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Here are the top business stories making the headlines in the morning newspapers.

Natural gas a ‘green’ investment

Natural gas is to be classed as a "green" investment by Kwasi Kwarteng as the UK Government scrambles to increase North Sea production in a move that risks inflaming tensions with climate campaigners.

The Telegraph reports that the Business Secretary is understood to be keen that drilling for the fossil fuel is listed as "environmentally sustainable" in a new classification of activities being drawn up by his department and the Treasury to guide investors.

It comes amid concerns that banks and pension funds are ditching natural gas projects because of the implications for climate change.

Producing and burning natural gas for power production and heating is a source of carbon dioxide emissions.

However, gas is touted by many experts as a "transition fuel" towards lower carbon economies as it emits less than coal and oil which it can replace.

Onshore wind farms boost to business rates

Green energy bosses have highlighted the contribution onshore wind farms make to Scotland's economy - with sites paying over £100million in business rates.

Claire Mack, chief executive of industry body Scottish Renewables, said the payments are "just one part of the onshore wind industry's contribution to Scotland's economy".

The Press and Journal says Scottish Renewables calculated that rates payments amounted to more than £106million a year.

Wind farms pay rates like any other venture, with the money collected by local councils before being distributed by the Scottish Government to help fund local services.

Bolstering energy security

The North Sea Transition Authority's (NSTA) latest strategy update suggests it plans to continue holding licence rounds in accordance with the UK Government's climate-compatibility checkpoint.

Energy Voice says the regulator set out its intentions in a new corporate plan which outlines its priorities for the next five years, up to 2027.

"We plan to hold licensing rounds, taking the Government's climate-compatibility checkpoint into account, and steward new oil and gas developments to production to bolster energy security and resilience, while ensuring that North Sea operations are cleaner," the latest strategy says.

Profits soar at Saudi Aramco

Saudi Aramco has posted its highest profits since its 2019 listing as oil and gas prices surge around the world.

The state-owned energy giant saw an 82% jump in profits, with net income topping £32.2billion in the first quarter.

The firm said it had been boosted by higher prices, as well as an increase in production.

Its latest set of results come just days after Aramco reclaimed the top spot as the world's most valuable company from Apple for the first time in almost two years.

The BBC says Aramco also announced on Sunday it would issue 20billion bonus shares to shareholders - one share for every 10 shares already owned.

£1,000 bonus for easyJet cabin crew

EasyJet is to offer new and existing cabin crew a £1,000 bonus at the end of the summer holiday season, as airlines battle to retain and recruit staff.

The airline said the payments would acknowledge crews' contributions to what it expects to be a busy summer, with travel at near pre-Covid levels.

It was revealed last month that British Airways is offering the same amount to new joiners as a "golden hello".

The UK's ending of travel restrictions has seen demand for holidays soar.

The BBC says the aviation industry shed thousands of jobs during the pandemic, and airports and airlines have been racing to recruit staff for months as they plan for a bumper summer. However, some have struggled to hire new staff quickly enough.

Both easyJet and British Airways have cancelled hundreds of flights amid workforce shortages, which have been compounded by Covid absences.

Twitter deal on hold

Elon Musk has said his £35billion deal to buy Twitter is on hold after he queried the number of fake or spam accounts on the social media platform.

The world’s richest person said he was waiting for information "supporting calculation that spam/fake accounts do indeed represent less than 5% of users".

Mr Musk added later that he was "still committed to (the) acquisition".

However, analysts speculated he could be seeking to renegotiate the price or even walk away from the takeover.

The BBC says Mr Musk's move sent Twitter's share price plunging 10% in morning trade in New York, before finishing Friday down 9.67%.

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