First-of-its-kind project to develop cutting-edge uncrewed underwater technologies as AUKUS nations ‘step on the accelerator’ for Pillar 2. Follows first successful submarine maintenance period for a UK submarine at HMAS Stirling earlier this year, as UK and US submarines set to rotate through the Australian base from 2027.
The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is structurally different from most UK universities. It is not a single compact campus institution but a regional “distributed university” model, made up of a partnership of colleges and specialist centres spread across the Highlands and Islands.
Caithness has always occupied a unique place within Scotland. Located at the very northern edge of mainland Britain, it is a region of immense natural beauty, rich history and resilient communities.
The Bank of England's primary job is to control inflation, and one of the main tools it uses is interest rates. Higher interest rates tend to reduce spending, slow economic activity and weaken demand for labour.
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal a problem that extends far beyond unemployment statistics. They point instead to a deeper economic and social challenge that has been developing across Britain for many years.
Just 14 per cent of the lowest paid workers feel they have significant influence over decisions affecting their work, down from 23 per cent in 2001, the Resolution Foundation said (Thursday 28 May 2026), suggesting worker voice has reached a new low point. Take it or leave it – supported by Unbound Philanthropy – looks at the increasingly important role of individual worker power in the wake of the four-decade decline in collective bargaining.
Scotland’s education system is increasingly showing signs of coordinated financial pressure across all levels—schools, further education colleges, and universities. While each sector has its own funding model and governance structure, the overall pattern is strikingly similar: rising demand, constrained public funding, and staffing decisions increasingly shaped by budget management rather than expansion.
Thailand has become famous for using Scrabble in schools as an English-learning tool, and it has produced some remarkable competitive results. However, the claim that Scrabble alone led to “spectacular gains” in overall English proficiency is much harder to support.
Highland councillors have agreed to take forward a new planning policy aimed at reducing light pollution across the region. At a meeting of The Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee held (Thursday 28 May 2026), members supported the proposed Dark Skies Draft Planning Policy, which will guide lighting requirements in new developments.
The Economy and Infrastructure Committee met today (Thursday 28 May, 2026) and reaffirmed The Highland Council’s strong progress in delivering its Strategic Tourism Infrastructure Development Plan (STIDP), with more than £7 million secured to date through the Scottish Government’s Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF). The investment is supporting a wide range of projects across the Highlands.
Businesses urged to take simple steps for smoother trade with the EU. On 19 May 2025, the UK government and the European Union (EU) agreed to pursue a new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement.
The argument from the Scottish Government is that Scotland produces very large amounts of electricity especially renewable power from wind and hydro. Yet Scottish households still pay some of the highest energy costs in Europe because pricing is largely set across the whole UK market.
New government guidance to help avoid fake fashion. This will support shoppers to make the most of the UK's thriving pre-loved market, after 1 in 4 bought a fake without knowing.
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which includes Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express, will transfer into public ownership. On Sunday 31 May, Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern and Gatwick Express will transfer into public ownership to deliver more reliable, passenger-centred services across the network.
Households across the UK continue to embrace solar power as the government accelerates its clean power mission. 269,000 solar installations completed in 2025 – the highest total ever recorded in a calendar year and 37% larger than the year before.
A challenging mix of a failure to fill the gaps in the nursing workforce and increasing patient need are leaving staff struggling to keep people safe, as a quarter say registered nurse numbers are so far below what is required that there is now a high risk of harm on shift. There’s now a ‘high risk’ of harm on shift, say nursing staff in Scotland.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a warning after new figures showed Salmonella infections in England reached their highest level in a decade during 2025. According to the latest data, there were 10,406 confirmed Salmonella cases in England last year, slightly higher than the 10,389 recorded in 2024 and far above levels seen earlier in the decade.
The UK government has announced new measures designed to prevent councils in England from making what it describes as “risky investments” using public money. The move follows a series of high-profile financial crises involving local authorities that borrowed heavily to invest in commercial property, shopping centres, hotels and other speculative projects in the hope of generating income.
Air Charter Scotland – operator of the lifeline public service obligation (PSO) air service connecting Wick and Aberdeen – has announced revised fares designed to make travelling even simpler and more accessible for passengers. In response to customer feedback, passengers will benefit from lower fares across all ticket types, the introduction of new return rates and discounted travel for children.
Wick has waited a long time for its town‑centre improvements — long enough for weeds to develop tenancy rights and for shopfronts to start leaning on each other for emotional support. But now, with the latest announcement of delays, the whole thing is beginning to look suspiciously like a miniature, Highland‑issue version of the Edinburgh Trams fiasco.