By Maurizio Vogrig Regarding the book “My Wonderful Monte Valdo” by Kathrin Rüegg This is about Switzerland, not Sweden. Worldwide, the confusion between Switzerland and Sweden is a running political gag. Indeed, the two countries share some commonalities – both belong to Europe and have similarly sounding names. Yet, following the Quran burning incident in […]
Today concludes Brazil's leadership of the UN Security Council, with Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira having assumed the role on October 1. Next month, China will lead, followed by Ecuador in December. The Security Council focuses on international peace. It has five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US. Ten rotating members include […]
Official data shows that exports from Portuguese-speaking countries to Macau jumped 42.7% in the first nine months of this year. These nations exported goods worth 1.08 billion patacas (about $126 million). On the other hand, Macau's exports to these countries dropped to 662,000 patacas ($77,800), a 51.1% decrease. Total external trade in Macau for the […]
Today, Mozambique's government announced a 4.4% economic growth for the first nine months of this year. This growth rate outperforms the global GDP average and Sub-Saharan Africa's figures. The government issued a press release after today's meeting. It revealed an inflation rate of 8.7% from January to September. This rate is lower than the predicted […]
Celso Amorim, Brazil's special advisor, said Africa will be central to Brazil’s foreign policy in 2024. He made this announcement at the 11th Brazil-Africa Forum in São Paulo. After President Lula da Silva's election, Brazil aimed to re-enter global discussions, Amorim explained. Now, Brazil will focus more on Africa, he added. This year's forum talks […]
Chile’s National Statistics Institute (INE) announced on Tuesday that the unemployment rate rose to 8.9%. This rate is up by 0.9 percentage points compared to the same period last year. Importantly, this marks the eleventh straight monthly increase. INE clarified the situation. The labor force grew by 3%, but only 2% of these people found […]
Despite high-interest rates and slowing inflation, Mexico’s economy expanded by 3.3% in the third quarter of 2023, according to INEGI. Primary activities increased 5.3%, secondary activities 4.5%, and tertiary activities 2.5%. The growth fell short of the expected 3.5% but still marked the tenth consecutive quarter of growth. Comparing quarters, the economy expanded 0.9% from […]
The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) reports that Brazil's jobless rate has dropped to 7.7%, marking its lowest since 2015. In this quarter, 331,000 fewer people were unemployed. That's a 3.8% drop. Compared to last year, 1.1 million fewer people are jobless, a 12.1% decline. Meanwhile, employment is up. Now, 99.8 million people […]
Last week, a big increase in money going into crypto Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs) happened. CoinShares, an asset management firm, reported $326 million in new investments. This beat the prior week's $66 million. Many think this rise is due to growing investor confidence. They expect the U.S. SEC, a government agency, to soon okay a Bitcoin […]
(Opinion) For years, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rebounded from political threats, often at a significant cost, leaving many wondering about his future. But the tragic events of October 7th could mark the beginning of his end. Just a month ago, Netanyahu was already on shaky ground. Nationwide protests erupted against his proposal to […]
In Northern Italy, China’s COSCO owns 40% of the port of Vado Ligure, an investment aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI aims to link Asia, Europe, and Africa through infrastructure. But it also raises concerns in Europe. For instance, Italy plans to leave the BRI due to security worries. To find […]
A Bolivian court rejected a prosecutor’s request to put former President Jeanine Áñez on trial. She allegedly played a role in 20 deaths during the 2019 protests. The decision came from a court in El Alto, a large city close to La Paz. Áñez is 56 years old, and her lawyers reported the ruling on […]
The World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank IDB are partnering to connect 3.5 million students in Latin America to the Internet. They've already put $512 million into the project. Additionally, they plan to invest $400 million more in the next two years. This marks their first significant step to improve digital access and teacher […]
Venezuela’s Electoral Council announced that over 20.6 million people can vote in the Esequibo referendum on December 3. The Council’s President, Elvis Amoroso, clarified that the total number of registered voters is higher. However, only Venezuelan citizens can vote on this national issue, not foreign residents. Amoroso also revealed that 15,857 voting centers and 28,027 […]
On October 29, President Laurentino Cortizo announced a public referendum, yet Panamanians continue to call for the termination of a Canadian mining agreement. On October 30, protests continued for the eighth straight day against Minera Panama, a subsidiary of Canada’s First Quantum Minerals. Local media and videos show clashes between police and protesters nationwide. In […]
Pomerode Alimentos won Best Latin American Cheese at the 2023 World Cheese Awards in Norway. The Guild of Fine Food hosted the event. This year, 4,502 cheeses from 43 countries competed for honors. Morro Azul, the winning cheese, is a soft cheese made from cow's milk. It's seasoned with oak bark and aged 2 to […]
On October 30, Chile’s Constitutional Council approved a new constitution, paving the way for a public referendum in December. The council announced the news, revealing 33 votes for and 17 against. The proposal needed at least 30 votes to pass. Different political groups showed support. The conservative coalition Chile Vamos gave 11 votes. The Republican […]
Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok are popular, but they also host annoying behaviors. Let’s talk about 12 habits that need to stop. Posting Too Many Stories People who post too many stories on Instagram or Facebook can be annoying. This is even worse when the stories are boring or repetitive. No Captions […]
The Longevity Institute in Brazil introduced the UDIL index to evaluate how cities cater to residents aged 60 and above. They used public data from sources like IBGE and INSS. The index has 23 indicators in three categories: health, social factors, and economics. Cities are grouped by size: large, medium, and small. São Caetano do […]
Emgepron and Tidewise, Brazilian firms, recently trialed an autonomous vessel named USV Suppressor X at MINEX 2023. On October 24, it sailed through a magnetic strip near Salvador in Bahia. The goal was to check the boat's magnetic safety for military use. Usually, this magnetic strip tests Brazil's submarines. So, passing the test was a […]
Sergio Massa faces two big tasks. He’s Argentina’s Economic Minister and also a presidential candidate. Recently, fuel became scarce in Argentina. Long lines formed at gas stations in Buenos Aires and other cities. Javier Milei, Massa’s opponent, is using this issue in the campaign. Last Sunday, Massa issued a warning. He said if the fuel […]
A new study by Loft using artificial intelligence (AI) has shed light on rental prices in São Paulo districts. The study covers 51 neighborhoods and offers unique data for renters and property owners alike. Unlike traditional studies, this one goes beyond simply listing the current asking prices. Instead, it utilizes AI to recommend what the […]
Guilherme Coelho, leader of Brazil's Abrafrutas, arrived in India on Monday to expand market opportunities and clarify regulations. Meanwhile, in São Paulo, experts discuss fruit exports. They focus on the need for Global G.A.P certifications, which are crucial for meeting international quality standards. Brazil holds only 602 such certifications. This low number affects the country's […]
A year following Elon Musk’s acquisition of X, previously known as Twitter, the platform’s valuation has nosedived from $44 billion to $19 billion. This info comes from employees with company shares and was reported by The Verge. Right after the purchase, Musk introduced Restricted Stock Units, or RSUs, for the employees. These are special shares […]
Brazil's local tourism industry is set to grow 11.5% by year-end, according to Fecomercio. This data shows a remarkable recovery since the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, more Brazilians are opting to travel, especially as the year closes out. Also, corporate travel is resurging with trade shows and events. From January to August, the industry experienced a […]