Blockchain and Britcoin could bolster fight against ‘fraud epidemic’, experts argue May 29, 2023 The digital pound could be an important weapon in regulators’ fight against the rising tide of fraud, experts have argued. With the widespread scale of scams in the UK, Quant’s chief executive Gilbert Verdian said “we need a complete reset”. Quant builds technology for blockchains, including those underlying central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). According to [...]
A tribute to Martin Amis: ‘He wanted time itself to flow backwards’ May 28, 2023 Last weekend Martin Amis died in Fort Worth, Florida at the age of 73 – the same age as his father Sir Kingsley Amis – of a disease I hadn’t known he had, in a house I wasn’t aware he had owned. Why should the death of our heroes be so shocking, being as it [...]
Rolls-Royce: ‘No decision’ on job cuts May 28, 2023 British engine maker Rolls-Royce has made no decisions regarding changes to its workforce, a company spokesperson said on Saturday, after a Sunday Times report said the company was expected to cut about 3,000 non-manufacturing staff. The Sunday Times report added that chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic has hired consultants led by McKinsey to advise on streamlining the company. [...]
Analysis: Why US debt ceiling deal might not be good news for global markets May 28, 2023 Good news of a tentative deal for the U.S. debt ceiling impasse may quickly turn out to be bad news for financial markets. U.S. President Joe Biden and top congressional Republican Kevin McCarthy on Saturday reached a tentative deal to raise the federal government’s $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, two sources familiar with the negotiations said, potentially averting [...]
Wagner boss to Putin: Ignore me, and it’ll be trouble May 28, 2023 Russia’s most powerful mercenary said on Sunday he was convinced that senior Kremlin officials had banned reporting about him on state media, cautioning that such a misleading approach would lead to a backlash from the Russian people within months. Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner mercenary group, is the most striking member of President Vladimir Putin’s circle [...]
US debt ceiling: “Agreement in principle” to end default showdown May 28, 2023 The White House has reached an “agreement in principle” with the Republicans on a deal to limit federal spending and resolve a looming debt crisis, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has confirmed. The deal on a two-year budget is believed to include a debt-limit increase and enhanced work requirements for food aid. Mr McCarthy said he [...]
Labour ‘set to rule out’ all further North Sea oil and gas projects May 28, 2023 New North Sea oil and gas developments will reportedly be blocked under a Labour government. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is on the verge of announcing the block when he sets out his net-zero energy policy in Scotland next month, The Sunday Times said. As part of the energy plans, the newspaper reported a Sir [...]
Putin launches biggest drone raid on Kyiv since the start of the Ukraine war May 28, 2023 Ukraine’s capital has been subjected to the largest drone attack since the start of Russia’s war, local officials said, as Kyiv prepared to mark the anniversary of its founding on Sunday. Russia launched the “most massive attack” on the city overnight into Sunday with Iranian-made Shahed drones, said Serhii Popko, a senior Kyiv military official. [...]
Government to ‘encourage’ supermarkets to cap food prices May 28, 2023 Government plans to encourage supermarkets to impose price caps on food staples to help with the cost of living will have no “element of compulsion”, a Cabinet minister has said. Downing Street is understood to be drawing up proposals that would seek to get retailers charging the lowest possible amount for some basic products like [...]
MG4 EV review: The best-value electric car you can buy May 27, 2023 The MG4 EV is a more affordable alternative to a Volkswagen ID.3. Should it be your next electric family car?