Israel has been sharply criticised after its refusal to halt settlement construction forced Washington to drop efforts to relaunch Mideast peace talks.

The European Union is sending an initial emergency aid package to Haiti worth €3m following talks in Brussels led by new foreign affairs supremo Cathy Ashton.

THE new European Trade Commissioner Baroness Ashton has been warned by Mairead McGuinness, MEP, not to take over the flawed policies of her predecessor, Peter Mandelson.

THE approach of Baroness Ashton of Upholland, who has been appointed as the new European commissioner for external trade, will be closely monitored by Irish farmers.

British eurosceptic millionaire Stuart Wheeler clearly failed to establish that the British government promised a referendum on the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, two senior High Court judges ruled today.