The Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal has delivered public and private investment across the Highlands totalling £412.98 million, according to its 2025/26 Annual Report, supporting major investments in housing, tourism, innovation, and infrastructure. Highlights from the 2025/26 Annual Report include the start of the Corran Ferry Infrastructure Improvement project, the completion of 234 affordable homes across Highland communities, and the opening of The Inverness Castle Experience, which has welcomed more than 107,000 paying visitors since opening.
The future of one of Caithness's most significant renewable energy developments has come under fresh scrutiny after Swedish energy company Hexicon AB revealed that it could face liquidation because of serious financial difficulties. The development is particularly relevant to Caithness because Hexicon holds a 10% interest in the Pentland Floating Offshore Wind Farm, planned approximately 7.5 kilometres off the coast of Dounreay.
The honest answer is that we cannot assume British supermarkets are any safer than their French counterparts. The French incidents should be a warning to the entire retail industry, not simply a problem for French supermarket operators.
After almost ten years of discussions, consultations and promises, communities in Caithness are still waiting to discover what will happen to their healthcare services. The future of proposed health hubs in Wick and Thurso, together with improvements to maternity facilities at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, is becoming increasingly uncertain.
As world leaders gather in Turkey, the challenge is no longer simply agreeing that climate change must be tackled. It is turning promises into action, finding the money to pay for the transition and deciding how quickly the world can move away from fossil fuels.
Britain has a banking system dominated by large commercial banks, building societies and increasingly expensive forms of consumer credit. But there is another financial model which has become a major part of everyday life in countries such as Ireland and the United States.
There is a message that households across Britain need to hear, and it is one that some people may find uncomfortable. If you are borrowing to maintain your standard of living, paying only the minimum on your credit cards, or regularly using an overdraft to get through the month, you need to take a hard look at your finances now.
Political changes in Israel and Washington could shape the next phase of the Iran conflict. With Stephen Miller taking charge at the White House and Benjamin Netanyahu facing the prospect of losing power, the coming weeks could prove critical for the Middle East and the world economy.
Britain's household debt problem is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Behind the headline figures on mortgages, credit cards and personal loans are millions of households struggling to keep up with everyday bills.
Rising interest rates are exposing more than household financial problems. For some couples, the discovery of secret credit cards, hidden loans and years of concealed borrowing could prove to be the final straw in relationships already under pressure.
The Government's latest attempt to help households cope with rising energy bills has produced an uncomfortable contradiction. While millions of households will receive a £100 payment, new analysis suggests that nearly 700,000 of Britain's poorest households will miss out altogether.
The growing number of wind farm developments across the Highlands has created an increasingly difficult question for local democracy. How far can elected councillors go in expressing concerns about renewable energy developments before they risk being accused of bias and excluded from decisions affecting their own communities? That question has now been brought into sharper focus by Highland councillor Matthew Reiss, who has approached the Ethical Standards Commissioner seeking clear guidance on councillors' conduct when publicly expressing views about renewable energy.
The economic impact of Glasgow's 2026 Commonwealth Games has provided an interesting reminder of what major events can contribute to the Scottish economy. An independent evaluation estimates that the 11-day sporting event generated £223 million in economic activity across Scotland, including £158.6 million for the Glasgow City Region.
The Bank of England’s decision to put interest rates up for the first time in over three years could be bad news for prospective homebuyers. Higher borrowing costs risk putting home ownership even further out of reach for many people.
The American midterm elections of 3 November 2026 may be remembered as a major political setback for President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Democrats regained control of both chambers of Congress and made significant gains in state elections.
When oil prices rise, motorists and households across Britain face higher costs for petrol, diesel, heating oil and energy. Oil-producing countries and regions, however, can benefit from increased revenues generated by their natural resources.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has changed the way European countries think about defence. For decades, many NATO members reduced their military spending, believing that a major conventional war in Europe was increasingly unlikely.
The Bank of England's decision to increase interest rates in November has important implications for households, businesses, government finances and local authorities. It may also signal the beginning of another period in which the cost of borrowing remains higher than many people had expected.
Caithness has become an important centre for renewable electricity generation. Wind farms across the area produce electricity that contributes to Britain's energy supply, but there is an interesting question that deserves more attention locally.
The prospect of an independent Scotland rejoining the European Union is frequently presented as one of the major advantages of independence. Scotland would regain access to the European single market, restore freedom of movement with EU countries and recover a relationship with Europe that ended when the UK left the EU in January 2020.