DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ UK PM Sunak commits to triple-lock pension policy despite inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was committed to the government's mechanism for increasing state pensions even though it is likely to cost billions of pounds more than usual given high inflation. The pension triple lock is a government promise to raise publicly funded pensions by the level of earnings, inflation or 2.5%, whichever is highest. "Of course the government is committed to its policy on the triple lock," Sunak told ITV News on Wednesday when asked whether he would stick to the pledge despite the rate of inflation. "When I set out that target people said 'oh that's very easy he’s not ambitious enough'," he told ITV. "I thought it was an ambitious target, but it's right to be ambitious for our country."

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Jeremy Hunt, William Schomberg, Kylie MacLellan Organizations: British, ITV News, Bank of, ITV, Thomson Locations: that's

☆ British Museum sacks member of staff over missing and stolen items
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A sign for the British Museum which houses the Parthenon sculptures is seen in London, Britain, January 25, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - The British Museum said on Wednesday a member of staff had been dismissed after items from its collection, including gold jewellery and gems, had been found to be missing, stolen or damaged. None of the items had recently been on public display and were kept primarily for academic and research purposes, it added. I know I speak for all colleagues when I say that we take the safeguarding of all the items in our care extremely seriously," said Hartwig Fischer, Director of the British Museum. The museum's chair, former finance minister George Osborne, Chair of the British Museum, said the trustees were extremely concerned when they had learnt of the theft "earlier this year".

Persons: Toby Melville, Hartwig Fischer, George Osborne, Kylie MacLellan, Barbara Lewis Organizations: British, REUTERS, Metropolitan Police, British Museum, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

☆ Britain says it intercepted two Russian bomber aircraft north of Scotland
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Britain said its Typhoon fighter jets intercepted two Russian maritime patrol bomber aircraft in international airspace north of Scotland on Monday, within NATO's northern air policing area. Britain said its Typhoon jets are routinely scrambled during such incidents to secure and safeguard its skies. British pilots also recently led NATO's air policing mission in Estonia, where more than 50 similar air intercepts were carried out, it added. Earlier on Monday, Russia said its strategic bombers had carried out routine flights over international waters in the Arctic. Reporting by Kylie MacLellan, writing by Sachin Ravikumar; editing by William JamesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: James Heappey, Kylie MacLellan, Sachin Ravikumar, William James Our Organizations: Pilots, Thomson Locations: Britain, Scotland, Shetland, British, Estonia, Russia

☆ Expansion to London clean-air zone to go ahead after court rejects challenge
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Five affected Conservative-led local authorities argued the decision to expand ULEZ was unlawful, but their legal challenge was rejected on Friday. "This landmark decision is good news as it means we can proceed with cleaning up the air in outer London," Khan said in a statement following the ruling. Britain's green agenda has been in focus over the past week after the governing Conservative Party won an election in former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's old seat just outside central London, in part by attacking the ULEZ expansion. Judge Jonathan Swift rejected all three grounds of challenge to the expansion of ULEZ, including that the public consultation on the proposed expansion was unlawful. ($1 = 0.7809 pounds)Reporting by Sam Tobin, Editing by Kylie MacLellan and Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sadiq Khan, Khan, Boris Johnson's, Keir Starmer, Conservative – Johnson, Jonathan Swift, Sam Tobin, Kylie MacLellan, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: London's Labour, Conservative, Transport, Conservative Party, Labour Party's, London, Thomson Locations: British, Greater London, leafier, London

☆ Record 2022 temperatures will be average for UK by 2060 - Met Office
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Temperatures exceeded 40C in Britain in July last year for the first time, and the Met Office said 2022 was the warmest year since records began in 1884 for the United Kingdom and since 1659 in its Central England Temperature series. "In terms of weather and climate, 2022 was an extraordinary year for the UK," Mike Kendon from the Met Office’s National Climate Information Centre said. The Met Office said its studies found both the record warm year and 2022's July heat wave were made more likely by human-induced climate change. In its 'State of the UK climate' report, the Met Office predicted that in a medium emissions scenario, by 2060, a year like 2022 would be considered an average year and by 2100, it would be considered a 'cool' year. The 2013-2022 period was the warmest decade on record in the UK, the Met Office said.

