Major International Business Headlines Brief ::: 15 August 2025

[Bulls n Bears]

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Major International Business Headlines Brief :::  15 August   2025 

 


 


 


 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

 


 

 


 

ü  Tanzania Eyes to Claim Sub Saharan's Helm in Mining Sector

ü  Somalia: Somali Cabinet Passes Mining, Employment Laws Amid Ongoing
Anti-Militant Push

ü  Uganda: Powering the Digital Future

ü  Tanzania: BMH Hailed for Opening Kidney Transplant Unit Worth 1.5bn/-

ü  Kenya: Steer Clear of the Scam Tactics Used in This Fake Online Ad for
Hundreds of Jobs At Kenyan Roads Agency

ü  Congo-Kinshasa: U.S. Sanctions Armed Groups, Companies 'Fueling Conflict'
in Eastern DR Congo

ü  Intel shares jump after report of possible US stake in chipmaker

ü  F1 tycoon fined $23,000 in Singapore gift scandal

ü  Instagram users angry and confused as Meta overturns yet more account
bans

ü  Air Canada begins cancelling flights ahead of potential strike

ü  US wholesale prices jump in July as tariffs hit

ü  Bolsonaro's son praises Trump's tariff hike on Brazil

ü  UK economic growth slows but beats forecasts

ü  Economic woes dominate as Bolivia prepares to go to the polls

ü  China's unemployed young adults who are pretending to have jobs

 


 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

 


Tanzania Eyes to Claim Sub Saharan's Helm in Mining Sector

Dar es Salaam — TANZANIA is positioning itself to become a hub for the
manufacture of mining products and services for Sub-Saharan Africa by
attracting investment in factories that produce mining equipment and provide
mining services both within and outside the country.

 

Minister for Minerals, Anthony Mavunde made the statement in Dar es Salaam
when launching a sales warehouse for heavy machinery spare parts and mining
equipment, jointly owned by India's Shan Parts Africa and Italy's ITR
company.

 

At the event, Mr Mavunde commended the company for investing in the country
noting that the availability of their service in the country will
significantly reduce the mass importation of spare parts from abroad and
lower operational costs.

 

"The mining sector is crucial to our national economy, and having such
services here will greatly stimulate its growth. We have allocated land in
Buzwagi, Kahama, for the construction of factories to add value and provide
mining services," he stated.

 

ALSO READ: Tanzania lures Belarus to invest in agriculture, health, mining
sectors

 

Shan Parts Africa specialises in aftermarket Spare Parts for Mining,
Earthmoving, & Construction Equipment Since 1947.

 

The company deals in Spare Parts of Excavators, Bulldozers, Rock Breakers,
Wheel Loaders, Backhoe Loaders, Motor Graders, Vibratory Rollers, Asphalt
Pavers, Transit Mixers, Concrete Pumps, and so on.

 

The company aims to be the most preferred source for Spares for Mining,
Earthmoving and Construction equipment in India.

 

Read the original article on Daily News.

 

 

 

 

Somalia: Somali Cabinet Passes Mining, Employment Laws Amid Ongoing
Anti-Militant Push

Mogadishu — Somalia's Council of Ministers convened its weekly meeting on
Thursday, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama, where two key
legislative proposals were approved to bolster economic growth and youth
employment.

 

The cabinet endorsed the Regulatory Framework for Private Employment
Agencies and the Draft Mining Bill, measures aimed at enhancing job creation
and promoting investment in the country's underdeveloped natural resources
sector.

 

During the session, the Council also received a briefing from security
agencies, focusing on intensified operations against extremist insurgents in
various parts of the country.

 

Ministers praised the recent gains made by Somali security forces in the
ongoing offensive against the Al-Shabaab militant group, stating that the
progress has led to improved security and territorial recovery.

 

The federal government reaffirmed its commitment to fighting terrorism,
strengthening national security, and creating a conducive environment for
both domestic and foreign investment in a bid to ensure lasting peace and
prosperity.

 

Read the original article on Shabelle.

 

 

 

 

Uganda: Powering the Digital Future

Kampala — Powering the telecom sector to drive socio-economic transformation
isno longer a luxury -- it's a national imperative, experts say

 

Uganda's push toward a digitally enabled economy received renewed momentum
at the Telecom Sector Power Forum 2025, held on Tuesday, August 5, in
Kampala.

 

Hosted under the theme "Powering the Telecom Sector to Drive Socio-Economic
Transformation," the forum brought together leaders from the energy, ICT,
telecom, and policy sectors to unpack the growing need for integrated
infrastructure to drive national development. Private sector players led the
charge, urging bold partnerships and policy interventions to close glaring
service delivery gaps in rural areas.

 

Sylvia Mulinge, chief executive officer of MTN Uganda, underscored the
centrality of energy in sustaining digital infrastructure.

 

"Connectivity is only as strong as the power source behind it. A stable
power supply is crucial for maintaining communication networks, especially
in rural Uganda," she said. Mulinge also called for a shift toward clean and
renewable electricity to power telecom towers, while urging environmental
responsibility and sustainable investment.

 

"Electricity is the invisible backbone of our digital era. Without it,
there's no digital learning, no telemedicine, no smart innovation," she
added, noting that digital infrastructure enables critical services across
education, healthcare, finance, and governance.

 

Other telecom private sector players appealed for the integration of telecom
infrastructure into Uganda's National Electrification Strategy citing
persistent gaps in access, even in areas where nearly 2,000 kilometers of
electricity lines had already been extended to telecom towers.

 

"We need to prioritise telecom infrastructure within national
electrification plans. This is the only way to ensure that rural communities
are not left behind in the digital economy," one telecom player said.

 

Keynote speaker Henry Kerali, former World Bank Director for West Africa,
struck a cautionary yet visionary tone, emphasizing the strategic value of
aligning telecom and energy investments with national development
priorities.

 

"Governments must invest prudently in the ICT sector to drive service
delivery across sectors," he said. He also reaffirmed the importance of
Sustainable Development Goal 7--universal access to affordable, reliable,
and modern energy services-- stressing that all infrastructure decisions
must adhere to national laws and policies for long-term sustainability.

 

The forum's urgency was framed by stark numbers: while Uganda's national
electricity access stood at 51 percent in 2023, rural electrification lagged
at just over 31 percent, according to the Global Off-Grid Lighting
Association (GOGLA) and the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. Without targeted
power provision to telecom installations in rural areas, participants
warned, Uganda risks deepening the digital divide.

 

Representing the regulatory sector, Fred Otunnu, head of corporate affairs
at the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) said: "The Telecom Sector
Power Forum is spotlighting the critical energy gap hindering rural
connectivity. The future of Uganda's digital economy is inseparable from our
energy infrastructure."

 

Stronger alignment

 

Responding to the private sector's concerns and laying out a roadmap for
policy action, Ziria Tibalwa, CEO of the Electricity Regulatory Authority
(ERA), called for stronger alignment between national electrification plans
and Uganda's digitisation goals.

 

"We must anchor our electrification efforts in the broader agenda of digital
and socioeconomic development," she said, adding that energy infrastructure
must support the country's ICT ambitions.

 

Other government officials echoed the call for integrated planning.
Sidronius Okaasai Opolot, Uganda's Minister of State for Energy, assured
participants that the government is committed to synchronizing electricity
expansion with telecom development.

 

"Rural areas need masts," he said, while pointing to the Free Electricity
Connection Policy as a key lever to accelerate grid expansion and
inclusivity.

