Ireland will not join Britain and Sweden in any legal challenge to a tax on financial transactions being proposed by 10 EU countries in what will be the first enhanced cooperation agreement on taxation among member states.

Ireland’s hopes of reviving its sugar industry and the aligned development of its biofuels sector could be dashed by draft European proposals to reduce the amount of land devoted to biomass crops.

As European Commission president Barroso heads to China, Amnesty International warns that the success of their mission depends on real improvements in the human rights situation in the country.