Here are the top business stories making the headlines in the morning newspapers.

Aberdeen bypass litterbugs urged to take their rubbish home

Workers have risked their lives clearing almost 3,000 bags of rubbish from the side of the Aberdeen bypass due to the actions of "selfish" litterbugs.

Transport Scotland, which is responsible for keeping the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) clean of rubbish, has filled 2,871 bags with litter collected from the road since May 2019.

And, if the amount of bags of AWPR roadside rubbish being filled continues at the rate it has so far this year, 2022 could be the worst year yet.

A spokesman for Transport Scotland told the Press and Journal: "The process of collecting litter from the side of the AWPR places road workers right next to high-speed traffic, which can be dangerous.

"However, this type of work would be unnecessary if everyone took their litter home with them.

"We continue to ask road users to consider the safety of workers, not to mention the environment, before throwing litter from their vehicles."


Postal workers on strike today

Around 115,000 Royal Mail postal workers are striking today in a dispute over pay.

It is the first of four days of industrial action, with walk outs also taking place on August 31 and September 8 and 9.

Letters will not be delivered on strike days and some parcels will be delayed, Royal Mail warned.

The BBC says the union representing the workers is demanding a pay rise that more closely reflects the current rate of inflation.

Royal Mail apologised to customers and said it had contingency plans to minimise the disruption.

On strike days it will deliver as many Special Delivery and Tracked 24 parcels as possible, it said. It will also prioritise the delivery of medical prescriptions where possible.

However, it said items posted the day before a strike, during the strike or on the days after may be delayed.

The company is encouraging people to post items as early as possible to avoid disruption.


Norway planning first major offshore wind auction

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has mobilised a survey vessel to begin evaluating seabed areas set aside for the country's first major offshore wind auction.

The Fugro Venturer was mobilised in Aberdeen yesterday and will make its way to conduct pilot surveys in the eastern part of an offshore area dubbed Nordsjo II.

Energy Voice says Nordsjo II covers around 1,000 square miles bordering the Danish North Sea, where shallower waters may prove suitable for bottom-fixed turbines.


TotalEnergies rejects claims over fuel for Russia's air force

France's transport minister has called for light to be shed on allegations that oil firm TotalEnergies has been indirectly involved in supplying fuel to Russia's air force.

While most Western companies have left Russia, TotalEnergies still has a 49% stake in a Russian gas field.

French reports said jet fuel produced from its gas had been used by Russian fighter jets in Ukraine.

The BBC says TotalEnergies has rejected the reports, complaining of unfounded allegations.


California banning petrol-only vehicles

California is to ban the sale of new petrol-only vehicles by 2035, marking a historic step in the state's attempts to tackle climate change.

The BBC says the new rules are aimed to force car makers to accelerate the introduction to the market of cleaner vehicles.

It comes after Governor Gavin Newsom set a target in 2020 to speed up the shift away from fossil fuels.

The move is important as California is the most-populous state in the US and one of the world's biggest economies.

Under the rules, issued by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), 35% of new vehicles sold in the state must be electric, hybrid or hydrogen-powered by 2026.

The regulations would apply to 68% of vehicle sales by 2030, and 100% by 2035.

CARB chair Laine Randolph said the move was "a historic moment for California, for our partner states and for the world as we set forth a path toward a zero-emission future".


Russia burning off gas

As Europe's energy costs skyrocket, Russia is burning off large amounts of gas, according to analysis.

Experts say the gas would previously have been exported to Germany.

They say the plant near the border with Finland is burning an estimated £8.4million worth of gas every day.

The BBC says scientists are concerned about the large volumes of carbon dioxide and soot it is creating, which could exacerbate the melting of Arctic ice.

The analysis by Rystad Energy indicates that around 4.34million cubic metres of gas are being burned by the flare every day.

It is coming from a new liquified natural gas plant at Portovaya, north-west of St Petersburg. The first signs that something was awry came from Finnish citizens over the nearby border who spotted a large flame on the horizon earlier this summer.

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