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Complicating the matter for DeSantis: Trump, the front-runner in the race by far, appears unwilling to provide him with a target. Rival campaigns smell blood in the water as DeSantis has faced questions over profligate campaign spending and his readiness for the national stage. In the most recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, released last week, Trump held 47% of the Republican vote nationally, with DeSantis dropping six points from July down to just 13%. Rick Santorum, a former U.S. senator and Republican presidential candidate who participated in a series of debates in the 2012 election, said DeSantis will need to be ready for an “onslaught” of attacks. “If I was on that stage, I would be going after Trump,” Santorum said.

Persons: Ron Desantis, Tucker Carlson, Scott Morgan, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Trump, DeSantis, Nikki Haley, ”, Robert Bigelow, Rick Santorum, Santorum, “, ” Santorum, Justin Sayfie, Jeb Bush, ” Sayfie, Charlie Crist, Haley, Doug Burgum, Chris Christie, Tim Scott, Vivek Ramaswamy, Mike Pence, Pence, Christie, “ That’s, ” Aaron Kall, It’s, ” Kall, Marco Rubio, James Oliphant, Gram Slattery, Colleen Jenkins, Alistair Bell Organizations: Former Fox, Iowa Events Center, REUTERS, Florida Governor, Trump, Republican, United Nations, Reuters, Harvard Law School, TRUMP, New, University of Michigan, Thomson Locations: Florida, Des Moines , Iowa, U.S, Milwaukee, Haley , North Dakota, New Jersey

[1/3] A general view shows the water conditions of the Piraiba river before a summit of Amazon rainforest nations, in Belem, Para state, Brazil August 6, 2023. REUTERS/Ueslei MarcelinoSAO PAULO, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Eight Amazon rainforest nations are expected to face divisions over proposals to block new oil drilling and end deforestation when they meet on Tuesday for their first summit in 14 years. But at a pre-summit meeting last month, Colombian President Gustavo Petro pushed his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to block all new oil development in the Amazon. Brazil is weighing whether to develop a potentially huge offshore oil find near the mouth of the Amazon River. "Are we going to let hydrocarbons be explored in the Amazon rainforest?

Persons: Ueslei Marcelino, Gustavo Petro, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Petro, Lula, Jake Spring, Oliver Griffin, Lucinda Elliott, Brad Haynes, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Ueslei, Ueslei Marcelino SAO PAULO, Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, Brazilian, Miami Herald, Global Forest Watch, Thomson Locations: Belem , Para, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela, Belem, Amazon, Lula's, Leticia, Bolivian, Bogota, Montevideo

☆ Profits for Brazil's Itau Unibanco up 14%, beat expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Peter Frontini | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A man is reflected in an Itau branch window in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil April 29, 2019. REUTERS/Sergio Moraes/File PhotoSAO PAULO, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Brazilian lender Itau Unibanco (ITUB4.SA) reported a 14% increase in second-quarter net profit from a year earlier, beating expectations, while also keeping default rates stable, the bank said in a securities filing on Monday. Latin America's biggest private sector lender posted recurring net profit of 8.74 billion reais ($151 million) during the April-to-June period, while analysts polled by Refinitiv expected 8.63 billion reais. Delinquency, measured by a 90-day default ratio, came in at 3.0%, essentially flat compared to the first quarter. Credit costs during the quarter grew 25% from a year earlier to reach 9.44 billion reais, as the lender set aside more money for customers defaulting on loans.

Persons: Sergio Moraes, Itau, Alexsandro Broedel, Peter Frontini, Carolina Pulice, David Alire Garcia, David Gregorio, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, SAO PAULO, Citi, Santander, Bradesco, Thomson Locations: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

☆ Amazon set to launch credit card in Brazil with Bradesco
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Christian HartmannSAO PAULO, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Amazon.com (AMZN.O) will launch a credit card offering in Brazil, in a partnership with Brazilian lender Banco Bradesco SA (BBDC4.SA), the bank's chief executive said on Friday, as the ecommerce giant pushes to expand its fintech offering. The launch is set for next Tuesday, according to CEO Octavio de Lazari Junior, adding that the bank will manage the card's credit risk, and the card will be powered by Mastercard (MA.N). Amazon's Brazil Country Manager, Daniel Mazini, said in a note that the company is always "looking for opportunities" to improve the shopping experience of customers in Brazil. The credit card offers comes at a time the country sees its interest rate starting a downward cycle and government programs to boost consumption. Amazon also has a credit card offering in the U.S., where it partners with JPMorgan Chase.

