The arrest of Russian spies in the US and the ensuing spy-swap was the result of the betrayal of a Russian intelligence officer, a Moscow newspaper reported on Thursday. Kommersant, the paper, claimed that Col. Shcherbakov, who worked for Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), blew the cover of his unit.
The Group of 20 (G20) leaders in Seoul could not thrash out any agreement on contentious forex and currency issues though talks ran through past midnight on Wednesday, said a spokesman at the summit media hall on Thursday morning.
Russia´s ban on grain exports caused a buying frenzy on global grain markets, driving prices up sharply under record high volumes.
Wheat prices exploded by an unheard of 6.34 percent on Monday, continuing a record surge of 38 percent in July, with even more speculators drawn by gloomy news even though the fundamental situation remains stable.