LONDON Britain’s financial sector is drawing up proposals on how it could still serve EU clients after Brexit, even as firms begin establishing new operations on the continent to keep access to the European market. Regulatory and banking experts working for the City of London and lobby group TheCityUK are basing their ideas on a ‘mutual recognition’ system. Under this, the European Union and Britain would broadly […]
By Guy Faulconbridge and Elizabeth Piper | LONDON LONDON Prime Minister Theresa May will file formal Brexit divorce papers on Wednesday, pitching the United Kingdom into the unknown and triggering years of uncertain negotiations that will test the endurance of the European Union. Nine months after Britons voted to leave, May will notify EU Council President Donald Tusk in a letter that the UK really is quitting […]
After nine months’ gestation, the Brexit process has started. Both sides of the referendum have political points; Brexiters can say the UK economy is growing and there has been no market implosion, while Remainers can say UK assets have drastically underperformed the rest of the world, and the costs of the historic sterling devaluation are yet to be counted. Now, it is time to work out what […]
For Bill Kochevar, paralysed from the neck down for eight years after a cycling accident, it was a personal triumph. Using his own arm and hand, he scooped forkfuls of mashed potato from a bowl into his mouth. For the team of biomedical engineers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, Mr Kochevar’s restored ability to feed himself was a milestone in neurotechnology. He was the […]
Even 10 minutes of daily high-intensity physical activity could help some children reduce the risk of developing heart issues and metabolic diseases such as diabetes, according to a new study. The research found that by replacing low-intensity activity with short periods of vigorous exercise could be beneficial for young overweight people who report a higher insulin level in the blood. The international study was carried out by a […]
Overseas companies that invest in the UK issued a flurry of warnings on Tuesday about the threat Brexit poses to their businesses, signalling their growing concern as the UK prepares to start the formal process of leaving the EU. Forty European business lobbies, representing 20m companies in 34 countries, issued a statement calling for a post-Brexit settlement which would preserve the integrity of the single market, deliver […]
By Josh Smith and James Mackenzie | KABUL KABUL Afghanistan plans to double the number of elite special forces from 17,000 troops, officials said, part of a long-term strategy to bolster units stretched and exhausted by persistent attacks from Taliban insurgents and other Islamist militants. Special forces, who represent a small fraction of the 300,000-strong armed forces, have been carrying out nearly 70 percent of the army’s […]
Apple finally released iOS 10.3 to the public just as expected, introducing a number of new features into the mix — including the highly anticipated Find My AirPods feature. The Apple AirPods have stirred great interest ever since they were announced, albeit the long delays until launch caused some serious frustration among fans. The wireless earbuds finally hit the scene late last year aiming to offer a superior audio […]
The triggering this week of Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty to facilitate Britain’s exit from the EU is undoubtedly a momentous event. At issue in the forthcoming talks will be whether Britain can win back control over immigration and lawmaking without wrecking trade relations in its biggest market and damaging London’s status as the pre-eminent international financial centre. A minimum of two years of difficult and […]
CAIRO Islamic State’s branch in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula posted a video on Tuesday depicting the beheading of two men the militant Islamist group said it had found guilty of practicing witchcraft and sorcery. The video, posted on a Telegram channel often used by IS, showed the group forming a religious police unit known as the Hasbah in northern Sinai, where it has waged an insurgency for years. […]
Agricultural trading bosses gathered in Lausanne, Switzerland for the FT’s Commodities Global Summit have warned against closed borders and potential trade wars as rising protectionist rhetoric casts a shadow over their ability to access global markets. David MacLennan, Cargill chief executive, says raising tariffs will hurt the world economy, and Carl Casale, head of CHS, a leading US grain co-operative, highlights the damage it would wreak on […]
The Gulf emirate of Qatar is tiny, but it’s made a name for itself by placing big bets. Thanks to vast reserves of natural gas, its 2.6 million residents enjoy the world’s highest per-capita income: $129,700 a year. Qatar has acquired more than $335 billion worth of assets around the globe, buying up trophies such as London’s Shard, the tallest building in Europe. The emirate has also […]
