Stories for 2012
Last minute deal on trade barriers reveals strong divide at the G20 summit
World leaders extended by one year their vow not to put up new trade barriers at the G20 summit on Tuesday in a last-minute deal that exposed deep rifts over protectionism.
Antarctica Chinstrap penguins suffering the effects of a warming climate
The population of chinstrap penguins is feeling the heat, with more than one-third of a breeding colony lost in the past 20 years, new research finds.
Rousseff reveals how she was tortured as a student by the Brazilian military regime
President Dilma Rousseff still has trouble chewing, after her jaw was dislocated during three years of torture and imprisonment under Brazil's former military leadership, it was revealed this week.
Uruguay will send bill to liberalize trade and consumption of marihuana
Uruguayan president Jose Mujica will send to Parliament a bill to liberate the production, trading and consumption of marihuana as part of a package of drastic measures to combat crime which he will discuss with security area cabinet minister before making them public.
Uruguayan government takes over bankrupt airline from private investors
The Uruguayan government has reassumed control of Pluna, the nation's flag carrier after the airline’s controlling shareholder Leadgate announced that it will withdrawal from the ownership structure of the company.
Wikileaks’ Assange holed in Ecuadorian embassy and asked for political asylum
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Tuesday walked into Ecuador's embassy in London and applied for political asylum in a sensational bid to avoid extradition to Sweden over alleged sex crimes.
Countries boost IMF emergency funding to 456 billion dollars
Nations from around the world firmed up their commitments to provide emergency resources for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) designed to deter the spread of crises and increase the institution’s lending capacity to help countries in financial trouble.
UK inflation drops to 2.8% in May pushed by lower fuel and food prices
UK rate of inflation fell last month to a two-and-a-half year low owing to slowing fuel and food prices. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure fell to 2.8% in May from 3% in April, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
Brazilian bank purchases 3.6% stake in nationalized YPF
Brazilian bank Itaú Unibanco purchased a 3.6% stake in Argentina’s nationalized oil company YPF, an operation involving 157.8 million dollars.
Iranian president meets with Bolivia’s Morales reinforce cooperation deals
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stopped in Bolivia Tuesday en route to the Rio+20 summit in Brazil, to court support from another Latin American nation which has tense ties with the United States.
