Australia’s decision to tighten rules around LNG exports (LNG Exporters to Reserve 20% of Gas for Domestic Market) is attracting growing attention across global energy markets. While the policy is not a full export ban, it does signal a shift toward prioritising domestic energy security over unlimited exports.
When Modella Capital bought WH Smith’s high‑street estate last year, the promise was bold: a fresh start, a new name, and a renewed role as the “hub of the high street”. Less than twelve months later, that vision has collapsed into a stark warning — up to 150 stores may close, hundreds of jobs may go, and another familiar name may fade from Britain’s town centres.
The near‑collapse of TG Jones — the rebranded WH Smith high‑street chain is more than a corporate misstep. It is a case study in the fragility of the modern High Street, especially in rural Scotland where every closure lands harder and lasts longer.
Administrators handling the sale of collapsed Scottish rocket manufacturer Orbex have received 15 offers for parts of the business and its assets. FRP Advisory, which was appointed after the Moray-based firm went into administration earlier this year, said there had been a “high level” of interest from buyers.
New paperless systems shown to significantly reduce processing times, with steps that often take days completed in an hour under pilot conditions. UK exporters could see lower costs and faster access to global markets thanks to the innovative tech.
A snapshot of Caithness in 2026 over the past few days. Big announcements, bigger frustrations, and the quiet competence of local people keeping the place going.
Hydrogen‑powered businesses promise a cleaner future but EcoJet’s collapse is a reminder that vision alone isn’t enough. Even with a high‑profile founder like Dale Vince and a compelling mission to decarbonise aviation, the structural barriers facing hydrogen‑electric ventures are enormous.
Funding will help develop a numberplate ID system for drones, helping police better protect UK skies and prosecute illegal users. British jobs, innovation and long-term economic growth will be supported by £26 million to bring drones and air taxis to UK skies faster.
At first glance, the situation appears puzzling. If the United Arab Emirates is being targeted, why are the Gulf states not responding with direct military force against Iran? In most conflicts, an attack is met with retaliation.
Fuel rationing, if it comes to the UK, is unlikely to arrive as a sudden, dramatic announcement. It will creep in gradually at first through rising prices, then through patchy availability, and finally through more formal limits on who can buy what, and when.
From April 2027, the government will cut the cash ISA allowance for the under-65s from £20,000 to £12,000, forcing the remaining £8,000 into stocks and shares. But the Bank of England is now warning of a "significant risk of a stock market adjustment." Is this really the right moment to push small savers into a volatile market? In this video, I explain why this policy is recklessly irresponsible.
The Work Foundation at Lancaster University responded to the Sickness absence in the UK labour market figures for 2025 released by the Office for National Statistics. Asli Atay, Senior Policy Advisor, the Work Foundation at Lancaster University commented: “These figures suggest sickness absence from the workplace in the UK has stabilised with the average worker taking 4.4 days off in 2025.
The disruption of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz has forced a rapid and far-reaching shift in global energy trade, and nowhere is that more visible than in Asia. As traditional supplies from the Gulf have been constrained for weeks, Asian economies long dependent on Middle Eastern States have begun turning elsewhere to keep their energy systems running.
The recent rise in UK government borrowing costs, reflected in higher yields on government bonds (gilts), is not just a concern for financial markets or policymakers. It has direct and significant consequences for ordinary households particularly those with mortgages.
When Ask Jeeves finally bowed out on 1 May 2026, few mourned the butler. Yet his quiet exit marks the end of an era — the age when search engines were polite librarians handing out lists of links.
The global economy in 2026 is once again being shaped by a familiar but deeply disruptive force: an oil shock driven by geopolitical conflict. What begins as a surge in crude prices rarely stays confined to financial markets.
The Office for National Statistics has released its most detailed assessment yet of how President Trump’s 2025 tariff regime has reshaped UK–US trade. Covering the period from April 2025 to February 2026, the report offers a stark picture.
Fuel costs and supply uncertainty from the Middle East conflict have prompted airlines globally to cut capacity. In the UK, regulators and carriers are largely upbeat that no immediate jet fuel shortages exist.
In recent weeks, the cost of borrowing for the UK government in the bond market has risen sharply, reaching levels not seen in decades. These costs are reflected in the yields on UK government bonds, known as “gilts.” When gilt yields rise, it means the government must pay more interest to borrow money.
Highland Council is heading into a tougher financial climate than at any point since the financial crash and the pressure is coming from a direction that residents rarely see: the cost of government borrowing. Following the UK’s latest rise in borrowing costs, the price councils pay for long‑term loans has increased again.