The world’s largest sovereign wealth fund had its worst year since 2011 last year, but managed to avoid negative returns March 9, 2016 The Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund has returned 2.7 per cent on its investments in 2015 thanks to a rally in equities late in the year. The low oil price and slowing emerging markets dragged on returns however, meaning the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund recorded its weakest performance since 2011. The oil fund, managed by [...]
Thomas Cook has extended its suspension of trips to the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh until the end of October, due to no change to travel advice March 8, 2016 Travel operator Thomas Cook has opted to extend its suspension of holidays to the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh until Monday 31 October 2016, due to no change to travel advice from the Foreign Office. A ban had previously been in place up to 25 May after a Russian commercial jet was downed in October. The Foreign [...]
Maria Sharapova drugs test scandal “a load of nonsense” claims Russian tennis boss March 8, 2016 The head of Russian tennis has hit back at the drugs scandal engulfing Maria Sharapova, describing it as "just a load of nonsense". Russian Tennis Federation president Shamil Tarpishchev said Sharapova's failed drugs test at this year's Australian Open would not prevent her from competing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. On Monday [...]
Nike suspends £43m Maria Sharapova endorsement deal following failed drug test at Australian Open March 8, 2016 Maria Sharapova could lose millions in future sponsorship earnings, after partners such as Nike, Tag Heuer and Porsche moved responded with concern to her admission of failing a drugs test. Sportswear giant Nike said it was "saddened and surprised" by Sharapova's confession that she had tested positive for meldonium, a substance added to the World [...]
Maria Sharapova career in doubt after testing positive for banned substance at Australian Open 2016 March 7, 2016 Former world No1 and five-time grand slam winner Maria Sharapova has shocked the tennis world by announcing she had failed a drugs test at this year’s Australian Open. The Russian tested positive for banned substance meldonium, which she has been taking since 2006 for health reasons. Meldonium has been on the banned list since 1 January [...]
EU migrant crisis: EU and Turkish leaders meet in Brussels for summit to tackle migrant crisis as Prime Minister David Cameron announces UK military will join Nato in Aegean Sea March 7, 2016 Turkish and European Union leaders have met in Brussels in an attempt to tackle the migrant crisis. Last year, more than a million entered the EU by boat, mostly travelling from Turkey to Greece, with 13,000 people currently stuck on Greece's border with Macedonia. The EU has pledged €3bn (£2.3bn) to Turkey in return for housing [...]
Wentworth Golf Club threatens Russian mining boss with legal action for claiming that new fees could break FCA regulations March 7, 2016 As a legal row over the golf club’s £100,000 joining fee rages on, Wentworth’s boss is starting to fall out with key figures on the estate. Wentworth has sent a letter threatening legal action against its own tennis captain, after he suggested in a a separate missive that the proposed new membership costs breach regulations set by the [...]
Oil eyes yearly price highs despite US stockpiles rising, and denials Opec will cut production March 6, 2016 The price of oil is set to record fresh highs for 2016 this week, despite comments from the Saudi Arabian oil minister that the de facto Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) leader will not cut its production and stubbornly high reserves of oil in the US. Saudi Arabia will maintain its oil market [...]
Oil producers set time and place for second production freeze meeting – Nigeria’s oil minister March 3, 2016 The second meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and non-Opec producers are planning to meet in Russia on 20 March to continue talks on freezing oil output, according to Nigeria’s oil minister Emmanuel Kachikwu. At the first meeting in February, brokered by de facto Opec leader Saudi Arabia; Russia, Qatar and Venezuela agreed they would cap their [...]
We visit one of the last luxury chalets to be built in Courchevel March 3, 2016 Perched high up in the Tarentaise Valley in France’s Rhone-Alpes region, Courchevel 1850 has long reigned as one of Europe’s most expensive and glitziest resorts – ranking top on both Knight Frank and Savills’ prime and ultra prime ski resort indices. Set in the vast Three Valleys area – the largest ski location in the [...]