 

Opolot said the telecom sector was wellpositioned to unlock Uganda's digital
economy through services like agent banking, e-learning, and digital
healthcare.

 

He also noted that national programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM)
and National Development Plan IV (NDP IV) stand to gain from coordinated
telecomenergy deployment.

 

To translate policy into action, the minister announced three key
directives. First, he called for the establishment of a coordination
framework bringing together UCC, ERA, Ministry of ICT, UEDCL, and other
relevant agencies to foster shared planning. Second, he directed the
Ministry of Energy to prioritize electrification of telecom infrastructure.
Third, he announced plans to form an interministerial taskforce to improve
strategic planning and joint implementation across both sectors.

 

Chris Baryomunsi, Minister for ICT and National Guidance, reinforced these
commitments, stating that Uganda cannot achieve a truly digital society
without universal electricity access.

 

"Stable and inclusive power access is a non-negotiable foundation for a
thriving ICT sector," he said.

 

Read the original article on Independent (Kampala).

 

 

 

 

Tanzania: BMH Hailed for Opening Kidney Transplant Unit Worth 1.5bn/-

Dodoma — THE Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr Seif
Shekalaghe, has congratulated Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH) for completing
the construction project of a kidney transplant center that cost 1.5bn/- and
promised BMH to obtain medical equipment to provide services at the center.

 

Dr Shekalaghe said this when he went on a working visit to the hospital to
see the state of service delivery and review the implementation of
development projects.

 

"I congratulate Benjamini Mkapa Hospital for completing the construction of
this center through the hospital's internal revenue funds, the Ministry of
Health will ensure the availability of medical equipment in the hospital,"
he emphasized.

 

Adding, he said: "This is an example of a hospital using its own internal
funds to build such an infrastructure for kidney transplantation, I ask the
hospital to submit a request for budget requirements for medical equipment.

 

He said the Tanzanian government's aim is to enable service delivery
projects to start providing services immediately after completion without
delay.

 

And the Executive Director of BMH, Prof Abel Makubi has explained to the
Secretary General that the budget requirements for the center is about
2.3bn/- and that the project is a short-term plan for the provision of
kidney services.

 

"This center is short-term in providing kidney services but the hospital has
already received donors from the TOKUSHIKAI Corporation in Japan to build a
center of excellence for kidney treatment in the country worth 28bn/-," he
said.

 

He said the construction of the building of the Center of Excellence will
begin this year and when completed, in addition to providing solutions to
kidney diseases, it will help in the training of kidney specialists and
research issues on kidney diseases in the country and abroad.

 

Read the original article on Daily News.

 

 

 

 

Kenya: Steer Clear of the Scam Tactics Used in This Fake Online Ad for
Hundreds of Jobs At Kenyan Roads Agency

Steer clear of the scam tactics used in this fake online ad for hundreds of
jobs at Kenyan roads agency

 

IN SHORT: A viral advert falsely claimed the Kenya Urban Roads Authority was
looking to hire more than 800 people. While the supposed deadline has
lapsed, users should be aware of the common scam tactics it uses.

 

A job ad posted on Facebook in July 2025 claimed that the Kenya Urban Roads
Authority (Kura) was looking to fill hundreds of vacancies across the
country.

 

Kura is a government agency that maintains roads in the country's urban
areas.

 

It claimed the company was looking for civil engineers, interns, data
clerks, security officers and procurement officers, among others.

 

The ad instructed applicants to send their cover letters and CVs to a listed
address, saying successful candidates would be contacted on a "rolling
basis".

 

Kenya's high youth unemployment rate creates fertile ground for scams like
this. Many young people are left vulnerable and eager for opportunities,
which scammers exploit by posing as government agencies or international
organisations.

 

This job ad also appeared here and here. (Note: See more instances at the
end of this report.)

 

But was it genuine? No.

 

Fake job ad

 

We noticed several signs that this job advertisement was inauthentic, which
social media users should watch out for in future.

 

The use of a Gmail address ([email protected]) is a key red flag. Legitimate
government agencies use official email domains, such as those ending in
@kura.go.ke, in this case, and not free email services. Employment scams
often use this tactic to trick people who aren't paying attention.

 

We searched for the job ad on Kura's official website and its verified X and
Facebook pages. There was no mention of this recruitment.

 

Another issue is the number of positions listed, more than 800. Such a
number would lead to a formal public announcement or press release. The
absence of such a notice for a major recruitment drive like this on any
credible platform is another warning sign.

 

Jobs at Kenyan government agencies are always publicised through official
channels.

 

Furthermore, the advertisement doesn't include essential details, such as
the qualifications required. It only lists job titles and the number of
people needed, which is a common feature of fake job posts designed to
capture the attention of hopeful applicants.

 

On 6 July, Kura, through its official Facebook page, disowned the job ad.

 

"Our attention has been drawn to a fraudulent job advertisement circulating
in certain media outlets. We wish to clarify that this advert is fake and
does not originate from us," the agency wrote.

 

It then shared its authentic contacts.

 

"We strongly advise the public to disregard the misleading information and
always verify official communications through our official website, social
media platforms, or email. For any clarifications, please contact us via:
[email protected] or 0717 105 233/020 272 2222."

 

The fake job ad also appeared here, here, here, here, here, here, here and
here.

 

Read the original story, with links and other resources.

Africa Check is a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in
public debate and in the media. Twitter @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congo-Kinshasa: U.S. Sanctions Armed Groups, Companies 'Fueling Conflict' in
Eastern DR Congo

The United States government announced new sanctions targeting armed groups
involved in illegal mining and those profiting from conflict minerals in
eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo). The Department of the
Treasury designated four entities engaged in the production and trade of
conflict minerals in Rubaya, a vast mining area known for its rich deposits
of critical minerals.

 

These sanctions aim to punish actors destabilizing the eastern DR Congo,
including armed groups using forced labor and violence against civilians in
their illegal mining operations. The sanctions also target companies in the
DR Congo and China that collaborate with these groups to exploit the
region’s mineral wealth during ongoing instability. The U.S. sends a strong
message that any armed group or commercial entity undermining peace,
stability, or security in the DR Congo will face sanctions.

 

"The conflict minerals trade is exacting a deadly toll on Congolese
civilians, fueling corruption, and preventing law-abiding businesses from
investing in the DRC,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism
and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley. "The Treasury Department will not
hesitate to take action against groups that deny the United States and our
allies access to the critical minerals vital for our national defense."

 

The move is part of a broader U.S. effort to support peace and prosperity in
the Great Lakes region through diplomatic initiatives like the U.S.-mediated
Regional Economic Integration Framework involving the DR Congo and Rwanda.

 

The sanctions were imposed under Executive Order 13413, which authorizes
penalties against those threatening the peace, security, or stability of the
DR Congo or supporting such activities through illicit trade in natural
resources.

 

 

 

 

 

Intel shares jump after report of possible US stake in chipmaker

Shares in Intel jumped by more than 7% on Thursday, following reports that
the Trump administration is in talks to take a stake in the chipmaker.

 

The reported deal would support the technology firm's plans to build a
manufacturing hub in Ohio, according to Bloomberg, which said the size of
the potential stake is not clear.

 

White House spokesman Kush Desai said "discussion about hypothetical deals
should be regarded as speculation unless officially announced by the
administration."

