International

• Saturday, October 22nd 2011 - 00:38 UTC

  NATO seven-month ‘United Protector’ campaign in Libya comes to an end this month

  

  NATO plans to end its seven-month air and sea campaign in Libya at the end of October, Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Friday, the day after the death of Muammar Gaddafi.

• Saturday, October 22nd 2011 - 00:37 UTC

  Obama announces end of war in Iraq and will pull out troops by end of the year

  

  President Barack Obama vowed to pull all US troops from Iraq this year, symbolically ending the war but dashing US hopes of leaving a few thousand troops to buttress a still shaky Iraq and offset neighbouring Iran's influence.

• Saturday, October 22nd 2011 - 00:36 UTC

  Sarkozy promises ‘unfaltering support’ to Spain to ensure peace in Basque country

  

  France's President Nicolas Sarkozy congratulated Spain on Friday for the Basque separatist group ETA's ceasefire, branding it a “victory for democracy over violence”.

• Friday, October 21st 2011 - 08:35 UTC

  In Uruguay we have learnt to bury the old economic paradigms, says Mujica

  

  Uruguay’s strategy is to attract foreign private investors and offer the necessary guarantees to develop their business, said President Jose Mujica in a brief summary of his ten day European visit of four countries and the headquarters of the European Union in Brussels.

• Friday, October 21st 2011 - 07:41 UTC

  Uruguay and EC committed to advance with the EU/Mercosur association accord

  

  Uruguay and the European Commission agreed on the importance of promoting economic and investment relations and ratified their commitment to advance negotiations for a Mercosur/EU wide ranging trade and association agreement that is “integral, balanced and ambitious”.

• Friday, October 21st 2011 - 05:34 UTC

  Fitch warns Argentina on ‘inconsistent policies’ that spur inflation and volatility

  

  Argentina’s sovereign rating is “heavily constrained by inconsistent” policies that have accelerated inflation and economic volatility, Fitch Ratings said three days before presidential elections.

• Friday, October 21st 2011 - 05:13 UTC

  Brazil reaffirms its political and trade influence in Angola and Mozambique

  

  Brazil reaffirmed its influence in Africa with the visit by President Dilma Rousseff on Thursday of the oil rich ‘brother’ nation Angola. Rousseff had previously visited South Africa and Mozambique.

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 21:25 UTC

  Basque ETA group calls a “definitive cessation” of hostilities, reports BBC

  

  The Basque separatist group ETA says it has called a “definitive cessation” to its campaign of bombings and shootings. In a statement provided to the BBC, Eta called on the Spanish and French governments to respond with “a process of direct dialogue”.

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 21:22 UTC

  European Union remains split on how to strengthen Euro zone bailout fund

  

  The European Union has agreed that around 100 billion Euros is needed to recapitalise the European banking system, but splits remain before a high-profile summit on Sunday over how to strengthen the Euro zone's bailout fund.

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 21:09 UTC

  European leaders call on Libyans to build a strong and democratic future

  

  French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday that the death of Muammar Gaddafi turned a page for the Libyan people and signalled the start of a democratic process.