International

• Wednesday, February 29th 2012 - 01:43 UTC

  Pink Floyd lead singer says the Malvinas Islands “belong to Argentina”

  

  Former Pink Floyd lead singer Roger Waters, who has nine shows scheduled in Buenos Aires at the River Plate stadium this March, assured that the Malvinas Islands “belong to Argentina. He also stated that the 1982 war between Argentina and the UK “saved then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s political career.”

• Wednesday, February 29th 2012 - 01:24 UTC

  Argentina urges industry and business to cut imports from the UK

  

  The Buenos Aires media, basically the ambito.com site reports that Argentine industry and business leaders were contacted by the Ministry of Industry which tried to persuade them from buying British supplies.

• Wednesday, February 29th 2012 - 00:19 UTC

  Tugs pulling ‘Costa Allegra’ to Seychelles; helicopter drops of bread and torches

  

  Two tugs finally reached on Tuesday the stranded “Costa Allegra” cruise and are pulling her to the Seychelles Islands. The vessel on Monday suffered a fire which left her powerless approximately 200 miles southwest of the Indian Ocean islands.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 19:09 UTC

  UK ‘sad and frustrated’ with Argentine decision to turn away cruise vessels sailing from Falklands

  

  The British government has said it is a source of ”sadness and frustrated” that Argentina decided to turn away British tourists wishing to visit Argentina as a result of the ongoing row over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 17:53 UTC

  Giant ‘Kariuku” penguins populated New Zealand some 27 million of years ago

  

  Palaeontologists have unearthed fossils of what they say the tallest ever penguin species that lived in what is now New Zealand some 27 million years ago. The he lanky bird that stood as high as 4.2 feet was also slimmer than modern penguins, with a long beak and flippers.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 17:49 UTC

  Judge Garzón cleared of investigation into murders by Franco forces

  

  Spain's Supreme Court cleared former judge Baltasar Garzón of overstepping his authority when he ordered an investigation into the murders of more than 100,000 people by forces loyal to late dictator Francisco Franco.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 17:33 UTC

  A quarter of people in England support Scotland becoming independent

  

  Just over a quarter of people in England support Scotland becoming independent, a new survey has found. The latest NatCen Social Research British Social Attitudes Survey found 26% of English residents favoured ending the union between the two countries, the highest figure yet in such a survey.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 04:21 UTC

  Europe’s biggest bank with record profits from operations in Latam and Asia

  

  HSBC Holdings Plc said a 1 billion dollars increase in its wages bill in Brazil, China and other emerging markets was the price of avoiding the stagnant growth which has dogged some rival lenders more dependent on Europe.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 04:16 UTC

  Switzerland asks banking system s to prevent un-taxed assets in their accounts

  

  Switzerland has asked its banks to tighten due diligence process to prevent un-taxed assets in their accounts without violating client confidentiality. The measures come on the back of growing international pressure on Swiss authorities to act against any possible hoarding of illicit and untaxed money in Switzerland-based banks.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2012 - 01:58 UTC

  Mercosur/Gulf states closer to trade agreement but leaving petrochemicals for later

  

  Brazil is eager to finalize a free trade agreement between the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and the Mercosur bloc but believes the petrochemicals sector will be exempted until further study after the signing, said Brazilian Trade and Industry Minister Fernando Pimentel.