Persons: Mike Kendon, Kendon, Kylie MacLellan, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Met Office, Met, Climate Information, Thomson Locations: Britain, United Kingdom, State

☆ UK university marking strike leaves thousands of students stuck in limbo
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Kylie Maclellan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

A spokesperson for Britain's Home Office said international students without results can request a letter of confirmation from their sponsor or return to their home country and apply for another student visa. The University of Edinburgh said 27% of final year students had not received their degree at the time of graduation. International students pay much more, providing a vital source of income. Research published by Universities UK International in May found the 2021/22 intake of international students contributed 41.9 billion pounds to the UK economy. "Every year, universities in the UK are depending more and more on the finances of international students," said Hendricks.

Persons: Maja Smiejkowska, Amelia Dias, Dias, Anna Hendricks, Ailsa Watt, Watt, Gillian Keegan, Hendricks, Kylie MacLellan, Jan Harvey Organizations: London College of Communication, University of the Arts London, REUTERS, University of Edinburgh, Colleges Employers Association, University and College Union, National Union of Students, University of Cambridge, University, Scottish, International, British Council, Times Higher, Higher Education Statistics Agency, Universities UK International, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Edinburgh, British, Florida, Spanish, Shanghai

☆ Sinead O'Connor was found unresponsive at London address - UK police
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, July 27 (Reuters) - Irish singer Sinead O'Connor, who died on Wednesday aged 56, was found unresponsive at an address in London and pronounced dead at the scene, London's Metropolitan Police said. Artists around the world have reacted to the news, with REM frontman Michael Stipe, U.S. musician Tori Amos and Irish singer Shane MacGowan among those who paid tribute to O'Connor's fierce honesty, intense presence and uncompromising spirit. "Police were called at 11:18hrs on Wednesday, 26 July to reports of an unresponsive woman at a residential address ... Officers attended. A 56-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene," the Met Police said in a statement. Reporting by Farouq Suleiman and Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Kate HoltonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sinead O'Connor, Michael Stipe, Tori Amos, Shane MacGowan, Farouq Suleiman, Kylie MacLellan, Kate Holton Organizations: London's Metropolitan Police, Artists, Police, Met Police, Thomson Locations: London

☆ Amazon workers at two UK fulfilment centres to strike in August
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 27 (Reuters) - Britain's GMB trade union said on Thursday more than a thousand workers at two Amazon (AMZN.O) fulfilment centres in England would take strike action in early August in an ongoing pay dispute. "This industrial action will spread further: it’s clear the fight for workers’ rights at Amazon is only just beginning,” GMB Senior Organiser Rachel Fagan said in a statement. Workers in Rugeley will walk out on Aug. 3-4 and staff in Coventry will take action on Aug. 4-5, the union said. "In less than a year, our minimum pay has risen by 10% and by more than 37% since 2018," an Amazon spokesperson said. In June, the union said Amazon workers in Coventry, who had previously staged a series of walkouts since January, had voted in favour of six more months of industrial action.

Persons: ” GMB, Rachel Fagan, Amazon, Prerna Bedi, Helen Reid, Farouq Suleiman, Kylie MacLellan Organizations: Amazon, Workers, Thomson Locations: England, Rugeley, Coventry

☆ Reactions to the death of singer Sinead O'Connor
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

IRISH-AMERICAN DANCER MICHAEL FLATLEY"Dear Sinead, I pray your troubled soul is at peace. IRISH PRIME MINISTER LEO VARADKAR"Really sorry to hear of the passing of Sinead O'Connor. Her music was loved around the world and her talent was unmatched and beyond compare. IRISH FOREIGN MINISTER MICHEAL MARTIN"Devastated to hear of the passing of Sinead O'Connor. Rest In Peace, Sinead you are home with your son I am sure."

