BBC refuses Russian request to remove web story in Kremlin media crackdown August 5, 2014 The BBC has refused a request by Russia’s state media watchdog to remove an interview with the activist and artist Artem Loskutov from its Russian service website which the government deems “extremist”. Roskomnadzor, the state-run media regulator, requested the story published on 31 July be removed from bbcrussia.com to comply with the country’s laws on [...]
CNBC Comment: Why markets are drowning in uncertainty August 4, 2014 It’s been a hot summer for some, with US stock markets breaking out to fresh highs in July, and European investors debating whether to dip a toe in the water on the back of more European Central Bank (ECB) action. But as thunder clouds roll in, and after Wall Street suffered its worst week since [...]
EU sanctions freeze out Russia’s biggest banks as growth forecasts slashed July 31, 2014 New European Union sanctions against five of the largest Russian banks will hit the City hardest, according to analysts, while major restrictions on arms sales will not apply to France’s warship sales to Moscow. Sberbank, the largest bank in Russia, was named by Brussels in the tranche of sanctions yesterday. The institution raised $5.2bn (£3.08bn) [...]
Russia tensions kick Adidas to profit warning July 31, 2014 Adidas shares plunged 15 per cent yesterday after the sportswear giant became the latest big European company to warn that the Ukraine crisis was taking a toll on the business. The sportswear giant, which supplies kit to Premier League clubs such as Russian-owned Chelsea FC, warned that it would miss its profit and revenue targets [...]
Rise in rich Russians moving to the UK July 31, 2014 There has been a sharp rise in the number of wealthy Russians migrating to the UK, according to Home Office figures. By applying for elite “investor visas”, they have been able to secure settlement in Britain more quickly than they would if applying via the normal route. These specialist visas are for migrants [...]
Adidas share price falls following warning on Russia July 31, 2014 Shares in German sportswear brand Adidas took a hit today after the company announced that conditions in Russia could affect profits, and that its targets for 2015 were no longer achievable. Adidas currently runs 1,000 stores in Russia, but it revealed that it intends to close some of its branches to "reduce risk and [...]
Putin’s judo partner Arkady Rotenberg among Russians hit by EU sanctions July 31, 2014 Among those Russians hit by the EU's latest round of sanctions are President Vladimir Putin's judo partner Arkady Rotenberg, who is already on a US sanctions list. The European Commission has published the names of eight Russians and three companies that will have their assets frozen as a consequence of Kremlin's actions in eastern Ukraine. [...]
EU sanctions Putin’s cronies as G7 nations say more may come July 30, 2014 The European Union yesterday extended sanctions against the Russian government to another group of individuals and organisations, freezing the assets of “cronies” of Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to one EU official. The eight individuals included Arkady Rotenberg, a friend of Putin, who has benefitted from public contracts and the gains of Moscow’s state-owned firms. The [...]
London Report: Argentina, US and Russia fears weigh on FTSE July 30, 2014 FEARS yesterday over Russian sanctions and an Argentinian default, as well as concerns that good GDP figures from the US might push up interest rates brought the FTSE lower. London’s blue chip index ended the day on 6773.44 points, 0.5 per cent, or 34.31 points, lower. Among the gainers, Barclays jumped 4.2 per cent to [...]
Dagger in the Kremlin’s heart: Europe’s sanctions have revived a comatose West July 30, 2014 “We live between the act of awakening and the act of surrender.” John O’Donohue, Irish poet MY GOD, they’ve finally done something. In the end, it wasn’t the horrific shooting down of MH17 – highly likely by Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine – that goaded a seemingly inert Europe into decisive action. Even after this [...]