International

• Friday, January 6th 2017 - 11:34 UTC

  Falklands' identification of Argentine soldiers will be done in strict confidentiality

  

  The Argentine media has published details of the Red Cross humanitarian mission in the Falkland Islands to identify the remains of the 123 unknown Argentine soldiers buried at the Darwin cemetery, and a single word stands out, confidentiality, from the beginning to end, including a final assessment to decide what will effectively be released to the media.

• Thursday, January 5th 2017 - 10:29 UTC

  China/UK first train freight service: cuts by half the time of the sea link

  

  China launched its first freight service to the United Kingdom on New Year's day, according to the China Railway Corporation. The service runs from the Chinese city of Yiwu, in the country's eastern Zhejiang province, to Barking in London. The journey lasts for an average of 18 days and more than 12,000 kilometers, according to a Chinese government website.

• Thursday, January 5th 2017 - 10:19 UTC

  The Queen recovering and back at the helm, say palace sources

  

  Britain's Queen Elizabeth has given an honor to a member of her staff in a private ceremony, resuming official duties as she continued to recover from a heavy cold that forced her to miss Christmas and New Year church services, a spokeswoman said.

• Thursday, January 5th 2017 - 10:06 UTC

  PM May names veteran diplomat as envoy to EU: overcomes mini Brexit turmoil

  

  Prime Minister Theresa May appointed a senior career diplomat as envoy to the European Union on Wednesday to replace an ambassador who quit with a scathing resignation letter that exposed frustration among officials over her strategy. . Tim Barrow, political director at the Foreign Office, will take up the post next week following the abrupt departure of Ivan Rogers, who told staff in his resignation letter they should “speak the truth to those in power”.

• Thursday, January 5th 2017 - 09:21 UTC

  Marine Le pen calls for new French currency and pledges referendum on EU membership

  

  Front National leader Marine Le Pen has called for a new French currency and pledged to hold a referendum on the country’s membership of the European Union if she is elected French President later this year.

• Thursday, January 5th 2017 - 07:50 UTC

  Beijing's “airpocalypse” red alert for smog and yellow alert for fog

  

  On Wednesday, Beijing was under a “red alert” for smog, the highest of four levels, and a “yellow alert” for fog. Other areas, particularly in northern China were still under red alert as of Wednesday for both fog and smog. The high pollution has been going on for a number of weeks, causing flight delays, and leading to traffic bans, as part of what is called “smog season” or “airpocalypse.”

• Thursday, January 5th 2017 - 07:38 UTC

  London-Santiago direct flights inaugurated on Wednesday

  

  The new direct flight London-Santiago de Chile inaugurated on Wednesday should help increase the number of visitors from Britain and Europe, said Chilean authorities when they received the British Airways flight at the Chilean capital airport.

• Wednesday, January 4th 2017 - 11:04 UTC

  Labour too weak to win UK election, says Fabian Society; could drop to its lowest number of seats since 1935

  

  Labour is “too weak” to win a British general election alone and should consider working with rival parties, a left-of-centre think tank has said in a report. Andrew Harrop, the Fabian Society's general secretary, said there had been a “huge meltdown” of support in Scotland and cited party leader Jeremy Corbyn's unpopularity and a “muffled” approach to Brexit, as determining factors.

• Wednesday, January 4th 2017 - 09:13 UTC

  UK ambassador to EU steps down criticizing preparations for Brexit negotiations

  

  UK's ambassador to the European Union urged British colleagues in Brussels to challenge “muddled thinking and... speak truth to power” as he quit ahead of Brexit talks, according to the BBC. Writing to staff, Sir Ivan Rogers said ministers needed to hear “unvarnished” and “uncomfortable” views from Europe.

• Wednesday, January 4th 2017 - 09:02 UTC

  UK implements another phase of landing obligation to boost sustainable fishing

  

  UK Fisheries Minister George Eustice announced more actions to boost sustainable fishing, with the entry into force of the next phase of the discard ban for demersal species. This landing obligation requires fishermen to unload everything they catch, and will help to put an end to the wasteful practice of throwing dead fish back overboard.