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House Prices Rise At Slowest Pace For A Year

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 30 Desember 2014 | 18.56

UK house price growth eased to its weakest annual pace for 13 months in December, according to Nationwide.

The building society's monthly index showed that property prices lifted by 7.2% annually this month to reach £188,559 on average, slowing from an 8.5% annual rate of growth in November.

The average cost of a home edged slightly lower from the record high of £189,388 measured the previous month.

Nationwide's report named London as the UK's "top performer" for price growth in 2014, with prices there up by 17.8% year on year, reaching £406,730 typically.

Wales was the weakest-performing region, with values having increased by 1.4% annually to reach £141,631 on average.

Activity in the housing market slowed following the introduction of tougher mortgage affordability checks but Nationwide forecast a return to stronger growth in 2015 because of stamp duty reforms and improved levels of construction.

Its chief economist Robert Gardner said: "The slowdown in housing market activity is surprising given further steady gains in employment, a pickup in wage growth (albeit from low levels) and the continued low level of mortgage rates.

"Moreover, surveys suggest consumers remain in high spirits – a view reinforced by robust retail spending growth in November, which was at its highest for over a decade.

"If the economic backdrop continues to improve as we and most forecasters expect, activity in the housing market is likely to regain momentum in the months ahead.

"Supply side developments will be crucial in determining the trajectory for prices."


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Next Shares Surge After Xmas Sales Growth

Next has reported it enjoyed strong sales growth in the run-up to Christmas and has now raised its annual profits guidance.

The retailer confirmed it was to pay a fourth special dividend of the year while announcing a 2.9% increase in full price sales between 28 October and Christmas Eve - with total sales for the year to 24 December rising 7.7%.

Next Directory, which incorporates its online and catalogue offerings, drove the performance with sales in the division rising 7.5% in the pre-Christmas period alone.

The company said it now expected its full-year profit guidance "to be within £10m either side of £775m" - a £5m increase on the midpoint range it had expected in October.

Surplus cash would again be returned to investors, Next said, with its fourth special dividend of the year worth 50p per share.

That development and the wider Christmas cheer boosted its shares by as much as 4% in early trading on the FTSE 100 and gave a lift to rival Marks & Spencer too.

Retailers are on track for a record December following the success of Black Friday sales the previous month but there are signs that cold weather and some stock shortages may have hit high street sales since Boxing Day.

Next warned that it remained "very cautious" about the year ahead.

The firm said the outlook for UK consumers appeared "relatively benign" with low inflation, wages starting to recover, available credit and strong employment painting "a somewhat more positive picture than recent years."

But the group said it faced comparisons with a strong spring and summer in 2014 while uncertainty in the UK and global economy - with a general election looming - presented risks.

It is expecting sales growth for 2015/16 of between 2.5% and 7.5%, compared to latest expectations for 2014/15 of 6-8%.


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Network Rail Boss Mark Carne To Turn Down Bonus

Network Rail's Mark Carne has told Sky News he will not take his bonus after travellers endured travel chaos at Christmas.

The chief executive was criticised after travellers were left stranded when engineering works over-ran.

London King's Cross had to shut and all trains to and from the station were cancelled.

Travellers then complaining of "being locked" in by overcrowding when diverted to Finsbury Park station. Other people were left waiting for hours - even after the station reopened.

Paddington station also closed for several hours on Saturday.

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  1. Gallery: Passengers Endure London Travel Chaos Over Christmas

Travellers were told to head to Finsbury Park station, resulting in overcrowding

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The Interview Earns £9.6m From Online Release

Written By Unknown on Senin, 29 Desember 2014 | 18.56

The Interview has become Sony's highest-selling online film of all time after earning $15m (£9.6m) from rentals and downloads.

The film, which stars Seth Rogen and James Franco, had some two million rentals and purchases over the Christmas period.

The comedy also took in $2.8m from 331 theatres following its opening last Thursday.

In a statement, writer and director Rogen said: "I'm so grateful that the movie found its way into theatres, and I'm thrilled that people actually went out and saw it."

Sony said the film has become the company's most successful online release ever.

"We are very pleased with how it is doing both theatrically where we are seeing numerous sell-outs across the country, and online where it remains at the top of many charts," said Rory Bruer, Sony's president of worldwide distribution.

Sony initially cancelled the film's release following a cyber-attack and threats of violence against cinemas that chose to screen it.

President Barack Obama accused North Korea of being responsible for the attack, and warned the US would respond "in a place and time and manner that we choose".

Pyongyang denied any involvement in the attack.


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City Link Owner 'Disappointed' By Collapse

The investment firm behind collapsed parcel delivery service City Link has said it is "disappointed" staff found out over Christmas that they may lose their jobs.

Better Capital issued its first public statement as administrators Ernst & Young (EY) continued efforts to save some of the 2,760 jobs threatened by City Link's demise - revealed by Sky News on Christmas Day.

The RMT union has claimed that EY plan to make more than 2,000 staff redundant on New Year's Eve, with the rest being kept on to help wind down the company.

City Link depots opened today to allow customers and those expecting deliveries to collect parcels.

Better Capital's statement said: "The board of Better Capital PCC Limited is disappointed to report that it was advised ... that the City Link group ... has been placed into administration.

"This statement is being released at the first available opportunity following the Market closure.

"Unfortunately the appointment of an administrator was leaked to the media ahead of the intended announcement.

"The directors very much regret the impact on the employees of City Link receiving such bad news on Christmas Day.

"In the Company's Interim Financial Report as at 30 September 2014, the Board reported that City Link was experiencing a continued lack of profitability and that various options to maximise the value of the investment were being considered.

"At this time, the investment was written down by 50% from £40m to £20m, such value being determined on an estimated liquidation valuation basis.

"Following a very detailed review of City Link's strategy and prospects, including unsuccessful discussions with a number of counter-parties to effect a sale on a going concern basis ...(it was) concluded that it was inappropriate to commit further capital.

"Accordingly, in light of continued substantial losses, City Link could not continue as a going concern."

Sky News reported on Saturday that rival delivery companies Royal Mail and DX Group were two firms approached about a pre-Christmas rescue but neither was able to agree a deal.

The founder of Better Capital, the veteran venture capitalist Jon Moulton, told the Financial Times on Monday he had lost "several million pounds" of his own money in City Link and had explored "every possible way" to save it.

The newspaper added that taxpayers were set to foot the looming redundancy bill because City Link was insolvent.


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Greece Back In Crisis As Snap Election Forced

Greece has been plunged back into crisis-mode with the triggering of snap parliamentary elections.

