Hmrc urges uk taxpayers to reveal their offshore assets

OSLO: Norway's Equinor is looking to sell more assets in the United States and exit several other countries as part of a major global reshuffle as it tries to return to profit after writing down US$25 billion of U.S. assets over the past decade. While the company, like other energy majors, has been hit by last year's fall in oil and gas prices, Equinor's new head of international business, Al Cook, said it lacked scale in the U.S. shale market and had underestimated the strength of local competition. Equinor disposed of its operated shale assets in the Eagle Ford in 2019, and last week said it had agreed to sell its assets in the Bakken shale oil province in the states of North Dakota and Montana for around US$900 million. "All our operated onshore positions in the U.S. are under the same kind of review that we've done in the Bakken," Cook, told Reuters in an interview. "We've got an operated position in the Utica, we've got an operated position in the Austin Chalk, those … [Read more...] about Exclusive: Equinor considers more US asset sales in global strategy revamp

ALDI has topped the charts as Britain’s cheapest and favourite in-store supermarket, an annual Which? survey has revealed. Brits gave the German discount supermarket five stars for value for money - the only grocer in the country to be given this top rating. It beat rival Lidl, who came in close behind with four stars, as well as eight other stores. Tesco, Morrisons and Iceland came in joint third place with three stars, while Marks & Spencers, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Asda were all given two stars. Co-op came in last with one star. Over 3,000 Brits took part in the survey, and Aldi was also top of the leaderboard overall for its instore shopping experience. How to cut the cost of your grocery shop SAVING on your shop can make a big difference to your wallet. Here are some tips from comparison site Money.co.uk about how you can cut the cost of your shopping bills: Write yourself a list – Only buy items that you need. If it isn’t on your list, don’t … [Read more...] about Cheapest supermarket revealed in annual Which? survey

MORE than two dozen Tory MPs have written to Rishi Sunak urging him not to raise fuel tax in his Budget. They say Boris Johnson made a pledge in 2019 not to increase the hated levy and breaking the vow would betray voters. The 26 Conservatives - including former ministers Tracey Crouch, Esther McVey , David Davis and Iain Duncan Smith said Brits pay more at the pumps than anywhere in the EU. The 58p-a-litre levy is in the Chancellor’s sights - with as much as a 5p rise being considered - to help plug the Covid black-hole next week. But the letter shows Downing Street faces a major rebellion on Mr Sunak’s Budget if drivers are targeted. The warning shot was organised by Rob Halfon MP and Howard Cox, of Fair Fuel UK - who have been working with The Sun to “Keep It Down” for a decade. It says the move would “create significant economic difficulties” for millions. The letter says analysis by the Centre for Economics and Business Research shows “a hike of 2p … [Read more...] about More than two dozen Tory MPs urge Rishi Sunak not to raise fuel tax in Budget

TOKYO: The top diplomats of the United States, India, Japan and Australia on Thursday (Feb 18) sought an "urgent" return to democracy in Myanmar in four-way talks, the US State Department said. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in his first joint talks with the so-called Quad discussed "the urgent need to restore the democratically elected government in Burma, and the priority of strengthening democratic resilience in the broader region," spokesman Ned Price said. Myanmar's military has arrested civilian leaders, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, and announced a year-long state of emergency , alleging that November's election was beset by fraud. The electoral commission dismissed the army's complaints. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Thursday he had agreed with his US, Indian and Australian counterparts that democracy must be restored quickly in Myanmar. Motegi made his comment after the phone conversation with Blinken, Indian Foreign Minister … [Read more...] about Nations calls for return of democracy in Myanmar as UK, Canada sanction army generals after coup

LONDON: Last weekend, I was lolling on the sofa reading the papers in the afternoon sun when I was struck by an awful thought. I realised I am so dull that, even though I have spent more than a month in COVID-19 captivity, I miss remarkably little of the life I led before. It turns out I can live easily without Friday nights in a restaurant or Saturdays in a bar. I always thought I loved going out to the cinema but apparently I am just as happy at home with Netflix. The hundreds of pounds I spend each year on the gym also look increasingly pointless. I can get by with a bike ride involving hills and the odd lope around the block. It was while I was on one of those lopes, down the local high street, that a more profound realisation dawned. Shop after shuttered shop existed to sell stuff for a rushed, commuting office life that I — and millions like me — may never lead again. THAT TASTE OF FRUGALITY Assuming I manage to keep my job, there seems a high chance I will be … [Read more...] about Commentary: In COVID-19 captivity, my urge to splurge is over and won’t be returning soon