Persons: Christian Hartmann, Octavio de Lazari, Daniel Mazini, Alberto Alerigi Jr, Isabel Woodford, Carolina Pulice, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Christian, Christian Hartmann SAO PAULO, Banco Bradesco SA, Mastercard, Brazil, JPMorgan Chase, Thomson Locations: Boves, Amiens, France, Brazil, U.S

☆ LATAM Airlines sees stronger 2023 after Q2 results boost
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A Latam Airlines airplane is seen at Guarulhos International Airport amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Guarulhos, near Sao Paulo, Brazil, May 19, 2020. REUTERS/Amanda PerobelliSANTIAGO, Aug 2 (Reuters) - LATAM Airlines expects "record" net earnings in 2023 after posting stronger second-quarter results and improved forecasts, company executives said on Wednesday, hoping to bolster investor confidence after the company's exit from bankruptcy in November. "Without a doubt we are foreseeing a much better financial situation and very good profitability in 2023," he told reporters. Alfonsin added that the company was expecting to hit pre-pandemic level results for the year and record EBITDAR. LATAM Airlines, South America's largest airline, operates units across the continent, with routes across the world.

Persons: Amanda Perobelli SANTIAGO, Ramiro Alfonsin, Alfonsin, Fabian Cambero, Gabriel Araujo, Isabel Woodford, Valentine Hilaire, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Latam Airlines, Guarulhos, REUTERS, LATAM Airlines, South America's, Chilean, LAN, Brazilian, TAM, U.S . Department of Transportation, U.S, Thomson Locations: Guarulhos, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Santiago, South

[1/3] Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis speaks at the Republican Party of Iowa's Lincoln Day Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., July 28, 2023. China is mentioned daily at campaign stops, in digital ads and in policy speeches by the various Republican candidates. Some 50% of Americans identify China as the greatest threat to the United States, according to a Pew Research poll released in late July. On the stump, they have said the United States must stand by Ukraine. If the United States does not confront Russia, they say, China will feel emboldened.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Scott Morgan, Democratic Biden, DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Donald Trump, Tim Scott, Trump, Terry Sullivan, Marco Rubio's, Joe Biden, Pew, Haley, Scott, Jamieson Greer, King, Wendy Cutler, Mike Pence, Gram Slattery, David Lawder, Michael Martina, Ross Colvin, Alistair Bell Organizations: Florida Governor, Republican, Republican Party of Iowa's, REUTERS, Democratic, East, Newsweek, Justice Department, Pew Research, Trade, Spalding, U.S . Trade Representative, Trump, Heritage Foundation, Russia, China, American Enterprise Institute, Thomson Locations: Des Moines , Iowa, U.S, ROCHESTER , New Hampshire, China, United States, America, Communist China, Russia, Iran, Beijing, Washington, Ukraine

☆ Brazil central bank kicks off rate cuts more aggressively than expected
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Peter Frontini | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The bank's rate-setting committee Copom cut its Selic policy rate to 13.25%, as just 10 of 46 economists surveyed by Reuters had anticipated. Although Wednesday's policy decision was closely divided, Copom's policy statement signaled a shared outlook to keep up the pace of rate cuts in coming months. Wednesday's rate decision reflected a split among board members, with five votes in favor of the 50-basis-point cut and four votes for a more modest 25-basis-point cut. Finance Minister Fernando Haddad had called for a rate cut of 50 basis points earlier on Wednesday. Brazil's inflation target is 3% for both years.