The Athens Stock Exchange was 10% down when it was confirmed that the government of prime minister Antonis Samaras had failed to secure the election of a new president, resulting in early parliamentary elections being called.

Polls currently suggest the radical leftist Syriza party, which wants to renegotiate Greece's bailout agreements and roll back on austerity, will win the contest - prompting the investor flight because of uncertainty over the country's financial future.

The rescue deals - agreed with the EU and International Monetary Fund - prevented Greece defaulting on its debts.

Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras said the elections would herald an end to austerity.

He said: "With the will of our people, in a few days the bailout agreements of austerity will be history."

There was only one candidate for president, former European Commissioner Stavros Dimas, but the government fell 12 votes short of the 180 'super-majority' it needed despite a last-minute appeal by Mr Samaras.

In a televised address after the vote, he said: "Tomorrow I will visit the president and request that elections be held as soon as possible, on 25 January." 

He had previously warned that an election could be "disastrous" while the country is negotiating with its creditors.

More follows...


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Online Shoppers To Break Xmas Day Records

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 27 Desember 2014 | 18.56

Christmas Day online shoppers are predicted to set a new spending record splashing out an estimated £636m today.

Shoppers are expected to make 142 million visits to retail sites today - a 25% increase on last year.

Research by Experian and online retailing trade association IMRG found Britons will spend around £441,000 a minute.

"The ease of shopping online via connected devices raises the prospect of a very large amount of shopping activity on Christmas Day itself," said Experian general manager of consumer insight Giles Longhurst.

Dominic Trigg, managing director for Europe of digital advertising technology company Rocket Fuel, said: "Shopping online on Christmas Day is now a normal part of UK consumers' holiday experiences every year.

"It is clear that UK consumers now see shopping from the comfort of their own home, following Christmas Day dinner, as much of a tradition as a turkey and ham dinner."

Shoppers have already been enjoying heavy discounting as some stores began their traditional Boxing Day sales up to two days early.

Britain's retail sector has already been celebrating a record-breaking year as official figures are projecting an all-time high for sales in 2014.

The forecast from the Office of National Statistics shows that sales for the year are expected to reach £342bn - a £48bn increase since 2010.

Pre-Christmas sales are up by 5.2% compared with last year.


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2,700 Jobs At Risk As City Link Collapses

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

More than 2,700 jobs are at risk over the festive period after one of the UK's biggest parcel delivery services companies collapsed into administration.

Sky News has learnt that City Link, which has been a perennial loss-maker, called in the professional services firm EY on Christmas Eve and immediately ceased accepting parcels from customers.

A public statement confirming the move is expected to be circulated on Friday.

City Link, which is owned by the investment firm headed by Jon Moulton, the veteran venture capitalist, is understood to count John Lewis among its largest clients.

John Lewis said it has transferred all its business with the company to alternative carriers.

"John Lewis has worked with City Link during this challenging period and provided significant support to enable them to trade," a spokesperson said.

"It is always a matter of deep regret when any of our suppliers are unable to continue with their business."

In a statement issued to Sky News, EY confirmed its appointment, saying it had put in place the ban on accepting new parcels at its Coventry head office, three other transport hubs and 53 depots across the UK.

"The company has entered administration as a result of continued substantial losses and is unable to continue accepting new parcels due to the further losses it would incur," it said.

The scale of possible job losses among City Link's 2,727 employees has not yet been identified, although EY said they were likely to be '"substantial" following an unsuccessful process to identify a new owner.

A number of staff would be retained to help return parcels to customers and assist with winding down City Link's operations, the administrator said.

Mr Moulton's firm, Better Capital, bought the courier and parcel delivery group last year, paying just £1 to its previous owner, the pest control firm Rentokil.

City Link has been loss-making for many years, suffering from poor systems and intense competition from rivals buoyed by the explosion in online shopping.

A number of competitors, such as Yodel, were the target of consumers' fury in the run-up to Christmas amid a series of delays.

Last month, Better Capital wrote down the value of its £40m investment in City Link by 50% and said that "various options to maximise the value of the (holding)".

In the wake of a £14m loss for the 2013-14 financial year, City Link's owner added that the business had "progressively deviated from its monthly profit budget during its current year to 31 December driving the conclusion that its current structure is unsustainable in the long term".

Better Capital blamed the worsening outlook on "excess (and increasing) capacity in the sector, made worse by customers developing their own delivery capabilities".

The administrators said customers who had handed over parcels to City Link on Christmas Eve should go to a depot to retrieve them on or after December 29.

The company's online parcel tracking system and helpline telephone numbers remained open to enable fulfilment of existing orders, EY added.

City Link's website said it had annual revenues of approximately £300m, a fleet of 1,700 vehicles and delivered 60m items each year.

A rival ParcelBright.com says:

"This shows the immense pressure couriers are placed under further outlining the need for retailers to have alternative delivery solutions available at all times should one of their providers fail."


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High Street Sales To Reach £342bn In 2014

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 24 Desember 2014 | 18.56

By Sean Dilley, Sky News Reporter

Britain's retail sector is celebrating a record-breaking year as official figures are projecting an all-time high for sales in 2014.

The forecast from the Office of National Statistics shows that sales for the year are expected to reach £342bn - a £48bn increase since 2010.

Pre-Christmas sales are up by 5.2% compared with last year.

The Government says the High Street is fighting back with successes not limited to online retailers and big hitters.

Estimates from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills indicate a record-breaking year for independent and small businesses with £72bn in turnover.

Britain's retail successes have been credited in part to national promotional days like Black Friday and Panic Saturday.

But small businesses have benefited too, with more than £500m being taken across the UK on 6 December, which was dubbed Small Business Saturday.

Sky News spoke with Aylesbury residents Helen and Hannah Meade, a mother and daughter who have been taking advantage of Christmas bargains.

They explained how a modern Christmas is about putting money aside, about spending cleverly and shopping around for the best deal.

"We make a budget for each child," Hannah Meade said.

"And we save for four months ahead of Christmas. This year it's not too bad because I've put money aside to do some shopping for next year in the January sales."

Commenting on the retail figures, Business Minister Matthew Hancock said: "The return of the high street is fantastic news and goes to show that we are on course for prosperity."

Labour however has warned against complacency based on projections.

In a statement, the party said: "Britain's retail sector leads the world in innovation, supports thousands of jobs and we want to see it go from strength to strength.

"But sadly under the Tory-led government, across the board growth has been patchy, unbalanced and unsustainable, benefiting only those at the top."

Christmas debt is certainly a real issue for many. The latest figures from the Bank of England show that unsecured consumer loans, excluding student loans currently stand at £167.9bn.

