Economy

Councillors have been asked to approve plans for a 26-seat electric community sauna in an Inverness public park.

Community Sauna Highland's proposal for Bellfield Park, which is in a residential area on the city's riverside, includes a cold plunge pool and changing room.

Highland Council has received 12 objections and 13 messages of support to the plans.

Officials at the local authority have recommended that next week's south planning applications committee grant full planning permission, but with conditions.

They include restrictions on noise and a requirement that a member of staff is at the site at all times when open.

The owner of a unique Nottingham entertainment venue says it is "incredibly sad" it is being forced to close due to planning regulations.

Skateland rollerskating arena, in Lenton, was set up nine years ago and has hosted parties, theme nights and skating lessons.

But there was an understanding that when nearby land was developed for housing, the venue would need to be soundproofed, something Joy Cotton says is unaffordable.

After confirming the closure on social media, Ms Cotton said the public reaction "really hit home how much of a huge impact this is going to have".

Ms Cotton said she set up Skateland after her then teenage son struggled to find anywhere convenient to practice his hobby.

It has since grown into a popular venue which is partly run by volunteers.

She when they looked into the cost of soundproofing the venue it came to "hundreds of thousands" of pounds.

The business has been given a deadline of 31 July to vacate the building but clearance work means they will close on 6 July.

"It is incredibly sad," said Ms Cotton.

"We only told staff and volunteers on Monday and then we shared it on our socials to let customers know.

"The amount of people who have reached out to us is amazing.

"It has really hit home how much of a huge impact this is going to have for some people.

"It's really going to affect their well being, because this is somewhere they come together with their friends and there is nowhere else they can come and do this."

Affordable fun

She confirmed the team would like to continue elsewhere but they need a suitable building at the right price.

"We'd love to move to another venue but that is easier said than done," she said.

"We need about 8,000 sq ft, parking and no houses nearby and those tend to get snapped up quickly.

"People have been saying 'Oh it was so cheap, you could have charged more'.

"But one of our key principles was to keep skating affordable for Nottingham.

"There are so many events or venues that people struggle to afford so we wanted to make sure this was for everybody."

Ms Cotton said the next few weeks were going to be busy with planning final events and putting items into storage.

"I'm not sure when it will hit home it's not there anymore," she said.

The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the workplace is both game-changing and overwhelming for UK workers, a study has found.

More than 4,500 people from almost 30 different employment sectors were polled as part of the research, which was commissioned by Henley Business School.

It found that 56% of full-time professionals were optimistic about AI advancements, while 61% said they were overwhelmed by the speed at which the technology developed.

Prof Keiichi Nakata, from Henley Business School, said the study showed many workers "don't feel equipped" to use AI.

Prof Nakata is director of AI at The World of Work Institute at the school, which is part of the University of Reading, and helps organisations get to grips with the technology.

"This wide-scale study offers a valuable snapshot of how AI is being adopted across UK industries – and where support is still lacking," he said.

"Without in-house training, hands-on learning, and clear policies, we risk creating a workforce that's willing to use AI but is not sure where to start."

The study found that three in five people polled said they would be more likely to use AI at work if proper training were available.

But nearly a quarter of respondents said their employers currently were not providing enough support.

Prof Nakata said the technology "could be a transformative change in organisations across the UK".

He said AI could "simplify complex tasks, take away the boring jobs, and enable workers to have more time to focus on the things that really matter".

"But that's just the tip of the iceberg; it could prove to be a solution that not only helps businesses thrive but improves work satisfaction for employees," he added.

"Intrusive" investigation work is set to get under way at a listed pier after cracks were discovered.

Ports of Jersey said work would begin at Gorey Pier, St Martin, on Tuesday 27 May, subject to planning permission being granted by the Government of Jersey.

A report showed parts of the historic pier were cracked due to a combination of age and the effects of Storm Ciarán in November 2023, with specialist company Terra Firma set to be on site for between four and six weeks.

"Every effort will be made to minimise disruption and complete the work before the peak summer season," a Ports of Jersey spokesperson said.

"These investigations are essential to gather detailed information on the condition of the pier, which will inform the best method for its stabilisation."

A series of trial pits and boreholes would be opened on the pier arm, pier head and the base of the wall on the harbour side but no work would be undertaken along the bulwarks where the restaurants and residences were located, they said.

Following this work, planned repairs include replacing the concrete landing deck, reinforcing the western wall, repairing a stress crack in the pier road and demolishing the terminal building.

The initial investigations work has been timed to coincide with the upcoming spring tides, when low tide will go down to 1.35m (4.4ft).

