Stories for September 17th 2020

Thursday, September 17th 2020 - 09:30 UTC
Argentina tightens currency controls, helping the US dollar climb to a new record

Argentina's peso currency plunged further into record low territory after the central bank tightened currency controls. The peso opened almost 0.1% weaker at 75.25 per U.S. dollar, traders said, and the country risk rose 38 basis points to 1,157. The black market peso or blue dollar plummeted 9.7% to open at a new all-time low 145 per U.S. dollar.
Thursday, September 17th 2020 - 09:29 UTC
Brazil keeps key interest rate at record low 2%; anticipates “forward guidance” instead of further cuts

Brazil’s central bank kept its key interest rate at a record-low 2.00% on Wednesday, pledging to stimulate the coronavirus-hit economy with “forward guidance” rather than more rate cuts because of the risk to financial market stability that they could pose.
Thursday, September 17th 2020 - 09:15 UTC
UN report slams Venezuela government for methodical extrajudicial executions, forced disappearances and torture

The Venezuelan government was accused of committing crimes against humanity in a report published on Wednesday by a United Nations-backed fact-finding mission.
Thursday, September 17th 2020 - 09:10 UTC
Eight EU countries urge “real action” from Brazil to combat deforestation

A group of eight European countries urged Brazil to take “real action” to combat rising deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, which is threatening Europe’s desire to source food and other products sustainably.
Thursday, September 17th 2020 - 09:09 UTC
Biden leads Trump by 9 points; the president's “law and order” message falls short

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden leads Republican President Donald Trump nationally among likely U.S. voters by 9 percentage points, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that showed Trump’s “law and order” message falling short with its target audience of suburban voters.
Thursday, September 17th 2020 - 09:01 UTC
Brazil's agribusiness exports in August reached US$ 8,9bn: China main client

Brazil's agribusiness exports during August 2020, reached US$ 8.91 billion, an increase of 7.8% in relation to the same month in 2019 (US$ 8.26 billion). Between August 2019 and 2020, agribusiness product exports grew by 16.5% in absolute values.
Thursday, September 17th 2020 - 08:57 UTC
US curbs steel imports from Brazil and Mexico, boosting protection for US steelmakers

President Donald Trump’s administration took new steps to curb steel imports from Brazil and Mexico, boosting protections for battered U.S. steelmakers and jobs in the election battleground states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan.
Thursday, September 17th 2020 - 08:53 UTC
Historic event: Falkland Islands' Junior Ambassadors appointed

Penguin News reports that on Tuesday night at Government House a truly historic event took place with the appointment of the first-ever Falkland Islands Junior Ambassadors (FIJA), Hannah McPhee and India Clarke.
Thursday, September 17th 2020 - 08:48 UTC
Brazilian Army receives thirty armored tanks donated by United States

The Brazilian Army has received a shipment of thirty armored tanks donated by the United States. The special operation was organized by Portos do Paraná together with representatives of the 5th Regional Military Command and Marcon Logística Portuária. The vehicles came from Galveston, Texas, to be used in training, combat, and defense.
Thursday, September 17th 2020 - 08:14 UTC
Barbados to become a republic November 2021; the Caribbean nation is expected to remain in the Commonwealth

The Caribbean island of Barbados wants to remove Britain’s Queen Elizabeth as its head of state and become a republic, the government has said, reviving a plan mooted several times in the past.