A world legal expert on the law of the sea is to be engaged by the Gibraltar Government to probe the concept of ‘innocent passage’ as a concept of international law. The concept is regularly cited in relation to Spanish warships and Guardia Civil vessels when they pass through British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, usually when they do not engage in any other activity.
Ambassador Alicia Castro has addressed a letter directly to the Chair of the BBC Trust requesting formal apologies for the “false and biased” account reported on the BBC program “Top Gear” filmed in Argentina, and in a veiled subtle way ends hoping that the long established relationship between Argentina and the BBC, “will continue to blossom in the future”.
The world's largest crane ship, which is capable of lifting oil rigs, has set sail from its shipyard in South Korea for Rotterdam Port in the Netherlands. The Pieter Schelte, which left South Korea last week is due to arrive at the port for completion in December.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted the Polar Code aimed at regulating shipping in Polar Regions. Several environmental groups have criticized the measures for not going far enough to protect the Arctic and Antarctic environments, arguing that while the new code is a positive step forward, it is insufficient to properly protect Polar environments from the anticipated increased levels of shipping activity.
Britain is providing assistance to five Eastern Caribbean countries “to help them return to economic growth while managing the risks from external shocks”. The Department for International Development (DFID) Caribbean says it will work closely with Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica under the new program that runs until 2020.
Brazil's JBS, the world's biggest meat group, beefed up its growth in Australia with the 1.25bn dollars purchase of Primo Smallgoods Group. JBS said that through its JBS Australia business, it had paid Aus$1.45bn in cash for the supplier of the likes of ham and bacon to Oceania.
Brazil must speed international trade agreement negotiations, said cabinet chief Aloizo Mercadante, in direct reference to Mercosur and demanding an end to internal disputes.
China's central bank on Friday unexpectedly cut benchmark interest rates for the first time in more than two years, as authorities seek to prop up flagging growth in the world's second-largest economy.
Executives of three US banks are being grilled by senators over accusations the banks engaged in unfair trading practices relating to several commodities. A two-year report found that Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan Chase bought up large stockpiles of commodities like aluminum and copper.
The UK has objected to Argentine congress decision that public transportation should carry signs expressing the country's claim over the Falkland Islands. A law passed by the Argentine Congress says vehicles must declare Las Malvinas son Argentinas, or the Malvinas are Argentine.