The UK might have an ambassador for the Arctic – but what would they actually do? February 27, 2015 There will certainly be no fancy parties with circling plates of Ferrero Rocher – just freezing ice, which occasionally melts, and plenty of polar bears waiting for a meal. The Arctic is far from being the most pleasant place in the world, but its abundance of fossil fuels has attracted interest from countries around the [...]
EU takes a stand against high Russian import taxes at the World Trade Organisation February 26, 2015 The European Union (EU) is upping its battle against high import taxes imposed on it by Russia. On Thursday, the bloc posted a request for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to establish a dispute settlement panel over the matter, accusing the Kremlin of placing unreasonably high import duties on a wide range of products. [...]
UK to send advisers to Ukraine – David Cameron February 24, 2015 Britain is to send military advisers into Ukraine for the first time, the Prime Minister has confirmed. Speaking to before a committee of MPs, David Cameron said the UK would send personnel to the stricken country to support government troops battling separatists. Britain, Cameron said, would be the “strongest pole in the tent.” The Ministry [...]
Yanis Varoufakis demolishes Jeroen Dijsselbloem and Angela Merkel in this awesome rap battle February 24, 2015 Is it just us or has much of the western world has been developing a crush on rock-star economist-turned-Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis? When he's not wrangling with Germany over his country's debt crisis, he's out watching cool plays or throwing in casual references to literary giants. https://twitter.com/yanisvaroufakis/status/568563479076081664 He's been brought in on [...]
DFS Furniture targets £585m market debut February 23, 2015 DFS FURNITURE has set a price range of 245p to 310p per share as the sofa retailer pushes ahead with plans for a float on the London Stock Exchange next month. The price range would mean that, at its mid-point, DFS would be valued at £585m although it is understood that its enterprise value including [...]
Ukraine fears further attacks February 23, 2015 UKRAINE said yesterday it feared unrest could spread beyond territory held by pro-Russian separatists, after an explosion killed two people at a memorial rally in an eastern city far from the front line. Kiev said it arrested four people who had been armed and trained in Russia after the blast, which killed a policeman and [...]
One chart summing up Britain and Russia’s military spending February 22, 2015 The amount Britain spends of defence has been called into question, after RAF fighter jets were scrambled this earlier week when two Russian bear bomber aircrafts were spotted flying "close to UK airspace." It prompted Lord Stirrup, who headed the armed forces at the time of the 2010 strategic defence and security review to call for the reversal [...]
Ukraine crisis: US mulls more sanctions for Russia February 22, 2015 The United States has said it's in talks with Europe over levying more sanctions against Moscow, due to its "brazen" violations of a recent ceasefire agreement between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking after meetings with his British counterpart Philip Hammond in London, said President Obama was weighing whether [...]
Chief lender backs Sapinda in gold miner’s refinancing battle February 19, 2015 RUSSIAN financial services giant VTB has reportedly come out in support of Sapinda’s bid to persuade Russia-focused gold miner Petropavlovsk to renegotiate its mooted refinancing plan. In the latest twist in this enduring tug of war between Sapinda and the gold miner’s board. VTB – one of Petropavlovsk’s senior lenders – yesterday privately backed Sapinda’s [...]
City Moves for 20 February 2015 | Who’s switching jobs February 19, 2015 Hausfeld The law firm has appointed Ed Coulson (pictured) as partner in its London office. He joins from Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP), where he worked on complex competition and commercial litigation. His appointment follows that of James Henson, who joined in January from BLP, and Shirley Clarke, who recently joined Hausfeld’s financial services litigation practice [...]