Stories for August 16th 2012
Wheat futures up in the US and Europe on fears Russia might restrict exports
US and European wheat futures gained again on Thursday as importers took advantage of a price fall earlier in the week and as operators continued to anticipate Russia would drop out of export markets in the coming months due to drought-hit supply.
Struggle for education reform in Chile: police arrest 70 students occupying schools
Chilean police stormed on Thursday three schools in the centre of Santiago, overtaken by students for the past week, and arrested 70 young people who were involved in the protests demanding education reform.
Ship linked to Captain Scott’s failed South Pole expedition found off Greenland
The wreck of the ship that carried Captain Robert Scott on his doomed expedition to the Antarctic a century ago has been discovered off Greenland. The SS Terra Nova was found by a team from a US research company.
UK determined to extradite Assange in spite of asylum granted by Ecuador
Ecuador has granted asylum to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange two months after he took refuge in its London embassy while fighting extradition from the UK, but Foreign Secretary William Hague said the UK would not allow Assange safe passage out of the country.
China soon to become Venezuela’s main trade partner; oil sales soared 60% this year
Venezuelan oil sales to China have jumped by 60% since the start of the year, the country's oil minister said in an interview published on Sunday in the state-run Correo del Orinoco.
Unasur not after reinstatement of Lugo; wants political dialogue in Paraguay
Unasur (Union of South American Nations) wants to closely accompany the democratic restoration process in Paraguay and is not after the reinstatement of removed president Fernando Lugo, said Peruvian Foreign Affairs minister Rafael Roncagliolo.
Brazilian president riding high in approval ratings despite economic slowdown
President Dilma Rousseff continues to enjoy high approval ratings as Brazilians remain mostly unaffected by the country's recent economic slowdown, according to a poll released on Tuesday.
Supreme Tribunal rejects request to include Lula da Silva in the corruption scheme
Brazil Federal Supreme Tribunal denied on Wednesday a request to include former president Lula da Silva in the so-called “trial of the century” involving 38 former ministers and lawmakers accused of an extended bribes scheme.
Mujica working for more trade agreements and a Mercosur with ‘flexibility’
Uruguay needs “new markets and new partners” and must try to diversify trade with the largest possible number of agreements to make Mercosur more flexible and anticipate the current process in Argentina, said President Jose Mujica.
US consumer prices in 12 months to July reach 1.4%, down from June’s 1.7%
US consumer prices were flat in July for a second straight month and the year-over-year increase was the smallest since November 2010. In the 12 months to July the CPI rose 1.4%, slowing from June's 1.7% rise, the US Labour Department said on Wednesday.
