (A Shrine, which screened in Competition at EIFF 2024, Delighted, Hich), Nima Sadrzadeh Jolgeh (A Shrine) and Gola (Head Over Heels, Tehran 1998) for Mortician; Filmmaker Elliott Tuttle (The Steps, Lina’s Song), Reed Birney (The Menu, House of Cards) and Kieron Moore (Code of Silence, Vampire Academy) for Blue Film; Director Helen Walsh (The Violators, The Gathering), Barry Ward (Jimmy’s Hall, Blood Cells), Lorne Macfadyen (Operation Mincemeat, The Little Stranger) and Liz White (Life on Mars, The Woman in Black) for On the Sea.
Across the wider programme, director Nadia Fall attends Brides alongside performers Ebada Hassan and Safiyya Ingar; Director Brendan Canty will attend for his Cork set film Christy; Director Gerard Johnson and star Polly Maberly attend for their darkly hilarious new thriller Odyssey; Director Urska Djukic attends for coming-of-age film Little Trouble Girls; Filmmaker Lucio Castro for the erotic thriller After this Death and Charlie Shackleton for his meta documentary Zodiac Killer Project.
Director Simon Rumley and star Steve Oram bring their unflinching film Crushed to the Festival; Director Julie Pacino and star Cara Seymour bring psychological horror I Live Here Now; Welsh language opera adaptation Fires of the Moon director Christopher Forster will be town; Surviving Earth filmmaker Thea Gajic; Director of the intimate documentary Walk With Me; Heidi Levitt, Directors Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni for their film Cutting Through Rocks; Director Harry Sherriff for darkly comic Misper and timely documentary Put Your Soul On Your Hand and Walk director Sepideh Farsi.
Previously announced guests include Eva Victor (Boys Go To Jupiter, As Of Yet) for the Festival’s opening night film Sorry, Baby. Ben Wheatley (Down Terrace, Free Fire), Noah Taylor (Shine, Vanilla Sky), Alexandra Maria Lara (Rush, Downfall) will attend for the World Premiere of Ben’s Midnight Madness opening night film Bulk.
Paul Sng (Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché, Tish) and Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting, Filth) attending for the World Premiere of Paul’s immersive documentary film Reality Is Not Enough, which will close the Festival on 20 August 2025.
Filmmakers from The Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence will also attend the Festival.
EIFF’s In Conversation strand also features a range of attending major filmmaking talent who will discuss their creative careers to date including legendary editor Thelma Schoonmaker, celebrated filmmaking team Ken Loach, Paul Laverty & Rebecca O’Brien (The Wind That Shakes The Barley; I, Daniel Blake) Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland, Touching the Void, One to One: John & Yoko) speaking with his brother, producer Andrew Macdonald (Trainspotting, Civil War, 28 Years Later), acclaimed filmmakers Nia DaCosta (Candyman, The Marvels) and Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank, American Honey, Cow, Bird) and producer Jeremy Thomas (The Hit, Bad Timing, Naked Lunch).
Edinburgh International Film Festival will run from 14-20 August 2025. Building on EIFF’s reinvigorated vision under new leadership from CEO and Festival Director Paul Ridd and Festival Producer Emma Boa, the Festival will continue to accelerate the discovery of new film talent and engage with audiences, industry members and local, national and international media.
The Festival team aims to create a world-class showcase for independent film and filmmaking talent. Ridd is supported by the EIFF Board, led by Chair Andrew Macdonald of DNA Films, producer of the iconic Edinburgh-based film Trainspotting; and Vice Chair Amy Jackson, producer of BAFTA award-winning indie, Aftersun; as well as Peter Rice, former Chairman of General Entertainment at Disney and President of 21st Century Fox; Teresa Moneo, Former Director of UK Film, Netflix; Isla Macgillivray, Partner at Saffrey; and Romana Ramzan, Producer at Screen Burn Interactive (formerly No Code Studio).
Paul Ridd, CEO & Festival Director said: ‘We are thrilled to be welcoming so many terrific filmmakers and performers from around the world to this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival to celebrate their work with us.
“One of the greatest joys of a film festival is the opportunity for audiences and industry to interact directly with the creatives behind the work shown onscreen, to hear directly about their vision, and to discuss films in a space that is both welcoming and productive.
“Our guest list this year is testament to all the hard work and passion that has gone on behind the scenes here in Edinburgh to make this edition special and to celebrate this wonderful medium in style.’
Small and medium businesses get a seat at the table
The contribution of Scottish SMEs to the UK’s national security was recognised during a roundtable held on Thursday at Edinburgh’s Queen Elizabeth House, chaired by Defence Minister Lord Coaker following his visit to the Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo.
