PRESS DIGEST-British Business - Jan. 14

Jan 14 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

The Times

Persimmon Plc (PSMMF) has appointed Jason Windsor as the chief financial officer of the company, who will join the housebuilder in the summer. https://bit.ly/3toG0fI

British Health Secretary Sajid Javid has concluded that COVID-19 certification is no longer needed as the Omicron wave eases. https://bit.ly/3Kl1joK

The Guardian

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta is being sued for 2.3 billion pounds in a class action lawsuit that claims 44 million Facebook users in the UK had their data exploited after signing up to the social network. https://bit.ly/3rhoLKH

Google has announced a $1 billion deal to buy the London development Central Saint Giles, calling the move a show of confidence in the return to more office working. https://bit.ly/3Gs6CQV

The Telegraph

British Foreign Minister Liz Truss on Thursday told the European Union she wants a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol by the end of March in her first face-to-face meeting with the bloc's Brexit negotiator. https://bit.ly/31ZHuSw

Baillie Gifford, Blackrock Inc (BLK) and Aviva Plc (AIVAF) are among those backing calls for Brussels' regulations to be changed by the Financial Conduct Authority now that Britain has left the European Union. https://bit.ly/3I4OJIk

Sky News

Ovo Energy, the UK's third-largest household supplier, has informed staff of its decision to cut its workforce by a quarter. https://bit.ly/3Fp1mMr

British fashion retailer Next Plc (NXGPF) said on Thursday sick pay for unvaccinated staff who must self-isolate could be cut to the Statutory Sick Pay minimum rate of 96.35 pounds a week. https://bit.ly/3noc6V8

(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)