Infozone Breaking World News

Marks and Spencer’s has said that its like-for-like sales rose by just 0.8% (not counting newly opened stores) during the three months to Boxing Day, well below the predicted 2% rise. While the company’s overall total like-for-like sales grew by 1.2% and food sales rose by 0.4%, share prices fell by 4.25% on the news.

Speaking to the BBC, M &S chairman Sir Stuart Rose said that the company had had a good Christmas, but 2010 would still be a tough year. He added: “2009 was all about getting through the recession” and that, “We have done pretty well in getting ourselves back into positive territory”.

These latest Marks and Spencer’s sales figures come after the John Lewis group posted record sales over the Christmas period. John Lewis reported a like-for-like sales rise of 12.7% for the five weeks up to the 2nd January and a total revenue of £500.8 million. Waitrose Supermarket, who is owned by John Lewis also posted a 20.8% sales rise from the previous year.

A study conducted by computer security firm Sophos has found that criminal gangs are making millions of pounds by selling fake Swine Flu medication to unsuspecting Brits. The Sophos study found that many Brits, who feel that they may not be able to get Tamiflu through the NHS are being redirected to fake online pharmacies where the counterfeit medication is being sold.

The study also found that the top five countries trying to purchase Tamiflu and other medications such as Viagra and Cialis are Germany, UK, US, Canada and France. A spokesman for Sophos said: “The criminal gangs working behind the scenes at fake internet pharmacies are putting their customers’ health, personal information and credit card details at risk”.

Adding that, “They have no problem breaking the law to promote these websites, so you can be sure they’ll have no qualms in exploiting your confidential data or selling you medications which may put your life in danger”.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health tried to reassure people by saying, “There’s no need to jump the queue or pay for antivirals. They are free on the NHS and being offered to all who need them.”

It is estimated that these criminal gangs can earn between £10,000 and £60,000 a day by selling their counterfeit medications, with continuing concerns about Swine Flu driving their profits higher.

People who are still worried about Swine Flu and want to buy Genuine Tamiflu should check that the online pharmacy is fully registered before purchasing.

This morning Sir Bobby Robson lost his long battle with cancer.
A family statement released this morning said

“”It is with great sadness that it has been announced today that Sir Bobby Robson has lost his long and courageous battle with cancer.”

He sadly passed away peacefully this morning at his home in the north east.

Aged 76, bobby has been fighting cancer since 1991, he has managed some great football teams over his career including Porto, Barcelona and of course England, when he took them to the 1990 World Cup semi-final where they famously lost on penaties.

Ronnie Biggs one of the most common names associated with The Great Train Robbery of 1963, appears to be in very ill health.

Biggs aged 79 has suffered a series of strokes which has now left him unable to talk, He is now in hospital drifting in and out of consciousness and isn’t eating or walking. Doctors have said that there isn’t much hope for him.

The robbery took place on a TPO (Travelling Post Office) back on the 8th August 1963. £2.6 million was stolen which was in £1,£5 and £10 notes which where al used in today’s market this would be an estimated £38 million.

Ronnie escaped from HM Wandsworth Prison on 7th of July 1965 and fled to Paris straight away where he received new papers and passport so he was able to travel without suspicion.
Late 1965 Biggs flew to Sydney Australia where he lived for around 7/8 months before moving to Adelaide.

He received a letter from an anonymous source in England stating that Interpol where investigating him living in Australia and that he should relocate, so bags packed he moved to Melbourne.

In 1971 he was ousted as living in Rio De Janerio, but there was little the British police could do.

2001 saw Biggs return to the UK but he was immediately re arrested and imprisoned where he has been ever since.

Sales in UK shop have slowly risen for June by 1.2 %, this is a good rise after a sharp fall in May. This rise was a lot more than expect by economists who predicted a 0.3% rise.

UK shops have brought forward the summer sales in order to entice people to spend a little more a little sooner.

At the beginning of this week UK clothing retailer Next, claimed that the recent good weather had boosted its sales considerably.

This rise in UK sales is a positive sign that the UK might be over the worst of the economic storm.

Chipmunks are set to invade Britain; they are currently in the north of France only 22 miles away from the british coast line.

You might think that there is nothing to fear about these chipmunks but most of them are infected with the borelia virus which can lead to the deadly Lyme Disease in humans and they also carry Rabies.

