The UK has announced the introduction of a new package of sanctions against Russia, calling it “one of the toughest” in the entire period of London’s sanctions policy. Eighty-five individuals and legal entities that the British authorities link to information campaigns and support for Russian actions abroad have fallen under the restrictions.
The German government is preparing to adopt a draft budget for 2027. In addition to a tobacco tax, the authorities want to introduce a tax on sugary drinks.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose duties on the UK if London does not repeal a digital services tax affecting US technology companies.
The UK Ministry of Finance has presented a strategy for payment sector reform. The authorities plan to combine the regulation of traditional services, stablecoins and tokenized deposits into a single legal framework.
In the UK, changes to the inheritance tax system are coming into force which could significantly increase the tax burden on beneficiaries of assets.
The UK is betting on artificial intelligence in the fight against the shadow economy. The country’s financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has launched a pilot project using an analytics platform from the US company Palantir Technologies, hoping to radically improve the efficiency of market oversight.
A labor tribunal in Holbeck near Leeds, UK, sided with a woman whose boss called her “Potato” and mimicked an Irish accent, Logos Press reported.
The Bank of England plans to change the appearance of national banknotes: instead of portraits of famous historical figures, they may feature images of wildlife. The final decision on which species of animals or plants will be placed on the banknotes will be made after public discussion, which is scheduled for the summer of 2026.
