UK Interest Rates Held At 0.5%

The UK's interest rates will remain at their record low of 0.5% after a decision by the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee. The move comes as concerns mount over the strength of the economic recovery and the eurozone debt crisis, as European leaders meet in Brussels on Thursday afternoon to discuss a last-ditch plan. Interest rates have been at 0.5% since March 2009. The Bank did not announce any increase in its policy of quantitative easing. In October, the Bank said it would pump another £75bn into the economy. Meanwhile, the European Central Bank has also announced it is keeping its interest rate at its historic low of 1%. Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank, announced the measure as part of the bank's attempts to rescue Europe's crisis-hit banks and unblock frozen financial markets.

Gov Announces Consultation On Gender Biased Insurance

The Government has on Thursday issued a consultation on how insurers can use gender as a risk factor in the light of a ruling by a European Court against the practice. Earlier this year, The European Court of Justice ruled that the use of gender as a risk factor by insurers should not result in individual differences in premiums and benefits for men and women, with effect from December 21. However, the Government said it continued to believe the judgment was "detrimental for consumers", and said there is an obligation to implement the ruling into law. Mark Hoban, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said: "While nobody should ever be treated unfairly because of their gender, financial services providers should be allowed to make sensible decisions based on sound analysis of risk. We continue to work hard with other Member States and the Commission to secure legal certainty for industry and reduce any detrimental effects for consumers."

Canoe Death Faker Owes £700,000

The canoeist John Darwin who faked his own death before returning to the UK in 2008 has denied newspaper reports he has a secret stash of money, saying he has debts of £700,000. Darwin and his wife Anne were jailed in 2008 for making false insurance claims after faking John faked his death and secretly moved abroad. Ms Darwin told police he had died in an accident in 2002 off the coast of Seaton Carew, Teesside - but he actually lived in a bedsit adjoining their house for years. He says he has lost everything as a result of the fraud.

(DW/GK)