Rouble firms on Ukraine hopes June 24, 2014 THE RUSSIAN rouble shot up against the dollar yesterday, reaching its highest level since January, as Moscow gave stronger indications that the conflict in Ukraine would be de-escalated. Russian President Vladimir Putin asked the country’s legislators yesterday to rescind permission he had been previously granted to intervene militarily in Ukraine. The dollar dropped below the [...]
UK house price rises: should we copy Germany’s rental model? June 23, 2014 As fears continue to circulate that the UK housing market may be overheating, is it time to take some tips from our European friends when it comes to renting property? First let's take a look at how high property prices really are in the UK when compared to other countries in Europe. The best way [...]
World Cup: Belgium edge to knockout stage June 22, 2014 BELGIUM 1 RUSSIA 0 BELGIUM scraped through to the World Cup knockout stage for the first time in 12 years yesterday thanks to a late goal from substitute Divock Origi. Having failed to qualify for the last two tournaments, Marc Wilmots’s so-called golden generation arrived in Brazil hoping to make up for lost time. Yet [...]
World Cup: Algeria find shooting boots and take aim at uncharted territory June 22, 2014 SOUTH KOREA 2 ALGERIA 4 ALGERIA took a giant stride towards a place in the World Cup last 16 for the first time with victory over South Korea in a wildly entertaining clash last night. The north Africans, beaten by Belgium in their Group H opener, raced into a three-goal lead before half-time with goals [...]
Bitcoin banned by Bolivian central bank as a threat to national currency June 20, 2014 Bitcoin is facing another crackdown from government authorities after the El Banco Central de Bolivia banned any currency that is not issued or regulated by the Bolivian government. The list of cryptocurrencies that were mentioned by name in the Bolivian central bank's directive included Bitcoin, Namecoin, Peercoin, Quark, Primecoin and Feathercoin. The announcement was the [...]
Brexit could lose UK its UN Security Council seat, says Tory MEP June 20, 2014 Britain's withdrawal from the European Union could cost the country its seat on the United Nations Security Council, according to the Conservative candidate for president of the European Parliament. The MEP for the North West of England and former Liberal Democrat, Sajjad Karim, explained that should Scotland vote against independence the EU referendum in 2017 [...]
Ukrainian upheaval takes heavy toll on JP Morgan’s Russia fund June 19, 2014 JP MORGAN’S listed Russian fund sank to its lowest value for five years at the end of April after unrest in Ukraine cast a pall over Russian companies. JP Morgan Russian Securities Plc, the only UK listed fund investing exclusively in Russia, lost about one third of its value for the six months ending April. [...]
World Cup in brief June 19, 2014 Inquiry into Mexico fans’ behaviour WORLD governing body Fifa have opened an inquiry into “improper conduct” by Mexico fans following claims of homophobic chants during last Friday’s match against Cameroon. Meanwhile, Cameroon coach Volker Finke has vowed to discover why defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto aimed a headbutt at team-mate Benjamin Moukandjo during Wednesday’s defeat to Cameroon. [...]
World Cup: Wilmots masterminds Belgium comeback to edge out Algeria June 17, 2014 ALGERIA 1 BELGIUM 2 A LATE second-half strike from Napoli winger Dries Mertens saw Belgium come from behind to land only their second World Cup win in 20 years. Manager Marc Wilmots scored the winning goal to defeat Russia in 2002 – Belgium’s sole triumph at a finals since 1994 – and inspired victory again [...]
World Cup: Kerzhakov comes off the bench to cancel out Akinfeev’s blunder June 17, 2014 RUSSIA 1 SOUTH KOREA 1 RUSSIA substitute Aleksandr Kerzhakov spared the blushes of goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev with a late goal to rescue a point in last night’s Group H clash. Akinfeev, earning his 70th cap, inexplicably spilled Lee Keun-Ho’s speculative strike over the goal-line when a simple catch was required. But former England manager Fabio [...]