Axel Piper

This year’s Refugee Festival Scotland is alive with colour, symbolism, and meaning, thanks to a powerful new artwork created by two artists whose stories are deeply rooted in themes of migration, identity, and community. Shatha Altowai, a Yemeni-born artist, and Jude Abu Zaineh, a Palestinian creative, collaborated to design the official artwork for the 2025 festival. Their piece responds to the theme “Milestones”—a celebration of progress, resilience, and the journeys that shape refugee communities in Scotland. Both artists bring not only bold creative vision but lived experience to the work. In a joint interview, they spoke about how their personal…

Scotland’s cruise tourism sector is booming, with a significant £130 million boost to the economy in 2024. This impressive figure highlights the vital role cruise tourism plays in supporting local businesses, particularly in rural and island communities. A Significant Economic Contribution Scotland’s cruise industry has made a remarkable impact in 2024, with an estimated 1.1 million cruise passengers arriving in the country. This influx has provided a substantial economic benefit, contributing around £130 million to local businesses and communities, according to the latest figures from Cruise Scotland. Cruise Scotland, the body representing Scotland’s cruise tourism industry, has been actively promoting…

More than 132,000 pupils across Scotland are opening their exam booklets this month. But the real pressure? That’s sitting squarely on the desks of Scotland’s education ministers. Last year’s results were a letdown. The government knows it. The teachers know it. And the pupils — especially the ones getting ready for those dreaded Highers and Advanced Highers — definitely know it too. A Decade of Promises, Still No Narrower Attainment Gap You can’t say the warnings weren’t there. Year after year, ministers promised action on the educational attainment gap — the stubborn divide between pupils from wealthier areas and those…

Learner drivers across rural Scotland are facing significant delays when trying to book their driving tests, with some individuals waiting up to five months to sit their exams. This backlog, exacerbated by the pandemic, has raised concerns about the mobility and employment prospects of young people, particularly in rural areas. The situation has become so dire that some learners are being forced to look for test dates in other regions, while others are left in limbo, unsure of when they will be able to take the next step toward gaining their independence on the road. Frustration in Rural Scotland Dylan…

GRANGEMOUTH, Scotland – April 23, 2025 – In a bold stride toward Scotland’s green economy ambitions, biotech innovator MiAlgae has officially submitted plans for a large-scale microalgae production facility in Grangemouth. The facility, which repurposes whisky industry byproducts to grow omega-3-rich algae, is expected to create more than 100 green jobs in its first phase. The project puts MiAlgae at the heart of Scotland’s clean tech transformation, particularly as the region looks to retrain and re-employ workers from declining oil and gas sectors. Whisky Waste Fuels a Greener Future MiAlgae’s unique value proposition lies in its closed-loop biotechnology model. By…

One of Scotland’s most vital children’s charities is teaming up with the Royal Bank of Scotland in a nationwide push to raise £100,000 — and lift spirits — for families grappling with the unimaginable. From city centres to rural villages, this partnership promises to do more than just gather donations. It’s about giving time, showing up, and making sure no family walks this path alone. An emotional mission, not just a fundraiser This isn't some polished corporate stunt. It’s a cause built on heartbreak, resilience, and community. CHAS — short for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland — provides palliative care to…

The Scottish government has confirmed it will not revive its controversial gender recognition reforms following last week's landmark Supreme Court judgment, signalling a significant policy shift away from Nicola Sturgeon's once-flagship equality agenda. In a statement to Holyrood on Tuesday afternoon, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said the government “fully accepts” the court’s ruling and will now amend guidance to reflect the decision, which clarified that the legal definition of "woman" under the Equality Act 2010 does not include transgender women with Gender Recognition Certificates (GRCs). The unanimous ruling, delivered by five judges, represented a major victory for campaign group…

Spean Bridge, Scotland — The Scottish Highlands have long been romanticized for their remoteness. But today, the region is being reimagined — not as a cultural hinterland, but as a testbed for the future of sustainable, off-grid living. In an unlikely twist of modernisation, the same landscapes once plagued by depopulation are becoming magnets for carbon-conscious entrepreneurs, tech-savvy relocators, and digital nomads in search of energy autonomy and high-speed internet. A Fibre-Optic Thread Through the Wild Hop on a train north from Fort William and you’ll quickly glimpse the paradox: ancient stone crofts now sporting sleek white fibre-optic terminals. Along…

The Prince and Princess of Wales are heading back to where it all began — Scotland. This time, it’s personal. As they celebrate 14 years of marriage, William and Kate will spend time on the Isle of Mull, rekindling both a royal legacy and a deeply personal connection to the land that shaped them. It’s not just a trip — it’s a symbol of endurance, love, and reflection. A Return to Roots — and Quiet Strength Scotland has always had a pull for the royal couple. William, heir to the throne, studied at the University of St Andrews — where…

Dundee is a city that keeps its secrets well. For centuries it’s been known for its three Js—jute, jam, and journalism—but lately it’s added a fourth: justice, or the lack thereof, as imagined by a wave of gritty Scottish crime writers. Long the underdog in Scotland’s urban pecking order, Dundee has emerged as an unlikely hub for the literary genre known as Tartan Noir. Crime fiction rooted in Scottish soil, it’s moody, morally grey, and often unforgiving—just like Dundee on a wet Tuesday. Victorian Shadows and Fog: Malcolm Archibald’s Dundee If you want to start at the beginning—well, the literary…