Of that, credit card debt accounts for £60.83bn in October alone.

Mike O'Connor, chief executive of the debt charity StepChange, told Sky News: "Draw up a budget. How much money have you got coming in, how much can you afford to spend.

"And if you have still got a problem after your budget, you are in debt, go and talk to the people you owe money to, go and talk to the banks, the energy companies because they should help you."


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RBS Investigates Over 50 Staff In Forex Probe

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) says it is investigating the conduct of more than 50 past and present staff and suspended bonuses for 18 people as part of its forex scandal inquiry.

In an update today on the accountability review, initiated after it was among five banks fined a total of £2.6bn by regulators last month, RBS said six senior employees had been placed in a disciplinary process.

Three of those members of staff were currently away from their desks, pending continuing investigations, RBS said.

The bank was handed fines totalling £400m in November after it settled separate cases with US regulators and the City watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority.

Settlement notices showed market rules were breached over years through collusion between foreign exchange traders.

The RBS statement on its continuing review said: "These investigations are complex, and the bank is striving to complete the review as soon as possible.

"The bank will provide a further update when the review is complete, which we expect to be in the first quarter."

It added: "Currently the unvested awards of 18 individuals remain suspended pending the outcome of the review.

"The awards will not vest until the process is complete.

RBS Head of Conduct and Regulatory Affairs, Jon Pain, who is leading the review said: "We are undertaking a robust and thorough review into the actions of the traders that caused this wrongdoing and the management that oversaw it.

"This is a complicated process but also an essential one in order to identify culpability and accountability for this unacceptable misconduct.

"To be clear, no further bonus payments will be made or unvested bonus awards released to those in scope of the review until it has concluded and its recommendations have been considered by the Remuneration Committee and the Board Risk Committee.

"There is no place for any misconduct at the RBS we are building. We want to get these things settled so we can put these issues behind us and get on with rebuilding trust in this bank."

The Chancellor confirmed plans this week to amend legislation so traders who rig rates in future could face jail terms of up to seven years.


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City High-Flyer In Sudden Exit From Signia

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

A top City wealth management firm backed by the billionaire founder of Phones 4U has seen its chief executive quit suddenly in the wake of a string of executive departures.

Sky News understands that Nathalie Dauriac-Stoebe, a former Coutts partner who founded Signia Wealth in 2010, resigned earlier this week and left immediately.

Sources said there had been tensions between Ms Dauriac-Stoebe and senior colleagues despite the success of Signia, which manages £2.3bn on behalf of high net worth clients.

Signia was established with the backing of John Caudwell, the founder of Phones 4U, which collapsed into administration amid acrimonious circumstances earlier this year.

Mr Caudwell had had no involvement with the mobile phone retailer since selling it to private equity firms nearly a decade ago, instead committing his time and money to philanthropic ventures and private business interests such as Signia.

Ms Dauriac-Stoebe is widely regarded as one of the rising stars of the City, and is frequently named in lists of the financial sector's leading women executives.

Last year, the Daily Mail reported that she had hosted a private dinner attended by Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, and some of Signia's clients.

It is unclear whether she will be prevented under the terms of her departure from launching or joining another wealth management business in the near future, although she remains a significant shareholder in Signia alongside Mr Caudwell.

Signia's other backers include Jon Moulton, the veteran investor, Mike Balfour, founder of the Fitness First chain, and Sir Keith Mills, the founder of the Air Miles and Nectar customer loyalty schemes and architect of London's bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.

The departure of Ms Dauriac-Stoebe comes amid a shake-up in the regulation of the wealth management sector following the implementation of a framework called the Retail Distribution Review, which is designed to improve advice and transparency around client fees.

Meanwhile, the private banking arms of lenders such as Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland, which owns Coutts, have been experiencing a significant period of upheaval amid broader restructuring of their parent companies.

A number of other senior executives have left Signia since its launch, including Rupert Robinson, a former Schroders executive who quit just over a year ago after less than 12 months in the job.

Signia is chaired by Paul Lester, an industrialist whose other roles include chairing the John Laing Infrastructure Fund, which recently made an audacious approach to buy parts of the struggling construction company Balfour Beatty.

A Signia spokeswoman declined to comment.


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Thorntons Warns On Profit Amid Warehouse Woes

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 23 Desember 2014 | 18.56

There has been a meltdown in Thorntons' share price after it admitted that a series of problems ahead of Christmas will result in annual profits being down on last year.

The chocolate specialist's statement to the stock exchange on Tuesday morning spoke of a number of "challenges" which had "adversely affected its sales performance."

The announcement sparked a slump in the company's value of up to 35% when the stock market opened.

The festive season is the key trading period for all retailers in the UK and Thorntons said that while its retail division - its own shops - were showing like-for-like sales growth, its commercial channel was likely to deliver a fall in sales in the second quarter.

The company said it had "experienced a significant reduction in previously indicated orders from the major grocers who also took in stock later than anticipated."

The trading update also pointed to problems with its new centralised warehouse in Derbyshire, admitting they had resulted in disruption to customers.

"In particular in our UK commercial channel we experienced lost and late sales with consequent missed promotional slots and re-orders.

Our warehousing and distribution is now working normally," the statement added.

The company has, in recent years, shifted its focus from own-stores towards placing products in supermarkets and other retail outlets.

Its store closure programme was aimed at halving its presence to around 180 shops, with its commercial business now making up to half its revenue. 

The company, which has shed almost 500 jobs over the past four years, still employs almost 4,000 people and made a pre-tax profit of £5.97m in its last financial year.


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Ex-B&Q Chief In Frame For Top Whitehall Role

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The former boss of B&Q's parent company is being lined up to take a key role in Whitehall as ministers prepare for a swingeing new round of public spending cuts.

Sky News has learnt that Sir Ian Cheshire, who stepped down as chief executive of Kingfisher earlier this month, is among a small number of candidates to succeed the former BP boss Lord Browne as the Government's lead non-executive director.

The appointment of Sir Ian has yet to be finalised, although he is understood to be the preferred choice of a number of key Whitehall decision-makers and could be announced as soon as next month.

The role has assumed growing significance since being established in 2010 as part of an attempt by the Conservative-led Coalition to improve governance across Government departments.

Upon his appointment as the lead non-executive director at the Department for Work and Pensions in January 2011, Sir Ian said:

"The opportunity to support the Department in delivering its ambitious programme of reform is one I welcome.

"I believe that Government and business should be working together and sharing experience and expertise and I am pleased to be playing my part in this approach."