Persons: Sinead O'Connor, MICHAEL D, HIGGINS, MICHAEL FLATLEY, Sinead, TIM BURGESS, MICHEAL MARTIN, HUMZA YOUSAF, Shuhada, CONOR MCGREGOR, MARIAN KEYES, Kylie MacLellan, Suban Abdulla, Padraic Halpin, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Irish, RTE, LEO, AMERICAN, ICE, SCOTTISH FIRST, UFC, Thomson Locations: Ireland

[1/5] Irish singer Sinead O'Connor performs on stage during the Carthage Jazz Festival in Tunis April 4, 2013. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi/File PhotoDUBLIN, July 26 (Reuters) - Sinead O'Connor, the Irish singer known for her stirring voice, 1990 chart-topping hit "Nothing Compares 2 U" and outspoken views, has died at the age of 56, Irish media quoted her family as saying on Wednesday. "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinead. 'PROTEST SINGER'Sinead Marie Bernadette O'Connor was born in the affluent Dublin suburb of Glenageary on December 8, 1966. O'Connor converted to Islam in 2018 and changed her name to Shuhada Sadaqat, though continued to perform under the name Sinead O'Connor.

Persons: Sinead O'Connor, Zoubeir, Brash, – O'Connor, Sinead, O'Connor, Prince, Pope John Paul II, Michael D, Higgins, Sinead Marie Bernadette O'Connor, Nua, Shuhada, Dave Fanning, Padraic Halpin, Graham Fahy, Suban Abdulla, Amanda Ferguson, Kylie MacLellan, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Carthage Jazz Festival, REUTERS, RTE, Church, Irish, Channel, Thomson Locations: Carthage, Tunis, Irish, Ireland, Dublin, Glenageary, London

[1/5] Irish singer Sinead O'Connor performs on stage during the Carthage Jazz Festival in Tunis April 4, 2013. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi/File PhotoDUBLIN, July 26 (Reuters) - Sinead O'Connor, the Irish singer known for her stirring voice, 1990 chart topping hit "Nothing Compares 2 U" and outspoken views, has died at the age of 56, Irish media quoted her family as saying on Wednesday. "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinead. However, it was track six on the follow-up album, "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got", that catapulted O'Connor to global fame. O'Connor converted to Islam in 2018 and changed her name to Shuhada Sadaqat, though continued to perform under the name Sinead O'Connor.

Persons: Sinead O'Connor, Zoubeir, Brash, – O'Connor, Sinead, O'Connor, Prince, Pope John Paul II, Leo Varadkar, Nua, Shuhada, Padraic Halpin, Graham Fahy, Suban Abdulla, Kylie MacLellan, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Carthage Jazz Festival, REUTERS, RTE, YouTube, Catholic, Twitter, U.S, Thomson Locations: Carthage, Tunis, Irish, Ireland, Dublin, Glenageary, London

☆ Bank of England forecasts 150 billion pound loss from QE gilt programme
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( David Milliken | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, July 25 (Reuters) - The Bank of England forecast on Tuesday that it would make a net loss of just over 150 billion pounds ($193 billion) over the next 10 years as it unwinds its quantitative easing (QE) gilt purchases, up from 100 billion pounds projected in April. In the short term, the BoE expects the government to pay around 40 billion pounds a year in 2023, 2024 and 2025, roughly 10 billion pounds a year more than its last estimate in April. Markets currently expect BoE rates to peak at 5.75% later this year, up from around 5% at the time of April's report. The BoE projections assume holdings continue to fall at their current target rate of 80 billion pounds a year. That is still more than 50 billion pounds greater than forecast in April.

