UK astronaut John McFall could become the first person with a physical disability to live in orbit, thanks to an agreement signed between the UK government and US commercial space company Vast. Former Paralympian John McFall could become first person with a physical disability to live in orbit through UK government partnership with US space company Vast.
School learning environments across Scotland will become phone free under measures announced by Education Secretary Màiri McAllan. Highlighting the damage phones can cause to pupils’ wellbeing and education, Ms McAllan confirmed forthcoming legislation to restrict their use in all of Scotland’s schools.
New contracts worth £36 million to supply hundreds of Lightweight Multirole Missiles for UK Armed Forces. The Ministry of Defence has signed new contracts with Thales in the UK to supply hundreds more Lightweight Multirole Missiles to the Armed Forces – boosting UK stockpiles and strengthening the protection of British personnel in the Middle East and beyond.
Loganair is cutting back several routes in 2026, including reducing flights on key Scottish Highland and Island routes (Inverness to Kirkwall/Sumburgh/Stornoway) from mid-July. Additionally, they are axing the Dundee to London Heathrow service in September and reducing frequencies on routes like Newcastle-Southampton, driven by the need for operational stability and financial sustainability.
Three weeks ago, I warned that the war involving Iran could trigger a seven-stage economic crisis. Today, I think that risk is much greater than it was then.
For households in Caithness and across the Highlands that rely on kerosene heating oil, the same broad forces affecting crude oil apply, but heating oil can sometimes behave even more dramatically than crude oil itself. The chain looks like this: Crude oil → refinery → kerosene (heating oil) → local distributor → your tank So if crude oil rises because of Middle East disruption, heating oil usually rises too.
Changes to end one-sided flexibility and uncertainty for workers through ban on exploitative zero hours contracts set out in consultation. Changes will end one-sided flexibility, help people plan their finances and daily lives, or enjoy benefits of a zero hours contract if they wish to keep one.
A significant part of the reason oil prices have not exploded higher is indeed demand destruction—people and businesses using less oil because prices rose and economic conditions weakened. But it is only one part of the story.
The issue is one of the biggest political and economic debates in the UK and Europe today. Consumers often ask, "If Scotland is generating lots of electricity from wind and hydro at very low operating cost, why am I still paying prices linked to expensive gas?" The answer lies in how wholesale electricity markets are designed.
On Wednesday this week (3 June) The Highland Council is aiming to take a major step forward in strengthening its support for Gaelic, recognising the linguistic, educational, historical and cultural connections which exist right across our region. Highland Council’s Gaelic Committee is to consider a recommendation to adopt a Highland‑wide designation as an Area of Linguistic Significance (ALS) for Gaelic under the Scottish Languages Act 2025.
the emergency and strategic oil stocks that governments have been releasing since the Hormuz disruption, the answer is they do not suddenly "run out" on one particular day, but the market is approaching the point where the buffer becomes much less effective. A few key figures help explain the situation.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has delivered a stark warning to Scotland's newly elected government: the easy choices have largely run out. The next few years will force ministers to confront a difficult reality of either raising taxes, cutting spending, or abandoning some of the promises made during the Holyrood election campaign.
Last week marked the start of patrols for The Highland Council’s 2026 Seasonal Access Rangers team, a dedicated group working to promote responsible enjoyment of the Highlands natural environment. Funded by The Highland Council, the team will play a key role in supporting visitors and local communities.
Somewhere between the glossy promises of “digital transformation” and the lived reality of rural Scotland, a quiet revolt is taking shape. Communities that once welcomed any hint of investment are now pushing back against the arrival of vast data centres — the industrial cathedrals of the AI age.
What is happening in the bond market is becoming one of the most important economic stories globally because it affects governments, mortgages, pensions, businesses and public spending. At its simplest investors are demanding higher interest rates to lend money to governments.
At The Highland Council’s Economy & Infrastructure committee held on 28 May 2026, members agreed the distribution of Highland Coastal Communities Funding (HCCF) allocation across the local area committees. HCCF funding is allocated to Highland Council from the Scottish Government.
A number of projects have been supported by funding allocations agreed at today’s Sutherland County Committee. Community regeneration projects Members approved £95,000 of Community Regeneration Funding in support of two community projects in Sutherland.
The unfolding situation in NHS England where hundreds of overseas staff face losing their jobs without redundancy compensation is more than an administrative reshuffle. It exposes deep structural weaknesses in how the UK treats international workers, and its consequences will be felt far beyond England’s borders.
