Latin America Policy

Business

Rio Tinto and China's Chalco Forge Joint Venture to Seize Control of Brazil's CBA in $900M Deal

Mining giant Rio Tinto and state-owned Aluminum Corporation of China (Chalco) have entered a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling 68.6% stake in Brazil's Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio (CBA) from Votorantim, valuing the deal at approximately $902.6 million. The move signals a major consolidation in the global low-carbon aluminum sector.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Uber's Autonomous Ambitions Face Reality Check as New Jersey Ruling Reclassifies Drivers

Uber Technologies is aggressively expanding its autonomous vehicle ecosystem through new partnerships and its AV Labs division, even as a landmark New Jersey court decision threatens to upend its core gig-economy labor model, setting the stage for a pivotal clash between its future vision and present-day regulatory challenges.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Baker Hughes Doubles Down on Energy Transition with Major Storage and Clean Ammonia Deals

Baker Hughes (BKR) is accelerating its pivot beyond traditional oil and gas, securing key roles in a landmark U.S. clean ammonia plant and expanding its stake in long-duration energy storage technology through a deepened partnership with Hydrostor.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Oscar Health Faces Headwinds as CMS Proposes Tighter Medicare Advantage Rules

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has unveiled a proposed payment update for Medicare Advantage plans that falls below industry expectations, coupled with stricter risk-adjustment regulations. This dual challenge pressures insurers like Oscar Health (NYSE: OSCR), whose tech-driven model is now under the microscope as profitability margins face a squeeze.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Tencent Secures Nvidia H200 Chips, Bolstering China's AI Ambitions Amid Tech Tensions

Tencent Holdings has received regulatory approval to import Nvidia's advanced H200 AI chips, a significant move that enhances its competitive edge in cloud and AI services while navigating ongoing US technology restrictions.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Institutional Investors Hold Sway Over Resources Connection With 76% Stake

A dominant institutional ownership stake in Resources Connection, Inc. (NASDAQ:RGP) underscores significant outside influence over the professional services firm's direction, while also highlighting concentrated risk and governance dynamics.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Afternoon Brief: Measles Outbreak Surges, Ancient Tomb Unearthed, and the Politics of a Caffeine Fix

From a record-breaking public health crisis in South Carolina to a stunning archaeological find in Mexico, here are the major developments you need to know this afternoon, alongside a look at how global politics is reshaping daily life from Havana to your local coffee shop.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Canada Grants Conditional Lifeline for Marineland's Stranded Belugas, Paving Way for U.S. Transfer

Federal officials have issued provisional approval to relocate 30 beluga whales and four dolphins from the shuttered Ontario park to accredited U.S. aquariums, averting an immediate euthanasia threat pending final health and care plans.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Election Integrity in Focus: Watchdog Warns of Foreign Funding, Noncitizen Voting Ahead of Midterms

As states finalize legislation before the 2026 elections, a conservative-leaning watchdog group highlights vulnerabilities in the voting system, pushing for reforms to curb foreign influence and clarify citizenship requirements for voters.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Former Illinois Deputy Sentenced to 20 Years for Fatal Shooting of Sonya Massey

Sean Grayson receives maximum sentence for second-degree murder in the 2024 killing of Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black mother who had called 911 for help.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Washington Scrambles to Avert Shutdown as Minneapolis Tensions Influence DHS Funding Fight

Lawmakers are negotiating a short-term deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security, aiming to avoid a partial government shutdown this weekend. The talks occur against the backdrop of heightened political pressure following recent violence in Minneapolis and a shift in the administration's enforcement rhetoric.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Protesters Mistake TSA Officers for ICE Agents in Tense LA Restaurant Confrontation

A group of protesters in Lynwood, California, surrounded and harassed federal air marshals, incorrectly identifying them as immigration enforcement officers. The incident highlights the volatile climate surrounding immigration debates and the risks of misdirected activism.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Fox News Poll: Democrats Hold Early 6-Point Lead in 2026 Generic Ballot, Fueled by Cost-of-Living Concerns

A new Fox News survey reveals Democrats leading Republicans 52% to 46% in a generic congressional ballot for the 2026 midterms, the highest level of support recorded for either party in this poll series. Voter priorities and sharp partisan divides on key issues shape the early political landscape.

Jan 30, 2026

World

A Village Hollowed Out: Mass Kidnapping Forces Exodus in Nigeria's Kaduna State

The abduction of nearly 200 residents from Kurmin Wali has shattered community life, triggering a wave of departures as survivors lose faith in state protection and face an uncertain future.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Rheinmetall Secures Multi-Year Hand Grenade Contract with Dutch Military, Expanding European Ammunition Partnership

German defense giant Rheinmetall has inked a significant, multi-year framework agreement to supply the Dutch armed forces with a range of hand grenades, deepening a strategic partnership that now spans artillery shells to infantry ordnance amid heightened European security concerns.

Jan 30, 2026

World

Amnesty Hopes Rise Among IS-Linked Foreign Women in Syrian Camp as Government Offensive Shifts Power

Foreign women detained in Syria's Roj camp, linked to the Islamic State group, see a potential path to freedom following a government offensive that weakened their Kurdish guards. As political dynamics shift, their hopes for amnesty or repatriation collide with international reluctance and an uncertain future for the camps.

Jan 30, 2026

World

Daylight Prayer at Joseph's Tomb Marks Shift in West Bank Access, Settler Leader Hails 'Significant Step'

In a departure from long-standing restrictions, approximately 1,500 Israeli Jews held morning prayers at the contested Joseph's Tomb in Nablus. A senior settler official called the event a move toward cementing Israeli sovereignty over the site, which lies in an area under Palestinian administrative control.

Jan 30, 2026

World

EU Brands Iran's Revolutionary Guards a Terrorist Organization, Prompting Fierce Condemnation from Tehran

The European Union has taken the unprecedented step of designating Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity, triggering a sharp diplomatic crisis. Iran has denounced the move as illegal and politically motivated, vowing to respond.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Deutsche Bank Eyes Return to Life Insurance with Potential Stake in Frankfurter Leben

Deutsche Bank and its asset manager DWS are in preliminary talks to acquire a significant minority stake in Fosun-owned Frankfurter Leben, signaling a strategic reversal a decade after exiting the sector.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Ethereum at a Crossroads: Can February 2026 Reverse a Rocky Start?

Ethereum enters February 2026 under pressure, testing key support near $2,690 after a historically weak January. Analysts are divided on whether seasonal trends or shifting on-chain dynamics will dictate the month's direction.

Jan 30, 2026