European Union

The hugely controversial ACTA treaty has been rejected by the European Parliament in a landslide vote.

With an agreement being reached in the early hours of Friday, 29 June 2012 at the European Summit in Brussels over the Euro Crisis, my Mystic Meg clairvoyant award was cancelled. Don't care, I wasn't alone in getting the outcome - little or no change with platitudes - so very wrong. Typical of reporters was Ian Chua for Reuters in Sydney filing a report at just past midnight on Friday morning:

Former defence secretary says EU referendum vital to set new boundaries though having one now would be huge error.

Prime Minister David Cameron did not suggest holding immediate referendum, but acknowledged real choice of the people should be upheld.

European leaders agree to take action against spiralling borrowing costs of Spain and Italy.

Glooko Logbook Charts expected to help people with diabetes to monitor their blood glucose readings to gain better control of their diabetes and in turn become better self-managers of their condition.

Merkel warns against any immediate breakthrough in solving the debt crisis ahead of the two-day European Council Summit.

On Wednesday 27 June 2012, French President François Hollande met German Chancellor Angela Merkel for preliminary talks prior to Thursday's, yet another "crucial", European Union meeting to try to further resolve the crisis in the Eurozone. The political leaders of France and Germany, so recently partners in agreement on the best way forward for the single currency are, effectively, now poles apart in their approach to the crisis and its solution.

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) will seek €3.4bn in bonds backed by the government and possibly another one billion in private investor cash

Microsoft has failed to overturn a decision from 2004 that it engaged in anti-competitive practices, though an EU court has reduced its fine by €39m.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi seeks more engagement than confrontation with the EU.

German chancellor Angela Merkel rules out use of eurobonds ahead of crucial EU meeting in Brussels on eurozone debt crisis.

Russian leader urges more commitment to peace process and warns against unilateral actions undermining it.

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena is the first Italian bank to receive some form of state aid, after the Italian cabinet have offered to back the banks bonds, similar to Tremonti bonds.

Cyprus becomes fifth Eurozone state to seek financial help ahead of 20th Summit since crisis began in 2010

Shares in Italy's largest banks plummet after the head of Italy's banking association called on the European Central Bank to buy bonds

Italy's third largest bank rushes to government for aid, in order to plug €1bn funding gap

Coalition government releases policy document to ease strain on citizens who are already feeling pain of austerity measures.

Leaders of Germany, France, Italy and Spain meet in Rome to discuss ways to restore confidence in the eurozone ahead of a full EU summit from 28-29 June.

Release date, specs, hardware and pricing

Even diplomatic asylum will not protect Assange from arrest as soon as he steps out of Ecuadorian embassy in London.

S&P says Spain's €100bn bank deal with the EU should see it through to the end of 2013

Germany boss Joachim Löw says that he wants to keep politics completely out of his side's 2012 Euros quarter final match against Greece on Friday at the PGE Arena in Poland.

Fighting between Kurdish militants and government troops at Hakkari province army outposts claim high death toll.

MV Alaed loses insurance over Bashar al-Assad arms cargo and is forced to turn around off coast of Scotland.

G20 Draft Communique to boost IMF firewall, tackle the sovereign debt crisis and prevent further emerging market contagion.

As India seeks more oil and gas from OPEC and the wider markets following Iran's sanction woes, the move could intensify growth problems and high inflation

The crucial Greek vote will set the stage for the country's continuation or exit from the single currency zone.

Extra oil demand from India, following cut backs from Iranian imports on sanction woes, will help push prices back up in H2 this year, say analysts

Central banks across world are reportedly preparing to infuse liquidity in the financial system in case there is turmoil in the markets.