International

• Wednesday, December 15th 2010 - 22:30 UTC

  Irish parliament approves multi-billon Euro EU/IMF bailout package

  

  Ireland's parliament on Wednesday approved (81 to 75) a multi-billion Euro EU/IMF bailout package in the face of opposition threats to renegotiate the deal to force losses on some senior bondholders in Irish banks.

• Wednesday, December 15th 2010 - 22:25 UTC

  Argentina, world’s largest exporter of top football players: 1.800 in 2009/10

  

  Argentina has surpassed neighbouring Brazil as the world's largest exporter of football players, a trend that may not be a good thing for the country's domestic game. Players had become assets to be sold off to repay club debts, one agent said, while the growing exodus of Argentina's best young players is leaving a void in the local game.

• Tuesday, December 14th 2010 - 14:00 UTC

  Airlines profits for 2010 and 2011 up but “margins remain pathetic” says IATA

  

  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) revised its industry outlook for 2010 to a net profit of 15.1 billion USD (up from the 8.9 billion forecast in September). Similarly IATA revised upwards its projections for 2011 to a net industry profit of 9.1 billion (up from the 5.3 billion forecast in September). However net margins remain weak at 2.7% for 2010 and falling to 1.5% in 2011.

• Tuesday, December 14th 2010 - 06:38 UTC

  Whaling and non-whaling countries call for restrain ahead of new hunting season

  

  Four countries, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands and United States have jointly expressed concern over confrontations between Japanese whaling ships and anti-whaling activists in Antarctic waters and called for responsible behavior by the two sides.

• Tuesday, December 14th 2010 - 02:20 UTC

  South Korea reports outbreak of FMD; officials say 147.173 livestock destroyed

  

  South Korea reported on Monday a further case of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the south-eastern part of the country, according to Seoul's Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

• Monday, December 13th 2010 - 14:47 UTC

  Spanish fish industry plan to renew high seas fleet but needs soft, long term loans

  

  Seven Spanish fishing companies from Vigo that make up the Association of Fishing Communities and Joint Ventures (Acemix) plan to invest an estimated 120 million Euros in new ships to renew their fleet operating in third countries among which Namibia, Argentina, Senegal and the Falkland Islands.

• Monday, December 13th 2010 - 00:58 UTC

  EC begins crucial discussions on fisheries and agricultural policies reforms

  

  The European Commission Agriculture and Fisheries Council meets Monday in Brussels to begin the discussion process of the Common Agriculture Policy proposals recently set out. In the fisheries chapter the Council is expected to reach a political agreement on two regulations fixing the fishing opportunities for 2011 regarding certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks applicable

• Monday, December 13th 2010 - 00:43 UTC

  New-car sales in China expected to reach a world record 18 million in 2010

  

  More new automobiles are expected to be sold in China this year than have ever been sold in any nation ever in a calendar year, beating the current record of 17.4 million units from 2000 in the U.S.

• Monday, December 13th 2010 - 00:25 UTC

  China promises “healthy and stable” economic development in 2011

  

  China will enhance and improve macro-economic regulation to ensure stable and healthy economic development in 2011, said a statement released Sunday in Beijing after the annual Central Economic Work Conference.

• Sunday, December 12th 2010 - 23:31 UTC

  Saudi’s 70/80 US dollars a barrel stance prevails at OPEC meeting in Ecuador

  

  Leading OPEC producer Saudi Arabia said it still favoured a 70-80 US dollars price range for oil, a restatement of a two-year-old policy that will be welcomed by consumer nations worried that rising oil prices may get out of control and hamper global economic recovery.