Friday newspaper round-up: First-time buyers, travel stocks, tech taxes

First-time buyers in England will be able to apply for a discount of up to 50% on a new-build home under a government scheme. The First Homes initiative could save buyers £100,000 or more. But some experts say that with demand for these cut-price homes likely to exceed supply, it could spark a scramble for properties and add more fuel to the house price boom. - Guardian

Tour operators and airlines lost more than £2bn in value after the government removed Portugal from the “green list” of countries exempt from significant travel restrictions, prompting dismay and anger in the tourism industry. Less than a month after Portugal became the first big destination to be granted green list status, prompting a much-needed boom in holiday sales, the government reversed the decision. - Guardian

Rishi Sunak has used his first face-to-face meeting with the US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to demand a crackdown on big tech tax avoidance, as world leaders wrangle over the largest overhaul of international rules for decades. The Chancellor is spearheading efforts by major European countries to ensure Silicon Valley pays tax where it does business, as part of a wider deal with the White House. - Telegraph

The man who was the driving force behind the creation of Canary Wharf — transforming abandoned docklands into London’s “second City” — is stepping back from his role. Sir George Iacobescu, 75, told staff at Canary Wharf Group that from next month he would no longer be responsible for development and construction at the company, which manages the 128-acre estate in east London. Canary Wharf is home to the headquarters of companies including JP Morgan, Citigroup, Barclays and KPMG. - The Times

European judges have dealt a blow to Britain’s supermarkets by ruling in an equal pay claim that female shop staff can compare their roles with male colleagues at distribution centres. The decision at the European Court of Justice applied specifically to Tesco, but lawyers said that it would affect the company’s rivals. - The Times