Politics

• Monday, July 9th 2012 - 12:26 UTC

  France and Germany re-enact De Gaulle/Adenauer peace and reconciliation pact

  

  The leaders of France and Germany joined in a symbolic celebration of unity, hailing a relationship that has brought peace to Europe for 50 years but must now prove it can survive its most serious crisis to date.

• Monday, July 9th 2012 - 12:22 UTC

  Majority of Spaniards say Gibraltar is and issue of little interest for foreign policy

  

  A survey by the leading Spanish think tank Real Instituto Elcano has found that nearly 60% of those polled believe Gibraltar is of little or no importance to Spanish foreign policy.

• Monday, July 9th 2012 - 06:17 UTC

  Peña Nieto confirmed as Mexican president but won’t have majority in Congress

  

  Enrique Peña Nieto won Mexico's July 1 presidential election by 3.3 million ballots, or almost 7 percentage points, although allegations of excessive campaign spending and voter fraud could be reviewed by the electoral tribunal, officials said.

• Monday, July 9th 2012 - 06:13 UTC

  UK Serious Fraud Office investigating the rigging of the Libor rate

  

  The United Kingdom Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has confirmed that it has formally launched an investigation into the rigging of inter-bank lending rates. The case could lead to criminal charges being brought against individuals.

• Monday, July 9th 2012 - 06:05 UTC

  Influential Brazilian banker says further weakening of the Real “would be better”

  

  Luciano Coutinho president of Brazil’s state development bank BNDES, said the country has benefited from the recent weakening of its currency and a further drop would be better, according to newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo.

• Monday, July 9th 2012 - 05:59 UTC

  Chavez announces trip to Brazil for Venezuela’s formal admission to Mercosur

  

  President Hugo Chavez said he will be attending at the end of July the coming Mercosur meeting in Brasil when Venezuela will officially become the group’s fifth full member, a decision that has proved controversial and exposed differences inside the Common Market of the South.

• Monday, July 9th 2012 - 05:51 UTC

  Brazilian Air Force delays for another six months bidding for huge contract

  

  Brazilian Air Force has asked bidders to renew their offers on a contract to provide 36 next-generation fighter jets, extending for six months a race between US, French and Swedish contestants.

• Monday, July 9th 2012 - 05:28 UTC

  RAF renewing air transport fleet: in 2014 begins incorporation of A400M Atlas

  

  The Royal Air Force next generation military transport aircraft has been officially named as Atlas. The aircraft, which has until now been known as the A400M, will replace the RAF’s existing C130 Hercules fleet and along with the Voyager and C-17 will provide the UK military’s future air transport force.

• Monday, July 9th 2012 - 05:23 UTC

  The illustrious VC-10, crucial for the Falklands retires from service in early 2013

  

  The illustrious VC-10, flown by 101 Squadron based at RAF Brize Norton, made its final air show appearance at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) before it retires from Service early in 2013.

• Sunday, July 8th 2012 - 21:11 UTC

  Chile and Brazil lead the Global Innovation index in the region

  

  An international study released this week ranked Chile first among Latin American countries on the Global Innovation Index (GII), though Chile received mediocre scores in the area of education.