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MONTREAL/BOGOTA Dec 16 (Reuters) - Latin America is drawing early investment for jet fuel produced from materials like forest residues and palm oil as emission-conscious airlines scour emerging markets for less-polluting fuel to power flights, industry executives say. While most sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, is produced in the United States, Europe, and Singapore, Latin America is emerging as a budding market. "Latin America right now is really a hot spot for Honeywell." Producing and distributing SAF in regions with faster-growing traffic like Latin America is key to meeting industry targets, said Landon Loomis, Latin America president for U.S. planemaker Boeing (BA.N). And Vibra Energia (VBBR3.SA) is working with Brasil BioFuels (BBF) to produce palm oil-based jet fuel in 2025.

WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Negotiators in the U.S. Senate have reached a tentative deal to narrow sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine and plan to tuck the measure into a bill funding the government, according to four people briefed on the matter. Congress is likely to attach the measure to a year-end spending bill that lawmakers are currently hashing out, they added. 2 Senate Democrat and a key actor in cocaine sentencing talks, declined to comment. In 1986, Congress passed a law to establish mandatory minimum sentences for drug trafficking offenses, which treated crack and powder cocaine offenses using a 100-to-1 ratio. Under that formula, a person convicted for selling 5 grams of crack cocaine was treated the same as someone who sold 500 grams of powder cocaine.

☆ Brazil chicken production and exports seen rising in 2023 -industry group
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Ana Mano | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Brazilian chicken processors including heavyweights JBS SA (JBSS3.SA) and BRF SA (BRFS3.SA) will collectively increase output and exports in the new year, projections from meat industry group ABPA showed on Thursday. Brazilian companies will process up to 14.750 million tonnes of chicken meat in 2023 while they are also poised to raise exports by up to 8.5% to an estimated 5.2 million tonnes, the data showed. Ricardo Santin, ABPA president, said Brazil can increase its global share of chicken exports even as local companies grapple with higher corn prices and increases in packaging and fuel costs. Santin said 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of Brazilian broiler chicken is priced at around 146 euros ($156) compared with 263 euros for the European Union product and around 268 euros for U.S. chicken. Outbreaks in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile this year have prompted Brazilian companies to implement strict protocols, Santin said.

☆ Eletrobras, Shell mull co-investment in Brazil offshore wind power
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SAO PAULO, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Brazilian power company Eletrobras (ELET6.SA) said on Thursday it has signed a cooperation agreement with Shell (SHEL.L) as they exchange information for a potential co-investment in offshore wind power in Brazil. Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA, as the company is formally known, said the move was part of its diversification strategy in renewable energy. Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Steven GrattanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Canada certifies Embraer's E2 jets ahead of first Porter Airlines delivery
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SAO PAULO, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA (EMBR3.SA) said on Thursday that its E2 family of commercial jets has received Type Certification from Canada's aviation regulator. The move opens room for Embraer to deliver in the coming days the first of fifty E195-E2 aircraft ordered by Toronto-based Porter Airlines. The E2 jets had already been granted certification by regulators in Brazil, the United States and Europe. Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Steven GrattanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a stopgap one-week funding bill, a move intended to give lawmakers more time to pass a bill to fully fund the federal government through its fiscal year on Sept. 30, 2023. Top congressional negotiators announced on Tuesday agreement on a framework for the full-year "omnibus" bill. Richard Shelby, the top Senate Republican negotiator, said the package should be finished by Dec. 23. House Republicans object to a full-year bill, saying they would prefer to vote on funding the government early next year when they take majority control of the chamber and will have more power to slash domestic spending. Reporting by Makini Brice and Gram Slattery; Editing by Sandra Maler Additional reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Scott Malone and Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Brazil's Oi exits bankruptcy protection after more than 6 years; shares jump
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAO PAULO, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Shares in Brazilian telecom firm Oi SA (OIBR4.SA) soared on Thursday after it revealed it was exiting bankruptcy protection, marking the closure of a restructuring process that lasted more than six years. Oi filed in June 2016 for Brazil's then-biggest ever bankruptcy protection after running out of time to reorganize operations and restructure a multibillion-dollar debt amid a harsh recession in Latin America's largest economy. After the announcement, common shares in Oi jumped as much as 53% to 0.26 real in morning trading. Analysts at Genial Investimentos said the move was positive for the firm, even though they still thought Oi was financially weakened. Guide Investimentos echoed the concern and noted that despite being postponed several times, the end of the bankruptcy protection was already expected.

