International

• Wednesday, May 27th 2015 - 05:29 UTC

  Scotland proposes all four UK nations must agree in the event of an 'in-out' referendum on EU membership

  

  Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon confirmed on Tuesday that Scotland does not want to leave the European Union (EU) when the referendum over the UK permanence within the block takes place.

• Wednesday, May 27th 2015 - 05:13 UTC

  Almagro as new OAS chief pledges to end fragmentation and to work with all countries

  

  The former Foreign Minister of Uruguay Luis Almagro Lemes took office on Tuesday as Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) during a meeting of the Permanent Council at the headquarters of the Organization in Washington, DC.

• Wednesday, May 27th 2015 - 04:44 UTC

  Merkel remains most powerful woman in the world; Brazil's Dilma, seventh

  

  Angela Merkel has retained her place as the world's most powerful woman for the fifth year in a row, U.S. business magazine Forbes said on Tuesday. Merkel has made the list 10 times in the past 12 years, nine of them as number one. She was first elected in 2005 and won an historic third term in 2013.

• Tuesday, May 26th 2015 - 06:52 UTC

  PM Cameron and EC Juncker begin talks to renegotiate UK EU membership

  

  David Cameron has told European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that “British people are not happy with the status quo” in Europe. The prime minister hosted Mr. Juncker at Chequers at the start of a week of efforts to renegotiate Britain's EU membership.

• Tuesday, May 26th 2015 - 06:25 UTC

  Blatter expected to retain FIFA's presidential chair in next Friday's election

  

  Unless something dramatic happens, Sepp Blatter will on Friday emerge victorious from his latest FIFA presidential battle. Despite the challenge from Jordanian Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, the 79-year-old Swiss is widely expected to secure the majority of votes of the 209 member federations in the secret ballot, reports World Football Insider.

• Tuesday, May 26th 2015 - 05:57 UTC

  Three 'Queens' sail along Liverpool's Mersey to mark Cunard's 175th anniversary

  

  Three famous ocean liners have sailed together in Liverpool for the first time to mark Cunard's 175th anniversary. The Queen Mary 2, the Queen Victoria and the Queen Elizabeth saluted the city where Samuel Cunard began his transatlantic line in 1840.

• Monday, May 25th 2015 - 07:47 UTC

  Spaniards are furious and 'traditional parties' get beaten in regional elections

  

  Spain's ruling People's Party (PP) took a battering on Sunday's regional and local elections after voters punished Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy for four years of severe spending cuts and a string of corruption scandals. In a test of the national mood ahead of general elections expected in November, the PP suffered its worst result in more than 20 years to herald an uncertain era of coalition as new parties rose to fragment the vote.

• Monday, May 25th 2015 - 07:32 UTC

  Pope Francis lashes out at football hooligans and certain Argentine politicians

  

  Pope Francis has spoken out against the problem of violence in football, criticizing the role of hooligan groups within the game while admitting that he felt “used” by certain politicians in Argentina.

• Monday, May 25th 2015 - 07:21 UTC

  Mexico compensates China for cancelling high-speed rail contract

  

  Mexico will compensate China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) $1.31m for cancelling a $3.75bn high-speed rail contract. CRCC was at the head of a consortium that had won the project last year, which was abruptly revoked shortly after being awarded.

• Monday, May 25th 2015 - 07:12 UTC

  Iconic London 2012 Games symbol decorates Rio 2016 Olympics Park

  

  The most iconic symbol of the Olympic Games is decorating the city for the Rio 2016 Games. City Hall has installed giant Olympic Rings in Madureira Park, ahead of the largest sporting event in the world.