International

• Saturday, June 25th 2011 - 08:00 UTC

  Canada interested in closer links with Mercosur announces ‘exploratory talks’

  

  Canada and Mercosur agreed on Friday to hold exploratory talks to strengthen their relationship, Canadian Trade Minister Ed Fast said on Friday. Fast is currently in Asunción to promote bilateral trade and investments, and Paraguay currently holds the Mercosur chair.

• Saturday, June 25th 2011 - 07:44 UTC

  Torture remains prevalent in too many countries, UN warns

  

  Too many countries are still practising or tolerating “cruel, degrading and illegal” acts of torture, top United Nations officials said today as they pledged the UN's solidarity with the millions of torture victims worldwide.

• Saturday, June 25th 2011 - 07:35 UTC

  Europe tightens borders to block the influx of immigrants

  

  European Union leaders agreed Friday to tighten migration safeguards, including potentially reintroducing border controls between states, in a controversial response to an influx of migrants fleeing North Africa's upheaval.

• Friday, June 24th 2011 - 22:58 UTC

  China says it can control inflation and maintain robust growth

  

  Chinese premier Wen Jiabao has said that China can control inflation and maintain its robust growth. Writing in the Financial Times, Mr Wen said “price rises will be firmly under control this year”.

• Friday, June 24th 2011 - 22:23 UTC

  FIFA slams Brazil’s slow pace of preparation for the 2014 World Cup

  

  Brazil's slow pace of preparation for the 2014 World Cup has come under attack from FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke. Stadium development plus work on airports and the transport system are lagging well behind schedule.

• Friday, June 24th 2011 - 22:15 UTC

  Malaysia’ AirAsia sings 18.5bn USD contract for 200 A320neo

  

  Malaysia’s AirAsia signed an 18.5 billion US dollars landmark deal for 200 A320neo Airbus, with an option for another 100, making AirAsia the biggest airline customer for the European corporations for the single-aisle product line worldwide.

• Friday, June 24th 2011 - 21:58 UTC

  Croatia become the European Union 28th member; final ratification June 2013

  

  European Union leaders said Croatia is ready to become the bloc’s 28th member, signalling peace in the Balkan region.

• Friday, June 24th 2011 - 20:15 UTC

  Krugman: “when Argentina tried to act as a serious country, it was “a disaster”

  

  Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman took to his blog in the New York Times to say he didn’t see how Argentina’s default could be seen as a cautionary tale for Greece, and questioned a local economist who assured Argentina was not considered “a serious country.”

• Friday, June 24th 2011 - 19:02 UTC

  Upgraded HMS Illustrious is converted to helicopter and commando carrier

  

  The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious has begun sea trials following a £40m maintenance and upgrade program. 'Lusty' left Rosyth after 16 months during which she was converted into a helicopter and commando carrier, and should return to the fleet at the end of July.

• Friday, June 24th 2011 - 18:33 UTC

  China readies its first carrier, “a symbol of a great nation”

  

  Chinese military officials have confirmed that the country is completing work on its first aircraft carrier, based on the hull of Russian carrier Varyag.