Stories for August 2020

Wednesday, August 5th 2020 - 08:54 UTC
Argentina planning an Antarctic Logistic Pole in Ushuaia

Planning and first budget funds for an Argentine integrated naval base and an Antarctic Logistic Pole in Ushuaia have been announced by the Argentine Executive cabinet chief Santiago Cafiero, during a presentation to the Lower House of Congress.
Wednesday, August 5th 2020 - 08:50 UTC
Leading Brazilian private bank admits difficulties with loan default

Itaú Unibanco Holding SA’s Chief Executive Candido Bracher said on Tuesday that next year he sees Brazil’s 90-day default ratio reaching higher levels than in a previous crisis.
Wednesday, August 5th 2020 - 08:38 UTC
Beirut port blast kills at least 78, injures over 4,000 and flattens huge area of the city

Lebanon is in mourning after a huge explosion in the capital Beirut killed at least 78 people and injured more than 4,000 others on Tuesday. The whole city was shaken by the blast, which began with a fire at the port which exploded into a mushroom cloud.
Wednesday, August 5th 2020 - 08:17 UTC
Ex Uber engineer sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing Google trade secrets

A U.S. judge on Tuesday sentenced former Google engineer Anthony Levandowski to 18 months in prison for stealing a trade secret from Google related to self-driving cars months before becoming the head of Uber Technologies Inc’s (UBER.N) rival unit.
Wednesday, August 5th 2020 - 08:07 UTC
For the fifth week running Brazil central bank survey reveals increased optimism on the economy

The gloom surrounding Brazil’s economy lifted for a fifth week in a row, a central bank survey of economists showed on Monday, with the average forecast for 2020 gross domestic product now showing a decline of 5.7%.
Wednesday, August 5th 2020 - 07:54 UTC
Brazil: controversy as to when the country's labs can start making Covid-19 vaccines

Brazilian officials say they can start making COVID-19 vaccines developed by British and Chinese researchers within a year. Experts say it will take at least twice as long, leaving Brazil reliant on imports to slow the world's second-worst outbreak.
Wednesday, August 5th 2020 - 07:48 UTC
Itaipú dam generates more power to help Paraguayan barges with soybeans reach the River Plate

Just over two months after completing a special outflow to increase the level of the drought-stricken Paraná River, the world largest operational hydroelectric dam, Itaipu, located on the border of Brazil with Paraguay, will increase energy production to help sailing along the huge South American water artery.
Tuesday, August 4th 2020 - 10:40 UTC
Argentine media and markets agree an agreement has been reached with bondholders

Argentina and most of its top creditors are moving closer to an agreement to restructure US$ 65 billion of bonds, according to government sources in the Buenos Aires media. Likewise, the prospects of an agreement triggered a bonds rally, and the Merval stock index gained 6,6% the most in a month.
Tuesday, August 4th 2020 - 10:34 UTC
Uruguay’s Secret to Success in Combating COVID-19

By S. Pelin Berkmen and Natasha Che – On June 29th, when some 250,000 students returned to classrooms in Montevideo, Uruguay reached a post-COVID-19 normalization milestone that is still a distant aspiration for most of Latin America. While the virus still rages on throughout the Americas, Uruguay’s daily count of new cases had been in the single digit for most days since May, despite the recent incipient outbreaks.
Tuesday, August 4th 2020 - 10:29 UTC
Major assets' management fund drops JBS shares based on the Brazilian company environment record

Nordea Asset Management has decided to exclude shares of JBS SA worth about 40 million Euros from all of its funds this month based on the company’s environmental record and response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a statement released on Tuesday.