Of all the numbers that lay bare the pandemic plight of blue-collar workers, few are as jarring as the pay cut suffered by the millions of Argentines who toil in off-the-book jobs, Bloomberg News reported. The decline for people like waiters, construction workers and candy-vendors was 36% on average last year, considering inflation. That staggering number is almost four times the average pay cut that Argentines in the formal economy had to absorb.

Colombian airline Avianca obtained financial commitments for US$1.6 billion to finance its exit from chapter 11 bankruptcy law as part of its reorganization, The Rio Times reported. "As a result of the continued support of its creditors, Avianca Holdings filed a motion with the bankruptcy court seeking approval of the terms of the commitment letters for its US$1.6 billion chapter 11 exit financing," the airline said in a statement. Avianca is the largest airline in Colombia and second largest in Latin America, after LATAM of Chile.

Colombia’s government formally presented a $3.95 billion tax-reform bill to congress, even as unions and student groups sought to revive the street protests that helped scupper the reform’s original iteration, Reuters reported. The law would raise 15.2 trillion pesos per year, significantly less than the 23.4 trillion pesos sought by the government in an April proposal that was later withdrawn amid sometimes-deadly protests and lawmaker opposition.

More than 1.5 million children worldwide saw a parent, custodial grandparent or other relative who cared for them die from COVID-19, according to a study published by the Lancet, UPI reported. Of these children, more than 1 million experienced one or both parents dying during the first 14 months of the pandemic, and another 500,000 experienced the death of a grandparent caregiver living in their own home, the data showed.

A new weapon is gaining traction in the fight against the economic fallout of Covid-19: Debt sales designed to alleviate suffering, Bloomberg reported. Governments and companies in emerging markets have sold close to $16 billion of so-called social bonds so far this year, on pace to shatter last year’s total, according to data compiled by Bloomberg as of close on July 19. These bonds, with proceeds earmarked specifically for projects that address human needs — such as health, hunger and education — have already lured fresh investment to Chile and Ecuador, and soon, Ghana.

Creditors of bankrupt miner Samarco Mineracao SA, a joint venture between Vale SA and BHP Group Plc, objected to the company's restructuring plan on Thursday, according to a court document, Reuters reported. Creditors said the plan's main goal is to protect Samarco's giant shareholders, Vale and BHP, and reduce future payments to creditors. They also rejected Samarco's offer to apply an 85% haircut to all creditors, including shareholders Vale and BHP, which extended 24 billion reais in loans to the company. Debt payments to creditors would occur in 2041.