
Italy is not ready to pretend everything is alright when Europe is not functioning properly, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said the day after a key EU gathering. EU leaders had gathered in the Slovak capital on Friday to discuss the EU's future in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the bloc, wrapping up the summit by issuing a roadmap for tackling problems such as migration, security and the faltering economy.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's party has suffered a historic loss in Berlin state elections, with the right-wing AfD party posting strong gains after riding a wave of anger over her open-door refugee policy. According to projections, the anti-Islam Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) won around 14% in the capital, which has long prided itself on being a diverse and multicultural city.

With Malvinas we have to be most prudent, commented the Argentine Senate provisional president Federico Pinedo on the Argentine/UK joint cooperation statement with a specific chapter on the South Atlantic including flights to the Falklands and lifting restrictions for the Islands economy development.

Argentina's claim over the Malvinas Islands is standing and non negotiable, were the first words of president Mauricio Macri when he arrived on Sunday to New York to attend this week the UN General Assembly. The statement follows the strong reactions to the last Wednesday Argentine/UK joint cooperation statement which includes a South Atlantic chapter strongly questioned in some political circles.

The recent Argentina/UK joint cooperation statement, with a chapter on the Falklands/Malvinas Islands, is “promising”, however much rests to be defined and agreed, and additional air links should be carried out by Argentina's flag carrier, according to Rosana Bertone, governor of the extreme south province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands.

The US Department of Justice is asking Deutsche Bank to pay US$14bn to settle an investigation into mortgage-backed securities, the bank has said. However Deutsche Bank said it has no intention to settle these potential civil claims anywhere near the figure cited.

Britain’s Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis, was briefed by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo this week on Gibraltar’s key concerns ahead of Brexit. Mr Davis, accompanied by Robin Walker, the Minister of State at the department for Brexit, met with Picardo and Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia in London late Monday evening.

The current critical situation of Mercosur is an opportunity to strengthen and advance trade negotiations, which could include the long delayed accord with the European Union by the end of 2017, according to Argentina's Secretary of Commerce, Miguel Braun.

The Argentine/UK political convergence to promote bilateral dialogue and advance in areas of common interest for both parts “is not a closed agreement but a Joint Statement which describes principles and relates intentions”, pointed out Argentine deputy minister Carlos Foradori in an interview with Buenos Aires daily Clarin.

By Mark Kent (*) - The following piece was written in support of The Buenos Aires Herald 140th anniversary, 15 September 1876/2016.