 

The article comes days after a meeting between Intel boss Lip-Bu Tan and US
President Donald Trump, who had earlier accused Mr Tan of being "highly
conflicted" due to his earlier ties to China.

 

 

The BBC has contacted Intel for comment.

 

According to Bloomberg, the firm's spokesperson declined to comment on the
discussions and said that Intel is "deeply committed to supporting President
Trump's efforts to strengthen US technology and manufacturing leadership".

 

The details of the stake and price are still being discussed, the report
said.

 

The reported move would be a "lifeline" for Intel, offering the company
funding and government support, said tech analyst David Nicholson from The
Futurum Group, a market research firm.

 

The storied chipmaker has struggled in recent years after falling behind in
the AI race, with rival Nvidia leaping ahead. Intel's stock market value has
more than halved to $104 billion (£77bn) since 2020.

 

The deal would signal a deeper "intertwining" of the government and private
businesses in the US, following a trend seen elsewhere in places like China,
Mr Nicholson told the BBC.

 

This week, chip giants Nvidia and AMD agreed to pay the US government 15% of
Chinese revenues, in another instance of the Trump administration's direct
intervention in private enterprise.

 

"Some folks will think that this is unfair that Intel is being propped up,
but most will agree that it is strategically vital for the US," said Mr
Nicholson.

 

Intel is among only a few American chip manufacturers capable of producing
high-end semiconductors at scale.

 

Its planned Ohio factory, which is reported to be a key part of talks with
Washington, had been touted as a key part of the company's future.

 

The firm had a goal to make the factory the world's largest chip
manufacturing facility, but its development has since faced numerous delays.

 

Though it is uncommon for the US government to directly support a single
company, backing Intel could be a "special case" because the stakes are high
for America's chipmaking edge, said tech analyst Austin Lyons.

 

Intel is the US' best shot at competing with global rivals like TSMC and
Samsung, and the Ohio plant would ensure that the country is able to make
high-end semiconductors at home, he explained.

 

Washington is unlikely to seek a majority stake, but just enough to ensure
it has influence over the nation's primary chipmaking company, said Raymond
Woo from Kyoto University Innovation Capital, the school's investment arm.

 

Backing Intel in the interest of national security is risky as the company
has fallen behind many rivals, he said.

 

Mr Woo said the government could also consider backing other US
semiconductor players including smaller-scale ones, or to provide them with
other incentives.

 

Mr Tan, an American venture capitalist who took over as Intel's chief
executive in March, has focused on getting the firm's finances in check and
catching up in the booming AI chip industry.

 

In a social media post last week, Trump called for Mr Tan's resignation,
apparently referring to his alleged investments in companies that the US
says are tied to the Chinese military.--bbc

 

 

 

 

F1 tycoon fined $23,000 in Singapore gift scandal

A Singapore-based billionaire has been fined $23,400 (S$30,000; £17,251)
after he had earlier pleaded guilty to a charge connected to a gift scandal
that shocked the country last year.

 

Hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng had admitted to abetting the obstruction of
justice by helping ex-transport minister Subramaniam Iswaran cover up
evidence while the latter was being investigated for corruption.

 

Ong gave expensive gifts, including an all-expenses paid trip with a private
jet ride, to Iswaran while they were engaged in official business.

 

The 79-year-old had faced a maximum penalty of seven years in jail but a
judge said "judicial mercy" would be granted in light of his poor health.

 

Ong suffers from multiple myeloma, a rare bone marrow cancer.

 

At his sentencing on Friday, Judge Lee Lit Cheng said that an appropriate
sentence for Ong would have been three months in jail, but imprisonment
could "endanger [his] life".

 

A gift scandal that shocked Singapore

In December 2022, Ong had invited Iswaran on a trip to Qatar, saying he
would take care of his expenses, which included hotel accommodation and a
flight to Doha on Ong's private jet.

 

Iswaran accepted the invitation but said he would need to return to
Singapore on a specific date, with Ong responding that he would arrange for
him to travel from Doha to Singapore on a commercial flight.

 

But Iswaran only asked Ong's company to bill him for the business class
ticket home, said to be worth S$5,700, after he found out that Singapore's
corruption bureau was looking into that flight as part of an investigation
into a different case involving Ong's associates.

 

Ministers in Singapore cannot keep gifts unless they pay the market value of
the gift to the government, and they must declare anything they receive from
people they have business dealings with.

 

Singapore's lawmakers are among the highest-paid in the world, with leaders
justifying the handsome salaries by saying it deters corruption.

 

Getty Images Four men standing side by side in front of an F1 race track.
>From left to right is Ron Walker, Mark Webber, Ong Beng Seng and Daniel
RicciardoGetty Images

Ong Beng Seng helped bring the Formula 1 Grand Prix to Singapore

The two men were arrested in July 2023 and charge sheets revealed that
Iswaran had received more than S$403,000 ($311,882; £234,586) worth of
flights, hotel stays, musicals and grand prix tickets.

 

At the time of the offences, Iswaran was in the government's F1 steering
committee and the chief negotiator on F1-related business matters.

 

Prosecutors had argued that while Ong was pivotal in Iswaran's attempt to
cover his tracks, he was much less culpable than Iswaran, who had been a
sitting minister.

 

Ong's lawyers had argued that he "simply complied" with the plan thought up
by Iswaran.

 

Born in Malaysia in 1946 - which was then Malaya - Ong moved to Singapore as
a child and founded a hotel and property company in the 1980s.

 

Ong helped bring the F1 Grand Prix to Singapore and his company Hotel
Properties Limited (HPL) has brands like the Four Seasons and Marriott
operating under it.

 

Hotel Properties Limited had earlier in April said that Ong would step down
as its managing director to "manage his medical conditions".-bbc

 

 

 

Instagram users angry and confused as Meta overturns yet more account bans

Instagram users have told the BBC of their confusion, fear and anger after
having their accounts suspended, often for being wrongly accused by parent
company Meta of breaching the platform's child sex abuse rules.

 

For months, tens of thousands of people around the world have been
complaining Meta has been banning their Instagram and Facebook accounts in
error.

 

They say they have been wrongly accused of breaching site rules - including
around child sexual exploitation.

 

More than 500 of them have contacted the BBC to say they have lost cherished
photos and seen businesses upended - but some also speak of the profound
personal toll it has taken on them, including concerns that the police could
become involved.

 

Meta acknowledged a problem with the erroneous banning of Facebook Groups in
June, but has denied there is wider issue on Facebook or Instagram at all.

 

It has repeatedly refused to comment on the problems its users are facing -
though it has frequently overturned bans when the BBC has raised individual
cases with it.

 

Here are some of the stories users have shared with BBC News.

 

 

'I put all of my trust in social media'

Yassmine Boussihmed, 26, from the Netherlands, spent five years building an
Instagram profile for her boutique dress shop in Eindhoven.

 

In April, she was banned over account integrity. Over 5,000 followers, gone
in an instant. She lost clients, and was devastated.

 

"I put all of my trust in social media, and social media helped me grow, but
it has let me down," she told the BBC.

 

This week, after the BBC sent questions about her case to Meta's press
office, her Instagram accounts were reinstated.

 

"I am so thankful," she said in a tearful voice note.

 

Five minutes later, her personal Instagram was suspended again - but the
account for the dress shop remained.

 

Getty Images Two women taking a selfie Getty Images

 

Lucia, not her real name, is a 21-year-old woman from Austin, Texas.

