Thursday newspaper round-up: Help-to-buy, fossil fuel, Woodford, Facebook

(Sharecast News) - More than half of people using the government's help-to-buy loan scheme could have purchased a home without support from the state, according to Whitehall's spending watchdog. In a critical report into the government's flagship scheme to help more people get on the property ladder, the National Audit Office said about three-fifths of buyers could have bought a home without the support. - GuardianThe world's largest sovereign wealth fund, which manages $1tn (£786bn) of Norway's assets, has been given the go ahead for the largest fossil fuel divestment to date by dropping more than $13bn of investments. Norway's parliament voted plans into law on Wednesday for the fund to dump investments in eight coal companies and an estimated 150 oil producers. - GuardianThe far-right strongman of Italy's populist coalition government, Matteo Salvini, has got a new bargaining chip in his battle to get more cash: minibots. They are the brainchild of economist Claudio Borghi, a senior member of Salvini's party, the League. The concept is a low denomination bond that can be used within Italy as a fresh way for the government to issue debt. That idea also underpins its name: Buoni Ordinari del Tesoro (BOT), or Ordinary Treasury Bonds and 'mini', as the notes involved are lower than the minimum level at which government debt is now issued. - TelegraphThe fallout from the crisis at Neil Woodford's investment firm has spread to the stockpicker's other open-ended fund after its assets shrank by more than £100 million in less than a fortnight. Data from Morningstar, the research company, shows that the assets in his Income Focus Fund have fallen to £371 million from £480 million on June 3, the day when Mr Woodford shocked the investment industry with the suspension of withdrawals from his main fund. - The TimesFacebook is to hire 500 software engineers in London to help it to police fake news, bullying and other malicious activity on its networks. The technology company and publisher said yesterday that 100 of the new roles would involve work in artificial intelligence and that a significant number would be in its community integrity team responsible for user safety. - The TimesThe chairman of Saga has criticised the way the over-50s insurer and cruises group was floated five years ago, accusing its private equity owners and bankers of "over-egging" its potential. Patrick O'Sullivan explicitly attacked Charterhouse, CVC and Permira, as well as their bank advisers led by Citigroup, yesterday as he announced the departure of Lance Batchelor, his chief executive, by mutual agreement. - The Times