Persons: we'd, William Jackson, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's, Roberto Campos Neto, Lula, Campos Neto, Fernando Haddad, Haddad, Copom, Peter Frontini, Marcela Ayres, Brad Haynes, Diane Craft Organizations: SAO PAULO, Reuters, Capital Economic, Finance, Fitch, Carolina, Thomson Locations: Brazil

[1/2] Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 29, 2023. More than a dozen Republican voters interviewed on Wednesday unanimously said the new charges would not affect their 2024 election choice. These voters seemed to accept Trump's contention that he is being targeted by Democrats because he is a political threat. "The only way I'd vote for anyone other than Trump is if Trump dropped dead before the primaries, and I don't see that happening," Silver said. The Republican voters who spoke to Reuters appeared unmoved by arguments by Trump's rivals that he likely would lose a November 2024 rematch with Biden.

Persons: Donald Trump, Lindsay DeDario, Trump, Joe Biden, Robin Bartholomew, Bruce Silver, Silver, Brian Demer, Ron DeSantis, Biden, Steven Wolverton, delegitimize Trump, Trump . Sharon Young, Young, Gram Slattery, Jasper Ward, Jason Lange, James Oliphant, Will Dunham, Colleen Jenkins Organizations: U.S, Republican, REUTERS, Democratic, Trump, New York Times, Florida, Reuters, Coca, Trump ., Newport, Thomson Locations: Erie , Pennsylvania, U.S, Van Buren County , Iowa, Myrtle Beach , South Carolina, Washington, United States, New York, Georgia, Loudoun County , Virginia, what's, Siena, St, Charles , Michigan, Trump, Newport News , Virginia

☆ MercadoLibre's Q2 profit doubles on higher sales volume, user growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The company, with presence in over 18 countries across Latin America, saw its net revenue rise 57.3% in constant currency to $3.4 billion. Over the quarter, MercadoLibre said it added 8.1 million new users across its operations, bringing its total active user base to 108.6 million. Total payment volume jumped 96.6% in constant currency to $42 billion. MercadoLibre said that a total of 318.5 million items were shipped across Latin America in the quarter, marking a 20.6% growth year-on-year. Gross merchandise volume (GMV), a key metric in the e-commerce industry, was up 47.2% in constant currency to hit $10.5 billion.

Persons: MercadoLibre, Mercado, Pedro Arnt, Arnt, Gross, Andre Romani, Carolina Pulice, Brendan O'Boyle Organizations: SAO PAULO, Mercado Pago, Thomson Locations: Latin America, Brazil, Mexico, America

☆ Brazil now main holdout against BRICS expansion, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Lisandra Paraguassu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

An attendant is stands next to South African, Indian, Russian, Brazilian and Chinese flags during a plenary session of BRICS Summit, in Xiamen, China September 4, 2017. "An expansion could transform the bloc into something else," said a Brazilian official, who asked not to be named. Russia said expansion would be high on the agenda of the upcoming BRICS summit. A government official told Reuters: "India has reservations about the expansion ... South Africa, the first beneficiary of a BRICS expansion in 2010, now supports inclusion of new members, though South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said the expansion formula requires "closer scrutiny and understanding."

Persons: Tyrone Siu, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, Cyril Ramaphosa, Oliver Stuenkel, Stuenkel, Lisandra, Laurie Chen, Krishn Kaushik, Carien du Plessis, Tim Cocks, Wendel Roelf, Anthony Boadle, Brad Haynes, David Gregorio Our Organizations: BRICS, REUTERS, Tyrone, Reuters, Brazilian, Diplomats, Getulio Vargas Foundation, Thomson Locations: Xiamen, China, Tyrone Siu BRASILIA, Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, United States, Ukraine, Brasilia, Algeria, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Beijing, BRICS, Africa, São Paulo, Indonesia, Iran, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, New Delhi

☆ Brazil police violence reignites after deadly Rio, Sao Paulo raids
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Police in Rio de Janeiro killed at least nine people in a raid on Wednesday, in the latest example of deadly violence by Brazil's security officials after 16 people died at the hands of Sao Paulo state police earlier this week. Police in Rio said they were attacked by armed assailants during Wednesday's operation in the Penha neighborhood. Lopsided death tolls have become a common occurrence in Rio raids, leading critics to allege excessive force or even summary executions by the police. REUTERS/Pilar OlivaresSao Paulo, Brazil's wealthiest and most populous state, has been less blighted by police violence than neighboring Rio. Among those killed in the Rio operation were "Fiel" and "Du Leme," two alleged gang leaders in the impoverished Juramento and Chatuba neighborhoods, police said.

