International

Monday, August 13th 2012 - 22:04 UTC
HMS Edinburgh and HMS York on sale; “illustrious names to be mothballed”

The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence’s Disposal Services Authority has put the Royal Navy ship HMS Edinburgh, also known as the “Fortress of the Sea” and another Type 42 destroyer, HMS York, have been put up for sale on its website.
Monday, August 13th 2012 - 21:57 UTC
UN launches new initiative to protect oceans on 30th anniversary of Law of the Sea

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched on Monday a new initiative to protect the oceans and the people whose livelihoods depend on it, and called on countries to work together to achieve a more sustainable management of this precious resource and address the threats it is currently facing.
Monday, August 13th 2012 - 16:14 UTC
Germany prepared to veto aid and exit Greece from the Euro

A senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's party issued a stark warning to Greece, saying Germany would not hesitate to veto further aid to the country if there were any signs it was not meeting the conditions of its bailout.
Monday, August 13th 2012 - 05:35 UTC
Argentina shows off jet model and calls on UK to dialogue on Falklands’ sovereignty

Argentina’s minister of Defence called on the UK “to sit and dialogue” over the Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty and warned that the British military presence in the South Atlantic “is the only element that upholds the usurpation of that part of our national territory”.
Saturday, August 11th 2012 - 11:38 UTC
Peru will host leaders’ summit of Arab and South America countries in October

Peru will be hosting next October the III Summit of heads of state and government from South America and Arab nations which is expected to bring together 32 countries, according to Deputy Foreign Affairs minister Jose Beraún.
Saturday, August 11th 2012 - 11:11 UTC
UK minister swims in tank of sharks to highlight campaign against ‘finning’

UK Fisheries minister Richard Benyon has been swimming with sharks to highlight his desire to tighten the European ban on “finning”. Mr Benyon took the plunge into a tank of sharks at Sealife London Aquarium to launch a Shark Trust initiative calling for support to close loopholes in the EU ban on slicing off shark fins and discarding the bodies at sea.
Saturday, August 11th 2012 - 11:03 UTC
China only interested in commodities, not in products that reach supermarkets

Trade with China for Argentina has great opportunities but also great threats because the Asian giant is only interested in produce with no added value, warned the head of Argentina’s Industrial Union, Ignacio De Mendiguren.
Saturday, August 11th 2012 - 10:56 UTC
Bill Gates finances research project to improve corn yields

Billionaire computer magnate Bill Gates is to fund a €8m research project into whether cereal crops can be genetically engineered with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Saturday, August 11th 2012 - 10:36 UTC
Bad day for vulture fund that was after 100 million dollars from Congo

Britain’s Privy Council has ruled that a “vulture fund” cannot collect 100 million dollars from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Newsnight revealed last year that old Congo debts had been illegally sold to FG Hemisphere for 3 million and the fund had then sued in Jersey where they were awarded 100 million.
Saturday, August 11th 2012 - 10:28 UTC
“Amazonas”, first of three ocean patrol vessels built for Brazil leaves UK

Amazonas, the first of three BAE Systems built Ocean Patrol Vessels being delivered the Brazilian Navy, departed the UK for Rio de Janeiro this week after her crew completed a rigorous program of Flag Officer Sea Training with the Royal Navy off the South coast of England