London / AFP British town halls and publicly funded universities face “severe penalties” if they institute boycotts of “unethical” companies or Israeli goods under controversial new rules to be outlined by the government this week. “Locally imposed boycotts can roll back integration as well as hinder Britain’s export trade and harm international relationship,” the Cabinet Office said in a statement …

Bloomberg Russia’s state minerals store plans to greatly boost diamond sales amid a widening budget deficit, adding to concerns that supply is rising too fast in an industry still reeling from the biggest rout in seven years. The government depository known as Gokhran plans an auction on Feb. 29 to sell 16,799 carats and another on March 10 for as …

Bloomberg Vladimir Putin is trying to cash in the gains of the biggest military wager of his career. Russian forces have helped Putin’s Syrian ally Bashar Al Assad drive back rebel forces after five years of fighting. The momentum clearly established, the Kremlin gave the green light to an agreement with the US and other powers on a partial cease-fire …