Stories for August 2019

Saturday, August 24th 2019 - 09:54 UTC
IMF mission arrives to Argentina this Saturday: US$ 5.3bn disbursement to be considered

Delegates from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) land in Buenos Aires Saturday as concerns about Argentina’s economy cast doubt upon the future of its record US$56 billion bailouts. The date of the trip was agreed with the Argentine central bank chairman, Guido Sandleris.
Saturday, August 24th 2019 - 09:53 UTC
Ireland will not sign EU/Mercosur deal unless Brazil takes action to protect the Amazon rainforest

As wildfires rage through the Brazilian Amazon, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said Dublin will vote against a trade deal between the European Union and Mercosur unless Brazil takes action to protect the rainforest.
Saturday, August 24th 2019 - 09:26 UTC
Mercosur and EFTA countries reach a free trade agreement

South American trade block Mercosur reached a free trade agreement with four European countries, Argentine officials and Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro said after talks in Buenos Aires.
Saturday, August 24th 2019 - 09:16 UTC
US/China trade war further escalates: where does it end before reaching a point of no return?

President Donald Trump declared on Friday he would further raise American tariffs on all Chinese imports hours after China announced tariffs on American goods, the second escalation within the day of a trade war between the world’s two biggest economies that has shown no sign of ending soon.
Saturday, August 24th 2019 - 09:08 UTC
Climate activists protest outside Brazil embassy in London; PM Johnson described fires as “an international crisis”

Climate change activists chanting slogans and waving banners demonstrated outside Brazil's embassy in London on Friday, urging President Jair Bolsonaro to do more to halt the fires in the Amazon rainforest.
Friday, August 23rd 2019 - 09:56 UTC
Bolsonaro creates a “crisis cabinet” to address the Amazon forests fires and criticisms

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro following a Thursday meeting with his ministers at the Planalto Palace announced the creation of a crisis cabinet to address the Amazon rainforest situation.
Friday, August 23rd 2019 - 09:54 UTC
France and UN lead battle for the protection of fire plagued Amazon rainforest

France and the United Nations called on Thursday for the protection of the fire-plagued Amazon rainforest as Brazil's right-wing president blamed NGOs for promoting an “environmental psychosis” to damage the country's interests.
Friday, August 23rd 2019 - 09:54 UTC
Opposition candidate pledges to respect Argentina's debts and rejects defaulting

Argentine presidential candidate Alberto Fernández said on Thursday that no one wants a default for the country and he's ruling it out if elected. The center-left candidate appeared to be trying to calm investors who reacted to his strong finish against conservative President Mauricio Macri in an initial round of voting by battering Argentina's stocks and currency.
Friday, August 23rd 2019 - 09:50 UTC
Premier Oil trying to sell part of its Falklands' Sea Lion project

Premier Oil is selling its stake in a “world-class” project off the coast of Mexico and wants to reduce its holding in a long-awaited scheme north of the Falkland Islands as it tries to lighten its US$ 2bn debt burden, reports the Financial Times.
Friday, August 23rd 2019 - 09:40 UTC
Forest fires in Bolivia: half a million hectares, 1.700 fighters and a Super tanker

Bolivian authorities warned this week that 70% of the department of Santa Cruz — where more than a quarter of the country's population lives — is under “extreme risk” from forest fires. According to the government, nearly 500,000 hectares of forest have now been turned into ashes.