International

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 07:08 UTC

  “Few chances” of an EU/Mercosur trade agreement in a context of global crisis

  

  In the current global context “it’s hard to see an advance in the free trade negotiations with the European Union” said on Wednesday the block’s High representative Ambassador Samuel Pinheiro Guimaraes.

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 07:05 UTC

  IBSA group plans 25bn trade and FTA with Mercosur and Sacu

  

  In an attempt to accelerate talks on a trilateral free trade agreement (FTA) , the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) summit decided to hold an annual meeting of trade ministers from the three countries beginning from March next year.

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 07:00 UTC

  Lula da Silva: only way out for the crisis is growth and jobs, not balanced budgets

  

  Former Brazilian president Lula da Silva recommended European Union leaders to stop discussing balancing budgets and recapitalization of banks and find a solution to the current crisis through more economic growth, more trade and more jobs.

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 04:07 UTC

  UK Parliament praises Brazil, but regrets its ‘hardening’ policy towards Falklands

  

  Britain’s House of Commons strongly supports a closer bilateral relationship with Brazil, which it describes as a democratic, well governed, responsible state but regrets the hardening position of Brazil towards the Falklands and the HMS Clyde incident.

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 03:59 UTC

  “UK uncompromisingly committed to the security and sovereignty of Gibraltar “

  

  UK Europe Minister David Lidington declared that Prime Minister David Cameron “is a firm and loyal friend of Gibraltar and of its people” and the present British Government is “firmly and uncompromisingly committed to the security and the sovereignty of Gibraltar including British Gibraltar Territorial Waters”.

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 00:03 UTC

  European leader shocked by Argentine arrogance and satisfaction over EU crisis

  

  Spain’s former president Felipe Gonzalez said that Latin American countries which in the eighties suffered financial problems because of the debt crisis are now looking on the European economic situation with “some joy”.

• Wednesday, October 19th 2011 - 23:12 UTC

  Plan to tackle Euro debt crisis stalled; Sarkozy flies to Berlin to meet Merkel

  

  Plans to tackle the Euro zone debt crisis have stalled with Paris and Berlin at odds over how to increase the firepower of the region's bailout fund, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Wednesday afternoon.

• Wednesday, October 19th 2011 - 23:07 UTC

  Greeks have transferred to Swiss banks 200 billion Euros, claims German press

  

  Greeks fearing the safety of their deposits in banks, as well as Greeks trying to evade paying taxes, have reportedly “bailed out” their money of the debt struck country into the safe haven of Swiss banks in a scale of 200 billion Euros.

• Wednesday, October 19th 2011 - 21:16 UTC

  BlackBerry outage sees traffic accidents plummet in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

  

  Police in Abu Dhabi and Dubai said the number of reported traffic accidents plunged during the recent three-day BlackBerry outage. In Dubai, traffic accidents fell 20% from average rates on the days BlackBerry users were unable to use its messaging service. In Abu Dhabi the drop was steeper, 40% and there were no fatal accidents.

• Wednesday, October 19th 2011 - 21:06 UTC

  Who’s the best player ever: Pelé, Maradona, Romario or Messi?

  

  Former Barcelona (1993/95) striker Romario and 1994 World Cup champion came on stage to say that Argentine star Lionel Messi still has some way to go before he can call himself the best player ever.