Dayna Bass

Facial recognition might soon be in your local shop — and your local police force — if Scotland’s crime trends keep heading north. Shoplifting Spike Puts Tech in the Spotlight Across Scotland, retailers say they’re drowning in theft. Official stats show shoplifting is up 16% this year — a jump that’s left small businesses, big chains, and the cops scrambling for answers. One line: And for many, the answer looks like a camera. Nathalie Fullarton, who runs a corner shop in Partick, says the theft got so bad she turned to Facewatch — a live facial recognition system now used…

When Scotland’s national poet sat down for a pint in Sanquhar, it was Whigham’s Inn that won his heart — and a line in his verse. Decades later, the old watering hole’s faded sign and peeling paint whisper stories of a livelier time. Now, the locals want those stories to echo once more. The Sanquhar Enterprise Company (SEC) has bought the derelict pub for £30,000. Their hope? To turn this dusty shell back into a community hub that would make Robert Burns proud. A Building Steeped in History It’s not just another abandoned building. Whigham’s Inn was once the social…

Scotland’s pledge to tackle soaring NHS waiting lists with new surgery hubs hangs in limbo — and frustrated patients are stuck in queues that keep getting longer. A Backlog Piled High Across the country, almost 560,000 people are now waiting for their first outpatient appointment. Some have waited more than two years. That’s a record. So when ministers promised a chain of National Treatment Centres (NTCs) to handle extra hip replacements, knee ops, cataract surgery and more, it sounded like relief. But half of those centres still haven’t been built. Five Projects Frozen Back in February last year, five treatment…

Scotland’s property tax system is running on numbers more than three decades out of date — and one senior minister just reignited the fire under it. But within hours, that spark was quickly doused by the Scottish Government. Ivan McKee Says What Others Won’t Speaking to BBC Scotland News, Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee said a full revaluation of council tax bands was “absolutely needed” and plans were already being worked on behind the scenes. The comment sent ripples through Holyrood and beyond — particularly because any revaluation would hit some households hard, moving them into higher tax bands based…

Greenergy is making big moves in Scotland. The UK-based energy supplier has struck a long-term deal to expand its operations at the Exolum terminal in Grangemouth — a move that promises to reinforce fuel supply across the region. It’s not just about bigger tanks or more trucks. It’s a strategic push to shore up Scotland’s energy resilience and offer more choice in a landscape still adjusting to geopolitical shocks and tightening emissions rules. A Quiet Giant in the Fuel Game If you’ve never heard of Greenergy, that’s kind of the point. They don’t run filling stations or sell their name…

Ajay Devgn is back as the lovable, loud, and wildly unpredictable Jassi. And this time, he's brought the whole crew — and their madness — to the Scottish highlands. The teaser for Son of Sardaar 2, released online on Thursday, is pure chaos in the best way possible. It's got kilts, it’s got bagpipes, it’s got brawls on cobblestone streets — all layered with Punjabi energy and that signature Ajay Devgn smirk. Welcome to Son of Sardaar 2 — the sequel nobody saw coming, but everyone’s now watching. Scotland Becomes Sardaar Territory It’s official. From glens to graveyards, Scotland is…

New figures paint a stark picture of cancer care in Scotland. Waiting times for treatment have now reached their worst levels since records began. The numbers — quietly released by Public Health Scotland — reveal that nearly one in three people referred with an urgent suspicion of cancer are now waiting longer than the government’s official 62-day target for treatment to begin. Only 68.9% Treated on Time — Lowest Ever on Record Let that sink in: fewer than 7 in 10 cancer patients referred urgently are starting treatment on time. That figure — 68.9% — covers January to March 2025.…

A sprawling Scottish island featuring ancient ruins, pristine beaches, and 1,100 acres of dramatic terrain has just gone on sale for the first time in nearly a century. The price? £5.5 million — or around $7.5 million. Shuna Island, located just off Scotland’s picturesque west coast near the Sound of Shuna, is drawing international attention not just for its beauty, but for the rarity of such an offering. It’s not every day a private island with a crumbling 18th-century castle and eight residential properties comes to market. It’s Big, It’s Wild, and It’s Been Off-Limits for Generations For 80 years,…

In a quiet corner of Glasgow, a woman with no political power, no fortune, and no PR machine is quietly changing lives. And now, she’s earned a medal from the Crown for doing it. Audrey Mutongi-Darko, founder of The No.1 Befriending Agency, has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for her relentless work supporting elderly people suffering from loneliness and isolation—work that has touched hundreds of lives and inspired volunteers across Scotland. More Than Just a Service—A Lifeline The No.1 Befriending Agency, launched in 2016, isn’t flashy. There are no glossy advertisements, no celebrity endorsements. But behind the modest…

After winning hearts on national television just weeks ago, Glasgow’s very own Vinnie McKee will take to the stage again tonight—this time at home, and in front of Scotland’s real-life heroes. The 23-year-old singer, who came 8th in this year’s Britain’s Got Talent final, is making his Pride of Scotland Awards debut at Glasgow’s Hilton Hotel, joining a room packed with celebrities, campaigners, and ordinary Scots being honoured for extraordinary things. A Fresh Chapter Begins for the Rising Star This isn’t just another performance. For Vinnie, it marks a return—not just to his home city, but to a version of…