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) take part in Government roundtable in Edinburgh, discussing how defence can boost growth in Scotland.
Chaired by UK Defence Minister Lord Coaker, the roundtable follows the MoD’s commitment to spend £7.5 billion with SMEs by 2028.
Scotland is at the heart of UK’s defence industry, keeping the UK safe at home and strong abroad, delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.
The Minister met with representatives from eight companies, from Stirling to Forfar, to discuss their innovative work that helps keeps the country safe.
Ahead of the upcoming Defence Industrial Strategy, the government has announced the intent to increase spending with SMEs by £2.5 billion over the next three years, reversing the fall that was recorded before last year’s election.
This government’s commitment to SMEs recognises the vital role they play at all levels within the defence supply-chain – both directly and indirectly –with a total of £7.5 billion to be spent with SMEs by 2028.
Defence Minister Lord Coaker said: “It was fantastic to meet many innovative Scottish companies who play a crucial role in strengthening our national security, boosting growth and providing jobs in their local communities.
“Businesses in Scotland will be among those who can benefit from the £2.5 billion increase in SME spending that we will deliver, helping drive defence as an engine for economic growth – as we deliver on our Plan for Change.
“As well as being home to thousands of military personnel and major bases, defence is a key driver for renewal in Scotland, with latest statistics showing that the MOD spends more than £2 billion a year with the defence sector in Scotland, supporting nearly 12,000 industry jobs.”
Scottish Secretary, Ian Murray said: “We are proud of Scotland’s defence sector and we will always stand up for the industry and workforce.
“The UK Government’s historic uplift in defence spending will see a huge defence dividend for Scotland which will help ensure Britain’s security, deter our adversaries and drive economic growth for years to come as part of our Plan for Change.
“Through events such as today’s roundtable we are working closely with industry and supply chains to maximise Scotland’s defence dividend. Our new Brand Scotland campaign will seek to build on that success and help the sector export its world class technology around the world.”
Programmes including the multi-billion pound redevelopment programme for His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde will also create skilled jobs – including for small and medium size firms – to boost the economy while addressing the critical skills gaps facing the country.
As outlined in the Strategic Defence Review, the private sector, including small and medium businesses, are key to unlocking defence innovation, giving the UK and its allies the fighting edge.
The upcoming Defence Industrial Strategy will provide further detail into future collaboration between Government and industry across the UK.
POLICE are appealing for information following a series of linked high-value car thefts across Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Lothians and Borders.
Between Tuesday, 15 July, and Thursday, 7 August, several vehicles, including BMWs, Audis and a Mini were stolen from various residential addresses.
Details of the thefts are as follows:
Polwarth Terrace, Edinburgh – Between 2am and 3am on Tuesday, 15 July, a white BMW M340i, registration EH10 JEN and a black/red Mini Clubman, registration, EA20 SXT were stolen. Incident 0781 of 15 July
The Orchard, Berwick-upon-Tweed – Between 8pm on Monday, 4 August, and 7.30am on Tuesday, 5 August, a white BMW X3, registration VGZ 4001 was stolen. Incident 0632 of 5 August.
Matthews Drive, Newtongrange, Midlothian – Between 11.30pm on Tuesday, 5 August, and 12.30am on Wednesday, 6 August, black Audi A6, registration RE59 TKA, and a black Audi Q5, registration KS20 KNA, were stolen. Incident 0923 of 6 August.
Norman McLeod Crescent, Glasgow – Between 11.30pm on Tuesday, 5 August, and 12.30am on Wednesday, 6 August, a grey BMW M4, registration SF25 JJK and a grey BMW M3 Competition, registration SH23 WXT, were taken. Incident 0365 and 0358 of 6 August.
Gilsland Grange, North Berwick – Between 1am and 2am on Thursday, 7 August, a grey Audi RS3, registration EJ18 WGO, was stolen. Incident 0503 of 7 August.
Detective Sergeant Will Dickson said: “Extensive enquiries are ongoing to trace those responsible for these thefts and recover the stolen cars.
“Our investigation so far suggests that the cars may be in the Edinburgh area, although they could be displaying cloned or false number plates.
“If you’ve seen any cars matching the make and model of those described in your area and believe them to be out of place, or noticed any suspicious activity in relation to them, please get in touch.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting the relevant incident number or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The first semi-final, held on Saturday 2 August, saw Cup holders Kingussie progress after a dominant performance against Fort William at Bught Park in Inverness. Kingussie, who reached the semis with a 5–0 win over Beauly, showed their strength once again in their campaign to retain the title for a fourth consecutive year.
Attention now turns to the second semi-final this coming weekend as Newtonmore face Oban Camanachd today (Saturday 9 August) at An Aird, Fort William.
