The FINANCIAL -- According to the European Commission, European Union agriculture ministers on December 17 reached political agreement on the new Spirit Drinks regulation, thereby sealing a first reading agreement between the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.

The FINANCIAL -- According to the European Commission, the European Commission is hosting on December 17 the second meeting of the EU Network of Energy Security Correspondents (NESCO) in Brussels. The Network correspondents from the European Commission, the Council Secretariat and the EU Member

The FINANCIAL -- According to RIA Novosti, a palm tree at Egypt's Cairo international airport has saved hundreds of passengers on board an Ethiopian Airlines' flight from certain death, the Al-Ahram weekly paper said on December 17.