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  • ‘Serious danger’ if Trump interferes in Fed, says ECB chief – DW – 09/01/2025

    ‘Serious danger’ if Trump interferes in Fed, says ECB chief – DW – 09/01/2025

    US President Donald Trump’s attempts to put pressure on the country’s central bank, the Federal Reserve, pose a “very serious danger for the US economy and the world economy,” the president of the European Central Bank (ECB), Christine Lagarde, said on Monday.

    President Trump has threatened to dismiss Fed Chairman Jerome Powell after repeatedly attacking him for not cutting short-term interest rates, and is also attempting to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook.

    What else did Lagarde say about Trump and the Fed?

    The ECB chief stressed the importance of independence in US monetary policy.

    “If US monetary policy were no longer independent and instead dependent on the dictates of this or that person, then I believe that the effect on the balance of the American economy could, given the effects this would have around the world, be very worrying, because it is the largest economy in the world,” Lagarde told French radio station Radio Classique.

    Nevertheless, she also assessed that it would ultimately be “very difficult” for Trump to take full control of Fed policy.

    “The US Supreme Court, which is largely respected in the country and therefore I hope will be respected by [Trump] as well, has clearly indicated that a Fed governor can only be dismissed in the case of gross misconduct,” Lagarde explained.

    “And you’d have go quite far to be fired for gross misconduct,” she added.

    Lagarde also told said that a ruling on Friday by a US appeals court that most of Trump’s tariffs were illegal had added a “further layer of uncertainty” to the global economic outlook.

    Trump’s move to fire US Fed Governor raises concerns

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    Potential collapse of French government ‘concerning’

    Meanwhile in Europe, economists’ eyes will be on France in the coming weeks where the government of Prime Minister Francois Bayrou is facing a likely defeat in a confidence vote tabled for next Monday in the National Assembly.

    “What I’ve observed in the last six years [as ECB President] is that political developments and moments of political risk have an obvious impact on the economy,” said Lagarde.

    “Any risk of a collapse of government in any country in the Eurozone is concerning,” she warned.

    On the other hand, Lagarde said she was much less worried about the prospect of France having to turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for economic assistance.

    “Countries request IMF intervention in circumstances of serious budgetary deficit or when a country cannot meet its financial obligations,” she explained, but said the French banking system was better placed compared to the 2008 financial crisis.

    “I believe that the French banking system is well capitalized, that it is in better shape than it was during the last major financial crisis, that it is well structured, well supervised, and has responsible players,” she said.

    “I do not believe that the banking system itself is in any way the source of the current risk, but markets, in all circumstances of this nature, assess the risk,” she added.

    Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah

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  • Shubhanshu Shukla Posts Dizzying Video From His Training Days At NASA

    Shubhanshu Shukla Posts Dizzying Video From His Training Days At NASA

    Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has shared a fascinating video of his training inside the Multi Axis Trainer (MAT) at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center for the Ax-4 mission. The video offers a rare peek into the intense preparation astronauts undergo to handle the challenges of spaceflight, showcasing Shukla strapped into a device that spins wildly to simulate the disorienting motions of a spacecraft.

    The Multi Axis Trainer, also called the Mercury Astronaut Trainer, was originally designed to prepare America’s early astronauts for the possibility of their capsule spinning out of control in orbit.

    “This trainer was used to expose the Mercury astronauts to excessive rates in roll, pitch, and yaw should the capsule experience the same in orbit,” Shukla explained. “The aim was to expose the astronauts to such rates so that they can control the space capsule in spite of being under such extreme rates,” he added. The device mimics the chaotic tumbling an astronaut might face, helping them learn to stay focused and in control under extreme conditions.

    ALSO SEE: Shubhanshu Shukla Reunites With His Family After Ax-4 Mission; Shares Pics

    Although the Mercury astronauts never faced such extreme spins during their missions, the training proved its worth later. Shukla shared a gripping story about legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong during the Gemini 8 mission in 1966. When a faulty thruster caused Armstrong’s spacecraft to spin dangerously while attempting to dock with the Agena target vehicle, he relied on his training to take manual control and stabilize the craft. This quick thinking saved the mission and remains a celebrated moment in space history.