Persons: Rishi, BoE, BoE Governor Andrew Bailey, David Milliken, Paul Sandle, Kylie MacLellan, Andy Bruce Organizations: Bank of England, Conservative Party, Thomson

☆ UK minister: petrol car ban immovable but some green policies to be relaxed
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] View of the exhaust of a queuing car on the North Circular Road in London, Britain, June 26, 2023. Britain's green agenda has been thrown into question after the governing Conservatives won a vote for a parliamentary seat last week by attacking London's flagship anti-pollution policy. Asked on Times Radio if banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars was an immovable target in Britain, Gove said: "Yes." Gove later told LBC radio that the government would make changes to planned timetables to make them more achievable. "When it comes to landlords in the private rented sector, the timetable that we have for meeting particular energy efficiency standards will be relaxed," he said.

Persons: Toby Melville LONDON, Michael Gove, Gove, Rishi Sunak, Kylie MacLellan, Kate Holton Organizations: REUTERS, Conservatives, London's, European Union, Times, LBC, Times Radio, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, United States

☆ Some strikes at UK airport Gatwick cancelled, suspended - union
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Passengers wait in the queue for check-in in the South Terminal building at Gatwick Airport, in Gatwick, Britain, December 21, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File PhotoLONDON, July 24 (Reuters) - Some of the strikes planned by baggage handlers and other workers at Britain's no.2 airport Gatwick in the peak summer travel period have been suspended or cancelled, the Unite trade union said on Monday. But improved pay offers mean that DHL workers, who provide services to easyJet, have cancelled their walk outs completely after they voted to accept a 15% pay rise, the union said. Currently ASC workers have not yet suspended their walk outs, while Menzies have suspended some of them. A fourth set of workers, who are contracted by GGS, have suspended strikes between July 28-Aug.1 to allow negotiations to continue but are still due to walk out Aug. 4-8.

Persons: Toby Melville, Menzies, Sarah Young, Eva Mathews, Savio D'Souza, Kylie MacLellan Organizations: Gatwick Airport, REUTERS, Gatwick, British Airways, DHL, Workers, Menzies, ASC, GGS, Thomson Locations: Gatwick, Britain, Britain's, TUI, easyJet, Rhodes, Greece, London, Bengaluru

☆ Radical UK Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary charged with three terrorist offences
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 24 (Reuters) - British radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary has been charged with three terrorism offences after being arrested in London last week, police said on Monday. Choudary, 56, has been charged with membership of a proscribed organisation, directing a terrorist organisation and addressing meetings to encourage support for a proscribed organisation, police said. Once Britain's most high profile Islamist preacher, Choudary was imprisoned in Britain in 2016 for encouraging support for Islamic State before being released in 2018 after serving half of his five-and-a-half year sentence. A 28-year-old Canadian man, Khaled Hussein, has also been charged with membership of a proscribed organisation after being arrested on the same day as Choudary when he arrived on a flight at Heathrow Airport, police said. Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Kate Holton and Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Anjem Choudary, Choudary, Khaled Hussein, Kylie MacLellan, Kate Holton, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Islamic State, Heathrow Airport, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, United States, Buckingham, Angus

☆ British royals release new photo of Prince George to mark 10th birthday
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, July 22 (Reuters) - Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate have published a new photograph of their eldest son George to mark his 10th birthday on Saturday. The photograph, taken in Windsor earlier this month by Millie Pilkington, shows George smiling at the camera as he sits on some stone steps, wearing a checked shirt with the sleeves rolled up, chino trousers and smart brown shoes. George is a grandson of King Charles and is second in line to the throne, behind his father. Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Britain's Prince William, Kate, George, Millie Pilkington, chino, King Charles, Kylie MacLellan, Jason Neely Organizations: Thomson Locations: Windsor