"The challenges of working in a tidal zone mean we are scheduling the digs at low tide to reduce the risk of sea water filling the holes through the pier," the spokesperson said.

They said as the tide comes in, water might need to be pumped out through a filter basket into the harbour.

The work is due to involve intermittent access restrictions for vehicles, parking bays and the public.

Further investigations are to be carried out on the condition of a wooden walkway alongside the River Hull.

Parts of the ageing boardwalk on the west bank between Myton Bridge and Drypool Bridge were shut in July 2021 over safety concerns.

An inspection found the structure was in a "poor condition", Hull City Council said.

The authority has appointed an engineering firm to carry out a structural survey and to draw up a plan for its future.

The work will take two years and the final proposals will be put out for consultation.

Gillian Osgerby, interim assistant director for major projects and infrastructure at Hull City Council, said: "The River Hull Walkway is a key part of Hull's maritime history and a vital connection between Myton Bridge and Drypool Bridge.

"We are pleased to appoint Mason Clark Associates, and we trust they will deliver comprehensive investigations and surveys.

"Their support will help determine the future of the structure."

Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Soundslatest episode of Look North here.

The continued closure of a road linking two major towns is having a "massive impact" on life in a Cheshire village, according to residents and business owners.

The B5470 between Macclesfield and Whaley Bridge in neighbouring Derbyshire had to shut in January after part of the carriageway collapsed following heavy rain.

Declining footfall at the Swan Inn has resulted in its licensee reconsidering his investment plans for the pub in Kettleshulme.

Cheshire East Council said it understood the "frustrating" situation and was "prioritising the reopening" of the road as soon as possible.

During his 19 years as licensee, Robert Cloughley said he had invested in the 18th Century pub by adding a new kitchen and accommodation.

Mr Cloughley said the inn had suffered significantly this year as a result of the road closure.

"I don't think anybody realises how busy a road it is, and what a thoroughfare it is," he said.

"Something needs doing because it's impacting us an awful lot, along with businesses on both sides of the works."

Mr Cloughley said it had really made him think about the financial aspects of his business.

"The challenges are there, obviously with the [recent rises in] national insurance, minimum wage [and] business rates," he said.

"Those are three elements that have gone up massively in the last two months, and obviously we've now got a downturn in trade because of these road closures [which] I find unreasonable and unacceptable.

"It makes us think about employing new people, trimming hours back to try and restrain costs.

"We've invested a lot in the business and we have got thoughts about doing other things, but we just can't do it anymore because the cash flow is not there."

Opposite the pub is David G Ross Nurseries.

The business has been here for 60 years and is now occupies a four-and-a-half acre (1.8 hectare) site.

"It's having a massive impact on us, in terms of our customers getting to us and to actually get our deliveries here," said operations manager Sue Jeffrey.

She said some drivers were "just not attempting to come to us" and complained that diversion signs erected around the road closure were "inadequate".

"At Whaley Bridge where the road starts, it just says 'road ahead closed', said Ms Jeffrey.

"It doesn't say that local businesses are not affected, so it's very frustrating for us as customers will see the 'road ahead closed' sign and not even bother to come to us."

She said the road closure was also causing issues for staff who have to take their children to school in Macclesfield.

Communication from the councol had been "zero", added Ms Jeffrey.

People living in the village also said they were worried about the ongoing road closure.

IT worker Neelanga Uggalle, who lives in Kettleshulme, said he travels to his company's office, near Knutsford, two days a week.

He contacted BBC North West to voice his concerns about the lengthy road closure.

Mr Uggalle said he now avoided going into Macclesfield at weekends because he believes the diversion – a single track in many places – is simply not safe.

"A lot of people I've noticed are not familiar with how to deal with it," he said.

"You just have oncoming traffic without slowing down, even though there is a passing place they could've used," he explained.

"Occasionally you have an HGV going through even though there is a clear sign on both ends saying it's not suitable.

"I think they thought 'Maybe because it's a B road – nobody's using it'.

"While villages like this have a smaller number of people this [road] is actually used to connect two major towns. Because of that there's a lot of traffic."

Macclesfield MP Tim Roca raised the issue in Parliament and said the disruption to residents was "profound".

The Labour MP said a governor from a local primary school had told him the closure had caused major issues, with it being forced to cancel swimming lessons due to the longer round trip to the pool.

"The impact of the closure is widespread," said Roca, highlighting issues including the impact on the road being used as a diversion, extra carbon emissions from queueing traffic, and lost school and family time for residents.

