International

• Friday, June 15th 2018 - 10:55 UTC

  Markets waiting for Trump's announcement on US$ 50bn tariffs against China

  

  Asian shares wobbled on Friday as investors braced for U.S. tariffs against China, while the Euro flirted with two-week lows after a cautious European Central Bank indicated it would not raise interest rates for some time. U.S. President Donald Trump has made up his mind to impose “pretty significant” tariffs and will unveil a list targeting US$ 50 billion of Chinese goods on Friday, an administration official said. Beijing has warned that it was ready to respond.

• Friday, June 15th 2018 - 10:51 UTC

  Theresa May again on the edge: Pro-EU Tories backing for crucial Brexit votes questioned

  

  A UK government's compromise to avoid a Commons defeat on Brexit has been rejected as “unacceptable” by leading rebel Dominic Grieve. Prime Minister Theresa May had convinced most rebels - who want MPs to have the final say - to back her in a key vote on Tuesday night by giving them assurances. But the wording of the promised compromise has now been published.

• Friday, June 15th 2018 - 10:32 UTC

  Oxfam GB banned from Haiti following on cases of sexual misconduct

  

  Oxfam GB has been banned from operating in Haiti after its staff were accused of sexual misconduct following the 2010 earthquake. Haiti's government said the decision was taken because of Oxfam's “violation of its laws and serious breach of the principle of human dignity”.

• Friday, June 15th 2018 - 10:28 UTC

  ECB will stop its bond-buying scheme, €30bn a month, next December

  

  The European Central Bank (ECB) has confirmed it will end a huge program to stimulate the Euro-zone economy in December. The ECB will stop its bond-buying scheme, worth €30bn a month, despite a recent slowdown in the bloc's recovery.

• Friday, June 15th 2018 - 10:25 UTC

  IMF report warns Trump administration on trade, tariffs and budget deficits

  

  The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday that tax cuts will help fuel the U.S. economy this year and next. But it warned that growth after that will slide to levels just half of what the Trump administration is forecasting.

• Friday, June 15th 2018 - 07:22 UTC

  Lord West claims Royal Navy does not have enough vessels to look after the EEZ

  

  The former head of the Royal Navy has warned of a developing negative situation over the number of ships available to patrol Britain’s coastal waters post-Brexit. Labour’s Lord West of Spithead told the Lords at question time there were not enough vessels to look after the inshore waters and the exclusive economic zone.

• Friday, June 15th 2018 - 06:25 UTC

  'Brexit leaves UK isolated from allies and begging for trade deals with ex colonies'

  

  Britain will be left a “mangy old lion” as a result of Brexit, isolated from its allies and reduced to begging for trade deals from one-time colonies, a former Foreign Office minister is warning. Lord Malloch-Brown, who chairs the Best for Britain campaign for a second referendum, said that the UK’s loss of influence was exposed at last week’s G7 summit, where Theresa May was left a “spectator” to a clash between the US, Canada and the EU.

• Thursday, June 14th 2018 - 22:14 UTC

  IMF's Lagarde welcomes Argentina government’s economic policy plans

  

  Argentine authorities have asked to use US$7.5 billion of the US$50 billion financing deal signed with the International Monetary Fund to fund their budget, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said in a statement. Argentina’s Finance Ministry said in a separate statement that the funds would be sold on the market through pre-announced daily auctions conducted by the central bank.

• Thursday, June 14th 2018 - 22:02 UTC

  Gibraltar flies Falkland Islands flag on Liberation Day

  

  The Falkland Islands flag is currently flying above No 6 Convent Place to commemorate the Falkland Islands’ Liberation Day.

• Thursday, June 14th 2018 - 21:49 UTC

  Morgan Stanley and Royal Bank of Canada fined in Brazil for rigging foreign exchange rates

  

  Brazil’s competition authority Cade has reached a settlement with Morgan Stanley and Royal Bank of Canada, fining them a combined 42.9 million reals (US$11.6 million) for forming a cartel manipulate FX markets.