Stories for January 19th 2019

Saturday, January 19th 2019 - 09:36 UTC
Brazil plans a self-monitoring system for food processors, despite a non-encouraging record

Brazil is moving toward a self-monitoring system for food processors, Agriculture Minister Tereza Cristina Dias said on Friday, including meatpackers still recovering from an inspection scandal that hurt trade with key markets. Dias said in an interview that Brazil's new business-friendly government plans to send draft legislation on self-monitoring to Congress in the first half of this year.
Saturday, January 19th 2019 - 09:28 UTC
Brazilian lawmakers trip to China triggers strong controversy among Bolsonaro's bunker

A trip to China by lawmakers from Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's party has stirred anger in the far-right leader's entourage, partly because of his wariness of the Asian power but also because of the group's stated mission. The delegation of eight members of Bolsonaro's ultraconservative Social Liberal Party (PSL) said it was on the visit to check out Chinese facial-recognition technology, with a view to it maybe being used in Brazil to combat crime.
Saturday, January 19th 2019 - 09:23 UTC
Four years on ex prosecutor Nisman’s death remains unsolved, as the AMIA attack from 1994

Israeli and Jewish leaders on Friday marked the fourth anniversary of Argentine federal prosecutor Alberto Nisman’s murder by unveiling a memorial plaque in his honour at the Ben Shemen forest in central Israel.
Saturday, January 19th 2019 - 09:22 UTC
Extreme wet January displaces thousands and floods farmland in Mercosur member countries

Intense rainfall in northeast Argentina and neighbouring areas in Mercosur members has caused devastating floods, amplifying the economic burdens of Argentina's recession. Over 5,000 people have evacuated the region, and millions of hectares of crops have been sent underwater.
Saturday, January 19th 2019 - 09:18 UTC
Argentina/China companies link up to launch satellites for an Earth-observation constellation

An international space venture called Satellogic says it will have 90 satellites launched by a Chinese company to create an Earth-observing constellation. The first launch by the China Great Wall Industry Corp. under the newly announced deal, scheduled for later this year, will deliver 13 satellites to low Earth orbit on China’s Long March 6 rocket, Satellogic announced in a news release.
Saturday, January 19th 2019 - 09:13 UTC
Argentina complies with IMF 2018 primary fiscal deficit target: 2.4% of GDP

Argentina outperformed its primary fiscal deficit target for 2018, Economy Minister Nicolas Dujovne said on Friday, assuring that the country’s standby finance deal with the International Monetary Fund remains on track.
Saturday, January 19th 2019 - 08:50 UTC
Germany plans to block China's Huawei products from its 5G network

Germany is considering ways to block Huawei from its next-generation mobile phone network, according to reports. Berlin is exploring stricter security requirements which may prevent Huawei products being used in its 5G network.
Saturday, January 19th 2019 - 08:39 UTC
The Times and Sunday Times want to share resources, to build a sustainable future for Times' journalism

Rupert Murdoch newspapers The Times and the Sunday Times are asking the government for permission to share resources, including journalists, between the two titles. The application to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is necessary as legal undertakings were made to keep them separate when he bought them in 1981.
Saturday, January 19th 2019 - 08:36 UTC
Leading Germans in an open letter ask UK to remain in the EU

Leading German figures have written to the UK asking it to stay in the European Union. The letter, published in The Times, is signed by 31 people, including the leader of the Christian Democratic Union - and likely successor to Angela Merkel - Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and former Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.