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Tornado On Ground In Dickinson, Moving Towards Galveston As Warning Continues | VideoInzaghi satisfied after unconvincing Inter snatch 1-0 win over LeipzigAs we reflect on a rollercoaster year for Scottish businesses, there are grounds for optimism in 2025. Many of our 12,000 members have faced tough challenges, from rising costs to skills shortages and falling consumer demand. However, what has impressed me most is their incredible resilience in the face of adversity. Businesses have always found inspiration in adversity, seizing opportunities and demonstrating the entrepreneurial spirit and resolve that has been the bedrock of Scotland’s many success stories over the years. Difficult challenges remain, with both the recent UK and Scottish budgets impacting business confidence as we move into 2025. Measures to support growth and investment are positive but there are still major concerns about the impact of taxation, rates relief, and public spending. We need greater targeted support and policy clarity. This year Scotland’s economy demonstrated remarkable tenacity, with steady gross domestic product (GDP) growth, driven mainly by renewable energy, technology, life sciences, and tourism. And business confidence has steadily recovered, despite global market volatility and inflationary pressures. Looking ahead to 2025, I believe the enduring spirit of Scottish entrepreneurship will ensure we are well-placed to seize opportunities, particularly across the digital economy where Scotland’s thriving tech ecosystem is positioning the nation as a hub for fintech, artificial intelligence, and data-driven innovation. Digital adoption is no longer a “nice to have” but a commercial necessity and, with strategic government support to help businesses embrace digitalisation, we can improve our productivity and competitiveness. In international trade, Scotland’s exporters have found new routes to global markets, despite the lasting impact of Brexit. Demand for Scottish goods, from whisky to sustainable textiles, remains strong. Read more 'Sense of decay' in city centre amid 'frustration', leader warns 'Can Scottish Government support Glasgow or stop route development altogether?' Global economic conditions, particularly in the eurozone and key export markets, will continue to have a direct impact on Scottish exports in 2025 and we welcome both the Scottish and UK governments’ continued support in helping promote overseas trade. The USA is Scotland's top international export destination and our largest inward investor. With its vast consumer base and strong demand for quality products, Scotland’s whisky, seafood, textiles, and tech solutions are well-positioned to thrive in 2025. However, changing trade policies and threats of tariffs on specific Scottish exports under a new President Trump administration will create unpredictability and Scotland’s businesses will need government on their side to negotiate competitive trade terms and minimise trade barriers. Read more Ian McConnell: Time to face up to the Brexit consequences Ian McConnell: This 'disaster' surely makes grim reading for an open-minded Brexiter Huge opportunities lie in the transition to a net-zero economy and Scotland’s position as a global leader in renewable energy offers a substantial competitive advantage, if leveraged effectively. Our wealth of natural resources - offshore wind, hydrogen, and tidal energy - gives us a transformative edge. With the right investment climate, Scotland can be a a global leader in green technologies, attracting international investment and creating thousands of high-quality jobs. However, none of these opportunities will be realised without a concerted effort from government and business: 2025 must be a year of bold leadership and policy alignment. At the start of 2024, inflation was our biggest cause for concern but that began to stabilise in the second half of the year and, while energy prices and supply-chain issues presented significant obstacles, Scotland’s businesses responded with agility. I have been encouraged by how quickly our members adapted. That resilience and entrepreneurial creativity has shone through. Even staffing and skills issues have seen signs of improvement. Unemployment rates remained low, and businesses continued to invest in upskilling and retraining the workforce to close the skills gap. Young people in Scotland are benefitting from apprenticeships and skills development programmes but, to remain competitive on a global stage, we need to continue to upskill our future workforce. The Scottish Government must deliver a long-overdue review of the apprenticeship levy, which is clearly not fit for purpose. Labour shortages obstacles remain in critical sectors such as construction, hospitality, and manufacturing, and tackling this requires collaboration between educational institutions, industry and government to align skills provision with market needs. Fostering an entrepreneurial culture across Scotland’s educational system, from primary schools to universities, is crucial to embedding innovative thinking and a business mindset. I would love to see support networks, accelerators, and mentorship programmes be accessible to all - particularly women, young people, and under-represented groups. The cost of doing business remains a significant concern for 2025. Inflationary pressures may not fully ease and uncertainty over interest rates could influence business investment. We need targeted support measures to ease the pressures of rising energy bills, higher raw material costs and burdensome regulations. Despite some positive changes in the Scottish Budget, sustained rates relief continues to be a pressing issue for the hospitality and leisure sector. To that end, Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC) has joined forces with the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association to raise these concerns directly to the Deputy First Minister. Without parity of support, the risk of closures and job losses could escalate, particularly for smaller operators facing reduced footfall and higher operating costs. As we celebrate the festive period and many of those businesses enjoy a busier time, it is only masking the difficulties they face come the quiet months after the New Year. Scotland’s economy stands at a pivotal moment. Our performance in 2024 reflects a story of resilience, adaptability, and unyielding determination. If we embrace a growth mindset, nurture entrepreneurial spirit, and lead with purpose, Scotland can emerge stronger and greener. The SCC network is the leading voice of business in Scotland. We believe in the economic opportunities that lie ahead for our businesses and our country and we would urge government to recognise, encourage and support that ambition. Businesses need clarity and consistency in regulation and a positive plan for investment and growth that will create the confidence and financial foundations for a thriving economy. It’s about taking the lessons of 2024 and leading in 2025, where the world recognises Scotland as a place where quality and innovation are the cornerstones of every product and service, and entrepreneurship is rewarded and celebrated. There have been so many remarkable business achievements this year and there is every reason for optimism that we will continue to advance Scotland’s position on the world stage in 2025. Liz Cameron is chief executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce

