International

• Friday, June 29th 2018 - 04:49 UTC

  Falklands achieve top marks with TripAdvisor satisfaction rating

  

  The Falklands has achieved a satisfaction rating of 8.9 out of 10 on travel-based social media site TripAdvisor, up from 8.8 last year, according to the Falkland Islands Tourist Board (FITB).

• Friday, June 29th 2018 - 04:25 UTC

  IAG expands low-cost long-haul airline Level with operations from Vienna

  

  British Airways' owner IAG is expanding its low-cost long-haul airline Level further by launching short-haul routes from a base in Austria. The move puts it further in competition with rivals EasyJet and Ryanair. IAG launched the Level brand more than a year ago as a low-cost rival to challenger Norwegian.

• Friday, June 29th 2018 - 03:49 UTC

  British defense wins major contract to build nine warships for Australia

  

  British defense giant BAE Systems has won a multi-million pound contract from the Australian government to build nine new warships, marking a significant victory for British military exports. BAE beat Italian and Spanish rivals to win a large slice of the £20bn spending program.

• Thursday, June 28th 2018 - 13:11 UTC

  Berlin and Paris angry with UK over Brexit, a “pain in the ass” distracting from major issues

  

  Influential EU states such as Germany, France and Spain will block any attempt by the UK to remain within the single market for goods without freedom of movement, the Spanish Foreign Minister has said. Josep Borrell said that some smaller EU states might privately be willing to negotiate reform of the bloc’s free movement rules in order to keep easy access to UK products.

• Thursday, June 28th 2018 - 12:45 UTC

  Good news for British farmers: China lifts ban on beef from the UK

  

  China has ended a two-decades-long ban on exports of beef from the UK, first introduced after the outbreak of BSE - or “mad cow disease” - in the 1990s. The government said the development will be worth £250m to British producers over the next five years.

• Thursday, June 28th 2018 - 12:09 UTC

  UK and EU discuss Brexit in Brussels, as Belgium and England play a decisive match in Russia

  

  Theresa May has been warned that time is running out to secure a Brexit deal as she prepares to face the other 27 EU leaders at a summit in Brussels. The PM will brief all her counterparts for the last time before October, when both sides hope a deal will be done on the UK's March 2019 departure.

• Thursday, June 28th 2018 - 11:17 UTC

  Migration could seal the future of the European Union, warns Merkel

  

  The future of the European Union (EU) rests on the bloc’s ability to find a diplomatic answer to the migration crisis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday. EU leaders are meeting in Brussels, Belgium on Thursday and Friday to try to wrangle a solution on migration, with the issue leaving Merkel’s own political fate hanging precariously in the balance.

• Thursday, June 28th 2018 - 10:54 UTC

  UK prepared to resume arms sales to Argentina after a six-year ban

  

  Arms exports to the Argentine military are set to resume, more than six years after a ban imposed in a row over the Falkland Islands. Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan said restrictions would still be imposed on exports which could “enhance” Argentina's military capabilities.

• Wednesday, June 27th 2018 - 08:20 UTC

  Iran's coach strongly questions the Video Assistant Referee at the Russia World Cup

  

  The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) used in the Russia World Cup has been praised by many, but also strongly criticized by some. One of those who does not see the benefit of VAR is Iran’s coach, Carlos Queiroz. The Portuguese-born manager says the new system has not only created confusion but also, according to him, taken the game away from the fans.

• Tuesday, June 26th 2018 - 17:39 UTC

  “Uniting the world against terrorism”: OP-ED on the United Nations conference on counter-terrorism

  

  NEW YORK — Terrorism is a persistent and evolving global menace. No country is immune. Social media, encrypted communications and the dark web are being used to spread propaganda, radicalize new recruits and plan atrocities. The threat ranges from the crude tactics of lone actors to sophisticated coordinated attacks and the horrific prospect of terrorists using chemical, biological or radioactive weapons.