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UK Business Headlines from BBC, FT, and SKY NEWS

Written by Grant Melrose

Here you can see, side by side, today's UK business news from the BBC, Financial Times and SKY News.

BBC News - Business

Greek PM in crucial bailout talks
Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos will meet party leaders in his coalition to discuss a proposed 130bn euros EU rescue plan.
PM urged to cut wind farm subsidy
More than 100 Conservatives are among MPs who have written to the prime minister calling on him to slash subsidies for onshore wind turbines.
Work contacts 'cut dropout rate'
The more young people come into contact with employers the less likely they are to drop out of school and become unemployed, research suggests.
VIDEO: Your Money: Tips on money management
In this week's Your Money, Declan Curry looks problems with pensions, considers the benefits of credit unions and gets some top tips on how to manage your money.
High Streets bid for £1m funding
The government is looking for 12 run down High Streets in England to share £1m as a part of plans proposed by TV retail guru Mary Portas.
England players go unsold at IPL
Seven England players and Ireland batsman Kevin O'Brien fail to attract bids at the Indian Premier League auction.
Europe hit by Russia gas shortage
Freezing weather sweeping across Europe is causing a shortage of vital Russian gas supplies to several countries, officials say.
Annuity sales 'unfair and opaque'
The way annuities are sold is costing half a million retirees each year as much as £1bn in future pension income, the National Association of Pension Funds says.
VIDEO: Do the super-rich pay their way?
Do the super-rich pay their way?
Credit unions hoping to widen net
Credit unions hope a new law will boost membership numbers
New Virgin staff pay for checks
Virgin Atlantic is forcing successful job applicants to pay for their own criminal record checks, Radio 4's Money Box reveals.
Work programme on track: Grayling
Around 20% of unemployed people who have been on the government's main welfare-to-work scheme, the Work Programme, for at least 6 months have been found a job, the BBC has learnt.
US job numbers show strong growth
The US economy created 243,000 jobs in January, while the unemployment rate fell to 8.3%, official figures show.
VIDEO: RBS chairman: 'Bankers' pay too high'
The chairman of Royal Bank of Scotland has admitted that bankers' salaries are too high and need to come down.
BT fibre optic 'game changer' vow
Fibre optic broadband connections to at speeds of 300 Mbps will be available 'on demand' in the UK next year, BT says.
Apple overturns Motorola's ban
Apple is granted a suspension of a sales ban imposed on some of its iPads and iPhones in Germany.
Score draw in TV football case
The Premier League and the importers of foreign satellite TV decoder boxes and cards are both claiming victory after their latest court battle
VIDEO: Can Germany teach UK about banking?
Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna explained why Labour was looking at international lessons of good practice in finance.
VIDEO: RBS chairman defends Hester bonus
The chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Sir Philip Hampton, has defended his decision to award a bonus to chief executive Stephen Hester.
1.1 million face £100 tax fines
Just over one million taxpayers face a penalty of £100 for failing to submit their self-assessment tax returns on time, HM Revenue and Customs says.
Uganda signs oil production deal
Oil production is set to start in Uganda after a deal is signed between the government and London-based Tullow oil, which also draws in Chinese and French firms.
'Sale and rent back' closed down
The sale and rent back industry has been almost completely closed down, says the Financial Services Authority.
RBS boss calls for pay correction
The chairman of 82% taxpayer-owned Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) says banker pay has been "high for too long" and needs to be corrected.
Mobility aid sellers in spotlight
Action has been taken against mobility aids traders following a warning from the regulator over sales of the products.
VIDEO: RBS boss: Banker pay too high
RBS chairman Sir Philip Hampton says chief executive Stephen Hester was 'entitled' to a near-£1million share bonus, which he later turned down.
VIDEO: Tett: Don't blame just the bankers
The woman credited with foreseeing the financial crash claimed people love to bash the bankers but they were not the only ones to blame.
Hungarian airline Malev collapses
Hungarian airline Malev ceases trading after 66 years after being ordered by the EU to repay state aid it has received.
Personal insolvencies 'down 11%'
Fewer people were declared insolvent in 2011 in England and Wales than in 2010, but the number of companies going bust increased.
AUDIO: UK share of exports to India 'below Italy'
Just how good is the state of UK-India trade?
Service sector sees strong growth
The UK's service sector grew at its fastest rate since March 2011 in January, according to a closely watched survey.
The internet's secret black market
Out of reach of regular internet searches is a secret online world
AUDIO: BGL's Winslow talks meerkats and management
Simon Jack hears from Peter Winslow, chief executive of BGL Group - the company behind compare the market.com among other businesses.
Eurozone service sector growing
The eurozone's service sector grows for the first time in four months, although Spain and Italy continue to struggle.
BT cuts costs to increase profits
Telecoms group BT reports a sharp rise in profits, thanks largely to a jump in the number of broadband users.
Panasonic predicts a record loss
Japanese electronics giant Panasonic forecasts a record net annual loss of $10bn for the year to March.
Test cricket on sticky wicket in Middle East
Why is the England-Pakistan Test match not bowling fans over?
Giving an invasive water pest the bullet
Wrestling one of the UK's most invasive pests
UK recession looms, says report
The UK will enter recession in the first half of the year as households continue to cut back, says the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
Olympics 'boosting' Scots tourism
Tourist bookings for visits to Scotland around the time of the London Olympics are rising, it is claimed.
Hackers fool bank security system
Criminal hackers have found ways around new security devices used for online banking, the BBC has learned.
Rolls-Royce opens Singapore plant
Rolls-Royce starts up engine production in Singapore
Comments on Zuckerberg letter
Decoding Mark Zuckerberg's letter to investors
Cold front ad for Mini backfires
An advertising agency for BMW pays to name Europe's cold weather "Cooper" in Germany, after the firm's Mini Cooper car, but the stunt backfires.
MPC member attacks lending cuts
A member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee criticises banks for not lending enough to businesses and asks if they are "risk-averse jerks".
UK download speed gains 'uneven'
Ofcom reports a 22% gain in the UK's average broadband download speed between May and November, but not all ISPs improved.

