By , , BEIJING/SHANGHAI/BRASILIA (Reuters) - Two cities in China have found traces of the new coronavirus in cargoes of imported frozen food, local authorities said on Thursday, although the World Health Organization downplayed the risk of the virus entering the food chain.A sample taken from the surface of frozen chicken wings imported into the southern city of Shenzhen from Brazil, as well as samples of outer packaging of frozen Ecuadorian shrimp sold in the northwestern city of Xian, have tested positive for the virus, local Chinese authorities said.Shenzhen authorities identified the...…By , , BEIJING/SHANGHAI/BRASILIA (Reuters) - Two cities in China have found traces of the new coronavirus in cargoes of imported frozen food, local authorities said on Thursday, although the World Health Organization downplayed the risk of the virus entering the food chain.A sample taken from the surface of frozen chicken wings imported into the southern city of Shenzhen from Brazil, as well as samples of outer packaging of frozen Ecuadorian shrimp sold in the northwestern city of Xian, have tested positive for the virus, local Chinese authorities said.Shenzhen authorities identified the...WW…

By , China is temporarily halting imports from a BRF plant in Lajeado and a JBS-owned Seara brand plant in Tres Passos, both in Brazil’s southern Rio Grande do Sul state, according to a posting dated Saturday on the General Administration of Customs China (GACC) website.The posting, which only identified the plants by registration numbers, gives no reason for the suspension. But Brazil is reeling from the second worst COVID-19 outbreak in the world behind the United States.China is the largest buyer of Brazilian pork, beef and chicken. It has requested that meat exporters globally certify...…By , China is temporarily halting imports from a BRF plant in Lajeado and a JBS-owned Seara brand plant in Tres Passos, both in Brazil’s southern Rio Grande do Sul state, according to a posting dated Saturday on the General Administration of Customs China (GACC) website.The posting, which only identified the plants by registration numbers, gives no reason for the suspension. But Brazil is reeling from the second worst COVID-19 outbreak in the world behind the United States.China is the largest buyer of Brazilian pork, beef and chicken. It has requested that meat exporters globally certify...WW…

A fire is seen on a tract of Amazon jungle at Tenharim Marmelos Indigenous Land, Amazonas state, Brazil, September 15, 2019. REUTERS/Bruno KellyRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBRASILIA, April 23 (Reuters) - Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro approved a 24% cut to the environment budget for 2021 from last year's level, according to official numbers published on Friday, just one day after he vowed to increase spending to fight deforestation.Speaking on Thursday to the summit organized by U.S. President Joe Biden, Bolsonaro pledged to double the budget for environmental...…A fire is seen on a tract of Amazon jungle at Tenharim Marmelos Indigenous Land, Amazonas state, Brazil, September 15, 2019. REUTERS/Bruno KellyRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBRASILIA, April 23 (Reuters) - Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro approved a 24% cut to the environment budget for 2021 from last year's level, according to official numbers published on Friday, just one day after he vowed to increase spending to fight deforestation.Speaking on Thursday to the summit organized by U.S. President Joe Biden, Bolsonaro pledged to double the budget for environmental...WW…

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, April 16 (Reuters) - Over a dozen Democratic senators on Friday urged U.S. President Joe Biden to withhold financial assistance to Brazil unless it demonstrates it is reducing deforestation in the Amazon and cracking down on environmental crimes.The letter, signed by 15 senators led by Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy and New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, was sent days before Biden hosts a virtual climate leaders summit on April 22-23, which Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is due to attend. It also comes as U.S. climate...…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comWASHINGTON, April 16 (Reuters) - Over a dozen Democratic senators on Friday urged U.S. President Joe Biden to withhold financial assistance to Brazil unless it demonstrates it is reducing deforestation in the Amazon and cracking down on environmental crimes.The letter, signed by 15 senators led by Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy and New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, was sent days before Biden hosts a virtual climate leaders summit on April 22-23, which Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is due to attend. It also comes as U.S. climate...WW…

Branches and roots are piled on a farm after deforestation in Palmeirante, Brazil February 16, 2018. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBRASILIA, April 9 (Reuters) - Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest declined in the first quarter, preliminary government data showed, but the drop may be due mostly to more intense cloud cover this year, and experts point to a concerning jump in March destruction.Rainforest destruction has surged since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro took office in January 2019, weakening environmental...…Branches and roots are piled on a farm after deforestation in Palmeirante, Brazil February 16, 2018. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino/File PhotoRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comBRASILIA, April 9 (Reuters) - Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest declined in the first quarter, preliminary government data showed, but the drop may be due mostly to more intense cloud cover this year, and experts point to a concerning jump in March destruction.Rainforest destruction has surged since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro took office in January 2019, weakening environmental...WW…

