Stories for October 2019

Thursday, October 3rd 2019 - 09:50 UTC
US will impose 10% tariffs on Airbus planes and 25% on French wine and Scotch

United States on Wednesday said it would enact 10% tariffs on European-made Airbus planes and 25% duties on French wine, Scotch and Irish whiskeys and cheese from across the continent as punishment for illegal EU aircraft subsidies.
Thursday, October 3rd 2019 - 09:49 UTC
Operation Weak Flesh: Brazilian meat packer admits to bribing food inspectors

Brazilian meatpacker BRF SA has admitted to bribing food inspectors with bank deposits and health benefits, police said on Tuesday, although the company itself avoided raids as it was cooperating with the latest phase of the corruption probe.
Thursday, October 3rd 2019 - 09:43 UTC
Brazil's ex richest man receives additional sentence for inside trading

Eike Batista, formerly Brazil’s richest man, was sentenced to an additional eight years and seven months of prison time this week for insider trading. Batista, 62, had already been convicted for paying US$ 16.6m to get government contracts as part of a sprawling corruption probe known as Carwash and sentenced to 30 years, which he is serving under house arrest.
Thursday, October 3rd 2019 - 09:35 UTC
Cool reception from Brussels to UK's new Brexit plan: “a lot of work needs to be done”

Britain's new Brexit plan got a cool reception on Wednesday in Brussels, where European officials highlighted problems and their chief negotiator warned it left “a lot of work” to be done.
Thursday, October 3rd 2019 - 09:24 UTC
Honduran president brother accused of receiving bribes from “El Chapo”

United States prosecutors alleged on Wednesday that convicted Mexican drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán personally gave US$1 million in bribes to the brother of Honduras' president to pass on to the Central American leader, who swiftly denied wrongdoing.
Thursday, October 3rd 2019 - 09:20 UTC
Colombian imprisoned ex senator escapes during a visit to the dentist

Colombian officials have ordered a probe following the daring escape in Bogota of an imprisoned ex-senator from a medical center where she had gone to see a dentist. Aida Merlano managed to slip away from her escorts, climbed out a window, and slid down a cord, landing heavily on the sidewalk before calmly escaping on the back of a waiting motorcycle.
Thursday, October 3rd 2019 - 09:18 UTC
China's hog herd drops to half because of the African swine fever

China's hog herd fell by half in the first eight months of 2019 due to a devastating outbreak of African swine fever and will likely shrink by 55% by the end of the year, analysts at Rabobank said on Wednesday.
Thursday, October 3rd 2019 - 08:52 UTC
The IMF after Argentina

By Kenneth Rogoff (*) - It’s high time to ask how to refocus the International Monetary Fund’s mandate for dealing with emerging-market debt crises. How can the IMF be effective in helping countries regain access to private credit markets when any attempt to close unsustainable budget deficits is labeled austerity?
Wednesday, October 2nd 2019 - 09:58 UTC
Peruvian vice-president resigns as interim president and supports general election

Peru's vice-president has resigned from her post after declining the opposition's nomination to be interim leader, saying she hoped it would pave the way for a new general election. Mercedes Aráoz said the “constitutional order had broken” and that the country faced a “grave institutional crisis”.
Wednesday, October 2nd 2019 - 09:57 UTC
Mercosur and South Korea fourth round of trade talks, this time in Busan

South Korea’s trade ministry said on Monday it plans to hold the fourth round of trade talks with Mercosur as Seoul aims to expand its trade network with emerging countries and revitalize its ailing exports.