International

• Tuesday, November 22nd 2011 - 01:09 UTC

  UK hosts President Santos and wants a new and progressive partnership with Colombia

  

  President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia began on Monday a two day visit to London. During his visit the Colombian leader will meet the Queen, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and other senior Ministers to discuss how the UK and Colombia can strengthen their bilateral ties.

• Tuesday, November 22nd 2011 - 00:33 UTC

  France in the Euro-debt firing line: Moody’s warns of negative outlook

  

  A rise in interest rates on French government debt and weaker growth prospects could be negative for the outlook on France's credit rating, Moody's warned in a report released Monday, adding to pressure on European debt markets.

• Tuesday, November 22nd 2011 - 00:11 UTC

  Spanish president-elect Rajoy will only say he has mandate for austerity measures

  

  President-elect Mariano Rajoy resisted pressure on Monday to disclose his plans for rescuing Spain from economic disaster, keeping anxious Spaniards and impatient investors on edge following his election triumph.

• Monday, November 21st 2011 - 23:55 UTC

  UK praises Overseas Territories for sponsoring measures to protect seabirds

  

  Foreign Office Minister Henry Bellingham has welcomed the UK Overseas Territories important role in agreeing new measures to protect seabirds.

• Monday, November 21st 2011 - 07:32 UTC

  Beijing world premiere for “The Iron Lady” with Merly Streep in the presentation

  

  The Iron Lady,” Meryl Streep's latest film where she plays Margaret Thatcher made its world premiere in Beijing on Saturday evening during the China-US Arts and Culture Forum and a month ahead of its launching in US and Europe cinemas.

• Monday, November 21st 2011 - 07:25 UTC

  Obama and Wen Jibao have ‘constructive’ exchange on the South China Sea issue

  

  President Barack Obama was encouraged by the constructive tone of a discussion about the South China Sea issue at an East Asia leaders' meeting in Bali, Indonesia, a senior US official said.

• Monday, November 21st 2011 - 04:16 UTC

  EU members settle for a budget increase of 2%; UK hails it as an ‘excellent deal’

  

  The European Union has been forced to accept a 2% rise in its budget next year, much less than the increase it wanted of around 5%.

• Monday, November 21st 2011 - 03:40 UTC

  Overwhelming victory and absolute majority for Spanish conservatives

  

  The conservative opposition People's Party (PP) won an overwhelming victory in Spain's election on Sunday as voters vented their rage on the ruling Socialists for the worst economic crisis in generations.

• Saturday, November 19th 2011 - 06:02 UTC

  ECB comes to the rescue of Spain; Conservative landslide anticipated Sunday

  

  Spaniards may hand the biggest majority in three decades to the conservative opposition People’s Party leader Mariano Rajoy, as polls suggest Europe’s debt crisis will push a fifth government from power.

• Saturday, November 19th 2011 - 05:54 UTC

  UK and Germany agree to disagree; no progress on the transactions tax

  

  The leaders of Britain and Germany David Cameron and Angela Merkel acknowledged differences over the Euro zone crisis but stressed they have the “same plan” for European growth. The prime minister met the German chancellor on Friday in Berlin to discuss the Euro zone crisis, and Iran and Syria.