Surprise call for Korea peace pact January 1, 2013 North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for an end to confrontation between the two Koreas, technically still at war in the absence of a peace treaty to end their 1950-53 conflict, in a surprise New Year’s broadcast on state media. The address by Kim, who took power in the reclusive state after his father, Kim [...]
Rail users hit by above-inflation fare increases January 1, 2013 TRAIN passengers will from today have to pay an average of 3.9 per cent more for their tickets. Commuters on some routes will be hammered by hikes of more than 10 per cent, sparking anger among campaigners and politicians over the government’s rules on setting fares. Train operators must stick to an inflation-linked cap on [...]
Cameron pledges tax crackdown while UK is host of G8 January 1, 2013 DAVID Cameron today said he will put tax evasion at the heart of this year’s G8 summit and demand the world’s largest economies “galvanise collective international action” to tackle abuse of the taxation system. In a letter sent to leaders of the G8 group of wealthy countries, the Prime Minister said he would use Britain’s [...]
Metro Bank’s founder takes chairman role January 1, 2013 METRO Bank yesterday appointed its billionaire co-founder as its new chairman, almost three years after he was first mooted for the job. The firm, which launched in 2010 as the first new high street lender for more than a century, said Vernon Hill will take up his new post immediately. Hill, who was vice chairman, [...]
United Arab Emirates to stop jailing ex-pats for bad cheques January 1, 2013 THE United Arab Emirates will stop imprisoning expatriates for writing cheques that bounce, Abu Dhabi daily The National reported yesterday, citing a senior official. The UAE’s tough penalties for defaulting on loans, which is a criminal offence in the Gulf Arab monarchy, were relaxed for Emirati citizens in October after a royal decree. “In line [...]
Hollande vows to find a way to tax top earners January 1, 2013 FRENCH President Francois Hollande has vowed to stick to plans to raise the tax rate for top earners after his scheme to set a 75 per cent tax rate for those with €1m (£812,000) a year incomes was rejected. In a New Year’s Eve national address Hollande said the law would be redesigned to “ask [...]
LA Times owner rebuilds as TV company as it enters new era January 1, 2013 THE OWNER of some of the US’s most historic newspapers is set to refocus on its television business as it emerges from bankruptcy after four years. Tribune, the owner of the LA Times and Chicago Tribune, is expected to sell most of its newspaper holdings after new loans and stock issues allowed the company to [...]
Pope criticises unregulated capitalism January 1, 2013 UNFETTERED capitalism is a cause of conflict that damages the world, Pope Benedict said yesterday in his New Year mass. The head of the Roman Catholic church decried “hotbeds of tension and conflict caused by growing instances of inequality between rich and poor”. He also denounced “the prevalence of a selfish and individualistic mindset which [...]
Ex-KPMG retail head takes up BRC leadership January 1, 2013 THE British Retail Consortium, the retail lobby group, yesterday handed over its leadership to a new director general amid increasing turmoil on the high street. Helen Dickinson, a former KPMG retail consultant, officially took up the post, replacing former director general Stephen Robertson, who stepped down last month after five years at the helm. Dickinson, [...]
Investment bank earnings fall in 2012 as bond markets boom January 1, 2013 INVESTMENT bank earnings fell slightly in 2012 as the bond markets became the main source of income for the industry, according to figures from data provider Dealogic. Total worldwide fees dropped 3.6 per cent to $67.1bn (£41.3bn), still well down on the pre-crash peak of $90bn in 2007. A third of investment banking revenue now [...]
