Campaigners from Abolish the Guga Hunt scaled the side of the NatureScot offices in Inverness and chained themselves to the roof at around 4am on Friday.

Animal rights activists dressed as gannets have tucked in to spend the night on top of a Government building in the Highlands following a dramatic protest against Scotland’s controversial guga hunt.

Campaigners from Abolish the Guga Hunt scaled the side of the NatureScot offices in Inverness and chained themselves to the roof at around 4am on Friday. Earlier today the Record shared a video of two men climbing to the highest ridge above the building’s inclined glass roof as they unfurled a banner reading “Abolish the Guga Hunt”.

A model of a battered and bloodied baby gannet – known locally as a “guga” – was also placed beside them on the roof. The activists appeared to have locked themselves in place and said they intended to continue the protest for as long as possible, adding: “We will stay here for days if we have to.”

Those on the roof have now settled in for the night as they shared footage of them getting cosy on Friday night. In the latest clip, one of the activists said: “So we’re just settling in for our first night on the roof of NatureScot. We’ve been up here for 15 hours so far. As you can see we have our fairy lights set up, we’ve got an incredible view.”

He continued: “We will do a post in the morning. Have to say we have been treated really well, the police have been amazing. Everyone we’ve dealt with has been amazing. I think everyone knows what we are fighting here is absolutely horrendous and has to stop – and has to stop now. Thanks for everyone’s support.”

NatureScot said this afternoon that the building had been closed for the rest of the day for “staff safety”. Police Scotland also confirmed that officers were in attendance with fire crews assisting officers also bring a high reach vehicle to the scene. The protest is aimed at highlighting the annual hunting of young gannets on the remote island of Sula Sgeir, about 40 miles north of the Butt of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.

Each year, a small group of men from the Ness area of the Isle of Lewis travel to the uninhabited North Atlantic island to harvest young gannets under a special licence granted by NatureScot. The centuries-old tradition is allowed despite the birds being otherwise protected under wildlife laws. Campaigners say they want the Scottish Government to end the exemption.

Campaigner Jamie Moyes said the protest aimed to raise public awareness of the tradition. He said: “We have taken this action to increase public awareness of the plight of the poor baby gannets who reside on Sula Sgeir and are mercilessly slaughtered annually by the men of Ness due to the licence that is issued by NatureScot.

“This licence circumvents the laws that protect these birds from every other human on the planet. The men of Ness say this is part of their cultural heritage and should be preserved in the name of tradition, but we say hiding behind such excuses should not be tolerated in 2026.”

Robbie Kernahan, NatureScot’s Director of Green Economy, said: “We are aware of the protestors at NatureScot’s Great Glen House office. The building has been closed for the day for staff safety. This and previous vandalism incidents are mainly affecting our staff as they try to do their everyday jobs. There’s also increasing cost to taxpayers for repairs and increased security. NatureScot continues to open to be conversation about our work. The actions of protesters today is not, unfortunately, open or fair discussion.”

Last November, a petition was lodged by wildlife photographer Rachel Bigsby with the Scottish Parliament calling for changes to Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to remove the power to grant licences allowing the hunt. The petition has closed to 50,000 signatures.

Activists claim the chicks are killed in front of their parent birds and have branded the practice “disgusting” and “morally wrong”. However, supporters say the hunt is a long-standing cultural tradition in the Hebrides and is carried out under strict limits.

Robbie Kernahan added: “We understand there are strong feelings about the guga hunt, and that some people will disagree with it taking place. The hunt is recognised in law under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which makes specific provision for the granting of a licence for the purpose of providing food for human consumption in relation to the gannets on the Island of Sula Sgeir.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were made aware of two men on the roof of a building in the Leachkin Road area of Inverness on Friday morning, 20 March, 2026. Officers are in attendance.”

A Scottish Fire and Rescue spokesperson said: “We were called to assist emergency service partners at an incident on Leachkin Road, Inverness at 10.12am on Friday, 20 March. Operations Control mobilised one appliance and a high reach vehicle to the scene, where crews remain in attendance.”

You can sign the gannet petition started by Protect the Wild here.

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National Highway are undertaking maintenance on the A64 between Welburn and the A168 Pickering interchange.

