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TONY HETHERINGTON: L’interdiction de HSBC est loin d’être une garantie

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Tony Hetherington est l’enquêteur du Financial Mail on Sunday, combattant les coins des lecteurs, révélant la vérité qui se cache derrière des portes closes et remportant des victoires pour ceux qui ont été laissés de côté. Découvrez comment le contacter ci-dessous.

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Mystère : HSBC a fermé le compte Reader's Flats

Mystère : HSBC a fermé le compte Reader’s Flats

PH écrit : Je suis signataire d’un compte avec HSBC, établi il y a des décennies pour couvrir les dépenses d’entretien de quatre appartements dans la propriété où je vis. J’ai reçu une lettre de HSBC m’informant qu’elle devait confirmer certains de nos « détails commerciaux » dans le cadre d’une procédure appelée « Sauvegarde ».

J’ai soumis les détails en ligne et j’ai été remercié, mais j’ai ensuite reçu une autre lettre qui semblait faire double emploi avec la première.

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Néanmoins, j’ai complété à nouveau les détails, mais la banque m’a alors dit que notre compte serait fermé car, selon HSBC, je n’avais pas fourni les informations requises.

Tony Hetherington répond : HSBC affirme que son examen de la sauvegarde est destiné à protéger les clients contre la fraude, mais à maintes reprises, les lecteurs m’ont dit que peu importe à quel point ils essaient de coopérer avec la longue liste de questions posées et de preuves exigées, HSBC finit par les jeter et fermer leur compte. Les petits comptes appartenant à des clubs et des groupes communautaires semblent particulièrement vulnérables, les clients affirmant que HSBC ne veut tout simplement pas de leur entreprise.

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Les résultats peuvent être malheureux. Vous m’avez dit que vous avez appelé HSBC dans le but de garder votre compte ouvert et qu’on vous a dit que vous recevriez un code à six chiffres par la poste, mais rien n’est arrivé. Vous avez ensuite payé deux factures par chèque, l’une à un entrepreneur de 94 £ et l’autre à l’assureur de l’immeuble de 1 440 £. Les deux ont rebondi, car HSBC avait fermé le compte. Cela vous a laissé, ainsi que d’autres propriétaires d’appartements, non assurés et vous a personnellement embarrassé, car vous êtes un avocat local.

Vous avez ouvert un nouveau compte chez NatWest, mais HSBC a refusé de transférer les 5 000 £ restants bloqués sur le compte fermé. Armé de votre autorisation signée, j’ai demandé à HSBC de commenter, de confirmer les détails de votre appel demandant de conserver le compte et de me laisser une copie du dossier de sauvegarde afin que je puisse voir ce à quoi vous n’avez pas répondu.

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C’était en mai. C’est vrai – mai de l’année dernière. Depuis lors, il y a eu un match de catch virtuel entre moi et HSBC. Une victoire mineure a été que HSBC a publié le solde du compte et a même offert 200 £ “en guise de pardon”. Il a prétendu vous avoir envoyé le code pour conserver le compte, mais HSBC a refusé catégoriquement de me laisser voir les questions de sauvegarde, pour des “raisons de sécurité”. Cependant, la banque a révélé qu’il y avait eu un problème impliquant une entreprise à votre adresse.

J’ai dû menacer HSBC de poursuites judiciaires pour obtenir ses informations vous concernant, avant qu’elle ne vous envoie finalement une copie de son questionnaire de sauvegarde directement, mais pas à moi. Vous m’avez ensuite passé le document de 11 pages et je l’ai scanné pour savoir pourquoi la banque a rejeté vos réponses. Et ce n’était pas le cas : un grand espace intitulé « Raison du rejet HSBC » – complètement vide.

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Cela a laissé le mystère de l’entreprise basée à votre adresse. Quelle était cette société ? Et HSBC voulait-il dire votre adresse personnelle ou l’adresse de votre cabinet d’avocats ? HSBC m’a dit qu ‘«une société distincte non liée s’est avérée avoir une adresse similaire». Mais qu’est-ce que cela avait à voir avec le compte de votre propriétaire d’appartement ?

Pendant que je posais des questions à HSBC, le Financial Ombudsman Service enquêtait également et a dit à HSBC d’augmenter son paiement d’excuses à 300 £, ce qu’il a fait. Mais je dois regarder ce que vous m’avez dit il y a presque un an : “J’ai l’impression que le seul objectif de HSBC était de fermer le compte.” Il est difficile d’être en désaccord.

