If you have been listening to the latest oil-price reports, you could be forgiven for thinking that crude oil is hovering around $100 a barrel. And that is broadly correct – if you are talking about the Brent futures price.
There is an important change taking place in the way disabled people are supported into work, and it raises a particular question for Scotland. The UK Government is reviewing and tightening the operation of Access to Work, a scheme which provides practical and financial support to disabled people who need help to start or remain in employment.
Britain has spent years being told that digital technology will transform government. Paper forms will disappear and Services will become easier to use Artificial intelligence will reduce bureaucracy.
What is money? We use it every day, but most of what we are taught about money misrepresents what it actually is. In this Understanding Economics video, I explain why money is not a physical thing at all.
There is something particularly sinister about investment fraud. It does not necessarily begin with somebody stealing your money.
This year, members of Seattle Mountain Rescue have been setting off into the wilds of the US Pacific north-west wearing an unusual piece of kit. They’ve been hiking into the wilderness with powered assistive devices attached to their hips and legs.
The United States is sending thousands more military personnel and another aircraft carrier strike group towards the Middle East. This isn't simply a few extra troops being moved around.
Britain's diesel crisis has so far been discussed mainly in terms of motorists, hauliers and the cost of transporting goods. But there is another group feeling the squeeze which could eventually affect every household in Britain.
Scotland has effectively accepted that Bluetongue is no longer a problem confined to one part of the country. From Saturday 3 October 2026, the whole of Scotland became a Bluetongue Restricted Zone after the Scottish Government extended the zone that had previously covered south-west Scotland.
The Highland Council has reached another significant milestone in the delivery of a replacement Corran Ferry, with the procurement for a new electric vessel. Funded through a £58 million investment from the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal, including £28 million from the Scottish Government for the new electric vessel, £20 million from the UK Government and £10 million from The Highland Council towards landside infrastructure, the project will deliver a modern replacement ferry service for one of Scotland's busiest single-vessel crossings.
As the UK approaches the Budget, one phrase is going to be repeated again and again is “fiscal headroom”. Politicians, economists and journalists talk about it as though it represents money the Chancellor has available to spend.
There was a time when building a huge hydroelectric scheme in the Scottish Highlands was regarded as a remarkable feat of engineering. Dams were built, tunnels driven through mountains and lochs harnessed to produce electricity.
Dave BUCHANAN Independent 714 Julie CALDER Scottish Liberal Democrats Elected Stage 1 1,522 Charlotte GIBSON Scottish Conservative and Unionist 79 John GLEN Scottish National Party (SNP) 424 Iain RICHMOND Reform UK 283# No further preference 0 Remainder not transferred 0 Total 3,022.
The Pentagon has just announced something that could prove more important than another new weapons system. America is creating an Autonomous Warfare Command, or AUTOWARCOM, a new four-star military command designed to accelerate the development and deployment of drones, artificial intelligence and robotic weapons across the US armed forces.
There is something about Britain's current diesel position that ordinary motorists could be forgiven for finding rather confusing. The Government is reassuring people that Britain has adequate fuel supplies and that there is no immediate shortage.
Wick has spent a lot of time talking about what has gone wrong. The empty shops, the changing High Street, the loss of businesses and public-sector jobs, the arguments over parking and the difficulty of getting people to spend time in the town centre are all familiar territory.
A mortgage rate of 7.28% might sound like an American problem. It isn't and the latest jump in US mortgage rates should make British borrowers pay much closer attention to something that rarely gets mentioned around the kitchen table: the bond market.
Britain has just passed a significant milestone that could eventually affect the price of almost everything we buy. Average diesel prices have reached £2 a litre, according to the latest RAC Foundation analysis, while the RAC says the national average reached 199.18p a litre at the end of September, above the previous record set in 2022.
If you live in Caithness and heat your home with oil, there is probably no need for anybody to explain to you that heating oil is expensive. You have probably already checked the tank and you may even have checked the price twice, just in case the first time was a mistake.
