International

• Monday, November 28th 2016 - 08:12 UTC

  UK minister underlines historic defense ties with Chile particularly at navies level

  

  During a visit to Chile, British Armed Forces Minister Mike Penning underlined the deep and historic defense ties between the UK and Chile, which he described as a key ally with a longstanding relationship, particularly through the Royal Navy and Chilean Navy.

• Monday, November 28th 2016 - 07:54 UTC

  Reactions to Fidel Castro's legacy: as controversial as in life

  

  World reactions to the death of the Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro who ruled the island for half a century have been as controversial as his life and influence in world affairs. “His revolutionary ideals left few indifferent”, Ban Ki-moon was quoted, and Pope Francis was more diplomatic and referred to the sad news and promised prayers to Cuba's patron Virgin.

• Monday, November 28th 2016 - 07:16 UTC

  Fillon elected conservative candidate for French presidential election in 2017

  

  Francois Fillon, a socially conservative free-market, won France’s center-right presidential primaries on Sunday, setting up a likely showdown next year with far-right leader Marine Le Pen that the pollsters expect him to win. Fillon, who went into Sunday’s second-round run-off as firm favorite, had won over 67% of the vote in a head-to-head battle with another ex-prime minister, Alain Juppe.

• Sunday, November 27th 2016 - 11:06 UTC

  US actor Steven Seagal granted Russian citizenship, receives his passport from Putin himself

  

  Russian President Vladimir Putin has given a Russian passport to US action film star Steven Seagal in a moved aimed at easing relations with the United States.

• Saturday, November 26th 2016 - 13:44 UTC

  Whole world -even Palestinians- helps Israel fight fires gone beyond control

  

  Palestinian firefighters and trucks and firefighting aircraft from Turkey, Greece, Croatia and Russia joined the operation to put down the flames. For four days, Israel has fought in its entire territory dozens of fires that spread thanks to a great drought and strong winds.

• Saturday, November 26th 2016 - 12:43 UTC

  BP buys into Egypt's super giant Zohr gas field, the largest in the Mediterranean

  

  BP announced on Friday that it has agreed to buy from Eni a 10% interest in the Shorouk concession offshore Egypt, which contains the super-giant Zohr gas field, for US$375 million. On closing, BP will also reimburse Eni for BP's share of past expenditure. As part of the agreement, BP also has an option before the end of 2017 to buy a further 5% interest in the concession under the same terms.

• Saturday, November 26th 2016 - 12:18 UTC

  Switzerland has returned US$ 2bn of illicit funds stashed in its banks by dictators

  

  With a new law to help seize and repatriate illicit wealth stashed in Swiss banks by foreign dictators and a positive – but slow - track record, Switzerland is a leader in the return of illicit dictator funds, a top Swiss official claims. Over the past 30 years Switzerland has returned almost US$ 2 billion misappropriated and deposited in Swiss banks by “politically exposed persons” (PEPs).

• Saturday, November 26th 2016 - 11:26 UTC

  International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

  

  By UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon - At long last, there is growing global recognition that violence against women and girls is a human rights violation, public health pandemic and serious obstacle to sustainable development. Yet there is still much more we can and must do to turn this awareness into meaningful prevention and response.

• Saturday, November 26th 2016 - 09:52 UTC

  Fidel Castro has died at the age of 90; hero and bastard, revolutionary and dictator

  

  Fidel Castro, the fiery communist politician and Cuban revolutionary who led his country for almost half a century, has died. His health had been deteriorating since 2006, when he suffered from intestinal bleeding. He was 90 years old.

• Friday, November 25th 2016 - 08:54 UTC

  Uruguayan president off to Europe looking for investors for an ambitious infrastructure plan

  

  Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez is off to Europe for a two-week business and academic interests trip which begins on Friday in Spain and will continue in the Vatican, Austria and France. On Friday, Vazquez is scheduled to hold a private meeting with King Felipe IV of Spain, and on Monday with president Mariano Rajoy.