Long waits for NHS care have become one of the most pressing health‑service issues in Scotland. Patients across the country from busy urban centres to rural and remote communities are facing delays not just for major operations but for outpatient appointments and specialist services such as audiology (hearing tests and hearing aid fittings).
Patients across NHS Highland, including those living in Caithness, are experiencing extremely long waits for hearing assessments and hearing aid services, highlighting a growing problem in Scotland's audiology services. According to a report in the Inverness Courier, some patients have been waiting nearly two years for a hearing test or hearing aid fitting — delays that leave individuals struggling with hearing loss and its impact on daily life.
NATO has always been more than a military pact. For over 75 years, it has rested on trust, shared interests, and the assumption that disputes among allies are managed through diplomacy and not coercion.
For many American households, the cost of living — what it takes to buy groceries, clothes, electronics, and other everyday items is one of the most important economic issues. As the U.S.
Moneyfacts UK Savings Trends Treasury Report savers should be prepared for a new era of returns as savings rates fade from their peaks. Overall product choice fell by one to 2,318 savings deals (including ISAs) - the third highest on our records.
The rapid rise of stablecoins — digital tokens pegged to fiat currencies like the US dollar — has sparked debate about their potential to disrupt traditional banking. Advocates highlight their efficiency in payments and cross-border transfers, while critics warn they could undermine banks' deposit bases and profitability.
As the world watches a sharp escalation in U.S.-European relations, leaders across Europe have responded with rare unity to President Donald Trump's recent announcement that he will impose tariffs on several key allies over their opposition to his push to take control of Greenland. The move has prompted strong diplomatic rebukes, coordinated statements of solidarity among NATO partners, and urgent political responses that spotlight deep concerns about the future of transatlantic cooperation.
There have been recent reports of cold callers who imply they are working with the NHS and offer people the opportunity to take part in a 'sleep survey'. One woman who agreed to take part was visited by a man who seemed friendly and asked some questions about her sleeping habits.
Young entrepreneurs will be supported to turn their ideas into successful businesses through a new Scottish Government programme. The First Minister's Start Up Challenge will empower young people aged 18 - 30 from disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds to start innovative businesses.
China achieved 5% GDP growth in 2025 through strong exports, policy support, and resilience against external shocks like the US trade war. Compared globally, this growth is above the world average (2.8%), stronger than the Eurozone (0.8%), but lower than India (6.5%), which remains the fastest-growing major economy.
Global financial markets are sending a clear and unusually synchronized message today. Risk appetite is fading fast.
Up to 250,000 more people with health conditions will receive support to stay in or return to work, as a ground-breaking programme proven to transform lives and boost living standards is to be rolled out across England. WorkWell, a proven health-and-employment support service, will be rolled out across England to help people with health conditions stay in or return to work.
Labour market returns for female graduates have been historically overestimated using tax data, as much of the documented graduate pay premium is the result of female graduates working longer hours, not higher hourly wages, a UCL led study finds. The analysis, published in Economics of Education Review, challenges the conventional wisdom that early career earning potential is boosted by obtaining a university degree, particularly for women.
In early 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump launched one of the most sweeping withdrawals from multilateral institutions in modern American history.
In January 2026, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new round of tariffs targeting several European countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Finland.
Canada-China Partnership is the first since 2017 and more meetings with other countries will sideline USA. Canadian PM Mark Carney visited China, the first Canadian leader to do so since 2017.
Why councils across England and Scotland are still losing control of school transport costs and why fixing it is harder than it looks For years, school transport was a quiet, technical line in council budgets were important, but manageable. That era is over.
Every January, the quiet Alpine town of Davos-Klosters becomes a temporary capital of global power. Presidents, prime ministers, central bankers, tech chiefs, investors, activists and thinkers arrive in the snowbound Swiss resort for the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) — an event more commonly known simply as "Davos." It is not a treaty-making conference.
Brexit has had a measurable negative effect on long‑term economic performance, though it's not the only factor shaping the UK economy. Independent forecasters such as the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimate that, in the long term, Brexit will reduce UK trade volumes and national income compared with continued EU membership.
Export dependence Scotch whisky is Scotland's largest export, with the U.S. being a £1 billion market.