G7 nations have signed an agreement to unite and harness the innovative potential of AI to usher in a new era of global productivity and economic growth. Countries agree to work together on new report exploring how to ramp up AI adoption.
New measures will close existing loopholes exploited by unscrupulous breeders and traders. Tougher powers to tackle illegal cat and dog smuggling have taken a significant step forward today (15 March) with the announcement of government backing for new legislation.
Plans to invest up to £60m new Capital in Highland roads and infrastructure have been approved by Members at the Council meeting on 14 March 2024. The decision will see an additional £40m Capital investment in roads and transport infrastructure.
Members at today's (14 March 2024) meeting of The Highland Council agreed the local authority's new draft Community Wealth Building Strategy. They were also asked to note that a period of public engagement on the draft will now begin, with a final strategy returning to full Council for consideration in September.
Highland Council members have considered and agreed a revised draft Highland Outcome Improvement Plan. The partnership plan has been reviewed and updated by the Community Planning Partnership.
New land reform legislation will aim to change how land is owned and managed in our rural and island communities for the better. The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, introduced to Parliament today, includes measures that will apply to large landholdings of over 1,000 hectares, prohibiting sales in certain cases until Ministers can consider the impact on the local community.
It takes an interminable amount of time for communities waiting on new medical facilities. Caithness awaits new hubs in Thurso and Wick with the redesign of Caithness General also now on hold.
Changes to the government grant scheme for heat pumps will make them cheaper and easier for families to install. Families could save around £2,500 off upfront costs, with insulation no longer required to access heat pump grants government calls for the Competition and Markets Authority to review competition in the home heating market implementation of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism has been scrapped until April 2025 Heat pumps will be cheaper and easier for families to install as part of changes to the government's Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership will receive £423,000 of funding to continue its work of increasing the supply of homes by bringing empty properties back into use in 2024-25. The Partnership works with local authorities and private homeowners to provide advice and support to help bring empty homes back into use.
The UK has today launched talks with Turkey on a new, modernised trade deal. UK launches talks with Turkey on a trade deal targeted at the UK's strengths as a services superpower.
Wars often on oil prices and the Ukraine/Russia war looks as if it is showing the results this week of drone attacks on Russian oil refineries. Prices are beginning to rise and the latest attack was early on Friday morning 15 March 2024.
A report by The Scottish Fiscal commission published on 14 March 2024, explores how climate change could affect the Scottish Government's fiscal sustainability. It considers the potential effects on Scottish public finances from damage created by climate change; the costs of adapting to a changing environment and taking action to meet Scotland's statutory emissions targets to reach net-zero by 2045.
Several people have received text messages that appear to be from delivery company Evri and say that a package has been damaged 'in the process of transportation' and that the address information has been lost. You are asked to click on a link to update the delivery address within 12 hours.
Many people make big decisions based on internet advices, emails, phone calls about their future savings, investments or pension arrangements but get wise to scams first. Even the most sophisticated people can get caught out so everyone should pay a visit to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Scam site before making any financial decision to test if the person or company you are speaking to is genuine.
bp pulse acquires the freehold of a strategically placed truck stop in Ashford, Kent - one of the largest in Europe. The truck stop's proximity to Dover and the Eurotunnel, where 3.5 million Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) cross the English Channel annually, provides bp pulse with the opportunity to support HGV operators transitioning to EVs.
A major collaboration between Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) and Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS) to safely and efficiently manage, and permanently dispose of more than 1,000 drums of waste, has completed earlier than expected. The innovative project was an accumulation of eight years' work and has seen eleven consignments, of low level radioactive waste, transported by rail from the NRS site at Winfrith, Dorset, to the Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria for final disposal.
Taxpaying pensioners did not gain anything from the Chancellor's Budget last week, and will see their taxes go up due to Income Tax threshold freezes announced earlier in this parliament, prompting accusations that the government has neglected older generations ahead of the next election. But new Resolution Foundation analysis published today (Tuesday) reveals that pensioners as a whole have gained significantly from policies announced since 2010, such as the introduction of the Triple Lock.
British semiconductor researchers and businesses now have enhanced access to research funding backed by the UK government and Horizon Europe, now the UK has joined the EU's ‘Chips Joint Undertaking'. Semiconductor sector to benefit from up to £35 million, plus European funds, in a boost to British leadership in research of cutting-edge chip technology.
The Scam - Residents in the Central Belt have recently reported cold callers who say they are carrying out roadworks nearby. They ask if the homeowner would like their driveway or part of roads to their property resurfaced.
The UK labour market continued to normalise in early 2024 as vacancy levels almost returned to pre-pandemic levels, with unemployment ticking up among women but still low overall. The two less normal aspects of the labour market are headline nominal pay growth, which remains high despite a slower growth rate in the most recent data.
