Germany’s decision to halt promotional loans to China, effective from 2026, signifies a significant shift in their economic relationship and strategic approach. This move underscores Germany’s desire to recalibrate its standing vis-à-vis China and decrease its reliance on the Asian economic giant.

Argentina is rapidly emerging as the world’s fastest-growing lithium producer. However, to surpass its regional rivals and maximize this opportunity, the incoming administration needs to create a favorable environment for developers.

Mining giant Vale and Brazil’s leading commercial port, Acu, have joined forces to explore the potential construction of a facility in Rio de Janeiro state dedicated to producing low-carbon iron ore products. This collaboration follows Vale’s recent efforts to establish a hot briquette iron (HBI) plant.

The United States on Tuesday added three more Chinese companies to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List, aiming to eliminate goods produced with forced labor from Uyghur minorities in Xinjiang from the U.S. supply chain. The newly added companies bring the total entities on the list to 27.

Italy is actively engaged in preliminary discussions with the German state of Bavaria regarding the supply of gas and hydrogen. Additionally, Italy is exploring opportunities to sell energy to Austria and Hungary, forming a part of its ambitious plan to position itself as an energy gateway between Europe and Africa.

Samsung SDI Co., South Korea’s third-largest electric vehicle battery maker, has announced a substantial investment of $1.98 billion to construct a second battery manufacturing facility in the United States. This venture will be undertaken jointly with Netherlands-based automaker Stellantis N.V.

CleanTech Lithium, a company primarily focused on lithium production in Chile, has unveiled the findings of a scoping study for its Francisco Basin project. The results confirm the asset’s significant potential, with an estimated production start targeted for the year 2027.

The European Union is launching an investigation into whether China’s electric vehicle (EV) industry is benefiting from unfair subsidies. This probe will include scrutiny of European car manufacturers, including Tesla, that export EVs from China to the EU.