MSN messenger shuts down for good as Chinese users encouraged to move to Skype August 30, 2014 MSN messenger is no more. The instant messaging service is being switched off in China next month, marking an end of its 15 year lifespan. For most users, the platform died last year when Microsoft decided to switch users over to Skype, yet it has continued to operate in China – until now that is. [...]
Alibaba to set IPO wheels in motion as soon as 8 September August 30, 2014 Alibaba's initial public offering to investors could be just over a week away, with the Chinese ecommerce giant expected to launch its IPO as early as the week of 8 September. In what many are predicting will be the largest IPO in history, Alibaba could raise over $20bn (£120bn) when it lists on the New York [...]
Vice Media to sell 10 per cent stake to A&E networks for $250m August 30, 2014 Vice Media has revealed they are nearing the sale of a 10 per cent stake to A&E Networks, after a period of negotiating with various suitors. A&E Networks is jointly owned by the Walt Disney and Hearst Corporation, and will invest $250m (£150m) in Vice, valuing the growing international media company at $2.5bn. Vice has [...]
Putin compares Kiev to the Nazis, Ukraine seeks Nato membership August 30, 2014 Ukraine has pleaded for full membership in Nato, signalling a desire for increased Western military protection from Russian aggression. Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk told government yesterday that his cabinet would "bring before parliament a law to scrap the non-aligned status of the Ukrainian state and establish a course towards membership of Nato." Nato membership would [...]
Rouble falls again as Nato accuses Russia of a “blatant violation” of Ukraine’s sovereignty August 30, 2014 The rouble continued to drop today as tensions in Ukraine continued. The currency fell 0.98 per cent against the euro and as much as 0.4 per cent against the dollar, a record intraday low, as Moscow's equities index, the Micex, fell 1.62 per cent. The losses came as Nato accused Russia of a "blatant violation" [...]
How much could Manchester United save by selling Kagawa, Cleverley & co? August 29, 2014 No club has spent more money so this summer transfer window than Manchester United, who have splashed out £148m on new players. United broke the British transfer record to sign Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid earlier this week, yet it has been reported today that manager Louis van Gaal must now sell some [...]
Cameron pledges legislation to deal with terror threat – but how will the ‘severe’ rating affect markets? August 29, 2014 Prime Minister David Cameron has given a speech outlining new legislation to make it harder for Brits to travel to Syria and Iraq to fight alongside Islamic State (IS). The press conference followed home secretary Theresa May's announcement that the UK's terror threat level had increased to “severe” – the second highest rating possible – [...]
Angry Birds maker Rovio replaces chief executive Mikael Hed amid profit fall August 29, 2014 News flapping its way out of Finland – the maker of hit game Angry Birds Rovio, has replaced chief executive Mikael Hed in a bid to stem falling profits. Pekka Rantala, the game studio’s chief commercial officer who joined in May, will replace Hed at the beginning of 2015 with the pair working together until [...]
Ebola spreads to Senegal August 29, 2014 The Ebola epidemic has reached a fifth West African country. Senegal's Ministry of Health confirmed its first case of of the disease today, which puts Senegal alongside Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria in the list of countries affected by the outbreak. The infected person was a young man from Guinea, according to [...]
Terror threat level in UK raised to “severe” August 29, 2014 Home secretary Theresa May has said that the threat of international terror to the UK is “severe”; the fourth highest of five levels. This means that a new terror attack in the country is “highly likely”. She added, however, that there was no intelligence to suggest that an attack would be imminent. The [...]