International

• Saturday, August 19th 2017 - 08:31 UTC

  UK envoy in Brazil promotes trade and scientific cooperation

  

  Mark Prisk, the UK’s trade envoy to Brazil makes his first visit to Recife this year with the purpose of increasing dialogue between the region and United Kingdom. He will discuss topics such as trade, smart cities and the UK government’s international awards scheme, Chevening in bilaterals with Porto Digital and Fiepe. The Trade Envoy was previously in São Paulo in where he held meetings with government and private sector representatives.

• Saturday, August 19th 2017 - 08:18 UTC

  Applications for Chevening scholarships open in Argentina

  

  The British Embassy in Buenos Aires has announced that the call for applications for Chevening scholarships will be open until 7 November. The scholarships are awarded to applicants with proven leadership skills and a strong professional and academic background.

• Saturday, August 19th 2017 - 07:46 UTC

  Weaker sterling helps boost the number of visitors to UK, up 7% in June

  

  The number of visitors to the UK rose to 3.5 million in June, up 7% from the same month last year, according to official figures. The number of visitors from North America shot up by 34%, and visitors overall spent £2.2bn, a rise of 2%, the UK Office of National Statistics, ONS, said.

• Saturday, August 19th 2017 - 06:42 UTC

  Lord Hague: Brexit, “the most complex task”, any government has faced since the WW2

  

  Lord Hague has compared Brexit to taking control of a gun, saying it is possible to find a solution without using it to “shoot your foot off”. The former Conservative leader said he believes there is sufficient common ground among the different political parties to negotiate with the EU.

• Saturday, August 19th 2017 - 06:32 UTC

  Number of students accepted at UK university drops: demographics, funding and Brexit

  

  The number of students accepted on to UK degree courses has fallen this year, early UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) figures show. In total, 416,310 people have taken up places, down 2% compared with the same point last year.

• Friday, August 18th 2017 - 09:50 UTC

  Falklands' Museum incorporates naval journal with accounts of Port Egmont 250 year ago

  

  Two hundred and fifty years on, the story of a bold Falklands naval adventure has been purchased for the local museum in Stanley. Friends of the Falkland Islands Museum and Jane Cameron National Archives (FIMA Friends) executive committee member Alexandra ‘Zaz’ Shackleton was browsing at the regular antiquarian travel book fair at the Royal Geographical Society in London, when she came across a volume that she immediately knew belonged in the Falklands.

• Friday, August 18th 2017 - 08:37 UTC

  Catalonia foils a second terrorist attack: “five alleged perpetrators killed”

  

  Following a deadly vehicle-ramming attack in Barcelona on Thursday afternoon -- which left at least 13 people killed -- a police operation was carried out 90 minutes south of the city in Cambrils, during which five “terrorists” were killed, officials said.

• Thursday, August 17th 2017 - 21:45 UTC

  Thirteen killed and tens injured in terrorist attack with a van in Barcelona

  

  A van mowed through crowds of tourists on Barcelona's most famous avenue on Thursday, killing at least thirteen people in an attack that was claimed by Islamic State. The head of the Spanish region of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, said at least 80 people had been taken to hospital and 13 had been reported killed.

• Thursday, August 17th 2017 - 12:05 UTC

  Scotland and Wales coordinate opposition to Brexit “green” legislation

  

  Scottish and Welsh environment ministers are to meet to co-ordinate opposition to Brexit legislation. The two administrations fear the Westminster government is planning to take over powers which are currently devolved, but exercised in Brussels.

• Thursday, August 17th 2017 - 10:00 UTC

  Argentine Senate head calls on UK for Falklands/Malvinas discussions

  

  Argentine Senate president Federico Pinedo called on the British government ”to sit down and discuss all issues (of the bilateral agenda) including the Malvinas dispute”, and should also make a greater effort in improving its relations with Latin America, according to a statement from DYN news agency.