Financial Times

Retirees lose up to £1bn through opaque market
The sum could treble over the next few years as millions more are automatically enrolled in workplace pension plans under rules taking effect in April
Unilever agrees to return to negotiations
Unilever feels the ‘time is right’ to see if Acas can help resolve the dispute after it closed its final salary scheme
Terry stripped of captaincy over racism charge
The Football Association has come under pressure to act after John Terry was formally charged this week with racially abusing Anton Ferdinand
Church of England doubles hedge fund investments
Anglican portfolio now among biggest investors despite public anger about excess in industry notorious for eye-watering pay packages
Our burn-a-banker frenzy is tempting – but wrong
Mr Goodwin may have been an egregious example of bad banking but he was hardly alone in causing the credit crunch, writes Martin Dickson
Premier League gains muscle over TV ruling
Judge adds EU ruling which imposes limits on pub landlords’ use of copyrighted material including football games
Redknapp ‘condemned from his own mouth’
Tax evasion trial of football manager in London hears prosecution say that the conversation with the reporter was the “most important piece of evidence”
Flashpoints ahead for RBS pay committee
Pressure to keep bank’s bonus pool below £500m this year compared to nearly £1bn 12 months ago
Little chance of the quiet life for RBS chairman
Emergency at top of RBS in 2009 led to Sir Philip Hampton being parachuted into chairman’s job with just a few days’ warning
Rise in companies collapsing under debt
Households, however, appear better at handling their bills than at any time since early 2009 when the recession was fully under way
RBS fights Libor dismissal claim by trader
Bank says former Singapore employee was guilty of gross misconduct for ‘improperly influencing’ rate setting
Appeal earns record £3.34m for Sightsavers
Standard Chartered, UK government and special fund-raising events help direct donations from FT readers and supporters of Sightsavers to reach multi-million pound mark
Small caps: Porvair buoyed by profits surge
Company sales bolstered by solid performance of its higher-margin metal filtration division
RBS considers dropping banker bonuses
Sir Philip Hampton, chairman, says bank will examine how senior pay packages should be modified to avoid confrontation with politicians
UK services show surprise expansion
News of accelerating growth from purchasing managers raises hopes the economy is rebounding rather than sliding back into recession
Recession predicted to return
Britain’s economy will suffer a modest contraction this year, according to an influential academic institute that is the first to forecast outright recession
Lobby groups call for clawback of PPI bonuses
Banks are under fresh pressure to penalise executives who may have been responsible for the misselling of payment protection insurance
BT set to launch ‘ultrafast’ internet
Direct fibre-optic connections will become available to most British homes and businesses next year
Cornwall leads the high-tech revolution
The tiny Cornish village of St Agnes is the unlikely possessor of some of the highest broadband speeds in Britain
Conviction overhaul to ease offenders into jobs
Prison sentences of up to six months will become ‘spent’ after two years, compared with seven years in move to help people find work

