
The regional Xunta of Galicia has called on Madrid to ensure that Brexit negotiations, and in the event of a hard withdrawal, access to the North Atlantic Gran Sol and Falklands fisheries is guaranteed.

Qatar Petroleum (QP) has won exploration rights in five offshore blocks in the North Argentina, and Malvinas West basins in Argentina. The winning bids were announced on Tuesday by Argentina’s Secretariat of Government of Energy (“SGE”) at the end of a public tender process that started in November 2018.

China is planning to allow more Brazilian meat imports following high-level talks set for May, the Chinese ambassador to Brazil said on Monday. Yang Wanming declined to comment on how many meat processing plants could be approved to export to China but said the issue would be discussed when Brazil Agriculture Minister Tereza Cristina Dias travels to China in May.

President Emmanuel Macron pledged on Tuesday that France would rebuild the fire-devastated Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, saying he hoped the work would be done in five years and the French people would pull together to repair their national symbol.

The Electoral Commission has approved The Independent Group's application to register as a political party. The group - made up of 11 former Labor and Tory MPs who their parties in February, will become Change UK. The approval means they can put forward candidates in the European elections due to take place on 23 May - if the UK has not left the EU by then.

Spain's election board has banned the far-right Vox party from participating in the only confirmed debate for the April 28 election. The controversial, anti-immigration party achieved a surprise victory in recent regional elections.

The European Parliament has approved new EU rules to protect workers in the so-called gig economy(*). The law sets minimum rights and demands increased transparency for those in on-demand jobs, such as at Uber or Deliveroo.

Whistleblowers across the European Union have won greater protection under landmark legislation aimed at encouraging reports of wrongdoing. The new law, approved by the European Parliament on Tuesday, shields whistleblowers from retaliation. It also creates safe channels to allow them to report breaches of EU law.

Unemployment in the UK fell by 27,000 in the three months to February to 1.34 million, official Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show. The number of people in work was also virtually unchanged at a record high of 32.7 million, with a jump of 179,000.

A late change of plans to fly home in England in mid-March was just the ticket for Dorset farmer's son Henry Mayo on Friday as he became the first overseas shearer in 28 years to win a New Zealand Shears title in Te Kuiti.