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Global Airline has kicked off its ambitious transatlantic venture, introducing a luxurious Airbus A380 route from Glasgow Airport to New York’s JFK. This debut signals the airline’s bold move to recapture the sophistication and grandeur of the Golden Age of Travel, promising passengers a lavish experience well beyond the usual flight. A New Chapter for Transatlantic Travel The inaugural flight offered a glimpse into the airline’s commitment to blending classic luxury with modern comfort. From the moment passengers stepped aboard the spacious double-decker A380, the atmosphere was a mix of elegance and innovation. The cabin design balanced style and functionality,…

Scotland’s education system faces fresh scrutiny as discussions turn to Ireland’s unique approach: an exam-free Transition Year. This year-long break from high-stakes testing offers Irish students space to explore and grow before their final two years of intense study. Could Scotland take a leaf out of Ireland’s book and reshape its own senior phase? A Pause Before the Pressure Cooker Ireland’s Transition Year sits snugly between the Junior Cycle and the Senior Cycle. It’s a curious beast — a full school year without the usual exams or formal assessments that typically dominate secondary education. Instead, students engage in a variety…

A vast weather system is bearing down on the UK, promising widespread rain and stormy skies from Cornwall to Aberdeenshire. Only eleven counties are expected to escape the soaking. Rain Bomb Poised to Drench the Nation It's going to be a washout weekend for most of Britain. Forecasters are warning of a sweeping storm front that could bring relentless downpours to nearly every part of the UK. According to WXCharts data, only a tiny handful of counties—just eleven—are forecast to stay dry. The rain, described by some meteorologists as a "rain bomb", is predicted to stretch more than 550 miles.…

London-based coffee disruptor completes full regional franchise allocation in Scotland amid record-breaking sales and iced drink boom Black Sheep Coffee is accelerating its Scottish expansion strategy with a new 10-store franchise deal across the country's northern territories, confirming its intent to double its footprint in Scotland within the next five years. The London-founded specialty robusta chain, known for its rebellious brand image and iced coffee innovations, now has franchise partners covering every region of Scotland — a significant operational milestone for the company as it eyes long-term dominance beyond the Central Belt. The Deal: A Northern Takeover Black Sheep Coffee…

Aberdeen Minerals has kicked off a new round of drilling at its Arthrath site in Aberdeenshire, pressing ahead with ambitions to uncover more of the battery metals the UK so badly lacks. The company’s latest campaign, known as Phase 2B, got underway this month, building on promising signs from its 2024 efforts. If successful, this could mark a rare step toward domestic production of nickel, copper, and cobalt—elements vital to the electric future. Five New Boreholes, 2,400 Meters, and Big Hopes Aberdeen’s current drilling plan isn’t small change. The company is targeting five new boreholes, stretching a total of 2,400…

As luxury travel tilts toward immersive experiences, whisky lovers are swapping airport duty-free shelves for distillery tasting rooms in the Highlands, Himachal, and the Japanese Alps. Not Just a Drink — A Destination Until recently, Indian travelers would return from foreign trips with bottles of Scotch tucked into their checked luggage. Now, many are going straight to the source. From the mossy trails of Pitlochry to the slopes of Yamanashi, whisky is no longer just a souvenir — it’s the centrepiece of a holiday. SkyScanner’s 2024 Travel Trends revealed a notable shift: 63% of Indian respondents said they budgeted more…

From peaceful lambs in Achmelvich to a fiery beacon on Ballantrae beach, this week’s photo roundup captures the soul of Scotland in spring. Each image tells a story—of quiet beauty, of memory, of wild coastline and bluebell-covered woods. A Highland Afternoon, Framed in Wool Sometimes it's the simple scenes that hit the hardest. Peter Dawson’s photo of sheep basking under a blue sky in Achmelvich is one of those moments. Two lambs, a ewe, and nothing but grass, sun, and silence. It’s Highlands peace, bottled and framed. You can almost hear the wind rustle through the grass, can’t you? The…

Scottish prisons are increasingly locking down on the high-tech threat of drones delivering drugs, phones, and other contraband to inmates — with early results showing promising disruption to organised crime networks operating behind bars. The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) says a recent pilot scheme, including the installation of metal grilles on vulnerable windows, has halted drone breaches at Perth Prison over the last six months. The move is part of a broader strategy to tackle the growing problem of drones being used as airborne couriers of illegal goods. A Growing Threat From Above The smuggling of contraband into prisons has…

Scotland’s top water watchdog was meant to keep the taps flowing efficiently — instead, it’s now drowning in scandal. A blistering report from Holyrood’s public audit committee has revealed eye-watering spending at the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS), raising serious questions over government oversight and public accountability. From luxury wallets to Harvard Business School courses, the culture at WICS, once seen as a stable regulatory body, has been condemned as one of unchecked privilege and poor scrutiny. At the centre of it all: a system that allowed senior figures to sign off expenses with virtually no external challenge —…

People might joke about Scottish weather, but when the taps run dry, it’s no laughing matter. Despite being soaked in rain for most of the year, Scotland now faces a paradox: the country is using far more water than it can afford — and more than anywhere else in the UK. It’s not just about long showers or leaky pipes. The deeper reasons for this water-hungry lifestyle are rooted in how people pay for it, how little they think about it, and how the climate is beginning to shift. The Numbers Don't Lie — Scots Are Using Way More Water…