News

After more than a decade of groundwork and regulatory wrangling, the Scottish Government has officially signed off on SSE Renewables' 4.1-gigawatt Berwick Bank offshore wind farm—pushing what could be the world’s largest offshore project into its final pre-construction phase. The green light comes with both Section 36 consent and key marine licenses, clearing the way for SSE to compete in the UK's next Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction and move toward a final investment decision. If it all clicks into place, Berwick Bank could generate over 11.2 terawatt-hours of electricity per year. That’s enough to power about 17% of UK…

The Scottish Government has officially approved SSE’s Berwick Bank offshore wind project—an enormous step that could soon make the UK home to the largest wind farm on Earth. With the last major consent now secured, the project is inching closer to becoming reality. But it's not a done deal just yet. SSE still has to win a power contract and make its final investment decision. Still, this marks the most significant progress in over a decade of planning—and positions the UK for a potential leap in global renewable energy leadership. A Decade-Long Dream Moves Closer to Reality This isn’t some…

Scotland's economy has taken a direct hit following the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery, with official figures showing GDP contracted in the second quarter, effectively erasing earlier growth. A Brutal Reversal After a Positive Start to the Year After showing signs of modest recovery in early 2025, Scotland's economic growth has stumbled backward. According to the latest figures released by the Scottish Government, GDP fell by 0.4% in the three months leading to May. That number exactly offsets the 0.4% rise in the first quarter—putting the economy right back where it started at the turn of the year. May…

A rugged, untouched island in the Highlands is up for grabs at a price lower than many suburban homes in Sydney or Melbourne—if you don’t mind the cold, the seals, and zero chance of building a house. 30 Acres of Isolation in the Scottish Highlands Eilean Mòr, a 30-acre island nestled in the icy waters of Loch Sunart on Scotland’s west coast, has just hit the market for £435,000 (approximately $560,000 USD or AUD 864,000). That’s less than the cost of a modest inner-city apartment in many parts of Australia. But you’re not buying a home. You’re buying wilderness. Thick…

A shoot wrap-up dinner in Scotland turned into a comedy of errors when actor Deepak Dobriyal found himself at the wrong door—until Ajay Devgn jumped in to help. A Dinner Plan, a Kilt, and One Odd Outfit Choice What started as a casual post-shoot dinner among the cast of Son of Sardaar 2 took a sharp left into sitcom territory, thanks to Deepak Dobriyal’s quirky outfit and a washroom mishap no one saw coming. Dobriyal recalled the moment with a grin: “We’d just wrapped up the shoot, and Ajay bhai was hosting dinner. He asked when I could join, and…

A fiercely contested auction ended with heritage groups saving a modernist treasure in the Scottish Borders—one that’s been teetering on the edge of ruin for over two decades. The Bernat Klein Studio, a rare piece of late-modernist architecture near Selkirk, was snapped up on Wednesday by a coalition led by the National Trust for Scotland. Starting at a modest £18,000, the bids skyrocketed to a hammer price of £279,000, surprising even the winning bidders. The final bill, including fees and taxes, could tip close to £336,700. A Hidden Icon on the Brink of Collapse You wouldn’t know it from the…

Bagpipes, tote bags, and a blue carpet — Blood of My Blood brings a touch of Scottish magic to West Hollywood. West Hollywood doesn’t usually smell like heather or echo with the wail of bagpipes, but on Monday night, it might as well have been the Highlands. The premiere of Outlander: Blood of My Blood, the much-anticipated prequel to the long-running Starz series, turned a quiet stretch of L.A. pavement into full-blown tartan territory. There were kilts. There were shrieking fans. There were even tote bags — branded, of course — being eagerly passed around by the Starz promo team.…

Public Health Scotland flags rising presence of nitazenes, as drug deaths spike and testing struggles to keep up. Scotland’s fight against drug-related deaths has taken a grim turn. A sharp rise in suspected fatalities between March and May this year is being linked to the growing presence of potent synthetic opioids — specifically, a class of drugs known as nitazenes. The latest figures released by Public Health Scotland (PHS) show 312 suspected drug deaths in just three months. That’s a 15% jump from the previous quarter. Behind that rise, experts say, could be substances most people have never even heard…

An independent review praises Scotland’s “compassionate” approach but warns that too many disabled people still find the system confusing and hard to access. Scotland’s flagship disability benefit, hailed for its humanity and a gentler tone than its UK counterpart, is facing a reckoning. A new report has urged ministers to simplify the Adult Disability Payment system before a dramatic rise in claimants and costs puts it under serious pressure. The warning comes as projections show the number of people receiving the payment is set to nearly double within six years — from 379,000 today to more than 703,000 by 2030.…

More than 7,000 officers were deployed across Scotland for Donald Trump’s private visit, with four arrests made and costs still under wraps. Former US President Donald Trump’s whirlwind tour of Scotland last weekend may have been private, but the scale of the security response was anything but. Police Scotland confirmed the deployment of over 7,000 officers across the country, making it one of the largest security operations in its history. The visit, which began Friday and stretched across Trump’s Turnberry resort in Ayrshire and a new golf course opening in Aberdeenshire, also led to four arrests—including one mid-flight on an…