International

• Friday, July 3rd 2015 - 06:55 UTC

  US asks Switzerland for extradition of seven FIFA officials on bribery charges

  

  The United States asked Switzerland on Thursday to extradite seven FIFA officials arrested in an investigation into a global bribery scandal at soccer's governing body, the Swiss Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) announced.

• Thursday, July 2nd 2015 - 06:13 UTC

  Mercosur summit will establish 'action plan' to speed discussions with Europe

  

  The Mercosur Council will establish an “action plan” at the next Mercosur presidential summit scheduled for 16/17 July in Brasilia, when the group's chair for the next six months will be handed to Paraguay by Brazil. Other issues on the agenda besides making Mercosur more flexible include addressing the 'special regimes' and the 'free trade zones' in the area, revealed Uruguay's foreign minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa.

• Thursday, July 2nd 2015 - 05:45 UTC

  FIFA chief Blatter convinced he's “clean” and one day will go to heaven

  

  Sepp Blatter, president of the world soccer governing body FIFA that is embroiled in corruption investigations, has told a German magazine he has a 'clean and clear' conscience and believes he will “go to heaven one day”.

• Thursday, July 2nd 2015 - 05:24 UTC

  Gibraltar hosts 35-country EU Small Business Association in Brussels office

  

  Gibraltar House in Brussels hosted a board meeting of the European Small Business Association (ESBA). The Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses was a founding member of ESBA, and currently participates in it as a Board member. ESBA has its headquarters in the city and represents over one million small and medium-sized enterprises and self-employed people from 35 countries.

• Wednesday, July 1st 2015 - 20:27 UTC

  Lack of sanitation for 2.4 billion people undermining health improvements

  

  Lack of progress on sanitation threatens to undermine the child survival and health benefits from gains in access to safe drinking water, warn WHO and UNICEF in a report tracking access to drinking water and sanitation against the Millennium Development Goals.

• Wednesday, July 1st 2015 - 05:41 UTC

  Greece in IMF 'arrears'; it will default when it misses commercial payment

  

  Greece on Tuesday became the first developed country to join a roster that includes some of the world’s poorest and worst governed nations, including Iraq, Sudan, Somalia and Zimbabwe. Those are a few of the countries that have missed payments to the IMF as Greece did Tuesday, when it failed to make a loan payment of about 1.5 billion Euros, or $1.7 billion, to the fund.

• Wednesday, July 1st 2015 - 02:32 UTC

  Magna Carta and King's Writt global tour during last quarter of 2015

  

  A Foreign Office global tour of the Magna Carta and King's Writt celebrating the 800th anniversary of the unique document is scheduled to begin later this year, said Foreign minister Hugo Swire in his presentation to Parliament requesting the necessary indemnity funds for such exposure.

• Wednesday, July 1st 2015 - 02:22 UTC

  Wales and Argentina celebrate 150th anniversary of migration to Patagonia

  

  Argentina and Wales celebrated on Monday at the National Assembly for Wales, in Cardiff, their historical links with a reception especially dedicated to mark the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the first Welsh settlers to Patagonia. Musicians from both nations gave a concert and a photography exhibition on the Welsh settlements in Patagonia was inaugurated.

• Tuesday, June 30th 2015 - 07:14 UTC

  EU leaders warn Greeks the referendum vote means “yes or no to the Euro zone”

  

  European leaders have warned Greeks that rejecting creditors' proposals in a snap referendum called for Sunday would mean leaving the Euro. German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said the vote would be “yes or no to the Euro zone”.

• Tuesday, June 30th 2015 - 06:46 UTC

  China's 'World Bank' takes off at ceremony with delegates from 50 countries

  

  China has hosted the signing ceremony of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a new international financial institution set to rival the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. Delegates from 50 countries signed articles that determine each member's share and the bank's initial capital.