The appointment of Sir Ian as Lord Browne's successor is understood to be subject to cross-party approval given the proximity of next May's General Election.

Labour sources said they were not opposed to the continuing involvement of business leaders as non-executive directors of Government departments.

A Whitehall insider said that other candidates for the lead non-executive role may also be in contention.

Among those recruited by ministers in 2010 were Rona Fairhead, now chair of the BBC Trust; Sam Laidlaw, the outgoing chief executive of Centrica; and Sir Andrew Witty, chief executive of GlaxoSmithKline.

The appointment of business leaders to the boards of Government departments has received a mixed reaction, with Lord Browne himself acknowledging in an interview with the Financial Times that the initiative had had a "mixed report card".

Sir Ian, who has had a successful career in the retail sector, will remain as a director of Kingfisher until next month, and he has been linked with the chairmanship of Tesco.

He was also approached earlier this year about becoming chief executive of the Civil Service, but turned down the role, which was eventually filled by John Manzoni, a former BP executive.

Lord Browne said last month: "Francis Maude has demonstrated determined commitment to Civil Service Reform and, under his leadership Whitehall has been transformed for the better.

"There is much more to do, but it is now time for a new perspective on that process."

Sir Jeremy Heywood, the Cabinet Secretary, said the Civil Service had "made real progress in addressing long-standing weaknesses in commercial, digital and project-management skills and strengthening departmental governance, management information and talent management".

The Cabinet Office declined to comment on the appointment of Lord Brown's replacement, saying that an announcement would be made in due course.


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UK Economic Growth Weaker Than First Reported

The latest official snapshot of UK economic growth has painted a slightly weaker picture than was previoulsy measured, with a fall in business investment contributing.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 2.6% between the third quarter of 2013 and the same period this year, down from a previous estimate of 3%.

Growth for the first quarter of 2014 was revised down from 0.7% to 0.6% and for the second quarter it was 0.8%, down from
0.9%.

Third-quarter growth was unchanged at 0.7% as it saw the best growth in household spending for four years but business investment narrowed at its sharpest rate in five years.

Previous studies have pointed to companies being concerned by economic weakness abroad, particularly in the eurozone which is the UK's biggest trading partner.

The figures also showed the extent to which consumers dug into their savings.

Household disposable income, after tax and inflation, fell 0.1% on the quarter and was up only 1% on the year, reflecting weak pay growth that has raised questions about the durability of the economic recovery.

But the most recent data has suggested a widening of the gap between price rises and pay - with wage growth now outpacing inflation following a six-year squeeze on living standards.

The changes mean the recovery is not as far advanced as previously thought, with the economy now 2.9% bigger than it was before the recession, rather than 3.4%.


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Push To Get More Women Into The Cockpit

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 21 Desember 2014 | 18.56

By Charlotte Lomas, Sky News Reporter

More than four decades after the first British female pilot took to the skies in a commercial airliner, there are still few women choosing flying as a career. But why are there so few female pilots?

Of the 3,500 pilots employed by British Airways, just 200 are women and this is more than any other UK airline.

Globally, 4,000 of the 130,000 airline pilots are female and fewer still are captains - worldwide there are around 450.

Helen Macnamara has been a British Airways pilot for 14 years after enrolling on a sponsorship scheme once she left university.

"I like to see the world and different places and I enjoy the magic of flying itself," she said.

"Once you have the passion for it, then that's it really".

Helen, 38, believes the reason so few women go into flying may stem from a lack of opportunities in the past.

She said: "I think historically there were less women involved in aviation and that has been changing throughout my career.

"I think it's important females see this as an option and that there are role models in our industry."

One such role model is TV presenter and now fully trained pilot, Carol Vorderman.

She is planning to embark on a solo round-the-world flying trip and is supporting a recruitment drive by British Airways to get more women in the cockpit.

Carol said: "I always wanted to be a pilot since I was very young.

"It was the reason I read Engineering at Cambridge, and ideally would have joined the RAF or a commercial airline after graduating, but sadly this was not an option then.

"I think the reason so few women enter the profession can be traced back to schools, home and the media. Girls need to be encouraged more to pursue sciences, maths and technology at school and realise different paths are open to them."

Although many women work in the aviation industry as a whole - piloting is still very much a male-dominated profession.

Jim McAuslan, the general secretary of BALPA, the British Airline Pilots Association, is hoping this will change.

He said: "Women make great pilots, unfortunately only five percent of our members and British pilots are women, and that's disappointing.

"So we're reaching out to women to find why they're not coming forward. Perhaps it's because of their choice of careers at an earlier age. Engineering is a great way to get into flying, so perhaps people should look at their careers early on.

"But our big message would be: have the dream."

Some critics argue that women face prejudice when considering a career in flying.

In 2009 a Virgin Airlines advert featuring glamorous female flight attendants flanking a male pilot received complaints it was sexist.

So too did an Air New Zealand in-flight safety video where women were dressed bikinis.

But Helen says that she has never experienced any negativity. Most passengers are simply surprised to have a female pilot, she said.

"Actually when members of the public come to our flight simulator where we train, it is usually the women who fare better than the men.

"They are softer with the manoeuvres and males can be more heavy handed."

In an industry where fewer than 5% of pilots are women it's hoped more will be landing safely on the tarmac in future.


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UK Election Delays Top Energy Appointment

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The energy industry's leading trade association is to wait until after the General Election before appointing a new chief executive amid intense political scrutiny of the sector.

Sky News understands that Energy UK, whose members include each of the 'big six' residential gas and electricity suppliers, has decided to wait until the middle of 2015 before recruiting a permanent successor to Angela Knight, who will step down at the end of the month.

The decision by Energy UK underlines the scale of concern within the industry about the political climate at a time when tens of billions of infrastructure spending is required for modernisation programmes.

Some board members are understood to have pushed for the delay to enable the appointment of a new boss with strong connections to the party that leads the next administration.

"The timing of the election makes it impossible to pick a chief executive and be sure that they are the right person to lead the organisation," said an executive at one of the big utilities.

National Grid recently warned that the UK was at its highest risk of winter blackouts for seven years, while the major energy retailers - British Gas, EDF, EON, Npower, Scottish Power and SSE - have been at the centre of a string of mis-selling scandals and pricing rows.

Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, has pledged to freeze retail prices for 20 months if he becomes Prime Minister, while Ofgem, the industry regulator, has referred the energy suppliers to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for a full investigation.

The CMA intends to publish its provisional findings and possible remedies in May or June next year, and could recommend far-reaching measures including the enforced separation of companies' power generation and supply activities.

