The Bank of Scotland’s business barometer poll showed 73% of Scottish businesses expect to see turnover increase in 2025, up from 60% polled in 2023. Almost a quarter (23%) of businesses expect to see their revenue rise by between six and 10% over the next 12 months, with just over a fifth (21%) expecting it to grow by even more. The poll found that 70% of businesses were confident they would become more profitable in 2025, a two per cent increase when compared with the previous year. Revenue and profitability growth was firms’ top priority at 52%, though 40% said they will be targeting improved productivity, and the same proportion said they will be aiming to enhance their technology – such as automation or AI – or upskill their staff (both 29%). More than one in five (22%) want to improve their environmental sustainability. Other areas businesses are hoping to build upon AI-assisted technology (19%), and 24% will be investing in expanding into new UK markets and 23% plan to invest in staff training. The business barometer has surveyed 1,200 businesses every month since 2002, providing early signals about UK economic trends. Martyn Kendrick, Scotland director at Bank of Scotland commercial banking, said: “Scottish businesses are looking ahead to 2025 with stronger growth expectations, and setting out clear plans to drive this expansion through investments in new technology, new markets and their own teams. “As we enter the new year, we’ll continue to by their side to help them pursue their ambitions and seize all opportunities that lie ahead.”'You're tripping': Trump's own fans disagree with his latest political statementBEL AIR, Md. — As President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration solidifies its plan for mass deportations, local law enforcement agencies are preparing to ramp up a controversial program that allows them to partner with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The 287(g) program empowers state and local law enforcement officers to help enforce federal immigration law and will likely be one of the ways the new administration bolsters its manpower as it seeks to launch what it calls the largest deportation effort in U.S. history. But it also may also be a flashpoint for a legal showdown that’s brewing as Inauguration Day draws closer. Tom Homan, who will serve as Trump’s “border czar,” visited Texas Tuesday to tout the forthcoming administration’s plans for mass deportations. “We’re not waiting until January,” Homan said. “We’re going to put a plan in place and secure this nation.” Homan, the former acting ICE director during Trump’s first term, has promised to “take the handcuffs off ICE.” The 287(g) program was added to the Immigration and Nationality Act in 1996 under then-President Bill Clinton. It authorizes ICE to delegate to state and local law enforcement officers the ability to perform certain functions of an immigration officer. Once a suspect is arrested for a crime, a trained corrections officer can access an ICE database to see more information about their immigration status and may then detain the person for up to 48 hours if ICE chooses to pick them up for deportation. Supporters of the program argue that it does not allow local officers to round up undocumented immigrants on the streets, and that any enforcement is done within an agency’s jail or detention center once a suspect has been arrested for other charges. According to ICE , as of May 2024, law enforcement agencies in 21 states participated in the program. Harford County, Maryland, Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler is a proponent of the program, saying he believes that local law enforcement should partner with ICE to help enforce immigration laws. He also pushed back against criticism that it would lead to undocumented immigrants being unfairly targeted. “This isn’t stopping people on the street — saying ‘show me your papers,’” Gahler said, “If they’re brought in — they’re arrested for something that they have committed, an act they’ve committed against the citizens of our community. And at that point, they’re held accountable for the action of being in the country illegally.” Gahler is no stranger to being at the center of the country’s immigration debate. He has made several trips to the southern border — and worked on a high-profile murder case in his county allegedly involving an undocumented immigrant. Rachel Morin, a 37-year-old mother of five, was reported missing on Aug. 5, 2023, and her body was found the following day off a popular running trail. Victor Martinez Hernandez, an El Salvador native, was arrested after a 10-month nationwide manhunt. He was extradited to Maryland, where he’s been charged with first-degree murder and rape. The victim's mother, Patty Morin, remembers when she first learned the suspect was undocumented. “I was actually very angry,” she said in an interview with NBC News. “I thought we had laws in place for this type of thing. ... But as information became more and more available, I realized that somehow something went wrong