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Spain's former king Juan Carlos is once again in the spotlight after his alleged former mistress claimed he was involved in money laundering, sparking calls for an investigation. The scandal broke after two Spanish websites published recordings attributed to Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein in which she alleges Juan Carlos tried to hide money transfers and used her name to buy property in Monaco and Morocco.  The German aristocrat, who is based in Monte Carlo, also said he told her he had moved money into the account of a cousin, Alvaro d'Orleans Bourbon, in Switzerland. In the recordings, which were released online last week, she claims he also pocketed money from a high-speed train contract with Saudi Arabia, saying he wanted money to divorce his wife Sofia and marry her. Several royal experts contacted by AFP said the voice in the recording was indeed that of Sayn-Wittgenstein. She has not denied that the voice in the recording is hers, instead issuing a statement … [Read more...] about Former Spanish king’s ‘special friend’ says he laundered money

Ronaldo waves to fans as he arrives at the Juventus medical centre. Photo: Miguel Meidna/AFP Cristiano Ronaldo said on Monday that he's "different" from other players of his age who move to China or Qatar for mega-money deals, during an official unveiling as a Juventus player in which he said he wanted to help bring Champions League success to his new club. With the World Cup over, the superstar attacker's 100 million-euro ($117 million) move from European champions Real Madrid has put all eyes on the Italian champions and Serie A, and Ronaldo said that he wasn't "here on holiday". READ ALSO: All eyes on Turin after Ronaldo's surprise arrival Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP READ ALSO: Italian media rejoices as Ronaldo heads to Juve Photo: Isabella Bonotto/AFP Ronaldo also scored twice in the 2017 final and scored the controversial stoppage-time penalty that thwarted an incredible Juve comeback from three goals down and saw them exit at the quarter-final stage. By Terry Daley READ … [Read more...] about ‘I want to show I’m not like others’: Ronaldo gives first official speech after arriving in Turin

Photo: Nhac Nguyen/AFP. On Monday July 16th, a financial regulator unveiled a strategy to monitor whether cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin pose a threat to world economic stability. The plan follows on from a concerted drive by central banks and regulatory bodies to keep cryptocurrencies at bay. In a statement, the Financial Stability Board (FSB), which oversees regulation among G20 economies, said it believes "crypto-assets do not pose a material risk to global financial stability at this time." But, the FSB added, the speed at which cryptocurrencies are spreading, the lack of solid data on their use and uncertainty over which rules apply in the sector should spur major economies to redouble their scrutiny.  "Monitoring the size and growth of crypto-asset markets is critical to understanding the potential size of wealth effects, should valuations fall," the FSB said. The framework also calls of an examination of whether cryptocurrencies … [Read more...] about Swiss-based G20 regulator unveils plan to monitor cryptocurrency threat

The success of the multi-racial French national team that was hailed by jubilant fans of all ethnic backgrounds masks persistent underlying tensions in the country around race, identity and class argues academic Joseph Downing from the university of Aix-Marseille in an article for The Conversation. The French football team has won the 2018 World Cup, 20 years after it triumphed on home soil in 1998. “Les Bleus”, as they’re called, are back in the nation’s good books, celebrated for their excellent performance in this year’s tournament, right through the 4-2 win over Croatia in the final. Out of the limelight and the glare of success in Russia 2018, however, a question continues to dog French football – the role of race and class in the selection of national players. On the surface, this may seem strange with the attention given to the multicultural harmony of the 1998 World Cup-winning team. The straight-talking former captain of the … [Read more...] about France’s World Cup win can’t hide underlying tensions over race and class

For many part-time mountaineers Mont Blanc provides the perfect opportunity to scale a high-altitude mountain, without having to travel to the Himalayas or the Andes. For many of us, it's on our doorstep and then makes the prospect of a shot at the summit even more tempting. And it's in the Alps, one of Europe's main tourists destinations, so what could go wrong. But don't be fooled. There's a reason, in fact there's a few, to explain why Mont Blanc has a reputation of being dangerous. Here's eight reasons to make you think twice about climbing Mont Blanc. (But naturally given the adventurers that we are at The Local, we thoroughly recommend you give it a try, and let us know how you got on.) Human wave: If you'd pictured yourself alone atop the summit of Europe's highest mountain, with not another soul in sight, it's best you wipe that image away. Because of the fact there are no restrictions to access Mont Blanc, it’s hard to say exactly how many people make the … [Read more...] about Climbing Mont Blanc: 10 reasons to think twice