Roberto A. Ferdman

The Philippines is quivering in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, which tore through the country on Nov. 8 with record winds and floods. Estimates of the death toll vary but could reach over 10,000 in one city alone, and many more have been displaced. But once the dead have been found and the immediate damage cleared up, the longer-term effects could include some devastating consequences for the country’s agriculture industry.

Unlike just about every other developing country’s carbon print, Brazil’s greenhouse gas emissions are falling—fast. That’s according to an independent study (link in Portuguese) carried out by over 30 non-government organizations focused on climate change, including the World Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace.

The world’s largest toymaker is hoping that a violin-playing Barbie will be its ticket into one of the fastest growing game and toy markets in the world. Mattel, which has been selling Barbie dolls in China since 2009, has recently overhauled the doll’s image in the country and is tailoring other iconic toys to the Chinese market, according to a report (paywall) by the Wall Street Journal.

Earlier this week, we reported that Latin America’s second-largest bottler of Coca Cola was considering shifting away from sugar cane—the ingredient that helped turn the glass bottles of so-called Mexicoke into a cult hit in the US and beyond. Some fans didn’t take it that well.

This article has been corrected.

The past few years have been tough for Spain, and Christmas-time is no exception.

Millions of fans will fly to Brazil next summer to watch the world duke it out on the soccer pitch, but which country’s loyal supporters will be the most abundant?

The good news is that global coffee prices are pretty low right now. The bad news is that it means very little for the cost of your morning latte.

This article has been corrected.

Mexico’s new soft drink tax could push the nation’s Coca-Cola makers away from the cane sugar that’s made “Mexicoke” a cult hit in the US.

McDonald’s has high hopes that the coffee it farms out at drive-thru windows can thrive in your home.

Child pregnancy is serious global problem, and in some developing countries it’s only getting worse, according to a new report released by the United Nations on Wednesday (Oct. 30).

The regulator of American aviation officially gave its blessing to the use of electronic devices during takeoff and landing. ”Passengers will eventually be able to read e-books, play games, and watch videos on their devices during all phases of flight, with very limited exceptions,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement.

The numbers: The New York Times Co., which owns the New York Times, reported third quarter revenue of $361.7 million, up 1.8% from the same period last year.

The numbers: Starbucks quarterly revenue rose 13% to $3.8 billion in its fourth fiscal quarter, which ended in September, compared to a year earlier. The US and China/Asia-Pacific regions posted especially strong revenue growth at 8% apiece, while the region including Europe, the Middle East and Africa saw sales rise by 2% from last year, the first increase in over a year. Operating income rose 29% to $668.9 million for the quarter, well above the $519.6 million registered for the same period a year ago. Shares are down slightly in after-market trading.

While passengers complain about baggage charges and pricey a la carte meals, airline companies could be cashing in to the tune of over $40 billion.

The numbers: Nintendo Co., the japanese company behind Super Mario, Pokemon and the Wii gaming console, posted an operating loss of ¥23.28 billion ($237 million) for the six month period ending in September. While that number is slightly better than the ¥29.19 billion loss the company reported for the same period last year, it severely jeopardizes Nintendo’s ability to meet its ¥100 billion target for fiscal 2014. Shares are down 1.5% in pre-market trading.

Sriracha hot sauce? Delicious. Sriracha in your eyes? Not so much.

It isn’t only France that’s suffering from a growing dearth of wine—it’s the entire world, says a report released on Monday (Oct. 28) by Morgan Stanley Research.

Apple is about to take its much-awaited leap into Latin America.

The numbers: Burger King Worldwide reported third quarter earnings of $68.2 million, up over 900% from $6.6 million last year. Revenue, however, fell 40% to $275.1 million. Shares are up slightly in pre-market trading.

Switzerland’s competition authority WEKO granted Swatch permission on Friday (Oct. 25) to phase out the the sale of movements—the critical internal mechanisms of mechanical watches—to other watchmakers. The deal allows Swatch to slowly cut its movements supply over the next six years, until 2020, when it will no longer have any sales obligations at all.

Happy times are ahead for Venezuela.

The numbers: Better than expected. Microsoft reported first-quarter earnings of $5.24 billion, up 17% from the same period last year. Revenue came in at $18.5 billion, well above expectations that hovered nearer to $17.8 billion. Microsoft shares are up sharply on the news.