
Foreign Minister Hector Timerman defended on Wednesday Argentina’s right to claim the Falkland/Malvinas Islands during the summit of the Community of Latin American States (CELAC) and the European body which is taking place in the Belgian city of Brussels. UK Prime Minister David Cameron responded by describing his comments as threatening, according to British sources.

Belgium finally has managed to circumvent French resistance to the introduction of Euro coins to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Napoleon's defeat in Waterloo (18th June 1815). It has done so by invoking a little-known European Union rule that allows countries to issue Euro coins of their choice, provided they are in an irregular denomination.

Mercosur is ready to deliver its proposal on goods, services and tariff reductions as part of the negotiations with the European Union for a trade and cooperation agreement, said Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff on Wednesday, following a meeting in Brussels with Charles Michel, Belgium's Prime minister.

Bolivian president Evo Morales said that if Mercosur insists in forging a trade agreement with the European Union, Bolivia will have to 'withdraw, because we support solidarity and not competitive trade”. Morales is in Brussels attending the EU/Celac heads of government and state summit which takes off on Thursday.

Bank of England governor Mark Carney has called for longer prison sentences for bankers who break the law, in a speech attacking on ethics in the City. In his Mansion House speech Mr Carney said individuals acted with a culture of impunity. But, he warned: The age of irresponsibility is over.

British overseas tax havens in the Caribbean played a key role in what US authorities have called “rampant, systemic and deep-rooted” corruption in the world of football, according to Britain’s Observer newspaper.

The Gulf States are among the world’s worst countries for workers’ rights, while workers under European austerity measures endured the starkest deterioration of standards, according to the 2015 Global Rights Index. The ITUC rights index ranks 141 countries against 97 internationally recognized indicators to assess where workers’ rights are best protected, in law and in practice.

FIFA has postponed the 2026 World Cup bidding process amid the growing corruption scandal engulfing world football’s governing body. Secretary general Jerome Valcke told a news conference in Samara, Russia that the bidding process had been suspended.

Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez said that Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay are ready to sign the long delayed trade and cooperation agreement between Mercosur and the European Union. Such an agreement has become one of the cornerstones of Vazquez presidency faced with falling exports and limited markets.

President Barack Obama weighed in on the deepening corruption scandal involving world soccer's governing body, saying it was essential that the sport's integrity be ensured.