Last month, Energy UK confirmed the appointment of Sir David Arculus, a City grandee who previously chaired Severn Trent, as its new chairman.

The trade body also said that Lawrence Slade, its chief operating officer, would become interim chief executive from January 1, although it did not say how long the role would be filled on a temporary basis.

Mr Slade is likely to be a leading candidate for the job, which is an increasingly public-facing post as energy companies acknowledge the need to explain commercial decisions to their customers.

Sir David will take over from Lord Spicer, a former Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department of Energy during the premiership of Margaret Thatcher.

Lord Spicer was on the board of the Association of Electricity Producers before it was absorbed into Energy UK as part of efforts by the industry to promote a more co-ordinated approach to key issues.

The new chairman said on his appointment: "This is a time of major change for the industry and for the country as old power stations are closed and cleaner greener electricity generators are built. This vital industry deserves a clear, strong voice.

"I look forward to getting to grips with the key three-fold challenge of balancing energy security with the low carbon agenda and with bills which people and industry can afford."


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North Korea: We Can Prove Hacking Wasn't Us

North Korea: We Can Prove Hacking Wasn't Us

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North Korea says it can prove it had nothing to do with the cyber-attack on Sony and proposes a joint investigation with the US.

The North Korean news agency KCNA warned there would be "grave consequences" if the White House declined the offer.

State media called the FBI's claim that North Korea was behind the attack on the entertainment giant a "slander".

The North's foreign ministry, quoted by KCNA, said: "As the United States is spreading groundless allegations and slandering us, we propose a joint investigation with it into this incident.

"Without resorting to such tortures as were used by the US CIA, we have means to prove that this incident has nothing to do with us."

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  1. Gallery: Kim Jong-Un Seen Amid US Tensions

    North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un smiles as a huge crowd surrounds him while he gives field guidance at the Kim Jong Suk Pyongyang Textile Mill

North Korea stated it can prove it had nothing to do with the recent cyber-attack on Sony and proposed a joint investigation with the US

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The North Korean news agency KCNA warned there would be "grave consequences" if the White House declined the offer. Continue through for more images

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North Korea: We Can Prove Hacking Wasn't Us

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North Korea says it can prove it had nothing to do with the cyber-attack on Sony and proposes a joint investigation with the US.

The North Korean news agency KCNA warned there would be "grave consequences" if the White House declined the offer.

State media called the FBI's claim that North Korea was behind the attack on the entertainment giant a "slander".

The North's foreign ministry, quoted by KCNA, said: "As the United States is spreading groundless allegations and slandering us, we propose a joint investigation with it into this incident.

"Without resorting to such tortures as were used by the US CIA, we have means to prove that this incident has nothing to do with us."

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  1. Gallery: Kim Jong-Un Seen Amid US Tensions

    North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un smiles as a huge crowd surrounds him while he gives field guidance at the Kim Jong Suk Pyongyang Textile Mill

North Korea stated it can prove it had nothing to do with the recent cyber-attack on Sony and proposed a joint investigation with the US

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The North Korean news agency KCNA warned there would be "grave consequences" if the White House declined the offer. Continue through for more images

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Pump Prices: Cheap Petrol Comes With A Warning

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 19 Desember 2014 | 18.56

Tumbling oil prices are resulting in lower petrol costs, but there are warnings the good news for drivers may not last.

With prices falling by more than 40% since June's high of $111 a barrel, there have been an increasing number of reports suggesting petrol prices across the UK could soon fall below £1 per litre - the lowest level since the end of May 2009.

Experts at the RAC believe petrol could fall to 99p a litre next year, while economists at Goldman Sachs also believe petrol could fall close to £1.

But AA president Edmund King insists this possibility remains "remote".

He said: "A 6.6p-a-litre drop in the price of petrol releases a potential £3m-a-day switch of consumer spending from fuel forecourts to other businesses.

"It will also lower the cost of transporting goods, hopefully also to be passed on to customers."

Mr King went on: "However, the parallels with the 2008 crash, albeit that was a market in freefall while this one has been engineered by OPEC and could be stopped any time, carry a warning from the ghost of Christmas past.

"In 2009, a new year brought a new assessment of the market and pump prices started to rise again on January 5."

Analysis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also suggests petrol prices are unlikely to fall below £1-a-litre in the coming months.

But while the ONS said the price consumers pay at the pumps for petrol and diesel were "strongly related to the price of crude oil", it highlighted that price changes were "less volatile and the effect of changes in crude oil prices are delayed".

Ian Taylor, chief executive and president of Vitol, the world's largest oil trading company, told Sky News' Ian King Live that although the future was difficult to predict he believes the market "will steady up".

He said: "As you know oil traders are pretty useless at predicting price, but we sort of feel that inevitably at these price levels that several areas of the world will begin to cut back on capex (capital expenditure) and we'll see some reductions in supply and a big transfer of income to the consumers - hopefully lower petrol prices in the UK etc - and that will increase demand.

"We feel at the current prices and with Brent at $60 a barrel we should begin to see some stability, but oil has been a lot lower than this and a lot higher so it's difficult to predict just at this moment - but I do begin to believe the market will begin to steady up."

He added: "It's a pretty big tax cut for every single consumer in the world and it's a huge transfer of income from oil producers to world consumers. It's pretty positive for the UK, Europe and other big consuming countries around the globe."

Petrol pump prices have plunged in the last month with the mid-November to mid-December fall the third biggest in 25 years, according to the AA.

The motoring group said that between mid-November and mid-December UK average petrol prices fell 6.6p to 116.32p a litre.

Only the October-November 2008 fall of 11.5p a litre and the August-September 2006 dip of 7.9p have been greater than the most recent decline.

The AA also said that average diesel prices have fallen 5.27p a litre to 122.16p over the mid-November to mid-December 2014 period.

And the fall does not include the very latest 2p-a-litre petrol reduction by the four biggest supermarkets which took effect on Wednesday.

Currently, south west England has the cheapest petrol, at an average of 116.1p a litre, while East Anglia has the dearest, at 117.1p.

The cheapest diesel is to be found in Northern Ireland, at 121.8p a litre, with the most-expensive in Scotland, at 122.7p a litre.


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Bank Forex Fines Help Boost Public Finances

Public borrowing tumbled last month as income tax receipts grew and bank fines helped boost Treasury coffers.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing, excluding state-controlled banks, fell to £14.1bn in November, down 10%, or £1.6bn, on the same month last year.

It said the Government's finances were boosted by the £1.1bn in fines imposed on HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Citi, JP Morgan and UBS last month for the manipulation of foreign exchange markets.

