Anti-scam campaign groups are calling for police forces to be much tougher on fraudsters, who they claim are scamming millions from victims in “a penalty-free crime”. The pleas are being made just days after the UK government announced it is working on an “expanded” fraud strategy as part of a “robust response” to surging reported…
1862: Lancashire cotton famine After the American civil war began in 1861, President Abraham Lincoln tried to hamstring the economy of the southern states by blockading cotton exports. Yet that cotton was mostly sent to northwest England, and when supplies dried up in 1862, around 60% of cotton mills of Lancashire stopped production, causing huge…
Protesters gathered outside Tesla showrooms around the world on Saturday as part of a global day of action against billionaire chief executive Elon Musk. The protest is part of the Tesla Takedown movement — a grassroots campaign that calls for people to boycott Tesla, sell their shares and join local picket lines in a peaceful…
Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has called for a “reasoned” approach to an escalating tariff war between the EU and the US and repeated the importance of transatlantic unity. The US president, Donald Trump, has announced sweeping tariffs on his country’s allies and adversaries, including a 25% levy on car imports starting next week, and…
Hours before he was scheduled to report to prison and begin serving a nearly 10-year sentence for a federal fraud conviction, former talkshow host and media executive Carlos Watson received clemency from Donald Trump, sparing him from the punishment Friday. Watson was traveling to the Lompoc, California, federal correctional institution when he learned of the…
The main gate at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, on Sept. 25, 2023. Mario Anzuoni | Reuters The Federal Communications Commission has alerted the Walt Disney Company and its ABC unit that it will begin an investigation into the diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at the media giant. The FCC, the agency that regulates…
Thames Water’s chief financial officer has quit his £1.3m-a-year job, the cash-strapped water company has announced. Alastair Cochran, who had also recently served as interim chief executive at Thames, will leave his role within days. His departure comes at a critical time for the UK’s largest water company amid close scrutiny of its fragile finances.…
The fashion group Boohoo is to forge ahead with a plan to change its name to Debenhams, despite Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group voting to block formalisation of the move amid a stinging battle between the two retailers. Boohoo said earlier this month it wanted to rename itself Debenhams, the department store brand it bought out…
One of the UK’s largest mortgage lenders has relaxed its rules and will offer some borrowers up to £35,000 more to fund their home purchases. Santander said it had adjusted the way it calculated affordability, meaning many customers applying for a mortgage would be able to borrow between £10,000 and £35,000 more from Friday. The…
Introduction: China’s Xi urges global CEOs to protect trade as Trump tariffs loom Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy. Anxiety over Donald Trump’s plan to announce a barrage of tariffs on trading partners next week is gripping the global economy, and the markets. China’s…
