Just eat zem bugs

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Global Recap
February 08, 2025 • Read in: 12 minutes

Hi Global Recap readers,

Hope you’re ready for a great weekend! Can you believe January flew by already?

For many, it’s grocery time this weekend, and I know those rising prices are hitting hard. It’s not just a US problem—it’s global.

But don’t worry, Brazil’s President Lula has a solution for all of us: just don’t buy the expensive groceries. 👇️

🇧🇷 BRAZIL
Lula: Stop Buying
Expensive Food

In a bid to “help” Brazilians cope with skyrocketing food prices, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has advised citizens to avoid expensive groceries.

  • His main point: If people stop buying from companies that hike prices, those companies will have no choice but to lower them.

  • The catch? Businesses usually raise prices because their own costs are going up. They're running a business, not a charity.

The President’s Advice

Lula wants Brazilians to be selective.

  • In a video shared online, he urged people to avoid purchasing pricey items.

  • "If you go to the supermarket in Salvador and you suspect that a certain product is expensive, don't buy it," Lula said.

  • He believes that if everyone avoids costly items, sellers will be forced to lower prices.

🤔 Thoughts: So what happens when all groceries are getting more expensive? Inflation doesn’t just pick and choose certain products or companies—it hits everything.

Other leaders, like Argentina’s Milei or the US’s Trump, are promising to cut prices by slashing business costs. For instance, Trump wants to boost oil supply to lower oil prices, which would reduce transportation costs and, theoretically, lower overall business expenses.

🖐️ But here’s the catch: what if businesses don’t lower their prices anyway, because their competitors keep theirs the same?

Something to think about. Who knows? Lula’s plan might work.

Optimism Despite Concerns

Despite the worry, Lula remains optimistic about the future.

  • He expressed concerns over rising food prices but projected the increases would slow.

  • Lula highlighted that the Brazilian economy is in a good place and expects improvements soon.

  • "The Brazilian economy is living its best moment," he stated confidently.

Economic Factors

However, Brazil's real is still low against the US dollar.

  • Why is this a problem? A weaker currency makes imports more expensive since it takes more reals to buy the same amount of dollars—the currency used in international trade.

  • Lula is hopeful that the exchange rate will adjust soon.

  • In January, Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said food prices should drop due to strong agricultural production.

Predictions and Growth

Government predicts a steady growth rate.

  • Officials expect the economy to grow by 2.5% in 2025, a slowdown from an expected 3.5% last year.

  • Haddad believes reducing inflation will pave the way for this growth.

Insect Bar

This takes me back to the PUMBA Energy Bars handed out on the streets of Davos at the 2025 World Economic Forum.

Their website explains themselves as such:

❝

Founded in Switzerland, by RethinkResource Ventures, with a strong upcycling ethos, Pumba aims to introduce upcycled ingredients, like insect protein, to the mainstream.

Yep, you read that correctly—insect protein. And on the product page, it notes that their Whole Buffalo Powder comes from Alphitobius Diaperinus larvae.

Alphitobius Diaperinus larvae

🇬🇧 UNITED KINGDOM
UK Orders Apple
Access Backdoor

The UK is demanding that Apple create a backdoor to access all encrypted cloud backups, potentially undermining Apple’s commitment to user privacy worldwide.

Britain's Secret Demand

The UK’s order, issued last month, demands worldwide access to all encrypted content stored on Apple’s cloud services.

  • This unprecedented move falls under the UK’s Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, which gives authorities broad surveillance powers—including forcing companies to remove encryption, store user data, and intercept communications for national security and law enforcement.

  • What’s even eerier? The law makes it a crime to reveal these orders. So, your average Apple user will never know if the UK government took a peek at those cat photos in your iCloud.

Apple's Predicament

Apple faces a tough choice: comply with the order or pull encrypted services from the UK market.

  • Apple might stop offering encrypted storage in the UK rather than break its promise to users.

  • Even if they go ahead with this, it doesn’t free them from the responsibility to share data on non-British users, like those in the US. The demand stretches beyond the UK, impacting users worldwide.

1984 anyone?

Government Silence

British officials are tight-lipped about the order, neither confirming nor denying its existence.

  • The Home Office declined to comment on operational matters.

  • Apple cannot warn users about the potential breach in security.

US Reaction

US officials have been following the situation since the UK first hinted at such demands.

  • The Biden administration has been tracking the matter since its inception.

  • Law enforcement worldwide, including the FBI, has long criticized encryption for aiding criminals.