somewhere.” Another supporter of the 287(g) program is Samuel Page, the sheriff of Rockingham County, North Carolina. It’s a much more rural area than Mecklenburg County, where controversy over the program erupted in 2018 when a new sheriff cut ties with it. Page said his county signed up for the program in 2020 and put about a dozen corrections officers through the training. He said there have been fewer requests for ICE detainers during President Joe Biden’s administration. “When President Biden came in, he ended a lot of those programs that were good to protect the American people,” Page said. “We got to draw the line and say the rule of law is going to matter in America.” The 287(g) program has long been controversial. Democrats have moved to cancel agreements in various parts of the country. The American Civil Liberties Union strongly opposes the program and argues it amounts to racial profiling while instilling fear in immigrant communities. The Maryland chapter of the ACLU has said that local police officers are “wholly unprepared” to act as immigration agents. “This hurts those families,” said Todd Shulte, the president of FWD.us, an immigrant advocacy group. “This leads to worse public safety outcomes. It erodes a sense of trust in communities and hurts the economy.” Even within ICE, there is debate about “whether the juice is worth the squeeze,” according to Jason Houser, a former ICE chief of staff. It may be effective for large cities, he said, where having trained corrections officers help with immigration enforcement inside jails might free up other ICE agents to search for immigrants with more serious criminal records on the streets. But in sparsely populated areas, the time and effort to train officers could be seen as inefficient. Other critics have also said the 287(g) program merely serves as a political messaging tool for conservative sheriffs. Trump’s campaign platform promised to require local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. But a growing number of Democrats are vowing to defy that. Earlier this month, the Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance that prohibits the use of city resources in immigration enforcement. Elected officials in Massachusetts are already clashing with the Trump team over immigration. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said he’d be willing to go to jail to stop efforts by the president-elect that he believed were illegal or wrong. It’s all setting the stage for a clash after inauguration. “Local and state officials on the frontlines of the Harris-Biden border invasion have been suffering for four years and are eager for President Trump to return to the Oval Office,” said Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump’s transition team. “On day one, President Trump will marshal every lever of power to secure the border, protect their communities, and launch the largest mass deportation operation of illegal immigrant criminals in history.” As for the 287(g) program, corrections officers in Harford County, Maryland, are preparing for changes next year with the incoming Trump administration. “I believe we’re going to be very busy,” said Sgt. Christopher Crespo. The program “has been very effective. ... The last thing you need to do is have someone in the street commit a murder and find out that they were here illegally.”
Stock indexes closed mixed on Wall Street at the end of a rare bumpy week. The S&P 500 ended little changed Friday. The benchmark index reached its latest in a string of records a week ago. It lost ground for the week following three weeks of gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2 percent. The Nasdaq composite edged up 0.1 percent. Broadcom surged after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, surged after raising its revenue forecast. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. On Friday: The S&P 500 fell 0.16 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 6,051.09. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 86.06 points, or 0.2 percent, to 43,828.06. The Nasdaq composite rose 23.88 points, or 0.1 percent, to 19,926.72. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 14.19 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,346.90. For the week: The S&P 500 is down 39.18 points, or 0.6 percent. The Dow is down 814.46 points, or 1.8 percent. The Nasdaq is up 66.95 points, or 0.3 percent. The Russell 2000 is down 62.10 points, or 2.6 percent. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,281.26 points, or 26.9 percent. The Dow is up 6,138.52 points, or 16.3 percent. The Nasdaq is up 4,951.37 points, or 32.7 percent. The Russell 2000 is up 319.82 points, or 15.8 percent. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors. They are meant for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation. The Epoch Times does not provide investment, tax, legal, financial planning, estate planning, or any other personal finance advice. The Epoch Times holds no liability for the accuracy or timeliness of the information provided.