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Will prend des années

Mme MR écrit : Mon oncle a laissé environ 1,2 million de livres sterling dans son testament, et je suis l’un des bénéficiaires.

Il est décédé en février 2020 et W. Davies Solicitors, de Woking, a pris en charge l’administration de la succession en avril de la même année.

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Plus tard, ils ont demandé des informations que j’ai fournies, et ils ont dit que cela devrait être éclairci d’ici décembre 2020, mais ils disent toujours que le domaine est un « travail en cours ».

Tony Hetherington répond : J’ai obtenu une copie du testament de votre oncle auprès du registre des successions, et j’ai fini par sympathiser avec les avocats autant qu’avec vous. Le testament a fait quelques legs spécifiques, après quoi tout le reste – le reliquat – a été légué à sa femme, votre tante.

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Cependant, elle est décédée un an avant votre oncle, son testament stipulant que dans ce cas, le reliquat doit être partagé entre les frères et sœurs de votre tante, et s’ils sont décédés, leurs parts doivent revenir à leurs enfants.

Votre tante avait dix frères et sœurs, mais le testament de votre oncle ne donnait de détails sur aucun d’entre eux, ce qui a donné aux notaires la tâche d’obtenir des lots d’actes de naissance, de mariage et de décès, et de retrouver toutes les personnes impliquées.

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Fin 2021, les avocats avaient identifié 28 bénéficiaires, d’autres à confirmer. Depuis que je les ai contactés pour la première fois il y a plusieurs mois, ils ont accepté de payer la moitié de tous les montants prévus et vous avez reçu plus de 22 000 £. Frustrant, oui, mais les exécuteurs testamentaires seraient imprudents de vider la succession, seulement pour faire face à une réclamation d’un bénéficiaire jusque-là inconnu.

Retard dans le paiement tragique

Mme RM écrit : Ma fille est décédée subitement en avril dernier. Ayant trouvé un relevé de pension personnel de la Financière Sun Life du Canada dans ses papiers, j’ai avisé la compagnie en juin dernier et j’ai fourni un certificat de décès provisoire puisque son décès avait été référé au coroner.

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En août, la société a déclaré avoir un arriéré de réclamations. En octobre, il a demandé le certificat de décès définitif, que j’ai envoyé.

En novembre, je me suis plaint et on m’a dit que je serais contacté dans cinq jours, mais cela ne s’est pas produit.

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Tony Hetherington répond : Vous m’avez contacté après avoir constaté que j’avais signalé un problème similaire en octobre dernier. Ensuite, la société a admis qu’elle était à blâmer, affirmant qu’en 2021, elle avait transféré ses services d’administration des polices vers un nouveau système.

Ce transfert de 470 000 enregistrements n’a pas été totalement réussi, ce qui signifie que certaines valeurs ont dû être calculées manuellement, ce qui a entraîné un arriéré. Cependant, cela ne devrait pas avoir bloqué votre paiement.

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Il m’a dit: “L’exemple de Mme M est particulièrement malheureux car nous aurions dû payer cette créance en juillet 2022.” Il vous a maintenant payé 31 571 £, plus 748 £ d’intérêts, avec 700 £ supplémentaires en guise d’excuses. Vous investissez ceci pour le fils adolescent de votre fille.

Si vous pensez être victime d’actes répréhensibles financiers, écrivez à Tony Hetherington au Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, Londres W8 5HY ou envoyez un e-mail à tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. En raison du volume élevé de demandes, aucune réponse personnelle ne peut être donnée. Veuillez n’envoyer que des copies des documents originaux, que nous regrettons de ne pas pouvoir retourner.

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International

France’s parliament condemns 1961 police massacre of Algerians in Paris

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The French parliament’s lower house on Thursday approved a resolution condemning as “bloody and murderous repression” the killing by Paris police of dozens of Algerians in a crackdown on a 1961 protest to support Algerian independence.

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In recent years France has made a series of efforts to come to terms with its colonial past in Algeria.

Dozens of peaceful demonstrators died during a crackdown by Paris police on a protest by Algerians in 1961. The scale of the massacre was covered up for decades by French authorities before President Emmanuel Macron condemned it as “inexcusable” in 2021.

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The text of the resolution stressed the crackdown took place “under the authority of police prefect Maurice Papon” and also called for the official commemoration of the massacre.

The bill, put forward by Greens lawmaker Sabrina Sebaihi and ruling Renaissance party MP Julie Delpech, was approved by 67 lawmakers, with 11 against.

