Welcome to TechCrunch Fintech (formerly The Interchange)! I'm filling in for Mary Ann, who's on a much-deserved vacation. This week, we're taking a look at Griffin Bank getting its license ahead of some big companies, looking at Stripe's annual letter, some funding rounds, and more! The big story One of the highlights of the week was Griffin Bank in the UK, where the banking-as-a-service company managed to do something that even the region's most valuable fintech, Revolut, has not yet been able to do – obtain a banking license. Sure, as Mike Butcher wrote, banking licenses are hard to come…
Author: ricardofrancois
Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It's Sunday, March 17th. I'm Andrew J. Campa and Happy St. Patrick's Day 🍀. Here's what you need to know today: the news Start your day right Sign up for Essential California to get news, features and recommendations from the LA Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. Enter your email address Involve me You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles County health inspectors are stuck in a kitchen nightmare In one of the early seasons of the hit show “Kitchen Nightmares,”…
Goalie Kaitlyn Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes listens as the crowd cheers after breaking the NCAA women's scoring record during the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on February 15, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. Matthew Holst | Getty ImagesWomen's sports reach a turning point in 2023, driven by major new broadcast deals, never-before-seen players, and record-breaking audiences that have dramatically changed the sports landscape.From Caitlin Clark fever at Iowa State to the 92,000 women's volleyball fans at Nebraska, women's sports have never been more on the forefront.And it doesn't slow down.Revenue generated by women's elite sports…
Madison, Wisconsin – Wisconsin voters are set to decide next month whether to make it unconstitutional to accept private grant money to help run the state's elections, one of two Republican-backed ballot measures that Democrats say are aimed at making it more difficult to hold elections in the battleground state. Presidential.The state's April 2 election constitutional amendments also include a change that allows only election officials appointed by law to administer elections. If approved by a majority of voters, the amendments will be added to the state constitution.Early in-person absentee voting is scheduled to begin Tuesday and can be offered…
In just a few months, House Speaker Mike Johnson has cemented his place among the weakest House leaders in its history. But unfortunately this Lewisian man is nonetheless powerful enough to single-handedly obstruct one of the most important matters of our time: bipartisan American aid to Ukraine to defend it against Vladimir Putin's murderous expansionism.It is not as if Johnson is taking a principled position by not setting a date for a vote in the House. Oh no. To hear him tell it, he supports our Ukrainian allies and wants some kind of help. But Donald Trump doesn't — he's…
As the climate crisis continues to pose a global threat, leading economists debate its impact on the US economy.Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, expects “physical risks” to constitute the largest economic cost over the next 10 to 20 years. This is damage caused by natural disasters, which are now occurring with greater frequency. Zandi also expects that the transition costs associated with moving from an economy dominated by fossil fuels to one based on green energy will be a burden on the US economy.Jeffrey Sachs, a professor of economics at Columbia University, says he is more focused on…
Dear Liz: Can my daughter use her 529 balance to fund summer study abroad in Costa Rica? She will take two semesters of Spanish for credit through her university. She has a minor in Spanish. Can she use the 529 to cover tuition, living expenses, and airfare? What if it was all part of a package deal paid for her university?Answer: Yes, tax-free withdrawals from 529 college savings plans for study abroad are permitted as long as the classes are accepted for credit by the sponsoring university and the sponsoring university qualifies for federal financial aid (the vast majority of…
Open Editor's Digest for freeRula Khalaf, editor of the Financial Times, selects her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.Major British companies have made decent progress in improving gender diversity on their boards. Their smaller peers let the side down. To be sure, board composition is rarely a high priority in the early days of building a company. But UK growth companies will have to join forces if they want to attract more institutional money.Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt wants pension funds to invest more money in UK growth companies – or “unlisted stocks” which (inversely) include companies listed on London’s small…
Open Editor's Digest for freeRula Khalaf, editor of the Financial Times, selects her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.The Indian Navy said it freed a ship hijacked by Somali kidnappers and rescued its crew, amid fears that piracy is on the rise again in the region.An Indian warship on Friday intercepted the Bulgarian-owned bulk carrier Ruin, which was hijacked in December, before forcing the 35 pirates to surrender on Saturday evening, the Indian Navy said.She added that none of the 17 members of the Rowen crew were harmed in the accident, which occurred 2,600 kilometers off the Indian coast.Analysts warn…
Washington – The big news this week is that two candidates have clinched their party's nomination for president, President Biden said over the weekend in Washington. But he said one of them was too old and mentally unfit for the job. “The other one is me,” Biden quipped. Criticism of Republican Donald Trump from the Democratic president continued at the Gridiron Club and Foundation's annual dinner on Saturday, where Biden sidestepped persistent criticism that his memory is foggy and that he appears disoriented, instead highlighting moments when the 77-year-old Trump slipped up. “Don't tell him he thinks he's running against…