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United Kingdom — Business

Avanti West Coast to be renationalised in March

Rail operator linking London to Birmingham, the north-west and Glasgow had highest number of cancellations across networkAvanti West Coast will be renationalised in spring, as Andy Burnham declares “enough is enough” for passengers who have put up with a rail service “that has failed them time and time again”.The rail operator, which is one of the worst in the country for train delays and cancellations, will come under public ownership from March when its contract ends.

One Nation senator pays back more than $3,300 in taxi expenses; Cleary tells fans ‘I’ll be back’ – as it happened

This blog is now closedGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastRBA expected to hike cash rate to 4.6%, its highest level since 2011Australia’s key interest rate is expected to hit its highest level since 2011, drag down house prices and add more than $100 to typical monthly mortgage repayments.

Three-quarters of UK’s popular plug-in hybrid cars unable to use rapid chargers

Only 26% of PHEVs sold across top 20 models can use chargers with power of 50kW or more, analysis findsThree-quarters of the 20 top-selling plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the UK cannot use rapid chargers, research has found, amid concerns that many are essentially “petrol cars pulling round a heavy battery”.The cars, which can run on electric batteries as well as combustion engines, have been promoted by carmakers as a way to cover long distances in a single drive – unlike fully ele…

Lula bans fixed-odds sports betting a week before Brazilian elections

President’s ‘hard, drastic and necessary measure’, likely to attract widespread public support, polls suggestThe Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has signed an order banning fixed-odds sports betting just over a week before the first round of the presidential election, in a move he said was designed to tackle the pervasive problem of families falling into debt.The decision ends the operation, offering, intermediation and advertising of betting.

Indian billionaire’s payments firm plots biggest London flotation in years

Sunil Bharti Mittal’s Airtel Money targets $9bn IPO in boost for ailing UK stock marketNils Pratley: Does this mark the end of London’s listing drought? Not yetA payments business that operates across Africa and is ultimately controlled by an Indian billionaire has announced its intention to float on the struggling London Stock Exchange.Airtel Money, the mobile money arm of Airtel Africa, is planning one of the biggest UK listings in years, in a boost for the shrinking London market that has fac…