Also in the news / Also in the news 10 February 2026
- Fuel poverty panel appointment
- Daggri still out of service
- Safer internet day
- Shetland link to Oregon book group
- Quarry extension consultation
- MSP’s salmon death concern
- Media awards
HJALTLAND Housing Association chief executive Bryan Leask has been appointed to Scotland’s Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel.
The independent statutory panel scrutinises the Scottish Government’s progress towards meeting Scotland’s fuel poverty targets, including the goal that no more than five per cent of households should be living in fuel poverty by 2040.
It also examines how effectively policies and programmes are addressing the four key drivers of fuel poverty: poor energy efficiency, low household income, high fuel costs and how energy is used in the home.
Leask, who also chairs the Scottish Rural and Islands Fuel Poverty Action Group, said: “Fuel poverty affects health, dignity, and life chances, and its impacts are felt most acutely in remote, rural, and island communities where higher wind speeds and a more challenging environment, along with poorly insulated housing, and limited alternatives to expensive fuels, lead to higher energy costs and combine to deepen inequality.
“With the right mix of targeted investment, improved housing standards, and appropriate energy solutions, we have a real opportunity to deliver warmer homes, fairer energy costs, and more resilient communities across Scotland.”
THE YELL ferry Daggri remains out of service due to a fault, with the route covered by a single vessel.
The fault with one of her control modules was discovered on Wednesday last week.
The service is currently running to the shift vessel timetable, with bookings available.
Shetland Islands Council has also said that the Bluemull Sound route will run to a single vessel service from tomorrow (Wednesday) until Saturday 21 February, two days longer than expected. This is due to dry dock issues.
THE SAFE and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) is a theme of this year’s Safer Internet Day.
Shetland Public Protection Committee (SPPC) organises events throughout the year, including internet safety sessions, youth conferences in Shetland schools, and Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) training.
This year the committee has also developed an AI debating tool, shared with local primary schools, to stimulate discussion among young people around the pros and cons.
SPPC chair Lindsay Tulloch said: “This Safer Internet Day 2026, we encourage young people and communities to use the internet and AI safely, responsibly, and with respect for others.
“Digital spaces should be places where everyone feels confident to learn, create, and connect without fear of harm.”
Educational resources for Safer Internet Day 2026 are available for parents, carers, young people and professionals working with children and young people of different ages at the UK Safer Internet Centre website.
IT IS not very often something links Shetland, South Africa and Oregon in the US – but a book group in the States has done just that.
Jean McGonigle said her reading group in Astoria, Oregon recently picked A Midwife in Africa by local writer Mona McAlpine.
“The memoir took us back to the news of the extreme racial unrest of the twentieth century and we discussed the impact of apartheid and its legal regulation of race,” McGonigle said.
“Despite the tensions and violence of living there including a huge loss of life due to the Aids epidemic, the author chooses not to return to her home in the Shetland Islands and continues her work as a midwife helping pregnant women, birthing infants and assisting new mothers of differing races.”
TWO consultation events are taking place in the coming weeks over Shetland Islands Council’s proposed extension to the Scord quarry.
Meetings with a public display of the proposals will take place at the Scalloway Public Hall, from 3pm to 8pm, on Monday 23 February and Monday 2 March.
HIGHLANDS and Islands Green MSP Ariane Burgess says she has challenged the Scottish Government on why salmon farms do not have to report when their farmed fish die.
She said inspectors found that more than 400,000 dead fish were never reported in 2025 across 27 different incidents.
Burgess, who supports a stop on new salmon farms or the expansion of existing ones, said: “Companies tell their business owners when fish die at their hands, but they hide the truth from the government and public by calling dead fish ‘culls’ instead of admitting the fish died from being sick.”
FORMER Shetland Times reporter Daniel Shailer scooped four prizes at last weekend’s Highlands and Islands media awards.
He won in the journalist of the year, features, business and young journalist categories.
Shetland News had four nominations in total – one of for website of the year, two for reporter Ryan Nicolson and one for his colleague Chris Cope.
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