International

• Thursday, June 28th 2012 - 20:13 UTC

  Grilled calamari the sensation of UK summer boosted by the Dukan diet

  

  As Brits become more adventurous in the kitchen, sales of squid have soared. Calamari is set to be a summer sensation, due in part to the popularity of the Dukan diet.

• Thursday, June 28th 2012 - 07:47 UTC

  FAO/OIE launch global strategy to eradicate foot and mouth disease world wide

  

  The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) are joining forces to combat foot-and-mouth disease on a global scale, laying out a detailed strategy to bring the devastating livestock disease under control.

• Thursday, June 28th 2012 - 07:43 UTC

  German cabinet approves plan to balance federal budget three years earlier

  

  As was anticipated and ahead of a crucial European Union leaders summit Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet approved on Wednesday a spending plan that balances Germany’s federal budget three years earlier than required by its own rules.

• Thursday, June 28th 2012 - 01:14 UTC

  Bipartisan support for the EU bailout fund ESM in the German Bundestag

  

  The budget committee of Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, on Wednesday approved with a large majority the bills on the European permanent bailout fund ESM and the EU fiscal compact, it was reported in the Berlin media quoting a source who attended the committee meeting.

• Wednesday, June 27th 2012 - 20:36 UTC

  The man who steered Greece into the Euro zone is back on the helm

  

  The Greek government has appointed a new finance minister after its first choice resigned due to ill health less than a week after being appointed. Economist Yannis Stournaras has now been appointed, the government said.

• Wednesday, June 27th 2012 - 17:30 UTC

  Queen Elizabeth shakes hands with former IRA commander McGuinness

  

  Britain's Queen Elizabeth shook the hand of former Irish Republican Army (IRA) commander Martin McGuinness for the first time on Wednesday, drawing a line under a conflict that cost the lives of thousands of soldiers and civilians, including that of her cousin.

• Wednesday, June 27th 2012 - 08:51 UTC

  Italian treasury to the rescue of the world’s oldest bank, Monte dei Pachi

  

  Italy offered up to 2 billion Euros on Tuesday to plug a capital gap in the bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the second time in three years the cash-strapped state has had to bail out the world's oldest bank.

• Wednesday, June 27th 2012 - 03:39 UTC

  Malvinas are Argentine: ignore provocations in English soil, CFK tells Olympic delegation

  

  President Cristina Fernandez told the Argentine Olympics delegation there is no need to interfere with the sports spirit in London to show Malvinas belongs to Argentina and called on competitors not to fall prey of provocations while in English soil.

• Tuesday, June 26th 2012 - 22:37 UTC

  Spanish regions cripple Madrid’s attempts to keep budget deficit target

  

  Spain is considering raising consumer, energy and property taxes, the government said, as it struggles to reduce a public deficit that may have already exceeded one of its budgeted ceilings for the full year.

• Tuesday, June 26th 2012 - 06:32 UTC

  Argentina/China sign a raft of agreements to boost trade and investment

  

  Argentina signed with China a raft of mostly farm-related agreements at a ceremony on Monday in Buenos Aires attended by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his Argentine president Cristina Fernandez.