Here are the business stories making the headlines locally and across the country this morning.

BP tightens rules on staff relationships

Energy giant BP has tightened rules on workplace relationships after its former boss was dismissed for failing to disclose details about his personal relationships with colleagues.

Senior managers must now report any intimate relationships that have taken place with colleagues in the last three years. Any employees who fail to adhere to the new rules may face disciplinary action.

BP said the update to its conflict of interest policy was scheduled for review this year.

It comes after its former chief executive Bernard Looney was found to have committed "serious misconduct" in failing to disclose workplace relationships.

Unemployment rate highest for more than two years

The unemployment rate has unexpectedly risen to its highest level for two and a half years, official figures show.

The rate climbed to 4.4% in February to April this year, up from the previous figure of 4.3% and the highest since September 2021.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) also said there was another increase in the inactivity rate, with 22.3% of working age people deemed not to be actively looking for work.

Wage growth remained strong, with regular pay rising at an annual pace of 6%.

Struggling Dizzy’s clothes shop on Union Street CLOSES amid £20 million roadworks

Aberdeen clothes store Dizzy’s has given up its fight for survival – with its closure coming amid a £20 million revamp of Union Street.

The independent dress shop has been on the Granite Mile for just over a year, after opening in the former Ecco shoe shop last April.

At the time, owner Lynne McIntyre told us of grand ambitions to turn the entire six-storey block into a mini-department store, should her venture prove popular.

But latterly, posters advertising a “70% off” sale appeared in the windows.

Apple brings ChatGPT to iPhones in AI overhaul

Apple is to boost its Siri voice assistant and operating systems with OpenAI's ChatGPT as it seeks to catch up in the AI race.

The iPhone maker announced the Siri makeover along with a number of other new features at its annual developers show on Monday.

It is part of a new personalised AI system - called "Apple Intelligence" - that aims to offer users a way to navigate Apple devices more easily.

Updates to its iPhone and Mac operating systems will allow access to ChatGPT through a partnership with developer OpenAI.

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