In most of the UK, food inflation is something people read about in headlines. In Caithness, it's something you feel in the aisles of Tesco, in the shrinking range at the Co‑op, and in the weekly shop that somehow costs more every month.
Leading women's health campaigner and broadcaster Mariella Frostrup has been appointed as the Government's Women's Employment Ambassador, a newly created role to support working women across the country. Mariella Frostrup has been appointed as the new Women's Employment Ambassador to champion women’s health in the workplace.
New enforcement body marks welcome milestone for employment rights but Government must give it more powers to protect all workers The establishment of the Fair Work Agency is an important step towards better enforcement of employment rights, but to be a success it needs adequate powers and funding, the Resolution Foundation said on Tuesday. The Fair Work Agency (FWA) comes into existence (7 April 2026), the day after new provisions in the Employment Rights Act on sick pay and parental leave take effect.
For more than forty years, China built the world's most powerful rare‑earth and magnet industry in plain sight. It wasn’t a secret.
Entrepreneurs, start-ups and scale-ups are to receive a boost as a package to unlock private investment and double tax reliefs is brought into force. £100 million of new investment a year unlocked as entrepreneurship tax relief package comes into force.
When three of the North‑east's most established energy businesses. Port of Nigg, Global Energy (Group), and Global Energy Services came together under a single new brand, Maraen, it marked far more than a corporate re‑badge.
Interest on Plan 2 and 3 student loans will be capped at 6%, instead of RPI+3%, to provide borrowers with certainty in an uncertain world. The government is capping the maximum interest rates on Plan 2 and 3 student loans at 6% from 1 September, for the 2026/27 academic year, delivering stability and protections for graduates from escalating student loan interest.
The plan sets out how the Constabulary will continue to deliver upon its core mission, providing the vital protection of civil nuclear sites and material, while also providing armed policing services to protect other non-nuclear sites and national infrastructure. The Annual Business Plan 2026/2027 is aligned to the Civil Nuclear Police Authority's Strategic Plan, which enters its final year of the current three-year planning cycle.
Millions of employees to benefit from reforms to Statutory Sick Pay, ensuring they can take time off when sick without worrying about going without pay. New rights to paternity leave from the first day in a new job, helping families balance work and home life.
At the centre of the crisis lies the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping route through which around a fifth of the world's oil supply passes. During the conflict, disruption in this critical corridor sent oil prices sharply higher.
For decades, the CalMac ferry network has been more than a transport system. It has been the thread stitching Scotland's west coast and island communities into the wider country.
The announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran marks a significant, if temporary, turning point in a conflict that has severely disrupted global energy markets. At the heart of this development lies the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most strategically vital chokepoints in the world, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supply passes.
The announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war has offered global markets a moment of relief but not certainty. At the centre of the story lies the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow maritime corridor through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil flows.
The announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war has brought some relief to global markets. Oil prices, which surged during the conflict, have eased slightly.
When governments speak about war, they talk in the language of strategy, deterrence, and national interest. Ordinary people, however, live in a different emotional climate.
The British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur hosted the ‘Leading the Future': Women and Girls in Science Forum to celebrate women scientists. The forum was hosted on 30 March 2026 to celebrate women scientists and to reflect on the persistent structural barriers that limit women's progression into leadership and decision-making roles in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
For all the attention paid to tax bills, far less is said about the money that ordinary people don't claim back. Every year, millions of pounds in legitimate tax rebates sit unclaimed simply because people don't know they’re entitled to them.
As of 6 April 2026, the statutory recognition scheme is being reshaped under the new Employment Rights Act, introducing several key changes. Unions will no longer need to demonstrate that most workers in a proposed bargaining unit are likely to support recognition, removing the requirement for petitions or similar evidence.
After three consecutive days of rising oil prices, markets have entered a phase of heightened uncertainty rather than outright reversal. While some observers may interpret short-term dips or pauses as a sign of weakening momentum, the reality is more complex.
As tensions continue to unfold in the Middle East, it is becoming increasingly clear that Iran is not merely reacting to events, but adapting strategically to them. One of the most significant developments is the apparent realisation in Tehran that it holds enduring leverage over one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints: the Strait of Hormuz.