El Niño Preparedness in Latin America: Governments across the region are ramping up firefighting, water, energy and transport contingency plans as El Niño strengthens, with experts warning forecasts often don’t translate into action. Ecuador Digital Piracy: A Quito workshop says Ecuador leads South America in illegal content consumption (65% of internet households), estimating $622M in annual economic losses and pushing for tougher, clearer enforcement. Ecuador Plastic-Waste Breakthrough: Amazon researchers highlighted a plastic-eating fungus that can degrade polyester polyurethane, even in oxygen-poor conditions—an early lead for tackling persistent landfill waste. Ecuador Mangrove + Shrimp Sustainability: Ecuador’s shrimp sector signed a mangrove conservation agreement targeting 250 hectares for restoration by 2030, aiming to cut large CO₂ emissions and strengthen ecosystem resilience. Galápagos Research Push: The Hermandad Marine Reserve is accelerating a coordinated research agenda to guide conservation decisions across oceanography, biodiversity and climate impacts. AI Infrastructure in the Region: GoodVision AI plans its first “AI Factory” in Japan via a strategic partnership, signaling continued investment in high-density inference capacity. Uber Delivery Expansion: Uber agreed to buy Delivery Hero for $14.8B, bringing Foodora Hungary into its group and expanding delivery reach across dozens of new markets. World Cup Tech Angle: FIFA final coverage also spotlighted the long-developed natural grass pitch at MetLife Stadium and wildfire smoke monitoring affecting air quality.