International

Friday, January 3rd 2014 - 06:02 UTC
Catalonia president takes vote on independence case to EU heads of government

Catalonia's president has called on European Union prime ministers for support as the region seeks a vote on independence in November this year, the source of an increasingly bitter fight with Spain's central government.
Friday, January 3rd 2014 - 05:56 UTC
Falklands' war Regan/Thatcher fake tape had CIA and MI6 in disarray for months

A fake tape of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher arguing over the Falklands War had the British secret services scrambling to identify the culprits, archive files released Friday showed. The tape, supposedly a telephone recording of then US president Reagan and the British prime minister, was anonymously sent to several Dutch newspapers during the 1983 UK general election.
Friday, January 3rd 2014 - 05:51 UTC
France's controversial 'super-tax' becomes effective despite business leaders and football clubs

A French court has approved a highly controversial “millionaire tax” on annual salaries above €1 million. The super tax, one of President Francois Hollande’s signature policies, has infuriated business leaders and football clubs.
Friday, January 3rd 2014 - 05:46 UTC
Latvia becomes the 18th member of the Euro club: not all Latvians convinced

Latvia woke up to both a New Year and a new currency Wednesday after the ex-Soviet Baltic state swapped its cherished 'lats' for the euro at midnight, becoming the 18th member of the troubled Euro-zone. The entry of the country of two million people capped another turbulent year for the Euro zone, recovering gradually from a crippling debt crisis and ensuing recession.
Friday, January 3rd 2014 - 00:30 UTC
Chrysler becomes 100% Italian as FIAT buys remaining 41% stake

Shares in Italian car giant Fiat have jumped more than 15% following the announcement of its plan to buy the remaining 41% of Chrysler it does not own. Fiat has owned a majority stake in the US company since 2009.
Friday, January 3rd 2014 - 00:24 UTC
Record breaking Pope: Francis drew more than 6.6 million people to his audiences

Pope Francis drew more than 6.6 million people to his audiences, Masses and other events in Vatican City during his first year in office, figures show. The statistics cover the period from the Argentine's election in March to the end of 2013, the Vatican said.
Thursday, January 2nd 2014 - 18:02 UTC
Gibraltar visitors in October/November down 40% because of Spanish checks at border

Visitors to Gibraltar during the peak months of October and November have decreased by over 40% from the previous year, statistics reveal. This comes after restrictions were imposed at the border by the Spanish authorities which they say was in response to tobacco smuggling but began immediately after the Government’s decision to lay an artificial reef in July.
Thursday, January 2nd 2014 - 16:00 UTC
China starts to build its fourth Antarctica base: more planned

Just days after the Chinese rover Jade Rabbit settled down on the moon, China is setting out to bolster its presence in another remote place: Antarctica. Chinese state media said on Thursday that construction workers are en route to the future site of China’s fourth Antarctic research station, after a pit stop at one of its other bases.
Thursday, January 2nd 2014 - 15:49 UTC
Chinese helicopter rescues stranded passengers from Russian vessel trapped in Antarctic ice

A Chinese helicopter reached on Thursday a Russian ship stranded in Antarctica for nine days to pick up 52 passengers who spent Christmas and the New Year trapped in ice, the expedition leader has said.
Sunday, December 29th 2013 - 08:24 UTC
One for the White House: NSA program keeping phone call records is 'lawful'

A federal judge ruled that a National Security Agency program that collects records of millions of Americans' phone calls is lawful, calling it a “counter-punch” to terrorism that does not violate Americans' privacy rights.