Intelligence work happens in the shadows, but the Ukraine crisis is dragging it into the sunlight. One of the most remarkable aspects of this showdown has been President Joe Biden’s willingness to publicly release sensitive information on Russia’s plans before they can be put into action. These disclosures are part of a strategy to stay a step ahead of Russian ...
Read More »Beware of ‘banking’ on WhatsApp
Smart phones have made life so much more convenient for everyone — well, apart from compliance sheriffs and record keepers at global banks. HSBC Holdings Plc alerted investors that it was being investigated in the US for its bankers’ use of WhatsApp and other personal messaging services for business purposes. It put the news in a single line in its ...
Read More »Offshore billionaires are risky for Swiss banks
The reputation of Swiss banking has taken a battering for years and the hits keep coming. The latest slew of stories about Credit Suisse Group AG’s links with unsavory clients highlights again the very long tail on what the bank says are entirely historic issues. Cleaning up Swiss banks’ client base and the industry’s standing in the world is ...
Read More »Energy will test unity of Europe on Ukraine
Only a few days ago, European officials were feeling pretty good about their united position regarding Russia’s troops along the Ukraine border. But the quiet hope was that Moscow wouldn’t push them to the brink of actually having to deliver on their threat of sanctions. This week, as the dust settled on China’s Winter Olympics, Russia did exactly that, ...
Read More »US mask mandate for flights likely to be extended: Union
Bloomberg The largest union representing US flight attendants expects a federal order mandating face masks for air passengers and other travellers will be extended again, even as a growing number of states and businesses lift restrictions. The requirement is set to expire on March 18 after being extended three times since it first was imposed in February 2021 as ...
Read More »London Heathrow Covid losses hit $5.2b
Bloomberg London Heathrow airport’s losses from two years of Covid disruption swelled to 3.8 billion pounds ($5.2 billion), leaving its finances hanging on a summer travel rebound and the go-ahead from regulators to raise prices. The UK hub had a loss of 1.8 billion pounds last year after passenger numbers slumped to 19.4 million, the lowest since 1972, Heathrow ...
Read More »Biden ups Russia sanctions, calls Ukraine invasion underway
Bloomberg US President Joe Biden unveiled sanctions targeting Russia’s sale of sovereign debt abroad and the country’s elites, responding to what he described as the start of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine. “He’s setting up a rationale to take more territory by force,†Biden said at the White House. “This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.†...
Read More »Ukraine seeks to declare nationwide state of emergency
Bloomberg Ukrainian authorities moved towards declaring a nationwide state of emergency after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two breakaway territories, ratcheting up tensions with Kyiv and sparking concerns about a potential broader conflict. The measure, announced by Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov in Kyiv on Wednesday, would empower communities across the country of 41 million to impose restrictions. ...
Read More »Japan protests after China detains diplomat
Bloomberg China temporarily detained a diplomat working at Japan’s embassy in Beijing this week, prompting protests from Japanese officials. The person was briefly detained Monday afternoon by Chinese authorities, according to statements from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassy, which said the actions were a breach of an international agreement protecting diplomats. The Chinese embassy in Tokyo rejected ...
Read More »Thailand eases rules for foreign visitors to reboot tourism
Bloomberg Thailand will further relax entry rules for foreign visitors starting next month, bowing to demand from the local tourism industry to lower costs as more countries ease border controls to lure holidaymakers. Vaccinated visitors to the Southeast Asian nation won’t be required to undergo a mandatory polymerase chain reaction test on the fifth day of the arrival starting ...
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