Axel Piper

Scotland’s education system faces fresh scrutiny as discussions turn to Ireland’s unique approach: an exam-free Transition Year. This year-long break from high-stakes testing offers Irish students space to explore and grow before their final two years of intense study. Could Scotland take a leaf out of Ireland’s book and reshape its own senior phase? A Pause Before the Pressure Cooker Ireland’s Transition Year sits snugly between the Junior Cycle and the Senior Cycle. It’s a curious beast — a full school year without the usual exams or formal assessments that typically dominate secondary education. Instead, students engage in a variety…

From peaceful lambs in Achmelvich to a fiery beacon on Ballantrae beach, this week’s photo roundup captures the soul of Scotland in spring. Each image tells a story—of quiet beauty, of memory, of wild coastline and bluebell-covered woods. A Highland Afternoon, Framed in Wool Sometimes it's the simple scenes that hit the hardest. Peter Dawson’s photo of sheep basking under a blue sky in Achmelvich is one of those moments. Two lambs, a ewe, and nothing but grass, sun, and silence. It’s Highlands peace, bottled and framed. You can almost hear the wind rustle through the grass, can’t you? The…

Scotland’s capital is about to get a lot closer to Iceland. Starting September 2025, Icelandair will launch a new direct route connecting Edinburgh to Reykjavik, promising smoother transatlantic travel, rich tourism potential, and business opportunities for both nations. Direct Flights to Reykjavik: A Big Win for Edinburgh Airport Icelandair’s announcement couldn’t have come at a better time for Edinburgh Airport, which continues to build its reputation as a growing international hub. The new route, operating from September through April, will see up to four direct flights per week between Edinburgh and Reykjavik. The flights will be serviced by Icelandair’s Boeing…

In a major shift for Scottish law and ethics, the Scottish Parliament has voted in favour of legalising assisted dying for terminally ill adults, marking a significant step in a long-running national debate. MSPs backed the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill at stage one by 70 votes to 56—a clear, though not overwhelming, majority. The vote confirms support for the principle of the bill, though further scrutiny and potential amendments will follow at stages two and three. The bill, introduced by Liam McArthur, Liberal Democrat MSP for Orkney, would allow adults with a terminal diagnosis, who are…

More than 16,000 households in Scotland remain homeless, with over 10,000 children stuck in temporary accommodation. Despite the government’s declaration of a housing emergency a year ago, new data shows the problem is worsening — and families like Laura’s are feeling the squeeze more than ever. Living on Borrowed Time: Laura’s Story of Uncertainty Laura’s story hits close to home for many. Evicted from her private rental in 2021, she and her four kids have been stuck in temporary flats ever since. Her family’s home, once in South Queensferry, has turned into a revolving door of uncertainty. “Calling it a…

Swedish wave energy firm CorPower Ocean has secured a berth at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland, aiming to roll out a 5-megawatt wave energy array by 2029. The project could become the largest wave energy installation in the UK. Scotland’s Waters to Host UK’s Largest Wave Energy Array CorPower Ocean’s new venture at EMEC marks a significant step for wave energy in the UK. The plan is to install 14 wave energy converters (WECs) at EMEC’s Billia Croo grid-connected test site off Orkney. These devices will operate for approximately 15 years, tapping into the power of…

As Scotland gears up for Child Safety Week 2025, Clare Adamson MSP is calling on families, carers, and communities to share safety advice and take proactive steps to reduce avoidable harm — especially to the most vulnerable children. Running from 2–9 June, this year’s campaign theme is “Safety is for Sharing”, and it comes at a critical time, with growing concerns over online consumer goods, summer water safety, and a major upcoming electricity meter change that could affect thousands across the country. “Safety is for Sharing”: A National Effort Child Safety Week is the flagship awareness campaign of the Child…

Scotland is facing a growing crisis as 100,000 households risk being left without heating, hot water, or hit with soaring energy bills due to delays in switching old meters to smart meters. With island areas suffering the most, energy consumers are now caught in a tense stand-off between energy suppliers, regulators, and the UK government. The Crisis Unfolds A significant shift is happening in the UK energy market: the transition from old electricity meters, which use the Radio Teleswitching Service (RTS), to modern smart meters. This change, however, has sparked a major crisis in Scotland, where some 160,000 households are…

EDINBURGH — Scotland has recorded its hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures soaring to 25.5°C in Auchincruvie, South Ayrshire, and Tyndrum, Stirlingshire, amid an intensifying spring dry spell that has placed half the country under water scarcity alert. The heat, which edged past Monday’s previous high by just 0.1°C, arrives during what meteorologists say could become the UK’s driest spring on record, triggering concern among regulators, businesses, and environmental groups as river levels drop across major catchments. “We’ve had below average rainfall throughout the winter and last autumn as well,” said Eilidh Johnson, senior water industry manager…

EDINBURGH — The Scottish Parliament has taken a major step toward legalising assisted dying after MSPs voted 70 to 56 in favour of advancing the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill in its first parliamentary hurdle on Tuesday. The outcome followed five hours of impassioned debate across party lines, with emotions running high in a chamber historically divided on the matter. The bill, introduced by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, seeks to allow terminally ill adults in Scotland to seek medical assistance to end their lives — a seismic shift in end-of-life policy for the country. One lawmaker…