Zane Lee

Scotland’s villages are the kind of places that make you pull over just to stare. From Highland hamlets to coastal hideaways, these ten gems show off the country’s raw beauty, history, and a good dose of local quirk. Plockton: Highlands Charm by the Sea Plockton feels like a place the world forgot — in the best way. Just one main street hugs the sheltered shores of Loch Carron. Whitewashed cottages stand proud, palm trees sway oddly in the breeze (thanks to the Gulf Stream), and boats bob lazily offshore. Artists flock here for that light you can’t quite capture on…

Scotland’s biggest mental health charity is backing Team Scotland Roller Derby as they get ready to skate onto the world stage — and the players say the support goes far beyond just wearing a logo. An Unlikely Partnership With Huge Impact This July, Team Scotland Roller Derby will hit the track at the Roller Derby World Cup in Innsbruck, Austria, with more than medals on their minds. SAMH — the Scottish Action for Mental Health — has stepped up to sponsor the team. That means the charity’s name and iconic logo will be emblazoned on the players’ strips for the…

Health leaders and charities are warning Scotland’s government that it “cannot be complacent” as breast cancer rates are projected to climb sharply in the next two decades. Latest figures show that about 71,000 women could be living with breast cancer by 2044 — a jump that’s forcing tough questions about screening, diagnosis and care. With calls for faster action growing louder, the reality for patients and clinicians alike is a system that must adapt — or risk leaving thousands behind. A Stark Projection Puts Pressure on Services Public Health Scotland’s estimate of 71,000 women living with breast cancer within 20…

Spirit of Tasmania IV has finally left Scottish shores, charting a course to Hobart on an epic 27,000 km journey — marking the next chapter for Tasmania’s ageing ferry fleet. Departure After Delays After months of anticipation, Spirit of Tasmania IV set sail from Leith, Scotland, on June 30.Its departure came later than planned. Back in May, technical issues with its liquid natural gas system forced the vessel to stay put. Now, the deep water berth in Devonport’s Mersey River — its future home — is still under construction, so its first Australian stop will be Hobart instead. The Route:…

Scotland’s GPs are drawing a line in the sand. The British Medical Association (BMA) has declared a formal dispute with the Scottish Government, accusing ministers of years of underfunding that has left surgeries unable to cope. Doctors are warning this is just the beginning. If nothing changes, a ballot on disruptive action — including potential service reductions — could be next. A Crisis That's Been Building for Years This isn’t just about spreadsheets. It’s about surgeries struggling to stay open, GPs burning out, and communities being left without access to basic care. In a strongly worded joint statement, BMA Scotland’s…

Hundreds of bus orders may still not be enough. That’s the blunt warning from Alexander Dennis boss Paul Davies, who told Scottish lawmakers that the company’s future in Scotland hangs by a thread. Even with new vehicle demand on the table, Davies says it’s "not guaranteed" the firm’s Falkirk and Larbert sites can be saved. Orders Coming In — But Still Not Enough Alexander Dennis is Scotland’s last major bus manufacturer. It’s built thousands of vehicles over the decades and has long been one of the Central Belt’s key employers. But now, it’s at risk of leaving Scotland entirely. Paul…

Shah Rukh Khan and Suhana Khan will head to Scotland in September for a crucial phase of filming for King, the father-daughter duo's first feature collaboration. Industry insiders say the schedule will be packed with action, emotion, and sweeping outdoor visuals. The much-awaited thriller, helmed by Pathaan director Siddharth Anand, has already kicked off production in Mumbai. Now, the film is set to make its next move in the Scottish Highlands — a location picked not just for its scenic appeal, but for the raw cinematic intensity it can bring to screen. A Family Affair On and Off Screen This…

Scotland has recorded a significant drop in child poverty since embedding legal targets into law — a stark contrast to rising figures across the rest of the UK, new analysis shows. 21,000 Fewer Children in Poverty in Scotland Since 2017 Since the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 came into effect, the number of children living in relative poverty has fallen by 12%, equivalent to around 21,000 fewer children affected. That’s no small feat. Over the same time period, England and Wales saw a 15% rise in child poverty, according to new research published by the Big Issue. The findings paint…

You might not know it, but your face could already be in a database the moment you walk into your neighbourhood shop. A growing number of retailers across Scotland are using facial recognition technology to spot repeat offenders and deter theft. While some store owners call it a game-changer, privacy campaigners see something darker: a surveillance state creeping in through the back door. Theft Is Rising — and Shops Say They're On Their Own Shoplifting across Scotland is up. A 16% year-on-year increase, according to the latest crime figures, has retailers scrambling for solutions. Many complain that police can’t —…

Scotland’s tourism sector is roaring back to life. After years of travel disruption, the latest stats from VisitScotland confirm what locals have been noticing for months—crowds are back, languages from every continent fill city streets, and visitor spend is spiking. International arrivals are booming. And the numbers don’t lie. Post-COVID Recovery Turns into Full-Blown Tourism Bounce The new data, published in the latest Great Britain Tourism Survey and shared by VisitScotland, shows that overseas visitor numbers rose significantly in 2024 compared to the previous year. That’s not just recovery—it’s acceleration. While full-year figures are still being finalised, the provisional estimates…