    Shukla’s video also gave a glimpse into what it feels like to train in the MAT. Despite its dizzying appearance, the trainer is designed to keep trainees’ stomachs at the center of the motion, which helps prevent motion sickness. “Incidentally, you don’t feel sick in this trainer as your stomach is at the center always,” Shukla noted. However, he warned that closing one’s eyes during the training could cause nausea due to sensory confusion, adding, “not ready to try” that himself.

    ALSO SEE: Welcome Home Shubhanshu Shukla! SpaceX Dragon Splashes Down With Ax-4 Mission Crew


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  • Israel sends tanks deeper in Gaza City, more families flee

    Israel sends tanks deeper in Gaza City, more families flee

    Thousands of mourners attended a funeral at the largest mosque in Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Monday for 12 senior Houthi figures, including their prime minister, who were killed by an Israeli strike. Last Thursday’s attack, the first to kill top officials, struck a large number of people who had gathered to watch a televised speech recorded by top Houthi leader Abdul Malik Al-Houthi, and it left most members of the group’s cabinet dead.
    Mourners chanted the Houthi slogan “God is Great, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews, Victory to Islam,” as Mohammed Miftah, now de facto head of the Iran-aligned government in Sanaa, vowed revenge as well as an internal security crackdown against spies.
    “We are facing the strongest intelligence empire in the world, the one that targeted the government — the whole Zionist entity (comprising) the US administration, the Zionist entity, the Zionist Arabs and the spies inside Yemen,” Miftah told the crowd of mourners at the Al Saleh mosque.
    Miftah became the acting head of the Houthis’ government on Saturday following the death in the Israeli strike of Prime Minister Ahmad Ghaleb Al-Rahwi. Al-Rahwi was largely a figurehead and not part of the inner circle of power.
    Miftah had previously been his deputy. A raid on the United Nations offices in Sanaa on Sunday led to the detention of at least 11 UN personnel, the body said. The Houthis have given no reason for the raid but they have held a number of Yemeni employees of the UN and other aid agencies in the past on suspicion of spying.
    Israel said on Friday its airstrike had targeted the Houthis’ chief of staff, defense minister and other senior officials and that it was verifying the outcome.
    The fate of the Houthis’ powerful defense minister, Mohamed Al-Atifi, who runs the Missiles Brigades Group, remains unclear as he has not made an appearance since the attack.

    THORN IN ISRAEL’S SIDE
    Abdul Malik Al-Houthi, who remains alive, has emerged in recent years as one of Iran’s most prominent Arab allies and an enduring thorn in Israel’s side after it weakened many of its enemies in the region, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
    Since Israel’s war in Gaza against the Palestinian militant group Hamas began in October 2023, the Houthis have attacked vessels in the Red Sea in what they describe as acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.
    The Red Sea attacks have drawn US and Israeli strikes. In May, President Donald Trump said the US would stop bombing the Houthis after a brief campaign, saying the group had agreed to halt interrupting important shipping lanes in the Middle East.
    But the Houthis, one of Iran’s few allies still standing since the Gaza war spilled across the Middle East, vowed to continue attacking Israel and Israeli-linked shipping. The Houthis said on Monday they had launched a missile toward the Liberia-flagged Israeli-owned tanker ‘Scarlet Ray’ ship near Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port city of Yanbu.

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  • Probiotic enhances lovastatin efficacy but high doses pose risks

    Probiotic enhances lovastatin efficacy but high doses pose risks


    A recent study published in Engineering has shed light on the complex interactions between probiotics and drugs, particularly focusing on the effects of the probiotic Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Zhang (LCZ) on the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin.


    The study began with in vitro experiments, in which the researchers observed that LCZ could metabolise lovastatin into its active form, lovastatin hydroxy acid.


    This metabolic conversion suggested that LCZ might enhance the drug’s activity. However, the in vivo experiments in Syrian golden hamsters painted a more nuanced picture.


    The researchers administered various combinations of LCZ and lovastatin to hyperlipidemic hamsters and monitored their health outcomes.


    All in vivo experiments were conducted following the protocols approved by the Inner Mongolia Agricultural University Laboratory Animal Ethical Committee (IACUC-20220007).


    In the in vivo phase, the researchers found that combining LCZ with low-dose lovastatin (2.5 mg/kg) led to a significant reduction in body weight and blood lipid levels, with no adverse effects on liver, kidney or muscle function.


    This combination therapy was more effective than lovastatin alone, indicating that LCZ could enhance the drug’s absorption and efficacy.


