UK Business News

Tesco’s secret chain charges more

Britain’s biggest supermarket promises its prices are the same everywhere. But not at its One Stop convenience stores

From health clubs to health hubs

With the old-style fitness centre treading water, a charity is at the forefront of moves towards rehab and wellbeing MoTs

• Hospital firm eyes sell-off

• Healthcare group buys Cannons fitness clubs

Schoolboys challenge Bank to raise its target

Dulwich College wins Bank of England/Times competition inviting A-level students to do a better job than the policymakers

Sky may put top channels on Freeview

The broadcaster will be allowed to sell its pay-TV channels into Freeview homes under plans set to win approval from Ofcom

World Business News

Obama goes into battle for Wall Street reform

Republicans are out to scupper Senator Christopher Dodd's financial overhaul - the biggest since the Great Depression

Areva out to make nuclear waste disappear

Anne Lauvergeon, head of the French energy group, is aiming for a new type of reactor that could destroy atomic waste

• Tories plan carbon tax to boost clean energy

• Anne Lauvergeon: champion of nuclear option

Lawyers fall silent as Rio Four trial opens

The executives’ trial in China will be watched closely by the Australian Government and by the wider business world

• China warns Rio trial must not be 'politicised'

• Rio Tinto 4 set to go on trial in Shanghai

Freight flights from East to West increase

FedEx, the biggest air freight carrier, reports figures suggesting that the clouds of recession have begun to clear

ANALYSIS

Deficits, rates and the savage circle

If governments do not cut borrowing as the recovery grows, rates will be under pressure from markets and central banks

Can Darling be his own man so near an election?

The greatest certainty of all is that further measures will be needed after the general election, whichever party wins

‘Do no harm’ should be Darling’s motto

Politics is not grown up enough for the Chancellor to set out in detail the spending cuts needed in the review that follows the election

Law  

Adoption agency may now discriminate legally

The High Court has reversed a ruling that the Catholic Care agency could not be made to consider gay couples as adopters

Presenter's naked plea fails to convince taxman

Sian Williams loses long-running battle with HMRC over her claim for an allowance for 'professional clothing and hairdo'

Expats lose appeal over index-linked pensions

Strasbourg turns down appeal from British citizens living abroad who claimed frozen pensions violated their human rights

Money  

OFT criticises used-car dealers for misleading consumers

A fifth of consumers have a problem with their second-hand car after buying it from a dealer

Taxman scrutinises property amateurs

Holiday homeowners, buy-to-let landlords and house sellers under the spotlight as Revenue trawls Land Registry

Barclaycard starts rewards scheme for eight million customers

Credit card company offers chance to earn hard cash rather than points or airmiles

• Ten Best Loyalty Cards

• Barclaycard to launch rewards scheme

business travel  

Bmi launches Heathrow-Berlin service

New route will tie the airline's network into that of its parent company Lufthansa

Emirates opens Birmingham lounge

Midlands hub gets first dedicated long-haul space for executives

Profile: Philanthropist Matt Stockdale

Former Homepride boss talks about giving away money, hotel horror stories and eating poached frogs