
Senior Barclays bankers paid Qatar £322m in secret fees during the financial crisis in return for bailout funds, a court heard on Wednesday. The case against four former executives has been filed by the UK's Serious Fraud Office over Barclays' £11.8bn rescue.

Brexit is driving a much heralded jobs boom and expansion in the financial services industry – in Luxembourg. According to lobby group Luxembourg for Finance, 47 banks, insurers, wealth managers and investment firms have plans to move some business activities to the Grand Duchy in order to cope with potential disruption from Britain’s impending departure from the European Union.

British Airways going back to the future and painting four of its aircraft in colors schemes from its past as part of its 100-year birthday this year. First aircraft, a BOAC-liveried Boeing 747, reg: G-BYGC, will arrive back at Heathrow from the paint factory on February 18 to enter the airline’s flying schedule.

Juan Guaido has declared himself president of Venezuela — a move quickly endorsed by several Latin American countries, as well as Canada and the United States. Just two months ago, many people around the world, and even inside Venezuela, may not have known Guaido's name.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Prime Minister Theresa May have met for talks in London after clashing over a second Scottish independence vote. The Downing Street summit was part of what Mrs. May called an “enhanced role” for the Scottish government in Brexit.

China and Europe take centre stage at Davos on Wednesday, a day after Brazil's hard-right President Jair Bolsonaro promised reform and respect for the environment to the world's business elite.

Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has paid a fine of almost €19 million for tax fraud in Spain on Tuesday but will avoid a 23-month prison sentence as part of the deal.

The chairman of Chinese tech giant Huawei has warned that his company could shift away from Western countries if it continues to face restrictions. Huawei has been under scrutiny by Western governments, which fear its products could be used for spying.

Brazil's newly-elected populist President Jair Bolsonaro addressed the world's business elite in Davos on Tuesday, vowing to transform Latin America's largest economy into a more investment-friendly country. On his first international trip since becoming president, Bolsonaro delivered the keynote speech at the World Economic Forum.

France and Germany have signed a new treaty on Tuesday aimed at breathing new life into their place at the centre of the European Union. As the UK moves to leave the EU and a rising tide of populism challenges the core liberal values of the bloc, the new treaty commits wholeheartedly to defending it.