Section: Independent Online (South Africa)
Press freedom: SA is 39th on world list
Freedom of the press is good in Finland. It’s terrible in Eritrea. How well does South Africa fare? ||| Paris – Media freedom suffered a “drastic decline” worldwide last year in part because of extremist groups such as Islamic State and Boko Haram, the watchdog group Reporters Without Borders said in its annual evaluation released on...
Greece minister enters lions’ den
Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis headed for a showdown with euro zone finance ministers yesterday after his new leftist-led government won a parliamentary confidence vote for its refusal to extend an international bailout. ||| Costas Pitas and Alastair Macdonald Athens and BrusselsGreek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis yesterday began...
Asia’s stocks fall as Greek uncertainty saps confidence
Asian stocks and the euro fell on Thursday as markets erred on the side of caution over the ongoing Greek debt negotiations. ||| Tokyo – Asian stocks and the euro fell on Thursday as markets erred on the side of caution over the ongoing Greek debt negotiations amid conflicting headlines on progress in the talks. MSCI’s broadest index...
Greece, euro zone fail to agree on debt
Greece’s new leftist government and its international creditors failed to agree on a way forward after seven hours of talks. ||| Brussels – Greece’s new leftist government and its international creditors failed to agree on a way forward on the country’s unpopular bailout and will try again on Monday, with time running out...
Fighting in Ukraine ahead of talks
Shelling rocked a bus station in Donetsk as fighting continued to rage in eastern Ukraine ahead of crucial peace talks. ||| Donetsk – Shelling rocked a bus station in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk on Wednesday as fighting continued to rage in eastern Ukraine ahead of crucial peace talks later in the day.Rebel officials said that five...
Attacks threaten Ukraine peace talks
Desperate four-way peace talks in Minsk appeared increasingly doomed to failure after fighting intensified in eastern Ukraine. ||| Kiev – Desperate four-way peace talks planned for Wednesday in Minsk appeared increasingly doomed to failure on Tuesday night after fighting intensified in eastern Ukraine. Early in the morning, reports emerged...
Wall Street rises on Greek deal hopes
American stocks rose on Tuesday on hopes that Greek debt negotiations could result in a deal that stabilises Europe. ||| New York – US stocks rose on Tuesday on hopes that Greek debt negotiations could result in a deal that stabilises Europe, while Apple helped lift the S&P 500 and Nasdaq as it became the first US company worth more...
British shares drift lower as Royal Mail falls
Britain’s top equity index drifted lower on Tuesday as concerns about Greece and China kept investors on edge. ||| London – Britain’s top equity index drifted lower on Tuesday as concerns about Greece and China kept investors on edge, while a broker downgrade hit Royal Mail. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index fell 0.5 percent to...
Global investors cozy up to India as Brazil, Russia and China hit hurdles
As Brazil, Russia and China (Bric) hit hurdles, it is the poorest member of Goldman Sachs Group’s emerging market group that is proving to be a darling of global investors. ||| Simon Kennedy and Sandrine Rastello London and MumbaiAS BRAZIL, Russia and China (Bric) hit hurdles, it is the poorest member of Goldman Sachs Group’s emerging...
Asia slips amid Greek exit worries
Asian equities slipped on Tuesday as nervousness over Greece potentially withdrawing from the euro sapped risk appetite. ||| Tokyo – Asian equities slipped on Tuesday as nervousness over Greece potentially withdrawing from the euro and escalating conflict in Ukraine sapped risk appetite, while the dollar lost steam after its...