Experts are worrying as they creatures are been sold in pet shops in France for around £10 and they can be easily smuggled back into the UK even though it is illegal.

They have been spotted in public parks in France which might be due to the recent hot weather, it is thought that they will spread like wild fire once in the UK and they have established themselves.

It is estimated that there could be up to 100,000 in northern France already.

A number of public figures may well sue the News of the World newspaper over phone hacking. Many so it seems were victims of phone hacking by private investigators who were hired by the News of the World.

A lawyer who spoke to the BBC said that he had already received two enquiries and that both politicians and celebrities are seeking advice.

A news story in the Guardian that claimed the News of the World was willing to pay great sums of money to settle a legal case which may have exposed the use of illegal methods to get stories.

Scotland Yard have commented that the fresh allegations will not be investigated.

The new phone hacking allegations involve some well known sports celebrities such as Alan Shearer the former England Captain and also Sir Alex Ferguson who is the Manager for Manchester United.

Among the new Inquiries are the press complaints commission, the commons select committee and the director of public prosecutions.

It’s is not the first time that the news of the world have had allegations of phone hacking made against them. Back in 2007 an investigation was made by the Metropolitan police when it was found that News of the world Journalists were phone hacking messages left for the aides to Prince Charles.

This at the time resulted in six month Jail sentences for a private investigator (Glenn Mulcaire) and for Clive Goodman the Royal editor. The scandal was large enough back in 2007 to also result in the resignation of the editor Andy Coulson.

An exclusive 125% mortgage deal will now be made available to existing Nationwide customers who are presently in negative equity but would like to move house.(Negative equity is when the value of a house is less than the amount they currently owe on their mortgage)

Nationwide have stated that the 125% mortgage deal is very much a niche offer and that not all of its customers that are in negative equity will qualify for the deal.

Currently the Nationwide building society is offering 85% mortgages to new customers. 

Loans that are above 100% have already been focused on as “risky” and have come in for much criticism, especially when we consider those that were offered by the now nationalised Northern Rock Bank. Borrowers that choose the 125% mortgage deal will find themselves immediately in negative equity.

A Nationwide spokeswoman has said that the new 125% mortgage deal is “not about additional borrowing or additional risk”.

The new product would mean that borrowers would have the choice of taking on a loan of 95% of the value of their new property at an interest rate of 6.73 % for a period of three years or 7.48% for a period of five years.  They could then add on to the loan any negative equity from their old property, which could be up to 30% of the value of their new home.  They would then be given the choice of taking out an additional loan for this amount at a higher interest rate of 7.23% for a period of three years or 7.98% for a period of five years.

The foreign office minister for Asia, Africa and the United Nations is to leave the government at the end of this month.  In a statement the minister said that it was never his intention to “do the job forever”.

Also, the Minister indicated that the decision came about because of personal and family reasons and that his resignation was not motivated by a political situation.

Downing Street has made no comments so far on any potential replacement for the foreign office minister and it is thought that any immediate announcement is unlikely at this stage. Lord Malloch Brown has said that he still greatly admires what the prime minister is doing and that he would continue to support the government.

When stepping down from his post as the foreign office minister Lord Malloch Brown said that his entrance to the government was “as a professional and not a politician”.

The Foreign office minister also stated that he thought it was a privilege to work with such people as David Miliband and Gordon Brown. 

The foreign minister was a member of the prime ministers Government of All the Talents which was aptly named “goats” by commentators. (People who are not political but have been utilised by the government for their areas of expertise in certain policy areas)

Gordon Brown has tried to maintain the goat policy; this is evident when he hired the former M&S chairman Paul Myners to take the role of city minister. Mervyn Davies (former bank boss) was also brought in to replace Lord Jones.

Barclays Bank has released its pre-tax profit for the first quarter of 2009, showing a 15% increase compared to the same quarter of last year, despite the ongoing economic climate. Pre-tax profits were up to £1.37 billion, with total income rising to a record £8.15 billion due to a healthy performance from its investment banking group.

Barclays had avoided being given government help during the financial crisis, choosing to raise extra money privately. The bank recently sold its iShare fund management business to raise an estimated £3bn and last year raised £7bn from Middle Eastern investors.

In a statement released by Barclays chief executive John Varley, he said: “We generated strong income growth across most business lines driven by the investments we have made in expanding our international network”.