That total is on course to rise, given comments by the chief executive of Barclays to Sky News this week that the £500m it has set aside to cover its own looming settlement will not be sufficient.

The borrowing figure for November meant that the total amount borrowed during the first eight months of the financial year was £75.8bn - £500m lower than was achieved in the same period in 2013.

It marked the first time in 2014/15 that the year-to-date public finances have been in better shape than the same period a year before.

The Chancellor admitted during his Autumn Statement to MPs earlier this month he will not meet his original target for cutting the budget deficit in 2014/15.

The new target figure - £91.3bn - while higher than expected, is below last year's total.

Weaker-than-hoped-for tax receipts have been the major factor behind the revised target.

Income tax receipts have been down largely because of weak pay rises though wage growth is now starting to pick up.

The Government is hoping some of the shortfall will be made up in January when it is expecting tax payments from high earners on bonuses that were deferred in the previous financial year to avoid the old 50p tax rate.


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New EBA Rules To Crackdown On Card Fraud

New rules aimed at cracking down on card payment fraud have been revealed.

The European Banking Authority (EBA) published the more stringent guidelines, making payment service providers toughen up on customer identification before proceeding with payments.

In the last four years alone, the annual cost of card fraud in the UK has risen from £365 million, to over £450 million.

Almost two thirds of that came from the tactic known as skimming.

That is where small amounts of cash are removed from victims' accounts without them noticing, rather than large withdrawals that may be automatically flagged by software.

There has also been a rise in digital attacks using malware, usually downloaded after victims unwittingly open contaminated emails, according to the EBA.

Lost or stolen cards account for just over a quarter of the annual fraud.

UK card fraud hit a record of £610m in 2008 before dropping each year to a low of £341m in 2011.

Since then it has risen again, to £388m in 2012 and jumping 16% on that figure to £450m last year, according to Financial Fraud Action.

It said over the past decade there has been a significant shift in tactics used by fraudsters, amid the rise of online shopping and improved PIN and chip security.

In 2003, 29% of fraud was by so-called remote purchase - where a card is not shown to a retailer - but that figure jumped to 67% last year.

Use of stolen cards over the same period dropped from 27% to 13% and card usage taken from mail delivery plunged from 11% to 2%.


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Mobile Networks Agree Deal To Boost UK Coverage

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 18 Desember 2014 | 18.56

A £5bn project to guarantee mobile phone voice and text coverage to 90% of the UK geographical area by 2017 will go ahead.

The deal means the four mobile networks - EE, O2, Three and Vodafone - have all agreed to tackle poor coverage in so-called partial "not spots".

These are areas that may have coverage from some but not all of the four networks.

This will halve the number of areas where there is patchy mobile coverage.

In addition, the operators will increase full coverage from 69% to 85% - allowing phone users to download data.

Culture Secretary Sajid Javid said: "Too many parts of the UK regularly suffer from poor mobile coverage leaving them unable to make calls or send texts.

"Government and businesses have been clear about the importance of mobile connectivity, and improved coverage, so this legally binding agreement will give the UK the world-class mobile phone coverage it needs and deserves."

A Vodafone UK spokesman said: "We support the Government's objective of delivering better coverage to rural areas including partial not-spots.

"It is a great result for UK consumers and businesses and it will make the UK a leader across Europe in terms of the reach of mobile coverage."


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Black Friday Spending Broke UK Records

The Black Friday spending frenzy helped UK retail sales to grow at their fastest annual pace for 10 years last month.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) measured a 1.6% rise in sales volumes during November, equating to growth of 6.4% on an annual basis - far better than economists had expected.

The ONS said that while a surge in pre-Christmas Black Friday discounts contributed significantly to the performance - a shopping event that distorted the figures somewhat as it was not covered in last November's figures.

But the body added that many of the Black Friday-named deals fell outside of November and the figures did not include Cyber Monday sales, which fell on 1 December.

The popularity of Black Friday - a US discount shopping import which follows the country's Thanksgiving holiday - has grown in the UK since 2010 with a growing number of chains participating.

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  1. Gallery: Black Friday: Madness In The Shops

    Yes, really. Shoppers have wrestled over a television. It has come that, people. "Black Friday" is in full swing in Britain and the stiff upper lip Brits are famous for has well and truly left the building. This photo was taken at an Asda in Wembley, north London

Britain's high streets, shopping centres and websites have been awash with discounts as more retailers than ever embraced US-style promotions, seeking to kickstart trading in the key Christmas period

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Putin Backs Recovery As Rouble Falls Again

Vladimir Putin has predicted Russia will recover from its current financial crisis in two years - or less.

He said the country had sufficient reserves and the economy would rebound quickly.

Even "under the most unfavourable world conditions, such a situation can last two years," Mr Putin said.

"It could improve earlier too," he added.

Mr Putin blamed the crisis on "external economic factors... mainly the price of oil and gas" and pledged to help those in most need.

"I think the central bank and the government are taking adequate measures," he said.

"If the situation develops unfavourably, we will have to amend our plans.

"Beyond a doubt, we will have to cut some (spending). But a positive turn and an exit from the current situation are unavoidable."

Mr Putin was speaking at his end-of-year media conference as the rouble lost more ground against the dollar and the euro.

At one point the currency was more than 2% weaker on the day despite efforts by the central bank to prop it up by increasing its rate of interest to 17%.

Until now the Kremlin has remained silent on the issue of the rouble's crash, which took it to historic lows of 80 to the dollar and 100 to the euro.

It has fallen in value by 60% since January and Russians have been cashing in their savings and rushing to buy expensive goods ahead of expected price hikes.

The slump in the rouble has largely been attributed to the global fall in oil prices and the impact of Western sanctions imposed over Ukraine.

Some observers also blame a lack of economic strategy by Mr Putin during his 15 years in power.

Mr Putin said the sanctions have not had a big effect and accused the West of behaving like "an empire" and treating other countries like its vassals.

He also accused the West of trying to "chain" the Russian bear.

"Probably our bear should just relax and sit quietly and just eat honey instead of hunting animals. Maybe then they will leave the bear in peace," he said.

"But they will not.  What they are trying to do is chain the bear and when they manage to chain the bear they will just take out its fangs and claws."


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Myners: Government Asset Sales Need Overhaul

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 17 Desember 2014 | 18.56

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

Taxpayers lost out on a lower sum from the privatisation of Royal Mail than the £1bn suggested by MPs earlier this year, a report commissioned by Vince Cable will conclude this week.

Sky News has learnt that an inquiry headed by Lord Myners, the former City Minister, will say that the Government could have received additional proceeds of between £120m and £180m if the sale of shares in the postal operator had been conducted more effectively.

