A recent Fiesp and Deloitte study indicates that bureaucratic challenges might cost Brazil's construction sector up to R$ 59 billion ($12 billion) by 2025. These aren't just financial losses but also significant project delays. Infrastructure projects take an extra 16 months to complete. Residential constructions lag by 13 months. Forty executives from top Brazilian construction […]
(Opinion) Fresh from a month-long diplomatic tour, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is reshaping Brazil’s trajectory. After years of international sidelining under Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil is stepping back onto the world stage. One doesn’t need to align ideologically with the left to recognize what is happening clearly; objectivity and observational skills are entirely sufficient. […]
(Opinion) The endless and growing debate about Joe Biden’s age – he is 80 now – and whether those years mean he would be unable to serve another term in the White House has the hollow sound to me of voices with no experience of ‘old age’. I have. I am coming up on 88, […]
Brazilian and Portuguese citizens can now use their national driving licenses in each other's countries. The governments of Brazil and Portugal inked this deal. Brazil's Transport Minister Renan Filho and Portugal's Infrastructure Minister João Galamba led the signing. This deal simplifies cross-border travel for citizens of both nations. The rules are simple for drivers: The […]
Brazil lags in sanitation, with 35 million without drinking water and 100 million lacking sewage. Experts say Brazil is 30 years behind global standards, leading to issues like high infant mortality. Countries like Israel, Chile, and Spain exemplify better sanitation practices, while Brazil struggles to meet its 2033 goals. Compared to neighbors like Colombia and […]
U.S. officials are negotiating the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Vietnam, which, if finalized, would mark the largest-ever arms transfer between the two nations. Preliminary talks have happened in Hanoi, New York, and Washington. Special pricing for Vietnam is under consideration. While exact figures are undisclosed, the agreement may materialize in 2024. The South […]
Chile’s Luksic family, one of South America’s richest, saw their fortune jump to $25 billion. Their key move? Investing in global shipping. In 2011, they invested in the Chilean shipping firm CSAV through their company, Quinenco. Initially, the move sparked skepticism and heavy losses. Undeterred, the family contributed a $1.2 billion capital boost in 2012. […]
Brazil's government is supporting a University of Sao Paulo (USP) project to produce green hydrogen from ethanol. Finance Minister Fernando Haddad announced this during a Saturday press conference. He called the program the most advanced green initiative in Brazil. Specifically, the project aims to create renewable
Brazil has kicked off its Southern Spring under a high-risk heat alert from the National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet). The warning came out last Friday and affects multiple regions, including Brasilia and Sao Paulo. The alert warns of elevated temperatures lasting until this Tuesday. Inmet expects new heat records in Rio de Janeiro and Sao […]
Venezuela has informed the UN about the U.S.’s plans to set up a military base in disputed territory with Guyana. Foreign Minister Yván Gil spoke at the 78th UN General Assembly in New York. He criticized the U.S. for raising tensions by pursuing this action. Moreover, he questioned America’s involvement in the long-standing issue between […]
Amid a heatwave, the Rio de Janeiro government announced on Saturday that for the first time since 2007, all beaches in Rio and Niteroi are safe for swimming. The State Environmental Institute (Inea) confirmed this milestone. The government credits recent sanitation work and less rainfall for this achievement. "The latest water quality report reflects new […]
Costa Rica’s official data shows 656 homicides this year, marking a new high. Authorities expect this number to exceed 900 by the end of the year. Randall Zuniga, the justice chief, calls this rise a “turning point.” He also urges more public safety investments. Known as Central America’s safest country, Costa Rica is now grappling […]
The U.S. Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) was formed in 2017 to fight drug trafficking. It's now active in Colombia, Honduras, and Panama. Recently, a U.S. Army document revealed plans to expand into Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay. The unit specializes in giving advice and support. Kerri Spindler-Ranta, a U.S. Embassy official in Uruguay, says the […]