☆ UK tightens rules over bank account closures after 'debanking' criticism
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 20 (Reuters) - Banks in Britain will be forced to explain and delay any decision to close an account under new rules announced by the finance ministry on Thursday. "The government has stepped in to address fears that banks are terminating accounts because they disagree with someone’s political beliefs," the Treasury said in a statement. On Wednesday, the Financial Conduct Authority said it was talking to NatWest about the handling of Farage's accounts. Under the new rules, banks will need to explain any closure and customers will be given more time - 90 days - to challenge a decision through the Financial Ombudsman Service, or find a replacement bank, the Treasury said. Reporting by William James, Editing by Kylie MacLellanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Nigel Farage, Banks, Andrew Griffith, William James, Kylie MacLellan Organizations: Treasury, Financial, Authority, NatWest, Financial Ombudsman Service, Thomson Locations: Banks, Britain

☆ UK government's contested immigration plan to become law
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERSLONDON, July 18 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's highly contested plan to make it easier to send asylum seekers to Rwanda is set to become law after the government defeated attempts by parliament's upper house to make changes to the legislation. It can now go for Royal Assent, where it is formally approved by the king and becomes law. The legislation will help with the government's plan to send tens of thousands of asylum seekers who arrive on its shores a distance of more than 4,000 miles (6,400 km) to Rwanda. The government is appealing a Court of Appeal ruling last month that the plan was unlawful. It has been criticised by some opposition politicians and civil rights groups as inhumane, cruel and ineffective.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Leon Neal, Rishi Sunak's, Bill, Kylie MacLellan, Kate Holton Organizations: British, REUTERS LONDON, Royal, East, European, of Human Rights, Thomson Locations: Downing, London, United Kingdom, Rwanda, parliament's, Britain

☆ Factbox: What pay rises will British public sector workers get?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 13 (Reuters) - Britain on Thursday set out pay rises of at least 6% for millions of public sector staff, including teachers and some healthcare workers, accepting the recommendations of the independent pay review bodies. Britain has faced months of strike action by public sector workers over last year's pay offer, with trade unions demanding higher rises than originally recommended by the pay review bodies due to soaring inflation. The pay review bodies (PRBs) are independent panels which gather evidence and provide the government with advice on pay for many public sector workers. Swathes of public sector workers have taken strike action over the last few months in a dispute over their 2022/23 pay. Below are the recommendations which the government has announced it has accepted:HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO PRIVATE SECTOR PAY?

Persons: Kylie MacLellan, Alistair Smout, Sarah Young Organizations: WHO, Thomson Locations: Britain, Scotland

☆ BBC presenter facing sex photo claims is Huw Edwards, BBC says, citing his wife
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) - One of Britain's leading news anchors, Huw Edwards, was named by his wife on Wednesday as being the BBC presenter facing allegations he paid a young person thousands of pounds for sexually explicit photos, the broadcaster reported. Several BBC stars had taken to social media to say they were not involved after speculation swirled online. As is well documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years," his wife, Vicky Flind said, according to the BBC. Flind said she hoped the statement would bring an end to media speculation which had impacted Edwards' BBC colleagues. Reporting by Kylie MacLellan Editing by Chris Reese and Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Huw Edwards, Edwards, Queen Elizabeth, Huw, Vicky Flind, Flind, Kylie MacLellan, Chris Reese, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: BBC, Sun, London's Metropolitan Police, Thomson Locations: Britain, London's

VILNIUS, July 12 (Reuters) - British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on Wednesday he had warned Ukraine that its international allies were "not Amazon" and Kyiv needed to show gratitude for weapons donations to persuade Western politicians to give more. London has been one of Kyiv's staunchest supporters since Russia's invasion last year, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said Britain and its allies will double down on its support for Ukraine. Wallace recalled that he had travelled last year to Ukraine, where he was presented with a shopping list of weapons. "We were always grateful to the UK, prime ministers and the minister of defence because the people are always supporting us," he said. Asked about Wallace's comments, Sunak said that Zelenskiy had been grateful for the support given so far and that more support would be forthcoming as required.