Sky News | Business | First For Breaking News

US Jobs Rise Boosts Hopes For World Economy
The global economy received a boost after better-than-expected US jobs figures pushed the Dow Jones stock market index to its highest level since before the 2008 financial crisis.
£1m Portas Contest To Breathe Life Into Towns
Towns are being offered a slice from a £1m pot to come up with ideas for reviving their high streets.
RBS Chair Attacks 'Anti-Business Ministers'
Ministers should abandon a growing tendency to indulge in anti-business rhetoric or risk damaging Britain's economic recovery, the head of the state-controlled Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has warned.
Suspended Dover-Calais Ferry Route To Restart
A Dover-Calais ferry route which was suspended in November, when SeaFrance collapsed, is due to be re-opened.
Double-Dip Recession 'Too Close To Call'
The UK will return to recession in the first half of this year, one influential think-tank has warned, but other new data from the services industry suggests otherwise.

BBC News - Home

Pakistan set England huge target
England face a mammoth task to avoid a series whitewash after Azhar Ali's composed 157 keeps Pakistan in control of the third Test in Dubai.
Queen marks Diamond Jubilee eve
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh attend a church service on the eve of the Diamond Jubilee anniversary of her accession to the throne.
Three Tibetans 'in fire protest'
Three Tibetans set fire to themselves in south-west China in an anti-Beijing protest, reports say, meaning 19 people have now self-immolated in a year.
Greek PM in crucial bailout talks
Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos will meet party leaders in his coalition to discuss a proposed 130bn euros EU rescue plan.
Mitt Romney wins Nevada caucuses
Front-runner Mitt Romney declares victory in the Republican caucuses in Nevada, as he seeks to win his party's presidential nomination.
Ice alert on roads as snow eases
Motorists are urged to take extra care in treacherous conditions as snow across much of the UK turns to ice.
Seven dead in Kandahar car bomb
At least five police officers and two civilians have died in a car bomb attack on police headquarters in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, officials say.
Syrian veto a 'licence to kill'
Syria's government has been handed a "licence to kill" by Russia and China, opposition activists say, after the countries blocked a draft UN resolution.
Gibb says he feels 'fantastic'
Bee Gees star Robin Gibb says he is making a "spectacular" recovery from cancer and that he is feeling "fantastic".
Man, 104, is 'oldest' new citizen
A 104-year-old man is thought to be the oldest person to have become a new British citizen after a ceremony held at Surrey County Council's headquarters.
PM urged to cut wind farm subsidy
More than 100 Conservatives are among MPs who have written to the prime minister calling on him to slash subsidies for onshore wind turbines.
Syria veto a mistake, says Hague
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague says China and Russia will be "held responsible" for violence in Syria after vetoing a UN resolution condemning government repression.
Warning over icy road conditions
Forecasters are warning of widespread ice on Sunday as the worst of the wintry weather begins to ease across Wales.
Snowfall leaves drivers trapped
Motorists spend the night in their cars as heavy snow causes widespread travel disruption across England.
VIDEO: Big freeze continues across Europe
Snow and freezing temperatures across Europe have claimed more than 200 lives in the past week.
Police officer slashed with knife
A police officer is stabbed while responding to an emergency call in the Kilwilkie estate in Lurgan.
VIDEO: Churchill and protege reunited
Paintings by Winston Churchill have gone on display alongside works by the now-famous Moroccan artist, Hassan El Glaoui, who owes his career to Churchill.
Councils owed £2.3m by developers
