News Headlines - 14 August 2012

▽Air fares lift UK inflation to 2.6% - FT.com

UK inflation picked up unexpectedly in July, driven largely by increases in air fares and housing costs, official data show. The Office for National Statistics said on Tuesday that the Consumer Price Index in July rose at a year-on-year rate of 2.6 per cent, up from the 2.4 per cent in June. Economists had expected price growth to ease in July to 2.3 per cent.

▽Shock 6.2% Rise In Rail Fares From January

Rail travellers in England face a greater-than-expected 6.2% hike in average fares from the New Year after official figures revealed a surprise jump in the inflation rate.

▽Japan, North Korean officials to meet for first time in four years | Reuters

Diplomats from Japan and North Korea will meet for the first time in four yours later this month for talks that could touch on the contentious issue of the North's abduction of Japanese citizens decades ago, Japan said on Tuesday.

▽Google to cut 4,000 Motorola Mobility jobs - Telegraph

Motorola Mobility is to axe 4,000 staff - a fifth of its workforce - in the first major change under its new parent company, Google. The web search giant, which sealed its $12.5bn acquisition of the mobile phone manufacturer in May, was primarily motivated by Motorola’s portfolio of patents but this week made the first steps towards turning the company around.

▽Apple reveals secret patent deal with Microsoft in Samsung trial - Telegraph

Apple and Microsoft have a secret agreement not to sue each other over infringement of smartphone patents, it has been revealed, as part of a trial in which Samsung is accused of “slavishly copying” the iPhone and iPad.