Persons: Jair Bolsonaro, Bolsonaro, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Pilar Olivares Sao, Santos, Tarcisio de Freitas, Freitas, Du Leme, Marco Andrade, Rodrigo Viga Gaier, Eduardo Simoes, Steven Grattan, Gabriel Stargardter, Jonathan Oatis, Richard Chang, Alistair Bell Organizations: RIO DE, Police, REUTERS, Paulo, Thomson Locations: RIO DE JANEIRO, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Rio, Penha, Guaruja

☆ Four Nigerians, rescued in Brazil, survived 14 days on a ship's rudder
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Steven Grattan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

They survived another four days, according to their account, by drinking the sea water crashing just meters below them, before being rescued by Brazilian federal police in the southeastern port of Vitoria. "It was a terrible experience for me," said 38-year-old Thankgod Opemipo Matthew Yeye, one of the four Nigerians, in an interview at a Sao Paulo church shelter. Both men said economic hardship, political instability and crime had left them with little option but to abandon their native Nigeria. He had never met his new shipmates and feared they could toss him into the sea at any moment. Father Paolo Parise, a priest at the Sao Paulo shelter, said he had come across other cases of stowaways, but never one so dangerous.

Persons: Matthew Yeye, Friday, Ken, Father Paolo Parise, Steven Grattan, Gabriel Stargardter, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: SAO PAULO, Liberian, Sao, Thomson Locations: Vitoria, Sao Paulo, Europe, Brazil, Nigeria, Africa's, Lagos

ROCHESTER, New Hampshire, July 31 (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis took an aggressive swipe at China, railed against what he described as corporate bailouts, and said he would rein in the Federal Reserve in an economic policy speech on Monday. DeSantis was particularly harsh on China and the technology sector which he accused of enriching the East Asian nation to the detriment of Americans. The U.S. Senate voted in 2000 to grant the status to China as it prepared to join the World Trade Organization. "They said if you granted China special trading status and put them in the World Trade Organization, that China would become more democratic," he said. In written bullet points released alongside the speech, DeSantis' campaign said he would appoint a chair of the Federal Reserve "who will focus on maintaining a stable dollar instead of the political pressures of the day."

Persons: Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, we've, Jerome Powell, Gram Slattery, James Oliphant, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Republican, Federal Reserve, Republican Party, U.S, Senate, World Trade Organization, Federal, Fed, Thomson Locations: ROCHESTER , New Hampshire, China, New Hampshire, U.S, United States, Rochester, Washington

Such was the first day of DeSantis' "reboot" of his campaign in New Hampshire, the No. Before DeSantis began his speech, Michael Lunder, a 67-year-old businessman, said he was "probably going to support (DeSantis) financially." "I learned a few things that I didn't agree with, but, in general, I think I might support him," Lunder concluded. CAMPAIGN REBOOTIn the last two weeks, the DeSantis campaign has undergone a shake-up both in style and personnel, according to several people close to the campaign. He disagreed with DeSantis' position that support for Ukraine in its war with Russia is not a vital U.S. national security interest.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, sidled, Donald Trump, DeSantis, Scott Brown, Michael Lunder, Lunder, Frank Cimler, Joe Biden, Cimler, Gram Slattery, Ross Colvin, Howard Goller Organizations: Republican, U.S, Reuters, Democratic, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: RYE , New Hampshire, Florida, New Hampshire, Iowa, Trump's, COVID, Russia, U.S