Vladimir Putin has been able to afford the war because Russia entered it with several advantages. Russia had large oil and gas revenues, significant financial reserves, low government debt, a state-controlled banking system, and the ability to redirect much of the economy toward military production.
All eligible young people are being encouraged to apply for a weekly, term time allowance of £30 per week from August 2026. The Highland Council administers Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in respect of eligible young people from across its 29 secondary schools.
NHS Highland and The Highland Council have today launched Highland Power of Attorney Month. Highland Power of Attorney Month is a joint public awareness campaign running throughout June 2026 to encourage every adult across the Highland region to consider putting a Power of Attorney (PoA) in place.
Update - President Trump has intervened to say Israel will pull back on attack on Lebanon. Attacks by the USA on Iran in past few days have contributed to the ongoing yoyo affect on oil prices.
As of June 2026, the North Coast 500 (NC500) continues to be a massive economic driver for the Scottish Highlands, generating nearly £99 million in 2025 and supporting roughly 1,335 jobs. However, the route faces ongoing challenges with over tourism, including campervan congestion, and a, according to, 20% predicted decline in school pupils in the area, highlighting a, "depopulation paradox" despite the economic success.
The broad consensus is that the oil market has so far been cushioned by emergency reserves, lower demand, rerouted supplies and expectations that the crisis will eventually ease. However, many analysts argue that if tanker flows remain heavily restricted into the summer, prices could move sharply higher rather than gradually higher.
There is currently a growing view among energy analysts that the world is heading into a period of LNG (liquefied natural gas) oversupply, although the picture varies by region and season. Why is there a glut developing?.
Nature Restoration Fund update to Economy & Infrastructure Committee Members of The Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee have reaffirmed their commitment to supporting community-led projects and Council initiatives that protect and enhance the natural environment. The Nature Restoration Fund report provided Members with an update on the Scottish Government-funded programme.
This beautiful four-bedroom, terraced home, has a garage and a mature garden to the rear. Many of the original features have been retained including original doors, cornicing, dado rails and the staircase.
Blargoans Ltd have 24 month contract opportunities for Operators to work within our client's facility in Caithness. We are looking for Operators to join our client's Fuel Cycle Area (FCA) Programme area or Site Services, Waste Operations and Logistics department, supporting critical activities that underpin the safe and effective decommissioning of the site.
Imenco Future Technologies is an innovation-driven company specialising in high-quality vision systems, subsea sensors and acoustic solutions. We collaborate closely with our customer partners in the offshore energy, defense, and maritime sectors to solve their unique operational challenges by applying core technical knowledge in optics, sound propagation and AI enabled electronic systems.
Polling will take place on Thursday 25 June 2026 to elect one candidate standing in the Ward 4 East Sutherland and Edderton by-election. Voters in this Ward are being reminded to make sure they are ready to cast their vote.
Escape Pain next block starting 23rd June ð Please phone to speak to our staff before booking. ESCAPE-pain is a group education and exercise programme for people with chronic joint pain or osteoarthritis which aims to increase physical function and improve quality of life whilst living with a painful condition.
The Open Fund for Individuals supports the wide range of activity initiated by artists, writers, producers and other creative practitioners in Scotland. This fund is designed to support a range of creative activity, such as a specific project, production or a period of research and development.
Sutherland is a place of extraordinary beauty and extraordinary resilience. But when the Richmond Project’s Spotlight on Financial Literacy 2026 is read through a Sutherland lens, the findings take on a sharper edge.
The Richmond Project’s Spotlight on Financial Literacy 2026 lands differently when read from Caithness, Sutherland, or the wider Highlands. The UK‑wide findings are stark enough with low financial literacy, deep numeracy problems, and widening inequality but in the Highlands the implications are sharper, more structural, and more personal.
Caithness and Sutherland have always been counties where people make the most of what they have. Long distances to shops, higher food prices, and a climate that rewards resilience mean that regrowing vegetables from scraps isn’t just thrifty it’s tradition.
REDUCED £15,000 below Valuation. This beautiful large end-terraced five-bedroom family home is laid across four floors.
This beautiful three-bedroom, semi-detached bungalow, was built only ten years ago and is located in a sought-after residential area of the town. It benefits from having solar panels to the roof and has an oil-fired central heating system, the oil tank has just been filled.
