Vittorio Hernandez

European shares rose on Monday. Shares in Citigroup rose after releasing solid earnings figures. And fears about the health of the Portuguese banking system continued to ease. The FTSEurofirst 300 index rose by 0.8% with the German Dax higher by 1.2% while the UK FTSE gained 0.8%. Australia´s major miners were higher in London trade with shares in BHP Billiton up by 1.6% while Rio Tinto lifted by 1.2%.

Porn producers are complaining that companies are keeping away from them, noting the change in tolerance for the X-rated industry especially after several HIV scares as some actors tested positive for the disease.

A gay male couple who has been together for 17 years had challenged Singapore's 76-year ban on oral and anal sex, and the country's highest court is hearing the legal challenge. Violators of the ban are charged with gross indecency and face jail terms of up to two years.

While England's team in the recently concluded World Cup tournament in Brazil did not fare well, punters from the country are luckier.

Because junior welterweight champion Chris Algieri is taking too long to decide on the offer of eight-division title holder Manny Pacquiao to be his opponent in the ring on Nov 22 in Macau, he risks losing a seven-digit guaranteed purse and a shot at fame and glory.

The Australian market closed the first day of the trading week on a high, with the All Ordinaries opened up 16pts higher at the beginning of the session and by the close the markets had added 21.2pts and the ASX 200 up 24.6pts to 5,511.4pts.

It is a sad day for the mainstream radio industry in Australia on Monday, July 14, as Radio Australia anticipates major job cuts. However, this fact-of-life among employees of being axed during hard times could be an opportunity for broadcasters to try new platforms to continue with their careers.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe capped his three-day visit to Australia by signing a free trade agreement (FTA) with Australia, which opens Japan's $5 trillion market to the Land Down Under.

The Australian market started the week's trade in positive territory after the US and European markets closed higher on Friday. The All Ordinaries opened up 16pts higher at the beginning of the session and by lunchtime the markets had added 28.6pts to 5,503pts.

Independent charity organisation Alcohol Concern warned that demand for emergency services spike during the World Cup Tournament as alcohol consumption rises every four years because of the global football tournament.

Financial stress in Europe has seen the US market log its worst week in four months.

In US economic data the Federal Budget was in surplus by US$71 billion in June, below forecasts of an US$80 billion surplus. The weekly Economic Cycle Research Institute Leading index was up 4.4% on a year ago, up from 4.3% in the previous week.

An anti-gambling advertisement in Singapore appears to have correctly predicted the outcome of the Wednesday, July 9, game between Germany and Brazil which ended with the score of 7-1 as well as the finals on Sunday between Germany and Argentina with the score of 1-0. The advertising campaign covers both video and posters.

The investigation of Malaysian Authorities on who is behind the mysterious disappearance of Flight 370 has gone a full circle four months after the Boeing 777 jet left Kuala Lumpur for Beijing with 239 people on board.

In confirming that he will have a rematch with Argentinean boxer Marcos Maidana on May 13, unbeaten boxer Floyd Mayweather also made a U-turn and opted for MGM Grand as venue for the fight, not at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York as he previously hinted.

A tweet that he is leaving for the Middle East to join jihadist led Philippine police to capture Australian Musa Cerantonio, 29, a religious extremist and supporter of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Cebu Province on Friday, July 11.

All eyes and ears are on the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2014 tournament in Brazil, especially with the recent heartbreaking loss of the host nation, 7-1, to Germany which has become the topic of discussion in radio and TV talk shows, offices, coffee shops, schools and sports columns.

After an erratic night of trading in Europe and the US the Aussie market started weaker but within the first 2 hours of trade managed to rally out of the red.

Because of the uncertainty surrounding Singapore's property sector, over 68,000 new Central Depository Accounts were opened in 2013. It is the largest number of new retail investors in the prosperous Southeast Asian nation in the past five years.

Despite a softer start to trade this morning, the Australian sharemarket has steadily improved in the lead-up to lunch. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is up 0.5 per cent, is improving for the second day and has defied the weak lead from Wall Street overnight.

Addiction treatment and rehabilitation programs leader BioCorRx Inc. (OTCMKTS: BICX) has announced a series of transactions that strengthens the company's balance sheet and offers future, income-producing upside through the elimination of all convertible debt.

Portugal saw one of its largest banks exhibiting signs of financial stress overnight, as Banco Espirito Santo missed a debt repayment.

In US economic data new claims for unemployment insurance (jobless claims) fell by 11,000 to 304,000 in the latest week. Wholesale sales rose by 0.7% in May, in line with forecasts, while inventories rose by 0.5%.

Baidu, the biggest search engine in China, has joined the World Cup prediction fever after news that Cortana, the artificial intelligence digital assistant of Microsoft, upstaged known animal oracles of the soccer tournament such as Nelly, the Elephant, and Big Head, the Loggerhead Turtle.

Justice came swift for a 17-year-old single mum who was shamed by a Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer priest during the baptism of her baby on Sunday at the Sacred Heart Chapel in Mandaue City. After the video of his public shaming became viral on social media, GMA 7 reported that Fr Romeo Obach was suspended while a probe is ongoing.

Mining magnate and MP Clive Palmer continued to push his weight around the repeal of the carbon tax issue by playing kingmaker and withdrawing his party's support for the measure on Thursday. The result is the measure that Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been dying to be enacted into a law lost anew in the Senate by two votes - 37 to 35.

Boxing News 24 disagrees with Manny Pacquiao's choice of junior welterweight champion Chris Algieri as his opponent for the scheduled Nov 22 bout in Macau, China.

After a solid night in US Aussie market lifted from the open of trade and by the close ended higher. The All ordinaries Index added 12.1points to 5454.3 points with most sectors closing higher.

World Cup is the buzz phrase of the week after various media platforms aired the humiliating defeat of the host country's national soccer team, Brazil, to the Germans with a score of 7-1. All eyes are now on Sunday for the championship match between Germany and Argentina.