His report will point to some inadequacies in the way that the Shareholder Executive, which manages state-owned assets, handled the privatisation, and say that based on initial demand from investors, the price range for the shares should have been revised upwards.

In his report to be published on Thursday, Lord Myners will also make a string of recommendations which could have far-reaching ramifications for City investors.

The Royal Mail sell-off in October last year triggered controversy when the shares soared by more than 35% on their first day of trading, prompting accusations that Mr Cable, the Business Secretary had grossly undervalued the company.

Earlier inquiries by the National Audit Office (NAO) and the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) select committee said taxpayers had lost out on up to £1bn when the Government sold 60% of Royal Mail to private sector investors, including sovereign wealth funds in Abu Dhabi and Singapore, and prominent hedge funds.

The process of allocating shares to those so-called priority investors following a process known in the City as pilot-fishing, which gauges appetite for a company's stock ahead of a flotation, is also expected to be criticised.

One insider said, however, that Lord Myners' report would say that he did "not believe that a price anywhere near the levels seen in the aftermarket could have been achieved at listing".

Sources said that it would also include data analysis pointing to unusual behaviour among the investors who bought Royal Mail's shares during its initial public offering (IPO).

Mr Cable commissioned Lord Myners to undertake the inquiry in July following the NAO and BIS Committee probes, and asked him to examine whether the structure of the sale process should be revised for future Government asset sales or in stock market IPOs more broadly.

The former City minister has been assessing the UK capital markets' use of a process known as book-building, which helps to establish the price at which a company's shares will be sold when it lists on the stock market.

In the case of Royal Mail, the bookbuild was contentious because the priority investors and other fund managers indicated that they would not be prepared to pay more than 330p, effectively forcing the Government and its advisers to set the price at that level.

A panel of prominent City figures, including a director of the body which manages taxpayers' stakes in bailed-out banks, was appointed to assist Lord Myners with the review.

Lord Myners is expected to broadly agree with Mr Cable that bookbuilding contains inherent limitations because of the difficulty of altering proposed price ranges once prospectuses have been issued, but will say that price ranges should be moved when share orders are clustered at the top or bottom of the existing range.

The panel is understood to refer in its report to a consensus view that ministers could have achieved a premium above the Royal Mail price range of 20p-30p, equating to up to £180m of additional proceeds for taxpayers.

However, it is said to add that revising the price range would have caused "material added uncertainty and risk".

The inquiry's wider recommendations are understood to include several measures to overhaul conventional market practices, such as: the earlier publication of prospectuses to facilitate greater investor education; enabling a broader pool of analysts to publish research on companies, as well as changing the approach to research blackout periods.

Lord Myners is also said to call for an examination of whether there should be standardised shareholding disclosure requirements for all institutions; discussing with equity index providers whether accelerated entrance to indices could be provided; and revising withdrawal right requirements, which enable investors to cancel 'buy' orders in certain circumstances..

The changes proposed by Lord Myners would require widespread market agreement between regulators and institutional investors.

The inquiry is also expected to encourage further debate about the involvement of retail investors in any future Government share sales, whether stakes should be sold in separate tranches, and more transparent auction processes for investors.

Some market commentators have questioned the value of the review commissioned by Mr Cable given the dearth of remaining state-owned assets which could be sold through an IPO process.

After their initial surge last year, Royal Mail shares are now trading at around 390p, valuing the company at roughly £3.9bn.

Royal Mail executives have become embroiled in a public spat with Ofcom, the industry regulator, about whether the company's ability to deliver its Universal Service Obligation is being jeopardised by the liberalisation of the end-to-end delivery market.

Lord Myners' panel is understood not to have recommended whether City advisers on the Royal Mail IPO, including the investment banks Goldman Sachs, should receive several million pounds of discretionary fees, with a formal decision said to be unlikely until after the General Election.

A BIS spokeswoman declined to comment, while Lord Myners could not be reached for comment.


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Festive Cheer On Forecourt As Petrol Prices Fall

Petrol prices could soon fall below £1 per litre - the lowest level since the end of May 2009.

The RAC said the recent fall in the price of oil - now below the $60-a-barrel - would keep dropping.

Supermarkets have led the way in cutting pump costs in recent months - with Asda the latest to confirm another move in the right direction for drivers.

The chain said it was taking 2p-a-litre off petrol and 1p from diesel from Thursday.

It said the reductions would mean Asda customers would pay no more than 110.7p-a-litre for petrol, with the company's diesel costing 117.7p-a-litre.

Sainsbury's later confirmed it would be cutting prices by the same amounts.

"What's currently happening at the pumps with falling fuel prices is something many motorists will not remember seeing before," RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said.

"Talk of prices going up like a rocket and falling like a feather could not be further from the truth as retailers have been quick to pass on savings at the forecourt since we forecast on December 6 that prices were due to come down by 7p a litre for petrol and 6p for diesel."

The RAC added that it was hopeful drivers would benefit from the fall in prices in the first few months of the new year.

The group's monitoring of fuel prices shows the average price of a litre of petrol is 116.9p - nearly 14p a litre cheaper than at the start of the year.

Diesel is nearly 16p cheaper - 122.33p a litre now compared to 138.24p in January.

The average supermarket price of fuel is 114.26p a litre for petrol and 120.18p for diesel.

Mr Williams added: "Current forecasts are for average petrol prices to fall to below 110p a litre in the next fortnight and diesel to drop to under 116p.

"At these average prices across the country the cheapest retailers will almost certainly be selling petrol for around 105p a litre, or even lower."


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Wage Growth Rise Eases Cost Of Living Squeeze

Official figures show wage increases are accelerating at an even faster pace than prices in the run-up to Christmas.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) calculated average weekly wage increases, excluding bonuses, at 1.6% in the three months to October compared to the same month last year - a 0.4% improvement on September's figure.

Just 24 hours earlier, the ONS said the core CPI measure of inflation for November stood at 1% - a 12-year low.

The figures, taken together, are the best evidence yet that the squeeze on living standards is easing - helped by plunging world oil costs and a bitter supermarket price war.

The ONS also confirmed that the UK jobless rate remained static at 6% in October as the unemployment total fell at its slowest pace for a year, by 63,000 to 1.95 million.

Employment growth also slowed to reach 30.79 million though it still represented the highest total since records began in 1971 and was 588,000 up on a year ago.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said: "These remarkable figures show that our long-term economic plan to create a better more prosperous future for Britain is working.

"Behind them are countless stories of individual hard work and determination, with more people than ever before feeling financially
secure.

