International

• Sunday, November 3rd 2013 - 03:14 UTC

  Germany/Brazil initiative at the UN to end excessive electronic surveillance

  

  Germany and Brazil circulated a draft resolution to a U.N. General Assembly committee on Friday that calls for an end to excessive electronic surveillance, data collection and other gross invasions of privacy. The draft resolution does not name any specific countries, although U.N. diplomats said it was clearly aimed at the United States, which has been embarrassed by revelations of a massive international surveillance program from a former US contractor.

• Saturday, November 2nd 2013 - 15:55 UTC

  Unemployment in Euro-zone remained at record high 12.2% in September

  

  The unemployment rate in the 17-nation Euro-zone remained at a record high of 12.2% in September as the bloc’s recent recovery failed to generate new jobs, official data shows. The number rose by 60,000 to 19.45 million, while the jobless rate for those aged under 25 edged up to 24.1% from 24% in August, according to Eurostat, the European Union’s statistics agency.

• Friday, November 1st 2013 - 23:49 UTC

  Falklands government contracts London's fastest growing communications agency

  

  London’s fastest-growing communications agency, Pagefield, has been appointed by the Falkland Islands Government to provide strategic and tactical advice in relation to all public relations and media issues in the UK, following a competitive pitch.

• Friday, November 1st 2013 - 22:31 UTC

  Falklands: Sea Lion research awarded Shackleton's Centenary scholarship

  

  The Centenary Scholarship which marks the 100th Anniversary of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Trans- Antarctic Endurance expedition has been awarded to Dr Alastair Baylis, an Australian scientist, for his sea lion project: “Rediscovering Falklands Ocean Sentinels”.

• Friday, November 1st 2013 - 21:29 UTC

  Risks to public health from fracking for shale gas are low, says UK government

  

  The risks to public health from fracking for shale gas are low, according to a new official report. Any problems publicized so far - such as in the US - are the result of operational failure or poor regulation according to a study, by Public Health England, an agency of the Department of Health, reviewed the latest research.

• Friday, November 1st 2013 - 21:23 UTC

  Britain sleepwalking into becoming a surveillance state, wars MP Hubert

  

  Britain is sleepwalking into becoming a surveillance state, the like of which has never been seen before in peacetime Britain, MPs have been told. Opening a packed Westminster Hall debate on intelligence and the security services, Liberal Democrat MP Julian Huppert (Cambridge) said there were serious questions to be asked about the extent and scale of intelligence agencies’ activities.

• Friday, November 1st 2013 - 18:05 UTC

  London Luxury Quarter red carpet to court the rich and famous from China

  

  Luxury retailers in London are hoping to cash in on the growing ranks of high-net worth Chinese travelers in the wake of relaxed visa application rules for tourists and business people from the mainland, which were announced in October by the British government.

• Friday, November 1st 2013 - 08:51 UTC

  US aviation regulators clear passengers use of mobile devices from gate to gate

  

  Aviation regulators have cleared the safe use of mobile devices during take-off and landing for US airlines. US carriers are expected to let passengers use smart phones, tablets, and e-book readers from gate to gate by the end of the year.

• Friday, November 1st 2013 - 08:48 UTC

  Experts dismiss forecasts of soaring wine prices: worldwide production on the rise

  

  In a much-publicized report released Wednesday, US bank Morgan Stanley said that a worldwide fall in production and growing thirst for wine among Chinese and Americans would send prices rocketing. However industry experts say worldwide production actually rose this year.

• Friday, November 1st 2013 - 05:14 UTC

  Malvinas claim 'enshrined in the Constitution and supported by all political parties'

  

  Argentine ambassador in London Alicia Castro in a letter published in The Times, defended the “peaceful call” from President Cristina Fernandez to dialogue and negotiations on the Malvinas Islands issue and underlined that the sovereignty claim over the Islands is 'enshrined in the national constitution'.