☆ Brazil's Petrobras to trim dividends under new policy
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Peter Frontini | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, July 28 (Reuters) - Brazilian state-run oil firm Petrobras' (PETR4.SA) board of directors on Friday approved a new shareholder remuneration policy that will trim its hefty dividend and allow share buybacks, according to a securities filing. Under the new policy, Petrobras' quarterly dividend will have to be at least 45% of its free cash flow, down from the current 60%, when the firm's gross debt is below $65 billion. In 2022, Petrobras paid a total of 215.8 billion reais to its shareholders, including the Brazilian government, which holds a controlling stake in the firm. Petrobras will announce its second-quarter dividends and earnings on Aug. 3 after the market closes. Reporting by Carolina Pulice and Peter Frontini; Editing by Brendan O'Boyle and Kylie MadryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jean Paul Prates, Carolina Pulice, Peter Frontini, Brendan O'Boyle, Kylie Madry Organizations: SAO PAULO, Petrobras, SA, Reuters, Thomson

Santos, 16, is a violinist in an orchestra made up of young musicians from the sprawling Mare "favela", home to more than 140,000 people, where violent police raids and clashes between drug gangs are commonplace. Created in 2010, the "Mare do Amanha" orchestra is the brainchild of Carlos Prazeres and his father, Armando, a musical conductor who was kidnapped and killed in 1999. Instead of turning his grief into hatred, Prazeres decided to use music to get children off the streets and away from drug dealing. Sousa was part of the orchestra group that met Francis in the Vatican in 2017, an experience she will never forget. Reporting by Catarina Demony, Miguel Pereira and Pedro Nunes; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pedro de Alcantara, Read, Caué Santos, Pope Francis, Santos, Francis, Carlos Prazeres, Armando, Prazeres, Amanha, Ana Beatriz Sousa, Sousa, Catarina Demony, Miguel Pereira, Pedro Nunes, Andrei Khalip, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Mare, Thomson Locations: Pedro, Lisbon, Portugal, LISBON, Rio de Janeiro, Mare ., Brazil

☆ Brazil's jobless rate hits lowest since 2014 for a quarter through June
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAO PAULO, July 28 (Reuters) - Brazil's jobless rate fell in the quarter through June to its lowest level for the period in nine years, statistics agency IBGE said on Friday, underscoring the labor market's resilience despite its high interest rates. It was the fourth consecutive drop for a rolling quarter, according to IBGE, which said the move reflected seasonally lower vacancy rates. Finance Minister Fernando Haddad cautioned that despite the positive data, the unemployment rate should not be perceived as an indicator of a strong economy, given the country's 10% real interest rate leading to an activity slowdown. Some economists also expect high interest rates to take their toll going ahead, as economic growth softens in the country. "All in all, the labor market remained strong in the second quarter, defying the drag from stiflingly high interest rates," Pantheon Macroeconomics' chief economist for Latin America, Andres Abadia, said.

Persons: Fernando Haddad, Haddad, Andres Abadia, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's, Rui Costa, Gabriel Araujo, Steven Grattan, Alistair Bell Organizations: SAO PAULO, IBGE, Reuters, Finance, Macroeconomics, Twitter, Thomson Locations: Brazil, America

[1/3] A general view after a series of explosions at grain silos owned by agro-industrial cooperative C. Vale, in the city of Palotina, Parana State, Brazil, July 27, 2023. Brazil's Parana Firefighters/Handout via REUTERSSAO PAULO, July 27 (Reuters) - At least eight people have died, one was missing and nearly a dozen others wounded after a grain silo explosion on Wednesday at an agricultural co-operative in southern Brazil, the government of Parana state said on Thursday. The blast occurred at the C.Vale co-operative in the small town of Palotina, about 600 km (370 miles) from the state's capital Curitiba. Experts say grain dust particles are highly combustible and can cause fires or explosions in confined spaces such as grain storage facilities. Fire Department Official Manoel Vasco said dogs were helping in the search of the missing worker potentially trapped under a pile of grains.