After raising the issue, he said he was "grateful for the new sense of urgency" from the council's highways team.

Jon Pearce, Labour MP for the neighbouring High Peak constituency, said the road closure was "a nightmare" for many residents.

"Enough is enough," he said. "Cheshire East Council need to resolve this as we've been waiting for too long."

Future of Roads Minister Lillian Greenwood said she understood it was a difficult situation and urged more communication from the council.

"It is so important that local people understand the work that is being undertaken," she said.

"Sometimes things do take longer than expected, but [Cheshire East Council needs] to explain to local people what they are doing and how they will expedite these repairs."

Mark Goldsmith, chair of Cheshire East's highways and transport committee, said: "Our teams have been working hard to get this road reopened following the large landslip. Unfortunately, we cannot simply repair the road.

"We have had to conduct extensive ecology and drainage surveys to understand how to create a secure platform for the new road to sit on.

"Other technical investigations will also take place over the coming weeks, which will then allow us to design the engineering solution needed to reinstate the road.

"Once we finalise this, we will then give the timescales for rebuilding and reopening the road."

Since returning to power, US President Donald Trump has wielded tariffs – or the threat of them – as his economic weapon of choice.

He has slapped import duties against allies and adversaries alike, and raised their rates to staggeringly high levels, only to change his mind and abruptly pause or reduce the charges.

Markets and global leaders have scrambled trying to guess his next moves, while major retailers have warned of rising prices for American consumers and potentially empty shelves in shops.

The president has claimed this power to impose tariffs unilaterally. He says that as president he is responding to a national economic emergency – and he cannot wait for Congress to pass legislation.

In effect, this meant firing off a threatening missive to a country playing hardball was as easy as posting on Truth Social (just ask the European Union, which he called "very difficult to deal with" in negotiations last week).

However, late on Wednesday, the US Court of International Trade ruled that he had exceeded the authority of the emergency powers he was using. The court gave the White House 10 days to remove almost all tariffs, which it says have been imposed illegally.

The White House appealed, and a federal appeals court has stayed the trade court's ruling, which means that those tariffs will stay in place – for now.

The administration argued in its appeal that a ruling against Trump "would kneecap the president on the world stage, cripple his ability to negotiate trade deals, imperil the government's ability to respond to these and future national emergencies".

On Thursday night, Trump was back on Truth Social, rebuking the lower court judges who had ruled against him, calling their decision "wrong" and "horrible".

• Trump tariffs can stay in place for now, appeals court rules
• What tariffs has Trump announced and why?
• Simon Jack: Tariff ruling doesn't really change US-UK deal
• Where does court ruling leave Trump's tariff agenda?

Until now, the power to make or break the economy has rested on his shoulders, as the tariff rates levelled against other countries keep going up and down – seemingly according to Trump's mood.

He raised the tariffs on imported Chinese goods all the way up to 145% before dropping them down to 30%. A few weeks later he used a social media post to threaten the EU with 50% tariffs, before backing down a couple of days later.

Wall Street analysts have even reportedly now coined the phrase "Taco trade", referring to their belief that Trump Always Chickens Out from imposing steep import taxes. He looked furious when asked about the acronym in the Oval Office on Wednesday.

"That's a nasty question" he said, arguing that it was only by making these threats that he got the EU to the negotiating table.

Trump's ambassador to the EU during his first term, Gordon Sondland, told the BBC this erratic approach was by design.

"What Trump is doing is exactly what he would do as a business person. He would immediately find a point of leverage to get someone's attention today. Not next month, not next year… he wants to have these conversations now," he said earlier this week, before the latest legal twists.

"How do you get someone as intransigent and as slow moving as the EU to do something now? You slap a 50% tariff on them and all of a sudden the phone start ringing."

If Trump's tariffs plan continues to meet resistance in the courts, one option at his disposal is asking Congress to legislate the taxes instead. But that would eliminate one of his biggest tools – the element of surprise.

For decades, Trump has been convinced that trade tariffs are the answer to many of America's economic problems. He has appeared to welcome the prospect of global trade war sparked by his tariff agenda, insisting that it is by raising the price of imported goods and reviving the US manufacturing sector that he will "Make America Great Again".

Trump touts the money – billions of dollars, not trillions, as he says – that tariffs have already brought in to US government coffers.

The president argues they will help to revive American manufacturing by persuading firms to move their factories to the US to avoid import duties.

However, University of Michigan economics professor Justin Wolfers described Trump's methods as "madness".