It is becoming difficult to open the news without finding another reason to worry about Britain's economy. Diesel has reached around £2 a litre.
Britain's railways are preparing for another major overhaul of the way train fares are set. For passengers, the words “dynamic pricing” may immediately suggest the airline model, where the price of a seat can rise sharply as demand increases.
There could hardly be a better night for the BBC to bring back The Celebrity Traitors. Twenty-one celebrities have entered the Scottish castle, where nobody knows who can be trusted and everybody is wondering who will be the next to disappear.
Highland Council-owned D&E Coaches has confirmed the acquisition of Stagecoach’s Thurso and Wick bus operation securing local jobs. This will protect vital services and strengthening public transport provision across the Highlands.
There is a much bigger question hiding behind the shock announcement that Syngenta is considering closing its Grangemouth operation and putting 377 jobs at risk. It is not simply whether the Scottish Government can persuade the company to stay.
RG SetSquare has a requirement for multiple HGV Drivers required for an ongoing assignment with our client. 6 month contract.
We should perhaps stop asking who is winning the war with Iran and start asking a much more uncomfortable question. What happens if nobody can end it? The war has now entered its eighth month.
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join QS, supporting UHI North, West & Hebrides with examinations. QS are looking to recruit a Depute Chief Invigilator to be responsible for supporting the Chief Invigilator (CI) with the organisation and supervision of invigilation for National Qualifications, in accordance with QS policy and procedures.
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join QS, supporting UHI North, West & Hebrides with examinations. QS are looking to recruit an Invigilator to undertake the duties of invigilation for National Qualifications, in accordance with QS policy and procedures.
Women going through the menopause are being offered an ever-growing range of supplements promising to help with hot flushes, poor sleep, mood changes, brain fog, tiredness and a host of other symptoms. But new research raises an uncomfortable question: are some women paying hundreds of pounds a year for products that offer little more than a much cheaper ordinary multivitamin? The answer is not that all menopause supplements are useless.
Bacon has suddenly become a rather more complicated item on the shopping list. Should we worry about nitrates and nitrites? Is nitrate-free bacon healthier? And if supermarkets are now selling bacon without added nitrites, is it worth paying extra for it?.
The Highland Council has agreed to submit proposals for two Short Term Let Control Areas (STLCAs) to Scottish Ministers following extensive public consultation and consideration by local area committees. At today’s special meeting of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee (28 September), Members approved the submission of proposals for: An Inverness City Short Term Let Control Area, covering Inverness and surrounding areas; and A Highland Rural Short Term Let Control Area, covering Aird and Loch Ness, Inverness South, Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh, Lochaber, Skye and Raasay, and Sutherland.
There are times when a story from thousands of miles away makes you look at your own garden slightly differently. Reports from the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky describe residents facing such severe shortages of food that some have reportedly been eating plants growing in their gardens that most of us would simply call weeds.
Five place based residencies across Caithness and Sutherland. The Caithness and Sutherland Culture Collective Partnership invites applications for five artist residencies, each rooted in a different locality and hosted by a partner organisation.
Kennel Assistant Donald S McGregor & Partners, Thurso are looking for a proactive and hardworking Kennel Assistant to join our team. We are looking for someone who takes pride in maintaining high standards, is organised and reliable, and enjoys working as part of a busy veterinary team.
A beautiful mid-terraced, three-bedroom (one with ensuite), stone-built home which retains many of the original features, with a large area of garden to rear. Accommodation comprises vestibule, hallway, lounge, sitting room/dining room, Ashley Ann fitted kitchen and a utility room on the ground floor, upstairs from the landing there are three bedrooms, one with ensuite and a family bathroom.
Vapes, Drinks and Spiking: What Young People and Parents Need to Know A recent BBC report has highlighted an issue that parents of teenagers may find worrying: the possibility of drugs being put into drinks or even vapes without the person's knowledge. It is a subject where sensible advice is more useful than alarm.
