Politics

• Friday, August 9th 2019 - 10:50 UTC

  Bolsonaro describes an Army officer convicted for torture as a “national hero”

  

  Brazilian far-right President Jair Bolsonaro said on Thursday that an Army officer who was convicted of torture during the country’s 1964-1985 military dictatorship was a “national hero.”

• Friday, August 9th 2019 - 10:46 UTC

  Argentina has decided to freeze funds of seven Iranians, accused of a terrorist attack in Buenos Aires

  

  Argentina has taken measures to freeze the funds of seven Iranians, including the International Relations Advisor of Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei, Ali Akbar Velayati, on charges of involvement in an attack on a Jews cultural centre.

• Friday, August 9th 2019 - 10:43 UTC

  Lula da Silva will remain in Curitiba until pending appeals are filed and judged

  

  Brazil’s Supreme Court on Wednesday suspended a lower court decision to transfer imprisoned former President Lula da Silva from the southern city of Curitiba to a penitentiary in the state of Sao Paulo.

• Friday, August 9th 2019 - 10:40 UTC

  Brazil's pension reform bill could be extended to states and municipal governments

  

  Brazil’s Senate is expected to consider extending pension reform to states and municipal governments as it moves to vote on a bill overhauling the social security system, lawmakers said on Thursday.

• Friday, August 9th 2019 - 08:37 UTC

  Brazil rejects extradition of opponents of Turkish president Erdogan

  

  Brazil’s Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a request for the extradition of an opponent of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan saying there was no guarantee he would get a fair trial in Turkey.

• Friday, August 9th 2019 - 08:27 UTC

  Soybean sales in Brazil booming helped by a weaker currency and port premiums

  

  The price of Brazilian soybeans in local currency reached the highest level in almost two months, driven by a spike in port premiums for soybeans and a weaker currency, both caused by the trade dispute between China and the United States.

• Friday, August 9th 2019 - 08:13 UTC

  German lawmakers propose higher VAT rate on meat to combat global warming

  

  Green and Social Democrat (SPD) politicians in Germany say the 7% sales tax (VAT) rate on meat should be raised to 19% to help curb global warming and fund animal welfare improvements.

• Friday, August 9th 2019 - 07:56 UTC

  Despite the trade dispute, China's exports rose 3.3% during July

  

  Chinese exports rose unexpectedly in July, beating expectations for a fall, as trade tensions with the US continued to simmer. Official figures showed exports rose 3.3% last month, compared to forecasts for a 2% drop. Imports fell 5.6% in July, less than the expected 8.3% decline.

• Thursday, August 8th 2019 - 22:50 UTC

  World food security increasingly at risk due to 'unprecedented' climate change impact, new UN report warns

  

  More than 500 million people today live in areas affected by erosion linked to climate change, the UN warned on Thursday, before urging all countries to commit to sustainable land use to help limit greenhouse gas emissions before it is too late.

• Thursday, August 8th 2019 - 22:22 UTC

  UN rights chief bemoans unilateral sanctions on Venezuela, fearing ‘far-reaching implications’

  

  A new set of unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States on Venezuela this week prompted the concern of the United Nations’ top rights official on Thursday, who said in a statement that she feared they would have a “potentially severe impact” on the human rights of the South American nation’s “long-suffering” people.