Stories for August 3rd 2023

Thursday, August 3rd 2023 - 10:50 UTC
Relief in Brazil, Central bank lowers benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points

Wednesday relief for the Brazilian government, the central bank decided on a more aggresive rate-cutting reducing its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points and signaling more of the same in the months ahead due to an improving inflation outlook.
Thursday, August 3rd 2023 - 10:44 UTC
Falklands suffering spread of respiratory and gastrointestinal virus; prevention measures

The Falkland Islands hospital KEMH have seen a low number of COVID-19 cases in the community, in addition to COVID-19 we have other respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses that are causing problems as well. The KEMH will be reverting back to some of their previous COVID–19 measures in an attempt to slow the spread through their team to ensure they can continue to provide their services.
Thursday, August 3rd 2023 - 10:35 UTC
Lula supports several countries joining BRICS, “if they comply with our rules”

Brazilian President Lula da Silva said on Wednesday that he supports more countries joining the BRICS group of large developing nations, (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) when the group holds its summit in Johannesburg from Aug. 22 to 24.
Thursday, August 3rd 2023 - 10:31 UTC
Police operation in Rio de Janeiro favelas leaves 10 killed

A police operation in Rio de Janeiro slums known as favelas aimed at “locating and arresting members of criminal groups” has left 10 people killed, according to local media reports, thus bringing to 45 the number of deaths in similar operations by security forces nationwide in the last six days.
Thursday, August 3rd 2023 - 10:22 UTC
Mutation of dengue mosquito resistant to pesticides

Argentina's National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (Conicet) has identified in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA) and in the country's northwestern provinces genetic mutations in the Aedes aegypti mosquito (carrier of the dengue virus) that turned them resistant to normally lethal doses of pesticides, the national news agency Telam reported amid a dengue outbreak, which has resulted in 129,150 cases and 65 deaths over the past 12 months.
Thursday, August 3rd 2023 - 10:14 UTC
Total Falklands/UK trade in four quarters to end of Q1 2023 reached £124 million

Total trade in goods and services (exports plus imports) between the UK and Falkland Islands was £124 million in the four quarters to the end of Q1 2023, an increase of 6.9% or £8 million in current prices from the four quarters to the end of Q1 2022.
Thursday, August 3rd 2023 - 10:07 UTC
Random executions reported in Brazilian State of São Paulo

Brazilian Military Police (PM) forces have allegedly committed extra-judiciary executions during Operation Shield in the past few days in the city of Guarujá, on the coast of São Paulo, Agencia Brasil reported Wednesday. The officers randomly killed people identified as former prison inmates or with a police record, according to residents of the neighborhoods where the deaths occurred.
Thursday, August 3rd 2023 - 10:05 UTC
The world must help Brazil preserve the Amazon, says Lula

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Wednesday insisted that “The world must help” his country preserve the Amazon after deforestation in that natural area went down by 33.6% in the first semester of 2023, following Lula's Jan. 1 inauguration.
Thursday, August 3rd 2023 - 10:00 UTC
Saudi Arabia in talks to join the BRICS bank, probably in this month's summit in South Africa

The New Development Bank (NDB), also known as the “BRICS bank,” is in talks with Saudi Arabia on admitting Riyahd as its ninth member, which would strengthen the NDB's funding options amid the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to media reports.
Thursday, August 3rd 2023 - 07:05 UTC
Petrobras processing more oil in domestic refineries, as export volumes drop 22%

Brazil's giant oil and gas corporation Petrobras this week presented its second-quarter report, which showed a drop in oil exports in a scenario of increased processing at domestic refineries.