Stories for October 16th 2019

Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 08:35 UTC
Brazil looking to a dynamic holiday season and temporary jobs

Brazil's National Trade Confederation (CNC) announced that they expect 91,000 temporary jobs will be created in the upcoming holiday season. The figure is the highest estimated in the past six years and, if confirmed, will represent a 4% increase year-on-year.
Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 08:32 UTC
US Lower House passes bills in support of Hong Kong protestors and criticizing Beijing

The US House of Representatives on Tuesday (Oct 15) passed four pieces of legislation taking a hard line on China, three related to protests in Hong Kong and one commending Canada's government in a dispute over the extradition of an executive from Huawei.
Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 08:10 UTC
A “ghost ship” smuggling Venezuelan oil probable cause of the massive spill along Brazilian northeast beaches

A huge oil spill off Brazil's northeastern coast may have involved a “ghost ship” carrying Venezuelan oil in breach of US sanctions, a Petrobras expert close to the probe into the disaster said on Tuesday.
Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 08:01 UTC
Roche family member claims “short term profit maximization has destroyed the planet”

A member of Swiss drug-maker Roche's controlling family said that short-term profit maximization has “destroyed the planet” and the world needs a new breed of capitalism putting long-term interests first.
Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 07:51 UTC
Fitch Ratings has LATAM sovereigns on the watch list

One in four Fitch-rated corporates in Latin America is exposed to either a one-notch sovereign or country ceiling downgrade, while ratings for nearly one-third of issuers are vulnerable to a two-notch downgrade, according to the latest from Fitch Ratings.
Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 07:46 UTC
OAS declaration on the defense of democracy and social peace in Ecuador

The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) approved on Tuesday the Declaration on the Defense of Democracy and Social Peace in Ecuador during a special meeting in which it received a presentation from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador, José Valencia.
Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 07:27 UTC
Brazil eyes a US$1.45 billion payday as big oil flocks to pre-salt

Brazil expects to pocket some US$ 1.45 billion from the sixth round of oil and gas block licensing for the pre-salt zone offshore. Reuters reports, citing the special secretary to the Economy Ministry, Waldery Rodriguez, that the total minimum sum of signing bonuses for all the blocks that will be tendered on November 7th is US$ 1.9 billion.
Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 04:51 UTC
APEC finance ministers meeting in Chile, cautiously optimistic on a Beijing/USA trade agreement

APEC finance ministers expressed “moderate optimism” on Tuesday that the United States and China will end their trade war and sign an agreement during the forum's summit in Santiago next month.
Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 04:41 UTC
UK/EU last minute talks to reach a Brexit “tolerable agreement” before leaders' summit

UK and the EU made headway in eleventh-hour talks on Tuesday to reach a Brexit deal in time for a leaders' summit, but with hours left to clinch an agreement, it was still unclear if London could avoid delaying its scheduled Oct 31 departure.
Wednesday, October 16th 2019 - 04:35 UTC
End to UN peacekeeping operations in Haiti: political and social instability remain

The UN Security Council ended 15 years of peacekeeping operations in Haiti on Tuesday, voicing regret that the country is still saddled with huge economic, political and social woes. The United Nations first sent peacekeepers to Haiti after then-president Jean-Bertrand Aristide was overthrown by the army in 2004 under the pressure of a popular uprising.