RAF Typhoons scrambled to intercept Russian Tupolev TU 160 fighter jets near UK air space February 17, 2016 RAF jets have been scrambled to intercept Russian fighter jets near UK airspace, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has said. Russian Tupolev TU 160 aircraft are near the UK but not in UK airspace. The RAF is now escorting the fighter jets across the North Sea. The British planes were deployed from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire this afternoon. [...]
Street Fighter V review: a promising but unfinished update that’s plagued by gargantuan bosoms February 17, 2016 The Street Fighter franchise is so iconic to a generation of players, so steeped in warm, fuzzy nostalgia, that updating it requires a surgeon's touch. You can't keep making the same game, but its success lies in its simple mechanics, stored deep in the muscle memory of our fingers. If a Street Fighter II aficionado can’t pick [...]
Saudi-Russia oil deal doubtful as price stutters February 16, 2016 A deal announced between oil heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Russia to freeze production at January levels if other oil producing countries are to do the same has been dubbed “meaningless” by experts. Saudi, the de-facto leader of oil cartel Opec, has refused to enact a cut unless joined by Russia and the US who have both [...]
Royal Dutch Shell share price rises despite scrapping sale of south American oil assets February 16, 2016 Royal Dutch Shell scrapped the sale of some of its South American oil assets, which were expected to net it around $150m (£105m), saying it couldn’t elaborate on the reasons why. The oil major cancelled the sale of its 80 per cent stakes in the Bijupirá and Salema oil fields off the coast of Brazil [...]
S&P: Low brent crude prices not biggest threat to credit ratings of Russian oil majors such as Lukoil, Gazprom, Rosneft, Gazprom Neft, and Novatek February 16, 2016 Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s has said Russian government policy poses the biggest threat to the country’s oil majors, not oil prices which have crumbled over the last 18 months. Russian oil majors have been cushioned from the rout by government policy, which links how much tax they pay to oil prices, leaving the federal [...]
This is one oil and gas market that’s booming despite the low brent crude price February 16, 2016 23 oil and gas projects are set to go offline in the Norwegian North Sea between now and 2024, creating NOK 160bn (£12.5bn) of opportunities, according to research from Oil & Gas UK. Decommissioning represents “a significant emerging business in the sector,” the industry body's study said, at a time when the oil and gas industry [...]
Saudi-Russian pledge to freeze oil production may be smoke and mirrors February 16, 2016 Stop press!! Saudi Arabia and Russia have agreed to freeze oil output!! At first glance, the remarks at today's meeting in Doha were hugely significant, coming both from the notoriously stubborn leader of the Opec cartel and one of the largest non-Opec producers in the world. Opec members Qatar and Venezeula, who were also at [...]
Price of Brent crude falls as Saudi Arabia’s Ali Al-Naimi agrees to freeze oil production after talks with Russia in Qatar February 16, 2016 Saudi Arabia's oil minister has agreed to freeze oil production at January levels, indicating that the Opec leader may be willing to reassess its "lower for longer" policy that has dragged down prices for more than 18 months. Freezing output at January levels will be “adequate” and the nation still wants to meet the demand of its customers, [...]
EU drops sanctions against Belarus in a bid to bolster support against Russia February 15, 2016 The European Union today lifted nearly all sanctions on Belarus, including against controversial President Alexander Lukashenko, in a move widely seen as part of the West's political strategy to strengthen its allies against Russia. Asset freezes and travel bans on 170 individuals and three companies were lifted, but the EU's foreign ministers decided to maintain [...]
Who’s the most destructive James Bond? Daniel Craig and Spectre have nothing on Roger Moore when agent 007’s damages added up February 15, 2016 Agent 007 with a licence to…wreak havoc? James Bond may be the world’s most famous secret agent, but he sure doesn’t come cheap. In a 50-year career, the fictional MI6 agent has racked up an eye-watering total of £8bn in damages. In Spectre, Daniel Craig causes almost £449m worth of damages, starting in the very first scene. [...]