International

• Friday, February 16th 2018 - 10:26 UTC

  US rejects merger between Chicago Stock Exchange and Chinese investor group

  

  The US has rejected a proposed merger between the Chicago Stock Exchange and a Chinese-linked investor group. The decision comes after more than two years of reviews by officials. The tie-up was initially approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, pending further approval by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

• Friday, February 16th 2018 - 10:07 UTC

  Theresa May flies to Berlin to meet Merkel, ahead of crucial speech on Saturday

  

  Theresa May is due to hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel as she seeks to make progress on negotiating Brexit. The PM will travel on Friday to Berlin for the meeting at the Chancellery. It comes a day ahead of a speech on Saturday in which she is expected to set out the “security partnership” she wants to maintain with the EU.

• Friday, February 16th 2018 - 09:53 UTC

  Proposal to give £10,000 per year to every UK citizen under 55

  

  The United Kingdom government should give £10,000 per year to every citizen under 55, a report suggests. The Royal Society for the encouragement of the Arts, Manufactrurers and Commerce (RSA) says it could pave the way to everyone getting a basic state wage. The Labour Party has also said it is looking into similar arguments for a Universal Basic Income (UBI).

• Friday, February 16th 2018 - 09:48 UTC

  South Africa's Zuma steps down: ignominious end for a clepto president

  

  President Jacob Zuma, South Africa’s fourth democratic head of state, resigned on Wednesday amid an acrimonious battle for control of the nation and the governing party, the African National Congress. He told South Africans during a late-night televised address that, although he disagreed with the decision by the ANC to remove him, he would leave “with immediate effect.”

• Friday, February 16th 2018 - 09:32 UTC

  Wartime bomb found in Thames River successfully removed and detonated

  

  The Royal Navy bomb disposal experts detonated on Wednesday a 500kg Second World War bomb found in the River Thames. The historic ordnance was found in the George V Dock during pre-planned construction work near London City Airport on Sunday morning.

• Friday, February 16th 2018 - 02:52 UTC

  Porn star “Stormy” was paid US$ 130.000 for lust and silence with Trump

  

  A private lawyer for President Donald Trump says he paid US$130,000 of his own money to adult film star Stormy Daniels who once claimed she had an affair with Trump more than a decade ago. The payment to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, was made during the 2016 presidential election campaign but the lawyer, Michael Cohen, said he was working alone and that it was not a campaign expense.

• Friday, February 16th 2018 - 02:25 UTC

  Spain anticipates a new South Atlantic scientific commission sometime this year

  

  Spain's Fisheries authorities believe that in the near future there will be an understanding between Argentina and the Falkland Islands regarding the South Atlantic fisheries since it makes sense to share conservation responsibilities.

• Friday, February 16th 2018 - 02:22 UTC

  Madrid warned “Playa Pesmar Uno” five times it was sailing into Argentine waters

  

  The Spanish Fishing Monitoring Center, CSP, located in Madrid has revealed it warned the trawler “Playa Pesmar Uno” five times that is was sailing into Argentine waters before it was finally arrested by the Argentine authorities, according to Alberto Lopez Asenjo, Spain's Fisheries Secretary, in an interview with the Vigo daily Atlantico.

• Thursday, February 15th 2018 - 09:37 UTC

  For the first time in seven years, Euro-zone economy grew faster than UK in 2017

  

  For the first time in seven years, the Euro-zone's economy grew quicker than the UK's last year, according to data from Eurostat released on Wednesday. The preliminary growth estimates for the final quarter of 2017 showed the bloc of Euro nations growing at a combined 2.7% over the course of the year, having expanded 0.6% in the final quarter alone.

• Wednesday, February 14th 2018 - 16:54 UTC

  FIFA's Infantino visits Putin to discuss World Cup preparations

  

  With four months to go before the football World Cup, both Russia and FIFA want toavoid any surprises. Hence the meeting on Feb.12 between Russian President VladimirPutin and FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the Kremlin to discuss World Cuppreparations.