News

Summer’s early thunderstorms brought hope, but key Scottish river systems remain under significant stress, raising alarms for ecosystems, farmers, and communities alike. When April showers failed to materialize and May delivered record lows, many in Scotland pinned their hopes on late-May and early-June rainfall to reset the balance. But the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) cautions that brief wet spells are not enough to erase months of drought. Eight major catchments remain at Moderate Scarcity, and another seven sit at Alert levels—all based on real-time river flow data rather than seasonal forecasts. Rain Isn’t Enough to Reverse a Dry Trend…

A quiet patch of farmland near Ochiltree might soon become one of Scotland’s most significant digital infrastructure hubs. Apatura, a developer known for battery energy storage projects, has submitted early plans to build a large-scale data center campus in East Ayrshire, with potential capacity to rival many of the UK’s existing data infrastructure projects. The 200MW project could reshape not just East Ayrshire’s economy, but also Scotland’s broader ambitions in the global data center market. From Agriculture to Algorithms: What’s Planned in Ochiltree? Apatura, through its vehicle Apatura DC Project 12 Ltd, has filed for an Environmental Impact Assessment Screening…

From neoclassical city blocks in Glasgow to art deco masterpieces on the Sussex coast, penthouse buyers in the UK are finding more than just elevation—they're buying into history, design, and sometimes even a little slice of the sea. The Guardian’s latest roundup of penthouses with private terraces for sale offers a stunning look at how architectural heritage and modern living are colliding in some of Britain’s most iconic locations. Glasgow: Vaulted Ceilings and City Skylines from a B-Listed Gem This Glasgow penthouse isn’t just high up—it’s soaked in history. Perched atop the Old Sheriff Court, a B-listed neoclassical building dating…

Scotland is hitting reset on its climate strategy after repeatedly missing key emissions targets. The Scottish Government has officially scrapped its legally binding 2030 climate goal, instead unveiling a new framework based on five-year carbon budgets aimed at reaching net zero by 2045. The move has sparked a heated mix of praise, panic, and political finger-pointing. Scotland, once seen as a global climate frontrunner, now finds itself facing tough questions—about credibility, capacity, and whether it's still on course to meet its long-term environmental promises. Abandoning the 2030 Pledge The 2030 commitment was ambitious: cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75% compared…

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…