South America

Google filed a lawsuit against Chilean LATAM Airlines on Thursday in U.S. Federal Court, seeking to have a ruling that Brazilian courts can't force the tech giant take down an American YouTube video that accused a LATAM worker of sexually abusing children. Alphabet, which owns YouTube and Alphabet, claimed in the lawsuit LATAM had tried to "make an ending run" around the protections of free speech in the U.S. Constitution, by suing Brazil to force worldwide removal of the video. The company said that it had not received any official communications about the case. Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda stated in...

Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, sued LATAM Airlines, based in Chile, in a U.S. Federal Court in San Jose, California, on Thursday. The tech giant was seeking a ruling that Brazilian courts could not force it to remove a video posted in the United States accusing a LATAM worker of sexually abusing an American child. Google said in the lawsuit that LATAM had tried to "make a run around" the protections of free speech in the U.S. Constitution, by suing Brazil to force removal of the video worldwide. LATAM's spokespersons did not respond immediately to a comment request on Google’s...

Authorities said that many people died when an Air India flight bound for London, with 242 passengers on board, crashed just minutes after it took off from Ahmedabad, a western city. This was the worst aviation accident in a decade. Here are some details about other deadly crashes that have occurred in recent years. UNITED STATES On January 29, more than 60 people died when an American Airlines regional jet collided into a U.S. Army Black Hawk chopper and crashed in the icy Potomac River, near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. SOUTH KOREA On December 29, 2024, the Jeju Air...

Authorities said that the death toll is expected to rise as an Air India flight bound for London, carrying 242 passengers, crashed shortly after it took off from Ahmedabad, a city in western India. Here are some fatal accidents that occurred in the last few years. UNITED STATES On January 29, more than 60 people died when an American Airlines regional jet collided into a U.S. Army Black Hawk chopper and crashed in the icy Potomac River, near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. SOUTH KOREA On December 29, 2024, the Jeju Air flight 7C2216 crash-landed at Muan Airport killing all...

The state-owned Chinese planemaker COMAC proposed to take a stake in Lao Airlines' government-owned Lao Airlines. Lao Airlines recently began operating one of COMAC’s C909 regional aircraft, according to the Vientiane Times, a state-run newspaper. The outlet reports that Lao Prime Minster Sonexay Sphandone said to the National Assembly Monday that the Lao Government is evaluating the COMAC proposal for a "comprehensive enterprise" in which COMAC holds at least a 51 percent stake. Prime Minister said that the national carrier was one of four state-owned enterprises that were undergoing reform. Lao Airlines and COMAC didn't immediately respond to comments. Lao...

Celso Ferrer, the Chief executive officer of Brazilian airline Gol, said that the company had officially exited bankruptcy proceedings in the United States, paving the way for new routes and flights within Brazil as well as to other countries. Gol, the Brazilian airline after Latam, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States in 2024. The sector was struggling with heavy debts, a sharp decline in passenger numbers due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and delays in aircraft deliveries. Azul, Gol's competitor, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States last month. Ferrer stated that despite Azul's financial...

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced on Wednesday that it will hold an 11th of June hearing to discuss President Donald Trump's nominee for the Federal Aviation Administration, Bryan Bedford, CEO of Republic Airways. Bedford, an industry veteran with more than 30 year's experience, was nominated for the position in March. He previously led two other carriers, and oversaw significant expansions of Republic Airways which operates regional flights on behalf of American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines. Republic, based in Indiana, is one of North America's largest regional airlines. It operates a fleet of over 200 Embraer aircraft...

The Federal Aviation Administration's acting chief said that U.S. Army helicopter flight around the Pentagon remains suspended. Two passenger airline flights had to abort their landings at Reagan Washington National Airport on May 1, due to a Black Hawk helicopter nearby. The acting FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau said at a U.S. House of Representatives hearing that, as the agency revisits its letter of agreement with military, it has barred the Army's training flights or priority transport flights. Rocheleau stated that "they are not flying at this time." "We have shut them down until we are comfortable with what we call...

