Ishan Crawford

Tree planting across the UK is painting a mixed picture this year: England has notched up its highest planting rates in two decades, but Scotland — long the UK’s woodland powerhouse — is facing a sudden slump that’s raising eyebrows among climate experts. New figures released by Forest Research show that while the UK added nearly 16,000 hectares of new woodland this planting season, Scotland’s contribution has halved compared to its record year in 2024. So what’s really going on? England’s Green Gains For the first time since 2003, England has pushed past the 5,700-hectare mark for new woodland. That’s…

Shock and sorrow ripple through a tight-knit community after a wooden crucifix was set alight and dozens of headstones were wrecked in what locals are calling one of the worst acts of cemetery vandalism in recent memory. Five-Metre Crucifix Burned Overnight The overnight attack at St Conval’s Cemetery in Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, has left families distraught and the Diocese of Paisley reeling. Police say a 39-year-old man has been charged in connection with the destruction, which included burning a towering five‑metre‑high crucifix and smashing around forty headstones. One sentence. Officers were alerted around 8.50am on Sunday after horrified visitors discovered…

When people stop feeling safe, a neighbourhood can change overnight. In Scotland, new surveys suggest that fear is on the rise — and that fear alone can carry real consequences. New Poll Lays Bare the Worries A recent survey reveals something pretty telling: about a third of Scots reckon crime’s up in their local area over the past two years. Only 11% think it’s fallen. That’s not great. One short line: And trust in the police? Not exactly sky-high. Half the people surveyed said they’re not confident police have the resources to deal with crime. Nearly two-thirds doubt officers even…

Family trees aren’t always tidy lines in a dusty old ledger. For Lorna Kinnaird, they’re living maps that stretch across oceans and centuries — with Scotland’s tangled histories at the heart of it all. In this Scotsman exclusive, we glimpse the world of one genealogist connecting far-flung families to ancestors they never knew they had — and the unexpected stories waiting in parish records and crumbling graveyards. A Detective of Bloodlines and Broken Links Lorna Kinnaird isn’t just flicking through birth certificates. She calls herself part detective, part historian, sometimes even therapist. People reach out to her from Canada, New…

A fallen tree has brought chaos to rail passengers heading to and from Scotland — with TransPennine Express urging customers to stay put until the line is cleared. A Sudden Stop It all started in the early hours on Monday. Near Beattock, Dumfries and Galloway, a tree came crashing down onto the West Coast Mainline. This single blockage has severed direct routes between Carlisle and Scotland’s biggest cities — Glasgow and Edinburgh. Services Cut Short TransPennine Express trains running from the northwest of England are now stopping at Carlisle. That’s it. Passengers hoping to roll on to Scotland will have…

A new study is tagging wild red deer in Scotland’s Highlands with GPS collars to understand how their movements and grazing habits are reshaping the land. And the early signs suggest it could be a game-changer in managing both deer numbers and fragile ecosystems. Why the Red Deer Matters More Than You Think Scotland’s red deer are majestic, no doubt. But there’s a problem. Their population has exploded over the past few decades — and with that comes pressure on native woodlands, peatlands, and rewilding projects. Red deer, unlike roe or sika, are huge and hungry. They can stop a…

The madness is back. Ajay Devgn’s Son of Sardaar 2 has dropped its first teaser ahead of its July 25 release, teasing fans with a Scottish backdrop, larger-than-life confrontations, and a touching appearance by the late Mukul Dev in his final screen role. It’s funny, it’s action-packed, and for a few seconds — it’s also heartbreakingly emotional. Scotland Sets the Stage, But It’s Jassi’s World The teaser, running 49 seconds, opens with Jassi’s shadow cutting across the Highland mist, followed by the now-iconic drum-heavy hook from the first film’s title track. Instantly recognisable, the music signals the return of the…

From Cornwall’s cliff-hugging charm to the quiet pull of North Queensferry in Scotland, waterside properties are once again catching the eyes of cash-ready buyers — and this summer, they’re making a splash in style. Two standout homes, one overlooking the Firth of Forth and the other nestled above the Fowey estuary, are on the market, offering a rare combination of heritage, setting, and coastal calm. Fowey’s Time Capsule With a View There’s something magnetic about Fowey, Cornwall. Narrow streets, the soft clinking of boat masts, and houses perched like theatre seats above the water. And now, for the first time…

The Scottish Government has stepped in with an extraordinary £40 million financial rescue package for the University of Dundee — marking the first time ministers have ever directly ordered such intervention. First-of-its-Kind Funding Move to Avoid Institutional Collapse This isn’t just a big number. It’s a historic first. For the first time under the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005, the Scottish Government has used its powers to direct the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) to deliver targeted funding with strict conditions. The £40m will be allocated over two academic years. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth insisted this wasn't a “reward…

A new framework promising to reshape how Scotland approaches the climate crisis — and who benefits from it — has just been released. And it's not just about cutting emissions. It's about changing the system. Published by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) on June 24, the “Unlocking a Better Future” framework lays out a detailed approach to delivering a just transition in Scotland — one that’s fair, forward-thinking, and fundamentally different from business as usual. It’s Not About Fixing One Problem — It’s About Fixing the Whole Setup Forget the idea that we can just switch to electric cars and…