Persons: C.Vale, Jose Ricken, Ricken, Manoel Vasco, Carlos Favaro, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Darci Piana, Leonardo Benassatto, Ana Mano, Gabriel Araujo, Christina Fincher, Bernadette Baum, Alison Williams Organizations: Vale, Brazil's, Brazil's Parana Firefighters, REUTERS SAO PAULO, Fire, Agriculture, Thomson Locations: Palotina, Parana State, Brazil, Brazil's Parana, Parana, Curitiba . Parana, Paraguay

☆ BRICS bank NDB says not considering new projects in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, July 26 (Reuters) - The New Development Bank (NDB), the multilateral bank set up by the BRICS states, is not considering new projects in Russia as it operates in line with restrictions imposed in financial and capital markets, its head said on Wednesday. Dilma Rousseff said in a statement posted on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that any speculations concerning the discussion of new operations of the bank in Russia were "unfounded". BRICS countries, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, are scheduled to gather in the African country next month. The BRICS group of emerging countries launched the Shanghai-headquartered bank in 2015. Rousseff was appointed to head it earlier this year by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Persons: Dilma Rousseff, Rousseff, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Gabriel Araujo, Steven Grattan Organizations: SAO PAULO, New Development Bank, South, United Arab, Thomson Locations: Russia, Brazil, Africa, St . Petersburg, India, China, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Egypt, Shanghai

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index (.IXIC) has rallied this year, helped by outsized gains in rate-sensitive megacap growth companies and hopes for an end to the U.S. Federal Reserve's tightening cycle. The S&P composite 1500 passenger airlines sub index (.SPCOMAIR) dropped 3.45%, bogged down by a 9.7% fall in Alaska Air (ALK.N) after the airline's annual revenue growth outlook missed expectations. Most of the 11 major S&P 500 sectors were subdued. The S&P 500 earnings are now expected to decline 7.7% for the second quarter, as per Refinitiv data. The S&P 500 posted 37 new 52-week highs and no new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 74 new highs and 101 new lows.

Persons: Steve Sosnick, Rishi Sadarangani, Whitney, Carolina Mandl, Bansari Mayur Kamdar, Johann M, Shinjini Ganguli, Shounak Dasgupta, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: GE, Pratt & Whitney, Dow, Nasdaq, Microsoft, Google, Interactive, U.S, Reserve, outsized, Boeing, Pratt, Airbus, Alaska Air, Dow Jones, General Electric, General Motors, 3M, NYSE, Thomson Locations: U.S . Federal, China, Sao Paulo, Bengaluru

WASHINGTON, July 25 (Reuters) - Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign said on Tuesday it had let go of 38 employees in recent weeks, or over one-third of the campaign's staff, as the Florida governor seeks to cut spending and rally his flagging electoral fortunes. DeSantis, who is vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is in second place in the large Republican field, but he remains far behind former President Donald Trump, the front-runner. "Following a top-to-bottom review of our organization, we have taken additional, aggressive steps to streamline operations and put Ron DeSantis in the strongest position to win this primary and defeat Joe Biden," DeSantis' campaign manager, Generra Peck, said in a statement. While DeSantis' campaign raised about $20 million in the second quarter, allies were concerned about how fast he burned through that cash. The campaign had more than 90 paid staffers in the second quarter, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission, an unusually high number for this stage in a presidential campaign.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Generra Peck, Biden, Gram Slattery, Ross Colvin, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Republican, Democratic, Federal, Commission, Thomson Locations: Florida

☆ Brazil inflation down by more than expected in month to mid-July
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, July 25 (Reuters) - Consumer prices in Brazil fell by more than expected in the month to mid-July, data from statistics agency IBGE showed on Tuesday, as markets brace for an interest rate cut when the central bank monetary policy committee meets next week. In Latin America's largest economy, the IPCA-15 consumer price index fell 0.07% in the period, down from 0.04% in the previous month and below the 0.01% drop expected by economists polled by Reuters. That took 12-month inflation in the country to 3.19%, while economists had projected it to come in at 3.26%. The annual figure remains below the central bank's inflation target of 3.25% for this year, although an uptick is expected from this month because of unfavorable base effects. IBGE said the deflation in the month to mid-July was mainly driven by lower housing and food and beverage costs, whose declines were partially offset by an increase in transportation prices.

