Rise in price of the British real estate in June: survey (AFP)

London (AFP) - house prices UK increased by 1.2% in June to the level in may, a major home-loan provider data showed on Wednesday.

However they declined by 3.5% in June compared with 12 months earlier, according to figures from the mortgage lender Halifax.

"Low interest rates, the increase in the number of persons in employment and some tightening of the conditions of the market earlier this year are likely to have been the main factors behind the recent improvement in price trends", Halifax housing Economist Martin Ellis said in a statement.

"However, the market is likely to continue to address significant turbulence which should limit the demand for housing." Growth of low income, higher taxes and a relatively high inflation continue to put pressure on household finances, "he added in a statement."

Halifax, which is part of the Group of banks Lloyds rescued by the State, said that the average home in Britain price amounted to £ 163,049 ($261,147, 181,733 euros) in June.

The Bank of England should keep interest rates at a record low of 0.50% Thursday and maintain the status quo in the year next due to the recovery of flagging of Great Britain, economists.

The Queen British taxpayers cost less in the past year (AP)

LONDON - British taxpayers spend 32.1 million pounds ($51.7 million) supporting the monarchy in the past year, 5.3% less than the previous year, as Queen Elizabeth II joined a national drive to reduced spending.

Official accounts for the year to March 31 show that a large part of the savings came from reducing the Bill for the maintenance of the Royal residences of 15.4 million pounds of 11.9 million pounds.

According to the report, cost constraints mean maintenance will be reduced to "reactive emergency repairs" and nine rooms refurbishment plans to Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle will be discarded.

Last week, the Government announced that the monarch must join his subjects by austerity measures aimed at reducing the deficit of Britain. Funding of the Royal family will fall by about 9% by 2015.

Clears British Sky News Corp. deal (Reuters)

London (Reuters) - News Corp. (NWSA).(O) guaranteed the British Government for its purchase of BSkyB (BSY.)(L) Thursday after the Minister responsible for complaints has dismissed the move would give Rupert Murdoch too power and influence.

The Department of media gave his blessing to the agreement of several billion dollars after News Corp agreed to spin off BSkyB influential Sky News channel to alleviate the problems of competition between industry and politicians.

The coalition Government led by the conservative, often accused of being too close to Murdoch, announced a final consultation until 8 July period to consider new businesses for ensuring the editorial independence of Sky News.

He avoids launches an investigation in the deal, which could have caused the purchase price higher than the continuing British pay-TV Group of strongly, adding new customers and new products at a pace intoxicating of the sale.

The conglomerate of Media News Corp also owns London's Times and Sunday Times, and sold daily Serbian sister the tabloid Sun and Sunday News of the world, which is at the Centre of an investigation by police on phone hacking.

Linked to that, several celebrities continue to arm of News Corp British newspaper for listening to voice messages harvest material from the first page of scandal, leading some critics to say any agreement BSkyB must be stopped at least until the police investigations have been completed.

Global Avaaz online campaign group said it would seek to set aside the decision of the Government through challenging legal and business media rivals disappointed.

Culture Minister Jeremy Hunt said: "I am aware of the enormous interest in the proposed merger."

"I could have decided to accept original commitments, but a number of suggestions have been made... particularly around independence editorial, the viability of the company and the articles.".

The proposals define guidelines around who can become an independent administrator to the new company of Sky News, such as anyone News Corp has worked over the past five years, the role of judgment.

Independent directors should also be present at the meetings of the Council on matters of editorial decisions are made.

News Corp is not that only a majority owner of BSkyB but has played a key role in the creation of the company, while son of News Corp. Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch James is an ex - CEO and President of currently non-executive of BSkyB.

"These proposals makes the original deal more safe," media consultant Steve Hewlett told Reuters. "This is not fundamentally alter the opinions of people who, for their own commercial or other reasons, are passionately y opposites."

"But they are able to stop?" I doubt it. »

Avaaz, which brought together nearly half a million electronic signatures for a petition asking the Government to reject the deal, said: "the multi-year denials of phone hacking, followed by a belated statement of wrongdoing, show that News Corp could not be trusted to implement the commitments."

"Avaaz lawyers are reviewing the revised business and the Group may apply for leave for judicial review of decision of Hunt.