A £20 million Scottish Government investment will give young people the chance to get involved in different sporting activities on their doorstep. Highland Council, working in partnership with sportscotland, has secured funding to provide free and low-cost opportunities for young people as part of the national agency’s 2026 Summer of Sport.
This latest development will offer flexible and affordable business premises that lend themselves to different commercial requirements. Businesses in Sutherland are being invited to register their interest in new flexible units currently being developed at Golspie Business Park.
Encouraging children and young people to get active. A nationwide summer programme of free and low-cost sporting activities - including football, rugby, padel, swimming, cycling and athletics - has been launched by Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth.
Here at Riverside house care home in Wick we are looking to employ full or part time Care Assistants to join our team, in this role, you will provide essential support. Your primary focus will be enhancing the quality of life for our residents by assisting with daily activities , ensuring their comfort, and promoting their independence.
Here at Riverside House Care Home in Wick we are seeking to employ a part time dedicated laundry assistant working 20 hours per week to join our team. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring the cleanliness and organisation of laundry services within the home.
Grandparents have always been part of the quiet architecture of family life — the school‑run helpers, the emergency babysitters, the keepers of stories and common sense. But new research published in early 2026 shows something bigger happening: grandparents are now structural pillars in the UK’s childcare, social care, and emotional support systems.
Grandparents have always been part of the background architecture of family life — steady, familiar, and often underestimated. But when you look closely at what they pass on, you realise they are teaching the most important lessons a child will ever learn.
NEWLY REDUCED PRICE A unique chance to acquire this B Listed former Granary, steeped in history and dating back to the 18th century. Planning permission was previously granted for conversion into a family home, highlighting the property's exciting residential potential.
At today’s meeting of Highland Council’s Communities and Place Committee, Members approved a long-term approach to weed control that will reduce reliance on chemical herbicides, while maintaining safe, accessible public spaces and protecting biodiversity. The new Integrated Weed Control Strategy and Action Plan builds on the Council’s partial ban on glyphosate-based products in playgrounds, schools and sports facilities, which was introduced in 2019.
Highland Council approves new engagement strategy to put communities at the heart of decision-making A new Participation and Engagement Strategy developed to encourage community involvement in service design and priority planning is set to be implemented by Highland Council following extensive public consultation. The strategy incorporates feedback from residents and community groups, focused on the importance of improving transparency, accessibility and feedback.
Following today’s deadline for nominations the nnmbers are in. The Highland Council can confirm the details of the 5 candidates that are standing in the Ward 4 East Sutherland and Edderton By-election.
Your free PressReader access through High Life Highland is far more powerful for magazines and newspapers than either Prime Reading or Kindle Unlimited. If your main interest is magazines, PressReader is the heavyweight — Prime Reading is tiny by comparison, and Kindle Unlimited is somewhere in the middle.
See poster..
A vacancy has arisen for the election of a Councillor to represent Ward 4 East Sutherland and Edderton following the resignation of Jim McGillivray. Ward 4 is a 3-member ward.
Even as the calendar insists it is May, the Highlands often disagree. A stiff northerly wind sweeps across Caithness, the haar rolls in from the sea, and the thermometer hovers stubbornly in the single digits.
The National Lottery Open Fund for Organisations is a funding programme for artistic, creative and cultural organisations based in Scotland. You can apply for grants of between £1,000 and £100,000 to support creative activity that runs for up to 18 months.
Full time counter assistant at north coast butchers. Hours negotiable.
A spacious 4 bedroom semi-detached house with garage and off road parking, situated in the popular Mount Vernon area of Thurso. Within walking distance of the town centre, the property benefits from easy access to the amenities, services, and transport links expected of a bustling Highland town.
CLFC summer sessions' We are delighted to be able to offer free taster sessions for girls between the age of 4 and 12 this summer (see poster attached). Please complete the form in the below link and email back to caithnessladiesfc@gmail.com .
A date for your diaries - Sunday 14th June. Yarrows Heritage has been renovating the Yarrows Trail - new signage, information boards, leaflets, waymarker posts, etc.
A & D Sutherland Ltd have vacancies for General labourers. Please apply including your CV to: mark@caithnessflagstone.co.uk.
The UK is entering a new phase in its energy story—one defined not by choice, but by necessity. Across the country, more wind farms, battery storage sites, substations and power lines are being proposed, approved and built.
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