Argentina must stop telling “half truths” about default, says US judge August 2, 2014 A US judge has urged Argentina and its creditors to resume negotiations after the Latin American nation defaulted for the second time in 12 years. Judge Thomas Griesa told investors holding Argentine bonds and lawyers acting for the government: "Nothing that has happened this week has removed the necessity of working out a settlement," at [...]
Uber blamed for slump in cab sales August 1, 2014 The supplier of the licensed Mercedes Vito taxi Eco City Vehicles has attributed its slump in revenues to the "uncertainty caused in the London licensed taxi trade by the emergence of Uber". The company's revenues for the six months to July fell by 33 per cent to £11.4m. However, Mayor of London Boris Johnson's proposed [...]
Uber’s tax status slammed by Labour MP August 1, 2014 Chair of the Public Accounts Committee and Labour MP Margaret Hodge has condemned the tax arrangements of the popular taxi app service Uber in a letter to London Mayor Boris Johnson. According to Hodge, Uber has “unfairly undercut London operators by opting out of the UK tax regime". The Labour MP is unhappy that the [...]
EU parliament lavishes €114m a year on moving from Brussels to Strasbourg August 1, 2014 The European Court of Auditors has calculated that the cost of moving the European parliament between Brussels and Strasbourg every month amounts to an eye watering €114m a year. Every month, MEPs, their staff and office files shuffle on to Strasbourg where plenary sessions are held and then head back to Brussels, which hosts committee [...]
Tougher ecigarette regulation will damage public health on a big scale, say experts August 1, 2014 The good news keeps on rolling for the advocates of ecigarettes, with a new study published in the Journal of Addiction concluding that the devices are much less harmful than regular cigarettes and should not to be subjected to the same regulations faced by conventional tobacco. "Current evidence suggests that there is a potential for [...]
British Airways owner IAG share price climbs after profit boost August 1, 2014 Shares in the owner of British Airways, International Airline Group, have climbed 1.5 per cent after the group reported a pretax profit of €155m for the six months to June 30. Furthermore, all of the group's airlines had their highest second quarter operating result since 2007. Passenger numbers also rose from 29,137 to 35,480. The [...]
Airbnb shows environmental benefits of sharing economy, study finds July 31, 2014 Guests using home and room rental app Airbnb in Europe avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 200,000 cars on the roads and were 10-15 per cent more likely to use public transport than if they stayed in a hotel, according to a survey conducted by Cleantech Group. The study claims that travelling on Airbnb, which [...]
Germany edges closer to total ban on fracking July 31, 2014 Germany could soon extend its moratorium on the use of fracking to a total ban, reports EurActiv Germany. The president of Germany's Federal Environment Agency (UBA) Maria Krautzberger, presented the group's fracking-II assessment in Berlin, concluding: "As long as crucial risks related to this technology cannot be predicted and likewise cannot be controlled, fracking should [...]
Putin’s judo partner Arkady Rotenberg among Russians hit by EU sanctions July 31, 2014 Among those Russians hit by the EU's latest round of sanctions are President Vladimir Putin's judo partner Arkady Rotenberg, who is already on a US sanctions list. The European Commission has published the names of eight Russians and three companies that will have their assets frozen as a consequence of Kremlin's actions in eastern Ukraine. [...]
Drinkers who offend will be forced to wear alcohol bracelets in four London boroughs July 31, 2014 Offenders found guilty of alcohol related offences could be compelled to wear a bracelet that monitors their alcohol consumption, under a new scheme being tested in four London boroughs. The plans, which emanate from the London Mayor Boris Johnson, could see offenders wearing the tags for up to four months at a time, with 150 [...]