A spokesperson for National Highways said: “We are repairing damaged sections of the carriageway, removing trees affected by ash dieback and drainage works.

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“The A64 will be closed in both directions between A1237 (Hopgrove) and A169 (Pickering) overnight, 8pm-5am, from March 19-23.

“The Eastbound diversion will be via the A1237, A19, A170, A169 and A64, Westbound traffic follows the same route in reverse.

“This diversion is suitable for all vehicles, including HGVs. We’ll maintain access for residents and businesses throughout.

“Please allow extra time for your journey if travelling during these hours.

“Please remember that closures can change at short notice. You can check the latest information on our daily closures page or find live travel information on our Traffic England site. Our travel alerts give details of live incidents on our network.”

Around 700 dogs and cats have been rescued in a massive Los Angeles County animal welfare operation.

The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control said it served a search warrant in Lake Hughes, California, Friday morning “for violation of animal welfare laws.”

An estimated 400 dogs and 300 cats were on the property and needed to be rescued, according to local officials. The Department of Animal Care and Control said it was the “largest number of dogs and cats” that it “has ever seized and may be the largest case ever in the United States.”

The animals were in the custody of Christine De Anda of Rock N Pawz Rescue, authorities said. It’s unclear whether any charges have been filed in connection with the rescue operation.

The Independent has reached out to Rock N Pawz for comment.

More than 70 animal care and control staff raced to rescue the animals with the help of spcaLA, Pasadena Humane and Kern County Animal Services.

“We’re working alongside DACC and partner agencies with a shared focus on getting these animals to safety and providing them with the care they need,” Pasadena Humane told The Independent. “As this ongoing effort unfolds, we are prepared to provide support in whatever way best serves the animals involved.”

Representatives from the Los Angeles County Departments of Public Works, Public Health and Regional Planning were also at the property for other alleged violations.

The Department of Animal Care and Control said in its press release posted on Facebook around 8 a.m. local time that the animals were being “triaged on site by veterinary medical staff.”

Animals in need of emergency care will be immediately taken to veterinary hospitals, and others will be taken to the department’s animal care centers, the press release said.

The department is experienced in these types of rescue operations.

In 2017, animal specialists rescued more than 100 venomous snakes and reptiles from an “animal hoarding situation,” the department said. In another operation that same year, the department rescued more than 7,000 birds during what it called the “largest illegal cockfighting raid in U.S. history.”

With the massive influx of dogs and cats from Friday’s operation, the department is working with rescue groups and other animal welfare agencies to transfer pets ready for adoption to make room for the rescued animals.

“We are urgently requesting the public’s help to support the rescue and rehabilitation of these dogs and cats,” said Marcia Mayeda, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control.

In a follow-up Facebook post, the department asked for help with the rescued animals’ medical care, housing and other support they may need, urging the public to donate to the LA County Animal Care Foundation.

Mary Black opened the show singing before she then talked about her journey through music and her daughter performed

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The Late Late show opened with honoured guest, Irish folk singer Mary Black performing Katie. The programme’s X account called it a “stunning performance”.

In a special episode, 70-year-old folk icon Mary Black was honoured for her contribution to Irish music, performing several of her hits, including Katie.

Mary then sat down with host Patrick Kielty and discussed her career including the evolution of women in music, working with her late friend Delores Keane who sadly passed away this week, and fond memories of her past.

The programme shot to comedian and actor Steve Martin, who in 2009 featured Mary on one track of his album, The Crow: New Songs for the 5-string banjo.

READ MORE: PSNI appeal for man last seen in Belfast five days agoREAD MORE: New childcare support will save defence families up to £4,700 a year in Northern Ireland

Steve said: “Her music was so important to me, it has made me love Irish music.”

The queen of Irish folk music was then joined on stage by her son and daughter, Corona’s frontman Danny O’Reilly and singer, Róisín O. Mary’s other son Connor, was watching his siblings on the show.

Roisin, who later took to the stage herself, said: “I remember being in the crowd and the kids were looking up really impressed. I thought that these kids really think my mum is cool, and I walked up on stage to hold her hand as if to say, this is my mum.”

