International

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 22:29 UTC

  Milk prices soar 21%, highest in two years pushed by Australasian squeeze

  

  Fonterra, the world's biggest dairy exporter, has said that a seasonal squeeze on Australasian milk supplies is behind a 21% jump in prices to their highest in nearly two years.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 06:02 UTC

  China insists on “gradual” reduction of soy imports from Argentina

  

  China’s soybean oil traders may “gradually” delay or cancel imports from Argentina after the country toughened inspections, the China National Grain and Oils Information Center said early Wednesday from Beijing.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 02:45 UTC

  Russia prepares to receive Colombia’s Uribe with full honours

  

  Colombian Foreign Affairs minister Jaime Bermudez visited Russia to promote bilateral cooperation and prepare the visit of President Álvaro Uribe. “The visit will coincide with the 200th anniversary of Colombia’s independence and 75 since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Colombia”, said Andrei Nesterenko, spokesperson for the Russian ministry.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 02:41 UTC

  British nuclear submarines allowed to berth in South Africa

  

  South Africa’s National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) has approved a visit by a British nuclear submarine to Simon’s Town Naval Base, near Cape Town, despite opposition from environmental groups.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 02:13 UTC

  Daimler Benz admits having bribed government officials from 22 countries

  

  German carmaker Daimler has pleaded guilty to corruption in the US and will pay 185 million US dollars to settle the case. The charges relate to US Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission investigations into the company's global sales practices.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 00:53 UTC

  British top earners begin paying 50p in income tax for each pound over £ 150.000

  

  British top earners will pay 50p in income tax on each pound of their salary over £150,000 from Tuesday April 6, the start of the new financial year. Previously, the highest rate of income tax payable was 40p on every pound for earnings above £37,400.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 00:07 UTC

  UK General Election May 6; Tories lead in polls; chances of hung Parliament

  

  Political leaders have headed off on the campaign trail after Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced Tuesday the UK general election would be held on 6 May. He said he would seek a “clear” mandate to continue the “road to recovery”, as Labour bids for a fourth term.

• Tuesday, April 6th 2010 - 02:45 UTC

  Argentina protests Chinese sanitary restrictions on soy-oil imports

  

  Argentina formally protested on Monday a possible move by China to block imports of Argentine soybean oil in a trade row that threatens a key export of the country and last year involved almost 1.5 billion US dollars.

• Tuesday, April 6th 2010 - 02:40 UTC

  President Hu Jintao to visit this month Brazil, Venezuela and Chile

  

  Chinese president Hu Jintao will be visiting Brazil, Venezuela and Chile in mid April according to a release from Beijing. From an international summit on nuclear security, April 12/13, President Hu Jintao will travel to Brazil for the second BRIC summit, scheduled from April 14 to 17.

• Tuesday, April 6th 2010 - 02:29 UTC

  Beijing tells Washington that Yuan policy Taiwan and Tibet are in the same bag

  

  Amid the currency row with the United States, China has indicated that it may adjust its financial policy to take care of Washington's concerns if the White House respects Beijing's “core interests” in Taiwan and Tibet.