 

She was suspended from Instagram for just over two weeks for breaching
Meta's policy on child sexual exploitation (CSE), abuse and nudity.

 

As with all the other cases, she was not told what post breached the
platform's rules.

 

That has left wondering if a picture she posted of herself and her
21-year-old friend wearing bikini tops somehow triggered the artificial
intelligence (AI) moderation tools, as she thinks they "look a little bit
younger".

 

She also uses her account to interact with under 18s, such as sending Reels
to her younger sister.

 

"It is deeply troubling to have an accusation as disgusting as this one,"
she told BBC News.

 

"Given that I have a desire to work in juvenile justice as an attorney and
advocate on behalf of children, I am appalled to have been suspended for
something I know I did not do and would never do."

 

She appealed, and then about seven hours after the BBC highlighted Lucia's
case to Meta's press office, her account was restored with no explanation.

 

'There is a problem': Facebook and Instagram users complain of account bans

 

Over 36,000 people have signed a petition accusing Meta of falsely banning
accounts; thousands more are in Reddit forums or on social media posting
about it.

 

Their central accusation - Meta's AI is unfairly banning people, with the
tech also being used to deal with the appeals. The only way to speak to a
human is to pay for Meta Verified, and even then many are frustrated.

 

Meta has not commented on these claims. Instagram states AI is central to
its "content review process" and Meta has outlined how technology and humans
enforce its policies.

 

A community torn away

Duncan Edmonstone A picture of Duncan Edmonstone. He is a white man with
black glasses and a grey beard. He is wearing a blue jumper.Duncan
Edmonstone

Duncan Edmonstone thinks unfair social media bans "has real world
consequences that Meta's management don't consider"

 

Duncan Edmonstone, from Cheshire, has stage four ALK+ lung cancer. The
55-year-old finds solace in the support network he has on private Facebook
groups.

 

For 12 days at the end of June, he was banned for breaking cybersecurity
guidelines before being reinstated.

 

"The support groups are my lifeline, and there are actual examples of where
advice from group members has made a difference to other patient's
treatment," he said.

 

"I draw satisfaction and meaning, in a life that is probably going to be cut
short, from helping other people in that group."

 

Banned, unbanned - then banned again

Getty Images The Instagram logo on a phoneGetty Images

 

Ryan - not his real name - has been banned, reinstated, and banned again
from Instagram over the past few months.

 

The former teacher from London was thrown off the platform in May after he
was accused of breaching the CSE policy.

 

He spent a month appealing. In June, the BBC understands a human moderator
double checked and concluded Ryan had breached the policy.

 

Then his account was abruptly restored at the end of July.

 

"We're sorry we've got this wrong," Instagram said in an email to him,
adding that he had done nothing wrong.

 

Ryan was left flabbergasted.

 

"'Sorry we called you a paedophile for two months - here is your account
back,'" is how he characterised the tone of the message.

 

But that wasn't the end of the story.

 

Hours after the BBC contacted Meta's press office to ask questions about his
experience, he was banned again on Instagram and, for the first time,
Facebook.

 

"I am devastated and I don't know what to do," he told the BBC.

 

"I can't believe it has happened twice."

 

His Facebook account was back two days later - but he was still blocked from
Instagram.

 

Instagram wrongly accuses some users of breaching child sex abuse rules

 

Ryan says he has been left feeling deeply isolated - and worried the police
are going to "knock on the door".

 

His experience mirrors those of other Instagram users who told the BBC of
the "extreme stress" of having their accounts banned after being wrongly
accused of breaching the platform's rules on CSE.

 

What has Meta said?

Getty Images An illustration of social media, with a person scrolling on
their phone and emojis graphics such as a like or a smile are visibleGetty
Images

When a user is suspended and they appeal, Meta pledges to look at their
account. If the appeal is successful, the user is reinstated. If not, the
user is then permanently banned

Despite taking action on Yassmine, Lucia and Ryan's accounts, Meta has not
made any comment to the BBC.

 

In common with all big technology firms, it has come under pressure from
authorities to make its platforms safer.

 

In July, Meta said it was taking "aggressive action" on accounts breaking
its rules - including the removal of 635,000 Instagram and Facebook accounts
over sexualised comments and imagery in relation to children.

 

Meta's wide-ranging policy on child sexual exploitation has changed three
times since Boxing Day last year, with all amendments occurring since 17
July.

 

It has not said what impact, if any, these changes had on the cases the BBC
has raised with it.-BBC

 

 

 

Air Canada begins cancelling flights ahead of potential strike

Canada's largest airline began suspending flights on Thursday after the
union representing its flight attendants issued a 72-hour strike notice.

 

Air Canada warned passengers without confirmed flights to not go to the
airport, as suspensions will continue through that period.

 

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing 10,000 Air
Canada attendants, provided a strike notice on Wednesday after an impasse in
contract talks. It said it has bargained in good faith but the company
"refused to address" core issues, such as proposals on wages and unpaid
work.

 

The airline was extremely disappointed by the decision to strike, which
could affect 130,000 customers a day, an official said.

 

 

"This is a situation that was, and still is, avoidable," Arielle Meloul, Air
Canada's executive vice president, said at a press conference on Thursday.

 

Protesters forced the conference to end abruptly after they entered the room
holding signs reading "unpaid work won't fly" and "UnfAir Canada".

 

Canadian jobs minister Patty Hajdu urged Air Canada and the union to return
to the bargaining table to avoid a strike.

 

She also said in a statement that Air Canada had asked her to refer the
dispute to binding arbitration.

 

The strike is set to begin at about 01:00 EST (05:00 GMT) on Saturday.

 

The airline - which operates in 64 countries with a fleet of 259 aircraft -
said the unplanned shutdown is "a major risk" to the company and its
employees. The flight disruption could affect 130,000 daily customers,
including 25,000 Canadians, amid the peak summer travel period.

 

"By optimally positioning aircraft and crews ahead of a possible stoppage,
Air Canada will be able to provide required routine maintenance and more
quickly restore regular service," the Montreal-based company said on
Wednesday in response to the strike notice.

 

The first Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights were cancelled on
Thursday, and additional flights are expected to be grounded on Friday.

 

A "complete cessation of flying" will begin on Saturday, the airline said.
Air Canada Express flights, which carry about 20% of Air Canada's daily
customers, will not be affected.

 

In a news conference, the airline's chief operations officer Mark Nasr said
that the complexity of the airline's network means it needs to start winding
down its operations before a total shutdown.

 

"It's simply not the kind of system that we can start or stop at the push of
a button," he said, as reported in Reuters.

 

He added that restarting operations would take a week.

 

Customers whose flights are cancelled will be notified and will receive a
full refund, the airline said. The company has also made arrangements with
other Canadian and foreign carriers to provide customers alternative travel
options.

 

Customers will be notified of alternative options, but they could take time
or might not be immediately possible.

 

The Newfoundland and Labrador government released a joint statement with
Hospitality NL on Wednesday afternoon, expressing concern over the expected
impact of the strike on tourism in the province.

 

The statement said small business and tourism operators could not sustain
any reductions in service and described the impact as "catastrophic" for the
tourism industry during the summer season.

 

Alanna Wolf told the CBC she had already made alternative travel
arrangements to get home to Toronto because of the strike.

 

"[Our flight home] was supposed to be on Saturday, but yesterday we booked
it for Thursday because we were afraid of the strike," she said. "And sure
enough, a strike happens."

