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Scientists in Wales and Ireland are taking part in a new £4.8 million pound (€5.5m) project to study the effects of climate change on the Irish Sea and Celtic Sea. The project known as Bluefish will study the health of fish stocks in the Irish Sea over the next three years. It will also study the migratory movement of commercial fish and the risks from new non-native species.

The Dingle Peninsula (Irish: Corca Dhuibhne) is a peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean and is in County Kerry ( Contae Chiarraí)) in the south-west of Ireland. Its stunning Atlantic coastline, mountains and lakes make this area among the most scenic in Ireland. The area is rich in history, with many internationally recognised sites of importance. A significant number of ancient monuments are located in the area around the valley of Loch an Dúin on the eastern side of the Conor Pass.

Yn Commeeys Celtiagh - Celtic News Mannin point out that it is not only Catalonia that will be voting for self determination in the next two weeks but also Iraqi Kurdistan. Both represent wider global movements where men and women are seeking the right to determine their own future and not be controlled by other states:

SUBORN YOUR RIGHTS TO OTHERS OR LIVE AS FREE MEN

There has been a fair amount of criticism levelled against the Manx government over recent weeks. It has come from a variety of sources as you would expect in any democratic society where freedom of expression is recognised as a human right under article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recognised in international human rights law in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The comments pointed towards the Manx government recently have come from a variety of sources, including political organisations, pressure groups and individuals.

The northern most point on the Isle of Man (Mannin) is the Point of Ayre (Manx: Kione ny h-Ayrey). It is the closest point on the Isle of Man to the island of Britain, being some 16 miles (26 kilometres) south of Burrow Head in Scotland. The name Ayre comes from the Norse word Eyrr meaning gravel bank. A name that reflects the Scandinavian influences after the arrival of the Vikings on the Isle of Man at the end of the 8th century. Resulting in a mix of Norse and Gaelic place names throughout the Island. 

Plaid Cymru - Party of Wales leader Leanne Wood has condemned the Spanish Government repression in Catalonia, saying: “In a democratic country it is crucial that citizens are able to debate the future of their nation.

"The Catalan people are asking only for a vote on their nation’s future and for the Spanish Government to respond with threats and repression falls far short of modern democratic standards.

According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF): "On average around 55 elephants are poached every day in Africa, that's one every 25 minutes. This appalling slaughter continues due to the global demand for ivory, with the majority of elephant tusks smuggled by criminals to Asia, despite an international trade ban." 

Raids on Catalan government offices this morning saw Spanish police arrest Catalonia's junior economy minister Josep Maria Jove. This comes ahead of the Catalan referendum on independence from Spain on 1st October, which the Spanish state is doing all in its power to prevent. Local reports say that Spanish police entered offices of the Catalan region's economy, interior, foreign affairs, welfare, telecommunications and tax departments with at least 12 high-ranking local officials being arrested.

Celebrations to mark Owain Glyndŵr Day took place throughout Wales last week. He was the last person to legitimately hold the title Prince of Wales. Owain Glyndŵr (c.1349-c.1416) was the leader of a Welsh revolt against English rule between 1400 and 1409. He created the first Welsh parliament at Machynlleth in 1404 and 16th September 2017 marked 617 years since he raised his standard against the English invaders.

The government of Scotland has made a clear statement of support for the Catalan people to have the right to vote for their independence from Spain. Catalonia has its own democratically elected parliament, which is in charge of a great number of its own affairs. The Catalan parliament has voted to hold a referendum on independence from Spain. The vote is supported by the Catalan President and the Catalan government and a referendum is to be held on 1st October 2017.