International

• Tuesday, June 2nd 2009 - 04:15 UTC

  China steelmakers demand “40% or more” cut in iron ore prices

  

  China's Iron and Steel Association, CISA, maintained its campaign to slash 2009-2010 iron ore term prices by 40% or more, putting out a report on its Web site Sunday that rounded up opinions from a string of Chinese mill executives.

• Monday, June 1st 2009 - 20:54 UTC

  Airbus confirm that an A330-200 operated by Air France has been lost

  

  An Air France plane flying from Brazil to Paris has gone missing with 228 people on board, the airline informed today.

• Monday, June 1st 2009 - 13:17 UTC

  Iran/Israel conflict also present at the OAS meeting in Honduras

  

  Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister will attend the annual general assembly of the Organization of American States this week in Honduras in an attempt to counter Iran's growing influence in Latinamerica, according to Israel diplomatic sources.

• Monday, June 1st 2009 - 09:00 UTC

  Tory leader orders MP to pay capital gains tax

  

  A British opposition Conservative frontbench MP who avoided paying capital gains tax on the sale of her taxpayer-funded second home will have to pay the money, party leader David Cameron has said.

• Monday, June 1st 2009 - 08:57 UTC

  Tories to question UK government on Spanish incursions in Gibraltar waters

  

  UK Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague is to question the British Government following the recent incidents involving the Spanish navy off the coast of Gibraltar, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.

• Monday, June 1st 2009 - 08:52 UTC

  Indigenous peoples demand more involvement in environment affairs

  

  A United Nations conference on indigenous affairs wrapped up its two-week gathering making a host of recommendations, including the worldwide establishment of a mechanism requiring patent offices to publicize the origins of products derived from indigenous knowledge when exclusive rights to the design are requested.

• Sunday, May 31st 2009 - 16:26 UTC

  PM Gordon Brown to launch MP code of conduct

  

  Gordon Brown says there are “clear cases” of MPs who may have broken the law over expense claims but insisted that only “a few” MPs had abused the Westminster perks system.

• Sunday, May 31st 2009 - 15:33 UTC

  UK Vauxhall unions fearful of GM Europe/Magna Canada deal

  

  British union leaders say they fear for UK jobs after a deal was announced to save the European arm of General Motors. Germany has agreed a deal with Canadian car parts maker Magna International to take over most of GM Europe, which owns Vauxhall and Germany-based Opel.

• Sunday, May 31st 2009 - 15:27 UTC

  “Swine flu cruise” with 2.000 passengers cancels trip to Great Barrier Reef

  

  Eighty-three passengers disembarked in Australia Saturday from the “swine flu ship” Pacific Dawn after it was allowed to dock in Brisbane, officials said.

• Sunday, May 31st 2009 - 15:17 UTC

  WHO: Tobacco packages must use pictorial warnings

  

  For another year in a row the World Health Organization (WHO) declares May 31 for a world no-smoking day. It draws global attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to its negative health effects. Every year the WHO joins all the people worldwide around a topic towards reducing tobacco consumption. This year’s subject is: health warning messages on the packaging of cigarettes and other tobacco products.