 

Canada's top court upholds passenger protection rules for flight disruptions

 

Carlos Osorio / Reuters Air Canada flight attendants picket at Toronto
Pearson airport holding signs that read "unfAir Canada" and "unpaid work
won't fly". They are standing in a line and wearing their uniforms. 

 

Toronto's Pearson International Airport - Canada's largest airport - said on
Wednesday on X that it was closely monitoring the situation, and advised
travellers to check directly with Air Canada for flight information. Other
airports, including Vancouver International Airport, are also working on
contingency plans.

 

In contract negotiations, the carrier said it offered flight attendants a
38% increase in total compensation over four years, with a 25% raise in the
first year.

 

CUPE said the offer was "below inflation, below market value, below minimum
wage" and would still leave flight attendants unpaid for some hours of work,
including boarding and waiting at airports ahead of flights.

 

The union asserted that it had bargained in good faith with the airline for
more than eight months but Air Canada instead sought government-directed
arbitration.

 

"When we stood strong together, Air Canada didn't come to the table in good
faith," CUPE said in a statement to its members. "Instead, they called on
the federal government to step in and take those rights away."

 

Earlier this month, 99.7% of employees represented by the union voted for a
strike.-BBC

 

 

 

 

US wholesale prices jump in July as tariffs hit

Producers in the US raised their prices at the fastest pace in more than
three years last month as companies grappled with new costs from tariffs
introduced by US President Donald Trump.

 

The producer price index, which measures the selling price commanded by US
producers, jumped 0.9% from June to July, after being flat the previous
month, according to the Labor Department.

 

That was a much bigger leap than the 0.2% forecast by analysts, who predict
that the higher wholesale prices will soon mean higher prices for US
consumers.

 

The report renewed worries about inflation in the months ahead, despite
recent data showing that the increase in consumer prices had held steady at
2.7% in July.

 

 

The average effective tariff rate in the US has soared since Trump has come
into power and put new levies on most goods entering the country.

 

He says tariffs, which are a tax on imports, will raise money for the
government and give US manufacturers an edge over their foreign competitors.

 

But economists have warned that expanding production in the US will be
costly and difficult and that the primary impact of the new levies will be
higher costs for businesses and consumers.

 

Analysts said the building inflation pressures could also complicate calls
for the US central bank to lower interest rates, as Trump has demanded.

 

The Federal Reserve sets its policy independent of the White House. It has
held off on cuts so far this year, worried that cutting rates at a time when
tariffs are expected to push up prices could risk re-igniting inflation.

 

But a string of weak job growth, combined with cooler-than-expected
inflation, had increased pressure on the bank to give the economy a boost by
lowering borrowing costs.

 

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent earlier this week called on the Federal
Reserve to cut its key lending rate by half a percentage point at its next
meeting in September.

 

"The large upside surprise in producer prices highlights the dilemma the
Federal Reserve faces," wrote Matthew Martin, senior US economist at Oxford
Economics.

 

"The big picture remains that inflation is further away from the Fed's
target than the unemployment rate and is likely to climb further over the
coming months."

 

What tariffs has Trump announced and why?

How much cash is the US raising from tariffs?

Trump's sweeping new tariffs take effect against dozens of countries

 

The 0.9% over-the-month jump in US producer inflation was the biggest
reported since June 2022, the height of post-pandemic inflation in the US.

 

Wholesale prices for services, which includes things such as warehousing and
investment advice, jumped 1.1%.

 

Meanwhile, wholesale prices of goods jumped 0.7% from June to July,
according to the report, with nearly half of that increase coming from
higher food prices.

 

Prices for categories heavily exposed to tariffs, such as home furniture and
apparel, also increased.

 

"New tariffs are continuing to generate cost pressures in the supply chain,
which consumers will shoulder soon," Samuel Tombs, chief US economist at
Pantheon Macroeconomics, wrote after the report.-bbc

 

 

 

Bolsonaro's son praises Trump's tariff hike on Brazil

The son of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro has praised US President
Donald Trump for imposing huge tariffs on his home country - and warned more
measures could be on the way.

 

Eduardo Bolsonaro - who is an elected Congressman in Brazil - spoke to the
BBC in Washington, where he has been on a months-long lobbying campaign to
convince the Trump administration to punish the Brazilian authorities for
putting his father on trial on coup charges.

 

The congressman said there could be more sanctions on individuals.

 

"There's a very significant possibility regarding the application of
sanctions and the extension of Magnitsky sanctions to other people. You have
on Secretary Marco Rubio's desk, for example, the possibility of withdrawing
visas, among other pressure mechanisms, to try to get Brazil out of this
institutional crisis we're experiencing."

 

At the White House Thursday, President Trump doubled down accusing Brazil of
being a bad trade partner. He wrongly claimed the US runs a trade deficit
with Brazil. Last year, it ran a $7.4 billion trade surplus with Brazil

 

He went onto defend Jair Bolsonaro:

 

"It's really a political execution that they're trying to do with Bolsonaro.
I think that's terrible."

 

The former president is accused of plotting a coup to prevent the man who
beat him in the 2022 presidential election, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, from
taking office. Jair Bolsonaro has denied that he led an attempt to overthrow
the government but acknowledged taking part in meetings aimed at reversing
his election loss.

 

A verdict in the case is expected in the coming weeks. If found guilty, Jair
Bolsonaro could face decades in prison.

 

Trump likened the case against Bolsonaro, who has been dubbed "Trump of the
Tropics" for his similarities to the US president, to a "witch hunt" and
drew parallels with his own legal battles following his refusal to accept
defeat in 2020. It has left the two largest democracies in the Americas in a
huge confrontation.

 

Trump accuses Brazil of 'witch hunt' against Bolsonaro

Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariff and demands Bolsonaro's trial end

In July, Trump announced he would raise tariffs on Brazilian imports to 50%,
citing Brazil's treatment of Jair Bolsonaro as a trigger for the hike.

 

In addition to that, the US state department banned eight Brazilian supreme
court justices from travelling to the US, including Alexandre de Moraes, the
judge overseeing Bolsonaro's trial.

 

Brazil's President Lula said the move constituted an unacceptable
interference in his country's justice system and refused to budge, so the
50%-levy came into effect last week.

 

In an interview with the BBC in Washington, Eduardo Bolsonaro would not be
drawn on the closeness of his relationship with President Trump or if he
influenced the tariff action.

 

"I admire President Trump, we've met several times in his first and second
term. We fought first to sanction Alexandre de Moraes. But if President
Trump starts with tariffs, I do believe that he is right and I do support
him because of that."

 

Eduardo Bolsonaro, 41, has been in the US since March - saying he is living
in "exile" out of fear of arrest should he return to Brazil.

 

He rejects criticism that he is being unpatriotic by lobbying for sanctions
which will see his country suffer economically: "I believe freedom comes
first, before the economy."

 

When challenged, he cites a recent poll by the Quaest institute saying that
one day after Trump announced the 50%-levy, "four in every 10 Brazilians
were in support of the tariffs".

 

We put it to him that the poll actually suggests that 79% of Brazilians
believe the tariffs will harm their lives, and among voters who say they
have got no political position, 77% believe their imposition is wrong.

 

What tariffs has Trump announced and why?

Bolsonaro denies involvement in alleged coup plot

So how worried is he that this could blow back on his family, and boost
support for the current president, Lula?

 

"I'm not thinking about the next election, I'm thinking about the next
generation," he says before conceding that he knows it is something "people
are really concerned about, for sure".

