Brazil
Venezuelan dissidents escape Argentine embassy after year-long standoff in Caracas
Five Venezuelan dissidents who had sought refuge in Argentina’s embassy in Caracas have escaped the country after more than a year in hiding, in what sources described as a covert military operation led by the United States.
InDrive pioneering a sustainable "fair" ride-hailing business
The Siberia-born InDrive ride-hailing service is doing something special. It cut margins, offers the cheapest prices possible and is generous to its largely freelance staff. IIt is pioneering a new "fair" business model that works.
Brazil's Lula stakes peace broker role in Moscow visit
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will arrive in Moscow later this week for talks with President Vladimir Putin and to attend Russia's Victory Day May 9 celebrations.
COMMENT: Trump’s tariff drive hits emerging markets as growth and inflation forecasts slide – Oxford Economics
President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade policies are already casting a long shadow over emerging market economies, with analysts cutting growth forecasts and warning of prolonged investment uncertainty and policy disruption.
Brazilian police foil bomb plot targeting Lady Gaga's 2mn people Rio concert
Brazilian police have thwarted what they described as a planned bomb attack at Lady Gaga's free concert on Copacabana Beach, which attracted a record-breaking crowd of 2.1mn people on May 3.
Global press freedom indicator slips – Statista
This year's World Press Freedom Index highlights the economic situation of journalists and media organizations being a major risk to press freedom.
ECLAC cuts Latin America growth forecast amid global uncertainties
The UN's Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has downgraded its 2025 growth forecast to 2%, adding to a chorus of international institutions painting a bleak outlook for the region.
BRICS seeks new global alignment at Rio ministerial summit
The expanded BRICS alliance has emerged as a potent diplomatic force at its foreign ministers’ summit in Rio de Janeiro on April 28 ahead of the July meeting.
Global military spending surges to $2.7 trillion – Statista
Global military spending hit $2.7 trillion last year, according to the latest data by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Statista reports.
China and EU step up climate leadership as Trump left out of pre-COP30 talks
Leaders of more than a dozen countries, including China’s President Xi Jinping and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, gathered virtually last week for high-level climate talks ahead of the Brazilian COP30.
LatAm set to be world's slowest-growing region as World Bank slashes forecasts
Economic expansion for region projected to be slowest globally as external pressures mount
IMF: Enhancing financial stability for resilience during uncertain times
Capital markets are essential for driving economic activity, providing mechanisms for raising funds and allocating resources efficiently. The stability of these markets and the financial institutions that intermediate them are critical.
IMF: Global debt to exceed pandemic levels soon
Global public debt is set to rise to 95% of GDP this year and will continue to climb in the next years to top 100%, says the IMF.
Ukraine recalls ambassador to Brazil as tensions grow over Lula's Moscow visit
Ukraine has recalled its ambassador to Brazil without naming a successor, leaving its embassy in Brasília under a chargé d’affaires until at least 2026, the foreign ministry confirmed.
Rising CO2 and temperatures make rice more toxic – The Lancet
Rice, the most widely consumed grain in the world, is likely to become increasingly toxic as global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels rise, according to new research published in The Lancet on April 17.
IMF: Global growth is expected to decline and downside risks to intensify as major policy shifts unfold – WEO
After enduring a prolonged and unprecedented series of shocks, the global economy appeared to have stabilized, with steady yet underwhelming growth rates, the International Monetary Fund said in its latest World Economic Outlook.
Huawei expands into Brazil's energy storage market
Chinese tech major Huawei is targeting Brazil's energy storage sector ahead of the country's first battery auction expected in the second half of this year.
BRICS labour meeting in Brasilia tackles AI impact, green transition
The 4th BRICS Employment Working Group (EWG) Meeting concludes in Brasília today, following three days of discussions focused on artificial intelligence, digital transformation and just transition in the world of work.
COMMENT: Five key trends in new global paradigm of narrow self-interest – Oxford Economics
A new global economic paradigm is taking shape as major economies pivot towards policies rooted in narrow national self-interest, a shift that political analysts at Oxford Economics believe will have lasting repercussions.
Trump’s trade tariffs push Mexico towards recession and weigh on regional growth, IMF says
Latin America's economy is slowing, with Mexico at the centre. The IMF slashed its 2025 forecast, citing US tariffs, global tightening, and rising geopolitical tensions.