Persons: IBGE, Gabriel Araujo, Steven Grattan Organizations: SAO PAULO, IBGE, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Brazil

☆ NASA chief offers Brazil satellite imaging to help stop Amazon deforestation
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson attends a news conference, after meeting with Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (not pictured), at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil July 24, 2023. REUTERS/Adriano MachadoBRASILIA, July 25 (Reuters) - NASA Administrator Bill Nelson visited Brazilian space research center INPE on Wednesday and proposed extending satellite partnerships with the United States to help monitor and prevent destruction of the Amazon rainforest. Nelson said NASA will have a satellite in January that can even render images of what is happening below the forest canopy. "I thanked the president for his continuous effort to save the Amazon rainforest," he told reporters after the meeting. Earlier on Tuesday, Nelson visited Brazilian plane maker Embraer (EMBR3.SA) in Sao Jose dos Campos and toured the production line for its narrow-body commercial E-Jets.

Persons: Bill Nelson, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Adriano Machado BRASILIA, Nelson, Sao Jose dos Campos, Luciana Santos, Anthony Boadle, Brad Haynes, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, NASA, INPE, Embraer, EMBR3, Jets, Thomson Locations: Brasilia, Brazil, United States, India, Sao Jose, INPE, China, U.S, Brazilian, American, Argentina, Colombia

☆ Sao Paulo governor turns heads on Brazil's right after Bolsonaro election ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Ricardo Brito | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Although the governor and his closest advisers insist he is focused on serving Sao Paulo state, many of Brazil's seasoned conservative power brokers are already calling the pro-business moderate a natural candidate for the presidency in three years. It also helped shore up three-quarters support among Sao Paulo lawmakers for the reform as it cleared one chamber of Congress. He is pushing to privatize the port of Santos on the Sao Paulo coast, a bid blocked for now by the federal government. And he has vowed to revive efforts to privatize state water utility Sabesp (SBSP3.SA), while Lula has decried recent privatizations under Bolsonaro. "He has to finish his mission in Sao Paulo with a second term," said one close aide, asking not to be named as he was not authorized to speak about the governor's plans.

Persons: Tarcisio de Freitas, Jair Bolsonaro, Freitas, Bolsonaro, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's, Marcos Pereira, of God, Arthur Lira, Ciro Nogueira, Bolsonaro's, Antonio Queiroz, Dilma Rousseff, Lula, Queiroz, Ricardo Brito, Anthony Boadle, Brad Haynes, Paul Simao Organizations: Paulo, Republicans, Universal Church of, Liberal Party, ARMY, Workers Party, Sao, Thomson Locations: BRASILIA, Sao Paulo, of, Brazilian, Santos

In June, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared that an El Nino is now under way. Meteorologists expect that this El Nino, coupled with excess warming from climate change, will see the world grapple with record-high temperatures. Here is how El Nino will unfold and some of the weather we might expect:WHAT CAUSES AN EL NINO? El Nino could offer a reprieve to the Horn of Africa, which recently suffered five consecutive failed rainy seasons. Historically, both El Nino and La Nina have occurred about every two to seven years on average, with El Nino lasting 9 to 12 months.

Persons: Kim Hong, heatwaves, El, El Nino, Michelle L'Heureux, Tom DiLiberto, DiLiberto, La Nina, Nina, Gloria Dickie, Jake Spring, Angus MacSwan, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Nino, Reuters, El Nino, U.S . National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, El, Graphics, el nino, NINO, U.S . West, La, Sao Paulo, Thomson Locations: Cheongju, South Korea, China, United States, Beijing, Rome, Americas, Asia, El, Pacific, Peru, Philippines, Canada, Central, South America, Australia, of Africa, Eastern Pacific, El Nino, London, Sao

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