    However, when higher doses of lovastatin (10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg) were combined with LCZ, the hamsters exhibited increased mortality rates.


    This suggests that although LCZ can boost lovastatin absorption, it may also exacerbate the drug’s toxicity at higher doses.


    To understand the underlying mechanisms, the researchers analysed the gut microbiota and metabolites of the hamsters.


    They found that LCZ altered the gut metabolite environment, potentially enhancing the solubility and absorption of lovastatin.


    This modulation of the gut environment likely contributed to the increased efficacy observed with low-dose combinations. However, at higher doses, the enhanced absorption led to toxic levels of lovastatin in the bloodstream.


    The study also included a detailed analysis of liver gene expression, revealing that the combination therapy upregulated genes involved in bile acid and drug metabolism.



    This upregulation suggests that the enhanced absorption of lovastatin led to increased metabolic activity in the liver, further supporting the observed therapeutic effects.


    The findings highlight the importance of dose control in probiotic-drug combinations.


    Although LCZ can significantly enhance the efficacy of low-dose lovastatin, the potential for increased toxicity at higher doses underscores the need for careful clinical evaluation.


    The study provides valuable insights into the interactions between probiotics and drugs, emphasising the potential benefits and risks of such combinations.


    Future research should focus on clinical trials to further explore the therapeutic potential and safety of LCZ-lovastatin combinations in humans.


    Additionally, more detailed studies on the gut microbiota and metabolite profiles could help elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying these interactions.


    This research not only contributes to the field of pharmacomicrobiomics but also has important implications for personalised medicine, wherein probiotic interventions could be tailored to optimise drug efficacy and minimise adverse effects.

    • Companies:
    • Inner Mongolia Agricultural University

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  • Colon cancer diagnosis is on the up in Malaga, but so is the survival rate with early detection being key

    Colon cancer diagnosis is on the up in Malaga, but so is the survival rate with early detection being key

    Monday, 1 September 2025, 11:31

    Colorectal cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the province of Malaga, with a total of 1,400 new cases in 2024, followed by breast (1,283), prostate (1,222) and lung (1,088) cancer, according to the observatory of the Spanish association against cancer (AECC). Moreover, this figure has grown by almost 25% in just a decade. At the same time, survival, both in patients in whom this disease is located early and in those who already have metastases, is also on the rise. More than 60% of those diagnosed will manage to overcome it.

    HM Hospitales oncologist Dr Laura Medina has highlighted the “remarkable” increase year after year, usually linked to changes in lifestyle habits. “Every day we are more sedentary. We have less and less healthy lifestyle habits, there is an increasing consumption of refined flour, we eat less vegetables, we move less and that is added to the pace of life we have, with a lot of stress and poor quality rest: there are more and more diagnoses of digestive tumours in general and of colon cancer in particular, including in younger patients,” she warned.

    Dr Medina explained to SUR that the incidence of this cancer is increasing in people under the age of 50, although it is usually associated with older people. According to her, there is “no gene or other alteration” that could explain this, which implies that people’s lifestyles are the culprit.

    The colon is a very long organ, with a right side, a left side and a third transversal side. “Depending on where the tumour is located, we will have certain symptoms or others: we should be alert when we have unjustified abdominal pain, heavy digestion that we did not have before, changes in bowel habits, i.e. constipation or a tendency to diarrhoea or bleeding when we have a bowel movement,” said Dr Laura Medina, adding that these symptoms can be confused with others that are consistent with various diseases such as “irritable bowel syndrome or haemorrhoids – banal symptoms that are also very common; or simply the typical gas that is produced because we eat quickly, because we have bad digestion”. “You have to be alert and, if the symptoms persist, consult a doctor.”

    Prevention

    The best prevention is “to try to eat as varied a diet as possible, with foods rich in fibre, fruit, vegetables and whole grains; to move and exercise; and to reduce stress levels”. When we also avoid tobacco and reduce alcohol consumption, “we could prevent practically 30% of all tumours, including digestive tumours”.

    Dr Medina also remindedd both men and women in Spain that they can be screened for colon cancer. “From the age of 50, everyone should have a faecal occult blood test, which is a very simple test that is done through the GP. If it is positive, a colonoscopy from the age of 50 onwards is recommended,” the oncologist said.

