Ruble Slides to Five-Week Low as Russia Limits Supply of Dollars

The ruble slid to a five-week low as the central bank suspended some foreign-exchange auctions, stepping up measures to counter this year’s biggest currency rally.

China Wants to Internationalize Its Currency, So It's Easing Capital Restrictions

You can’t buy a beer with it. You can’t trade in it. Yet China’s push to win an arcane currency status bestowed by the International Monetary Fund is driving policy makers in Beijing to ease capital restrictions.

Nicola Sturgeon attacks UK government's spending cuts

Nicola Sturgeon has attacked the “scale and speed” of government spending cuts, while pledging that the Scottish government will campaign for the UK to stay in the EU.

Iran Wants To Overcome Differences With Saudi-Arabia

Iran’s oil minister, Bijan Zanganeh, says that despite their general differences over Islam and specific quarrel over Yemen, his country and Saudi Arabia have more in common than may be immediately evident.

Egypt Tax Delay Means Rich Pay Less to Cut Deficit: IMF

The International Monetary Fund criticized Egypt’s decision to delay imposing capital gains tax on stocks because it means that the cost of shoring up public finances will be borne by “people who are less able to afford it.”

EU agrees 1.8bn-euro loan to cash-strapped Ukraine

The EU has agreed a €1.8bn (£1.3bn; $2bn) loan to Ukraine - described as a landmark deal for a non-EU member.

Gap between rich and poor 'keeps growing'

The gap between the rich and the poor keeps widening, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says.