Stories for August 2023

Saturday, August 12th 2023 - 10:27 UTC
Brazilian gov't launches third version of PAC

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's government announced federal funds in the amount of R$ 371 billion (US$ 75.62 billion) over four years for the creation of roads, railways, ports, and airports in what is known as the New Growth Acceleration Plan (New PAC), which is a re-edition of an initiative undertaken during his second term in office and in the early stages of the Dilma Rousseff administration.
Saturday, August 12th 2023 - 10:20 UTC
Tech billionaires Musk and Zucherberg in an ¨epic cage duel, Roman style¨

A Roman duel in tech times. In effect, Elon Musk on Friday said he spoke with Italy's culture minister, Gennaro Sangiuliano, about planning a cage fight with rival tech billionaire Mark Zuckerberg in Italy.
Saturday, August 12th 2023 - 08:51 UTC
Number of kids vaccinated against Covid-19 going down in Brazil

According to a study released Friday, the number of Brazilian children aged between 6 months and 5 years old who have taken at least two doses of Covid-19 vaccine has gone down, Agencia Brasil reported.
Friday, August 11th 2023 - 17:39 UTC
China's largest property developers on thin ice: 'Country Garden' admits losses of US$ 7,6bn in six months

One of China's biggest property developers, Country Garden has warned that it could see a loss for the first six months of the year of up to US$7.6bn., the latest sign of the major issues faced by the world's second-largest economy.
Friday, August 11th 2023 - 17:37 UTC
Inflation in US remains stubborn with 3,2% in twelve months to July

The rate of inflation in the United States was 3.2% over the year to July, driven by higher housing, car insurance and food costs, the Labor Department said. That was up from 3% in June, which was the lowest rate in more than two years.
Friday, August 11th 2023 - 17:30 UTC
Chinese recovery slowing down, with weaker trade and demands for fresh stimulus

China’s economic activity slowed and trade markers fell much faster than expected in July as weaker demand threatens recovery prospects in the world’s second-largest economy, heightening pressure for authorities to release fresh stimulus to steady growth.
Friday, August 11th 2023 - 12:36 UTC
FBI's help requested in Ecuadorian candidate's murder probe

Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso Thursday asked the United States Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to support his country in the investigation of Wednesday's murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, it was reported in Quito. An FBI team is due in Ecuador shortly, Lasso said.
Friday, August 11th 2023 - 11:48 UTC
“EU approach on trade accord with Mercosur is simply unacceptable,” Paraguayan President elect Peña

Paraguay President-elect Santiago Peña has said that Mercosur and the European Union should put on hold talks over a free trade agreement since the current environmental demands from the EU are “unacceptable.”
Friday, August 11th 2023 - 11:37 UTC
Evidence found against 40 people for illegal mining in Roraima in 2023

Brazil's Federal Police (PF) found evidence against 40 people for illegal mining in Roraima in 2023, Agência Brasil reported citing data obtained through the Access to Information Law (LAI). The PF is due to forward the investigation to the Public Prosecutor's Office, which may or may not file a case before the courts, it was explained.
Friday, August 11th 2023 - 11:17 UTC
Major haul of cocaine in Rotterdam: eight tons in a shipment of Ecuadorean bananas

Ecuador again is headlines. Netherlands authorities have seized eight tons of cocaine in the port of Rotterdam, prosecutors announced on Thursday. The drug is valued at an estimated US$660 million and represents the biggest haul ever recorded at the port. The last biggest was a 4,500-kilogram haul made in 2020.