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Sebaihi said the vote represented the “first step” towards the “recognition of this colonial crime, the recognition of this state crime.”

The term “state crime” however does not appear in the text of the resolution, which was jointly drafted by Macron’s party and the Elysee Palace.

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Read more October 17, 1961: A massacre of Algerians in the heart of Paris

On the 60th anniversary of the bloodshed in 2021, Macron acknowledged that several dozen protesters had been killed, “their bodies thrown into the River Seine.”

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The precise number of victims has never been made clear and some activists fear several hundred could have been killed.

“Let us spare a thought here today for these victims and their families, who have been hit hard by the spiral of violence”, Dominique Faure, the minister for local and regional authorities, said on Thursday.

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She noted that efforts had been made in the past to recognise the massacre.

In 2012, then president Francois Hollande paid “tribute to the victims” of a “bloody crackdown” on the men and women demonstrating for “the right to independence”.

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The rally was called in the final year of France’s increasingly violent attempt to retain Algeria as a north African colony, and in the middle of a bombing campaign targeting mainland France by pro-independence militants.

However, Faure expressed reservations about establishing a special day to commemorate the massacre, pointing out that three dates already existed to “commemorate what happened during the Algerian war”.

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“I think it is important to let history do the work before considering a new day of commemoration specifically for the victims of October 17, 1961.”

France has made several attempts over the years to heal the wounds with Algeria, but it refuses to “apologise or repent” for the 132 years of often brutal rule that ended in 1962.

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Read moreMacron’s condemnation of 1961 massacre in Paris ‘not enough’, historians say

(AFP)

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International

BUSINESS LIVE: Recession confirmed; Thames Water survival fears; Lloyd’s of London swings to profit

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Britain’s economy entered a recession in the second half of last year, fresh data from the Office for National Statistics confirms, with GDP shrinking by 0.1 and 0.3 per cent in the third and fourth quarters of 2023, respectively. 

The FTSE 100 is up 0.3 per cent in afternoon trading. Among the companies with reports and trading updates today are Thames Water, Lloyd’s of London, Spirent Communications, AO World and JD Sports. Read the Thursday 28 March Business Live blog below.

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> If you are using our app or a third-party site click here to read Business Live 

AO World eyes more than £1bn in sales this year

AO World shares surged on Thursday as the FTSE 250 online retailer upped its profit guidance, with bosses cheering ‘clear progress’.

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On Thursday, AO told shareholders it expects adjusted pre-tax profits to come in ‘at least’ at the top of its previous guidance, of between £28million and £33million for the year to 31 March.

EnQuest posts another loss after hit from oil and gas windfall tax

EnQuest has recorded another hefty annual loss thanks to the UK Government’s windfall tax on North Sea operators.

The London-based petroleum group reported a $30.8million loss in 2023, a drop on the $41.2million loss recorded the prior year, as it paid a $77.2million charge from the Energy Profits Levy.

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Nanoco boss eyes new chapter for tech pioneer after Samsung spat

‘We’re in the strongest position we’ve been in – not just financially, but commercially – in the 20 years since we formed,’ says the chief executive of British tech pioneer Nanoco.

Since joining the AIM-listed firm in August 2018, initially as chief operating officer, Brian Tenner has endured Nanoco’s potentially fatal experience of the pandemic, a lengthy legal spat with Samsung and an attempted boardroom coup.

AO cheers ‘clear progress’ as electronics retailer improved profit guidance

Electronics retailer AO World has increased its profit guidance after “clear progress” over the past year.

Shares in the London-listed company rose by more than a tenth in early trading on Thursday.

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It is the latest upgrade after improving its profit outlook in November last year as its cost-cutting actions continue to bear fruit.

The retailer, which counts Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group as a major shareholder, has cut a number of jobs and closed its German business as part of its turnaround plan.

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On Thursday, AO told shareholders it expects adjusted pre-tax profits “at least” at the top of its previous guidance, of between £28 million and £33 million for the year to March 31.

It added that it expects to report revenues of around £1.04 billion for the year, after its core business returned to growth in the final quarter.

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Nevertheless, the company will still have seen revenues decline by around 8% for the year.

The ten most popular overseas stocks investors buy for their Isa

The clock is ticking for investors to use their annual Isa allowance before the tax year ends at midnight on 5 April.

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Each year, savers and investors get a £20,000 allowance that can be used to pay new money into an Isa, with the most popular types being a cash Isa or stocks and shares Isa.

