Author: HotspotorlandoNews

Argentina brought in its first budget surplus in more than a decade in 2024, data published on Friday showed, marking a win for libertarian President Javier Milei and his sweeping austerity push in his first full year in office. The nation’s budget surplus came in at 1.76 trillion pesos, or 0.3% of gross domestic product (GDP) in the full year, the economy ministry said. Meanwhile the primary fiscal balance, which excludes debt payments, was up to a 10.41 trillion peso surplus, or 1.8% of the GDP.

Brazil’s government announced on Friday Nigeria’s acceptance as a partner country in the multinational bloc of nations known as BRICS. Brazil, which holds the bloc’s presidency in 2025, said in a statement that the African country has been actively “strengthening cooperation in the Global South and reforming global governance”, which has been a priority to Brazil.

Severe cold forces Trump inauguration indoors, first time in 40 years By Tim Reid and Doina Chiacu ’ Swearing-in will take place on Monday inside the U.S. Capitol Indoor ceremony limits crowd size compared to outdoor event Trump also moves presidential parade to indoor venue President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration will take place inside the U.S. Capitol on Monday rather than outdoors because of severe cold, the first time in 40 years that U.S. presidential inaugural ceremonies will be moved indoors. “There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country. I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way,”…

Polar vortex set to envelop much of US in freezing temperatures By Hannah Lang and Brendan O’Brien A blast of Arctic air is set to cover much of the United States with temperatures below freezing starting on Friday and into next week, impacting millions of Americans in nearly all of the contiguous states. Temperatures will reach below 10 degrees Fahrenheit (-12 C) in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, into the teens in the central Plains and Midwest and near 30 degrees in parts of the South on Saturday, before the front moves into the East Coast and the Southeast…

Brazil: Haddad says high interest rates will curb inflation Brazil’s Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said on Friday that high interest rates are poised to have a much stronger effect on inflation than many expect, dismissing fears that fiscal challenges could undermine the effectiveness of monetary policy. “I don’t believe in fiscal dominance at this moment,” Haddad told CNN Brasil, referring to a scenario in which central bank rate hikes drive up government debt servicing costs, worsen fiscal conditions, and deteriorate market expectations, ultimately fueling inflation instead of containing it.

Displaced Los Angeles homeowners face price gouging after wildfires By Dawn Chmielewski Wildfire victims face sudden rental price hikes in Los Angeles Governor Newsom prohibits rent increases of more than 10% Tenant advocacy group identifies hundreds of examples of suspected price gouging California attorney general opens investigations LOS ANGELES,  Jay Gilberg bought a five-bedroom, 4,800-square-foot (446-sq-meter) home in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacific Palisades in June to merge two households, bringing his two daughters, his girlfriend, and her teenager together under one roof in what he described as “a very happy home.” Six months later, that home is gone,…

The official logo for the Japan-Brazil Friendship Exchange Year (the 130th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Brazil) Watch the video

Brazil final tax rate slightly higher than the one approved by Congress, special tax secretary says The final version of the Brazilian tax reform sanctioned on Thursday by Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is slightly higher than the one approved by the lower house before it went to the senate, special secretary for tax reform Bernard Appy said.

SpaceX’s Starship explodes in flight test, forcing airlines to divert Starship prototype fails after launch from Texas, forces airlines to alter course Upper stage anomaly leads to loss of Starship Super Heavy booster successfully returns to launchpad Starship had multiple upgrades, poised to deploy mock satellites WASHINGTON- A SpaceX Starship rocket broke up in space minutes after launching from Texas on Thursday, forcing airline flights over the Gulf of Mexico to alter course to avoid falling debris and setting back Elon Musk’s flagship rocket program. SpaceX mission control lost contact with the newly upgraded Starship, carrying its first test payload…

Advance on Pix was a political mistake, not a communication one The decision to increase the inspection on Pix was clumsy and aimed to increase collection at the time of Lula’s greatest wear and tear with public opinion