More than half of Welsh councils are owed money from private developers which should be going towards community facilities.
VIDEO: UK snow causes traffic disruption
Snowfalls of up to 15cm (6in) have caused disruption to road, rail and air travel in parts of Britain, with the threat of more delays later.
VIDEO: Fidel Castro launches memoirs
Former Cuban President Fidel Castro has made a rare public appearance to launch his memoirs.
What awaits William in the Falklands?
What awaits Flight Lieutenant Wales in the Falklands?
Anti-social tenant moves planned
The process of evicting anti-social tenants could be simplified under plans being put forward by the Scottish government.
Women urged to 'drop drink size'
The Scottish government is launching a "changing attitudes" campaign to encourage women to drop a drink size.
Fresh protests at Syrian embassy
Fresh protests take place at the Syrian embassy in London over President Assad's regime.
The power of cooking skills
How letting children cook helps them eat better
Pupils learn how to 'fail well'
A top girls' school is planning a "failure week" to teach pupils to embrace risk, build resilience and learn from their mistakes.
'A little too much drink' warning
Drinking "just a little more than they should" puts people at risk of serious illness including heart disease, stroke and cancer, the government is warning.
Work contacts 'cut dropout rate'
The more young people come into contact with employers the less likely they are to drop out of school and become unemployed, research suggests.
Mexico 'cartel enforcer' detained
Police in Mexico say they have arrested the suspected leader of the Gente Nueva gang, the armed wing of the Sinaloa drug cartel.
Acting veteran Ben Gazzara dies
US film and Broadway actor Ben Gazzara has died in New York at the age of 81.
Fidel Castro launches his memoirs
Former Cuban President Fidel Castro appears in public for the first time since April 2011 to launch a two-volume book of memoirs.
William starts Falklands duties
Prince William starts work as an RAF search and rescue pilot in the Falkland Islands, having arrived in the territory on a six-week routine deployment.
VIDEO: Australian summer floods swamp homes
Flooding in the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales has forced thousands of families from their homes.
Thousands in rival Moscow marches
Tens of thousands of people march in Moscow in protest at Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, while his supporters hold a rally elsewhere in Russia's capital.
Games Makers start 2012 training
Thousands of volunteers attend Wembley Arena training session
Europe 'at risk of early grave'
Australia's Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd warns Europe faces an "early grave" if it continues to ignore Asia's rise.
ANC youth leader appeal dismissed
South African youth leader Julius Malema loses his appeals against the ruling ANC's decision to suspend him for bringing the party into disrepute.
VIDEO: Bushell rides crashed ice course
The British team are going head to head against hundreds of downhill skaters in the latest leg of the Red Bull "crashed ice" world championship.
VIDEO: Tips for driving on ice and snow
The Highways Agency is warning drivers to take care on the roads, as the cold weather continues.
Husband on arson charge over fire
A man who allegedly set fire to his County Antrim home appears in court charged with arson.
Close encounters with Philippine witches
Searching for witches on a tropical island
Italy's young generation 'forced to leave'
Country's beauty not enough to keep jobless from leaving
Huhne's exit 'a loss to cabinet'
Chris Huhne's resignation as Energy Secretary will be a loss to the cabinet and the Lib Dems, his former parliamentary private secretary tells BBC News.
Gruffalo author pens protest poem
Children's laureate and Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson writes a poem in protest at planned library closures across the country.
Prince optimistic for fisheries