During the 2016 United States presidential campaign, property tycoon and reality TV personality Donald Trump frequently promised that if he were elected, he would go to Washington and “drain the swamp”, removing career political hacks and bringing in new blood. When he was elected, however, in addition to packing the White House with relatives and controversial figures, he picked a long-time swamp-dweller for one of the most […]
Can I make this LED bulb a user interface to my home? Image: Simon Bisson First, a confession. I always wanted one of those internet-connected rabbits. You know the ones: they’d glow yellow if it was sunny, drop an ear if the NASDAQ had conniptions, and make burbling noises when a friend was trying to Skype you and you’d turned off all your speakers. What they were […]
Elon Musk is a man who wants to do a myriad of things: he wants autonomous electric cars cruising down streets in the near future, he wants to send people to Mars and our Moon, and he wants to build a substitute to trains that travels blazingly fast. Now, he has another item in his to-do list: to link up your human brain with artificial intelligence. How? With the […]
Dawn is the time to see Angkor Wat. Waiting in the dark as the exquisite 11th-century temple is conjured out of the Cambodian jungle feels ridiculously thrilling. As the sun rises above the tall, minutely carved, lotus-like towers, and the ornate magnificence of the buildings is reflected in the great ornamental lakes, you get a sense of how 19th-century French explorer Henri Mouhot must have felt when […]
The Victorian government is distributing AU$5 million across 15 telehealth projects to better connect patients in regional and rural areas to medical specialists across the state, Minister for Health Jill Hennessy announced on Tuesday. The projects will allow Alfred Health to provide online video consultations to burns, infectious disease, lung transplant, and HIV patients in regional and rural Victoria. Austin Health’s Victorian Respiratory Support Service and the […]
“The new tax rate will bring Saudi Aramco in line with international benchmarks,” Saudi Aramco’s chief executive officer, Amin H. Nasser, said in a statement. Continue reading the main story The tax cut was announced a couple of months after intensive discussions with international bankers in Riyadh about how the offering should be structured. Bankers and independent specialists said the cut would help increase the cash flow […]
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told Reuters on Tuesday that Russia could use Iranian military bases to launch air strikes against militants in Syria on a “case by case basis.” Russia and Iran are both key allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and have played decisive roles in the past 18 months to turn the tide of the Syrian conflict in his favour. Russian jets used […]
Researchers have manufactured artificial materials with engineered electronic properties. By moving individual atoms under their microscope, the scientists were able to create atomic lattices with a predetermined electrical response. The possibility to precisely arrange the atoms on a sample bring ‘designer quantum materials’ one step closer to reality. By arranging atoms in a lattice, it becomes possible to engineer the electronic properties of the material through the […]
Adriaane Pielou Holidaying on horseback is guaranteed to lift the spirits. The exhilaration you feel after spending time in the fresh air afforded by the countryside is enhanced by the fact that you can choose from a range of trips. Despite being a sporty kind of activity, a riding holiday can involve weeks crossing mountains and camping out each night. However, you can also choose undemanding meanders […]
By Noel Randewich and Rishika Sadam Shares of Snap Inc jumped nearly 5 percent on Monday after several of the Snapchat owner’s IPO underwriters handed it badly needed “buy” ratings. Snap’s listing on March 1 was the largest by a technology firm in three years but trading has been volatile, with many investors critical of decelerating user growth. Snap has warned it may never become profitable. Analysts […]
By David Brunnstrom | WASHINGTON WASHINGTON China appears to have largely completed major construction of military infrastructure on artificial islands it has built in the South China Sea and can now deploy combat planes and other military hardware there at any time, a U.S. think tank said on Monday. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), part of Washington’s Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said the work […]
Silver Eye Goldfrapp (Mute Records) Four stars “We’ve never liked repeating ourselves,” says singer Alison Goldfrapp, talking about her latest album with Will Gregory. Only, that’s not entirely true, is it? Eight albums into their career, and 17 years after their debut, a definite pattern has emerged. A kind of musical tick/tock. On the ‘tick’ we have the contemplative soundscapes. Felt Mountain (2000) provides the primary source, […]
