International

Friday, October 22nd 2010 - 02:15 UTC
Strong support from the European Parliament to trade talks with Mercosur

Members of the European Parliament expressed strong support for expanding trade with Mercosur but subject to clear “red lines” to ensure food security and prevent further environmental damage, said a resolution adopted on Thursday.
Thursday, October 21st 2010 - 11:14 UTC
Qatar sovereign wealth fund buys 5% of Banco Santander Brazil

Banco Santander SA, Spain’s biggest bank, said this week that it will sell 5% of its Brazilian unit to Qatar Holding LLC for 1.95 billion Euros (Approx. 2.7 billion US dollars).
Thursday, October 21st 2010 - 10:57 UTC
In one of his last acts, Moratinos announces ease of tension with Gibraltar

In what could very well have been one of his last comments as Foreign Affairs minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos said Spain would be removing the scientific buoys that it laid in Gibraltar waters as from Wednesday October 20.
Thursday, October 21st 2010 - 07:26 UTC
Piñera seals in Paris wide-ranging “strategic alliance” with France

Chilean president Sebastian Piñera announced Wednesday in Paris a wide-ranging “strategic alliance” with France following a meeting with President Nicholas Sarkozy. Piñera arrived Tuesday from London and later in the week is scheduled to travel to Germany.
Thursday, October 21st 2010 - 07:19 UTC
With frozen income BBC has to fund World Service and Welsh language TV

The TV licence fee, which funds Britain’s BBC, is to be frozen for six years at £145.50, the Chancellor has confirmed. The BBC will also take over the cost of the Foreign Office-funded World Service, BBC Monitoring and some of the costs of Welsh language TV channel S4C.
Thursday, October 21st 2010 - 07:11 UTC
UK unveils biggest spending cuts in decades; half a million public jobs to go

Chancellor George Osborne has unveiled the biggest UK spending cuts for decades, with welfare, councils and police budgets all hit. The pension age will rise sooner than expected, some incapacity benefits will be time limited and other money clawed back through changes to tax credits and housing benefit.
Wednesday, October 20th 2010 - 22:47 UTC
Pope Benedict puts his (conservative) stamp by naming 20 ‘cardinal electors’

Pope Benedict put his stamp on the future of the Roman Catholic Church by naming 24 new cardinals, including 20 who are under 80 and thus eligible to enter a secret conclave to elect his successor.
Wednesday, October 20th 2010 - 22:39 UTC
Spain reshuffles cabinet: Perez Rubalcaba new strong man; Moratinos out

Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero named a new deputy premier and foreign minister Wednesday as part of a major cabinet reshuffle at a time when his ruling Socialists have been trailing conservatives fifteen points in polls.
Wednesday, October 20th 2010 - 03:53 UTC
Open Letter on Climate Change (*)

We address this letter to political and business leaders and to the wider public. This year has seen outbreaks of extreme weather in many regions of the world. No-one can say with certainty that events such as the flooding in Pakistan, the unprecedented weather episodes in some parts of the US , the heat-wave and drought in Russia, or the floods and landslides in Northern China, were influenced by climate change. Yet they constitute a stark warning. Extreme weather events will grow in frequency and intensity as the world warms.
Wednesday, October 20th 2010 - 03:10 UTC
Another Indian outsourcing services company moves into Mercosur

Aegis, the outsourcing services arm of steel-to-shipping conglomerate Essar Group on Tuesday said it has signed an agreement to acquire Argentine business process outsourcing firm, Actionline.