Stories for August 2024

Wednesday, August 21st 2024 - 17:09 UTC
Brazil eager to develop large-scale production of mpox vax

Brazil's newly-formed monkeypox emergency committee underlined this week that one of its main goals was to develop a vaccine as one of its leading strategies with which to fight the malady the World Health Organization (WHO) last week deemed a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), Agencia Brasil reported.
Wednesday, August 21st 2024 - 16:42 UTC
Bolivia to focus on biodiesel production

Bolivia's Minister of Rural Development and Lands, Yamil Flores, underlined Tuesday that his country would use biotechnology to produce biodiesel. He also noted that this technology, although promising, must be handled responsibly, considering its impact on people's health as well as on the environment.
Wednesday, August 21st 2024 - 15:43 UTC
US sanctions former Haitian president for alleged drug trafficking

The United States' Treasury Department Tuesday imposed a series of sanctions on former Haitian President Michel Joseph Martelly (2011-2016) for allegedly abusing his influence to facilitate drug trafficking. The former head of state is also accused of perpetuating the ongoing crisis in the Caribbean country.
Wednesday, August 21st 2024 - 10:45 UTC
Freighter isolated off Argentine port due to suspected mpox case

A Liberian-flagged cereal freighter was isolated off the Argentine port of San Lorenzo, north of Rosario on the Parana River, after a crewmember was reported to have monkeypox symptoms. The vessel stemmed from Spain.
Wednesday, August 21st 2024 - 09:45 UTC
Paraguay River downspout reaching historic lows

Paraguay's National Administration of Navigation and Ports (ANNP) reported Tuesday that the Paraguay River had dawned two centimeters below Monday's level at 0.71 meters, dangerously approaching the Oct. 6, 2021, all-time low of -0.75 meters.
Wednesday, August 21st 2024 - 09:41 UTC
Jones Huala must leave Chile at the earliest

Argentine-born Mapuche rebel Facundo Jones Huala must leave Chile as soon as he is discharged from the hospital where he was admitted after going on a hunger strike for 50 days to demand his freedom which the Supreme Court granted last week, the authorities in Santiago ruled last Friday.
Wednesday, August 21st 2024 - 08:46 UTC
Mpox not the new Covid-19, WHO official explains

Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) regional director for Europe, admitted Tuesday that mpox would not lead to a “cycle of panic” and lockdowns like Covid-19 did, despite the public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) declaration.
Wednesday, August 21st 2024 - 08:12 UTC
World's oldest person passes away aged 117

María Branyas Morera, a US-born Spanish woman who was believed to be the world's longest-lived person following the passing of French nun Lucile Randon in January last year, died at the age of 117, her family announced on social media Tuesday. In her X account, she described herself as “very old, but not an idiot.” Branyas was living in a home for the elderly in Olot, Girona. Her family planned a strictly private memorial.
Wednesday, August 21st 2024 - 06:59 UTC
BAS publishes carbon emissions for 2023/24, striving to reach net zero

For the first time, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are publishing their carbon footprint data on their website to increase transparency and help other organizations reduce their carbon emissions.
Wednesday, August 21st 2024 - 06:23 UTC
Brazil forced to large imports of wheat, despite government's goal of self sufficiency

Brazil's imports of wheat in the first seven months of the year are almost equal to the total volume purchased overseas during 2023. The report is from the Center for Advanced Studies in Applied Economics (Cepea) at the University of São Paulo, and most probably can be attributed to the catastrophic floods in the southern states of the country, which are the main producers of the grain.