Competition watchdog clears Aviva’s £460m acquisition of AIG Life

Aviva’s proposed £460million acquisition of AIG Life will not be referred to a phase two investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

In February, the CMA launched an initial probe to assess whether the acquisition could reduce competition across the UK services sector.

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Ithaca Energy shares top FTSE 350 fallers

Top 15 falling FTSE 350 firms 28032024

Spirent Communications shares top FTSE 350 risers

Top 15 rising FTSE 350 firms 28032024

MARKET REPORT: Carnival set for record year as bookings boom

FTSE 250 group Carnival is gearing up for a record year after a surge in people booking cruises for the first time.

Customers are choosing to holiday at sea rather than spend a fortune on hotels or flights.

Spirent ditches Vivai as Keysight gatecrashes deal with £1.2bn offer

Keysight Technologies has reached a deal to snap up Spirent Communications for £1.16billion.

Market update: FTSE 100 up 0.3%; FTSE 250 down 0.1%

The FTSE 100 has opened higher this morning, bolstered broadly by commodity-linked stocks, while telecommunications testing firm Spirent Communications has jumped 10 per cent on a deal with Keysight Technologies.

Energy stocks have added 0.5 per cent as oil prices edged up after two days of declines, while most base metals have been boosted by signs of stabilisation in China’s broader economy.

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JD Sports shares have climbed 5.9 per cnet after the sportswear retailer said its pretax profit for the year to 4 Febuary would meet guidance it downgraded in January in the range of £915million to £935million.

Spirent Communications is up 10.2 per cent on agreeing to Keysight Technologies’s offer valuing the firm at £1.16billion.

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M&G, Smith & Nephew and Taylor Wimpey are down between 1 and 6 per cent as they traded ex-dividend.

Breaking:Competition watchdog clears Aviva’s takeover of AIG Life

The Competition and Markets Authority has cleared Aviva’s acquisition of AIG Life.

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Insurance market Lloyd’s of London toasts best result ‘in recent history’ with £10.7bn profit

Lloyd’s of London has achieved its strongest annual results ‘in recent history’ after swinging to a bumper profit from a loss the prior year.

The world’s biggest insurance marketplace, whose roots date back to a 17th-century coffee house, rebounded to a £10.7billion profit last year after making a £800million pre-tax loss in 2022.

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It credited the performance to higher interest rates and an ‘unwind of the previously booked mark-to-market loss’.

Morrisons boss says turnaround is in ‘full swing’ as sales pick up

The new boss of Morrisons says his turnaround is ‘in full swing’ after sales grew at the fastest rate for three years.

After struggling to make headway following its private equity takeover, the supermarket said sales in the three months to January 31 were 4.6 per cent up on a year earlier.

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Thames Water shareholders refuse £500m lifeline plea

Thames Water shareholders are refusing to give the debt laden utility extra cash unless the group hikes bills for customers.

Fears for the future of Thames Water, which sits on a £14billion debt pile, were heightened on Thursday as it announced shareholders will not be injecting the first £500million of funding that was agreed last summer.

The shareholders blame industry regulations they say make its business plan ‘uninvestible’.

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Commodities broker Marex Group snubs City as it files papers to list in New York

London commodities broker Marex Group is planning to list in New York.

It filed documents with the US regulator about an initial public offering –becoming the latest business to snub London’s stock market as firms look to achieve higher valuations.

EnQuest becomes latest North Sea firm to suffer windfall tax

itish North Sea-focused oil producer EnQuest narrowed its annual loss to $30.8million last year, down from a $41.2million loss in 2022, it said on Thursday.

The company said it posted a loss after tax due to the energy profit levy (EPL) which was extended by one year by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt earlier this month.

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EnQuest has for years been shielded from UK taxes as it could offset bills against reported tax losses, which stood at $2billion at the end of 2023.

‘The EPL has resulted in a number of industry participants accelerating their shift in focus away from the UK North Sea,’ said boss Amjad Bseisu.

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‘Our significant tax loss position and the impact of the EPL on marginal tax rates means that the transfer of assets to EnQuest ownership would increase their relative value to a multiple of that in the hands of existing owners.’

FTSE100 suffers a ‘somewhat unnoticed and certainly unloved rally’

Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor

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‘Despite the drag of the usual raft of Thursday ex-dividend stocks, including but not limited to M&G, Melrose and Prudential, progress was also made on home shores, helped along by buying interest in the miners and oil majors. The more recent advances for the FTSE100 have resulted in a somewhat unnoticed and certainly unloved rally which leaves the premier index up by 2.8% so far this year and indeed less than 1% away from the record high of just over 8000, achieved in February last year.

