Aviva’s UK unit testing AI for ‘quicker solutions’ August 21, 2023 The head of Aviva’s UK unit has revealed that the insurance giant is experimenting with artificial intelligence across its business. Adam Winslow, CEO of Aviva UK & Ireland General Insurance, told the Insurance Post that virtual assistants and chatbots were the “obvious next step” for offering customers “quicker solutions to whatever their query is”. “There [...]
UK competition agency clears Broadcom’s £54bn deal for VMware August 21, 2023 Broadcom’s proposed purchase of VMware would not substantially reduce competition in the supply of server hardware components in the UK, the industry regulator has said. The UK’s competition watchdog has cleared the largest deal in its history as it said that the tie-up of US companies Broadcom and VMware would not damage UK competition. The [...]
Holiday firms go to war with airlines over summer flight cancellations August 21, 2023 An alliance of consumer advocates and travel firms has called on the prime minister to stand up for holidaymakers after thousands of cancelled flights this summer. In a joint letter with Which?, companies including loveholidays, On The Beach and Thomas Cook, have urged Rishi Sunak to allow airlines to be fined if they fail in [...]
‘Burglar’ short-sellers under fire over Darktrace attack August 21, 2023 Quintessential Capital Management has been accused of 'rogue' short-selling tactics in its pursuit of Darktrace
China’s modest rate cut surprises markets expecting greater stimulus August 21, 2023 The recovery in the world's second-largest economy has lost steam due to a worsening property slump, weak consumer spending and tumbling credit growth
Businesses forced to wait 18 months to have claims heard as delays continue August 21, 2023 Businesses are being forced to wait an average of 18 months to have their cases heard in the UK’s civil courts as the bulging backlog of claims remains persistent. The wait is longer than the average of 17 months it took cases to be heard in January to March 2022, and 27 per cent longer [...]
HMRC paid out over £500,000 to tax fraud whistleblowers – but lawyers say rewards should be higher August 21, 2023 Lawyers are calling for the UK’s tax authority to expand its whistleblower rewards scheme as new figures show that HMRC paid out over £500,000 to people blowing the whistle on tax fraud. HMRC has paid out over £509,000 to individuals providing evidence about tax fraud during the course of the last financial year, up from [...]
The Notebook: Susannah Streeter on the parenthood trap, stripped-back burgers and the terrible trend of pub queues August 21, 2023 Today, it’s Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, holding the City A.M. pen The pricey parenthood trap I congratulated my 40-something friends and new parents who took on the daunting task of moving house with their baby last week. It’s a challenge we recklessly took on ourselves, almost 17 years ago [...]
Businessman guilty of plotting two bombs in London over £1.4m legal wrangle with NCA August 18, 2023 A businessman suspected of being involved in an international money-laundering ring has been found guilty of orchestrating a bomb plot against lawyers for Britain’s FBI in a row over £1.4 million. Jonathan Nuttall, 50, was convicted of conspiring with his driver, Michael Sode, and an ex-marine, Michael Broddle, to plant two devices in London’s legal [...]
ULEZ camera vandalism ‘will not stop’ London expansion despite 300 incidents this month August 18, 2023 Transport for London (TfL) vowed that vandalism of ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) cameras “will not stop” the scheme’s expansion. The transport body issued the statement after the Metropolitan Police said it had recorded 288 crimes relating to the cameras as of August 1, and released an image of a suspect. The BBC said there had [...]