☆ Brazil's Petrobras reaches deal with regulator on govt stake in oilfield
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Companies Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras FollowSAO PAULO, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Brazilian state-run oil company Petrobras (PETR4.SA) has reached a deal with oil regulator ANP to pay 780 million reais ($146.38 million) regarding the government's stake in its Jubarte oilfield, ANP said on Thursday. The deal will now be put up for public consultation and may end a legal battle between the two parties. ($1 = 5.3287 reais)Reporting by Marta Nogueira; Editing by Steven GrattanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"If all goes well, we should be able to finish an omnibus appropriations package by Dec. 23," Shelby said in a statement. The full-year "omnibus" bill is also expected to contain new emergency funds to aid Ukraine in its battle against Russian forces. It also is expected to fold in an unrelated bill reforming the way Congress certifies U.S. presidential elections. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had said his Republicans want work on the omnibus bill wrapped up by Dec. 22. Any negotiations on the funding bill would get more complicated next year, when Republicans take majority control of the House.

REUTERS/Amanda PerobelliSAO PAULO/MONTREAL, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Deforestation in Brazil's Cerrado savanna rose to a seven-year high, government data showed on Wednesday, destroying a vital habitat for threatened species and releasing huge amounts of greenhouse gases that drive climate change. Destruction of native vegetation rose 25% to 10,689 square kilometers (4,127 square miles) – an area larger than Lebanon. Brazil's official deforestation statistics run from August to July to minimize clouds obscuring the destruction. The Cerrado, the world's most species-rich savanna, has given way to Brazil's expanding agricultural frontier for decades. "We need COP15 negotiators to prioritise ending deforestation and conversion in areas where the yearly rate of ecosystem losses prove alarming, like the Cerrado."

☆ Petrobras shares dive on Brazil vote to ease rules on politicians running state firms
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAO PAULO, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Brazil's lower house of Congress voted late on Tuesday to make it easier for politicians to take roles at state-run firms, hammering shares of the state-run oil company, devastated by a political graft scandal over the past decade. Shares in state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PETR4.SA) (Petrobras) closed 10% lower on Wednesday. Analysts at BTG Pactual said the revised law would be bad for governance at state-owned firms as it eliminates one of their main mechanisms of defense from political influence. Incoming Finance Minister Fernando Haddad did his best to downplay the looser controls on politicians running state firms, saying the most important way to fight corruption is with strong, independent auditors. Reporting by Eduardo Simoes, Carolina Pulice and Marcela Ayres; Writing by Steven Grattan and Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Brad Haynes, Mark Potter and Lincoln Feast.

Brazil has yet to publish its official annual figures for Cerrado deforestation, based on satellite analysis by the government's space research agency Inpe. The Cerrado neighbors the Amazon, occupying more than 2 million square kilometers in central Brazil – larger than Mexico. FARM-DRIVEN DEFORESTATIONThe Brazilian savanna is now a major concern for top grains traders, who have broadly pledged to eliminate deforestation from their supply chains by 2025. The sources discussed Cerrado deforestation data from Brazil's PRODES program, which produces annual data that is far more accurate than rapid alert data published on a weekly and monthly basis. An Inpe official said earlier this year that Brazil would soon stop publishing PRODES Cerrado data due to lack of funding.

☆ Brazil economy ministry rejects Lula transition team's judgment on finances
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Nayara Figueiredo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAO PAULO, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Brazil's Economy Ministry on Sunday rejected assertions by president-elect Luis Inacio Lula da Silva's transition team that the outgoing administration was leaving government finances "bankrupted." The Economy Ministry said in a statement that gross debt will reach 74% of GDP by the end of the year, with a primary surplus (excluding debt costs) of 23.4 billion reais, the first since 2013. Last week, the Planning and Budget group in Lula's camp said President Jair Bolsonaro is leaving the Brazilian state "bankrupted," according to former minister and transition team member Aloizio Mercadante. Brazil will pay international financial institutions $1.23 billion next year, 20% below the $1.56 billion that was due in 2016, the ministry said. Lula's transition team is in talks to approve a bill allowing 145 billion reais in expenses above the current legally allowed ceiling.

