The number of United Kingdom businesses receiving export support has increased by 50% in the last financial year, Trade Minister Lord Livingston announced on Monday. This translates into a total of 47,960 businesses in 2013 to 2014 which exported for the first time or found new markets through its extensive network of specialists in the UK and in British embassies around the world.
A mass in support of His Holiness Pope Francis’ Universal Prayer for Peace and Dialogue among Nations was held last Saturday in Armagh, North Ireland at St. Patrick's Catholic Cathedral led by Archbishop of All Ireland, Eamon Martin.
As representatives of the 25 Members of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) meet this week in Hobart, where they will decide the fate of two key protection proposals in the Ross Sea and East Antarctica, the Antarctic Ocean Alliance (AOA) (*) called on the member countries to honor their conservation commitments and finally agree to lasting and significant Southern Ocean protection.
Pope Francis closed on Sunday an assembly of Catholic bishops that revealed deep divisions on how to reach out to homosexuals and divorced people, saying the Church should not be afraid of change and new challenges.
A Dallas hospital lab worker who spent much of a cruise holiday in isolation after possible exposure to Ebola has tested negative for the disease, and in Texas some of the dozens of people still being monitored were expected to be cleared by Monday.
Switzerland took a step forward on implementing its double taxation agreement (DTA) with Argentina as the Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the deal and submitted it to parliament for approval. Meanwhile, in Argentina the agreement has already been passed by the Foreign Affairs and Budget Committees of the Lower House and was cleared for debate.
The sixth session of the Conference of the parties (COP6) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) concluded in Moscow. Several landmark decisions were adopted in the course of the six-day session, regarded as one of the most successful in the WHO FCTC’s history.
Leaders of China's ruling Communist Party opened a highly-anticipated meeting Monday, as state media emphasized the need to tighten control over the country's legal system. Known as the Fourth Plenum, it brings together the party's 205-strong Central Committee and around 170 reserve members, along with officials from bodies including its much-feared internal watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
In the first eight months of the year, Jan-August, Chile exported 52,077 tons of mussels (Mytilus chilensis), a rise of 1.8%, compared to the same period a year ago. However in dollars the result was 154.3 million dollars, up 5.9% compared to the 145.7 million dollars of the eight months of 2013, reports InfoTrade. Meanwhile northeast Spain mussel farms continue ravaged by the red toxin algae.
London's Daily Mirror had taken on the Royal Navy arguing that the shrunken service now has nearly twice as many admirals as surface warships. In effect despite destroyers and frigates being cut to a paltry 19, the Senior Service still boasts 33 admirals on £100,000 a year.