International

• Saturday, June 20th 2009 - 08:15 UTC

  Switzerland struggling not to be listed “likely tax haven”

  

  Switzerland has agreed a new bilateral framework on sharing tax information with the United States, as it continues to ease its once strict banking secrecy. In March, the Swiss government announced that it would start to abide by the current global standards on sharing bank data.

• Saturday, June 20th 2009 - 08:11 UTC

  Expenses scandal: Scotland Yard begins criminal investigations

  

  A small number of British Members of Parliament and peers will face criminal investigations into allegations they misused their expenses. Scotland Yard said on Friday a joint assessment panel of senior detectives and prosecutors had decided full inquiries were necessary.

• Friday, June 19th 2009 - 08:00 UTC

  Bank of England clash with government over banking reform

  

  Bank of England governor and the Chancellor of the Exchequer have clashed on what needs to be done to control banks and prevent a repeat of the financial crisis. In his annual Mansion House speech to the City, Mervyn King called for more authority to intervene in the actions of banks seen to be behaving riskily.

• Friday, June 19th 2009 - 07:47 UTC

  British MPs four-year expenses database made public

  

  The expenses claims of every British Member of Parliament over the past four years have been published, after a string of scandals. Commons authorities say the database, which was due to be made public in July were posted online on Thursday.

• Thursday, June 18th 2009 - 14:29 UTC

  UK minister quits for allegedly avoiding to pay capital gains tax

  

  A British minister has quit the Government after allegations that she avoided paying up to £17,000 in capital gains tax by “flipping” her second home. Kitty Ussher said she had not done anything wrong, but was quitting as Exchequer Secretary to avoid causing “embarrassment” to Gordon Brown.

• Thursday, June 18th 2009 - 14:18 UTC

  UK pressing Spain and EU on Gibraltar waters incident

  

  Britain is pressing Spain and the European Commission to resolve the dispute over designation of British Gibraltar Territorial Waters and will continue to do so until a solution is found, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle

• Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 12:08 UTC

  BRIC leaders call for a “more diversified” currency system

  

  The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China -- the BRIC nations -- called for a “more diversified” currency system and a new global order after holding their first summit amid growing talk over the US dollar future as the global reserve unit.

• Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 11:46 UTC

  Arrests linked to Mvdeo/Vigo fish containers cocaine stuffed ring

  

  Six Uruguayans and two Colombians were arrested this week in Spain in connection with an international organization that shipped cocaine from South America to Europe as well as managing a plant to print fake Euros.

• Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 06:53 UTC

  British Airways battling for survival calls on staff to work for nothing

  

  British Airways, which reported a record annual loss last month, said it had asked its staff to work for free as part of the company's battle for “survival” in tough market conditions.

• Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 05:30 UTC

  UK inflation in May fell to 2.2% from 2.3% in April

  

  United Kingdom annual inflation slowed again in May as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) fell to 2.2% from 2.3% in April, reported the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The less-than-expected decline means the figure remains above the Bank of England's target of 2%. However, the annual inflation reading was the lowest since January 2008.