"If you believe in tariffs, what you want is for businesses to understand that the tariffs are going to… be permanent so that they can make investments around that and that's what would lead the factories to come to the United States," he told the BBC.

He said that whatever happens with this court challenge, Trump has already transformed the global economic order.

Prof Wolfers said while Trump "chickens out from the very worst mistakes" – citing his original 'Liberation Day' levies and the threat of 50% tariffs on the EU – he doesn't backflip on everything.

The president wants to keep 10% reciprocal tariffs on most countries and 25% tariffs on cars, steel and aluminium.

"Yes, he backs off the madness, but even the stuff he left in meant that we had the highest tariff rate yesterday than we'd had since 1934," Prof Wolfers said.

All signs point to this being a fight that the Republican president won't give up easily.

"You can assume that even if we lose, we will do it another way," Trump's trade advisor Peter Navarro said after Thursday's appeals court ruling.

While the litigation plays out, America's trade partners will be left guessing about Trump's next move, which is exactly how he likes it.

Plans to protect islanders from discrimination based on their age have been approved by the States.

Protection from discrimination is currently protected on the grounds of race, carer status, sexual orientation, religion or belief, with age coming into force within six months.

The changes mean people are protected from age discrimination in work, when buying goods and services, accommodation and education.

Committee for Employment & Social Security Vice-President Lindsay de Sausmarez said: "It is really good to have got such strong support for the committee's proposals and this is the next iteration of the prevention of discrimination ordinance."

It is hoped the laws will allow people to participate in the work force for longer if they choose to because it will mean that they are not facing arbitrary retirement ages.

The proposal is the latest stage of the introduction of anti-discrimination legislation in the bailiwick after initial changes came into force in 2023.

The Prevention of Discrimination Ordinance will be brought back to the States during the next government term.

A new Labour leader of a city council has been elected after the previous post-holder stepped down to concentrate on being a ward councillor.

Cameron Holloway, who represents the Newnham ward on the authority, was formally elected during the council's annual meeting on Thursday.

Mike Davey, the authority's former leader, announced his intention to step down in March, in order to also spend more time with his family.

Holloway, who served as the executive councillor for community safety, homelessness and wellbeing, said his priority "will always be to serve our community to the best of my abilities".

He added that he would "work tirelessly to ensure that every resident's voice is heard, to empower and support our communities, and to protect the environment – now and for future generations".

Recent appointments

The Labour Party runs Cambridge City Council with 24 councillors; there are 12 Liberal Democrat councillors, five Green Party councillors and one Conservative member.

Rachel Wade, a Labour councillor who represents West Chesterton, was also appointed deputy leader of the council on Thursday.

Dinah Pounds, a Labour councillor who represents Romsey, was elected as ceremonial mayor of Cambridge at the same meeting.

Her deputy mayor will be Richard Swift, a Labour councillor for West Chesterton.

Before Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada and threatened its sovereignty, the Canadian psyche was consumed with another major issue: housing affordability. With an election on the horizon, voters are wondering if any party has a plan to fix what has become a generational problem.

Willow Yamauchi says she was just a "regular" person when she and her husband bought their family home in Vancouver 25 years ago for a modest sum of C$275,000 – around C$435,000 ($312,000; £236,400) in today's dollars.

That same property is now worth several million.

In the city on Canada's west coast, Ms Yamauchi's story is as common as the rainy weather. The average price of a detached home in Vancouver in 2000 was around C$350,000. Now, it is more than C$2m.

"My husband and I were very privileged to be able to purchase a house when we did," the 52-year-old writer tells the BBC. As a member of Generation X, timing was on her side.

The same, she says, cannot be said for younger people, who – without "the bank of mom and dad" – are effectively priced out of the city they grew up in.

Vancouver, a cultural and economic hub with a population of less than one million, is often seen as the epicentre of Canada's housing crisis. A report by Chapman University in California last year listed it among the top "impossibly unaffordable" cities in the world.

But it is not the only Canadian city where the cost of homes is out of reach for many. Canada as a whole has one of the highest house-price-to-income ratios among developed nations.

In 2021, the average household income after taxes in Canada was around C$88,000, according to national data. That same year, the average home price hit C$713,500 – more than eight times higher. The gap is even larger in major cities like Toronto and Vancouver.

For many Canadians, housing is one of the top issues in the federal election, eclipsed only recently by US President Donald Trump and his tariffs on Canada.

Before Trump, concerns on housing affordability had boosted the Conservative Party, which has consistently been seen as the best equipped to fix the crisis.

But then a trade war with the US came along and it catapulted the governing Liberal party to the top of the polls.

