Jewel theft
A makeup artist who has worked for the queen of Belgium was reportedly questioned by police about the theft of crown jewels belonging to the Grand Ducal Royal Court. The Guardian cites Belgian daily Het Nieuwsblad that the theft was committed earlier in 2018 by someone with inside knowledge. The makeup artist worked during the 2012 wedding party of Prince Guillaume. He was reportedly released.
PM tenders resignation
Belgian prime minister Charles Michel has offered his resignation after losing the backing of the nationalist New Flemish Alliance over his support for a UN migration deal. Politico reports Michel offered his resignation to the king on Tuesday evening. King Philippe was reportedly holding off on the offer until he had spoken with advisors. If accepted, it would leave the government powerless but in place until the next elections on 26 May. The alternative is an early federal election. More on euronews and The Guardian.
Deutsche Bank Asia exodus
Deutsche Bank Asia is reportedly dealing with the fall-out of losing 50 bankers in Hong Kong and Singapore since May, Bloomberg reports. The exodus was apparently prompted by cost-cutting and sinking morale. The losses were equivalent to 30% of the task force. Apparently, some of the people who left were let go by the bank. Deutsche Bank shed more than 1,000 front office positions from March to September in a bid to restore profitability. Meanwhile, Financial News reported on Wednesday that Deutsche Bank had slipped to a 10-year low in the dealmaking league table.
Barclays fined over whistleblower handling
Barclays has been fined $15m (£12m) by a New York regulator over attempts to unmask a whistleblower, The Guardian reports. The New York state department of financial services said it had found shortcomings in failing to follow or apply appropriate whistleblowing techniques. The findings fingered CEO Jes Staley and senior management, and their attempts to identify the person who wrote to the bank’s board over the hiring of Tim Main as head of the financial institutions group in New York. More from the Financial Times.
Post-Brexit migration plans
Once free movement from the EU ends, the UK plans to introduce a skills-based immigration system built around talent and expertise, BBC news reports. Britain’s interior minister Sajid Javid is expected to outline the system on Wednesday. The immigration white paper, expected to be introduced in a phased approach from 2021, includes a new visa route for skilled workers and no cap for high-skilled professions such as doctors and engineers. It retains the need to earn above a minimum £30,000 salary for visas, currently applied to citizens from non-EU member state and which will later apply to citizens of the EU27 as well, The Guardian writes. Meanwhile, Theresa May’s failure to gain backing for her Brexit deal with the EU has prompted the government to implement its no-deal planning in full, a move which British businesses warn risks plunging the British economy into chaos, reports The Guardian. And the Independent reports that thousands of troops have been put on standby to handle any fallout from the now anticipated no-deal Brexit.
Deadly US
The US has joined the list of the five deadliest countries for journalists for the first time, euronews reports. Some 63 professional journalists were killed doing their jobs in 2018, up 15% on the year before, according to Reporters Without Borders. The deadliest countries for journalists were Afghanistan, Syria, Mexico, Yemen, and the US and India in joint fifth place. You can read the full report here.