Prince Charles says there is a reason to be optimistic about the state of the world's oceans, but it is "critically urgent" to tackle overfishing.
Annuity sales 'unfair and opaque'
The way annuities are sold is costing half a million retirees each year as much as £1bn in future pension income, the National Association of Pension Funds says.
FBI probes Anonymous phone hack
The FBI investigates how activists linked to Anonymous obtained a recording of a phone call between US and UK police on their operations against hacking.
Work programme on track: Grayling
Around 20% of unemployed people who have been on the government's main welfare-to-work scheme, the Work Programme, for at least 6 months have been found a job, the BBC has learnt.
Cairo clashes over football anger
At least four people are killed in clashes between Egyptian protesters and police, amid ongoing anger over deaths after a football match.
French air workers to hold strike
Unions representing French pilots and aircrew plan to strike from Monday to Thursday.
Obama urges 'keep recovery going'
Barack Obama challenges Congress to keep the recovery going as new data shows unemployment down to its lowest rate in three years.
Ireland v Wales
Preview of Sunday's Six Nations fixture between Ireland and Wales in Dublin.
A Point of View: Mourning the loss of the written word
Historian Lisa Jardine mourns the lost art of letterwriting
Sinai gunmen release US tourists
Two US women tourists and their Egyptian guide who were kidnapped in the south of Egypt's Sinai peninsula have been released, security sources say.
BBC accuses Iran of intimidation
The BBC's Director General, Mark Thompson, accuses the Iranian authorities of intimidating those working for its Persian service.
Week in pictures: 28 January-3 February
News photos from around the world: 28 January-3 February
Apple overturns Motorola's ban
Apple is granted a suspension of a sales ban imposed on some of its iPads and iPhones in Germany.
VIDEO: How latest malware uses disguises
Spencer Kelly explains, with the help of some rather outlandish wigs, how malware changes and disguises itself to avoid detection.
Health bodies reject NHS reforms
Physiotherapist leaders have joined the Royal College of GPs in calling for the health bill in England to be scrapped, increasing pressure on the government.
Day in pictures: 3 February 2012
24 hours of news photos: 3 February 2012
Universities warned over access
The incoming fair access watchdog says universities will be fined for failing to recruit more students from poorer backgrounds.
The rush to the scooter
Scooters are becoming increasingly popular as people look to cut costs and stretch their budgets, but could the boom spark safety problems?
Largest optical telescope created
Astronomers at the Paranal observatory combine four telescope to create the world's largest virtual device with a 130m-mirror.
The Queen: 60 photographs for 60 years
Sixty photographs for 60 years on the throne
In pictures: Venice in Solitude
Haunting views of Venice's waterways
Quiz of the week's news
The Magazine's weekly quiz of the news, 7 days 7 questions.
Malaria toll 'is twice as high'
The number of deaths worldwide from malaria has been underestimated, according to data published in the medical journal the Lancet.
Where the Titanic was born
Drawing offices where Titanic was designed
VIDEO: House of Commons
Ministers will "unwind" any tax avoidance schemes being used by public sector employees, Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander has announced.
Day in pictures: 2 February 2012
24 hours of news photos: 2 February 2012
Your pictures: Hunger
Readers pictures on the theme of hunger
In pictures: Egypt football clash
Many die in clashes after match between rivals
VIDEO: Live Skiing - Men's super combined from Chamonix
BBC Sport coverage of the Men's Super Combined from Chamonix. (UK users only)

Business Tools for Startups, Small & Medium Enterprises

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UK Business Headlines from BBC, FT, and SKY NEWS

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