Danny said: “People thought my mum was pushing me into music but she was asking me how the football was going?“When she was home, she was fully in mum mode. She would be cooking and dropping us off at school. We had the best of both worlds, we got to grow up and see her career, it was amazing.”

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The DWP has confirmed any changes to Personal Independence Payment will not be applied until after a comprehensive review has been completed this Autumn, with an interim report due before then

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently confirmed any changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will not be applied until after a “comprehensive review” of the disability benefit has been completed this autumn. However, the DWP announced recently an interim report will be issued before that time.

The DWP also confirmed eligibility for the mobility part of PIP will be reviewed alongside the daily living element, as part of the UK Government’s welfare reforms. Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms is co-producing the review with disabled groups and charities.

PIP claimants awarded the higher rate of the PIP mobility component can transfer some or all of the payment to lease a new car, wheelchair-accessible vehicle, scooter or powered wheelchair through the Motability Scheme.

The latest figures from Motability Operations – the company behind the life-changing Motability Scheme – show there are now 815,000 customers across the UK, including nearly 88,000 living in Scotland.

Recent data from DWP shows some 37 per cent of all 3.9 million claimants were in receipt of the enhanced rate of the daily living component and mobility component at the end of January, reports the Daily Record.

Five most-claimed PIP conditions

Below are the five most-claimed PIP conditions with the percentage of claimants receiving the enhanced rates of the daily living and mobility components.

Psychiatric disorder

• Daily living and mobility component – 42%
• Daily living component only – 69%
• Mobility component only – 46%

Musculoskeletal disease (general)

• Daily living and mobility component – 26%
• Daily living component only – 34%
• Mobility component only – 45%

Neurological disease

• Daily living and mobility component – 51%
• Daily living component only – 58%
• Mobility component only – 72%

Musculoskeletal disease (regional)

• Daily living and mobility component – 20%
• Daily living component only – 27%
• Mobility component only – 45%

Respiratory disease

• Daily living and mobility component – 31%
• Daily living component only – 37%
• Mobility component only – 57%

During a recent oral questions session in Parliament, the DWP was asked to “consider the benefits to which PIP is a gateway, such as Motability, disability premiums, Council Tax discounts and Blue Badges”.

Sir Stephen Timms was also urged to “promise at least that those entitlements could come down”.

He said: “We have made it clear that we will co-produce our review of the PIP assessment with disabled people and representatives of disability organisations.

“The review will cover the assessment for the mobility component, which leads on to the Motability scheme, and other entitlements to which PIP is a gateway.”

There are currently over three million Blue Badge permit holders across the UK, including over 235,700 in Scotland.

Other benefits which can be accessed with a PIP award

Whilst you may not be eligible for any or all of these benefits, it’s worth checking to ensure you are not missing out on additional support.

• Access to Work
• Blue Badge
• Carer’s Allowance / Carer Support Payment
• Carer’s Credit
• Christmas Bonus
• Council Tax Reduction
• Employment and Support Allowance – only if you get the PIP daily living component
• Housing Benefit
• Income Support‎
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Pension Credit – only if you get the PIP daily living component
• Universal Credit

You can read the full PIP guide on GOV.UK.

Manchester United were forced to settle for a point at Bournemouth – despite leading on two occasions – after Harry Maguire was shown a straight red for a foul in the area

Furious Michael Carrick branded the penalty decisions “mental” and “astonishing” after Harry Maguire was sent off as Manchester United were held at Bournemouth.

United boss Carrick was angry that his side were not given a penalty for Adrien Truffert’s challenge on Amad Diallo before Bournemouth raced up the other end to score.

Maguire also got his marching orders for a challenge on Evanilson which then gifted Junior Kroupi the chance to equalise from the spot as United twice blew the lead.

But Carrick was angry at what he saw as the inconsistencies of the penalty decisions by referee Stuart Attwell with Matheus Cunha getting an award after Alex Jimenez’s challenge.

READ MORE: Man Utd told why VAR allowed controversial Bournemouth goal after Amad penalty decisionREAD MORE: Man Utd held by Bournemouth as Harry Maguire goes from hero to villain – 5 talking points

Carrick fumed: “For him [Stuart Atwell] to give one penalty and not the other… I find it crazy. I cannot understand it. Mental. It’s astonishing. One of them must be wrong.