Even with the Trump factor, the topic featured prominently in the two election debates this week. During the French language one, moderator and journalist Patrice Roy displayed figures showing how much home prices had increased in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver in the last decade.

"I'm sure this won't come as a surprise," Mr Roy told the federal leaders, before asking for their plans on how they would fix the crisis.

Polls show young people are especially worried about the housing crisis and what it means for their future.

Speaking to students at the University of British Columbia's (UBC) Vancouver campus, it quickly became clear that the issue was top of mind for many.

Many said they have either opted to live at home during their studies to save on costs, or are paying anywhere from C$1,100 to C$1,500 for a single room near campus, often in a home shared with five or six others.

Emily Chu, a 24-year-old who is in her final semester at UBC, says that she at one point had to delay her studies by two years in order to work, as she struggled to afford paying both tuition and rent.

She now shares an apartment with her older brother, who works full-time and pays the majority of the rent. Ms Chu considers herself one of the lucky ones.

As for home ownership in the future, she says "that's not even possible" for most people her age. "Everybody kind of assumes that we can't ever own housing."

Young professionals with well-paying jobs, like Margareta Dovgal, are also priced out. The 28-year-old director at Vancouver-based non-profit Resource Works told the BBC that she has considered moving to the neighbouring province of Alberta due to its lower cost of living, despite being a lifelong and "committed Vancouverite".

Still, Calgary, Alberta's largest city, saw house prices increase by 15% in 2024 from the previous year as the city experienced its highest population growth rate since 2001.

The root causes of Canada's housing affordability crisis are complex. One of the main issues is a supply that has not kept up with a growing population, which has driven up costs for both buyers and renters.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the national housing agency, estimates that more than 3.8 million homes need to be built in the next six years to address the shortage.

Construction of new housing, however, has been well below that target, raising questions on whether Canada will meet this goal. Experts say barriers to ramping up building include the high cost and scarcity of land in urban areas, where most Canadians tend to live and work.

There are also regional barriers, like city zoning laws that prevent the construction of more affordable, higher density housing – including apartment buildings or multiplexes – in some neighbourhoods.

Daniel Oleksiuk, co-founder of the advocacy group Abundant Housing Vancouver, says his city is one example, where more than half of the land has historically been zoned for single-family homes.

"We've kept almost all of the land reserved," Mr Oleksiuk told the BBC. "There are whole neighbourhoods where all you have is three to five million dollar homes."

On the campaign trail, each major federal party has put forward a plan to fix the crisis, all with the goal of building as many homes as quickly as possible.

The Liberals, led by Mark Carney, said their aim is to build 500,000 new homes a year with the help of a new government agency called Build Canada Homes that would oversee and finance the construction of affordable housing in Canada – a plan similar to one implemented after the Second World War to house veterans.

Critics have questioned whether Carney's target is viable, as it would require Canada to more than double its current construction rate.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, vowed to tie federal funding to housing starts by rewarding cities that build more homes and penalising those that block construction – a carrot-and-stick approach.

Poilievre also promised to remove federal taxes on newly constructed homes in an effort to cut costs to would-be homebuyers. Critics, however, say this policy may have minimal effect, as most homes purchased in Canada are resold, rather than brand new.

Voters who spoke to the BBC say they welcome any plan to ramp up housing construction in Canada.

While much of housing is governed by provinces and cities, Ms Dovgal notes that the federal government has an ability "to lead persuasively" and implement measures that make it cheaper and easier to build across the country.

But others watching the issue closely caution that the steps proposed may not be enough.

Paul Kershaw, a public policy professor at UBC and founder of think tank Generation Squeeze, argues that politicians have failed to address the elephant in the room: the wealth older homeowners have generated off the housing crisis.

"The political bargain has asked younger Canadians to suffer higher rents and mortgages in order to protect those higher home values," Kershaw notes.

"None of the parties are really naming that generational tension," he says, adding that politicians may privately feel there is a political risk in trying to stall the cost of housing, and thus, older Canadians' assets.

Prof Kershaw calls this a "cultural problem", and says that parties should also focus on reducing costs for younger people as a way to alleviate this generational burden.

Fixing the housing crisis, he argues, is just as integral as asserting sovereignty and prosperity in the face of threats posed by Trump's tariffs.

The "dysfunction that has entered our housing market is disruptive to the well-being of the country", he says.

Until a fix is found, the possibility of homeownership still looks bleak for many.

Ms Dovgal contends half-heartedly that, other than moving elsewhere, "you have to win the lottery, or marry a multi-millionaire. These are kind of the options".