    Mortality rates associated with this common type of tumour are falling, above all thanks to screening and prevention campaigns. “With these early detection techniques, we can detect colon cancer in its early stages and be able to operate on patients. The only proper treatment today is surgery. This means that our patients are living longer and mortality is decreasing,” Dr Medina said.

    Of the patients who undergo a surgery, “practically after five years, 90% are alive and will continue to live; for a patient who is diagnosed with metastasis, the average survival time has gone from 24 to 36 months. We can say that the average is 30 months”. Early detection campaigns, therefore, have ensured that, if the tumour is detected in the early stages, survival is 88%. More than 60% (64% in women and 63% in women) of colorectal cancer patients will survive, according to estimates by the Andalusian society of medical oncology (SAOM).

    Early detection

    As Dr Laura Medina highlighted, this cancer also affects women (535 cases in 2024), although it is somewhat more common in men (865). The major advances involve continuing the work on early detection, which is key to prolonging life and operating early.

    “As for the patients we diagnose with an inoperable disease, nowadays the advances are mainly focused on finding molecules that can serve as specific targets: that is, we try to find mutations in genes that serve as a target, the core of which we attack with drugs.” In addition, there are other types of tumours that have special characteristics that “make them sensitive to immunotherapy”. In any case, the main concern is the decreasing age of those diagnosed. “The average age of the people we treated 20 years ago was 55 years and now, unfortunately, we are treating patients under the age of 40.”

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  • Thousands attend funeral of Houthi leaders killed by Israeli strike, vow revenge

    Thousands attend funeral of Houthi leaders killed by Israeli strike, vow revenge


    THE HAGUE: The world’s leading genocide scholars’ association has passed a resolution saying that the legal criteria have been met to establish Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, its president said on Monday.

    Eighty-six percent of those who voted among the 500-member International Association of Genocide Scholars backed the resolution declaring: “Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide in Article II of the United Nations Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948).”

    There was no immediate response from the Israeli foreign ministry. Israel has in the past strongly denied that its actions in Gaza amount to genocide and says they are justified as self defense. It is fighting a

    case at the International Court of Justice in the Hague that accuses it of genocide.

    Israel launched its assault on the Gaza Strip in October, 2023, after fighters from Hamas, the Palestinian militant group in control of the territory, attacked Israeli communities, killing 1,200 people and capturing more than 250 hostages.

    Since then, Israel’s military action has killed 63,000 people, damaged or destroyed most buildings in the territory and forced nearly all its residents to flee their homes at least once. A global hunger monitor relied on by the United Nations says parts of the territory are now suffering a man-made

    famine, which Israel also denies.

    In Gaza, Hamas welcomed the resolution: “This prestigious scholarly stance reinforces the documented evidence and facts presented before international courts,” said Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office.

    The resolution “places a legal and moral obligation on the international community to take urgent action to stop the crime, protect civilians, and hold the leaders of the occupation accountable,” he said.

    Since its founding in 1994, the genocide scholars’ association has passed nine resolutions recognizing historic or ongoing episodes as genocides.

    The 1948 UN Genocide Convention, adopted in the wake of the mass murder of Jews by Nazi Germany, defines genocide as crimes committed “with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such.”

    It requires all countries to act to prevent and stop genocide.

    Criminal acts comprising genocide include killing members of the group, causing them serious bodily or mental harm, creating conditions calculated to destroy them, preventing births, or forcibly transferring children to other groups.

    The three-page resolution adopted by the scholars calls on Israel to “immediately cease all acts that constitute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in Gaza, including deliberate attacks against and killing of civilians including children; starvation; deprivation of humanitarian aid, water, fuel, and other items essential to the survival of the population; sexual and reproductive violence; and forced displacement of the population.”

    The resolution also states that the Hamas attack on Israel which precipitated the war constituted international crimes.

    “This is a definitive statement from experts in the field of genocide studies that what is going on on the ground in Gaza is genocide,” the association’s president, Melanie O’Brien, a professor of international law at the University of Western Australia who specializes in genocide, told Reuters.

    Sergey Vasiliev, a professor of international law at the Open University in the Netherlands who is not a member of the association, told Reuters the resolution showed that “this legal assessment has become mainstream within academia, particularly in the field of genocide studies.”

    Several international rights groups and some Israeli NGOs have already accused Israel of committing genocide. Last week hundreds of UN staff at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk wrote to ask him to explicitly describe the Gaza war as an unfolding genocide, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters.