“A big opportunity to go 2-0 up and we get one penalty and not the other. It’s exactly the same thing really – a two-handed grab. He’s [referee] got one wrong so, I don’t know which one but he doesn’t give us the second one.

“I think they’re both penalties and it’s a massive moment in the game and it ended up chaos after that. Massive moment and I don’t understand how you can give one and not the other – it’s crazy.

“It’s as obvious as you can get – you’ve already given one so to not give the other one. It’s clear, if that’s what he believes is a penalty to start with then the second one has to be. I don’t understand how you can’t give that.

“And then the goal and after that it was chaos. I was really pleased when we went to 10 men we saw the game out and took a point that’s a real positive.

“In the end the way it went you can lose those games so to take a point int he end we’ll take that but disappointed not to take all three.”

Meanwhile, Carrick confirmed that United are hoping to agree new deals for Maguire and also Kobbie Mainoo who received England recalls for the friendlies with Uruguay and Japan.

Carrick added: “It’s contract negotiations with all players are ongoing. You hope whatever that is it gets done in the right way, they’ve both been great and back in the England squad.”

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UK forces have joined a military operation with the French navy in the Mediterranean to seize an oil tanker, alleged to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet.

British patrol boat HMS Cutlass monitored the Deyna, a Mozambique-flagged vessel, and supported the French operation on Friday by providing tracking information and imagery near the Strait of Gibraltar.

Defence Secretary John Healey said: “Disrupting, deterring and degrading Russia’s shadow fleet – and starving Putin’s war machine of funds – is a priority for this government.”

Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of vessels is used to carry oil and goods around the world to avoid sanctions on Moscow following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Deyna is sanctioned by the UK and the European Union for its role in shipping Russian oil.

French President Emmanuel Macron said in a post on X: “These vessels, which evade international sanctions and violate the law of the sea, are profiteers of war.

“They line their pockets while helping finance Russia’s war effort. We will not allow it.”

A Western military source told Reuters that the tanker was carrying Russian crude oil, while the news agency also quoted local officials who said it was suspected of flying a false flag.

The vessel, which had sailed from the Russian ​port of Murmansk, was escorted to an anchorage point ​for further inspection, the French military said.

The maritime tracking website, vesselfinder.com, said it was heading towards Port Said, Egypt, and was intercepted off the coast of Algeria.

The shipping industry has accused shadow fleet vessels of being poorly maintained, ageing tankers with dubious insurance or safety certification cover.

Read more from Sky News:
Gas tanker adrift in Med poses threat
Analysis: Dark ships and shadow fleets
‘Russian shadow fleet’ tanker seized

Friday’s military operation is the latest sign of the UK’s co-operation with allies.

In January, British forces helped the US seize the oil tanker Marinera in the Atlantic, and France intercept another sanctioned ship, the Grinch, in the western Mediterranean.

While European sanctions remain in place, the US has temporarily eased sanctions on ⁠the sale of Russian oil as the Middle East war ⁠disrupts oil supplies and boosts prices.

Moscow has previously called the seizure of its tankers, or ‌vessels carrying its cargoes, an act of piracy.

It is also worth noting that the vaccine protection is very good, but not perfect. Dr Bharat Pankhania, senior clinical lecturer in public health medicine at the University of Exeter Medical School, said the vaccine offers about 70-90% protection against the most common forms of menB meningococcal disease, and about 50-70% protection against the most invasive forms.

Linfield suffered a second league defeat in three games as any lingering title hope now appears lost

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Linfield’s Premiership title hopes look dead in the water following a disastrous defeat away to Carrick Rangers. David Healy’s men are now 11 points behind leaders Larne – who are five clear of second placed Glentoran – after Friday night’s action.

Linfield suffered a second league defeat in three games as any lingering title hope now appears lost.

They had defender Darragh Leahy red-carded for a last-man foul on 36 minutes before Matthew Olosunde put Carrick ahead at Taylor’s Avenue.

Luke McCullough made it 2-0 to seal all three points and leave Linfield miles off the top, with only five games left to play in the league.

