Axel Piper

Glasgow Airport has kicked off its 60th anniversary year with a bang, marking six decades since it first opened as Scotland's long-haul gateway in 1966. What started as a former RAF base has grown into one of the UK's busiest regional airports, welcoming millions of passengers and playing a huge role in putting Scotland on the global tourism map. The year-long party promises exhibitions, live events, and a heartfelt call for travelers to share their favorite airport memories. Officials say the milestone is not just about looking back, but about charging into the future with bigger ambitions for travel and…

Cricket Scotland has firmly rejected reports that the ICC has approached them to replace Bangladesh in next month’s T20 World Cup 2026 if the Tigers refuse to play matches in India. Officials in Edinburgh say no contact has been made and they will not initiate any discussions “out of respect” for the Bangladesh Cricket Board. The story exploded across global media on Monday after reports claimed the ICC had given Bangladesh until January 21 — tomorrow — to confirm they will travel to India for group games in Kolkata and Mumbai. Bangladesh had formally asked the ICC to move all…

Skint, fed up and utterly scunnered, voters in Scotland are turning their backs on the established parties in droves. Fresh polling from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation reveals that rising living costs have shattered trust in politics, with two in five economically insecure Scots now politically disaffected. Among the hardest hit, that figure jumps to more than half. The fallout could redraw the political map ahead of the 2026 Holyrood election. Economic Pain Turns into Political Rage The Joseph Rowntree Foundation surveyed more than 4,000 adults across Britain, with detailed Scottish data published this week. The results paint a grim picture…

Scotland's newest teachers are facing a brutal reality. Many spend years on supply lists or leave the country entirely because permanent posts have become almost impossible to secure, especially in primary schools. Louise Fraser, 24, from Ayrshire, moved to Dubai after her probation year ended in 2022. She now earns more, lives better, and has job security she never found at home. Another teacher has been on the supply list for nine-and-a-half years. These stories are not rare. They are the new normal. New Teachers Face Years of Uncertainty Scottish Government figures paint a grim picture. In 2023, only 29%…

Edinburgh, Scotland – Worshippers arriving for Friday prayers found their sacred space violated. Offensive anti-Muslim graffiti covered the walls of Edinburgh Central Mosque in one of the worst hate attacks the Scottish capital has seen in years. Police are treating it as a targeted hate crime. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), America's largest Muslim civil rights group, immediately issued a powerful statement of solidarity from Washington, D.C. "We stand in full solidarity with the Muslim community in Scotland following this disturbing act of hate targeting a house of worship," the organization declared. "Attacks on mosques are an attack on religious freedom…

A powerful new report warns that rural communities risk being forgotten again as Scotland heads to the crucial Holyrood election in May 2026. Families in Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders are trapped in low pay, sky-high fuel bills and crumbling transport links while politicians focus on urban battlegrounds. The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) report Voices from the Margins lays bare a crisis that official statistics have hidden for years. It shows working households forced to choose between heating their homes or feeding their children, with one charity worker saying bluntly: "You can't eat grass." Wages Lag Far Behind…

A solo driver just proved you don’t need famous distilleries or tour buses to understand whisky. Skip the queues, take the wheel, and let the road itself become the master class. Sebastian Modak drove 500 miles around Scotland’s wild northern edge in November, the quiet season. What he found in small bars, back-road distilleries, and misty Highland nights has changed how thousands are now planning their own trips. The Route Everyone Talks About, But Few Truly Taste The North Coast 500 loops from Inverness, up the east coast, across the empty top, and down the west, before returning through fairy-tale…

Scotland in January can stop you in your tracks. Snow dusts the hills, fog hangs over rivers, and every breath feels crisp enough to snap. This week, BBC Scotland's "Your pictures of Scotland" feature (9-16 January) is pure magic, with readers sending in shots that make you want to pull on boots and head north right now. Three images in particular have stolen hearts across social media. Eric Niven's Winter Fairytale in Dunkeld Eric Niven, from Dundee, braved a snowy walk in Dunkeld and came back with a photograph that looks like it belongs on a Christmas card. A small…

The United Kingdom is shifting from a harsh cold snap to milder but stormy weather, with wet and windy conditions taking over after Storm Goretti caused widespread chaos. As of January 12, 2026, forecasters report the end of freezing temperatures, but warn of heavy rain, strong winds, and potential flooding across many regions. Storm Goretti's Lingering Effects Storm Goretti struck hard last week, bringing heavy snow, ice, and winds up to 99 miles per hour in southwest England. This led to major disruptions, including power cuts for tens of thousands of homes and school closures nationwide. In Cornwall, officials described…

Heavy rain and melting snow have caused widespread flooding across Scotland, leading to road closures and travel chaos on January 12, 2026. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency issued warnings for multiple areas, urging people to stay safe as water levels rise and disrupt daily life. Flood Warnings Reach Critical Levels The agency has put out flood warnings for 18 spots across the country, with some marked as severe. These warnings cover places like Dalry and Kilwinning in North Ayrshire, Aberfoyle in Stirling, and Newton Stewart in Dumfries and Galloway. Alerts also span much of Scotland, now up to 12 in…