REUTERS/Adriano MachadoBRASILIA, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Brazil's leftist President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Friday picked a trusted ally, former Sao Paulo Mayor Fernando Haddad, as his finance minister, ending days of speculation over a key ministerial appointment. Lula is set to take office on Jan. 1 after narrowly defeating far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in October. After the nomination of Haddad, a stalwart of Lula's Workers Party (PT), Brazil's real , fell as much as 1.3% against the dollar before paring losses. As the mayor of Brazil's largest city from 2013 to 2016, Haddad renegotiated its debt with the federal government, reducing it by about 50 billion reais. Since losing his re-election bid as mayor in 2016, Haddad has described himself as a college professor on Twitter.

☆ Neymar draws level with Pele as Brazil's top goalscorer
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Fernando Kallas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

AL RAYYAN, Qatar, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Neymar scored in extra time as Brazil were winning 1-0 against Croatia in their World Cup quarter-final on Friday to reach 77 goals and draw level with Pele as the team's top scorer, a record held by the Brazilian great for 51 years. The 82-year-old football icon, who is hospitalized in delicate conditions in Sao Paulo due to cancer, scored his last goal for Brazil in a friendly against Austria in 1971. Pele is the only player to have won the World Cup three times, in 1958, 1962 and 1970, and scored 77 goals in 92 matches. The 30-year-old Neymar reached 77 goals in his 124th appearance as he is bidding to win his first World Cup title and help Brazil reach a record-extending sixth championship, 20 years after they last won the title in 2002. Reporting by Fernando Kallas Editing by Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Alito authored that decision, called Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, and the Hobby Lobby one. Schenck said he was motivated to come forward out of fear Supreme Court staff could unfairly take the blame for this year's leak. Chief Justice John Roberts directed the Supreme Court's marshal to investigate the leak in the Dobbs case, calling it a "betrayal." Democratic lawmakers said Schenck's account underscored the need for legislation requiring the U.S. Supreme Court, which now has a 6-3 conservative majority, to adopt a code of ethics, which unlike lower-level federal courts the high court lacks. "I believe we pushed the boundaries of Christian ethics and compromised the high court's promise to administer equal justice," Schenck said.

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File PhotoCompanies U.S. House of Representatives FollowWASHINGTON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - A pastor told a U.S congressional panel on Thursday he believed he pushed the boundaries of Christian ethics when he learned in advance of a landmark 2014 Supreme Court decision that exempted some companies from insuring employees for birth control. Prominent Democrats have called for increased oversight at the Supreme Court, which now has a 6-3 conservative majority that includes three appointees of Republican former President Donald Trump. U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts directed the Supreme Court's marshal to investigate the leak, calling it a "betrayal." Justice Alito, an intellectual hero for some conservatives, would later say the leak this year put him and his colleagues at risk of assassination. Schenck on Thursday said he was motivated to come forward out of fear that Supreme Court staff could unfairly take the blame for the Dobbs leak.

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - A U.S. House of Representatives committee will on Thursday hear the testimony of a former anti-abortion leader who has alleged he was told in advance about the outcome of a major 2014 Supreme Court ruling regarding contraceptives. Earlier this year, a majority opinion written by Alito and overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade decision that had legalized abortion nationwide, was leaked to Politico. U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts directed the Supreme Court's marshal to investigate the leak, calling it a "betrayal." Justice Alito, an intellectual hero among some conservatives, would later say the leak this year put him and his colleagues at risk of assassination. Some Democrats have said the leaks show the Court needs more oversight and that the increasingly conservative body is susceptible to influence peddling.

While indigenous groups account for about 5% of the world's population, their lands safeguard about 80% of Earth's remaining plant and animal species, according to the World Bank. Indigenous groups have a range of concerns about the U.N. summit negotiations. Some critics worry that the 30-by-30 target could be used to erode indigenous rights under the guise of conservation. Others, like Tuxa of Brazil and Ngomo of Congo argue that a 30% conservation target does not go far enough to ensure nature's protection. Adopting a 30% target at the national level could backfire, Tuxa said, in suggesting Brazil can open more land to development.

