International

• Wednesday, December 8th 2010 - 16:47 UTC

  Madrid’s position on Gibraltar territorial waters “lacks legal basis” says former ambassador

  

  A retired Spanish diplomat has sparked controversy after circulating a number of opinion articles that contradicted the official Spanish position on key issues including Gibraltar.

• Wednesday, December 8th 2010 - 16:27 UTC

  Mercosur/EU trade negotiations on track for Brussels meeting in March

  

  Trade negotiations between the European Union and Mercosur are making progress and are on track for a possible trade agreement by mid-2011, following coincidences on several controversial points.

• Wednesday, December 8th 2010 - 07:25 UTC

  Assange remanded in custody; Wikileaks promises to continue publishing material

  

  The founder of whistle-blowing website Wikileaks, Julian Assange, has been refused bail by a court in London but vowed to fight extradition to Sweden. Mr Assange denies sexually assaulting two women in Sweden. He was remanded in custody pending a hearing next week.

• Wednesday, December 8th 2010 - 05:10 UTC

  US and Israel criticize Mercosur members’ recognition of the state of Palestine

  

  United States disapproved of the recognition of a Palestine state from the part of several Latin American countries, saying that direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians are still “the only way” to reach peace in the Middle East.

• Wednesday, December 8th 2010 - 04:56 UTC

  IMF criticizes Europe’s disjointed response to the Euro debt crisis

  

  The head of the International Monetary Fund criticized Europe's disjointed response to the Euro zone debt crisis after Germany and other states resisted his calls for bolder action.

• Tuesday, December 7th 2010 - 18:38 UTC

  EU ministers agree food labelling with nutritional content shown on packaging

  

  European Union Health and Consumption ministers have agreed rules that will require the nutritional content of food to be shown on packaging.

• Tuesday, December 7th 2010 - 17:08 UTC

  European countries can’t influence UK Falklands’ decisions, admits Spain

  

  In spite of the fact that the Ibero-American leaders’ summit last weekend in Mar del Plata approved a document in support of Argentina’s sovereignty claims over the Falklands/Malvinas and other South Atlantic islands, Spain admitted European countries can not influence London’s decisions.

• Tuesday, December 7th 2010 - 08:06 UTC

  Mercosur and Syria scheduled to begin trade negotiations at next summit

  

  Mercosur and Syria are scheduled to sign an agreement to begin trade negotiations at the group’s next summit in Brazil, December 15, according to official sources in Damascus. Syrian president Bashar al-Assad earlier this year visited South America to promote trade and political links, particularly with Brazil that has a large Syrian community.

• Tuesday, December 7th 2010 - 07:52 UTC

  Internet database to help reduce shipping emissions rating ‘dirty’ and ‘clean’ vessels

  

  A free Internet database that lists the energy efficiency of almost every ocean-going vessel, in a scheme designed to reduce shipping emissions by nearly 25%, was set up on Sunday by Virgin Atlantic Airways founder Richard Branson, reports London’s The Guardian.

• Tuesday, December 7th 2010 - 02:51 UTC

  Argentina and Mercosur associates recognize the State of Palestine

  

  President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's administration announced Monday via Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman that Argentina recognizes Palestine as “a free and independent state, within the frontiers in existence since 1967.”