By BRASILIA (Reuters) - Fires in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest surged in October and the number of blazes is up 25% in the first 10 months of 2020, compared to a year ago, data from government space research agency Inpe showed on Sunday.Slideshow October recorded 17,326 hot spots in the world’s largest rainforest, more than double the number of fires detected in the same month last year. Destruction of the forest has soared since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019.The president says he wishes to develop the region to lift it out of poverty, while environmental advocates...…By BRASILIA (Reuters) - Fires in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest surged in October and the number of blazes is up 25% in the first 10 months of 2020, compared to a year ago, data from government space research agency Inpe showed on Sunday.Slideshow October recorded 17,326 hot spots in the world’s largest rainforest, more than double the number of fires detected in the same month last year. Destruction of the forest has soared since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019.The president says he wishes to develop the region to lift it out of poverty, while environmental advocates...WW…

By BRASILIA (Reuters) - Fires in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest surged in October and the number of blazes is up 25% in the first 10 months of 2020, compared to a year ago, data from government space research agency Inpe showed on Sunday.Slideshow October recorded 17,326 hot spots in the world’s largest rainforest, more than double the number of fires detected in the same month last year. Destruction of the forest has soared since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019.The president says he wishes to develop the region to lift it out of poverty, while environmental advocates...…By BRASILIA (Reuters) - Fires in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest surged in October and the number of blazes is up 25% in the first 10 months of 2020, compared to a year ago, data from government space research agency Inpe showed on Sunday.Slideshow October recorded 17,326 hot spots in the world’s largest rainforest, more than double the number of fires detected in the same month last year. Destruction of the forest has soared since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019.The president says he wishes to develop the region to lift it out of poverty, while environmental advocates...WW…

By BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro reacted angrily on Wednesday to U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s call for a world effort to offer Brazil $20 billion to end Amazon deforestation or face unspecified “economic consequences.”Slideshow Bolsonaro wrote on Facebook he interpreted Biden’s comment in a U.S. presidential debate on Tuesday night as a threat of economic sanctions if Brazil did not take the offer.Bolsonaro wrote in Portuguese and English that he does not accept “bribes” or “coward threats.”The president said Brazil was taking action on...…By BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro reacted angrily on Wednesday to U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s call for a world effort to offer Brazil $20 billion to end Amazon deforestation or face unspecified “economic consequences.”Slideshow Bolsonaro wrote on Facebook he interpreted Biden’s comment in a U.S. presidential debate on Tuesday night as a threat of economic sanctions if Brazil did not take the offer.Bolsonaro wrote in Portuguese and English that he does not accept “bribes” or “coward threats.”The president said Brazil was taking action on...WW…

It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.A fire has been burning since mid-July in the remote wetlands of west-central Brazil, leaving in its wake a vast charred desolation bigger than New York City.A team of veterinarians, biologists and local guides arrived in late August to prowl the bumpy dirt road known as the Trans-Pantanal Highway in pickup trucks, looking to save what injured animals they could.This could be due to a conflict with your ad-blocking...…It looks like you're using an ad blocker.To enjoy our content, please include The Japan Times on your ad-blocker's list of approved sites.Thank you for supporting our journalism.A fire has been burning since mid-July in the remote wetlands of west-central Brazil, leaving in its wake a vast charred desolation bigger than New York City.A team of veterinarians, biologists and local guides arrived in late August to prowl the bumpy dirt road known as the Trans-Pantanal Highway in pickup trucks, looking to save what injured animals they could.This could be due to a conflict with your ad-blocking...WW…

By , BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday called for the reopening of the country’s borders, as he pushes to restart South America’s largest economy, but conceded he may be blamed if the new coronavirus outbreak worsens as a result.Slideshow Bolsonaro fired his health minister on Thursday after clashing with him over lockdown measures, which the president argues are overly damaging to the economy and should be rolled back.But the right-wing populist conceded on Friday that it is not up to him to decide whether or not social distancing measures should be relaxed...…By , BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday called for the reopening of the country’s borders, as he pushes to restart South America’s largest economy, but conceded he may be blamed if the new coronavirus outbreak worsens as a result.Slideshow Bolsonaro fired his health minister on Thursday after clashing with him over lockdown measures, which the president argues are overly damaging to the economy and should be rolled back.But the right-wing populist conceded on Friday that it is not up to him to decide whether or not social distancing measures should be relaxed...WW…