 

He often refers to Brazil as a dictatorship in his answers, despite the fact
that major institutions like Freedom House cite the country as having free
and fair elections.

 

Eduardo Bolsonaro himself was one of the members of Congress to gain most
votes in 2022.

 

He has also said that his father may stand again for president despite being
barred from running for public office until 2030 under a ban which predates
the coup charges that the older Bolsonaro is currently facing.

 

Eduardo Bolsonaro's anger is very focussed on Alexandre de Moraes, the judge
who presided over the electoral court which issued the ban in 2023, and who
is also overseeing the current trial on coup charges against Jair Bolsonaro.

 

He is confident that "in the next election 
 we will have new judges in the
electoral court", which he thinks will mean that the restrictions preventing
his father from running for office will be lifted.

 

"The new judges in the electoral court, they can do a better system. They
can improve the system. And I hope this is going to happen," he says.

 

But he adds that in order for that to happen "you need Alexandre de Moraes
to be isolated".

 

The BBC asked the supreme court and Mr Moraes for a response but has not
received a reply.

 

Mr Moraes, meanwhile, has doubled down despite the US sanctions. He has
placed Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest for breaching an order banning him
from social media and ordered him to wear an electronic ankle tag.

 

He has also ordered that the finances of Eduardo Bolsonaro be frozen on
suspicion that he was using them to bankroll his lobbying on behalf of his
father in the US.

 

Son and father have also been banned from seeing each other, accused of
trying to get the US to intervene to obstruct the case.

 

Eduardo Bolsonaro argues that what he is doing in the US is shining a light
on what he says are wrongdoings committed by "dictators" in his home
country: "They think that is an anti-democratic act when you denounce the
human rights violations of the abusers in Brazil."

 

He goes on to compare himself to women from Iran who have been critical of
their government and face persecution upon their return.

 

While no arrest warrant has been issued for him, Eduardo Bolsonaro has
repeatedly expressed fear he would be detained if he were to return to
Brazil.

 

"What is going to happen with me if I go back to my country because I'm
denouncing these dictators? I'm going to jail, it's pretty much the same
situation. In Iran, they are a little bit more violent," he told the BBC.

 

While he decries the current Brazilian government as a "dictatorship", in
2019 - when his father was in power - Eduardo Bolsonaro himself proposed
passing a new Institutional Act Number 5 (AI-5), a decree passed under
Brazil's military rule to suppress dissent.

 

 

ANDRE BORGES/EPA/Shutterstock Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is
wearing a navy blue parka as he leaves a building with several people around
him. He is seen through glass doors leaving a lobby with elevators behind
him. He has a grim expression.ANDRE BORGES/EPA/Shutterstock

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro

AI-5 closed down Brazil's Congress and indefinitely outlawed freedom of
assembly and freedom of expression.

 

Eduardo Bolsonaro said at the time that if protesters took to the streets
against his father's administration, the government could adopt similar
measures – thereby invoking one of the darkest moments in the country's
history.

 

He told the BBC he now regrets those remarks: "It was a mistake to say that.
It was a mistake. I would not do that again."

 

He also condemns the events of 8 January 2023, when hundreds of his father's
supporters stormed the buildings in Brasilia that symbolize the country's
democracy, a week after Lula had taken office.

 

They vandalized the supreme court, congress and the presidential palace and
urged the military to take over.

 

Jair Bolsonaro was in the United States when the storming in Brasilia
happened, having left Brazil two days before his presidential term ended. He
did not attend his successor's swearing-in and remained in Florida for
months before returning to his home country in March 2023. He has always
denied having incited his followers and according to his son, he even
denounced it.

 

"January 8th was a protest that did go too far. I do agree, I do condemn
it," he says, adding that "my father condemned it the very first day when it
was happening".

 

About 2,000 people were arrested over the Brasilia attack. Most were
released but many were convicted by the supreme court on charges of an
attempted coup, among other crimes, following ongoing police investigations.
Eduardo Bolsonaro thinks the rioters should be granted an amnesty because,
he says, the sentences are too long.

 

But we put to him that plenty of people would argue that if you commit a
crime to overturn democracy you should be punished for it.

 

He in turn argued that vandalising buildings did not amount to a coup
attempt:

 

"Even with the heart angry because of the result of the elections, these
people would never bring a dictatorship to Brazil. They would never
accomplish a coup d'etat"

 

He says he misses his home country but has no plans to return soon.

 

Is this all just simple, pure revenge by an aggrieved son?

 

"For sure, he is my father, we have a relationship, but this is way bigger
than only him. And if we do the right thing and rescue freedom in Brazil,
everybody's going to receive the benefits, even him."-BBC

 

 

 

 

 

UK economic growth slows but beats forecasts

UK economic growth slowed between April and June, according to official
figures, but came in better than expected.

 

The economy expanded by 0.3%, down from 0.7% in the first three months of
the year, the Office for National Statistics said.

 

The biggest contribution came from services while the construction industry
also grew.

 

The government has made boosting economic growth a key priority and the
latest data beat forecasts of 0.1% expansion, which would have been near
stagnation.

 

 

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the figures "beat expectations" but added
there was "still more to do" so people in all parts of the country benefit
from growth.

 

A Bar chart showing quarterly growth in UK gross domestic product (GDP) from
April to June 2023 to 2025. The figures are as follows: Q2 2023 0%; Q3 2023
-0.1%; Q4 2023 -0.2%; Q1 2024 0.9%; Q2 2024 0.5%; Q3 2024 0%; Q4 2024 0.1%;
Q1 2025 0.7%; Q2 2025 0.3%.

 

The economy performed better than expected in June, and the ONS also revised
up figures for April - instead of shrinking by 0.3%, it now said the economy
contracted by 0.1%.

 

Experts suggested that hot, dry weather helped lift activity in the
construction industry, which expanded by 1.2% in the three months to June.

 

In the services sector, computer programming including consultancy, software
installation and disaster recovery helped push up growth.

 

Vehicle rentals and health services such as doctors' surgeries, hospitals
and nursing homes also boosted the economy.

 

Retailing dragged on growth over the period but picked up towards the end.

 

Compared with other members of the G7 - the world's richest nations - the UK
economy grew the fastest in the first three months of the year, but not the
second.

 

However, taken together, the UK may have had the fastest growth in the first
half of 2025.

 

 

The resilience of the UK economy may prompt the Bank of England to be more
reluctant about cutting interest rates, said Susannah Streeter, head of
money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown.

 

She said policymakers may choose to hold off until inflation begins heading
back to the Bank of England's 2% target.

 

Last week, the Bank raised its inflation forecasts and now expects the pace
of price rises to peak at 4% later this year before receding to the target
in 2027.

 

But Ruth Gregory, deputy chief UK economist at Capital Economics, said it
was doubtful the country "will maintain this pace of growth" between July
and September.

 

"The weak global economy will remain a drag on UK growth for a while yet,"
she said.

 

"The full drag on business investment from April's tax rises has yet to be
felt. And the ongoing speculation about further tax rises in the Autumn
Budget will probably keep consumers in a cautious mood."

 

Earlier this month, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research
think tank said taxes would have to rise in the autumn if Reeves wants to
meet her self-imposed borrowing rules and avoid missing a target the
government has set itself by £41.2bn.

 

Figures from the ONS showed that business investment fell sharply, down 4%,
compared with growth of 3.9% in the first three months of the year.
Household spending also dipped.

