The grave crises facing Putin’s Russia lay bare its fundamental weaknesses January 28, 2014 CHAOS in Kiev must feel uncomfortably close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian parliament yesterday annulled laws that sought to clear the streets of protesters against Ukraine’s increasingly authoritarian pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. Ukraine’s prime minister and government have quit, and the country stands perilously on the edge of deeper conflict – prompted initially [...]
Dimon says settlements unfair January 23, 2014 JP MORGAN chief executive Jamie Dimon has said legal settlements against the firm were not fair. Speaking at The World Economic Forum in Davos, Dimon told the US network CNBC: “I think a lot of it was unfair, but I am not going to go into the details,” adding that court battles could have taken [...]
Jenkins warns global economy still at risk January 22, 2014 BARCLAYS chief executive Antony Jenkins yesterday warned global markets would remain at risk of a repeat of the global financial crisis until the end of the decade. “It’s very difficult to argue that the financial system is not safer than it was in 2008, but the question is how much safer is it,” he said [...]
Farage: Women are worth less to City bosses January 20, 2014 WOMEN who take time off to have children are “worth less” to City bosses than their male colleagues, Ukip leader Nigel Farage has said. Speaking at a conference on Europe, Farage said he didn’t believe there was any discrimination against women in the City, singling out banks, brokerage houses and Lloyd’s of London as good [...]
Hollande: This is a difficult time January 14, 2014 BELEAGUERED French President Francois Hollande faced a new barrage of criticism yesterday, after announcing a programme of reforms that he hopes will lift the country’s stagnant economy. In his first speech of the year – and amid intense scrutiny of his personal life – Hollande announced plans for a “responsibility pact,” committed to being “as [...]
US tech giants face trouble if Obama fails to shut down internet snooping January 14, 2014 THIS Friday, Barack Obama will decide what he intends to do about the US National Security Agency’s (NSA) covert surveillance activities on the phone and internet records of the American people. He will do so having received a coruscating report from his own review panel, recommending that he shut it down. A bunch of hard-headed [...]
M&S boss Marc Bolland defends Xmas discounts January 9, 2014 MARKS & SPENCER chief executive Marc Bolland yesterday denied that the retailer had sparked this Christmas’s frenzied discounting as the chain’s clothing sales fell for a 10th consecutive quarter. The high street bellwether said like-for-like general merchandise sales, which include homeware and clothing, dropped by 2.1 per cent in the 13 weeks to 28 December. [...]
Angela Merkel suffers skiing injury January 6, 2014 GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel fractured her pelvis while cross-country skiing during the Christmas period, and will be cutting back on her duties while she recovers, according to an official announcement yesterday. Merkel will be working from home when possible over the next three weeks, and has cancelled a visit to Warsaw tomorrow.
Ashcroft polling gives Farage a reason to smile January 6, 2014 NIGEL Farage’s Ukip party could pose the greatest threat to David Cameron’s hopes of a Conservative victory in the 2015 general election, according to a new poll. Thirty-seven per cent of those who voted Conservative in 2010 said they would not do so again if there was an election tomorrow. Half of these voters, dubbed [...]
Goldsmith tells the PM to come clean on airports December 17, 2013 CONSERVATIVE MP and anti-Heathrow campaigner Zac Goldsmith has accused David Cameron of “cynical PR” over plans to expand Heathrow airport. Goldsmith warned that voters would never forgive him if the Prime Minister’s manifesto commitment to halt any expansion at the airport in west London turned out to be hot air. “All three leaders are going to [...]