This doer-upper was started and now looking for a new owner to finish it. Hidden away in Beaufoy Street, this lovely stone-built property has a new fitted kitchen, oak doors fitted throughout and now needs plumbing and electrics to be finished, along with decoration.
Sutherland has had another week in which several apparently separate stories point towards the same underlying question. How does a huge rural area attract investment and economic activity while maintaining the homes, services and communities needed to support it?.
The future of disability benefits is becoming one of the more difficult issues facing the UK government, with spending rising rapidly and increasing numbers of people receiving support. A new report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) examines what could be changed in Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the main working-age disability benefit in England and Wales.
Something rather important is happening around the United States, and it may be bigger than the individual tariff announcements, political arguments or daily movements in the oil price. America is changing the way it deals with the rest of the world.
Canada has spent generations building its economy around its huge neighbour to the south. Now it is looking across the Atlantic.
The Bank held interest rates as expected in its MPC meeting Thursday), with the real news coming from a welcome change in how it intends unwind Quantitative Easing (QE) and a gloomy outlook on the cost of living, the Resolution Foundation said today. James Smith, Chief Economist at the Resolution Foundation, said, “The Bank’s decision today to hold interest rates was welcome but expected.
Qualified Mechanic required for maintenance and repairs for various types of vehicles. MOT Experience would be advantageous but not essential.
NUVIA UK is looking for a technically minded and proactive Dounreay Beach Monitoring Project Technician to support the delivery of the Dounreay Beach Monitoring Project and related radiological monitoring activities. This varied role combines fieldwork, instrumentation, technical data analysis, GIS mapping, equipment calibration and report writing.
We’re looking for friendly, reliable and enthusiastic people aged 18 or over to join us as Part-Time Bar Staff Perfect for anyone looking to work a few shifts each week, with opportunities to cover midweek, evenings and weekends. To apply or find out more, please contact Vicky at thecaithnesscollection@hotmail.com .
We're Hiring | Experienced Chef The Pentland Hotel is looking for an experienced chef to join our kitchen team in Thurso on a Full-Time or Part-Time basis for the right candidate. We’re looking for individuals with previous experience working in a professional kitchen who are confident in a busy environment and take pride in maintaining consistently high standards.
A college + university like no other With 19 campuses and centres across the North and West Highlands, Skye, and Outer Hebrides, we cover a geographic area larger than Wales, comprising 40% of Scotland’s coastline. Our campuses and centres are located within historic towns and villages, set amongst the shorelines, mountains, and moors, with local staff working across our region to support our students and communities. Position: We are seeking a highly organised and detail-oriented Registry and Admissions Officer, with a focus on Registry, to join our Student Records team in Fort William, Thurso or Stornoway.
Food & Beverage Supervisor Ideal for an experienced and confident individual looking to work a few shifts each week while taking on additional responsibility within our food and beverage team. Whether you’re looking for a few shifts alongside other commitments or you’re ready to take the next step in your hospitality career, we’d love to hear from you.
An entirely fictional account of what might happen if a Roman historian were suddenly transported to America in September 2026. When our Roman historian arrived in America, he was initially rather pleased.
Set within generous grounds and enjoying wonderful open countryside and sea views, Kyleburn House is a substantial traditional stone-built property offering exceptionally spacious and versatile accommodation in a peaceful rural setting. Extending to approximately 357 sq m (3,841 sq ft) overall, the property provides an interesting and flexible layout that would lend itself to a variety of uses and lifestyles.
KR Properties are delighted to bring to the market this spacious two-bedroom townhouse, offering well-proportioned accommodation over two floors within an attractive traditional stone-built property. Access is via a shared main entrance door, which opens into a shared entrance hallway serving this property and one neighbouring home.
3 bedroom gas central heated double glazed property with kitchen bathroom and WC on 1st floor..
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