International

• Friday, March 22nd 2013 - 02:32 UTC

  Italy's Grillo asks for mandate to form government; Berlusconi available for any coalition

  

  Italy's anti-establishment Five Star Movement has officially asked President Giorgio Napolitano for a mandate to form a new government. The party led by comedian Beppe Grillo won an unexpected 25% of the vote in elections last month and holds the balance of power.

• Friday, March 22nd 2013 - 02:22 UTC

  On 18 September 2014, Scotland will decide if it wants to become an independent country

  

  First Minister Alex Salmond set a historical vote in motion announcing on Thursday the date for a referendum on Scottish independence, 18 September 2014 and promising to campaign hard for the “Yes” side. The simple question reads: “Should Scotland be an independent country?”

• Friday, March 22nd 2013 - 02:18 UTC

  India, seventh market for Brazilian exports; bilateral trade reaches 10.6bn dollars in 2012

  

  By R. Viswanathan - India's trade with Brazil reached 10.6 billion dollars in 2012 (January to December), increasing by 15% from 9.2bn in 2011. Twenty years back, in 1992 bilateral trade was just 177 million dollars. Ten years back, in 2002, it was 1.2 billion dollars.
  India's exports to Brazil declined in 2012 to 5.04bn from 6bn dollars in 2011.

• Friday, March 22nd 2013 - 00:42 UTC

  Timerman thanks Interpol for describing Iran/Argentina accord as ‘positive’

  

  Argentine Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman showed his “gratitude” to Interpol legal counsellor Ronald Noble for the letter he sent to Buenos Aires considering the recently approved Memorandum of Understanding signed with Iran “positive.”

• Thursday, March 21st 2013 - 06:21 UTC

  Argentina ratifies trade policy before WTO, which questioned inflation stats

  

  Argentina ratified its controversial trade policy during the periodic country review at the World Trade Organization, WTO, arguing Argentina has grown sustainedly since 2003, as have social indexes supported by the strong and successful re-industrialization program.

• Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 23:29 UTC

  UN aviation and tourism agencies pledge to coordinate efforts to facilitate travel

  

  The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) signed a special Joint Statement on Aviation and Tourism acknowledging the intention of the two UN agencies to begin cooperating more closely on issues of common priority.

• Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 23:09 UTC

  The Pope is Argentine, but God is Brazilian, says Rousseff; Francis is expected in Rio next July

  

  Argentines are lucky because they have a great Pope, but “if the Pope is Argentine, God is Brazilian”, said Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff on Wednesday following her half hour meeting with Francis and asked by Argentine reporters her impression of the new pontiff.

• Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 08:54 UTC

  Francis inaugurates papacy with little pomp and much contact with the faithful

  

  Pope Francis on Tuesday inaugurated his papacy with a Mass in front of hundreds of thousands of people, foreign leaders and the Orthodox Christians Patriarch (first time since the great schism of 1054) in St. Peter's Square with a simplified rite that fuelled hopes for change in the scandal-plagued Roman Catholic Church.

• Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 08:50 UTC

  Francis calls on world leaders ‘to be protectors of one another and of the environment’

  

  Under bright sunshine in St. Peter's Square, the Argentine pope insisted with his constant message since he was elected by a secret conclave of cardinals last week: that the Church's mission was to defend the poor and disadvantaged. Francis also called on leaders to protect the people and respect the environment.

• Wednesday, March 20th 2013 - 08:40 UTC

  Before his coronation mass Francis talked to the Catholics gathered in Plaza de Mayo

  

  As thousands of Argentine Catholics were congregated at Plaza de Mayo in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral, where huge screens and Vatican and Argentine flags were set up for people to joyfully celebrate the beginning of Francis’ papacy, the Pontiff surprised the masses with an unexpected phone call.