Articles by Jake Spring and Christian Plumb

Vale’s ‘Negligence’ May Have Cost Lives, Says Brazil Mining Regulator

Brazil’s mining regulator on Tuesday blasted iron ore miner Vale SA for failing to disclose problems with a mining dam before a deadly collapse in January, saying this kept the agency from taking actions that could have saved lives. The …

Why Are Amazon Fires Potentially Sparking Global Climate Crisis?

A record number of fires ravaging the Amazon has drawn international outrage because of the rainforest’s importance to the global environment and prompted Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to dispatch the military to assist in firefighting. Here is what you need …

Brazil Senate Passes Dam Safety Bill After Vale Disaster; Insurance Provision Eyed

Brazilian Senate committees on Wednesday passed a bill to tighten dam safety in the country, after a mining dam owned by Vale SA burst and killed an estimated 300 people in the town of Brumadinho. The legislation, which tightens safety …

Brazil Health Agency Says Weedkiller Glyphosate Does Not Cause Cancer

Analysts at Brazilian health agency Anvisa have determined that the weedkiller glyphosate does not cause cancer while recommending exposure limits as international pressure to reduce use of the chemical grows. Companies such as Bayer AG and its unit Monsanto, which …

‘Self-Driving’ Doesn’t Mean ‘Hands-Free’ – Lessons of Tesla Autopilot Crash in China

Tesla said last week that one of its cars had crashed in Beijing while in ‘autopilot’ mode, with the driver contending sales staff sold the function as ‘self-driving’, overplaying its actual capabilities. Tesla said it had reviewed data to confirm …