"What we can see at the end of 2014 is that our welfare reforms are ensuring that people have the skills and opportunities to move into work. Whether that's work experience for young people to get their foot on the career ladder, the benefit cap encouraging people to get a job, or the Work Programme which is helping more people than any previous jobs scheme."

GMB union general secretary Paul Kenny said "This is the fifth Christmas with this Government in power and, while the recovery under way is welcome, it should be much further ahead.

"There are too many households this Christmas with jobless workers."

TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady added: "Today's figures show some long overdue improvements, but at this rate it will take over a decade to recover the real value of people's earnings.

"And there is a very long way to go to deal with the problem of so many jobs being insecure, short hours, or on zero hour contracts."


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New Fee-Free Current Accounts Launched

Written By Unknown on Senin, 15 Desember 2014 | 18.57

A new fee-free banking current account structure that guarantees "clarity" has been revealed by the Treasury.

The scheme has been agreed to help people who may have marks on their credit history or who are currently ineligible for accounts.

Details of the landmark deal were first revealed by Sky News City Editor Mark Kleinman.

Expected to be launched within a year, the system will stop banks charging fees for failed direct debits and standing orders.

Under the current system, fees charged by the banks have pushed some holders into unauthorised overdrafts.

Some people have struggled to get debit cards and have been granted only limited access to the cash machine network.

The Treasury reached the agreement with Barclays, the Co-operative Bank, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group - which owns Halifax and Bank of Scotland - Clydesdale and Yorkshire banks and Nationwide.

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group, including NatWest and Ulster Bank, along with Santander and TSB have also signed up to the deal.

Sky News previously revealed that some banks had expressed concerns during negotiations with the Government about the terms of the deal.

The provision of basic bank accounts, of which there are estimated to be more than 9 million in the UK, is estimated to cost the industry more than £300m annually, with the new accounts likely to add substantially to that bill.

Earlier this year, a European Union directive ordered member states to supervise the introduction of basic accounts which must charge fees described as "fair".

Treasury economic secretary Andrea Leadsom said the new system will allow people to manage money with "certainty and clarity".

She added: "It will end people being effectively locked out of their basic bank accounts due to high fees and charges when their payments failed.

"Ending this unfair situation is a real step forward for the banking industry's most vulnerable customers and improving access to banking is a key part of our long-term economic plan."

The new scheme will also allow non-traditional account providers to enter the market.


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Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Re-Elected

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been re-elected with a two-thirds majority in a snap ballot.

The vote had been portrayed by Mr Abe as a referendum on his plans to revive the world's third-biggest economy.

The Japanese leader may use his victory to push ahead with tough economic reforms, but with turnout on course for a record low this could weaken his claim of a mandate.

NHK public TV said Mr Abe's Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner, the Komeito party, were assured more than the 317 seats in the 475-member lower house.

The result is enough to maintain its "super-majority", and smooth the way for its policies through parliament.

However, the LDP was set to fall short of the 295 seats it held before the poll, NHK figures showed.

"I believe the public approved of two years of our 'Abenomics' policies," Mr Abe said in a televised interview.

"But that doesn't mean we can be complacent."

But many voters, doubtful over Mr Abe's plans to generate growth and the opposition's ability to come up with an alternative, stayed at home.

Final turnout has been forecast at 52.4%, a record low. In 2012, when Mr Abe returned to power, turnout was 59.3%.

Hopes for the PM's strategy suffered a setback after the economy slipped into recession following a sales tax rise in April.

In response, Mr Abe delayed a second tax hike to 10% until 2017, raising concerns about how Japan will curb its huge public debt.

Doubts also remain over Mr Abe's ability to tackle more politically-sensitive areas of reform, including deregulation of the labour market, and the highly protected farm sector.

Experts say Mr Abe may also use his fresh four-year term to focus on changing Japan's pacifist constitution to ease limits on the military.

This is likely to cause concern in China and South Korea, where bitter memories of Japan's past militarism remain raw.


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Ex-JJB Sports CEO Jailed Over £1m Fraud

The former boss of JJB Sports has been jailed for four years, after pocketing around £1m in what was described as a "very greedy fraud".

A court heard that Chris Ronnie, 52, owed more than £10m to an Icelandic bank when he diverted funds from suppliers going to the sportswear firm.

Ronnie, who lived in Wilmslow, Cheshire, then used some of the funds to buy property in Florida.

He was found guilty last month of three separate fraudulent payments when he was in charge of the company in 2007 and 2008.

Each of the diverted payments was a six-figure sum and they were not disclosed to the company's board.

Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith told London's Southwark Crown Court: "This was a flagrant and disgraceful breach of your duty as a CEO of a public limited company."

Ronnie did not give evidence in his defence during the trial and after nearly 35 hours of deliberations jurors delivered a unanimous guilty verdict.

The Serious Fraud Office began investigating the case after receiving a tip from a computer engineer who was asked to delete any trace of emails related to the Icelandic loans.

JJB Sports, which was founded in 1971 by footballer Dave Whelan, entered administration in 2012.

Two business partners of Ronnie were also convicted of perverting the coure of justice, as they helped him conceal the fraud.


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Growing Business: Demand Soars For UK Xmas Trees

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 14 Desember 2014 | 18.56

By Nick Ravenscroft, Sky News Reporter

Families in Britain are increasingly buying Christmas trees that were grown in the UK rather than ones that have been imported, according to UK suppliers.

The British Christmas Tree Growers' Association (BCTGA) estimates that in the last six years the total number being grown here in the UK has risen by as much as 20%.

This is reflected in the proportion of British and imported trees being bought at shops and markets across the country.

Six years ago it was evenly split with approximately half being shipped in from Europe, according to the BCTGA.

The association's members now say British-grown plants account for some 70% of the total number of trees sold in the UK.

Harry Brightwell, secretary of the BCTGA, told Sky News: "People are much more conscious of environmental issues and the fact of buying a British grown tree usually means the transport is less."

At Yattendon Estates, a Christmas tree farm in West Berkshire, a cold and frosty morning was no deterrent to customers looking to buy a tree as the calendar counts down the days to Christmas.

Manager Alastair Jeffrey said: "Ten years ago our European competitors stole a march on us… now UK industry has really concentrated on making sure we're right up to spec… quality is the name of the game."

The majority of trees sold in Britain are Nordmann Firs which, for a six foot tree, will cost upwards of £45.

Among the Nordmann Firs grown in Britain are those supplied to Downing Street, which this year took trees from Herefordshire and the Gower, according to BCTGA.

With up to eight million trees already being sold by British producers, the move away from European imports spells continued growth for this part of the rural economy.


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