Russia to send humanitarian convoy to Ukrainian rebels August 11, 2014 Russia is to send a Red-cross aid convoy to the Ukrainian rebel stronghold of Luhansk. Western governments including Ukraine have been opposed to Russia's sending of aid, but have softened their stance. Nevertheless there was a clear warning to the Kremlin, as the EU Comission chief cautioned Vladimir Putin's government not to engage in unilateral [...]
West warns Russia not to use humanitarian mission as a pretext to invade Ukraine August 9, 2014 The UK and US governments have advised Russia against using humanitarian assistance as a cover-up for sending troops to eastern Ukraine. "I am deeply concerned by reports of an increased flow of heavy weapons crossing into Ukrainian sovereign territory from Russia and by reports of Russian armed forces exercising for a 'humanitarian intervention' in [...]
Stock markets dip after US approves air strikes on Iraq August 8, 2014 Stock markets have taken a hit in the wake of Barack Obama's decision to authorise air strikes on Iraq, with investors seeking safe haven assets. The price of crude has also risen to $105.76 a barrel. According to a Pentagon spokesman, the US has conducted an airstrike on Islamic State artillery used against Kurdish forces [...]
Film Review: Welcome to New York August 8, 2014 ★★★★☆ Welcome to New York is a grotesque character study of the French head of a world bank – not to mention Presidential hopeful – who stands accused of raping a maid in a New York hotel. Director Abel Ferrara’s film is certainly bold. In fact, you wonder how he got away with it: the [...]
Coca-Cola bottler HBC wobbles as Russian tensions hurt sales August 8, 2014 SHARES of Coca-Cola HBC, the largest bottler of the soft drinks company in Europe, tanked yesterday after it warned that volumes would fall for the rest of the year, citing a “sudden deterioration” in Russia, its biggest market. The world’s second largest bottler of Coca-Cola drinks saw its shares fall 5.3 per cent on the [...]
Relief for Shaft Sinkers after £37m Kazazh drilling contract August 8, 2014 SOUTH African mine-shaft excavators Shaft Sinkers yesterday signed a £37m contract with Kazchrome to work on their Skipovaya project in Kazakhstan. The news marks a welcome change in Shaft Sinkers’ affairs following a 60 per cent share price collapse a year after being caught up in an oligarchs’ dispute between Russian fertiliser giant EuroChem and [...]
Russia’s food ban sanctions against EU farmers threaten Eurozone August 8, 2014 Sanctions slapped on EU farmers by the Russian government could help to push Eurozone inflation even lower, potentially forcing price growth into negative territory. Inflation in the euro area is already running at just 0.4 per cent, where even a small drop could push the region into deflation. Economists fear the single currency could [...]
ECB keeps interest rates at record low August 7, 2014 The European Central Bank (ECB) has left interest rates at their current record low of 0.15 per cent. The move was widely in line with expectations, as the ECB has been keen to leave time to analyse the impact of the measures announced in June. Eurozone inflation slipped to 0.4 per cent in July, its [...]
Edward Snowden granted another three years of residency by Russia August 7, 2014 US whistleblower and fugitive Edward Snowden has been given an extra three years of residency in Russia, according to his lawyer Anatoly Kurcherena. On 31 May last year, Snowden fled from the US after leaking information about the surveillance and phone-tapping activities of the National Security Agency, of which he was an employee at [...]
Russia retaliates against West with ban on food imports August 7, 2014 Russia is imposing a “full embargo” on food imports from some Western countries, in what is seen as a retaliation against the West's increasing sanctions against Russia. The news was announced by Russian Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev during a televised speech to the government. He listed fish, meat, milk and other dairy products [...]