When you’re Making your Mind Up about your referendum vote, remember that Eurovision is nothing to do with the EU May 13, 2016 It’s that time of year again when parties are held, often with the campest of costumes, much drink is consumed, and we laugh, cheer and argue in equal measure. But wait! It’s only May. It’s not Halloween, Hogmanay, or even a bank holiday weekend. What is this new tradition in our annual calendar of escapist [...]
Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton questions wisdom of Red Bull over Daniil Kvyat’s demotion to Toro Rosso May 13, 2016 THREE-TIME world champion Lewis Hamilton has become the latest driver to question the wisdom of Red Bull’s decision to demote Daniil Kvyat to junior team Toro Rosso following an error-strewn Russian Grand Prix. Kvyat crashed into Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel twice in the first three corners of the race at the Sochi Autodrom earlier this month [...]
The UK government must remember to tackle corruption at home as Cameron’s anti-corruption summit gets underway in the wake of the Panama Papers May 12, 2016 The Prime Minister's invitation to representatives of other governments to attend an Anti-Corruption Summit in London looked like a good idea when he announced it a year ago. Before, that is, he chose to insult two of the guests. The gaffe has already drawn quick rebuttals from the two countries, with the Nigerian President claiming [...]
London is home to more multi-millionaires than any other city in the world May 12, 2016 London has more multi-millionaires than any other city in the world, new research reveals. The UK’s capital is home to 4,400 “super-rich” people with net assets worth $30m (£20.7m) or more, excluding the value of their main house, figures from data provider Wealth Insight for 2015 show. This is up by 0.8 per cent over [...]
SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule returns to planet Earth containing results and cargo from International Space Station May 11, 2016 A SpaceX Dragon capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, containing experiment results and cargo from the International Space Station (ISS). The returned capsule is the first to make it safely back to Earth since a launch accident in June 2015 in which another Dragon capsule was destroyed. SpaceX, founded by billionaire Elon Musk, resumed [...]
Oil prices jump after US inventories unexpectedly tumble May 11, 2016 Oil prices shrugged off earlier losses to crawl into positive territory this afternoon, after US oil stocks unexpectedly tumbled. Data released today by the Energy Information Administration showed US oil inventories fell by 3.4m barrels in the week ending 6 May. Analysts had pencilled in a build of 80,000 barrels. Gasoline supplies slumped by 1.2m barrels, while distillate [...]
EU referendum: Remain or Leave – a matter of war and peace? May 11, 2016 Invoking Blenheim, Trafalgar, Waterloo, the Great War, and the Battle of Britain, as arguments for UK engagement with Europe and the world was provocative and historically questionable, but to use these conflicts to support UK membership of the EU as essential is just daft. This is dishonest Remain-style parody of “Leave”. No one is advocating [...]
Don’t hold your breath for EU referendum facts May 11, 2016 On the eve of the 1986 Reykjavik Summit between Gorbachev and Reagan, the US President sought the advice of historian Suzanne Massie, who told him of the old Russian saying: “Trust, but verify.” This piece of wisdom, offered to a President at the height of the Cold War, is perhaps the best approach that today's [...]
World Anti-Doping Agency to probe new claims of Russian doping at Sochi 2014 May 10, 2016 Allegations of Russian doping at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi will be investigated by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), it was confirmed today. The claims, made by whistleblower Vitaly Stepanov during an interview aired on Sunday by American channel CBS, centre on Russian athletes and entourage members engaging in the misuse of drugs. [...]
Russian oil boss Sechin declares Opec effectively extinct May 10, 2016 The head of Russia's biggest oil firm declared the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) effectively extinct. Igor Sechin, a close ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin, told Reuters that internal strife is killing the cartel and its ability to steer the oil market has all but evaporated. Read more: Oil and gas execs flag Opec policy as biggest [...]