Sammy Wilson sought to draw attention to “hypocritical behaviour” as he urged Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom not to heed any of the calls for policies which would “cost jobs in our energy-intensive industries”.

This year’s World Economic Forum, in Davos, kicks off against a backdrop of growing pessimism — with the IMF saying global growth appears to have bottomed out with no rebound in sight; and CEO confidence in the world’s economy hitting a record low.

IN the 1949 film adaptation of Graham Greene’s The Third Man, Harry Lime points out that 500 years of peace, brotherly love and democracy in Switzerland had produced nothing more exciting than the cuckoo clock.

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says Ireland will begin collecting more than €13bn in taxes from Apple "within months."

Is it just us or has January felt 365 days long this time around?

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says that the border agreement reached between Ireland and the UK in December must be translated into a legal document.

President Donald Trump is set to bring his "America First" agenda to a bastion of globalisation when he attends the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos later this month.

Christine Lagarde has refused to say whether she will seek a second term as head of the International Monetary Fund after both Britain and Germany gave her their backing.

Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg, JP Morgan Chase’s Jamie Dimon, and Alibaba’s Jack Ma will share the spotlight with a prize-winning South Korean robot called Hubo at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum this week in the Swiss ski resort.

Growing inequality means that the world’s 62 wealthiest people own as much as the poorest half of the planet’s population — approximately 3.6 billion people — according to a new report from Oxfam.

Business leaders pushing for frictionless free trade have something new to worry about: the potential break-up of the internet.

Conversations at Davos typically focus on the thousands of wealthy and powerful folk who trek to the Alps every January for the World Economic Forum.

Oxfam is calling on the Taoiseach to help drive discussion about tackling global inequality.

Buckingham Palace has issued a second denial that the Duke of York had sexual contact with a woman who claims she was forced to have sex with him when she was underage.

All schools and government offices in Nigeria’s capital will close during a three-day international conference next week, according to a presidential order that follows two bomb attacks in three weeks that killed nearly 100 people in Abuja.

The growing concern around inequality made the agenda at the World Economic Forum annual meeting at Davos, though that does not signal a willingness to challenge the world’s status quo.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has ramped up criticism of Syrian president Bashar Assad, calling him a “one-man super-magnet for terrorism” who has committed war crimes and could be responsible for the ultimate disintegration of Syria.

Bono is part of a trade delegation from Ireland that has traveled to the World Economic Forum in Davos in Switzerland.

Barclays chief executive Antony Jenkins and HSBC chairman Douglas Flint said the financial system’s safety has improved in the past five years, splitting delegates at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Confidence in the recovery of the global economy grew last year, with 44% of international business leaders feeling economic conditions will improve in 2014; more than twice as many at the end of 2012.

Global inequality has risen to the extent that the £1tn (€1.21tn) combined wealth of the 85 richest people is equal to that of the poorest 3.5bn — half of the world’s population — according to a report from development charity Oxfam.

Inequality, like the poor, will always be with us, it seems, but yesterday’s Oxfam report which recorded that the combined wealth of the world’s 85 richest people is equal to that of the world’s poorest 3.5bn — half of the world’s population — is shocking.

Global inequality has increased to the extent that the €1.2trn combined wealth of the 85 richest people is equal to that of the poorest 3.5 billion - half of the world’s population – according to a new report from development charity Oxfam.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said the foundations of a growth rebound aren’t solid while cautioning that stimulus won’t help resolve deep-rooted issues in the world’s second-largest economy.

Trade, investment and tourism in Ireland will be promoted by Minister Brendan Howlin as he travels to China to attend the World Economic Forum today.

FACEBOOK COO Sheryl Sandberg is a powerful woman. But is she powerful enough to change women’s role in the workplace?

Italian premier Mario Monti will set the tone for beleaguered business and political leaders gathering in Davos this week for the annual World Economic Forum (WEF), with a speech entitled ‘Leading against the odds’.

The Taoiseach is under fire after claiming the economic collapse and the dire state of the economy was a result of “people going mad” during the boom.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that Ireland has no intention of asking for a second bailout, and wants to be the first country to exit its programme.

EUROPEAN leaders must work fast to overcome the current crisis or else new models of capitalism — such as that of China — may win the day, warns one leading American financial services figure.

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny will arrive in Switzerland later today for the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny heads to Davos in Switzerland today to attend the World Economic Forum, the annual gathering of political and business leaders.

FORMER South African president Nelson Mandela was spending a second day in hospital for what his office described as routine tests but which drew concern over the health of the 92-year-old anti- apartheid leader.

A SMALL blast shattered two windows but caused no injuries at a hotel used by top business and political leaders attending the World Economic Forum, Swiss police said yesterday.

Investigators probing the deadly bombing at a Moscow airport are looking at up to 10 people from the Caucasus region as possible suspects.

Officials of the Moscow airport where a suicide bomber killed 35 people must bear responsibility for security failures there, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said today.

The world’s foremost gathering of the best and brightest in government and business failed to come up with any new plan to stem, much less reverse, the global financial meltdown today.

Riot police fired tear gas at bottle-throwing demonstrators in Geneva today protesting against the annual World Economic Forum meeting in the Swiss Alps.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen today travels to a major world economic summit in Switzerland – as Irish job losses reached 5,000 for January.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen will join dozens of world leaders at the World Economic Forum summit in Switzerland on Thursday.

THE EU Commission will today unveil a proposed shake-up of the Common Agriculture Policy.

US President George W Bush urged Mideast leaders today to work hard to advance democracy and freedom in their region.