Society West Dunbartonshire is the council area with the fastest average broadband speed in Scotland. It is also the third fastest in the UK. The slowest areas in Scotland, and indeed the UK as a whole, include Orkney, Shetland, Argyll and Bute, and Moray. Source: Which?
Nearly 50% of cohabiting couples wrongly assume that they have the same rights as married couples. They actually have no general legal status. Source: National Centre for Social Research.
The number of Brits who identity as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) has risen from 1.5% to 2% of the population in five years – some 1.1m people. In the age group from 16 to 24 years old, 4.2% identify as LGB. Source: Office for National Statistics.
Economy The number of people in work in the UK has reached a record high of 32.54m. From September to November, the number of unemployed increased slightly by 8,000 to 1.37m, but the number of job vacancies increased by 10,000 to a record high of 853,000. Source: Office for National Statistics.
People who work in finance are taking more days off work due to stress now than they did in the aftermath of the 2008 banking crisis. Source: Fox & Partners.
MI5, Lloyds Banking Group and Cheshire Fire and Rescue have been named among the best employers for LGBT people in the UK. Top of the list is law firm Pinsent & Masons. Source: Stonewall.
Glasgow-based retailer Quiz have announced a second profit warning in three months. Instead of realising an estimated profit of £11.5m, it has revised this figure down to £8.2m. Source: Quiz.
Education In the past four years, Glasgow City Council has dealt with 10 instances of cockroaches infesting school buildings. All schools affected were located in the south of the city. Source: EIS.
Last year, the number of children learning to play musical instruments fell dramatically as a result of 25 out of 32 councils starting to charge for lessons. The new cost of lessons were as much as £524. Source: Scottish Government.
A university in Leicester is having a two-day digital detox this week. All of its nine social media channels will be switched off in an effort to highlight how damaging over-use can be to mental health. Source: De Montford University.
Science An AI system has been developed which can spot issues from chest x-rays. The new technology could cut waiting times for results from 11 days to less than three. Source: Warwick University.
Drones could be used at night to locate and fix potholes. Having located a crack or hole, they would then fill it in with 3D-printed asphalt. It is hoped that by 2050 the UK could have self-repairing cities. Source: University of Leeds.
A Sehuencas water frog called Romeo, once thought to be the last of his species, has found a potential mate after 10 years of isolation. Juliet was one of five Sehuencas water frogs found in a remote Bolivian cloud forest. They will be treated against a disease called Chytridiomycosis, which is responsible for the desolation of amphibians worldwide. Source: Museo de Historia Natural ‘Alcide d’Orbigny’.
Health Military veterans struggling with mental health issues wait an average of four years before seeking help. Some 30% don’t seek any support at all. Source: Help for Heroes.
Women who freeze their eggs should be able to do so for longer than the currently recommended, and legislated, 10 years. Eggs can now be frozen without deterioration for an indeterminate length of time. Source: Progress Educational Institute.
Around 300,000 adults and children in the UK have Tourette’s syndrome. It is not clear what causes the neurological condition. Source: Tourettes Action.
Recreation The Little Bakery in Dumfries has been named overall winner at the World Scotch Pie Championships. Source: BBC.
Whatsapp is preventing its users from sharing messages more than five tmes in an attempt to stop the spread of fake news. Users could previously share an item 20 times. Source: Whatsapp.
Oddities This year’s must-have toy is tipped to be the Pets Alive Bobbi – a robotic, twerking llama. Bobbi will be available in shops from June and will cost £25. Source: The Toy Fair, Olympia London.
