PRESS DIGEST- Financial Times - Aug. 17

- UK government has reopened its support scheme for the millions of self-employed workers who have been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic as sole traders will be able to claim up to 6,570 pounds ($8,606.04) for lost income since July 14, starting from Monday, according to UK finance minister Rishi Sunak. - Public Health England is to be scrapped as an independent health agency and will be merged with the NHS test and trace programme under government plans to set up a "more agile" body responsible for dealing with pandemics.

The following are the top stories in the Financial Times. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. Headlines

- UK looks to extend bailout loans to private equity-owned groups https://on.ft.com/3iQw2eP - UK remains attractive to investors despite Brexit, says Tata boss

- Sunak reopens support scheme for self-employed https://on.ft.com/345Pvnx - Ministers set to scrap Public Health England https://on.ft.com/2EdOazZ

Overview - The British government is trying to find a way to offer state-backed loans to debt-laden companies owned by private equity groups, that employ large numbers of people such as PizzaExpress, Prezzo and Merlin, in hopes of rescuing them, without breaching EU state aid rules.

- UK will remain an attractive investment destination after Brexit because global trade turmoil has become the "new normal" for companies, according to Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons, the business group whose UK interests include Jaguar Land Rover, Tetley Tea and the country's biggest steelworks in Port Talbot. - UK government has reopened its support scheme for the millions of self-employed workers who have been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic as sole traders will be able to claim up to 6,570 pounds ($8,606.04) for lost income since July 14, starting from Monday, according to UK finance minister Rishi Sunak.

- Public Health England is to be scrapped as an independent health agency and will be merged with the NHS test and trace programme under government plans to set up a "more agile" body responsible for dealing with pandemics. ($1 = 0.7634 pounds) (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom )