Here are the business stories making the headlines across Scotland and the UK this morning.
Green light for Cala’s plans for 158 homes in Newmachar
Aberdeenshire Council’s Garioch Area Committee has approved Cala’s plans for 158 new homes in Newmachar.
The approved scheme will deliver a mix of high-quality private and affordable homes, including 39 affordable properties, helping to meet local housing needs while supporting sustainable growth in one of Aberdeenshire’s most popular commuter communities.
Alongside the new homes, the development will provide extensive landscaped open space, children’s play facilities, active travel connections and sustainable drainage infrastructure, as well as delivering biodiversity enhancements throughout the site.
Independent analysis by BiGGAR Economics estimates that the development will generate more than £32 million of investment through the north-east construction supply chain, supporting local businesses and jobs during the build phase.
Read more in The Press & Journal.
Meta halts worker tracking for AI training due to privacy fears
Meta has paused a new company-wide program of tracking its employees' computer usage which has been plagued by internal frustration.
The program was started only two months ago as part of an effort by Meta to gather data on how people used computers, including mouse clicks and keystrokes, that could be used to train artificial intelligence (AI) models.
It was met immediately with upset from employees who were to have their every online action at work tracked and recorded, but also concerned about where the data was going and how it would be protected.
Read the full BBC story here.
£4m Aberdeen building being torn down after failing to sell
A £4 million Aberdeen office block once hailed as a flagship global headquarters is being demolished after failing to sell – even after its price was cut to a fraction of the original build cost.
Swire House in Altens is being levelled following years sitting empty, marking the end of a building that once symbolised confidence in Aberdeen’s offshore energy sector.
The three-storey office on Souterhead Road was developed in 2012 by Swire Energy Services as its global headquarters, during a period of heavy investment in North Sea operations.
Find out more in The P&J.
Call to ‘rethink’ city centres like Aberdeen as P&J campaign to cut red tape takes step forward
Shopping habits are changing and it’s time to “rethink” traditional centre such as Aberdeen, says city MSP Stephen Flynn.
The government’s new economy secretary outlined his thoughts as part of our Fresh Start campaign to ease the burden on business, and spark new life in high streets.
Mr Flynn was speaking before the SNP announced a review of business rates on Tuesday – including a rule which could extend relief to people keen to take on a vacant premises.
Read the full P&J article.
M&S in ‘ownership talks’ with council over Aberdeen site as demolition timeline revealed
Marks and Spencer bosses will meet council leaders within weeks to work out a “longer-term future vision” for the site of its former Aberdeen flagship now poised for demolition.
The Press and Journal has revealed that M&S wants to flatten the closed St Nicholas Street building that served as its main north-east branch for generations.
It comes more than two years after the closure was announced, and one year on from the doors shutting for good.
Read the P&J exclusive here.
British pawnbroker Ramsdens agrees to £203m takeover by US rival
The directors of Britain’s only remaining listed pawnbroker have recommended a £203 million takeover offer from a US rival, marking another blow to London’s junior stock market.
FirstCash’s 609p-a-share bid for Ramsdens Holdings, structured as 600p in cash and 9p-a-share dividend, is a 35-per-cent premium to Ramsden’s closing share price on Monday. Subject to conditions the deal is set to complete in the second half of this year.
The group’s shares, which floated on Aim in 2017 with an offer price of 86p a share, closed up 139½p, or 31 per cent, at 592p on Tuesday, extending the barnstorming rally during which the stock has climbed almost 70 per cent over the past 12 months.
Read more in The TImes.
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba sues US government over defence blacklist
Chinese e-commerce and technology giant Alibaba has launched a high-stakes legal challenge against the US government, suing to get off a Pentagon blacklist that claims it is linked to the Chinese military.
The US Department of Defense (DoD) has said that because Alibaba complies with Chinese technology regulators, it is effectively an arm of the military.
In the lawsuit filed in a California federal court Alibaba pushed back, claiming the determinations "have no basis in fact or law".
The full BBC story is available here.