International

• Saturday, April 22nd 2017 - 13:00 UTC

  Cruise to assess micro-plastic pollution in Spain's northern waters and sediments

  

  Researchers from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) have started an oceanographic survey to assess micro-plastic contamination in both water and sediments off the coast of Galicia and Cantabria.

• Saturday, April 22nd 2017 - 09:35 UTC

  Falklands: Malcorra cautious about EU's position on the dispute following Brexit

  

  The European Union could reevaluate its position on the disputed Falkland Islands after Britain leaves the bloc, Argentina’s foreign minister said in Brussels, where she attended a meeting with EU negotiators on Mercosur/EU trade discussions.

• Saturday, April 22nd 2017 - 09:15 UTC

  ExxonMobil betting heavily in developing Argentina's Vaca Muerta shale gas

  

  ExxonMobil is planning to speed up investment plans for shale gas drilling in Argentina’s prized Vaca Muerta formation in the Neuquen province. Exxon will start drilling Vaca Muerta in May, by drilling horizontal wells with laterals of 2,500-3,000 meters, Neuquen province governor Omar Gutierrez said this week.

• Friday, April 21st 2017 - 10:34 UTC

  French first round presidential election on Sunday has no clear winner

  

  French centrist Emmanuel Macron is set to come out on top in the first round of France's presidential election on Sunday as far right leader Marine Le Pen fell further behind him in an Elabe poll published on Friday. However, neither is totally assured a spot in the May 7 runoff round as both conservative Francois Fillon and hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon were seen narrowing Macron and Le Pen's lead over them.

• Friday, April 21st 2017 - 10:18 UTC

  EU/Mercosur accord is expected to be announced at WTO assembly in Argentina next December

  

  An optimistic foreign minister Susana Malcorra said that Argentina expects the Mercosur/European Union trade agreement to be announced next December during the World Trade Organization meeting to be held in Buenos Aires, and which she described as an event of great political impact.

• Thursday, April 20th 2017 - 23:21 UTC

  Russian shipping conglomerate suing Venezuela's oil giant PDVSA for unpaid fees

  

  Venezuela's state-run oil company, PDVSA, sent a tanker in October to the Caribbean with the expectation that its cargo of crude would fetch about US$20 million - money the crisis-stricken nation desperately needs. Instead, the owner of the tanker, the Russian state-owned shipping conglomerate Sovcomflot, held the oil in hopes of collecting partial payment on US$30 million that it says PDVSA owes for unpaid shipping fees.

• Thursday, April 20th 2017 - 03:00 UTC

  How effectively has the strong UK economy delivered? May and Corbyn debate

  

  How strong is the UK economy? The issue was debated between Theresa May and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons shortly before the Wednesday vote confirming the June 8 election.

• Thursday, April 20th 2017 - 02:21 UTC

  British snap election campaign takes off; May wants to increase her current majority of 17

  

  Campaigning is under way after the House of Commons backed Theresa May's call for a general election on 8 June. MPs voted by 522 votes to 13 - with Labour and Lib Dem helping secure the two-thirds majority needed to bring forward the election from 2020.

• Thursday, April 20th 2017 - 02:13 UTC

  King of Spain will witness firsthand the election: he will be in London June6/8

  

  The King of Spain’s state visit to Britain, which will coincide with the snap June 8 general election, will go ahead, Downing Street has said. King Felipe VI will visit Britain along with Queen Letizia of Spain from June 6 to 8, as the campaign reaches its climax.

• Wednesday, April 19th 2017 - 21:12 UTC

  World Bank praise for Latam countries pursuing counter-cyclical fiscal policies

  

  In a positive development, today more than ever before, Latin American and Caribbean countries are pursuing counter-cyclical fiscal policies - spending more in bad times and saving in good times, according to a new World Bank semiannual report for the region.