Brazil

Saturday, June 27th 2020 - 06:45 UTC
Brazil recorded longest lightning bolt, 700km and Argentina a lighting megaflash of 16,7 seconds

The UN's weather agency announced this week the longest lightning bolt on record -- a single flash in Brazil on October 31, 2018 that cut the sky across more than 700 kilometres.
Friday, June 26th 2020 - 10:52 UTC
Huge 15 sq km locust swarm threatens Mercosur agriculture

Argentina and Brazil are monitoring the movement of a 15-square-kilometer locust swarm in Argentina’s northeast, though authorities and specialists said so far it had not caused significant damage to crops in the South American countries.
Friday, June 26th 2020 - 10:06 UTC
Brazil confirms budget primary deficit at 11% of GDP; economy set to shrink 7%

Brazil’s economic growth and fiscal outlook this year are shaping up to be worse than official government forecasts, making a return to austerity and reforms next year all the more pressing, Treasury Secretary Mansueto Almeida said
Friday, June 26th 2020 - 10:04 UTC
World Bank staff reject Brazil's nomination to executive director over his racial comments

The association representing staff at the World Bank asked that Brazil’s nomination of Abraham Weintraub to be executive director be reviewed over his past racial comments and other concerns, according to a letter circulated in the bank on Wednesday.
Friday, June 26th 2020 - 09:23 UTC
Sao Paulo University to test a potential coronavirus vaccine developed by Italian lab

The Federal University of Sao Paulo (Unifesp) is in talks to test a potential coronavirus vaccine developed by Italian researchers, the dean of the Brazilian university revealed.
Thursday, June 25th 2020 - 09:20 UTC
Falklands Airbridge, strict measures for travellers; no Latam flights for at least the next two months

The Falkland Islands currently have an only air link which is the air bridge with the United Kingdom twice a week, since the commercial flights from Chile and Brazil managed by Latam, have been suspended at least until the end of July.
Wednesday, June 24th 2020 - 09:31 UTC
Investment funds managing US$ 4 trillion call on Brazil to halt deforestation

Investment funds managing close to US$4 trillion in assets called on Brazil on Tuesday to halt deforestation of the Amazon in an open letter warning that biodiversity loss and carbon emissions pose a “systemic risk” to their portfolios.
Wednesday, June 24th 2020 - 08:24 UTC
Federal Judge orders Bolsonaro to wear a face mask in public

A federal judge in Brazil ordered President Jair Bolsonaro to wear a face mask in public after the far-right leader repeatedly flouted the coronavirus containment measures in place in Brasilia.
Tuesday, June 23rd 2020 - 11:55 UTC
Despite more than 50,000 Covid-19 deaths, Brazilians swarmed to beaches over the weekend

Brazil reached more than a million confirmed coronavirus cases and 50,000 deaths over the weekend as throngs of people swarmed Rio de Janeiro beaches, but the World Health Organization said on Monday that even more cases were likely going uncounted.
Tuesday, June 23rd 2020 - 10:26 UTC
Controversy in Brazil over guidelines for workers at meatpackers, where there has been a spike of Covid-19 cases

Brazilian government on Friday published new guidelines for meatpackers after a spike of COVID-19 cases at food plants, including keeping workers at least one meter apart, but labor prosecutors criticized the steps as inadequate.