Royal Dutch Shell opens talks with Iran by promising $2bn debt repayment August 24, 2015 Royal Dutch Shell has become the first UK company to take a major step towards reviving its trade relationship with Iran. Read more: If a nuclear deal is reached, Iran will be bursting with investment opportunities – here's what to look out for During a visit to the oil-rich country yesterday, the company's head [...]
Russia has banned Wikipedia today in what activists are calling an attack on open internet August 24, 2015 In yet another blow against open internet in Russia, authorities banned Wikipedia today, ostensibly over drug-related content. Officially, this is about a Wikipedia page essentially explaining how to make charas, a kind of cannabis. Kremlin’s surveillance authority Roskomnadzor has been trying to get the page removed, threatening to ban the whole website unless it complied. [...]
Think tank: Sub-par schools need to foot the bill for failing students August 24, 2015 A leading Westminster think tank wants failing schools to pay up – by making them cover the costs of students who don’t make the grade in GCSE English or maths. The centre-right Policy Exchange, which is closely aligned with the Conservative party, argued in a new paper out today that the government should impose fines [...]
Foreign secretary Philip Hammond says first sanctions against Iran could be lifted early next year August 24, 2015 Foreign secretary Philip Hammond has announced that the first sanctions against Iran could be lifted as soon as early next year. Read more: British embassy paves the way for new business opportunities in Iran The comments came as Hammond visited Iran to reopen the British embassy in Tehran. The Iranian embassy in London has also been [...]
Iran is open for business: Bankers, bosses and business groups join the foreign secretary as battered British embassy reopens in Tehran August 24, 2015 Bosses from Britain’s largest business groups and energy companies broke new ground over the weekend by embarking on an overseas trade mission to Iran, optimistic that thawed diplomatic relations could pave the way for future trade deals. British Bankers’ Association chief executive Anthony Browne, Institute of Directors (IoD) director general Simon Walker, and Confederation of [...]
Chancellor George Osborne kicks off his own European tour to try and win the EU over on Cameron’s reforms August 24, 2015 Chancellor George Osborne is embarking on a whistle-stop tour of three European capitals today, in an effort to secure support for Prime Minister David Cameron’s EU reform agenda. Osborne is set to visit Helsinki, Stockholm and Copenhagen to hold meetings with key members of the Finnish, Swedish and Danish governments, including Finnish finance minister Alexander [...]
Labour frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn calls current levels of corporate pay “ludicrous” August 23, 2015 In an interview today, Jeremy Corbyn attacked corporate pay and claimed bankers need to wake up to Britain's “gross inequalities”. Speaking to the FT, the Labour frontrunner described the salaries and bonuses out by some businesses as “ludicrous”, and said he is investigating every organisation. I do think the salary level and the bonus [...]
The Greek coalition process is dragging August 23, 2015 The Greek coalition negotiations remain slow amid mounting pressure to get on with the campaign process ahead of a widely expected snap election in September. "Don't bother with tricks aimed at delaying the elections. These won’t get anywhere and the people understand this," Former prime minister Alexis Tsipras told senior government and Syriza members yesterday. [...]
British embassy re-opens in Iran, paving the way for new business opportunities August 23, 2015 Today, the British embassy in Iran was opened for the first time in four years, marking a pivotal moment in the trade relationship between the two countries. Read more: If a nuclear deal is reached, Iran will be bursting with investment opportunities – here's what to look out for During a ceremony overseen by [...]
Britons are more worried about immigration than ever before August 21, 2015 Britons are more worried about immigration than ever before, as the migrant crisis in Calais continues to worsen. Immigration and the state of the NHS are the two political issues that UK adults worry most about, according to new figures from Ipsos Mori released today. Half of those polled replied that immigration was one of [...]