‘The more domestically focused FTSE250 has also turned positive of late and is now ahead by 0.7% in the year to date despite confirmation of a technical recession in the UK. The recession is, however, widely expected to be shallow and brief and the prospects of interest rate cuts towards the middle of the year have buoyed sentiment. This also comes with the possibility that the UK market as a whole is being considered anew by international investors, who have eschewed investment but are now increasingly being tempted by the deeply discounted valuation levels compared to many global peers.’

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Americans crashing Mondi bid for DS Smith plot UK listing should their deal go through

NEW: Thames Water shareholders blame watchdog

A joint statement from Thames Water’s nine shareholders:

‘Shareholders and Thames Water have been working with the regulator Ofwat for over a year on how to address the complex challenges facing the business. These include both meeting current funding demands and the urgent need for substantial investment to improve performance.

‘These discussions led to the submission of a business plan which included the largest ever investment programme by any UK water company – over £18 billion – to improve customer service and environmental standards. To support such unprecedented investment, shareholders committed to supporting a further £3.25 billion of investment on top of the £500 million provided last year, and pledged to take no cash out of the business until a turnaround was delivered. This was a solution which addresses the root cause of Thames Water’s challenges without the need for any taxpayer funding.

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‘However, after more than a year of negotiations with the regulator, Ofwat has not been prepared to provide the necessary regulatory support for a business plan which ultimately addresses the issues that Thames Water faces. As a result, shareholders are not in a position to provide further funding to Thames Water.

‘Shareholders will work constructively with Thames Water, Ofwat and Government on how to address the consequences of Ofwat’s decision.’

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‘UK economy shows signs of steadying, yet caution remains paramount’

Lindsay James, investment strategist at Quilter Investors:

‘It would be premature to declare that the economy has completely turned a corner; however, the indicators suggest that the recession experienced was relatively brief.

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‘The current expectations align more with a stabilisation in the first half of 2024 rather than a robust bounce-back, primarily due to the ongoing impact of high interest rates and their delayed effects on the market.

‘Governor Andrew Bailey’s recent remarks that interest rate cuts are now ‘in play’ for future meetings hint at potential stimuli for growth in the latter part of the year.

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‘Nevertheless, while there are indications that business activity is on an upswing, the threat of inflationary pressures making a comeback cannot be ignored.

‘Despite the base effects and a reduction in the Energy Price Cap contributing to a decrease in headline figures in the near term, the possibility of experiencing further inflationary surges persists. Such developments could constrain the Bank of England’s ability to implement rate cuts in the subsequent quarters.

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‘In summary, the UK economy shows signs of steadying, yet caution remains paramount as we navigate through the complexities of inflation and interest rate dynamics.’

Lloyd’s of London swings to £10.7bn profit

Lloyd’s of London swung to a pre-tax profit of £10.7billion in 2023, with the commercial insurance market boosted by strong underwriting and investment performance.

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The insurance market, which has more than 50 member firms, suffered an £800million loss in 2022.

Commercial insurers, who underwrite anything from oil rigs to professional footballers’ legs, have coped in recent years with a pandemic, wars, inflation and rising losses from natural catastrophes by excluding some business and raising prices.

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‘We’ll continue working with our market to deliver consistent profitable performance through disciplined underwriting,’ Chief executive John Neal said.

Thames Water survival fears as investors refuse to provide £500m funding lifeline

Thames Water shareholders have refused to stump up a promised £500million of equity, heightening concerns about Britain’s largest water utility’s survival, after it failed to agree future bills and conditions with the regulator.

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Thames Water said is is operating ‘business as usual’, seeking to reassure its 16 million customers after a year of speculation that it could collapse under the weight of its more than £14billion of debt.

‘Discussions with Ofwat and other stakeholders are ongoing,’ Thames Water said in its statement.

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The company’s shareholders, who include Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System and the UK’s Universities Superannuation Scheme, had been due to provide the new equity by 31 March.

Trader Tom Hayes vows to fight on in bid to clear his name as Court of Appeal upholds Libor rigging conviction

Convicted Libor trader Tom Hayes has vowed to fight on to clear his name after losing his appeal against conviction.

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Hayes, who was jailed in 2015 for manipulating benchmark lending rate Libor, will now seek to take his case to the Supreme Court.

