Here are the business stories making the headlines across Scotland and the UK this morning.
Israel seizes Greta Thunberg’s aid boat
Israeli forces have taken command of a charity boat on its way to Gaza carrying humanitarian aid — and the Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
The Freedom Flotilla vessel Madleen, which had tried to break a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip, is now heading to a port in Israel, officials said on Sunday.
It was boarded during the night, and the Israeli foreign ministry later confirmed that it was under Israeli control.
Read the full story on The Times website.
Aberdeen’s Rovop surges to £13.3m profit under US billionaire’s ownership
Aberdeen subsea robotics specialist Rovop has posted soaring profits in its first accounts since being taken over by a US billionaire.
Westhill-headquartered Rovop Limited – one of the world’s largest providers of remotely operated vehicle (ROV) services – recorded a £13.3 million pre-tax profit in the nine months to December 31 2024.
This is up significantly from the £3.1m pre-tax profit figure recorded for the year ending March 31 2024.
Get the full story in the P&J.
Government considers social media time limits for children
The government is considering introducing tougher online safety measures to limit the amount of time children can spend on social media, the BBC understands.
Proposals include a two-hour cap on the use of individual social media apps and a 22:00 curfew, as first reported by the Sunday People and the Mirror.
Appearing on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said he was looking at the "addictive nature of some of the apps and smartphones", when asked whether time limits would be considered.
Read the full story on the BBC website.
North and north-east machinery rings unveil £100m merger plan
The chairman of Ringlink Scotland has hailed its merger with Highland Business Services (HBS), creating a £100 million agricultural machinery ring, as a “logical step forward”.
Laurencekirk-based Ringlink and HBS, which has its main office at Glaikmore, North Kessock, near Inverness, announced their tie-up earlier today.
They said the move will substantially strengthen the position of both organisations.
Read the full story in the Press and Journal.
Investors still sceptical despite VodafoneThree’s market dominance
Sealing the £16.5 billion merger with Three in the UK was “a dream come true”, Margherita Della Valle, the chief executive of Vodafone, told people at the Deloitte and Enders Media and Telecoms and Beyond conference last week.
The milestone deal, which raised hopes that European regulators could be more receptive to consolidation, is the centrepiece of a dramatic reshaping of the FTSE 100 telecommunications group that has taken place since the Italian executive was made permanent in the post in late 2023.
Investors remain sceptical because the company’s share price is still close to its 30-year low. While the drive for scale is strategically sound, analysts wonder whether the move can deliver the boost to top-line growth that has long eluded Vodafone and its peers. Troubles in its key German market also linger.
The full story is available on The Times website.
Keir Starmer to visit Canada for security talks after Trump threats
Sir Keir Starmer will travel to Canada next week to discuss security and economic co-operation after President Trump’s threats to its independence, The Times has learned.
He will meet Mark Carney, the prime minister, on June 14, against a backdrop of growing tensions between Ottawa and Washington.
Carney attempted to repair relations on a visit to the White House last month, but was rebuffed last week when Trump doubled tariffs on steel imports to 50 per cent, sparking Canadian warnings of “catastrophic” job losses, factory closures and disruption to supply chains. The UK is the only country that has avoided the 50 per cent tariff after Trump and Starmer struck a deal.
Read the full story in The Times.