International

• Tuesday, May 5th 2009 - 10:58 UTC

  Spain complains about Gibraltar flag during G20 summit negotiations

  

  Spain made a formal complaint to the United Kingdom and the United States over the manner in which the tax information agreement was signed on March 31 between Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Peter Caruana and United States Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner in London ahead of the G20 Leaders Summit.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2009 - 10:51 UTC

  EU “no longer in freefall” but 2010 modest recovery is still distant

  

  The European Union is forecasted to contract 4% in 2009, which is double what was announced at the beginning of the year. Average unemployment is set to rise to 9.4% this year and could reach 10.9% in 2010, while government deficits inside the 27-member union will average 6% of GDP, twice the figure allowed for Euro area countries and used as a marker for the rest of the union.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2009 - 08:24 UTC

  London city, Europe’s dirtiest but also has the best nightlife

  

  London has been named the dirtiest city in Europe for the second year running, in a new poll. It was also seen as the most expensive city on the continent and as having the most tourist traps and the worst-dressed locals, according to the latest TripAdvisor.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2009 - 08:10 UTC

  Head of British Army on three day official visit to Chile

  

  British Armed Forces Chief of the General Staff General Sir Richard Dannatt begun on Monday an official three-day visit to Chile invited by the Chilean Army.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2009 - 08:00 UTC

  Iranian president postpones visit to South American countries

  

  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad cancelled on Monday a trip to Brazil this week without explanation amid criticism in Teheran from the country’s clerical leader and US concern about Iran’s growing influence in Latin America.

• Monday, May 4th 2009 - 09:14 UTC

  Ahead of tough week British ministers rally behind PM Gordon Brown

  

  British senior ministers have insisted Gordon Brown is the best man to lead the Labour Party, after criticism of the government from inside the cabinet. Both Health Secretary Alan Johnson and Justice Secretary Jack Straw defended the prime minister's leadership, at the end of a tough week for the government.

• Sunday, May 3rd 2009 - 12:18 UTC

  Private labs increase production of Tamiflu and Relenza

  

  The World Health Organization has asked Roche Holding AG to deploy its so-called rapid response stockpiles of antiviral drug Tamiflu, the Swiss drug-maker said on Saturday.

• Sunday, May 3rd 2009 - 08:27 UTC

  Who are the culprits? Swine herd in Canada exposed to human H1N1 virus

  

  The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) indicated Saturday that it has found H1N1 flu virus in a swine herd in Alberta. However the safety of the food supply is not affected and Canadian pork continues to be safe to eat, said CFIA in an official release.

• Saturday, May 2nd 2009 - 09:57 UTC

  Gurkha veterans fighting for better treatment from UK government

  

  Jubilant former Gurkhas living in Swindon, some of them Falklands veterans have welcomed the surprise news that their former colleagues could be given equal right of residence to live in the United Kingdom. Mahendra Rai, from Liden, who saw action in the Falkland Islands with the 7th Gurkha Rifles including the bitter battle at Goose Green, was among the veterans at Westminster on Tuesday who witnessed the Government’s defeat on the issue in the House of Commons.

• Saturday, May 2nd 2009 - 09:55 UTC

  Panama Canal announces four-month rates reduction period

  

  Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has announced a temporary plan that will provide short-term cost reduction and greater flexibility to its Reservation System. The temporary measures, designed to help mitigate the impact of the economic crisis on the Canal's clients, were approved by the ACP Board of Directors earlier in the week, said spokesmen.