International

• Wednesday, December 9th 2009 - 14:45 UTC

  The year 2009 to rank among the top 10 warmest on record since 1850

  

  The year 2009 is likely to rank in the top 10 warmest on record since the beginning of instrumental climate records in 1850, according to data sources compiled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

• Wednesday, December 9th 2009 - 14:41 UTC

  Mercosur summit committed to advance trade negotiations with Europe

  

  Mercosur is committed to advance trade negotiations with the European Union and expects to have drafted a viable position when leaders from Latinamerica and the Caribbean meet with their European Union counterparts next May for the Madrid summit.

• Wednesday, December 9th 2009 - 00:51 UTC

  England’s Capello is paid eight times more than Dunga or Maradona

  

  The 32 coaches of the national teams participating in the South Africa 2010 World Cup are paid handsomely with England’s Fabio Capello top of the list with an annual salary of 10 million US dollars while Nigeria’s Shaibu Amodu, figures at the other extreme with 180.000 US dollars, according to the Argentina’s sports publication Olé.

• Wednesday, December 9th 2009 - 00:17 UTC

  Spain formally apologizes for hot pursuit “error” in Gibraltar waters

  

  A dramatic hot pursuit at sea by Spanish Civil Guards of two suspected smugglers whose vessel crashed into the rocks in Gibraltar avoided becoming a major political incident with Spain apologising for the “error” just a few hours later on Monday night, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.

• Tuesday, December 8th 2009 - 07:20 UTC

  Overseas Territories meet in London on tenth anniversary of milestone White Paper

  

  Foreign Office Minister Chris Bryant will be hosting in London the eleventh meeting of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council (OTCC) on Wednesday 9 December. This is a key event in the British government /Overseas Territories calendar.

• Tuesday, December 8th 2009 - 03:56 UTC

  EU/Mercosur sign cooperation agreement

  

  The European Union and Mercosur signed a cooperation agreement involving 27 million US dollars earmarked for the sustainable development of the region.

• Monday, December 7th 2009 - 23:41 UTC

  Chile, gateway for illegal phony name brands products mainly from China

  

  Phony name brand products produced in China are increasingly a headache for Chile’s customs and police authorities.

• Monday, December 7th 2009 - 11:12 UTC

  Global warming research image damaged by hackers

  

  United Nations’ top climate official has conceded that hacked e-mails from climate scientists had damaged the image of global warming research but said evidence of a warming Earth is solid.

• Monday, December 7th 2009 - 11:03 UTC

  Britain planning windfall tax on bankers’ bonuses

  

  British Chancellor Alistair Darling has left the door open to a windfall tax on bankers' bonuses amid reports that the move could be central to this week's Pre-Budget Report. Darling warned the better-off that they would have to pay more towards the cost of the economic recovery but sidestepped questions about the prospect of a temporary levy targeted at British-based banks.

• Monday, December 7th 2009 - 10:57 UTC

  Falklands’ HMS Sheffield commander died December 3

  

  Rear-Admiral Sam Salt, who died on December 3 aged 69, commanded the first British warship to be sunk by enemy action after the Second World War