Encryption Debate

Of course, there are two sides to this issue. Privacy advocates say this is a blatant violation of right to privacy. However, law enforcement believes this is necessary for national security.

  • Law enforcement argues encryption helps criminals hide.

  • Tech companies and advocates stress the right to privacy and the risks of back doors being exploited by bad actors.

As we discussed yesterday, anything can be justified under the umbrella of "national security."

• For instance, what if someone who simply disagrees with certain teachings of Islam is labeled a threat? Could they be targeted?

• Take the recent case where a man was arrested for saying on social media that he didn't want Palestinian flags displayed across the UK. He was supposedly arrested on “suspicion of a racially aggravated Section 5 public order offence”—in other words, for hate speech.

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Trump’s Upcoming
Reciprocal Tariffs

Trump announced plans to impose reciprocal tariffs by next week in a move he claims will balance global trade.

As always, as soon as the rumors started circulating online, the stock market reacted instantly with a slight “dump”—NASDAQ slipping just over 1%.

How do I know? I watched it dump live. 😂

The Announcement

Former President Donald Trump is at it again, stirring the good old global trade pot.

  • He plans to reveal which countries will face these tariffs by Monday or Tuesday next week.

  • This move is meant to even the playing field for US trade, ensuring that “we’re treated evenly with other countries.”

  • But we still don’t know if this is just a tactic to gain leverage in potential negotiations or if it's a serious threat to actually follow through.

✍️ Context: That said, a "reciprocal tariff" is exactly what it sounds like. If a country imposes tariffs on the US, the US will hit them back with its own tariffs.

The EU, India, and Brazil might be sweating this weekend. 😬

Trump’s Gripes with Europe

One of Trump’s big complaints is the disparity in auto tariffs between the US and the EU.

  • The EU slaps a 10% tariff on auto imports while the US only charges 2.5%.

  • Trump argues Europe “won’t take our cars” but ships millions to the US.

Tariffs to Offset Tax Cuts

The plan also aims to offset costs from extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts.

  • These tariffs could help cover the cost, which independent analysts say might add trillions to the US debt.

  • Tariffs have only contributed about 2% of annual revenues recently.

🇦🇷 ARGENTINA
River Turns Blood Red

A stream near Buenos Aires has mysteriously turned a deep crimson red, sparking fears of a toxic industrial leak among local residents.

Alarming Sight

The "Sarandi" stream, which flows into the Río de la Plata, has taken on an eerie blood-red hue in recent hours, according to images shared on social media.

  • Locals described waking up to a "special and hazardous waste incinerator spewing pollutants" followed by the sight of the red-dyed waterway.

  • One resident said, "It looks like a stream of blood; we have never seen it like this."

Suspected Contamination

Officials from the municipality of Avellaneda suspect the presence of aniline, a toxic substance used in dyes and medicines, as the cause of the discoloration.

  • Water samples have been collected, and a complaint has been filed with the Buenos Aires province ministry of infrastructure and public services to investigate the incident.

History of Pollution

Residents report the stream has exhibited various unusual colors in the past - gray, green, violet, blue, and brown - often with an oily surface.

  • They say they have been filing complaints against local businesses since the 1990s, with several cases of alleged environmental contamination still open.

  • The Sarandí stream is located near Villa Inflamable, an industrial area home to tanneries and other factories that use chemicals to transform animal skins into leather.

🇸🇪 SWEDEN
Sweden Tightens Gun Laws

After the deadliest mass shooting in Sweden’s history, the government is cracking down on gun laws to prevent future tragedies.

📝 Context: This move comes after the tragic shooting at the Campus Risbergska school in Örebro.

Tragic Shooting

A lone shooter caused devastation at a Swedish school recently.

  • Ten people were killed on Tuesday, February 5, 2025, at Campus Risbergska.

  • The shooter was identified as Rickard Andersson, a 35-year-old Swedish recluse.

  • Police confirmed the death of seven women and four men, aged 28 to 68, including Andersson.

Government's Response

The government is reacting with tighter gun regulations.

  • Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer announced plans to ban certain semi-automatic weapons, including the AR-15, labeling it as a preventative measure.

  • The new laws aim to tighten the vetting process for gun licenses.

Community Impact

  • Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed sympathy for the victims and called for unity.

  • He stressed the need for solidarity among all Swedes, especially those with immigrant backgrounds.

Increased Security Measures

Swedish schools may see new security protocols.

  • The government is considering speeding up legislation to allow surveillance cameras in schools.

  • This incident has sparked discussions about improving school security nationwide.