 

 

'Unexpected sunshine'

Iain Hoskins, who owns several venues in Liverpool, said he was "very
worried" after the last Budget, with increased National Insurance
Contributions adding £100,000 to his costs.

 

However, he said he was "feeling more positive than we have done for the
last few years," thanks largely to better weather and consumer confidence.

 

Iain Hoskins stands outside one of his hospitality venues in Liverpool,
wearing a navy t-shirt

Iain Hoskins says falling interest rates have boosted customer spending

 

"The quarter that we are talking about, we had a very early summer and often
that period can be a complete washout," he said. "Unexpected sunshine really
did bring people out in force.

 

"Interest rates going down has really helped: more money in peoples'
pockets. That is fundamental."

 

The Bank of England has cut interest rates five times over the past 12
months, taking borrowing to 4%.

 

Goldman Sachs, the US investment bank, lifted its forecast for UK annual
growth from 1.2% to 1.4%.

 

The chancellor said the economy "has been stuck for too long".

 

"We are trying to get it out of the rut of the last few years with anaemic
growth, poor productivity and living standards going backwards," she said.

 

However, Conservative shadow chancellor Mel Stride accused her of "economic
vandalism" while Liberal Democrat Treasury spokeswoman Daisy Cooper said:
"Snails would scoff at the pace that our economy is growing.

 

"The Conservative Party led us into this economic quagmire but this Labour
government has failed to break from the years of mismanagement."

 

Trump trade

James Smith, an economist at ING Bank, told the BBC's Today programme that
the figure for the April-to-June period was "not bad".

 

In the first three months of the year, economic growth was "boosted by firms
trying to get ahead of Donald Trump's tariffs", he said, as well as
homebuyers rushing to complete before a change in stamp duty thresholds in
April.

 

"Those factors were always going to be a drag, so the fact that we've ended
up with 0.3% growth in an environment of global uncertainty isn't really a
bad result," he said.

 

Separate trade figures on Thursday showed British goods exports to the US
dropped to their lowest level in more than three years in June due to
Trump's tariffs.-BBC

 

 

 

Economic woes dominate as Bolivia prepares to go to the polls

As Bolivians prepare to vote in a general election, the country's deep
economic woes are the central issue. Whoever becomes the nation's next
president faces a very difficult job to try to sort out the mess.

 

El Alto is Bolivia's second-largest city, home to 1.2 million people. And,
at an elevation of 4,150m (13,615ft), it is the world's highest city with a
population of more than 100,000.

 

It's full of narrow streets with vendors trying to sell you everything from
oranges to knock-off designer trainers. Standing on a pavement, car mechanic
Josue Macias is enjoying an ice cream with his young son.

 

He describes how Bolivia's sky-high inflation is affecting him and his
family. The annual rate soared to 24% in June.

 

"Prices for everything are going up, but we are still earning the same," he
says. "We are just about getting by, but it's hard because food prices are
rising all the time, things like meat, oil and eggs. They are double or
triple what they used to be.

 

"We've had to tighten our belts. We don't go out to eat in restaurants
anymore. Instead, I'm here on the street having an ice-cream with my son!"

 

 

Bolivia's inflation spike has been caused by a combination of factors.
Falling natural gas production and therefore exports of this key foreign
earner has led to a decline in overseas revenues.

 

In turn, this has meant a shortage of US dollars, making it harder and more
costly for the country to import petrol, diesel and food stuffs, leading to
shortages and price hikes. It has led to street protests across the country.

 

At some petrol stations across the country, lorry drivers often have to wait
more than 24 hours to fill up.

 

Taxi driver Gonzalo Rios is frustrated. As we drive along the pot-holed
streets of La Paz, the country's administrative capital, he tells me about
his struggles.

 

"Before it was easy to fill up with petrol. Now I must wait for around four
to six hours at the gas pump to get some, and that's too much. It's such a
waste of time.

 

"And the prices are so expensive," he adds. "Now the money we earn doesn't
cover our costs. But we can't put our fares up because if we do, we won't
have any customers. It would be too expensive for them."

 

Car mechanic Josue Macias holding an ice cream

Car mechanic Josue Macias says he can afford to buy an ice cream but not go
out for a proper meal

 

For almost 20 years the Bolivian government kept fuel prices artificially
low through subsidies. This started when the government of then President
Evo Morales nationalised the country's hydrocarbon sector in 2006.

 

But in 2023, state energy company YPFB said Bolivia was running out of
domestically-produced natural gas, due to a lack of investment in new
exploration.

 

Without this gas to export, the Bolivian government is struggling to
continue to find the funds to subsidise petrol and diesel. Last year it
spent $2bn (£1.5bn) on such subsidies, according to a recent statement by a
former minister of hydrocarbons and energy.

 

Outgoing left-wing President Luis Arce, who is not seeking re-election on 17
August, blamed the Bolivian parliament for the fall in natural gas
production, accusing MPs of blocking vital oversea loans. His opponents in
turn blame him for the economic turmoil.

 

The official exchange rate of Bolivia's currency, the bolivianos, is
certainly not helping matters. Since 2011 the government has fixed the
exchange rate at 6.96 bolivianos to one US dollar.

 

But unofficially you can get 14 to 15 bolivianos per dollar. This has led to
a thriving black market, especially of exports, from which the government
misses out on tax revenue.

 

Economist Gary Rodriguez, the general manager for the Bolivian Institute of
Foreign Trade, explains: "A product that costs seven bolivianos here in
Bolivia can be sold for 15 bolivianos abroad," he says.

 

"The problem is that businesses would prefer to sell items on the [overseas]
black market rather than here in Bolivia which leads to food and fuel
shortages."

 

Getty Images Cars and cans queuing to get into a petrol station in
BoliviaGetty Images

Fuel shortages have caused queues at petrol stations across Bolivia

 

Restrictions on the use of credit cards is another headache for Bolivia's
business community.

 

"The problem with the credit cards is that all the banks have limits that
are ridiculous," says Alessandra Guglielmi, who owns a food business called
The Clean Spot.

 

"You can [only] spend around $35 a month over the internet with online
purchases. $35 is nothing for a business."

 

She is concerned about her business going under.

 

"I am worried with food prices going up I can't afford to pay my staff a
decent salary," says Ms Guglielmi. "I am worried about the people not being
able to afford to buy my products because I must put the prices up.

 

"And I am worried because my margins have gone down so it's very hard right
now for me to keep a business."

 

Many people in Bolivia are hoping that a new government will be able to turn
the country's fortunes around. Two right-wing candidates are currently ahead
in the polls for the presidential race.

 

Leading is Samuel Doria Medina of National Unity Front. He was previously
the main shareholder of Bolivia's largest cement manufacturer.

 

In second place is Jorge Quiroga of Freedom and Democracy. He has been
president of Bolivia before, from 2001 to 2002.

 

If no candidate gets more than half the votes on 17 August – which no-one is
expected to achieve - then there will be a second round of voting on 19
October.

 

Bolivian political scientist and analyst Franklin Pareja is sceptical that
the next administration will be able to improve most people's lives.

 

 

"The population is assigning a change in government almost magical
qualities, because they think that with a change of government we'll return
to stability and prosperity," he says. "And that's not going to happen.

 

"Bolivia will only feel the hard impact of the economic crisis with a new
government, because it will make structural economic changes, which will be
unpopular."

