EU steps up controls on bitcoin, pre-paid cards to curb terrorist funds

The European Union will increase controls on pre-paid cards, money remittances and bitcoin in a bid to curb terrorism funding after the attacks in Paris that killed 129 people. EU interior and justice ministers agreed on Friday in Brussels to tighten checks on payment methods that may be conducted anonymously and might be used by terrorist organizations to finance attacks

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Deutsche Bank signs multibillion-dollar IT deal with HP

Deutsche Bank will outsource large parts of its wholesale banking IT infrastructure to U.S.-based Hewlett-Packard (HP) in a multibillion-dollar deal that leaves the group's retail operations untouched. Under the 10-year agreement, HP will provide computing capacity and data storage to host Deutsche's operations, the two companies said in a joint statement on Tuesday. Deutsche will retain activities such as IT architecture and information security.

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Alibaba’s Ant Financial to buy 25 percent of India’s One97

(This story corrects paragraph 2 to make clear that the $500 million deal value includes an option to increase the stake next year) MUMBAI/SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Ant Financial Services Group, an affiliate of China’s Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, has agreed to buy 25 percent of Indian payment services provider One97 Communications, tapping into the country’s smartphone and online industry boom. Alibaba spokeswoman Teresa Li and One97 founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma declined to disclose the value

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