A Highland Council by-election is being held for Ward 3 Wick and East Caithness following the resignation of Willie Mackay. The Notice of Election and timetable for this election will be published on the Council’s website on Friday 14 August 2026.
Just a few weeks ago, energy markets were gripped by fears that conflict in the Middle East could send oil prices soaring above $100 a barrel. Analysts warned that any disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz or attacks on major oil facilities could trigger another global energy shock.
Yesterday 4 August 2026 we celebrate the success and achievements of all our young people as they receive their Qualifications Scotland (QS) results, previously known as SQA. These results are an initial snapshot of attainment and achievement for the 2025/26 session.
Government backs industry to create new British jobs and support local communities with new weighting in public contracts. Government backs industry to create new British jobs and support local communities with new weighting in public contracts.
As countries around the world search for alternatives to fossil fuels, one renewable energy source is attracting increasing attention: geothermal energy. Unlike wind and solar power, which depend on weather conditions, geothermal energy can provide a steady supply of heat and electricity throughout the year.
Keep Britain Working: Can the UK Reverse Its Growing Health and Jobs Crisis? Britain's economy is facing a challenge that receives far less attention than inflation, interest rates or unemployment. Millions of people are leaving work because of long-term illness.
The adult social care workforce will be boosted to deliver up to 45,000 extra hours of care every month through ongoing investment. The Adult Social Care Displaced Workers Scheme has reopened to new applications to help expand the number of care workers, increasing the sector’s resilience and capacity to deliver additional care each month.
More than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the conflict is increasingly looking less like a war of rapid advances and more like a contest over who can endure the longest. Neither side has achieved the decisive breakthrough it hoped for.
Britain's economy is not showing signs of a sudden downturn, but the latest real-time indicators from the Office for National Statistics suggest a more worrying picture. A slow economy is struggling to build momentum.
Scottish businesses will get a direct line to government decision-making, as the First Minister today chairs the first meeting of the National Council for Economic Growth. The Council brings together senior business leaders to advise government on the barriers businesses face, and their solutions to drive economic growth.
Despite the conflict between the United States and Iran, a number of countries are actually strengthening economic ties with Iran, largely because they see strategic or economic advantages that outweigh the risks of US sanctions. The main countries include: China – Iran's largest trading partner and biggest buyer of Iranian oil.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage’s decision to resign his Clacton seat and force a by-election, amid scrutiny over his personal finances, has produced one of the odder spectacles in recent British politics. With every other major party declining to stand and despite a record 34 candidates running, his most prominent challenger is Count Binface, the silver-caped “intergalactic space warrior” with a bin for a helmet.
From 17 August 2026, 16-17 Saver railcards will be valid for a full year from the purchase date and will not expire when the holder turns 18. more students aged 16 to 18 to benefit from half-price rail fares from this September, helping them on their commutes to school, college or training.
For years, Scotland’s labour market has been defined by rapid hiring, record vacancies, and employers competing fiercely for talent. That era is fading.
Britain will be better protected from undersea threats and hundreds of jobs will be secured through a new £135 million contract to maintain and repair Royal Navy torpedo weapons. Around 315 jobs across the UK, including highly skilled engineering roles, sustained by new £135 million contract.
While economic headlines often focus on inflation, interest rates and GDP, another set of figures quietly provides one of the clearest pictures of the health of the UK economy - the number of businesses being created and the number disappearing. The latest Office for National Statistics Business Demography report covering April to June 2026 tracks these changes across every major industry and region of the UK.
More than £4.4 million has been invested in new trench training infrastructure across the Defence Training Estate, enhancing the UK armed forces’ ability to train in realistic and contemporary battlefield environments. Delivered through a partnership between the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), the British Army and Landmarc Support Services, the investment includes new trench systems at Copehill Down Training Village on Salisbury Plain and Eastern European-style trench networks at Eastmere Village within Stanford Training Area (STANTA) in Norfolk.
The announcement of a £14.3 billion takeover of British warehouse developer SEGRO by US logistics giant Prologis is about far more than one corporate deal. It is another sign that warehouses, distribution centres and industrial property have become some of the most valuable assets in the modern economy.
The total number of 18-year-olds in Scotland who have secured a place at university this year has increased to 17,920 – a record high for Scottish students on exam results day, up from 17,350 the previous year. This includes a record high in 18-year-olds from Scotland’s most deprived areas securing places at university, up by almost 7% to 2,090 – the highest on record for this stage in the cycle.
The recent rise in global oil prices has helped deliver a strong boost to BP's latest financial results, underlining a familiar pattern in the energy industry: when crude prices climb, oil producers often benefit long before consumers do. With Brent crude trading at just over $80 a barrel, BP has reported stronger profits than many analysts expected.