Newtonmore overcame a shock early setback in their quarter-final away to Inveraray, eventually running out 4-1 winners, while their semi-final opponents Oban Camanachd cruised into the last four with a 5-0 win over Lovat.
Live coverage of the Newtonmore v Oban Camanachd semi-final will start on BBC ALBA at 4pm with BBC Spòrs presenter Allan Macleod, and commentator, Derek Mackay.
BBC ALBA will also broadcast the showpiece event in the shinty calendar, the Camanachd Cup final, live from Inverness, on Saturday 20 September.
Fiona MacKenzie, BBC ALBA commissioning editor, said: “Shinty is an integral part of Scotland’s sporting and cultural identity, and the Camanachd Cup is the trophy most top teams covet more than any other.
“These fixtures promise to showcase the sport at its best and provide a fantastic opportunity to bring the excitement and passion of the game to a wider audience across the country – and beyond.”
Watch Saturday’s first semi-final live or on demand on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer:
Sunflowers, seashells and caterpillars are ranked the top ‘wonders of the world’ according to Scottish children.
But around 1 in 5 children under the age of 10 in Scotland have sight conditions that can get in the way of all that wonder.
Specsavers launch museum-style exhibit in Edinburgh showcasing these everyday wonders to highlight the importance of childhood eye checks.
FOR ADULTS, there are seven wonders of the world, but in children’s eyes, there are seven million.Sunflowers (60%), seashells (54%) and rocks (40%) top the list of Scottish children’s ‘wonders of the world’ according to a new study.
Other everyday wonders which stop Scots children in their tracks include caterpillars (37%), puddles (29%), and diggers (9%).
To highlight just how crucial good eyesight is for children to experience all this wonder, Specsavers has created a Wonders film and launched museum-style exhibits across the UK.
Each installation in Edinburgh, London, Manchester, Belfast and Cardiff features a ‘wonder’ chosen by a local child.
These include a life-sized digger, a perfectly imperfect rock, a carefully collected seashell, a curly caterpillar and a colourful sunflower.
The first Children’s ‘Wonders of the World’ exhibitions celebrate children’s natural curiosity and remind parents how important good eyesight is for kids to keep exploring the everyday wonders around them.
“Children see the world in a way adults often forget – full of magic, mystery and wonder,” says Professor Sam Wass, a child psychologist and neuroscientist.
“Good vision is essential to this journey of discovery. It helps children explore, ask questions and learn through play, all of which are essential to children’s development.”
Research among over 380 six and seven-year-olds reveals the places where children are most likely to spot their top wonders – with the beach (71%), the garden (44%), the park (29%) and even the journey to school (41%) ranking highest.
More than a quarter(26%) of the 600 parents surveyed said this happens on average five times a day, totalling 1,825 moments of wonder per year. Nearly a quarter (24%) report often being late because their child is busy inspecting an object. That’s 156 million times annually that parents are delayed because of their children discovering wonders.
Nonetheless, over two thirds (70%) of parents said they would be concerned if their child stopped pointing out these everyday wonders.
As a result, a quarter (25%) said this would be among the reasons they would book an eye test for their child, as well as if they were struggling to read or write (43%) or rubbing their eyes frequently (38%).
Sarah Joyce, Director of Optometry at Specsavers, says: “Being able to see clearly is vital to children as they learn about the world – around 80% of learning in school is visual.
“But around one in five children under the age of 10 have sight conditions that can get in the way of all that wonder[1].
“Conditions such as long- or short-sightedness, astigmatism or a squint can often be treated more effectively if they are picked up early, so regular eye tests from the age of around four are essential or sooner if you think they are having any problems.
“The great news is, for children under 16, the NHS will cover the full cost of the eye test.”
To find out more or to book an eye check for your child visit:
ROLL WITH IT – OASIS REUNION CELEBRATED WITH SAUAGE ROLLS
In a delightful nod to Oasis’ triumphant return to the stage, Make it Scotch encouraged fans to ‘Roll with it’ with Specially Selected Pork sausage rolls yesterday afternoon (Friday, 8th August).
As fans queued up for the highly anticipated reunion gig, they were treated to free sausage rolls and Oasis-inspired bucket hats, ensuring they wouldn’t “Look Back in Hanger.”
The excitement was electric as fans held up their savoury treats and donned their new hats, all set against the backdrop of the iconic Murrayfield stadium. This fun and light-hearted activation brought smiles and satisfaction, making the wait for the concert even more memorable.
Be sure to catch more of these moments shared by @makeitscotch on their social media channels.
To find out more about Specially Selected Pork, Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb, visit: makeitscotch.com.
