John Mark

Nicolás Kicker arrived in Paris in top form. The 25-year-old Argentine was an outsider’s bet to go deep into the draw of the French Open, one of tennis’s four Grand Slam events. He’d recently reached the third round of the Australian Open, earning just over US$100,000 in prize money. He finally no longer relied on … Read more

When Tony Lai opened his first Aji Ichiban snack store in Hong Kong in 1993, a British flag flew on top of Government House and China’s gross domestic product per capita was about the same as that of Nigeria. The chain grew to become iconic for tourists to the city, selling a range of East … Read more

The author is director of Re: Russia. Expertise, Analysis and Policy Network and a visiting fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna Fifty-three years ago, the ruling Politburo in Moscow approved a “gas for pipes” deal that marked a breakthrough in economic relations between the Soviet Union and western Europe. It provided for … Read more

EU countries have struck a deal to pursue tougher climate policies despite fears among some member states that a rush to shore up energy supplies after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would weaken Europe’s environmental ambitions. A ban on the sale of combustion engines by 2035, a phaseout of permits allowing polluting industries a certain amount … Read more

The UK has imposed sanctions on Vladimir Potanin, one of Russia’s richest oligarchs, along with several other individuals close to President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office announced on Wednesday that Potanin, owner of the Interros conglomerate and with an estimated net worth of £ 13bn, would face an asset freeze, … Read more

The world’s top central bankers have warned that the era of low interest rates and moderate inflation has come to an end following the “massive geopolitical shock” from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and from the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking at the European Central Bank’s annual conference, Christine Lagarde, its president, Jay Powell, chair of the Federal … Read more

Unilever has sold its Israeli Ben & Jerry’s business to a local licensee in an attempt to draw a line under a bitter spat between the ice cream brand and the government. The sale to Avi Zinger, owner of American Quality Products, brings to an end a year-long legal battle after Ben & Jerry’s announced … Read more

Anti-gambling campaigners have called on the government to go further to address problem gambling as ministers finalize a package of measures aimed at tackling the issue. Culture secretary Nadine Dorries is set within days to announce measures including a maximum stake of between £ 2 and £ 5 for online casinos, and a ban on … Read more