Persons: Ben Wallace, Kyiv's staunchest, Rishi Sunak, Wallace, Volodymyr Zelenskiy's, Zelenskiy, Sunak, John Irish, Kylie MacLellan, Alistair Smout, Mark Heinrich, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: British, Ukraine, U.S, NATO, Thomson Locations: VILNIUS, Ukraine, London, Britain, Lithuania, Vilnius

☆ Ocado launches first robotic warehouse in Asia with Aeon
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 10 (Reuters) - British online supermarket and technology group Ocado (OCDO.L) said on Monday its first robotic warehouse in Asia, built for Japanese partner Aeon (8267.T), has gone live. The warehouse, or customer fulfilment centre (CFC) as Ocado calls them, has begun taking orders from customers across the Kanto region for Aeon's "Green Beans" brand. Ocado signed up Aeon as a partner in 2019 in a deal that anticipated the Japanese group would have an online grocery sales capacity of about 600 billion yen ($4.21 billion) by 2030 and 1 trillion yen by 2035. Ocado said Aeon's second CFC in Japan will be based in Hachioji, Tokyo, with more to follow. “Grocery spend in Asia is set to outstrip every other region of the globe over the next decade, and online remains the fastest growing channel in grocery across APAC," Ocado CEO Tim Steiner said.

Persons: Ocado, Tim Steiner, James Davey, Kylie MacLellan Organizations: “, Times, Thomson Locations: Asia, Kanto, Japan, Hachioji, Tokyo, APAC

☆ UK government meets with police, sports event organisers over protest disruption
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The meeting came as Just Stop Oil activists twice interrupted play at Wimbledon. The environmental group have also disrupted the second Ashes cricket test at Lord's as well as the Premiership Rugby final and the World Snooker Championship. This year's Grand National horse race was also disrupted after animal rights activists attached themselves to fences. The Lawn Tennis Association, the soccer Premier League, British Horseracing Authority and Silverstone Circuits were among the 15 national sports bodies and event organisers who attended, the government said. The British Grand Prix is due to take place at Silverstone on Sunday.

Persons: Katie Boulter, Daria Saville, Hannah Mckay LONDON, Lucy Frazer, Suella Braverman, Kylie MacLellan, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Oil, Wimbledon, Premiership Rugby, Lawn Tennis Association, soccer Premier League, British Horseracing Authority, Silverstone Circuits, Silverstone, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Lord's, British

☆ UK's Hunt says banks agree to ease mortgage payments strain
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, June 23 (Reuters) - British finance minister Jeremy Hunt said he had agreed new measures with banks and other mortgage lenders on Friday to help homeowners who struggle to meet the cost of fast-rising interest rates. "We agreed some very important things for people who are worried about their rates going up," Hunt said, a day after the Bank of England raised interest rates to 5.0% to fight high inflation. The measures include allowing people who reduce their payments, such as by extending the period of their mortgage or moving to interest-only, to go back to their original package within six months with no impact on their credit rating. Another measure sought to help people at risk of losing their home, with banks agreeing to a minimum 12-month period before a repossession without consent takes place, Hunt said after meeting representatives of the lenders. Reporting by Kylie MacLellan and Muvija M; writing by William Schomberg; editing by William JamesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jeremy Hunt, Hunt, Kylie MacLellan, William Schomberg, William James Our Organizations: Bank of England, Thomson Locations: British

☆ Amazon declines to comment on report of bid interest in UK's Ocado
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

An Ocado grocery delivery van is driven along a street in London, Britain, March 25, 2023. REUTERS/Toby MelvilleLONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - A spokesperson for Amazon (AMZN.O) declined to comment on Thursday on a Times newspaper report that highlighted talk of potential bid interest in British online supermarket group Ocado (OCDO.L). Ocado shares were up 43% by 0923 GMT on the London Stock Exchange following the report. Reporting by James Davey and Muvija M, Editing by Kylie MacLellanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Toby Melville LONDON, James Davey, Muvija, Kylie MacLellan Organizations: REUTERS, Amazon, Times, London Stock Exchange, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

Search resuls for: "Kylie MacLellan"

25 mentions found