Here are the business stories making the headlines across Scotland and the UK this morning.
Slump in Aberdeen house price and property transactions
The number of property transactions taking place in Aberdeen fell in the first three months of 2025.
The latest figures from Aberdeen Solicitors Property Centre (ASPC) show property prices in the city were down 1% in the first quarter of 2025, compared to the previous three months.
Looking longer term, the average house price is down 1.4% compared to a year ago.
Read the full story in the Press and Journal.
Canada election results: Mark Carney leads liberals to historic win
Mark Carney has led Canada’s Liberal Party to election victory against the Conservatives in a contest that seemed unwinnable mere weeks ago.
The former governor of the Bank of England will remain prime minister having now added a mandate from voters to his party leadership election victory, secured last month.
His Liberals were projected to have won the most seats, but it was unclear from early estimates whether the party would secure an overall majority (172 seats) in Canada’s House of Commons.
Read the full story on The Times website.
Swinney calls for Kneecap to be axed from TRNSMT festival
First Minister John Swinney has backed calls for rap group Kneecap to be axed from Scotland's TRNSMT music festival.
Organisers have been urged to drop the Belfast trio over footage from a 2023 gig that appeared to show a band member saying: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP."
Swinney told BBC Scotland the alleged comments "crossed a line" and were unacceptable.
Kneecap have since apologised to the families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox.
Anger over rights of rape victims under new official guidance
The rights of rape victims in Scotland should not be prioritised over those of their alleged attackers when deciding whether or not to prosecute under-18s, new guidelines state.
Guidance from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) says there is no “hierarchy of rights” when making decisions concerning children. It adds that what is in the “best interests” of alleged rapists must also be given strong consideration.
Dorothy Bain, the lord advocate, ordered a review in 2023 into the so-called diversion from prosecution policy after teenagers claimed they suffered fresh trauma following decisions to refer young alleged rapists to social workers for counselling rather than to prosecute them.
Read the full article on The Times website.
Prince Andrew's firm linked to controversial PPE millionaire
One of Prince Andrew's prized business assets was administered for two years by a company controlled by the controversial millionaire Doug Barrowman, the BBC can reveal.
After the prince's disastrous Newsnight interview in 2019, legal ownership of his Dragon's Den-style start-up competition, Pitch@Palace Global, was transferred to a Barrowman-linked firm, Knox House Trustees (UK).
Barrowman and his wife, lingerie boss Baroness Michelle Mone, hit the headlines when she admitted they had lied about their links to a company that won large government contracts during the Covid pandemic after she recommended it to ministers.
Sex offenders to be denied asylum rights in new law
Asylum seekers will be denied the right to stay in the UK if they have been convicted of sexual offences, the government has announced.
Terrorists, war criminals and any other criminals whose offences carry a sentence of one year or more can already be refused asylum under the Refugee Convention.
Under the changes, this will be extended to anyone convicted in the UK of a crime which places them on the sex offenders register, regardless of the length of their sentence.
Read more on the BBC website.