News

A storm is brewing over Skye, and it’s not just the weather. Mowi Scotland, one of the UK's largest salmon producers, is under intense scrutiny after disturbing footage emerged of workers allegedly mistreating fish at its Loch Harport farm. The fallout has been swift. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) suspended the site’s certification, triggering concern across the industry and raising serious questions about animal welfare in aquaculture. Video Sparks Outrage, Certification Pulled The trouble started when the Green Britain Foundation released hidden camera footage allegedly showing workers repeatedly striking live fish. The scenes, filmed…

Scotland, long defined by its sodden glens and misty highlands, is now finding another seasonal identity: a land increasingly defined by smoke. In just the past few weeks, Culbin Forest, Glen Rosa on Arran, and Galloway have all burned. According to the Global Wildfire Information System, more of the UK burned by April 2025 than in any full year in more than a decade. A park ranger on Arran summed up the scale of the damage plainly: “We’ve lost 10 years of conservation work and effort. We just have to start again.” Climate, Ignition, and a New Kind of Wildfire…

Government hopes new assistive tech funding will reduce hospitalizations and long-term care costs, especially for ageing population New Tech, Old Problem: Ageing Population Spurs Investment Scotland has announced a substantial increase in funding for digital care solutions within social housing, more than doubling its support for a programme aimed at helping older tenants live independently. The Registered Social Landlords (RSL) Adaptations Programme will receive £20.9 million over the next year—up from £8.2 million—according to an announcement by Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville during a visit to the Bield Housing Association’s Tech Hub in Linlithgow. The funding boost reflects a shift…

A 17th-century pitch unearthed in rural Kirkcudbrightshire is fuelling claims that Scotland—not England—gave the world the beautiful game. English traditionalists are unimpressed. Archaeological Find in Anwoth Challenges Long-Held Beliefs For over a century, England has worn the crown as the birthplace of modern football. But a new discovery on the grounds of a former Scottish church has sparked a historical turf war. A team led by Ged O’Brien, founder of the Scottish Football Museum, claims to have located the world’s oldest known soccer pitch in the sleepy town of Anwoth. The rectangular site, unearthed on what used to be Mossrobin…

A 10-acre wildfire raging in Fauldhouse, West Lothian, has triggered an extreme risk warning across mainland Scotland. Firefighters are battling intense flames in scorching, bone-dry conditions as environmental officials raise concerns about water scarcity. Six fire engines and two specialist units remain at the scene, tackling a blaze that's swallowed a wooded area roughly the size of five and a half football pitches. Fauldhouse Fire Spreads Fast in Peak Season The fire broke out late morning, just as authorities were warning of heightened wildfire threats due to Scotland’s unusually warm and dry spring. Crews were called to the scene at…

Scotland is facing an unusually long stretch of dry weather that’s raising eyebrows across the country. With rivers running low and reservoirs shrinking, questions are mounting about whether Scotland is ready to handle a drought—something that, until recently, seemed more of a worry for sunnier parts of the world. The Weather That Wouldn’t Quit: What’s Behind This Dry Spell? You might have noticed the sun sticking around more than usual lately. That’s no coincidence. Since late February, a stubborn high-pressure system has parked itself over Scotland, blocking the usual rain clouds and keeping the skies clear. Meteorologists call this a…

A new £1.6 million fund has been launched to rescue Scotland’s embattled seabird populations — but the money comes as tensions grow over massive windfarm plans that conservationists fear could do more harm than good. Big Money, Big Hope for Scotland’s Seabirds Scotland’s rugged coasts have long echoed with the cries of gannets, puffins, and kittiwakes. But their numbers? Nearly half gone since the mid-1980s. That’s where the new Seabird Resilience Fund steps in — offering a rare dose of hope. Managed by the Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund (SMEEF), it’s built on voluntary cash from nine offshore wind developers.…

Zero-emission aviation pioneer ZeroAvia has chosen Scotland as the site for a flagship Hydrogen Centre of Excellence and manufacturing facility, promising a game-changing boost for the country’s green economy. The new site will rise near Glasgow Airport in Renfrewshire and is expected to create up to 350 skilled jobs, supported by a £9 million grant from Scottish Enterprise. This strategic expansion is part of the company’s global push to scale production of its hydrogen-electric propulsion systems, with nearly 3,000 orders already locked in from airlines and aircraft manufacturers. Those deals translate into a future revenue pipeline of more than $10…

Scotland’s local authorities are in the red again — this time by £647 million — as they scramble to balance budgets with a cocktail of cuts, tax hikes, and dipping into dwindling reserves. It’s a harsh dose of financial reality, and despite Holyrood boosting its support, watchdogs say the money just isn’t enough. Services are already shrinking. Expectations? Still sky-high. Taxpayers Squeezed Harder, Services Delivered Less For the first time since the freeze was lifted, all 32 councils across Scotland raised council tax — and they didn’t hold back. The average jump? 9.6%. But in Falkirk, that spike hit a…

Nesta Scotland has urged the Scottish Government to accelerate home electrification policies following the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) stark assessment that Scotland is set to miss its 2030 climate targets by up to six years. Responding to the CCC’s newly published advice on Scotland’s four carbon budgets for the period 2026 to 2045, the innovation foundation said faster progress on heat decarbonisation was essential to deliver lower emissions and reduced household energy bills. “Electrification Is Critical” Angela Mitchell, Head of Nesta Scotland, said the government must act swiftly to back up its net-zero ambitions with tangible policy changes. “Electrification is…