Here are the stories making the business headlines this morning.

OEUK calls for calm amid talk of more North Sea strikes

North Sea oil and gas workers may be about to stage another round of wildcat strikes.

Energy Voice has seen a notice encouraging offshore crew, including workers covered by the industry’s energy services agreement (ESA), to down tools at 1pm on September 8.

Similar messages have been shared on various social media channels, calling on workers to take action in the face of the UK’s cost-of-living crisis.

Trade body Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) said it was “aware of the calls for unofficial action”, and urged those involved to “follow the official channels”.

Plans for 250 homes at Peterculter rejected

Contested plans to build 250 new homes at Peterculter have been narrowly refused by councillors following a tense vote, the Press & Journal reports.

First Endeavour LLP applied to Aberdeen City Council for permission to build the homes on land currently used by the Tillyoch Equestrian Centre.

But concerns had been raised that nearby ancient woodland would be destroyed to make way for the development.

What cost crisis? Premier League clubs splash £1.9bn in window

A remarkable summer transfer window closed on Thursday with a number of new spending records set - including the most expensive ever deadline day signing in Manchester United's £82million purchase of Anthony.

That deal helped set a new Premier League spending record of about £1.9billion - smashing the previous record of £1.4billion in 2017 - and dwarfing the rest of Europe.

The BBC estimates that nine of the 20 top flight clubs spent in excess of £100million as total expenditure bounced back after two seasons of CV19-impacted decline.

More rail workers to go out on strike

Rail workers will hold fresh strikes in a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, the RMT union has said.

It told the BBC that 40,000 of its members who work at Network Rail and 14 train companies will walk out on 15 and 17 September.

The first day of these strikes coincides with a walkout by train drivers at 12 rail companies. The Aslef union said the action by 9,000 of its members will be the biggest strike drivers have taken part in so far.

‘Increasingly likely’ Putin will cut off gas supplies completely

A full shut-off of Russian gas supplies looks increasingly likely, meaning the eurozone is set to be driven into a recession, according to The Telegraph.

The Fitch ratings agency said a total shutdown of flows from Moscow “increasingly looks like a reasonable assumption” when making economic forecasts.

It said that outcome would hit eurozone GDP by 1.5-2 percentage points, rising to 2.5pp in Italy and 3pp for Germany.

Squirrel’s trip from India to Aberdeen

A stowaway Indian palm squirrel is being cared for by an animal rescue charity after travelling thousands of miles to Scotland on board a ship.

The Times believes the animal, named Zippy because of his speed, spent about three weeks on the vessel and was finally caught by the crew three days before it docked in Aberdeen.

The North East Wildlife & Animal Rescue Centre (New Arc) charity is now caring for the squirrel, which is said to be doing well after his voyage on the oil industry ship Deep Explorer.

Rubbish crisis has put visitors off Scotland for ever, says tourism boss

Scotland’s bin crisis is significantly harming its international reputation as many visitors vow never to return, a tourism leader has said as Nicola Sturgeon moves to break the deadlock.

Marc Crothall, chief executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance, said that the images being beamed around the world were “hugely concerning for Scotland’s positioning within an intensely competitive global market”.

He told The Times: “The images we’re seeing of rubbish piling up are significantly harming Scotland’s reputation. Many tourists visiting Scotland have said that they would not return; they too will spread the word both socially and offline.”

China puts Chengdu, city of 21m, into Covid lockdown

About 21 million people in the southwestern city of Chengdu are in lockdown after a new Covid-19 outbreak.

Chengdu, in the southwest, recorded 157 new infections yesterday, of which 51 had no symptoms.

The Times said China is sticking to its zero-tolerance strategy despite concerns that it is stifling the economy.


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