Q&A: MPs on verge of backing “historic” crackdown on offshore corporate secrecy April 30, 2018 Parliament will tomorrow debate a dramatic amendment to a bill which could force Britain’s overseas territories to open up businesses to an unprecedented level of public scrutiny. Proponents of the bill believe the UK is on the cusp of an historic step in the battle against global corruption – but authorities in jurisdictions like the [...]
Check out these leaked details for the rumoured new SE2 iPhone April 30, 2018 Face identification, dual cameras and 3D touch will probably all be missing from the new iPhone rumoured to drop in June during Apple’s Worldwide Developers’ Conference. Latvian student Ben Geskin, well-known for accurately leaking details and photos about previous iPhones, tweeted pictures of the new telecommunications device. “New iPhone (probably SE2) coming soon – code [...]
Fifa’s $25bn question: The radical offer to Gianni Infantino that could change the face of football April 30, 2018 If Fifa president Gianni Infantino gets his way, this summer’s World Cup in Russia could be the last of its kind before a major revamp of club and international football. Sepp Blatter’s successor convened an emergency Fifa Council meeting today to discuss a $25bn offer that the governing body has received from an investment group [...]
Blockchain energy trading: British Gas owner Centrica to explore blockchain tech with a new UK trial April 30, 2018 Centrica has become the latest energy firm to dip its toes into blockchain technology as it announced a new trial today that will explore how a distributed ledger system can be used to help consumers save on energy. The firm, which owns British Gas, is working in partnership with US blockchain startup LO3 Energy to [...]
The weather outside is frightful: Insurer launches digital weather insurance policy April 30, 2018 Insurer Beazley has launched a digital-only insurance policy aimed at allowing events organisers to protect against extreme weather conditions. The new product, Weather Guard, is aimed at organisers of outdoor events that may be affected by severe weather or retailers insuring weather-related sales promotions. The digital policy can be accessed via a mobile device and [...]
CMC Markets launches pro platform in response to European spreadbetting clampdown April 30, 2018 CMC Markets, one of the world’s biggest financial trading platforms, today launched a new account which it hopes will allow many of its customers to circumvent a controversial clampdown by European regulators. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) is expected to implement restrictions in the coming days – more than a year since UK [...]
Lloyds Banking Group says customers are facing online banking issues which it is ‘working hard’ to resolve April 30, 2018 Lloyds Banking Group said this afternoon that it had noted intermittent online banking issues for some customers, and was looking to sort the trouble as soon as possible. A spokesperson said: “We are aware that some customers are experiencing issues logging on to internet banking. We are working hard to resolve the problem and apologise [...]
Salisbury spy poisoning exposes insurance gap around chemical and biological attacks April 30, 2018 The head of Pool Re, the government-backed terrorism reinsurance pool, has called for a debate on the insurance industry’s reaction to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incidents following the attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury last month. A report published today by Pool Re highlighted the risk to [...]
Sainsbury’s Asda merger makes Mayfair live worse for more after delivering £140m blow April 30, 2018 Some of Mayfair’s best-known hedge funds were today delivered a blow by Sainsbury’s as shares in the supermarket giant surged following a weekend confirmation it was holding merger talks with rival Asda. Along with other retailers, the grocer is one of Britain’s most heavily shorted stocks. Some 14.55 per cent of Sainsbury’s share capital is [...]
Things to do in Marrakech, at the Royal Mansour: This top Moroccan retreat showcases the region’s artisans April 30, 2018 Marrakech might be just a three-and-a-half-hour flight from London, with no time difference to mess about with, but it’s also a city that retains a glorious sense of exoticism and mystery. The ancient medina, for example, is overwhelming and chaotic, and you will get lost in it. The main square, Djemaa-El-Fnaa, is full of odd [...]