Madrid - Concern was mounting in Spain on Friday over a possible Russian purchase of nearly 30 per cent of the country's largest oil company Repsol YPF, with the governing Socialists appearing divided over the issue.
Repsol should remain a "clearly Spanish and independent" company, senior European affairs official Diego Lopez Garrido said amid reports that the Russian oil giant Lukoil was about to become Repsol's main shareholder.
Madrid - Spain's stock market watchdog CNMV on Friday suspended trade in stocks of the oil company Repsol amid reports that Russian oil giant Lukoil was about to acquire nearly 30 per cent of Repsol.
The CNMV also suspended the stocks of Criteria, a holding of La Caixa bank, which admitted to being in talks with Lukoil about selling all or part of its 12.5-per-cent stake in Repsol to the Russian company.
Lukoil was also reported to be in talks with the construction company Sacyr Vallehermoso, which holds a 20-per-cent stake in Repsol.
Sacyr stocks rose by nearly 14 per cent after trading opened, on top of a 13-per-cent surge on Thursday. Repsol and Criteria shares dropped by more than 2 per cent.
Moscow - A Kremlin bill to extend the presidential term from four to six years was a vote shy of being unanimously approved by lawmakers in its third and final reading Friday in Russia's lower house of parliament.
The bill was backed by 449 of the 450 seat house dominated by pro-Kremlin party United Russia, esaily more than the two-thirds majority needed for constitutional amendments.
While President Dmitry Medvedev launched the draft law, constitutional experts say the law would not apply to him.
Many analysts say he is just a seat warmer setting the way for 12 more years of Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. Currently serving as prime minister, Putin has not ruled out another presidential term.
Madrid - Spain's opposition Thursday expressed concern over the possibility of the oil and gas company Repsol YPF coming partly under Russian control.
Companies from outside the European Union should not get involved with strategic sectors in Spain, Cristobal Montoro of the conservative People's Party (PP) said amid reports that the Russian oil giant Lukoil was planning to swoop for just under 30 per cent of Repsol's stock.
Moscow - Russia said Thursday it would deploy more warships to battle piracy in the seas off the coast of Somalia, a top navy commander announced.
"After the Neustrashimy, Russia will be sending warships from other fleets to this region to the region," Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky said, alluding to a warship, the Fearless, now patrolling the coast, news agency Ria-Novosti reported.
The measures are being taken because of "the current situation off the Horn of Africa and the Gulf of Aden, where Somali pirates have sharply increased their activities," he said.
Moscow - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Thursday the nation would rely on its massive reserve fund to emerge from the crisis ahead of other world economies, halt inflation and a fall in the ruble.
Putin's address at the congress of his party United Russia was full of economic patriotism, aimed at calming fears of coming shocks from the worst financial turbulence the country has seen in over a decade.
Madrid - Concern was mounting in Spain on Friday over a possible Russian purchase of nearly 30 per cent of the country's largest oil company Repsol YPF, with the governing Socialists appearing divided over the issue.
Madrid - Spain's opposition Thursday expressed concern over the possibility of the oil and gas company Repsol YPF coming partly under Russian control.
Moscow - Russia said Thursday it would deploy more warships to battle piracy in the seas off the coast of Somalia, a top navy commander announced.
Moscow - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Thursday the nation would rely on its massive reserve fund to emerge from the crisis ahead of other world economies, halt inflation and a fall in the ruble.