MONEY TALKS

News Corp and BSkyB can now negotiate the terms. Major shareholder of BSkyB have begun to know the price they want.

News Corp will be eager to avoid fuelling an emerging reputation as a company who overpays, following expensive acquisitions of Wall Street Journal Publisher Dow Jones & Co and social network Myspace.

On Wednesday, he sold Myspace for $ 35 million, compared to 580 million of $ it paid in 2005 for the site a hot time.

A year ago, News Corp said that he had offered 700 pence per share to 61 percent of BSkyB, it did not already own, or of 7.8 billion pounds ($12.5 billion). The independent directors of BSkyB demanded at least 800 pence.

BSkyB shares were flat at 847.5 pence at 0911 GMT.

"We anticipate a bid 850 pence over the final dividend," analyst Jefferies Nick Bell said in a note, adding he expected a final green light for the agreement shortly after on 8 July and accepted a possible bid by July 29.

"Although a number of shareholders have asked publicly well over 900 pence we consider this unlikely," he said, noting the absence of rival bidders, the multiple high on which the stock was already negotiated and the risks of a slowdown in consumption.

The battle led to a discussion on the domination of the Murdoch media and a large number were not reassured by the decision see spin-News Corp off Sky News but remain the principal landlord Fund and 40%.

Rival media, recovering from the global recession which hammered - their source of income key - the advertising are complained about, for fear of financial influence of News Corp.

"We continue to believe that this case should have been before the Commission of competition for a full investigation," an alliance of companies opposed to the agreement, including the Guardian Media Group, Trinity Mirror (FFT.)(L) and BT (BT.)(L), said in a statement.

Marc Israel, associated with the law firm Macfarlanes, said competition that Hunt was perfectly within its right to not to refer the matter to the Commission of competition for a comprehensive review.

"Ironically, for those who oppose the agreement, this result can be better than a review by the Competition Commission which could be released unconditionally after a thorough review."

($1 = 0.626 book)

(Editing by Dan Lalor)

Invest British Columbia Colombia fraud leads to record 47 million fine (the globe and mail)

Published on 15 December 2010 5 H 27 ESTLast updated 15 December 2010 5 H 39 EST6 comments

British Columbia Colombia investment dealer that target members of a Korean religious community in the province ordered to pay penalties for a total of $ 47 million after a British Columbia Securities Commission Panel ruled that it has committed fraud.

The Commission said Kim Sung Wan (Sean) raised $ 15.7 million 36 investors and has not invested their money in futures and options contracts as promised. Instead of this, most of the money went into his personal bank account, and none was recovered for investors.

"Kim to steal money from investors," the panel hearing BCSC stated in a decision published Wednesday. "He lied about how their funds would be invested and the benefits that they could win."

Sentencing is a record amount for a case of the Commission, stated the Director of the enforcement Lang Evans. But whereas the commission will be "aggressive" try to seize assets to enforce the latter judgment, Mr Evans said that it was unlikely that much can be retrieved to pay the fine.

This is because that most investors ' money has been transferred abroad, until the Commission can freeze accounts, and because Mr. Kim is now in jail in Korea South. He was arrested he after fleeing the Canada and was recently recognized British Colombia fraud guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison. It appeals from conviction.

"This is an outrageous this individual fraud", Mr. Evans said in an interview Wednesday. "And it is a tragic story."

Victims by Mr. Kim came from the Evangelical Church of Korean Foursquare in Vancouver, most of them holding dual nationality Canadian-Korean. Mr. Kim promised yields ranging from 26% to 60% per year on their investments.

In his fraud, he also forged supposed to come from the Commission saying falsely commission monitoring of its business, the Cirplus assistance letters. He also prepared false statements showing the profits earned by the investors.

"All these statements were false," said the Commission. "The investors have received no feedback and each of them have lost their main".

Most investors gave Mr. Kim hundreds of thousands of dollars, and one testified at the hearing, it has invested $ 1.4 million and is now mostly bankrupt.

Commission said that it was not attenuating the case and the Panel has decided that it was appropriate to require by Mr. Kim from "deprive" 15.7 million collected from investors and pay an administrative penalty equal to twice the amount he took his victims or 31.4 million.

Also permanently, it is prohibited to act as Director or officer of a public company or work in the investment industry in the province.