Ethiopian Airlines' chief executive said on Monday that the airline is planning to purchase at least 20 small regional jets or narrowbody aircraft to replace older aircraft and expand its domestic fleet. In an interview, CEO Mesfin Tassew Bekele stated that "we are evaluating three aircraft types, the E-2 by Embraer, A220 by Airbus and the 737 MAX 7 by Boeing." He added that the final order amount will depend on which type is chosen. Boeing's 737 MAX 7 has yet to be approved. It is a plane with a higher seating capacity, but it falls at the bottom of...

Fabio Campos said in a Friday press conference that the Brazilian airline Azul hopes to end Chapter 11 proceedings by early next year. Campos responded that Azul would now concentrate on its financial restructuring. Azul filed for Chapter 11 in the United States this week. Abra, Gol's majority shareholder, and Colombian Avianca announced to Azul in January that they had signed an non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with the intention of merging their businesses in Brazil. Campos noted also that the MoU between Azul and Gol remains valid, even though it is not Azul's priority at this time. Azul finished this...

United Airlines and American Airlines are fierce competitors in the U.S., but have decided to support Azul after the Brazilian airline filed for bankruptcy earlier this week. This move is being made as major U.S. carriers look to improve connections in Latin America’s largest country. American's support of Azul is noteworthy given its own ties with its local competitor Gol, which has just emerged from its own Chapter 11 proceedings. According to a filing by Azul, U.S. firms are planning to invest up $300 million in a equity offering for Azul to repay its debtor-in possession financing after it emerges...

The Brazilian airline Azul filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States on Wednesday. This was despite its efforts for months to restructure debts mostly from the pandemic era. This move could scupper any merger plans with Gol. It is the latest Latin American airline to declare bankruptcy following the depressed conditions the industry experienced in the first months of COVID-19. According to Brazilian airline, the deal involves a commitment to finance of $1.6 billion throughout the entire process, the elimination of more than $2 billion in debt and a further commitment to up to $950 millions in equity financing...

Brazilian rail operator Rumo has terminated a 2024 deal to sell a part of the terminal at Latin America’s largest port, to U.S. commodities traders Bunge and to a subsidiary from Japan’s Zen-Noh Group. Rumo stated in a filing with the Securities Commission that the conditions of the agreement for a 50% stake in the XXXIX Terminal, located in Santos Port, had not been fully met before the deadline. It did not give any further details. The parts were Announcement of the Deal Rumo reported that the agreement would be worth 600 million reais ($107.44 millions) in May 2024. Bunge...

Abiove, the traders' association, and a toll-road operator announced on Tuesday that indigenous Brazilian protesters had lifted their blockade of Brazil's Trans-Amazonian Highway. This reopened a vital grain shipping route connecting farmers to the Miritituba River Port. On March 25, Munduruku activists shut down the road (also known as BR-230) to pressure Brazil's Supreme Court into overturning a law that limits indigenous land rights in 2023. Grain traders reported that the protests prevented the shipment of around 70 000 metric tons worth nearly $30 million of grains every day. Abiove reported that it had learned on Tuesday morning the indigenous...

In recent days, protests by indigenous peoples and poor roads disrupted the shipping of Brazil's bumper soya crop via the river port Miritituba within the Amazon rainforest. This has caused concern for global companies such as Cargill and Bunge who have important operations. Abiove, the association of grain handlers in Nigeria, reported on Friday that road access to Miritituba had been partially or totally blocked for two weeks. This has prevented the shipment of almost 70,000 tons per day of grain, equivalent to almost $30 millions of product value. In a statement issued jointly with the farm group Aprosoja Brasil,...

The tariffs imposed by U.S. president Donald Trump on Mexican imports pose a significant risk to farmers in Jacksonville. This is because Mexico's retaliation could cause corn buyers to switch to South American rivals. Mexico is the top corn-importing country in the world. At a time when prices of grains have plummeted and chemical and seed costs for crops are on the rise, this market is crucial for U.S. producers. Farmers in Jacksonville, a small city of 17,000 residents, are more likely to benefit from Mexican demand than other farmers. The residents live near a grain loading facility where corn...

