EU bank watchdog launches inquiry into Denmark’s handling of Danske Bank amid DOJ probe October 8, 2018 The European Union's banking supervisor has launched preliminary inquiries into Denmark's financial watchdog in relation to allegations of money laundering at Danske Bank through its Estonia branch. European Banking Authority chair Andrea Enria today informed the European parliament that it had launched a "preliminary breach of union law inquiries on … the Danske bank case in [...]
Kremlin says Netherlands’ expulsion of Russian agents was a “misunderstanding” October 8, 2018 Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov today dismissed the charges against four Russian military intelligence (GRU) agents in the Netherlands as a "misunderstanding". The four agents were arrested by Dutch authorities in the middle of an attack on the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in April, and were later expelled from the country. "There [...]
Getting into the flow of it: Cuadrilla’s CEO on safety, earthquakes and political hypocrisy as the company gears up to start onshore fracking October 8, 2018 Not since the debate about nuclear power has an energy issue proven as controversial as fracking. Hydraulic fracturing, the process of blasting a mix of water, sand and chemicals deep into the earth to extract shale oil and gas, has riled parliament, rallied campaigners and grabbed headlines. But ask the boss of the first company [...]
Five charts that explain the case for emerging markets October 8, 2018 Investors generally understand the importance of emerging markets in terms of their economic impact but, perhaps due to lack of knowledge, often struggle to know how best to reflect this in their portfolios. Those investors have ignored what are some of the world's best-performing financial markets since the turn of the millennium. What is more, [...]
Danske Bank shares crash to four-year low over Russian money laundering October 5, 2018 Shares in Danske Bank plunged to four-year lows this morning, after reports of an internal memo suggested the bank executed up to €8.5bn (£7.5bn) in mirror trades for Russian customers in 2013. The bank's share price fell as much as 11 per cent this morning to 141.30 Danish crowns, its largest one-day drop in seven years. [...]
US indicts seven Russian agents accused in doping scandal cyber attack October 4, 2018 The FBI today said it has indicted seven Russian military intelligence (GRU) agents on allegations of conspiring to hack into computer equipment and steal information from a range of global sporting agencies, after Russia was condemned over a state-sponsored doping scheme. The charges, which include wire fraud and conspiracy to commit computer fraud and money laundering, [...]
UK warns of further sanctions against Russia as Nato weighs in on fresh hacking allegations October 4, 2018 The UK has said it will revise sanctions against Russia in light of today's cyber hacking allegations, working alongside other institutions as Nato joined the chorus of voices against Russian military intelligence (GRU). The statement, made by the UK's Dutch ambassador Peter Wilson on behalf of Europe minister Alan Duncan, said: "We will increase further our understanding of what [...]
Danske Bank faces US probe over €200bn money laundering scandal October 4, 2018 The crisis at Danske Bank deepened today as it confirmed that US authorities are investigating a €200bn money laundering scandal involving suspicious Russian money. Danske Bank has received "requests for information" from the US Department of Justice (DoJ) about the suspected money laundering which took place in its Estonian branch between 2007 and 2015. The [...]
UK and Netherlands put Russian military intelligence behind five cyber attacks October 4, 2018 Prime Minister Theresa May, in tandem with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, today said UK and Dutch authorities have identified a number of cyber attacks which came from a network of hackers employed by Russian military intelligence (GRU), including an attack on a UN watchdog. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre, supported by the Foreign Office, said the GRU [...]
Putin calls Novichok attack victim Skripal a ‘scumbag’ October 3, 2018 President Vladmir Putin has labelled ex-spy Sergei Skripal, who nearly died after being poisoned with Novichok in an international incident earlier this year, a “scumbag” and traitor. “Imagine: suddenly someone goes and betrays your country. What do you think about him? Anyone here from any country? He’s just a scumbag, and that’s it,” Putin said [...]