☆ Brazil central bank grants Google Pay payment institution status
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google Pay has received approval to operate as a payment institution in Brazil, Latin America's largest economy, the country's official gazette showed on Thursday, allowing it to initiate payment transactions. Payment initiators, according to Brazil's central bank, initiate a transaction ordered by the final user but never manage the payment account, nor hold the funds of the transactions. A press spokesperson for Google confirmed the central bank's authorization and said the move offered "more payment options to users through our platforms in Brazil." Google Pay currently operates an app serving as a virtual wallet, which allows the user to include their credit and debit cards, vaccination cards and concert tickets, for example. The approval comes days after Brazil's National Monetary Council also authorized fintechs to initiate payment transactions in the country.

The deal to create a "loss and damage" fund was hailed as a breakthrough for developing country negotiators at the COP27 climate talks in Egypt, overcoming years of resistance from wealthy nations in European Union and United States. Morgan, along with Chile's environment minister, led the working group that came up with the U.N. deal on loss and damage. The fund was created on the principle that rich, industrialized nations that are responsible for most of the world's greenhouse emissions should pay developing countries for the damage caused to the climate. But Morgan said the fund needed to go beyond public money from industrialized countries to find innovative funding sources. Climate Envoy John Kerry told Reuters that the United States consulted with COP27 host Egypt and the United Nations on loss and damage, proposing that the fund be created in 2023 rather than 2024.

☆ VidCon reveals initial list of creators slated to appear at June 2023 conference in Anaheim
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

VidCon, the fan and industry event producer celebrating YouTubers and other digital creators, unveiled the first round of featured creators confirmed to its flagship convention in Anaheim, Calif., in June 2023. Additional details on programming, speakers, partner activations, and more featured creators confirmed to attend will be announced in the coming months. VidCon also has opened ticket sales for the 2023 Anaheim confab, with more info at this link. In 2022, VidCon returned to an in-person convention in Anaheim after a two-year break because of COVID. VidCon was founded by veteran YouTube creators John and Hank Green (the Vlogbrothers) and was acquired by Paramount Global in 2018.

☆ Brazil, a Bastion of Hydropower, Is Gaining Traction in Wind and Solar
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Paulo Trevisani | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +8 min

The government, meanwhile, welcomes renewables projects as they can generate jobs and extra income for communities plagued by poverty. The wave of solar, wind and other clean-energy projects is expected to take market share from historically predominant hydroelectric generation. Wind and solar power are abundant in areas thousands of miles north of metropolitan centers where it is mostly needed, industry officials said. New solar and wind plants are generally welcomed by environmentalists and can often offer much-needed income to small farms. Of this total, 83% is expected to come from renewable sources, including hydro, solar, wind and others.

REUTERS/Rebecca Naden/File PhotoMONTREAL, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Countries are gathering Tuesday for a key U.N. nature conference in Montreal, aiming to broker a new global agreement to protect what's left of Earth's wildlife and natural spaces. Global Land Outlook assessment. Like many other campaigners, Zabey called for "an ambitious, clear and enforceable international agreement" similar to the Paris Agreement on climate change. Unlike the U.N. climate talks, Montreal's summit will see few world leaders, which negotiators say could make it tougher to reach an ambitious agreement. Meanwhile, Montreal police have put up a 3-meter (10-foot) fence around the downtown summit venue, Palais des congrès, and are preparing for thousands of student protesters expected to swarm the Montreal's streets to demand a strong deal to protect nature.

In video broadcast of the event, at least two police officials could be seen similarly spurning McConnell and McCarthy. The decision by multiple attendees to spurn Republican leaders illustrates how emotions are still running high over the 2021 attack on the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump, who initially declined to call off the rioters. "They're just two-faced," Gladys Sicknick told CNN. Washington's chief medical examiner ruled that Sicknick died of natural causes following multiple strokes after the attack on the Capitol. Asked about the incident on Tuesday, McConnell did not address the ceremony directly.

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