Analysts said that the sale of Brazil's soy crop was lagging, due to high freight costs, an increased local currency, and the extra caution taken by trading companies to complete purchases. According to the consultancy Safras & Mercado, Brazil's soybean crop for 2024/25 has already sold 39.4% more than total production expected. This is higher than the 31,9% recorded in the same time period of 2024. It is still below the average for five years of 43.2%. Guilherme Palahares, Santander Research's head of food and beverage research, said that "Freight was the biggest factor in limiting business." To reduce risk,...

Brazilian conglomerate Cosan has actually sold some 173 million shares it owned in Vale, it stated on Thursday, dumping a stake that made it a crucial shareholder of the mining giant as it looks to reduce financial obligation. Cosan, which did not divulge monetary information, stated in a. securities filing that its decision to sell the stake of approximately. 4.05% in Vale was based exclusively on the goal of enhancing its. capital structure. According to a source familiar with the transaction, Cosan. raised around 9 billion reais ($ 1.5 billion) with the sale,. permitting it to decrease its financial obligation...

A freight lobby has alerted of the threat of logistical collapse after Brazilian transport agency ANTT changed payment system guidelines for trucks moving millions of lots of farming products and other cargo, according to a statement on Thursday. The intro of electronic tags as the only accepted means of payment comes as Brazil begins collecting a huge soybean crop of almost 170 million tons, stated Carley Welter, executive director at ANATC, an association of freight firms. ANATC, whose members move a combined 150 million tons of freight including soybeans, corn and soybean meal and have 2.2 million registered truck motorists,...

A freight lobby has actually warned of the risk of logistical collapse after Brazilian transportation firm ANTT altered payment system guidelines for trucks moving countless lots of agricultural commodities and other freight, according to a declaration on Thursday. Intro of electronic tags as the only accepted ways of payment comes as Brazil starts gathering a huge soybean crop of nearly 170 million heaps, stated Carley Welter, executive director at ANATC, a national association of freight companies. ANATC, whose members have actually 2.2 million signed up truck drivers, said firms supplying the tags have been not able to meet high demand....

Brazil could have its BAB overthecounter (OTC) market for soy and corn in place previously the end of the year, the new market's CEO stated on Friday. BAB has been given the green light from Brazil's securities commission, CEO Eric Cardoni told press reporters. Backed by regional train operator Rumo, BAB was developed to enable hedging by regional traders and farmers to better reflect Brazilian market prices, Cardoni said. Grain costs in Brazil, the world's top soy manufacturer and one of the biggest corn farmers, frequently diverge from those sold Chicago since of various crop durations and logistics costs. Cardoni...

Nine individuals passed away when the van they were traveling in hit a truck in southern Brazil late on Sunday, local authorities said. Seven of the victims were teenage members of a rowing team from Pelotas, in Rio Grande do Sul state, who were traveling back from a competitors in Sao Paulo when the crash happened in Guaratuba, Parana state. According to Brazil's federal highway cops, only one of the van's 10 residents - a 17-year-old rower - survived. The truck chauffeur, a 30-year-old-man, had minor injuries, they added. Police said the truck stopped working to brake and collided with...

Native individuals who see a threat to their ancestral lands from the building and construction of a. railway to bring grains to a port in the Amazon on Monday pulled. out of a work group developed by the government last year to. advance the task. The Munduruku and Kayapo people, along with tribes from the. Xingu appointment said in a letter to the Transportation Ministry. that the work group was refraining from doing its job of discussing the. 1,000-km (620-mile) Ferrograo railway with all celebrations. The ministry did not right away reply to an ask for. remark, nor did state...

A fire that ruined a conveyor belt and electric systems at the Tiplam terminal in the port of Santos, Brazil's biggest, caused a suspension of sugar loading on piers 2 and 3 on that terminal, according to a note from the business. The fire broke out on Thursday night on the website and was managed on Friday morning. There were no victims, however the destruction of the conveyor belt stopped loadings in the berths, said the note to customers of VLI, the company handling the terminal. The note was seen . Damage to the electrical infrastructure at the terminal likewise...