The former Citigroup and UBS trader claims he was made a scapegoat for the financial crisis.

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Recession ‘almost certainly already over’

Thomas Pugh, economist at RSM UK:

‘This morning’s data confirmed that the UK endured the smallest of recessions in the second half of last year. But it’s almost certainly already over.

‘A jump in retail sales and an improvement in business surveys, such as the PMIs, point to the economy improving in the first quarter of this year. We then expect growth to accelerate in the second half of this year and into 2025 as sharply lower inflation, tax cuts and falling interest rates give households an income boost.

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‘The big unknown is how much of this rise in incomes households will actually spend. Indeed, despite real households’ disposable income growing by 0.7% in Q4, the household saving ratio rose to 10.2% in the latest quarter, up from 10.1% in Quarter 3, suggesting that households were still rebuilding saving buffers at the end of last year.

‘The good news is that consumer confidence has been improving gradually over the last year and UK consumers’ confidence in their personal finances has reached the highest since 2021 as the impact of rising real wages filters through into people’s pockets, even though consumers remain cautious overall.

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‘We expect this to continue over the next year. That suggests household savings patterns will start to return to more normal levels in the first half of the year.

‘On that basis, we think the improvement in households’ real incomes that is set to intensify later this year will translate into an increase in spending that will kick start the economic recovery and finally drag the UK out of stagnation.’

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UK recession confirmed

Britain’s economy entered a recession in the second half of last year, fresh data from the Office for National Statistics confirms.

GDP shrank by 0.1 per cent in the third quarter and by 0.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, unchanged from preliminary estimates.

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International

Athens residents choking in clouds of Sahara dust amid unseasonably warm weather

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Athenians are choking in clouds of thick dust blown in from the Sahara along with unseasonably warm weather, weather forecasters and doctors warned on Thursday.

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The haze covering the Greek capital comes from southerly winds that blow dust from North Africa across the eastern Mediterranean from March to April, the head of the Greek meteorological service Theodoros Kolydas said on X, formerly Twitter.

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“A typical sandstorm with a range of 200 kilometres (about 120 miles) carries 20 to 30 million tonnes of dust and sometimes as much as 100 million,” he wrote.

The city regularly experiences such sandstorms but the current one is accompanied by unusually high spring temperatures, heightening the choking effect.

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Wednesday saw the highest March temperature in central Athens since 2009 — 25.3 degrees Celsius (77.5 Fahrenheit).

Further south on the island of Crete, the temperature reached 32 Celsius.

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The Greek Pulmonologists’ Union advised asthma sufferers and other vulnerable people to avoid “unnecessary movements and outdoor sports during the times of highest dust concentration”.

It warned that the dust can be mixed with pollen, bacteria and fungi, “a highly toxic mixture that is dangerous for the human body, particularly the respiratory system”.

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Scientists say climate change caused by human burning of fossil fuels is raising the risk of extreme weather events, including heatwaves and droughts.

The weather service said the dust clouds were expected to dissipate from Friday.

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(AFP)

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International

I’m a travel writer – and here’s why during your Easter getaway flight it’s OK to recline your seat and ask to swap seats (and why no, you’re NOT going to get upgraded because you ironed your shirt)

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When did air travel become such a brain-melting minefield?

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These days, even the simple act of flying from A to B leaves many travellers almost paralysed with paranoia, their heads filled with a fog of etiquette anxieties, from whether they can ask someone to swap seats to whether they should or shouldn’t recline their seats and whether they should say something to the parent of the screaming baby.

I’m the MailOnline Travel Editor, and I’m here to remind you that to begin with, holidays are supposed to be fun – and to offer some simple guidance on the do’s and don’ts on your flight.

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And why no, I’m afraid you’re not going to get upgraded because you’ve ironed your shirt.

What’s your pet hate on planes? Vote in the poll at the bottom…

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SEAT SWAPPING

These days, even the simple act of flying from A to B leaves many travellers almost paralysed with paranoia, their heads filled with a fog of etiquette anxieties

These days, even the simple act of flying from A to B leaves many travellers almost paralysed with paranoia, their heads filled with a fog of etiquette anxieties

As with most social interactions in life, being polite and firm is the key.

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It’s perfectly fine to ask someone to swap seats if you’ve been split up from your nearest and dearest – just don’t expect your request to be fulfilled.

