Scotland trending: Today’s most talked-about topics

Today’s top stories on social media from Scotland and beyond, including a Nobel prize for a Scottish-born economist and a soaking for Vladimir Putin

Angus Deaton: Nobel memorial prize. Picture: PA

Scottish-born economist wins Nobel Prize

Microeconomist Angus Deaton has been awarded the Nobel memorial prize in economic sciences. Deaton’s honoured work centred around the analysis of consumption, poverty and welfare. The 69-year-old was born in Edinburgh in 1945 and attended Fettes College, but moved to England and then the USA as an adult. Deaton is now a professor of economics and international affairs at Princeton University in New Jersey. Many proud Scots have taken to Twitter this afternoon to congratulate the economist.

Julian Assange no longer under 24 hour police watch

Scotland Yard has announced that it will call off its 24-hour surveillance of the London-based Ecuadorian embassy where Julian Assange has been in hiding since 2012. Assange will still be arrested should he leave the embassy, but the cost of keeping police officers posted outside the building at all times has reached an unacceptable high, according to Metropolitan Police records. Reportedly more than £11 million has been spent on policing the embassy since Assange sought to avoid extradition to Sweden three years ago.

Lewis Hamilton sprays Vladimir Putin with champagne after Russian Grand Prix

Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton may have won the Russian Grand Prix over the weekend, but his celebratory antics left the internet wondering if he would live to tell the tale. After receiving his winner’s trophy from Russian President Vladimir Putin, Hamilton accidentally splashed the notoriously frosty politician with champagne whilst attempting to spray the crowd. Many Twitter users joked that the driver had knowingly soaked Putin as an act of defiance.

Bristol University student accommodation hit by serious fire

More than 40 firefighters have rushed to a block of student flats in Bristol city centre this afternoon to fight a major blaze. The fifth floor and roof space of the building on Colston Street has been badly affected by the fire, but luckily it seems that nobody has been hurt during the incident. Students were evacuated from the building and will be re-housed by the university. At the time of writing photographs of the blaze and consequent damage are still be uploaded to Twitter by eye witnesses.

Harry Potter prequel will be filmed in Liverpool

The recently announced Harry Potter movie prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is to be made in Liverpool, according to local reports. The project will star Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, the leading ‘magizoologist’ in JK Rowling’s wizarding world. Colin Farrell and Ron Perlman will also appear in the film, which is to be directed by David Yates - the man in charge of the final four Harry Potter movies. Based on a short book written by Rowling in 2001 to raise money for Comic Relief, the film is due to be released in November 2016.