News

A smartphone app is helping to reshape how musculoskeletal pain is managed across Scotland, with early signs pointing to significant NHS savings—and fewer patients left waiting in agony. Phio, a digital triage and rehabilitation tool built by health-tech startup EQL, has now been rolled out across six Scottish health boards. Designed to give patients instant access to guidance and support for muscle and joint problems, the platform bypasses the GP bottleneck and nudges people into tailored care pathways in minutes—often without the need for a single appointment. From Orkney to the Borders, this quiet tech shift is offering a radical…

A steep decline in breeding flocks has rattled Scotland’s rural heartlands, with upland farms squeezed by climate policy, land use shifts, and rising costs. Sheep numbers in Scotland have dropped to the lowest level ever recorded, sparking urgent warnings from farming leaders. Below 2.5 million breeding sheep remain across the country – a fall that’s hitting the hills and uplands the hardest. Many say this isn’t just a farming issue. It’s a cultural crisis. And the people left on the land are starting to feel like relics of a system that policymakers have quietly moved on from. Upland farms under…

In a night of soaring artistry and youthful brilliance, accordionist Sofía Ros has been named BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Classical Musician of the Year 2025, marking a major milestone in the career of the young musician who moved from Spain to Scotland in pursuit of her classical dreams. Ros clinched the title at the grand final held at Glasgow’s City Halls on 14 June, performing alongside the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Gourlay, in a live broadcast event that blended raw talent, musical complexity, and stage charisma. A Stirring Victory The 2025 final saw three exceptional young musicians…

A high-level delegation from the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has completed a surprise inspection of several Scottish prisons, police stations, and secure youth facilities—raising fresh scrutiny over the treatment of people in custody across Scotland. The nine-day ad hoc visit, which ran from 4 to 13 June, aimed to assess conditions of detention, alleged mistreatment, and whether Scotland has made meaningful progress since earlier CPT inspections in 2018 and 2019. Focus on Vulnerable Populations The CPT team—led by Kristina Pardalos and comprising independent medical, legal, and custodial experts—visited: Adult prisons including HMP Perth Secure…

In a stark attempt to manage surging inmate numbers, Scotland has released more than 150 violent offenders early from custody this year—raising sharp questions about public safety and justice priorities. The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) confirmed that 312 prisoners were let out between February and March, under an expanded emergency early release programme designed to ease chronic overcrowding in the country’s prison estate. And nearly half of those released were convicted of non-sexual crimes of violence. Early Release Policy Quietly Expanded The early release powers were introduced last year but extended further in February 2025, allowing inmates with sentences of…

Scotland is about to send its black bag rubbish across the Border—by the truckload. Up to 100 lorries a day could roll into England once a sweeping landfill ban kicks in at the end of 2025. Environmentalists are uneasy. Local authorities are scrambling. And critics say the government’s ambitions may have outpaced its infrastructure. Ban on Landfilling Biodegradable Waste Triggers Ripple Effect Come 31 December, burying biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) in Scottish landfill sites will be illegal. That means food scraps, textiles, paper, black bag rubbish—the lot—can’t go underground anymore. The Scottish Government’s endgame? Slash greenhouse gas emissions from landfill…

For over a week, inmates at Scotland Correctional Institution have been sweltering inside cells without air conditioning—while loved ones on the outside are furious and demanding action. Some say the conditions are putting lives at risk. Others call it outright abuse. Heat, Health, and Helplessness Inside the Prison Walls When the air conditioning broke down at Scotland Correctional Institution in North Carolina’s Scotland County, inmates were left to deal with stifling heat. Temperatures have climbed well over 80°F. For many, the heat is unbearable. For some, it’s dangerous. “I wouldn’t wish this on anyone,” said a woman whose husband is…

The Scottish Government has launched a wide-reaching consultation aimed at reshaping how offshore wind is developed in its waters—balancing clean energy targets with the protection of marine ecosystems, fishing grounds and local communities. It’s not just a technical exercise. With global eyes on Scotland’s renewables push, what comes out of this updated marine plan could change how the next decade of energy looks—not just in Scotland, but well beyond. Government Looks to Fine-Tune Its Offshore Strategy This isn't Scotland's first go at mapping out where wind farms should go. But this time, they're trying to get it right in a…

Scotland has made tremendous strides in LGBTQ+ rights over the past four decades — from the decriminalisation of male same-sex acts in 1981 to the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2014, and the introduction of LGBTQ+ inclusive education in schools in 2021. But nestled within this larger narrative is a quieter, deeply personal story — one that began in a gay disco in Edinburgh and helped shape a generation. Welcome to Lavender Menace, Scotland’s first gay and lesbian bookshop — part safe haven, part radical cultural force. From Disco to Bookshop The story begins in 1982, when Sigrid Nielsen and…

Scotland’s west coast, long considered the final stronghold for harbour seals in the UK, is no longer a safe haven. A major new study by the University of St Andrews has found a 20% decline in seal numbers between 2018 and 2023, marking the first significant downturn in decades for the area. Once a refuge, now a red flag The research, led by the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU), paints a sobering picture of the marine mammal’s fate. Using aerial surveys, tagging, and long-term photo identification methods, scientists have tracked the species since the 1980s. Until recently, the Inner Hebrides…