Putin will fail in Syria: The West must take a step back October 4, 2015 I feel as if we are in a time warp. To read right-wing commentators over the past few days, you would think the Cold War is back on – only this time we are losing. To hear them talk, we are living in a new age of Russian power. A triumphant Russia is calling the [...]
UK government calls on Russia to cease Syria airstrikes October 3, 2015 The UK government has called on Russia to cease its air strikes on Syria "immediately", claiming many of the attacks so far have resulted in civilian deaths rather than Islamic State militants. Along with governments from the US, France, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, the UK said it was deeply concerned by the [...]
Russian airstrikes mainly hitting Syrian civilians, says defence secretary Michael Fallon October 3, 2015 UK defence secretary Michael Fallon has accused Russia of protecting Syria's Assad regime by targeting airstrikes at civilians. He told The Sun that very few strikes by the country, which began its launches there earlier this week, were hitting Islamic State (IS) militants. We're analysing where the strikes are going every morning. The vast [...]
Oil price pushed up by escalating tensions in Syria October 2, 2015 The price of oil has risen for the second day in a row, pushed up by an escalation of military action in Syria. In early trading, WTI was up at $45.67 per barrel – a 2.1 per cent increase from yesterday, while Brent was 1.5 per cent higher at $48.39 per barrel. Today, [...]
Why we need to stop countries developing killer military robots before it’s too late October 2, 2015 The prospect of human-killing robots walking among us on our streets is a very scary one, and while it was once stuck firmly in the realms of science fiction, it is now becoming a distinct possibility. It's no wonder, then, that thousands of scientists and artificial intelligence researchers signed an open letter calling for [...]
Should you invest in India? Inside the last major emerging market left standing October 1, 2015 Shifting fortunes in emerging markets mean India is now standing out as more investable than the rest. The last two years have seemed like a new dawn for investors in India. The country elected reformist candidate Narendra Modi as its new Prime Minister in May last year and experts around the world cheered his [...]
Louis Van Gaal: Manchester United strike duo could have made life easier September 30, 2015 Manchester Untied manager Louis van Gaal insisted that misfiring strikers Wayne Rooney and Memphis Depay could have made his side’s narrow Champions League victory over Wolfsburg a much more sedate affair. The German outfit secured an early lead through midfielder Daniel Caligiuri, although a Juan Mata penalty — his first Champions League goal since December [...]
Fitch warns global growth will be slowest since 2009 September 30, 2015 Credit ratings agency Fitch has warned global growth is set to be the slowest since the depths of the financial crisis this year. Fitch said it expects the global economy will grow by just 2.3 per cent this year, the weakest since 2009, and less than the agency's June forecast. The weakness will come from [...]
Russia votes to put ground troops in Syria September 30, 2015 Russia's upper house has approved President Vladimir Putin's request to deploy ground troops to Syria. Lawmakers have given unanimous approval for the country's armed forces to enter the war-torn country, paving the way for a rapid intervention, Russia media is reporting. The Russian constitution requires the president to seek permission from the upper house before [...]
World view September 29, 2015 From capital flight to monetary wobbles, we highlight the figures that matter from around the world UNITED STATES 13 of 17 FOMC members predict a Fed rate rise in 2015. $1 trillion Total US car loans outstanding reached a record level, rising by $119bn in the second quarter. SOUTH AMERICA Junk S&P’s rating of Brazil [...]