You’ve paid for your seat and, in all likelihood, picked out this particular berth in which to enjoy some airborne wine and pretzels. No passenger has the right to remove you from it

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Nuts and bolts – smile, and be calm and unconfrontational. Gently explain your reasons for wanting to swap, give the other person room to say no – and make sure that you’re not brazenly expecting your fellow flyer to downgrade.

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The move being negotiated should be to an equivalent seat, or better. Not, for instance, from a window to an aisle seat or, heaven forbid, from business class to economy or even premium economy.

It’s also acceptable to decline a seat-swapping request.

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You’ve paid for your seat and, in all likelihood, picked out this particular berth in which to enjoy some airborne wine and pretzels. No passenger has the right to remove you from it.

How to say no? The best ploy is to explain politely and with a smile that you’ve paid for your seat and don’t want to move.

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If the requester looks particularly desperate you could offer to talk to the cabin crew on their behalf to see if they can offer a solution.

RECLINING

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Economy-class seats can cause frustrating issues for the person behind when in recline mode – it can make it hard for them to exit, eat their meals and watch the entertainment screen.

But that doesn’t mean reclining is a no-no.

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The recline function is there to be used. The solution? Simply turn around and ask the person behind if they mind you reclining.

And assume that it won’t go down well during meal service.

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NOISY BABIES AND CHILDREN – OFFER TO HELP

'Here's a thought,' says Ted, 'instead of allowing yourself to become filled with rage that other humans have had the audacity to breed, try offering some help to the parent struggling to keep the decibel levels down'

‘Here’s a thought,’ says Ted, ‘instead of allowing yourself to become filled with rage that other humans have had the audacity to breed, try offering some help to the parent struggling to keep the decibel levels down’

Guess what? You won’t be the only one on the plane. So don’t expect the atmosphere to be like a Buddhist temple. Families will be joining you and that means mini-humans will be expressing themselves in a way that may rankle.

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They tend not to favour whispering.

Having said that, yes, screaming babies and children can be irritating.

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But here’s a thought – instead of allowing yourself to become filled with rage that other humans have had the audacity to breed, try offering some help to the parent struggling to keep the decibel levels down. Distract their children. Offer some sympathy.

You’ll feel better, they’ll feel less embarrassed – and believe me, they are embarrassed – and you might end up making a friend or two.

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UPGRADES

'You watched a TikTok video about booking the back row and how that means you're at the front of the queue to leap forward into first class if there's a space? You've been duped,' says Ted

‘You watched a TikTok video about booking the back row and how that means you’re at the front of the queue to leap forward into first class if there’s a space? You’ve been duped,’ says Ted

Those hopes for an upgrade? Let them float away on the jetstream.

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Even if you wear a suit, even if you give the flight attendant a big smile, you’re flying economy.

Suck it up and enjoy the pretzels.

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Wait, you watched a TikTok video about booking the back row and how that means you’re at the front of the queue to leap forward into first class if there’s a space?

You’ve been duped.

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Upgrades are not sweets in a jar for cabin crew to dish out with abandon. Giving one away without authority can result in disciplinary action.

The best way to snare an upgrade is to earn it, to rack up tier status points with an airline. That’s because business and first-class seats are given away as treats in return for loyalty.

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Does all this mean dressing smartly and being nice is a waste of time for those hoping to be given a ride at the pointy end?

Not quite.

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As flight attendant Jay Robert said: ‘When I worked as ground staff for a major US airline, and I was given the authority to provide a free upgrade, and I had no employees or elite passengers waiting, my pick would be elderly passengers, someone dressed nicely, or if I saw someone being a kind human in the gate area.’

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International

Ukraine downs more than 25 drones in latest overnight Russian strikes

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Ukraine downed 26 drones overnight as Russia launched its latest salvo of aerial attacks, a senior Ukrainian military official said on Thursday.

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“On the night of March 28, 2024, the enemy launched a missile air strike against Ukraine using three Kh-22 cruise missiles and an Kh-31P anti-radar missile (from the Black Sea), an S-300 anti-aircraft guided missile (Donetsk) and 28 attack UAVs of the ‘Shahed-136/131’ type”, Mykola Oleshchuk, the head of Ukraine’s air force, wrote on Telegram.

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“Twenty-six attack UAVs of the ‘Shahed-136/131’ type were destroyed within Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions”, he said, without providing details on the missile strikes.

Russia regularly launches air attacks on Ukraine overnight and has escalated the strikes over the past few weeks, targeting key infrastructure, including power stations, in retaliation for fatal bombardments of Russia’s border regions.