Elsewhere, a two goal blast inside a six-minute second half spell sent Larne on their way to victory away to Glenavon – and moved them five points clear at the of the table in the process.

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Goals from Paul O’Neill and Leroy Millar just after the hour gave them the platform, before Andy Ryan struck with the final kick of the game to see off relegation-threatened Glenavon on their own patch.

It’s now four wins in a row for the Invermen, as they continue to build momentum again after their wobble last month.

Gary Haveron’s men will now watch with interest as the two teams immediately below them in the table – Glentoran and Coleraine – go head-to-head at the Oval, in the final round of games before ‘the Split’ when the top six sides face each other in the final five games.

Glenavon came into this one buoyed with three wins in the last five Premiership outings, which culminated in last week’s 3-0 victory away to Crusaders, which saw the Lurgan Blues climb off the foot of the table at the expense of the North Belfast outfit.

Larne began the game brightly and caused the home side twice in the opening five minutes.

Andy Ryan got in behind the Glenavon defence on the left flank and flashed a dangerous ball across the face of goal for striker partner Paul O’Neill, but he couldn’t get enough of a telling touch to poke it past Jacob Carney, with Luke McGerrigan able to clear.

Soon afterwards Ryan himself threatened with a headed effort, which Carney got back to claw out just in time.

Carney was called into action to keep his side level with an even more impressive stop on 27 minutes. Ryan’s cross from the left found O’Neill 15 yards out and he took a touch before unleashing a powerful right-footed drive with former Man United youngster Carney keeping it out with a strong palm away.

O’Neill was in the thick of the action again on the half hour mark when he capitalised on a Glenavon mistake on the edge of the box, but his attempted pass to slip Leroy Millar in with a clear sight of goal was too heavy and the chance was gone.

It summed up Larne’s frustration in front of goal in the first half, as the league leaders went in search of the all-important opener.

The second half began in much the same fashion, but Larne’s perseverance was rewarded on 62 minutes.

Leroy Millar picked up the ball on the right flank, before cutting back inside to curl in a great cross which was met by the head of Paul O’Neill, who steered the ball past Carney.

The second of the quickfire doubled arrived six minutes later as Leroy Millar grabbed a goal.

From a cross into the box Millar’s wayward header looked to be drifting out of play until Andy Ryan’s quick thinking retrieved possession and squared for Millar to lash home from eight yards out.

This helped to take the sting out of the contest massively as both managers looked to their bench in the closing stages.

There was still time for Andy Ryan to have the final say. He was on hand to finish off a flowing move which saw him tap in from a Leroy Millar cross.

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Alexander Isak will be fit for Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain – but Arne Slot has warned he is only likely to be a substitute.

Slot, though, believes Liverpool might see Isak at close to his best by the end of this season after the £125m man has had a negligible impact in his first season at Anfield.

Isak has only scored three goals in 17 appearances since his move from Newcastle and has been sidelined since December with a broken leg, necessitating surgery on his lower ankle.

He will sit out Sweden’s World Cup qualifiers in the international break and Slot does not believe the striker will be back in contention for the FA Cup quarter-final at Manchester City on 3 April.

Slot feels he could make his comeback in the Parc des Princes four days later. “He will available [for PSG], yes,” he said.

“The question is what you mean around ‘ready’. If you want to have the player who played exactly a year ago against us in the Carabao Cup final, and was too good for us on that day, then I would tell you I have my doubts about that after seven or eight months out.

“But I expect that I can use him for minutes. Exactly what I get from that I cannot tell you because he hasn’t trained with the team even once.

“He still is not able to train with the team and he hasn’t been able to train with the team and usual rehab is before you start to train with the team and then you play games. You don’t, after one training session, play 45 minutes or 90 minutes.”

Slot is convinced Liverpool need not worry that Isak will return to his peak at Anfield and, after often lamenting missed chances this season, feels their results would have been better had Isak been fit.

“It is 100 per cent sure fans will see the best of him next season and we are trying to make sure that we will see close to the best or the best of him this season. I am just as excited as the fans to have him back because I think it is fair to say that 90 per cent of our games, we’ve had more chances than the other team, so if we had one of the best strikers in the world playing for you then that would have usually, usually, meant that you would have had more points.”