Brazil

Tuesday, February 19th 2019 - 08:39 UTC
Brazil bans upstream mining dams following the Brumadinho disaster that killed 300

Brazil's government on Monday banned new upstream mining dams and ordered the decommissioning of all such dams by 2021, targeting the type of structure that burst last month in the town of Brumadinho, killing hundreds of people.
Tuesday, February 19th 2019 - 08:25 UTC
Bolsonaro fires head of president's office: “difference of opinion on important issues”

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday fired one of his most senior aides and cabinet members, Gustavo Bebianno, amid a scandal involving campaign financing for some of his party's congressional candidates. Bebianno was secretary general of the president's office.
Monday, February 18th 2019 - 09:57 UTC
Bolsonaro learning the hard way: family and politics don't mix

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, one of his politician sons and his ultraconservative party were embroiled in a crisis on Sunday over a campaign finance scandal threatening the leader's anti-corruption image. The 63-year-old far-right president, who is just six weeks into his mandate, spoke with top officials in his government on Friday and Saturday to try to draw a line under the affair, after key allies turned on him.
Monday, February 18th 2019 - 09:26 UTC
Petrobras settling financial disputes: agrees to pay petroleum regulator US$ 940m

Brazil state-run oil firm Petrobras said it had concluded a long-running dispute with the country’s ANP petroleum regulator, agreeing to pay 3.5 billion reais (US$ 940 million) to end an oil-royalty spat.
Monday, February 18th 2019 - 09:18 UTC
Brazilian soy crop estimate suffers small cut but corn is booming

Brazilian agribusiness consultancy Safras & Mercado announced a small cut in its projection for the country’s 2018/2019 soybean crop in a statement on Friday, as weather stopped worsening in key growing regions. Safras cut its projection to 115.402 million tons from a 115.718 million-toe forecast in January, as the effects of a drought that has stressed fields subsided.
Monday, February 18th 2019 - 08:50 UTC
Another Vale tailings dam in Brazil in collapse danger: 200 residents evacuated

Around 200 residents were evacuated from an area near a tailings dam in Brazil operated by Vale SA late on Saturday, amid fears that it was structurally weak and could burst like a similar barrier failure last month that killed some 300 people.
Saturday, February 16th 2019 - 10:26 UTC
Brazil arrests eight officials from mining giant Vale over the dam collapse

Brazilian authorities arrested eight employees of mining giant Vale on Friday over a dam collapse at one of its mines three weeks ago that killed at least 166 people and left 147 missing, presumed dead.
Friday, February 15th 2019 - 10:43 UTC
Yellow fever warning for travelers to Brazil

A recent disease outbreak news from the World Health Organization highlights that in Brazil it is currently the seasonal period for yellow fever and that further transmission of the disease is expected in the coming months based on seasonal patterns.
Friday, February 15th 2019 - 10:24 UTC
Agribusiness lobby in Brazil shows its muscle: US$ 52bn in subsidized farm loans

Brazil could double spending on subsidized farm insurance in 2020 and may expand subsidized loans, the country’s agriculture policy secretary said on Thursday; even though the new government’s economic team has pledged to cut spending.
Friday, February 15th 2019 - 10:03 UTC
“Call the kids to work for a unified government”, Brazilian vice-president tells president Jair Bolsonaro

Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourao said on Thursday that the president will have to rein in his sons after one of them called a minister a liar on social media, exacerbating tensions in a new government dealing with its first big cabinet scandal.