 

Mr Rodríguez is adamant that the Bolivian economy needs to be significantly
altered. "We need to change the model, because the current model, has too
much emphasis on the state," he says.

 

"There are two actors, one the state sector and the other the private
sector. The driver of development must be the citizen, the entrepreneur, and
for that, the state must do what it's meant to do. In other words, good
laws, good regulations, good institutions."

 

While polls suggest Bolivia's next administration is likely to be
right-wing, such radical governmental and economic change, to significantly
reduce the state's role, is not expected.-BBC

 

 

 

 

China's unemployed young adults who are pretending to have jobs

No-one would want to work without getting a salary, or even worse – having
to pay to be there.

 

Yet paying companies so you can pretend to work for them has become popular
among young, unemployed adults in China. It has led to a growing number of
such providers.

 

The development comes amid China's sluggish economy and jobs market. Chinese
youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, at more than 14%.

 

With real jobs increasingly hard to come by, some young adults would rather
pay to go into an office than be just stuck at home.

 

Shui Zhou, 30, had a food business venture that failed in 2024. In April of
this year, he started to pay 30 yuan ($4.20; £3.10) per day to go into a
mock-up office run by a business called Pretend To Work Company, in the city
of Dongguan, 114 km (71 miles) north of Hong Kong.

 

There he joins five "colleagues" who are doing the same thing.

 

"I feel very happy," says Mr Zhou. "It's like we're working together as a
group."

 

 

Such operations are now appearing in major cities across China, including
Shenzhen, Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Chengdu, and Kunming. More often they
look like fully-functional offices, and are equipped with computers,
internet access, meeting rooms, and tea rooms.

 

And rather than attendees just sitting around, they can use the computers to
search for jobs, or to try to launch their own start-up businesses.
Sometimes the daily fee, usually between 30 and 50 yuan, includes lunch,
snacks and drinks.

 

Attendees at Pretend To Work Company, in the city of Dongguan

Attendees can either just sit around, or use the provided computers to apply
for jobs

 

Dr Christian Yao, a senior lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington's
School of Management in New Zealand, is an expert on the Chinese economy.

 

"The phenomenon of pretending to work is now very common," he says. "Due to
economic transformation and the mismatch between education and the job
market, young people need these places to think about their next steps, or
to do odd jobs as a transition.

 

"Pretend office companies are one of the transitional solutions."

 

Mr Zhou came across the Pretend To Work Company while browsing social media
site Xiaohongshu. He says he felt that the office environment would improve
his self-discipline. He has now been there for more than three months.

 

Mr Zhou sent photos of the office to his parents, and he says they feel much
more at ease about his lack of employment.

 

While attendees can arrive and leave whenever they want, Mr Zhou usually
gets to the office between 8am and 9am. Sometimes he doesn't leave until
11pm, only departing after the manager of the business has left.

 

He adds that the other people there are now like friends. He says that when
someone is busy, such as job hunting, they work hard, but when they have
free time they chat, joke about, and play games. And they often have dinner
together after work.

 

Mr Zhou says that he likes this team building, and that he is much happier
than before he joined.

 

In Shanghai, Xiaowen Tang rented a workstation at a pretend work company in
Shanghai for a month earlier this year. The 23-year-old graduated from
university last year and hasn't found a full-time job yet.

 

Her university has an unwritten rule that students must sign an employment
contract or provide proof of internship within one year of graduation;
otherwise, they won't receive a diploma.

 

She sent the office scene to the school as proof of her internship. In
reality, she paid the daily fee, and sat in the office writing online novels
to earn some pocket money.

 

"If you're going to fake it, just fake it to the end," says Ms Tang.

 

 

Dr Biao Xiang, director of the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology
in Germany, says that China's pretending to work trend comes from a "sense
of frustration and powerlessness" regarding a lack of job opportunities.

 

"Pretending to work is a shell that young people find for themselves,
creating a slight distance from mainstream society and giving themselves a
little space."

 

The owner of the Pretend To Work Company in the city of Dongguan is
30-year-old Feiyu (a pseudonym). "What I'm selling isn't a workstation, but
the dignity of not being a useless person," he says.

 

He himself has been unemployed in the past, after a previous retail business
that he owned had to close during the Covid pandemic. "I was very depressed
and a bit self-destructive," he recalls. "You wanted to turn the tide, but
you were powerless."

 

In April of this year he started to advertise Pretend To Work, and within a
month all the workstations were full. Would-be new joiners have to apply.

 

Feiyu say that 40% of customers are recent university graduates who come to
take photos to prove their internship experience to their former tutors.
While a small number of them come to help deal with pressure from their
parents.

 

The other 60% are freelancers, many of whom are digital nomads, including
those working for big ecommerce firms, and cyberspace writers. The average
age is around 30, with the youngest being 25.

 

The owner of the Pretend To Work Company, 30-year-old Feiyu, looking at a
computer screen

Feiyu, the owner of Pretend to Work Company says he is selling people
"dignity"

 

Officially, these workers are referred to as "flexible employment
professionals", a grouping that also includes ride-hailing and trucker
drivers.

 

Over the longer term Feiyu says it is questionable whether the business will
remain profitable. Instead he likes to view it more as a social experiment.

 

"It uses lies to maintain respectability, but it allows some people to find
the truth," he says. "If we only help users prolong their acting skills we
are complicit in a gentle deception.

 

"Only by helping them transform their fake workplace into a real starting
point can this social experiment truly live up to its promise."

 

Mr Zhou is now spending most of his time improving his AI skills. He says
he's noticed that some companies are specifying proficiency in AI tools when
recruiting. So he thinks gaining such AI skills "will make it easier" for
him to find a full-time job.-BBC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


 


 Invest Wisely!

Bulls n Bears 

 

Cellphone:         +263 71 944 1674 | +27 79 993 5557 

Email:                <mailto:bulls at bullszimbabwe.com>
bulls at bullszimbabwe.com

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www.facebook.com/BullsBearsZimbabwe



 

 

 


 

INVESTORS DIARY 2025

 


Company

Event

Venue

Date & Time

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


Companies under Cautionary

 

 

 


 

 

 

 


CBZH

GetBucks

EcoCash

 


Padenga

Econet

RTG

 


Fidelity

TSL

FMHL

 


 

 

 

 


 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

 


 

 


DISCLAIMER: This report has been prepared by Bulls ‘n Bears, a division of
Faith Capital (Pvt) Ltd for general information purposes only and does not
constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or
subscribe for any securities. The information contained in this report has
been compiled from s believed to be reliable, but no representation or
warranty is made or guarantee given as to its accuracy or completeness. All
opinions expressed and recommendations made are subject to change without
notice. Securities or financial instruments mentioned herein may not be
suitable for all investors. Securities of emerging and mid-size growth
companies typically involve a higher degree of risk and more volatility than
the securities of more established companies. Neither Faith Capital nor any
other member of Bulls ‘n Bears nor any other person, accepts any liability
whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this report or its
contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. Recipients of this
report shall be solely responsible for making their own independent
investigation into the business, financial condition and future prospects of
any companies referred to in this report. Other  Indices quoted herein are
for guideline purposes only and d from third parties.

 


 

 


 (c) 2025 Web:  <http://www.bullszimbabwe.com> www.bullszimbabwe.com Email:
<mailto:bulls at bullszimbabwe.com> bulls at bullszimbabwe.com Tel: +27 79 993
5557 | +263 71 944 1674

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

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