News

ORKNEY — A landmark report released today has set out a roadmap to reconcile Scotland’s vast tidal energy potential with pressing environmental considerations, especially concerns around possible collisions between turbines and harbour seals. The report, titled Managing the Consenting Risk of Harbour Seal Collision in the Scottish Tidal Energy Industry, outlines a framework to overcome one of the biggest regulatory hurdles facing the tidal stream sector: navigating uncertainty in wildlife impact assessments to gain project approvals. Funded by Crown Estate Scotland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the initiative — part of the Tidal Industry Seal Project (TISP) — represents the…

EDINBURGH — Scotland has recorded its hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures soaring to 25.5°C in Auchincruvie, South Ayrshire, and Tyndrum, Stirlingshire, amid an intensifying spring dry spell that has placed half the country under water scarcity alert. The heat, which edged past Monday’s previous high by just 0.1°C, arrives during what meteorologists say could become the UK’s driest spring on record, triggering concern among regulators, businesses, and environmental groups as river levels drop across major catchments. “We’ve had below average rainfall throughout the winter and last autumn as well,” said Eilidh Johnson, senior water industry manager…

TAIN, SCOTLAND — Three Belgian soldiers were injured — one seriously — in a live firing incident during a large-scale military training exercise in the Scottish Highlands, prompting a full-scale emergency response and a formal investigation by Belgian defence officials. The incident occurred shortly after 13:15 on Monday at the Tain Air Weapons Range in Easter Ross, where Belgium’s elite Third Parachute Battalion is conducting a joint exercise involving live ammunition, ground forces and helicopters as part of Exercise Red Condor. According to Belgium’s Ministry of Defence, approximately 10 additional soldiers suffered hearing damage. Two of the more seriously injured…

EDINBURGH — Scotland’s multibillion-pound nuclear decommissioning programme could deliver major long-term economic and social dividends, according to a new study that urges policymakers to seize the moment and ensure no communities are left behind in the process. Led by the UK’s National Decommissioning Centre (NDC) in partnership with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), the research forecasts wide-reaching benefits in employment, household income, skills and regional resilience. The work forms part of a growing policy push in Scotland to align decommissioning with ‘just transition’ goals — particularly for rural areas hit hardest by the loss of high-value energy sector jobs. At…

EDINBURGH — Scotland’s long-running debate over the right to die took a pivotal step forward on Tuesday as the Scottish Parliament voted 70 to 56 in favour of considering a bill that would legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults. The result, delivered after a free vote and months of scrutiny, marks the first time Holyrood has agreed to formally progress such legislation. The proposed law, introduced by Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, will now proceed to committee stage for detailed examination. The vote comes just days ahead of a similar debate scheduled at Westminster, where MPs in England…

ISLE OF SKYE — In a groundbreaking new study, archaeologists from the University of Glasgow have uncovered evidence of a Late Upper Paleolithic settlement on Scotland’s Isle of Skye — the most northerly presence of the Ahrensburgian culture ever found in Britain. Published in the Journal of Quaternary Science, the research presents a bold new picture of prehistoric life on Skye, suggesting that humans occupied this rugged island during the Younger Dryas, a dramatic cold snap that struck the Earth roughly 12,900 to 11,700 years ago. The findings not only extend the geographic boundaries of Ahrensburgian settlement but also challenge…

EDINBURGH — The Scottish Parliament has taken a major step toward legalising assisted dying after MSPs voted 70 to 56 in favour of advancing the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill in its first parliamentary hurdle on Tuesday. The outcome followed five hours of impassioned debate across party lines, with emotions running high in a chamber historically divided on the matter. The bill, introduced by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, seeks to allow terminally ill adults in Scotland to seek medical assistance to end their lives — a seismic shift in end-of-life policy for the country. One lawmaker…

With World Hunger Day looming, Glasgow City Council is turning up the heat on both local and national governments over the growing hunger crisis gripping the city. City councillors are calling for urgent reforms, including welfare changes and a grassroots food resilience programme, as pressure mounts on families struggling with sky-high food costs and stagnating support. A City Hungry for Change It’s not a warning anymore—it’s reality. Glasgow is staring down the barrel of rising food poverty, and elected leaders are scrambling to respond. A new report from council officials paints a grim picture: more households are falling through the…

Drivers in South Lanarkshire are being warned to brace for overnight disruption this month as vital resurfacing work gets underway on one of the area's busiest commuter routes. The A725 near Crossbaskets, East Kilbride, will see a full week of night-time lane closures and diversions starting Thursday, May 15. It’s all part of a £multi-million maintenance plan overseen by Amey on behalf of Transport Scotland. What’s Closing and When? The planned work isn’t a one-off—it's a carefully phased closure across several nights, and it’ll hit both directions of traffic at different times. Initial closures begin on Thursday 15 May and…

Inverness, Scotland — ScotRail is embarking on a transformative journey to enhance the passenger experience, launching a six-month trial of onboard Wi-Fi using Starlink, the satellite technology developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The pilot program will equip six trains on routes in the north of Scotland with Starlink’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, offering high-speed internet to passengers for the first time in the UK. The services selected for this trial include popular routes from Inverness to Wick, Thurso, Kyle of Lochalsh, and Aberdeen — all regions known for their remote and rural locations where connectivity has traditionally been a…