London rental prices grow at slowest pace in the UK August 18, 2014 London’s rental market has inflated at record speed in recent years as high house prices prevented swathes of potential first-time buyers from taking the leap. In fact last June average rent in the capital stood at £1,295 per month, just over £500 more than prices in the South West, the next-most expensive region. But [...]
Uber ban suspended: Berlin court upholds opposition to taxi app prohibition August 18, 2014 Uber has received some welcome news from Berlin's Administrative Court. Last week, the Berlin State Department of Civil and Regulatory Affairs said Uber risked passenger safety through the use of “unverified drivers in unlicensed vehicles” and consequently banned the popular taxi app. The company had been threatened with fines of up to €25,000 for each [...]
Julian Assange: Six things you should know about the Wikileaks founder August 18, 2014 1. The taxpayer has spent £6.5m on police officers stationed outside the Ecuadorian embassy during his two-year stay, to arrest him should he try to leave. 2. Assange has guest starred on the The Simpsons and had his own talk show on Russia Today. He was also visited by Lady Gaga while he was [...]
Julian Assange timeline: From Wikileaks’ cable-leaker to Ecuadorian embassy refugee August 18, 2014 October 2006 – Assange sets up Wikileaks as a platform for anonymous whistleblowers. February 2010 – Wikileaks publishes a leaked cable relating to the Icesave scandal – the first classified documents supplied by Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning. April 2010 – Wikileaks reveals a video called Collateral Murder, showing two US military teams [...]
Cameron unveils ‘family test’ for government policy August 18, 2014 David Cameron has announced that government policy will soon be subject to a "family test". Every domestic policy will now be required to examine its impact on the family, as well as cost-effectiveness and environmental impact. Speaking to BBC Breakfast, the Prime Minister said the government would "help people who come together stay together". Cameron [...]
Independent Scotland: Potential revenues from North Sea underestimated, says report August 18, 2014 A new report suggests that forecasts by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) for North Sea oil and gas revenues have been significantly underestimated. Independent business organisation N-56 projects that revenues from the North Sea, which would be the prerogative of an independent Scotland, could be six times higher than what the OBR has [...]
Eurozone exports to Russia down 14 per cent in 2014 August 18, 2014 Exports and imports between the Eurozone and Russia have plummeted in the period January to May, figures from Eurostat revealed today. There was a 14 per cent decline in exports from to Russia between January and June 2014 compared with the same period last year. Imports from Russia are also down seven per cent [...]
London ranked world’s most influential city, while New York takes second place August 18, 2014 Forbes magazine has given London's stellar reputation as a global capital of business, finance, culture another boost by naming it the world's most influential city. In the list of the world's most influential cities, London topped the lot, with New York coming a close second and Paris trailing a poor third. "The United Kingdom may now [...]
David Cameron: UK not getting involved in another war in Iraq August 18, 2014 David Cameron has said Britain is “not going to get involved in another war in Iraq”. The Prime Minister warned yesterday that the Islamic State (IS) militant group might target the UK unless action was taken, saying the extremism crisis in Iraq could directly affect the UK. But during an interview with BBC [...]
Julian Assange confirms plans to leave Ecuadorian embassy August 18, 2014 Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has confirmed plans to leave the Ecuadorian embassy, after widespread rumours he was planning to give himself up. The 43 year old Australian had taken refuge in the embassy for two years and is reportedly suffering from heart and lung problems. Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, a self-declared enemy of "corrupt" media [...]