Canada will continue its trade negotiations with Mercosur, the South American trading bloc that includes Brazil, despite demands to call a halt to the talks until more action is taken to protect the Amazon rainforest.
Weak rainfall is unlikely to extinguish a record number of fires raging in Brazil's Amazon anytime soon, with pockets of precipitation through to Sept 10 expected to bring only isolated relief, according to weather data and two experts.
Peru and Colombia proposed on Tuesday an emergency Amazon summit for countries in the region in order to coordinate a strategy to protect the vast rainforest currently blighted by numerous fires. The Amazon is known as the “planet's lungs” but is suffering from its worst outbreak of fires in years, which has sparked a global outcry.
Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro said on Tuesday he wants French President Emmanuel Macron to retract “insults” against him before he considers accepting aid from the Group of Seven nations who offered US$20 million to help fight forest fires in the Amazon.
Amid trade tensions with the US, China's July soybean imports from Argentina increased 328% month on month and 269% year on year to 1.07 million metric tons, according to customs data.
Brazil rejected aid from G7 countries to fight wildfires in the Amazon, with a top official telling French President Emmanuel Macron to take care of “his home and his colonies.”
The approval rating of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro’s government has plunged to 29.4% in August from 38.9% in February, according to a poll published on Monday that showed a majority of Brazilians are unhappy with his performance.
The G7 will give US$20 million (€18 million) to send firefighting planes to tackle the blazes engulfing parts of the Amazon, the presidents of France and Chile said on Monday.
Hundreds of new fires have flared up in the Amazon in Brazil, data showed on Monday, even as military aircraft dumped water over hard-hit areas and G7 nations pledged to help combat the blazes.
Brazilian women are probably ashamed of President Jair Bolsonaro, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday, hitting back after the Brazilian leader mocked Macron’s wife on Facebook.