Mercyvill

Civil service instigates investigation into leaked memo from Foreign Office about supposed comments made in February Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, with David Cameron in her office at the Scottish parliament earlier this year. Photograph: WPA Pool/Getty A civil service inquiry into a leaked memo which claimed that Nicola Sturgeon privately wanted to see David Cameron remain in power after the general election has been instigated following calls from the First Minister. Ms Sturgeon described the allegation as “100% untrue” and accused Whitehall of “dirty tricks”.

  Panos Mourdoukoutas Contributor,forbes. Anyone who has been trying to determine the status and the direction of the global economy cannot help but be confused – especially when it comes to the world’s two largest economies, China and America . Some believe that the Chinese economy is where the American economy was back in the late 1940s, building institutions–like AIIB–that will help it lead the emerging global economy. Others believe that the Chinese economy is where the American economy was in 2008, or worse, back in 1929 when American households were heavily indebted.

Since colonial times the east African country’s north-east has been politically and economically disenfranchised. The killing of 148 people last week was part of a fresh attempt by al-Shabaab militants to exploit this inequality, copying Boko Haram’s success on the other side of the continent A distressed relative of one of those killed is supported by rescue workers. Photograph: Thomas Mukoya/Reuters Murithi Mutiga in Nairobi Mixed in among the grief-stricken parents who thronged the Chiromo mortuary parlour in Nairobi, seeking word on the fate of their children, on Friday afternoon were student leaders who had come to make a political point.

  Japan’s wealthiest are a picture of contrasts in our latest accounting–with notable ups and downs just as the nation’s economy is seeing a rising asset market along with a depreciating yen, off 14% against our U.S. dollar benchmark. Those macroeconomic factors resulted in major shifts in some fortunes. Although national GDP has been slow to stir under the Abenomics policy of higher public spending and loose money creation, the Nikkei stock index was up 36% over the past year (hitting highs not seen in 15 years). The collective wealth of Japan’s top 50 is $141 billion versus $130 billion a year ago.

ADVERTISEMENT General Buhari An Urhobo militant group, Urhobo Gbagbako, on Friday claimed responsibility for Thursday night’s bombing of the NPDC Oil pipelines at Ighrenene, Afiesere and Ekiugbo communities in Delta State. The group, which made the claims in an email sent to some reporters, said it is also planning to shut down all the oil fields in Urhobo and Isoko areas.

Users of Google in March also wanted to know why the Conservative party is known as the Tories, and whether Londoners can vote SNP “Why is the Conservative party called the Tories?”. Photograph: Andrew Parsons/Zuma Press/Corbis Thursday 2 April 2015 13.46 BST Last modified on Friday 3 April 2015 00.35 BST Google is a fount of knowledge for all would-be UK voters trying to get a grasp on the political landscape before next month’s general election. The bad news for Ukip is that the public are mostly preoccupied with finding out whether it is racist or not.

SNP leader mobbed in Edinburgh after debate success Cameron and Miliband tied in snap polls LIVE Updated 32m ago Labour leader Ed Miliband carries fish and chips he bought for the media from a Harry Ramsden’s restaurant as he campaigns in Blackpool Photograph: Chris Radburn/PA Andrew Sparrow and Claire Phipps Friday 3 April 2015 17.03 BST Last modified on Friday 3 April 2015 17.52 BST Afternoon summary The Conservatives, Labour and the SNP have all claimed victory in the light of last night’s leaders’ debate. The Lib Dems and and SNP have clashed over plans for future spending on the NHS. As the Press Association reports, The SNP claim their anti-austerity plan would see Scotland’s health budget rise by a total of £2bn by 2020. But the Lib Dems say the SNP’s desire to increase public spending across the UK over the next five years “threatens to wreck NHS funding”. The Scottish Lib Dem party president Sir Malcolm...

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Liberal Democrat leader appears to rule out forming a government with more than one other party, saying multiparty governments are messy Nick Clegg suggests a rainbow coalition would not include the Lib Dem yellow. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Nick Clegg , the Liberal Democrat leader, has come close to ruling out joining a multiparty coalition, saying rainbow coalitions produce messy governments. Opinion polls suggest there is little chance that a combination of only two parties will be able to get enough votes to secure a Commons majority. But Clegg insisted including more parties in a coalition was a “recipe for insomnia”.