Argyll and the Islands Enterprise (AIE), part of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise network, has pledged £200,000 towards the cost of developing a Gaelic centre on the Island of Islay.

Businesses who want their supervisory and management staff to swim rather than sink are being urged to dive into the 'training pool', a new website launched today (Tuesday 26th September) by Inverness and Nairn Enterprise (INE), part of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) network.

Marine tourism operators in Skye and Lochalsh are on the crest of a wave with the launch of their new promotional campaign, which they hope will attract more visitors to the area. With help from Skye and Lochalsh Enterprise (SALE), part of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) network, the area's marine tourism operators have joined forces to market their services, launching a new colour brochure and website.

Community enterprises in Lochaber can look forward to increased support with the establishment of a new Association of Community Enterprise (ACE), a pilot project which could be extended to other parts of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) network area.

Argyll College has come 'top of the class' - receiving two prestigious quality management awards. The College, which only opened in January of this year, has already enrolled over 900 students on a range of courses.

Fishing communities throughout the Highlands and Islands have received an £8.5m (pounds) shot-in-the-arm over the past five years thanks to a European funding initiative.

New businesses in the Inverness and Nairn Enterprise (INE) area are off at a gallop thanks to the Local Enterprise Company's Business Start-Up Allowance, which provides fledgling businesses with a regular weekly income together with important business advice and guidance.

An Orkney accommodation provider has climbed to the top of the local B & B trade thanks to its outstanding commitment to customer care and excellent facilities.

Transportation, high-tech manufacturing and nuclear decommissioning are among the issues which will be examined when board members and senior management of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) embark on a two-day working visit to Caithness and Sutherland this week (Monday 18/Tuesday 19 September).

Members of the most fragile, rural communities in the Highlands and Islands, several development agencies and representatives from the Scottish Executive are gathering on the remote Ardnamurchan peninsula for the second Iomairt aig an Oir / Initiative at the Edge (IaaO/IatE) conference.

A Skye community is delving deep into its past following the discovery of an underground building in the Trotternish area, thought to date back to the Iron Age.

Bute has become the first Scottish island to have a long distance walking trail, with the launch today (Monday 11th September) of the 26 mile West Island Way.

The Island of Skye's main jewellery manufacturer is preparing to move to bigger premises, creating 6 new full-time jobs in Broadford.

The key to long term economic growth in Orkney is sustainable development across all sectors of the local economy according to local development chiefs.

A Mull couple are cruising to success with the purchase of a second vessel for their diving and marine tourism charters. Mark Henrys and Hannah Thompson who operate Northern Light say the new boat will help to meet growing demand for their services and create three new jobs in the process.

Efforts to attract inward investors and new jobs to Kintyre in Argyll are being stepped up with the construction of a £1.1 million (pounds) advanced office development at Campbeltown.