Stories for August 2019

Thursday, August 22nd 2019 - 09:56 UTC
Bolsonaro suggests green groups started the blaze in the Amazon to blame him

Wildfires in the Amazon rainforest in northern Brazil have ignited a firestorm on social media, with President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday suggesting green groups started the blazes. Images of fires purportedly devouring sections of the world's largest rainforest have gone viral on Twitter.
Thursday, August 22nd 2019 - 09:55 UTC
Argentina default “possible”, but not “probable”, says credit rating agency Fitch

Argentina could be downgraded again by Fitch Ratings if further weakness in the Peso boosts the risk of default, the agency’s head of sovereign ratings said in an interview. Argentina has issued billions of dollars worth of bonds denominated in U.S. currency.
Thursday, August 22nd 2019 - 09:54 UTC
Tougher rules at US borders: no limit for migrant children's detention and an end to birthright citizenship

President Donald Trump's administration announced on Wednesday that it would remove tough legal limits on how long migrant children can be detained as part of its broader crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
Thursday, August 22nd 2019 - 09:44 UTC
IMF wants to lead the way in retirement and pensions reform

The International Monetary Fund's board on Wednesday recommended a rule change that would scrap the age limit for its leader, clearing the path to the top job for Bulgaria's Kristalina Georgieva.
Thursday, August 22nd 2019 - 09:19 UTC
British Prime Minister girlfriend barred from entering the United States

The girlfriend of new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been denied permission to enter the United States because of her trip to East Africa’s Somaliland in 2018. Carrie Symonds, who moved into 10 Downing Street when Johnson became prime minister in July, was hoping to visit the US in the next few days as part of her adviser role for Oceana, a US-based environmental non-profit organization.
Thursday, August 22nd 2019 - 09:13 UTC
Farmers furious with USDA estimates and frustrated about unsold crops caused by Trump's trade war

The U.S. Agriculture Department said on Wednesday it had pulled all staff from an annual crop tour after an employee was threatened, and sources said the threat of violence was made during a phone call from an angry farmer.
Thursday, August 22nd 2019 - 09:03 UTC
US professional diplomats question Trump/Pompeo policy focus and foreign aid cuts

The ranks of the United States' foreign policy establishment are being roiled once again by resignations, reports of partisan intimidation in the midst of looming massive cuts in foreign aid that critics in Congress and elsewhere contend weaken American diplomacy worldwide.
Thursday, August 22nd 2019 - 09:00 UTC
Ecuador combats pollution: recyclable plastic bottles exchanged for money to buy local transport tickets

Looking after the environment is paying off in Ecuador, at least for public transport users in the business hub of Guayaquil. A new scheme aimed at combating garbage and pollution allows people to exchange recyclable plastic bottles for money to buy bus tickets.
Thursday, August 22nd 2019 - 08:39 UTC
 Spanish police net compulsive “upskirter”, who recorded underwear videos of over 500 women

Spanish police said on Wednesday they have arrested a man suspected of secretly recording videos of the underwear of over 500 women, some of them minors, on public transit and supermarkets.
Thursday, August 22nd 2019 - 08:36 UTC
In peak tourist season Spain issues international alert on the country's listerosis outbreak

Spain's health ministry issued an international alert over the country's biggest-ever listeriosis outbreak on Wednesday as the number of people affected rose to 150, including one fatality.