Here are the business stories making the headlines across Scotland and the UK this morning.
Mystery buyer emerges for major Aberdeen Countesswells development
Aberdeen’s Countesswells site is now under offer after more than two years on the market.
Administrators have revealed talks are “progressing” with an interested party for the former Stewart Milne site.
Shepherd Chartered Surveyors was appointed to find new owners for the scheme in May 2022 after Countesswells Development Limited (CDL) foundered in the wake of the oil and gas downturn and the Covid-19 pandemic and plunged into administration.
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Residents evacuated after blaze at Carmelite Hotel
Fire crews are currently battling a fire in an Aberdeen city centre hotel.
Firefighters were called to the Carmelite in Stirling Street just before 9:30pm this evening.
There is a heavy police presence in the area and the street has been cordoned off.
Click here to follow the story on the Press & Journal website.
Tax rises hard to avoid over next 5 years, says IFS
The UK's main political parties have “ducked” addressing stark choices over public finances in their manifestos and it will be a "considerable surprise" if taxes are not increased over the next five years, a leading think tank has warned.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) accused Labour and the Conservatives of engaging in a "conspiracy of silence" and ignoring "painful choices".
It said the UK has the highest debt level for more than 60 years, taxes are near a record high and spending has swelled - but public services are "visibly struggling".
While the government is paying huge interest on debts and welfare bills have grown, spending on health is likely to rise because of an ageing population while defence funding will have to increase.
Meanwhile, economic growth is subdued. Click here to read more.
Apple in breach of law on App Store, says EU
European Union regulators have accused Apple of being in breach of new laws designed to rein in big tech companies.
The European Commission, which regulates competition in the EU, said Apple's App Store squeezes out rival marketplaces, marking the first time it has found a company in breach of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The firm faces a potential fine of up to 10% of its global revenue if it fails to comply with the rules.
Apple said it is "confident our plan complies with the law".
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Julian Assange released from prison after reaching plea deal with US
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has left the UK after agreeing a US plea deal that will see him plead guilty to criminal charges and go free
Assange was charged with conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information
He spent the last five years in a British prison, from where he was fighting extradition to the US
Assange will spend no time in US custody and will receive credit for the time spent incarcerated in the UK
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