Latest News

Today

Iran, the Houthis and the Red Sea: A New Threat to the World's Shipping?

There are moments in international affairs when a relatively small geographical development suddenly becomes important to almost everybody.  The latest advance by Yemen's Houthi movement may be one of them.  

Today

Scotland's Green Energy and the Hidden Crypto Economy: Could Criminals Exploit Our Power?

Scotland is becoming an electricity powerhouse.  In 2025, Scotland generated a record 38.5 terawatt-hours of renewable electricity, with wind accounting for most of it.  

Yesterday

Bank of England Faces a New Dilemma: Oil Falls, But Yemen Explodes

The Bank of England goes into its next interest-rate decision on 17 September with a problem that has become increasingly difficult to read.   On the face of it, there is little reason for the Bank to raise rates.  

Yesterday

Europe Wants Communities to Own the Energy Revolution. Why Isn't It Happening?

Europe has built an enormous renewable-energy industry, but a new report from the European Court of Auditors raises a rather awkward question.   How much of that energy revolution actually belongs to the communities living alongside it? The European Union has promoted the idea of “energy communities”, where citizens, small businesses and local authorities can collectively produce, store, share and sell renewable electricity.  

Yesterday

What Happens If Saudi Arabia's Backup Oil Route Is Blocked Too?

For weeks, the world's attention has been focused on the Strait of Hormuz and what happens to the oil market if tankers cannot safely pass through one of the world's most important shipping routes.   Now there is a new problem.  

Yesterday : Local Authority

Caithness This Week A Region Facing Big Decisions on Energy, Money and Its Future

Caithness has had a busy week, although the individual stories might not initially appear to have much in common.   Look a little more closely, however, and a pattern begins to emerge.  

Yesterday

Britain Needs More Homes. But Housebuilding Is Going in the Wrong Direction

Britain has a housing shortage.   The Government has promised to tackle it by building 1.5 million new homes during this Parliament, an average of around 300,000 a year but the latest construction figures from the Office for National Statistics raise an uncomfortable question.  

Yesterday

 
English Whisky raises a glass to new protected status

English Whisky has been granted protected status, becoming the newest member of the UK's recognised whisky family.   English Whisky has secured protected Geographical Indication (GI) status, a major milestone for a sector that has grown from a handful of pioneering producers into one of England’s most exciting food and drink success stories.  

Yesterday

Rachel Reeves vs John Healey: Is Labour Changing Its Economic Strategy?

Britain has become accustomed to hearing rather depressing economic news.   Weak growth High borrowing costs, Rising debt, Pressure on public services, A housing shortage.  

Yesterday

Should One Person Be Able to Put £36 Million Into British Politics?

Britain has just witnessed something that would have seemed extraordinary only a few years ago.   Reform UK has received a £36 million donation from cryptocurrency entrepreneur Ben Delo, the largest single political donation in British history.  

Yesterday

 
Glasgow's Financial Crisis: Is This Scotland's Most Pressured Council?

When I was budget leader of Highland council a few years ago I always looked at what was happening to a few other councils budgets both to find out if we were out of line or were there other ideas we could use.  A new Audit Scotland report on Glasgow City Council makes uncomfortable reading.  

Yesterday

Is Britain Heading Towards American-Style Billionaire Politics?

Britain has just witnessed something that should make us stop and think about the future of our democracy.   Reform UK has received a £36 million donation from cryptocurrency entrepreneur Ben Delo, the largest single political donation in British history.  

Yesterday

New British-built trains to transform railways and reindustrialise Britain

£1 billion investment in 29 new British-built battery-electric trains will deliver faster, more reliable journeys across the North, supporting 6,000 UK jobs and boosting capacity.   faster and more frequent train journeys across the North as government supports a £1 billion investment in 29 new British-built trains on Great British Railways (GBR).  

Yesterday : Educational Institutions

 
UHI North, West and Hebrides turns a generator failure into a solar-powered success

Researchers at UHI North, West and Hebrides have used portable solar power to run radar equipment during seabird fieldwork at Dunnet Head, Caithness - believed to be one of first times renewable energy has been used to power radar fieldwork at the university.   During summer fieldwork at Dunnet Head, a PhD researcher, Amy Jones, was using a marine radar to monitor seabird activity when an unexpected generator failure prompted the team to find an alternative way of powering the equipment.  

Yesterday

Why Are Mortgage Rates Rising Again? The Hidden Interest Rate Most Borrowers Never See

For anyone coming towards the end of a fixed-rate mortgage, the past few days have brought an unwelcome surprise.  Mortgage rates are rising again.  

Yesterday

Britain's Trade Deficit Is Still Huge – But There Are Signs of Improvement

Britain's latest trade figures provide a useful reminder that the country's economic position is neither as simple nor as gloomy as some headlines suggest.   The Office for National Statistics has reported that the UK's trade deficit in goods and services narrowed in the three months to July 2026.  

11/9/2026

Primark Comes to Caithness Without Opening a Store

For years, Primark has been a familiar name to shoppers across Scotland, but not necessarily to people living in the far north.   There is a Primark in Inverness, but for somebody living in Caithness that can mean a journey of well over 100 miles each way.  

11/9/2026

Could Britain's Beer Supply Be the Next Victim of Climate Change?

A poor barley harvest does not mean Britain is about to run out of beer, but it could add another pressure to an industry already facing difficult times For most people, barley is something that appears in a field during the summer and disappears from their thoughts until harvest.   But barley has a rather important second life.  

11/9/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

 
HIE appoints new area manager for Caithness and Sutherland

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has appointed Claire Wilson as its new area manager for Caithness and Sutherland.   Claire succeeds Eann Sinclair, who retired after eight years as area manager and more than three decades with HIE.  

11/9/2026

Oil, Bonds and Interest Rates: Is the World Entering a Dangerous New Financial Phase? - Oil Surges To $110

Something rather important is happening in financial markets which could eventually affect almost everyone, yet it is easy to miss among the daily headlines about the war and the rapidly rising price of oil.   Brent crude has surged to almost $110 a barrel, with the price rising nearly 13% in a week.