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  • Royal Mail returns to profit as takeover brings ‘year of change’ | Royal Mail

    Royal Mail returns to profit as takeover brings ‘year of change’ | Royal Mail

    Royal Mail has made a profit for the first time in three years, its owner said in its first results since its £3.6bn takeover by the Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský.

    International Distribution Services (IDS), which owns Royal Mail, said the postal service made a pre-tax profit of £194m in its financial year ended in March, up from a loss of £143m last year, as parcel volumes increased.

    The IDS chief executive, Martin Seidenberg, said it had been a “year of change” for the group.

    The return to profit comes a year after Royal Mail’s parent company agreed to a takeover by EP Group, which is controlled by Křetínský.

    The group completed a drawn-out £3.6bn takeover of IDS in April after a UK government review under national security laws. Křetínský owns a collection of businesses including energy assets, and stakes in Sainsbury’s and the football club West Ham United.

    However, despite its improved financial performance, last month Royal Mail said it had missed its targets by delivering 75.9% of first class mail within one working day of collection. It is well behind the 93% target set by the regulator, Ofcom.

    Ofcom recently gave Royal Mail the green light to drop Saturday deliveries of second-class letters, and to provide services on alternate weekdays from Monday to Friday rather than every day as it attempts to cut costs and make the service more reliable.

    The regulator also lowered targets for first-class post to be delivered the next day from 93% to 90%, and for second-class within three days from 98.5% to 95%. The changes take effect from next April.

    IDS said it had started “detailed work” before changes to second-class deliveries. It added it would continue to invest in postal lockers, with the company increasing its out-of-home locations by almost 70% to about 24,000.

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    “Thanks to the hard work of our people and our investment in transformation, Royal Mail returned to profit for the first time in three years, marking an important milestone in the company’s turnaround,” Seidenberg said.

    “With IDS’s acquisition by EP Group complete and universal service reform decided, now is the time for us to drive the business forward and capitalise on our momentum.”

    The group also reported that its parcel delivery business GLS made an adjusted operating profit of £286m, down £34m compared with the year prior, which it blamed on “a challenging macroeconomic and regulatory environment in Germany and Italy and foreign exchange movements”.

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  • ‘It just sucks for both of us’ – Liam Lawson and Carlos Sainz offer differing views on 2025 Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix collision

    ‘It just sucks for both of us’ – Liam Lawson and Carlos Sainz offer differing views on 2025 Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix collision

    Liam Lawson and Carlos Sainz have given their opinions on the collision between themselves during the Dutch Grand Prix which ruined their chances of finishing in the points.

    The pair had been circulating in seventh and eighth following a Safety Car period at the end of Lap 26, with Sainz getting a run on the Racing Bulls driver ahead into Turn 1 at the Zandvoort Circuit.

    The Williams man went to the outside line as Lawson defended on the inside, with the front-right of Sainz’s car clipping the left-rear of the Racing Bulls machine mid-corner.

    Both drivers instantly suffered punctures and were forced to crawl back to the pits before finding themselves a lap down after rejoining, eventually finishing outside the points in 12th and 13th respectively.

    Sainz was deemed at fault for the incident and handed a 10-second penalty but was left frustrated by Lawson’s actions.

    “I think I always try and be quite controlled and pick my words on the radio quite well, let’s say level-headed. I try in this high adrenaline, stressful sport,” said Sainz, who has not finished in the points in the last five Grands Prix.

    “Today was very difficult because first of all I suffered an incident that cost me another 10 points in the championship when I was executing one of my best weekends of the year. That’s frustration number one.

    “Frustration number two is racing a guy that it’s not the first time we see him exposing himself to having an incident with another driver.

    “I’ve raced multiple guys around this track in Turn 1 and multiple quality guys that allow for a side-by-side movement like that in a beautiful corner. Today, I chose to have that side-by-side line with someone that prefers not to have it and prefers to risk an incident and risk losing so many points.

    “It’s very frustrating, very disappointed but on top of that to get a 10-second penalty is something unacceptable, something I don’t understand.”

    Lawson was also left frustrated by the incident on a weekend when team mate Isack Hadjar scored his maiden Formula 1 podium.

    But the Kiwi believed he did nothing wrong in regard to the current regulations.

    “It just sucks for both of us. It’s obviously not my intention but it’s lap one on a restart and we have very low grip going into Turn 1, said Lawson.

