http://www.inthenews.co.uk The latest news from www.inthenews.co.uk en-gb Sun, 18 May 2008 00:11:36 GMT Copyright: (C) www.inthenews.co.uk, http://www.inthenews.co.uk http://www.inthenews.co.uk British Airways has announced its first dividend since 2001 as it revealed a 44.5 per cent pre-tax profit jump for the year to £833 million. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/news/buisness/ba-profits-jump-445-$1222998.htm Telecoms regulator Ofcom has launched a probe into mobile retailer Phones4U into claims of phone deal mis-selling. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/news/buisness/phones4u-faces-ofcom-probe-$1223112.htm Almost 18,000 UK residents faced bankruptcy in the first three months of this year, statistics have shown. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/news/finance/bankruptcy-threat-looms-more-britons-$1223065.htm Shareholder activist Carl Icahn has launched a bid to replace the entire Yahoo board after the web company rejected Microsoft's takeover bid. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/news/buisness/billionaire-investor-icahn-launches-yahoo-proxy-battle-$1223060.htm Barclays has defended its decision to send out letters encouraging customers to use their credit cards to withdraw cash from ATMs despite the high charges this incurs. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/news/buisness/barclays-defends-credit-card-campaign-$1223056.htm Shares in British Energy rose 5.74 per cent on the FTSE 100 this morning on an announcement that it has received a range of takeover proposals, some of them valuing the company higher than its closing share price. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/autocodes/countries/spain/british-energy-shares-rise-on-bids-$1223012.htm The London Interbank Offered Rate (Libor) has risen significantly, dashing hopes of a return to cheaper mortgages in the near future. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/news/finance/dramatic-rise-in-libor-may-keep-mortgage-rates-high-$1223007.htm Water regulator Ofwat has called for the water and sewage markets to be opened up to competition. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/news/finance/ofwat-calls-choice-in-water-supplier-$1222977.htm The majority of top UK businesses plan to cut back on business flights in the next decade - with major implications for the UK airport expansion policy, wildlife charity WWF-UK claims. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/news/science/businesses-plan-cut-back-on-flights-claims-charity-$1222978.htm Shares in DSG fell nine per cent on the London Stock Exchange after the electricals retailer announced plans to close 77 stores and halve its dividend payment. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/news/buisness/currys-owner-close-77-stores-$1222909.htm New house building in England is down by almost a quarter over the last three months, putting the government's target of two million new homes by 2016 at risk. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/news/property/house-building-down-24-per-cent-$1222883.htm Outgoing BT chief executive Ben Verwaayen ended his tenure on a high as the company reported a three per cent rise in pre-tax profit for its fourth quarter. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/news/buisness/bt-profits-up-as-verwaayen-departs-$1222885.htm Ministers, not civil servants, should be held responsible for the government's failures, a union leader will say this morning. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/news/politics/ministers-blamed-govt-failures-$1222855.htm Royal Mail should be partly privatised if it is to keep services afloat, the mail regulator Postcomm said. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/news/finance/royal-mail-needs-private-sector-cash-$1222854.htm Barclays said profits will be down for the first quarter after writing down £1 billion in assets relating to the US subprime crisis. http://www.inthenews.co.uk/News/news/buisness/barclays-reports-1bn-write-off-$1222834.htm