International

• Wednesday, December 14th 2016 - 05:10 UTC

  Trump challenges Congress and nominates close friend of Putin, Rex Tillerson Secretary of State

  

  Donald Trump officially announced his plan Tuesday to nominate ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as secretary of state, a pick that could pose complications in the confirmation process due to Tillerson's ties to Russia. Tillerson, 64, has no government or diplomatic experience but has done extensive work overseas on behalf of his petroleum company.

• Tuesday, December 13th 2016 - 16:17 UTC

  Sorry, “no fish and chips, what about some squid and chips”; UK waters warming

  

  The traditional British fish supper could be replaced by the likes of squid as the waters around the UK's shores grow warmer, say government scientists. Squid and other fish that thrive in warmer waters, such as sardines and anchovy, are flourishing around the North Sea, according to fisheries data. Squid are now being caught at 60% of survey stations in the North Sea, compared with 20% in the 1980s, but the likes of cod are heading north, away from British waters.

• Tuesday, December 13th 2016 - 15:31 UTC

  .Bearish market for commodities and protectionism impact on Latin American exports

  

  Latin American and Caribbean exports are expected to fall approximately US$50 billion, or 6%, in 2016, a lower contraction rate than the 15% observed in 2015. This relative improvement was mainly due to a rebound of commodity prices, according to a report conducted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) using detailed data for 24 countries in the region. The value of total exports should reach US$850 billion in 2016.

• Tuesday, December 13th 2016 - 10:45 UTC

  Cuba, Europe normalize relations after 20 years

  

  Cuba and the Eurpean Union Monday signed in Brussels their first cooperation agreement, which will be from now on the legal basis of the link between the island and the 28 EU countries.

• Tuesday, December 13th 2016 - 10:32 UTC

  Argentina ready to take Mercosur chair: priority is the trade accord with Europe

  

  Argentina's priority as chair of Mercosur which it will officially take over this week will be to advance negotiations with the European Union for a wide ranging trade agreement which will not include Venezuela, anticipated foreign minister Susana Malcorra .

• Tuesday, December 13th 2016 - 07:32 UTC

  Guterres sworn in as UN Secretary General: pledges more delivery and less on process

  

  Portugal's António Guterres was sworn in Monday as the ninth U.N. secretary-general. “The United Nations needs to be nimble, efficient and effective,” Guterres told member states. “It must focus more on delivery and less on process; more on people and less on bureaucracy,” he said.

• Monday, December 12th 2016 - 17:51 UTC

  US, EU and Japan do not recognize China as market economy: Beijing anticipates retaliation

  

  China's battle for recognition as a market economy that would help it avoid penalties from key trade partners has been thwarted, as a key clause in Beijing's deal to join the WTO expired on Sunday.

• Monday, December 12th 2016 - 15:57 UTC

  Falklands/Malvinas: Next steps to identify Argentine soldiers buried in Darwin Cemetery agreed

  

  The Falkland Islands government has issued a release relative to the meeting held last Friday, in Geneva, chaired by the Red Cross to address the identification of Argentine soldiers buried at the Falkland' Darwin cemetery. Falklands' lawmaker, MLA Mike Summers was in attendance for these talks as part of the UK delegation.

• Monday, December 12th 2016 - 15:17 UTC

  Germany wants to extends unilateral border controls beyond EU's deadline

  

  As EU's Interior Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos declined an extension beyond February and pushed for things to go “back to Schengen,” Germany prepares to go ahead on its own to maintain the border controls in Bavaria for a longer period of time. Border controls between the Schengen countries are only acceptable as a time-limited exception to the rule of open borders. Better protected EU external borders should make the controls in the interior of Europe superfluous.

• Monday, December 12th 2016 - 14:18 UTC

  Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni is Italy's new Prime Minister

  

  State President Sergio Mattarella commissioned the 62-year-old Social Democrat to form a new government. Gentiloni said his nomination was a “great honor,” which he wanted to fulfill with “consciousness of responsibility and dignity.” It is unclear whether he will remain in office until spring 2018.