Brazil
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Brazil bets on AI data hub ambitions as companies pour billions into smart logistics
Brazil's government unveiled plans to position the country as a major global hub for artificial intelligence data processing and storage, even as Brazilian and multinational companies race to automate their logistics networks.
Battery costs have declined by 99% in the last three decades, making electrified transport a reality – OWID
Over 20mn electric cars were sold globally in 2025 — some for as little as $10,000. Even just two decades ago, that would have been impossible. The reason it's possible now? Batteries have gotten much cheaper.
BYD blacklisted in Brazil after 163 workers rescued from slave-like conditions
Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD has been added to Brazil's official forced labour blacklist after 163 Chinese workers were found in conditions analogous to slavery at the construction site of its new factory in Camaçari, Bahia, in 2024.
Latin America growth slips as weak investment persists, World Bank says
The World Bank has cut its 2026 growth forecast for Latin America and the Caribbean to 2.1%, down from 2.4% recorded last year, warning that the region faces a toxic combination of weak investment, tight fiscal space, and productivity deficits.
Falling electrotech costs create a fast catch up path for Global South
A new energy pathway is emerging for developing economies, one that challenges the assumption that fossil fuels are a prerequisite for growth, according to a new report by Ember.
US consumers under pressure as Gulf energy crisis expands
US consumers are coming under increasing pressure as the effects of the energy shock from the Gulf War ripple amounts across the world.
The world could run out of chocolate by 2050
The world could face a severe shortage of chocolate by 2050 as climate change disrupts cocoa production in key growing regions, according to scientific estimates and industry data.
Gold overtakes US Treasuries in central bank reserves
Gold has overtaken US Treasuries as the largest component of global central bank reserves for the first time since the mid-1990s, marking a significant shift in the structure of the international monetary system, Bloomberg reports.
MOSCOW BLOG: Pax Americana exposed as a paper tiger
Superficially the war in Iran has dealt Ukraine a huge blow. The White House is now completely distracted, and the Trump administration seems to have abandoned, or at least paused, the ceasefire negotiations with Russia.
IntelliNews launches IntelliNews Reputation Leaders Awards
April 2, 2026. bne IntelliNews, a leading provider of business news and data about emerging markets, today announces the launch of the IntelliNews Reputation Leaders Awards – an independent, annual awards programme.
Cost of living shock deepens as energy crisis hits G7 spending – Oxford Economics
A surge in energy prices following the escalation of the Iran conflict is intensifying the cost-of-living crisis across the G7, dragging consumer spending growth to its weakest level since 2022.
Jurong Island’s output cut triggers $1.64 petrol spike in Australia
Singapore’s reclaimed oil refining region, the 32-square-kilometre Jurong Island, has become the primary driver of record-high petrol prices in Australia as Middle East supply shocks ripple through the Asia-Pacific energy corridor.
All Nato members reach 2% GDP defence spending for the first time
All of Nato’s members have met the alliance’s 2% of GDP defence spending target for the first time, pushing total military expenditure to a record $1.4 trillion, according to data reported by Euractiv on March 20.
Rosatom and Brazil's NBEPar launch joint venture for critical minerals extraction
Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom and Brazilian private holding company NBEPar have signed an agreement to establish a joint venture for the extraction and processing of critical minerals in Brazil, the companies said.
Extreme heat will kill more people in poor countries than the rich
Poorer countries are projected to suffer sharply higher mortality from the increasing frequency of extreme heatwaves than wealthier nations, with death rates potentially rising by as much as tenfold.
EU-Mercosur trade deal to take effect provisionally from May 1
The European Commission has announced that its trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc will provisionally enter into force on May 1, marking a crucial milestone for a long-negotiated pact.
LONG READ: Coal is back.
Coal is back. Having become a fuel for most of the last two decades, countries are scrambling to secure supplies of coal in the face of “ The largest supply disruption in the history,” according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Democracy fading as autocractic rulers gain ground – Statista
Released on March 19, the latest Freedom in the World 2026 report finds that global freedom declined for the 20th consecutive year in 2025, with more countries experiencing deterioration in political rights and civil liberties than improvements