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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 —…

A new framework promising to reshape how Scotland approaches the climate crisis — and who benefits from it — has just been released. And it's not just about cutting emissions. It's about changing the system. Published by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) on June 24, the “Unlocking a Better Future” framework lays out a detailed approach to delivering a just transition in Scotland — one that’s fair, forward-thinking, and fundamentally different from business as usual. It’s Not About Fixing One Problem — It’s About Fixing the Whole Setup Forget the idea that we can just switch to electric cars and…

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,…

Edinburgh has officially joined the elite club of cities equipped with a total-body PET scanner, placing Scotland at the heart of the UK’s most advanced medical imaging network to date. It’s not just a technological milestone — it could rewrite how fast we detect disease, test new drugs, and treat patients. Located at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, the scanner is now operational under a cross-institutional effort co-managed by the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. The move marks a significant leap forward for NHS Scotland and brings game-changing imaging capabilities beyond the M25 for the first time. A Scanner That…

Scotland’s salmon farming sector just scored a big win for sustainability, with global agribusiness giant Cargill securing certification for its aquafeed plants under the tough new ASC Feed Standard. It's a move that could ripple across the seafood supply chain. The certification means that all of Cargill’s EWOS-branded feed operations for salmonids — including those in Scotland — now meet the stringent benchmarks set by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council. It’s not just about fish anymore. It’s about traceability, ethics, and the climate footprint of everything that goes into that feed bag. A First for Scotland, a Signal to the Industry…

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…

Art. Food. Music. And the kind of human connection you don’t see every day. Refugee Festival Scotland just wrapped up its 25th year—and this one was its biggest yet. Over ten packed days from June 13 to June 22, more than 160 events unfolded across Scotland, reaching from the Borders to the Highlands. It was more than a party. It was a countrywide celebration of culture, community, and the power of belonging. A Silver Anniversary Full of Colour and Heart It’s not every day a festival hits 25 years. And Refugee Festival Scotland didn’t waste the chance to go all…

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…

For the first time in over 100 years, whisky is flowing again in Inverclyde. Ardgowan Distillery, the long-awaited venture near the village of Inverkip, has officially opened, capping off years of anticipation with its first whisky casks filled and aging. And if the launch crowd was anything to go by, the region's thirst for single malt hasn't dulled in the slightest. A New Era for an Old Whisky Heartland Inverclyde isn’t the first place that comes to mind when people talk about Scotch. It doesn’t have the volume of Islay or the tourism pull of Speyside. But historically, it mattered.…

The monsoon doesn’t just bring rain. It brings drama, color, renewal—and in some parts of the world, it turns already-beautiful places into something unforgettable. For travelers who don’t mind getting a little wet, countries like India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and even Scotland offer some of their most magical moments during the rainy season. Rain polishes waterfalls until they thunder. It greens the hills, mists the valleys, and hushes the crowds. In the following seven countries, the monsoon isn't a downer—it's a spectacle. Kerala, India: The Emerald State in Full Bloom In Kerala, monsoon isn't an inconvenience—it’s a season of rebirth. As…