    “The rules are written as they are and we all know how they’re written so as much as we sometimes don’t agree with it, I’ve been on the receiving end of it as well this year and I disagree with it as well, but that’s how they are.

    “For it to be his corner, he has to be ahead at the apex; he wasn’t anywhere near that today so that’s why he got a penalty for it I’m guessing. It just sucks for us but obviously for Isack on the other side of the garage, to have a podium is very cool.”

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  • Open Banking reaches 15m UK users in July driven by payments

    Open Banking reaches 15m UK users in July driven by payments

    Source: Open Banking Limited

    Open Banking Limited (OBL) today publishes new adoption data showing record growth in July, as the UK cements its position as a global leader in digital finance.

    July was a landmark month for Open Banking, with more than 15.16 million people and businesses now using services powered by the technology – equivalent to nearly one in three UK adults.

    The latest figures also show that in July, Open Banking services were used a record 2.04 billion times, up 3.5% from June. From paying taxes to ordering dinner, millions of UK consumers and businesses are embracing Open Banking to manage their money with greater control, speed and confidence.

    Open Banking adoption has risen steadily year on year – with total users growing by 34% in the last year. This reflects the growing consumer demand for secure, convenient, and transparent financial solutions, and continues a multi-year trend that has seen Open Banking move from a niche innovation to a core part of modern financial services.

    Payments remain the biggest driver of adoption, with July’s data revealing that the total value of payments has reached 29.89 million – an 8.7% growth (from 27.5 million to 29.9 million). This rapid growth demonstrates the UK’s global lead in data-enabled technology supported by strong infrastructure and rising consumer demand.

    Variable Recurring Payments (VRPs) are emerging as a key Open Banking enabled innovation, giving consumers and businesses greater control and flexibility over regular payments. In July alone, VRPs accounted for over 4% of all Open Banking transactions – a sharp 8.6% increase, to 4.26 million. From HMRC tax payments (£4.7 billion in January) to retail giants like Just Eat and Tesco, and travel brands such as Ryanair, growing consumer and business trust is driving momentum and uptake across different sectors.

    The latest data from OBL comes in the wake of landmark legislation – the Data Use and Access Act – which paves the way for the next phase of Open Banking, Open Finance and Smart Data adoption in the UK.

    Looking ahead, the next phase of Open Banking will be shaped by the UK’s long-term regulatory plans. These are essential to unlocking further innovation, expanding adoption, and ensuring that the benefits of smarter financial services reach even more people and businesses.

    Henk Van Hulle, chief executive officer of Open Banking Limited, said: “This data shows how Open Banking is now part of everyday life for millions of people and businesses across the UK – from paying taxes to shopping online. It’s fast, secure, and built on trust.

    “To maintain momentum and unlock its full potential, we look forward to working closely with government, regulators and the wider ecosystem, ensuring Open Banking delivers even greater value, innovation and impact for everyone.”

    Further reading: FCA outlines future entity design for UK Open Banking

    Further reading: Smart Data Accelerator unveiled alongside ‘new model’ for UK retail payments

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  • Music award in memory of Manchester Arena victim Eilidh MacLeod

    Music award in memory of Manchester Arena victim Eilidh MacLeod

    A new music award for young pipers and drummers has been set up in memory of a Scottish schoolgirl who died in the Manchester Arena bombing.

    The Eilidh MacLeod Access Fund will be run by the National Piping Centre and offer £2,000 a year to young musicians.

    Bagpiper Eilidh, from the Isle of Barra, was 14 when she was killed in the 2017 terror attack after an Ariana Grande concert.

    Eilidh’s Trust was established in 2018 and has since awarded more than £100,000 in music grants in Scotland.

    Eilidh was a member of the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland and travelled the country taking part in competitions.

    The new fund is open to applications from pipers and drummers under the age of 25.

    Iagan MacNeil, from the trust, said: “We are committed to making music learning as accessible as possible for all.

    “We understand that financial barriers are often a reason for young people to either not embark on their journey or dropping out.

    “Learning an instrument can be such an enriching experience that offers more than music.”

    Eilidh, who attended Castlebay Community School in Barra, was among the 22 people killed in the bombing in May 2017.

    She and friend Laura MacIntyre were at the Ariana Grande concert with thousands of fans of the US pop star. Laura survived but was badly injured.

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