Stories for 2020

Wednesday, February 12th 2020 - 08:58 UTC
US and German intelligence services had direct access to secret communications from governments

US and German intelligence services raked in the top-secret communications of governments around the world for decades through their hidden control of a top encryption company Crypto AG, US, German and Swiss media reported on Tuesday.
Wednesday, February 12th 2020 - 08:41 UTC
Brazilian and Indonesia billionaires clash over the sale of a US$ 3.5bn pulp mill

The business dispute between the disgraced billionaire Batista brothers in Brazil and the heir to an Indonesian pulp and paper fortune is throwing a wrench in meatpacker JBS SA’s plans to list its international operations in the United States.
Wednesday, February 12th 2020 - 08:40 UTC
Chinese company confident it will start its US$ 2,1 billion iron ore project in Brazil

Chinese mining company Sul Americana de Metais (SAM), a unit of China’s Honbridge Holdings, is confident it will receive the necessary permits to start up its US$ 2.1 billion iron ore project in Minas Gerais, its chief executive said.
Wednesday, February 12th 2020 - 08:36 UTC
Ex Ecuadorean president and several ministers on trial for accepting millions of dollars in bribes

Former President Rafael Correa went on trial before Ecuador’s highest court starting Monday on charges of campaign finance fraud and accepting millions of dollars in bribes.
Wednesday, February 12th 2020 - 07:43 UTC
World's largest oil traders investing in climate friendly projects, but profits remain a big question mark

The world's largest oil traders are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into climate-friendly projects: including wind farms, cow manure plants, and blue hydrogen: as they seek to match the profits they make from trading oil.
Tuesday, February 11th 2020 - 08:10 UTC
Major companies pull out of world business fairs because of coronavirus risks

Sony and Amazon are the latest major companies to pull out of one of the world's largest tech shows because of risks posed by coronavirus. Sony said it would no longer take part in Mobile World Congress in Barcelona after “monitoring the evolving situation” after the coronavirus outbreak.
Tuesday, February 11th 2020 - 08:01 UTC
Trump plans to slash foreign aid and invest funds to counter threats from China and Russia

President Donald Trump will propose cutting billions of dollars in U.S. foreign aid in his fiscal 2021 budget while seeking an increase in funds to counter developing economic threats from China and Russia, senior administration officials revealed.
Tuesday, February 11th 2020 - 07:58 UTC
US government wants Canada and Mexico to help ship coal, avoiding west coast states ban

U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said that Canada and Mexico could help export U.S. coal to Asia to get around the blocking of shipments by West Coast states concerned about the impact of the fuel on climate change.
Tuesday, February 11th 2020 - 07:55 UTC
Brazilian January inflation at its lowest driven by sharp decline in meat prices

Brazilian inflation kicked off the year on a soft footing, official figures showed, as the IPCA consumer price index posted its smallest January increase since the country’s “Real Plan” was launched more than a quarter of a century ago.
Tuesday, February 11th 2020 - 07:43 UTC
Scotland taking steps to hold a referendum on independence, First Minister Sturgeon tells Brussels

Scotland is already taking steps to hold a referendum on independence and believes it is a matter of when rather than if the country separates from the rest of Britain, Scotland's First Minister said on Monday.