International

• Friday, February 3rd 2012 - 18:40 UTC

  Cruise bookings down, but industry will recover, say main operators

  

  The downturn in cruise bookings by North American and European customers noted earlier this week by industry giant Carnival Corp. is taking place at rival Royal Caribbean Cruises, too, but overall the industry is optimistic.

• Friday, February 3rd 2012 - 18:25 UTC

  Shell announces major investment drive to boost falling production

  

  Royal Dutch Shell has said it will launch a major investment drive in an effort to boost falling production. The oil giant said it would spend 30bn dollars on new oil and gas projects this year, compared with 24bn in 2011.

• Friday, February 3rd 2012 - 18:19 UTC

  UK Energy secretary steps down charged with perverting the cause of Justice

  

  Chris Huhne has quit as UK energy secretary after learning he was to be charged with perverting the course of justice over a 2003 speeding case. His ex-wife Vicky Pryce will face the same charge in relation to claims she accepted his penalty points.

• Friday, February 3rd 2012 - 06:16 UTC

  UK warns Argentina on cutting off the air link of Falklands with South America

  

  Britain warned Argentina against cutting off an air link to the Falklands as part of an economic blockade of the Islands, reports the Evening Standard. Buenos Aires is threatening to stop a weekly flight from Punta Arenas in Chile to Port Stanley by refusing permission for it to use Argentine airspace.

• Friday, February 3rd 2012 - 06:12 UTC

  Following on the Indian deal, France expects Brazil will purchase Rafale fighter jets

  

  French Defence minister Gerard Longuet said that following on the deal to sell 126 Dassault Rafale fighter jets to India, Paris is hopeful it can seal a similar contract with Brazil.

• Friday, February 3rd 2012 - 06:08 UTC

  Malvinas dispute helps ‘to distract UK public opinion’ from serious domestic problems

  

  The UK is taking advantage of the diplomatic conflict escalade with Argentina over the Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute to distract public opinion from serious domestic problems such as unemployment, said Argentine Vice-president Amado Boudou.

• Thursday, February 2nd 2012 - 22:20 UTC

  US court rules 17 tons of 19th century rescued silver coins must be returned to Spain

  

  A US federal judge has ruled against Odyssey Marine Exploration in its legal row with Spain over 17 tons of silver coins recovered from a sunken 19th century Spanish galleon.

• Thursday, February 2nd 2012 - 22:15 UTC

  France bags 10.4bn deal to supply 126 Rafale combat planes to Indian Air Force

  

  The French Dassault Rafale has won the 10.4 billion dollars deal to supply 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) to the Indian Air Force (IAF), India’s biggest arms deal which is also the world’s largest in recent years in terms of value as the contract is likely to go up to 20 billion.

• Thursday, February 2nd 2012 - 21:51 UTC

  Political controversy in Gibraltar over the outbreak of Norovirus in local hospital

  

  Political controversy has erupted in Gibraltar following the outbreak of a Norovirus infection in a local hospital. The highly contagious virus which causes vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration is not unknown to the cruise industry which has been forced to cancel trips and isolate vessels.

• Thursday, February 2nd 2012 - 21:46 UTC

  Rajoy and Cameron scheduled to meet 21 February in London, says Madrid media

  

  Mariano Rajoy, Spain’s Prime Minister, is expected to meet with his British counterpart David Cameron later this month. According to Spanish press reports the meeting is likely to take place in London on February 21.