Friday, February 22, 2008

German Banks Helping Clients Evade Taxes?

THE LIECHTENSTEIN AFFAIR

Tax investigators in Germany have found evidence that some German financial institutions may have been involved in tax evasion via foundations in Liechtenstein. The news comes a day after Angela Merkel outlined the ways she expects the tiny state to tackle tax fraud.

The tax evasion scandal that has gripped Germany for the past week now looks like implicating German financial institutions, who may have helped their wealthy clients to hide their assets in the tiny state of Liechtenstein to avoid paying tax…. SPIEGEL INTERNATIONAL

Friday, February 15, 2008

Hillary Clinton Fighting For Survival

The race for the US Democratic presidential nomination is being followed in Germany with an amazing degree of attention. In the lull before the decisive March 4 primaries, German commentators are mulling over the odds.

Rounds one and two in the great Obama-Clinton fight are over now, and Obama is in the lead. Round One (Super Tuesday) was scored a draw. This week's Round Two (with primaries in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.) was a win for Obama. What's more, on the scorecard for delegates, Obama appears to have pulled ahead, too, with 1,223 to Clinton's 1,198. … SPIEGEL INTERNATIONAL

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

US Primaries - Hillary Clinton & Barack Obama vs. John McCain

Hillary Clinton won fewer states yesterday than her principal rival, Barack Obama, but key wins in California and her home state of New York gave her bragging rights over the popular vote. Obama scored in at least 12 states, with several races, including Missouri, still undecided.

The popular vote is only part of the puzzle, however. Democrats across the country were forced to pull out their calculators to try and figure out just who was ahead in gaining the delegates who will choose the Democratic presidential candidate this summer.Even though John McCain captured nine states, including the delegate-rich East Coast and California, he is still just the front-runner, failing to win enough delegates to become the presumptive nominee.

The results allowed all of the principal candidates to claim victory and insist the race for the nominations would go on… Los Angeles Times