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The past 12 months have not been easy for the Virgin Islands, but 2024 nevertheless brought glimpses of the light at the end of a tunnel the territory entered when it was devastated by Hurricane Irma in 2017 . As the VI has struggled to recover from that storm over the past seven years, it has been battered by other existential challenges: the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting economic fallout; the 2022 arrest of then-premier Andrew Fahie; the Commission of Inquiry ; a flagging financial services industry; and the escalating climate crisis, among others. And all this is to say nothing of the outside world’s political and economic turmoil. However, this adversity has also brought opportunities. Indeed, some positive signs this year suggest that it is not too late for the VI to emerge stronger from seven years of struggles. As one example, consider the hurricane recovery. Though many major public projects have stalled as successive governments have failed to access the needed funding, the current administration finally secured a $100 million loan this year to jumpstart the efforts. This money won’t be nearly enough, but at least it will be a beginning. In 2025, leaders must make the loan count by spending wisely on projects administered properly by the Recovery and Development Agency. Then there’s the pandemic, which left the tourism sector reeling. In an apparent panic to respond, the government has moved ahead with a dramatic expansion of the cruise ship sector even as the more lucrative overnight sector has lagged behind. But in the coming months, overnight arrivals are expected to increase with the opening of new properties including the Peter Island Resort. In 2025, leaders must change their knee-jerk approach to the sector by keeping their promise to create a national tourism plan with input from the community. The territory is at a similarly critical juncture with the COI reforms. The VI and the United Kingdom alike have put in place long-needed measures recommended by the 2022 COI report, including an overhaul of public assistance programmes, improved integrity rules, restrictions on the use of crown land, and better procurement procedures, among many others. In 2025, they must work together to ensure that these reforms are properly implemented and take root as promised. But they also must go further. Coming out of the COI, for instance, was a June report on the territory’s law enforcement and justice administration agencies, which exposed widespread failings that in some cases are life-threatening. However distressing this news, unveiling the scope of these issues was a much-needed starting point for change. In 2025, leaders must recognise that good governance is not a box-checking exercise and that ongoing reform must become ingrained in the VI’s leadership culture. Similar lessons have emerged in the financial services industry, whose incorporations sector is in a long-term structural decline that was exacerbated by a blistering February report from the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force. But here, too, lies opportunity. In 2025, the VI must continue tackling the CFATF’s many recommendations with a view to bolstering the financial sector so that it can be better diversified and expanded in the coming years. Other lessons of this year point the way forward for further actions the government must take in 2025: • increasing the minimum wage as planned; • committing to full transparency in its handling of the proposed airport expansion and other capital projects; • activating and funding the Climate Change Trust Fund; • passing long-needed environmental legislation; • funding and implementing a comprehensive waste-management system; • repairing dilapidated schools; and • continuing working to move government processes online, to name just a few. In short, there was much to be thankful for in 2024 and there is lots to look forward to in 2025. We wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and a joyous New Year.Giants Make Major Injury Decision on Kayvon Thibodeaux

Montoya still has a lot to offerDHAKA, Bangladesh , Nov. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With the popularity of electric vehicles in Bangladesh , the globally renowned AIMA brand has also arrived in Bangladesh . The esteemed DX Group has brought the AIMA F-626 to customers. This environmentally friendly battery-operated electric motorbike has already been approved by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authorit y ( B RTA) now. In light of the increasing popularity of electric motorcycles in the country, the internationally-leading brand AIMA has entered the market. By the end of 2023, AIMA electric two-wheelers had established a presence in over 50 countries worldwide, with 11 global production bases, including overseas factories in Indonesia and Vietnam . In 2022, AIMA collaborated with Rob Janoff , the designer of the Apple logo, to refresh the brand's VI system with a youthful and fashionable image. In 2023, AIMA teamed up with PANTONE, the global authority in color expertise, to create the trending color of the year. As an industry leader, AIMA spearheads the electric two-wheeler sector and showcases the prowess of a leading electric two-wheeler brand on a global scale. As of March 31, 2024 , AIMA's total electric two-wheeler sales had reached 80 million units, earning certification from Frost & Sullivan, a globally recognized business growth consulting firm, as the "Global Leading Electric Two-wheeler Brand". Over the years, AIMA has always been a product trendsetter in the electric two-wheeler sector. As of March 31, 2024 , the total sales volume of AIMA electric two-wheelers reached 80 million, and Frost & Sullivan, a world-renowned market consulting company, awarded AIMA with the market status certification of the "Global Leading Electric Two-wheeler Brand (by Sales)". AIMA adhere to the customer-centered product philosophy and technologies that support long-term innovation and breakthroughs. We believe that the efficiency and modern technology of the AIMA F-626 will present an excellent alternative means of communication for our customers. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chinas-aima-brand-electric-motorbike-is-now-in-bangladesh-302314737.html SOURCE AIMA Technology

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