International

• Saturday, September 14th 2019 - 21:58 UTC

  Google settles tax dispute with France paying almost one billion Euros

  

  US internet giant Google has agreed a settlement totaling €945 million (US$1 billion) to end a tax dispute in France under an agreement announced in court on Thursday. The company will pay a €500 million fine for tax evasion, as well as a further €465 million to settle claims with French tax authorities.

• Saturday, September 14th 2019 - 21:56 UTC

  ECB slashes rates to its lowest and introduces quantitative easing to stimulate the European economy

  

  The European Central Bank announced a sweeping round of stimulus for the continent's slowing economy, cutting interest rates to their lowest ever level and introducing a round of quantitative easing.

• Saturday, September 14th 2019 - 21:51 UTC

  French ruling covers casual sex consequences as possible work related accidents in business trips

  

  Should a heart attack during an adulterous tryst on a business trip count as a work-related accident? A French court has ruled it should, surprising even seasoned watchers of the country's protective legislation.

• Saturday, September 14th 2019 - 20:17 UTC

  Low profile talks between Venezuelan government and opposition continue sponsored by the Boston Group

  

  A group of Venezuelan government officials and opposition activists are quietly holding talks focused on the economy despite the stalling of a formal dialogue mediated by Norway, according to nine sources involved.

• Saturday, September 14th 2019 - 20:07 UTC

  Malaysia and Indonesia clash over fires in the rain forest allegedly involving palm plantations

  

  Malaysia’s Minister of Primary Industries Teresa Kok expressed concern on Friday over a statement released by Indonesian authorities regarding the sealing of land owned by subsidiaries of four Malaysian plantation companies. Fire was said to be raging on the properties, contributing to haze in the region.

• Saturday, September 14th 2019 - 12:08 UTC

  Cuban King censor exposed to some of his own medicine by Twitter

  

  Twitter has restored some of the accounts of Cuban state-run media, journalists and government officials it had blocked on Wednesday, although others like that of Communist Party leader Raul Castro remain suspended.

• Saturday, September 14th 2019 - 11:54 UTC

  Fact-checkers accuse Johnson's Conservative party of misinterpreting BBC article

  

  One of Facebook's third-party fact-checkers accused Britain's governing Conservative Party on Friday of misrepresenting a BBC News article in its ads on the social media platform.

• Saturday, September 14th 2019 - 10:52 UTC

  Man who set the forest on fire, admits another Brexit referendum might be needed

  

  Former British prime minister David Cameron, who took the decision in 2016 to hold a referendum on the country's membership of the European Union, said another vote may be needed to resolve the Brexit impasse.

• Saturday, September 14th 2019 - 10:42 UTC

  Venezuela “ready” to defend itself, says foreign minister after meeting with US rights chief Bachelet

  

  Venezuela is “ready” to defend itself, Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said on Friday, after Washington invoked a regional defense pact that might justify such a move.“We are ready to protect ourselves, we are ready to react,” Arreaza told a news conference after meeting in Geneva with UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet.

• Saturday, September 14th 2019 - 10:39 UTC

  Argentina/Spain, Sunday's basketball World Cup final in China

  

  Power forward Luis Scola scored a game-high 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as Argentina breezed past France 80-66 to book their place in Sunday's basketball World Cup final against Spain.