International

• Monday, November 4th 2013 - 23:50 UTC

  Gibraltar shared sovereignty 'a non starter for any negotiations' says expert in Spanish history

  

  The idea that one day Spain would share sovereignty in Gibraltar is a non-starter, according to Spanish Civil War expert and Madrid based journalist William Chislett. In Gibraltar for the first international Literary Festival, Mr Chislett gave his opinion on the developing cross-border political strife and also commented on the current political climate surrounding Spain.

• Monday, November 4th 2013 - 23:46 UTC

  Gibraltar clears EC test on tax and money laundering matters cooperation

  

  The European Commission has received no ‘well-founded’ complaints alleging Gibraltar’s failure to cooperate on tax, financial and money-laundering matters, according to Michel Barnier, the Commissioner for Internal Market and Services. In response to questions in the European Parliament, Mr Barnier also confirmed that Gibraltar was fully up to date with the transposition of EU legislation in all three fields, according to a report from the Chronicle.

• Sunday, November 3rd 2013 - 12:07 UTC

  Russia, Ukraine, China block plans in CCAMLR to create Antarctica marine reserves

  

  Russia, Ukraine and China are being blamed for a failure of plans to protect almost 3 million square kilometers of ocean in Antarctica. After two weeks of discussions behind closed doors, the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has failed to come to an agreement on new marine reserves.

• Sunday, November 3rd 2013 - 03:14 UTC

  Germany/Brazil initiative at the UN to end excessive electronic surveillance

  

  Germany and Brazil circulated a draft resolution to a U.N. General Assembly committee on Friday that calls for an end to excessive electronic surveillance, data collection and other gross invasions of privacy. The draft resolution does not name any specific countries, although U.N. diplomats said it was clearly aimed at the United States, which has been embarrassed by revelations of a massive international surveillance program from a former US contractor.

• Saturday, November 2nd 2013 - 15:55 UTC

  Unemployment in Euro-zone remained at record high 12.2% in September

  

  The unemployment rate in the 17-nation Euro-zone remained at a record high of 12.2% in September as the bloc’s recent recovery failed to generate new jobs, official data shows. The number rose by 60,000 to 19.45 million, while the jobless rate for those aged under 25 edged up to 24.1% from 24% in August, according to Eurostat, the European Union’s statistics agency.

• Friday, November 1st 2013 - 23:49 UTC

  Falklands government contracts London's fastest growing communications agency

  

  London’s fastest-growing communications agency, Pagefield, has been appointed by the Falkland Islands Government to provide strategic and tactical advice in relation to all public relations and media issues in the UK, following a competitive pitch.

• Friday, November 1st 2013 - 22:31 UTC

  Falklands: Sea Lion research awarded Shackleton's Centenary scholarship

  

  The Centenary Scholarship which marks the 100th Anniversary of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Trans- Antarctic Endurance expedition has been awarded to Dr Alastair Baylis, an Australian scientist, for his sea lion project: “Rediscovering Falklands Ocean Sentinels”.

• Friday, November 1st 2013 - 21:29 UTC

  Risks to public health from fracking for shale gas are low, says UK government

  

  The risks to public health from fracking for shale gas are low, according to a new official report. Any problems publicized so far - such as in the US - are the result of operational failure or poor regulation according to a study, by Public Health England, an agency of the Department of Health, reviewed the latest research.

• Friday, November 1st 2013 - 21:23 UTC

  Britain sleepwalking into becoming a surveillance state, wars MP Hubert

  

  Britain is sleepwalking into becoming a surveillance state, the like of which has never been seen before in peacetime Britain, MPs have been told. Opening a packed Westminster Hall debate on intelligence and the security services, Liberal Democrat MP Julian Huppert (Cambridge) said there were serious questions to be asked about the extent and scale of intelligence agencies’ activities.

• Friday, November 1st 2013 - 18:05 UTC

  London Luxury Quarter red carpet to court the rich and famous from China

  

  Luxury retailers in London are hoping to cash in on the growing ranks of high-net worth Chinese travelers in the wake of relaxed visa application rules for tourists and business people from the mainland, which were announced in October by the British government.