Europe

UK - Proposals allowing transsexuals to marry in their adoptive sex and apply for substitute birth certificates have been published by the government.

UK - Isis Asset Management has approved shares in directory service Yell, which is due to float, for its ethical funds.

UK - Former Barking and Dagenham council workers have won their protracted legal battle over the withdrawal of pension awards for long service.

UK/US - US-based Wal-Mart has amended its equal employment policy after talks with UK fund manager, Isis Asset Management.

UK - Indemnity insurance needs to be made more widely available to scheme trustees to encourage a high calibre of candidates, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain says.

UK - Members of the GMB, one of the unions behind last week's industrial action at chemical giant Rhodia, are scheduling further strike dates for August and September.

UK - Ark Life Assurance has chosen an Aquila pensions administration system as the service platform for its new group personal retirement savings account product.

UK - Hermes Pensions Management has appointed Gillian Brown and Shane Feeney to its private equity team.

UK - Millions of final salary scheme members may need to increase contributions by £1bn a year to plug scheme deficits, Aon Consulting warns.

EUROPE/UK - Fund managers across Europe must alter their sales processes radically to boost win rates and cut costs, new research suggests.