Here are the business stories making the headlines across Scotland and the UK this morning.
RAF Lossiemouth fighter jets get major upgrade to combat ‘increased threat’ at home
Fighter jets flying from RAF Lossiemouth are to be fitted with “cutting-edge” radar technology aimed at combatting Russia’s increasing threats.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced £453million investment for the “state-of-the-art” upgrades on the RAF Typhoon fleet based at the Moray airbase.
It comes months after The Press and Journal spoke to defence chiefs about how Lossiemouth is “critical” to Britain’s security against Russia in the far north.
Next buys shoe chain Russell & Bromley but 33 shops at risk
High street fashion giant Next has bought shoe retailer Russell & Bromley which had collapsed in to administration.
Next paid £2.5million in a rescue deal for the upmarket British footwear and accessories seller -- but the future for most of the chain's current staff and shops remains uncertain.
Next will own the brand and three of Russell & Bromley's 36 stores, as well as some existing stock for which it is paying an additional £1.3million.
First look at Aberdeen’s new ‘dive bar’ bringing neon, rodeo and late-night fun
Aberdeen’s nightlife is about to get a honky-tonk shake-up with Rock Bottom, a US-style dive bar on Crown Terrace, once home to popular steakhouse Prime Cuts.
The Press and Journal had a first look inside as proprietor Zee Ali put the finishing touches on the venue ahead of a soft launch on Saturday.
The property has been lying empty since before Covid, and Zee is opening the bar despite tough times for the UK pub industry and the downturn in Aberdeen’s oil and gas sector.
Ryanair boss: ‘Elon Musk can insult me all day if it sells tickets’
Michael O’Leary has said Elon Musk can insult him “all day, every day” if it helps to boost Ryanair sales which he said have risen as a result of the spat between the two billionaires.
The airline chief, 64, has been engaged in a back-and-forth with the tech billionaire over whether Musk’s Starlink internet system could be used to provide wifi on Ryanair flights.
After O’Leary said this was not feasible, Musk, 54, called O’Leary an “idiot” and “chimp” and mused on X whether he should buy the airline.