Here are the business stories making the headlines across Scotland and the UK this morning.
Boss of Aberdeen’s Ashvale chipper says rising costs making it ‘near impossible’
Aberdeen’s iconic fish and chip shops are under unprecedented pressure, as soaring costs and economic challenges put decades of tradition on the line.
Stuart Devine, operations director of The Ashvale, said spiralling costs have made it “near impossible” to do business.
“It’s getting harder by the day, it’s desperate times,” said Mr Devine, who runs restaurants and takeaways in Aberdeen, Banchory, Inverurie and Elgin.
Council letter asks parents not to secretly record conversations with teachers
Aberdeenshire Council has asked parents not to secretly record conversations with their children's teachers after incidents of the activity left staff "distressed".
In a letter to parents and carers, education chief Laurence Findlay said "a few individuals" were involved and he thanked the overwhelming majority for their constructive and courteous communications with staff.
Teaching union the EIS said some staff had taken time off work due to stress caused, and it described some of the incidents as "threatening".
Scotland's first deputy first minister Lord Jim Wallace dies, aged 71
Lord Jim Wallace, who served as Scotland's first-ever deputy first minister, has died age 71.
The former Scottish Lib Dem leader was undergoing a procedure at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh on Thursday, but suffered complications afterwards.
His wife Rosie Wallace said their family were "very shocked", adding: "It was all so sudden. He was still incredibly active in a whole host of areas."
Amazon in talks to make $50bn bet on OpenAI
Amazon is reported to be in talks to invest up to $50billion in the ChatGPT-maker OpenAI in what would be a giant bet on the much sought-after artificial intelligence startup.
The discussion is still in the early stages and the final numbers have not been finalised, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Big Tech companies and investors such as SoftBank Group are racing to forge partnerships with OpenAI — which is spending heavily on data centres — betting that closer ties with the artificial-intelligence startup would give them a competitive edge in the AI race.
Trump says 'very dangerous' for UK to do business with China as Starmer lands in Shanghai
Donald Trump said it was "very dangerous" for the UK to deal with China, as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer arrived in Shanghai on the third day of his visit to the country.
The US president was reacting to agreements aimed at increasing business and investment between the UK and China, announced after Sir Keir met Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"Well it's very dangerous for them to do that," Trump said at the premiere of a documentary about his wife Melania when asked what he thought of Britain increasing business ties with China.