News Headlines - 11 August 2013

▽UK's Labour says Tesco and Next shun local workers | Reuters

Britain's opposition Labour party is to accuse supermarket giant Tesco and clothing retailer Next of turning away British workers where possible to exploit cheaper migrant labour.

▽Tesco hits back at Labour over foreign workers claim | Metro News

A Tesco spokesman said: ‘It is wrong to accuse Tesco of this. We work incredibly hard to recruit from the local area and have just recruited 350 local people to work in our Dagenham site.’ The supermarket chain is also reportedly planning to complain directly to Labour via a letter.

▽BBC News - UK wages decline among worst in Europe

Wages in the UK have seen one of the largest falls in the European Union during the economic downturn, according to official figures. The figures, which were requested by the Labour Party and collated by the House of Commons library, show average hourly wages have fallen 5.5% since mid-2010, adjusted for inflation.

▽Britain's foreign aid has fallen into hands of al-Qaeda, DfiD admits - Telegraph

Almost half a million pounds of British taxpayer-funded aid and equipment has fallen into the hands of al-Qaeda, the Department for International Development has admitted.

▽Big week of Japan data could test government's resolve to hike tax | Reuters

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plan to raise the national sales tax, painful medicine meant to address his government's ailing finances, faces an important test this week with the release of key economic data.