As we enter the holiday season many young people are no doubt beginning to consider their future options. With a range of paths to pursue, a high rate of youth unemployment in Canada and a higher education sector facing unprecedented challenges it may seem logical to wonder if university is worth it. In my role as president of York University I see these issues play out every day in the lives of my students and faculty. However, I can say with certainty that, yes, university is worth it for both students and society. And while you might think that I might be biased, there is real data to back it up. Simply put, going to university enriches both students and society over the long term. We must ensure that students and universities are supported to help ensure as broad access as possible. While many students entering the market fresh out of university will make entry-level wages, the reality is that over the longer term their earning potential has more room to expand . Those with a bachelor’s degree earn 24 per cent more than the national average. The more education, the higher the earning potential. Students with a university degree are more likely to have stable employment even amidst economic disruption, as the COVID-19 pandemic revealed . Graduates are also more likely to gain employment that offers a wider range of benefits. Simply put, an education increases one’s chances of finding fulfilling employment and living a longer and healthier life. Beyond individual benefits, there are also key benefits to society. Canada relies disproportionately on universities compared to other OECD countries to drive the research and innovation central to a productive and prosperous economy . Further research has shown that education is central to a healthy, democratic society To quote Nelson Mandela: “ education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world .” The world faces a host of wicked problems ranging from economic inequality to climate change, geopolitical conflict and ongoing wars. Universities and graduates play a key role in addressing these challenges. Technology is not going away and it is not slowing down. A recent study revealed that the jobs of more than 60 per cent of Canadians may be at risk to AI . Moreover, an estimated one out of 10 employees in Canada could be at a high risk of automation-related job redundancy. Canada’s already volatile job market will continue to be impacted. Those with higher levels of education are the best equipped to benefit from technologies in ways that complement the work they do . Graduates are also more likely to have the transferable skills needed to withstand workforce disruption. According to the OECD , AI technologies pose less of a risk for highly-skilled workers. In fact, their jobs are less likely to be replaced by automation because they possess the critical thinking skills needed to provide oversight to tasks that use AI and automation. While these technologies are sophisticated and becoming even more so each day, they currently cannot replicate human cognitive, critical and decision-making skills. There is also compelling research that shows students with higher education are more likely to pursue continuing education to upgrade and reskill, a quality that makes students more agile in a shifting labour market. Universities have also been increasing micro-credentials , programs which help learners re-skill while they are holding employment and balancing familial obligations, to support lifelong learning and build a more resilient Canadian workforce. If Canada is to meet the expanding needs of students and of the country then we must invest now in higher education. Access is something I worry deeply about to ensure that we are not leaving any talent behind. Data from the 2017 National Survey of Engagement indicates that 48 per cent of first- and fourth-year undergrad students at York came from households where neither parent held a bachelor’s degree. What’s more, York’s 2020 Economic and Social Impact Report revealed that 59 per cent of students could not have attended university without financial support. Creating accessible educational opportunities for diverse learners to develop responsive skills is critical for a vibrant future workforce and for resilient communities. York and other universities in Canada have a good track record for this. At the same time, social mobility and productivity have been declining in Canada in recent years . Continuing to ensure that eligible students have access to university education including at the graduate level is imperative to address these trends. The significant numbers of Canadian students leaving the country to study medicine overseas while Canada is facing a significant gap in primary care physicians is just one example . These are troubling trends which Canadian universities are committed to addressing. While the commitment and innovation of universities is evident, the unfortunate truth is that universities across much of Canada have seen a steady decline in real dollar funding for years. In Ontario, recommendations from the government’s blue-ribbon panel strongly advocated for the urgent increase in financial support for universities . To meet the changes in Canada’s labour market, universities have developed new programs to meet the talent needs in areas such as science, technology, engineering and health . We have also worked to enhance access through flexible teaching formats and strengthened international and cross-sector research collaborations to tackle complex societal problems . Universities have also increased supports for students including activities to help them connect with careers and become more entrepreneurial and efficient . In short, universities in Canada are one of the country’s most important assets. If we are to continue delivering the high-quality education for which we are known and serving the needs of the communities who rely on us, especially given fierce global competition for talent, it is essential that we secure a financially sustainable model for universities. Canada’s high youth unemployment has many people anxious about how they will fare in a job market that bears a striking resemblance to the Hunger Games. Expanding employment opportunities is necessary and will require collaboration across all sectors. But the data are clear. A university education will provide our youth with a running start and the ability to adapt as they go. Rhonda Lenton is chair of the Council of Ontario Universities.