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FRANCE 24’s Gulliver Cragg reports from Kyiv



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On Wednesday Russian strikes killed three people in eastern and southern Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Ukraine’s allies to speed up deliveries of warplanes and air defence systems to bolster Kyiv’s air defences.

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 (AFP)

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International

You’re never too old to get an STI! Experts call for over-50s to be taught ‘safe sex’ after rates of gonorrhoea, chlamydia and syphilis in retirement villages soar

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Over-50s should be taught safe sex to combat soaring STIs with rates doubling in the last decade, research suggests.

Rising divorce rates, the emergence of Viagra, dating apps and the growth of retirement villages have combined to mean ‘sexual risk taking is now common among older adults’.

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Rates of disease including gonorrhoea and syphilis have surged by almost a fifth in just four years among UK ‘baby boomers’.

Researchers found that, in England, 31,902 new STIs were recorded in the over 45s in 2015, which rose to 37,692 in 2019 - an increase of 18 per cent

Researchers found that, in England, 31,902 new STIs were recorded in the over 45s in 2015, which rose to 37,692 in 2019 – an increase of 18 per cent

Experts said this is likely an underestimate with embarrassment and lack of access to sexual health services meaning many will not seek help.

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Sex must become ‘normalised’ and part of routine healthcare for older generations, they say, rather than simply focusing on the young.

Professor Justyna Kowalska, of the Medical University of Warsaw, said: ‘People do not become asexual with age.

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‘In fact, with preventive medicine and improved lifestyles people are enjoying a healthy life and sex life for longer.

‘Older people often find greater satisfaction in their sex lives due to experience and known expectations.

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‘We need more role models like Samantha Jones in the TV show Sex and the City to challenge stereotypes around older sexuality.’

In England, 37,692 new STIs were recorded in the over 45s in 2019 compared to 31,902 in 2015 – an increase of 18 per cent.

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The study calls for better sex education in Baby Boomers as rates of diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis in older people are skyrocketing

The study calls for better sex education in Baby Boomers as rates of diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis in older people are skyrocketing

Meanwhile, half of men and almost a third of women aged 70 and over reported being sexually active, in a survey of sexual health in older adults in England.

Similarly, in a Swedish study, 46 per cent of individuals aged 60 years and older reported being sexually active, one in 10 aged 90 and above.

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But for many, a lack of sex education at school, combined with the no risk of unwanted pregnancies, can heighten risky behaviour.

Presenting her findings at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Barcelona, Professor Kowalska suggested sex education programmes should be tailored to the over 50s, ensuring any facilities are located within existing community settings.

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She added: ‘Sexual health campaigns are focused on young people and overlook the needs and experiences of those aged 50 and older.

‘Health promotion messages give the impression that condoms and concerns about STIs only apply to young people.

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‘But the dangers of undiagnosed and untreated STIs such as HPV-related cancers and onwards transmission are very real, particularly in this age group who are more likely to have underlying conditions such as heart disease and stroke.’

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International

Blinken and Macron to discuss Ukraine support and Gaza war in Paris talks

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will discuss support for Ukraine during talks in Paris next week with French President Emmanuel Macron, the State Department announced Wednesday.

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France is among the major military suppliers to Ukraine, which is facing an onslaught of Russian attacks.

President Joe Biden‘s request for billions of dollars in new US military aid to Kyiv is held up in the House of Representatives, led by the rival Republican Party.

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“Secretary Blinken will meet with French President Macron to discuss support for Ukraine, efforts to prevent escalation of the conflict in Gaza and a number of other important issues,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.

France has advocated for a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, whereas the United States, Israel’s main ally, recently let pass a UN Security Council resolution that calls for a ceasefire during the month of Ramadan.

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It will be the first visit in nearly two years to France by Blinken, a fluent French speaker who grew up partly in Paris. Macron paid a state visit to Washington in December 2022.

After Paris, Blinken will head to Brussels for talks of NATO foreign ministers ahead of the alliance’s 75th anniversary summit in Washington in July.

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Blinken will also hold a three-way meeting in Brussels with EU leaders and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who has been seeking to branch out from his country’s historic alliance with Russia.

Blinken and the European Union will address “support for Armenia‘s economic resilience as it works to diversify its trade partnerships and to address humanitarian needs,” Miller said.

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Armenia was angered last year by Russia’s failure to prevent Azerbaijan from retaking the Nagorno-Karabakh region from ethnic Armenian rebels.

(AFP)

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