Stories for April 4th 2019

Thursday, April 4th 2019 - 10:05 UTC
Kremlin officials can't understand why official stats show Russians are so poor

The Kremlin press secretary has said he cannot understand a survey that shows that Russians struggle to afford new shoes. Dmitry Peskov was commenting on a report by state statistics agency Rosstat.
Thursday, April 4th 2019 - 10:03 UTC
Falklands' notice to mariners regarding GPS Week Number Rollover

The Falkland Islands Government Harbor Master has issued the following safety release to mariners referred to GPS and UTC on April 6.
Thursday, April 4th 2019 - 09:52 UTC
UK Police has 10.000 officers ready for a possible no-deal Brexit and “inflamed consequences”

Politicians and campaigners should take care not to “inflame” tensions in the UK caused by Brexit, a senior police chief has warned. Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said people should think carefully to avoid inciting others to violence. The warning follows increased concern about intimidation of MPs.
Thursday, April 4th 2019 - 09:46 UTC
Argentine soybean farmers sign delayed-price contracts hoping for a US/China trade deal and higher prices

Soybean growers in Argentina are playing a waiting game, wagering on better prices ahead as the U.S. and China inch toward a trade deal and as nation’s currency keeps depreciating. Farmers on the Pampas arable belt have signed delayed-price contracts for almost three quarters of the 12.2 million metric tons they’ve sold to crushers and exporters so far, according to government data. That compares with 60% at the same stage last year.
Thursday, April 4th 2019 - 09:43 UTC
Argentina requests waiver ahead of IMF's third review to further release funds

Argentina has requested a waiver from the International Monetary Fund as some data would not be available in time for the fund's third review this week of US$ 56.3 billion in standby financing agreed last year, a Treasury spokesman said on Wednesday.
Thursday, April 4th 2019 - 09:41 UTC
Petrobras finally shows positive results and with strong growth prospects

Petrobras has finally announced a positive annual result, five years after the Lava Jato corruption probe left the Brazilian state-controlled company with spiraling debts. The firm closed the year with a US$ 25.8bn net profit, the highest figure in seven years, and a total of R$20.2bn (US$ 5.27bn) in asset sales.
Thursday, April 4th 2019 - 09:37 UTC
Outbreak of African swine fever in China, a great opportunity for pork producers

Brazil is in a position to step up pork exports to China where an African swine fever outbreak has become a “transformational event” for the global meat industry, Pedro Parente, chief executive of Brazilian food processor BRF SA, said on Wednesday.
Thursday, April 4th 2019 - 09:34 UTC
Combative exchanges as Brazilian congress debates the pensions' system reform

Brazilian Economy Minister Paulo Guedes on Wednesday put up a vigorous defense of the government’s proposed pension reform, insisting it is critical to fixing the country’s “doomed” social security system but opening the door to some concessions.
Thursday, April 4th 2019 - 09:30 UTC
Brazilian economy picking up but employment remains flat

Growth in Brazilian economic activity picked up to its strongest in over a year in March, driven by solid increases in domestic new orders across both the manufacturing and services sectors, IHS Markit Insight said on Wednesday.
Thursday, April 4th 2019 - 09:25 UTC
NATO does not discard Latin American countries joining as alliance partners

NATO can look at the possibility of other Latin American states joining Colombia in becoming alliance partners, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday, while appearing to rule out U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Brazil could one day become a full member of the North Atlantic security body.