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Life was good in April, wasn't it?

listen to the signs: if there's something that scares you and excites you in equal measure, that means you should go after it!

Author

Micael Balioni
May 01, 2025

THE MUSTS

World

i had to talk about him

 An era has come to an end

 Pope Francis, leader of the Catholic Church since 2013, died at the age of 88 in Rome after suffering a stroke and falling into a coma. I believe that you all already know this, which is why I wondered if it was worth mentioning it here, but I wanted to say a few things about this pope:

Argentinian, Jesuit, the first Latin American pope in history and the 266th successor of St. Peter - the first pontiff in history - Jorge Mario Bergoglio had a simple style:

  • His approach to those most in need and his greater recognition of the homosexual public, for example, made him an inspiration to many.

  • On the other hand, it also made him a target for criticism, especially among the more conservative wings of the Church.

Personally, I wouldn’t call him progressive, but I do believe that within an institution that was conservative by nature, he stood out as the most progressive among the conservatives.

Precise timing: He died in a Jubilee year, in the middle of Holy Week. He gave his last message to the world the day before his death, through the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing, read by an aide: “I would like us to have hope again [...] that peace is possible,” in an appeal for disarmament and solidarity.

“Who becomes Pope now?”

Unlike the position of President of a country, for example, in the Church there is no such thing as a “vice-president”. For the next few days, the Vatican will have a temporary government, only until the new Pope is decided through the so-called Conclave.

All the Church's cardinals under the age of 80 take part in the vote, which takes place behind closed doors in the Sistine Chapel. As many votes as necessary take place until one of the cardinals receives a minimum of 2/3 of the total votes - in other words, the ceremony tends to last a few days. It should start in around 15 to 20 days.

  • Here's an important detail: of the 135 cardinal electors, 108 were appointed by Francis (80%). In other words, even if he is absent, the Argentinian Pope will have a huge influence on the choice of his successor.

The last goodbye

 Around 250,000 people packed St. Peter's Square in Rome to say goodbye to Pope Francis. Lula, Trump, Milei, Zelensky, Biden, William and Macron were some of the names present. In fact, the presidents of the USA and Ukraine had an unusual 1:1 meeting.

Fun fact: Viewership of the new movie Conclave shot up 283% on Monday as news of the death of the real-life Pope Francis spread, per Luminate.

What else in on

  • Germany: Berlin has approved a measure that allows women to swim topless in public swimming pools, just like men. The decision points out that the change is an advance in gender equality and reflects the German tradition of “free body culture”. (Read)

  • USA: US secures access to Ukraine's strategic minerals. The countries reached an agreement that gives Washington access to strategic Ukrainian minerals such as titanium, lithium, graphite and uranium, key elements for sectors such as defense, energy and electric vehicles. (Read)

  • Iberia: Huge power outage was felt in different countries in Europe, such as France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, but it really hit Spain and Brazilian Guyana, knocking out cell phone signals, slowing down traffic and more. (Read)

  • Russia: Putin launched airstrikes in several regions of Ukraine, killing at least 4 people, hours after Moscow claimed to have retaken areas in Kursk. Trump again questioned Putin's willingness to end the war. (Read)

  • Brazil: In five years, the number of Brazilians living abroad has grown by 39.2%. Searches for “best places to live outside Brazil” grew by 166.7%. (Read)

  • Canada: Unexpectedly, Mark Carney's Liberal party wins Canada's elections. (Read)

 

Economy & Business

an interesting business case for you

This Brazilian bank's strategy to sell more iPhones than Apple itself

When you think of who leads iPhone sales in Brazil, you probably imagine retail giants or even Apple itself. But, surprisingly, Itaú is at the top of the list. Although most of my readers aren't Brazilian, I found this interesting for its insight into strategy and business - whether you know Itau as a bank is irrelevant.

  • The bank has managed to overtake Apple itself and other competitors in the volume of iPhone sales. Behind this, the focus is on long-term relationships and having even more valuable data about its customers.

A clever strategy: By offering iPhones in long installments, in addition to securing interest income (built into the price), the bank also retains customers for longer - with average customer retention rising from 4 to 7 years, for example.

In addition, each iPhone purchase provides Itaú with a complete set of data on customer consumption behavior. With this information, the bank is able to offer personalized financial products, such as investments, insurance, credit and consortia.

The figures are impressive. Within 48 hours of the launch of the iPhone 16 last year, Itaú sold 3,500 units - a 40% increase on the previous year. This generated R$27 million in revenue in that short period. Interesting right?

What else is on:

  • Closer to an end: The final phase of Google’s antitrust case regarding search dominance has begun. US District Judge Amit Mehta will hear from the Justice Department and the ~$2 trillion tech company about how they each believe Google should break up to shed its status as “a monopolist”. (Read)

  • Rise up: Shein has raised the prices of its products sold in the US by up to 377% ahead of the increase in US tariffs on Chinese imports due to come into force on May 2. (Read)

  • Exclusive trillionaire group: While most big techs are dodging the tariff war, and antitrust lawsuits, Netflix has taken advantage of its ~apparent~ immunity to map out a plan to join the trillion-dollar tech club. (Read)

  • Amazon’s new endeavor: The company that was born to sell books has simply sent a rocket with 27 satellites into orbit. The aim is to create its own global internet network - in what it is calling “Project Kuiper”. (Read)

 

Culture & Life

category is… Dance or die.

The new promise of the super-rich is underground

Climate change, pandemics, wars, social crises. While most people go with the flow of everyday life, the ultra-rich already have a plan B: luxury underground bunkers.

The bunker market in the United States is expected to reach US$ 175 million by 2030. Companies are cashing in on the promise of safety, selling shelters ranging from $20,000 spaces to multi-million dollar underground mansions.

Despite the promise of total protection, experts warn that these bunkers can only offer temporary security. In a nuclear war scenario, for example, the radiation would have lasting effects, making it impossible to return to the surface.

Names like Mark Zuckerberg are already keeping an eye on the business. The founder of Meta has already invested around $100 million in the construction of a bunker in Hawaii, a complex that includes escape tunnels and state-of-the-art security systems.

Fun fact: In 2005, a survey carried out here in Brazil showed that there were 102 bunkers in the country, 63 of which were in the city of São Paulo alone. Could it be that São Paulo knows something we don't?

What else is on:

  • History has its value. A Stegosaurus fossil sells for almost US$45 million at a New York auction, the highest price ever paid for a dinosaur skeleton. (Read)

  • Harvard makes education free for more families. Starting next semester, students from families with an annual income of up to $200,000 will have free tuition at university. (Read)

  • It's not a five-star hotel. It's your car. A massage bench, ambient music, perfume in the cabin and even guided meditation… Automakers such as Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Genesis are taking the concept of well-being in cars to the extreme. (Read)

     

EDITOR’S RECOMMENDATIONS

Movies

do you think our love can make miracles?

The Notebook by Nick Cassavetes: Ok, here we go. This is a recommendation that is 1) not fresh, and 2) you’ve probably already seen it. However — I hadn’t, until last Sunday. And honestly? It’s the best movie I’ve watched in a while, so here we are.

This was actually a recommendation from my dad about a month ago. I added it to my list but kept prioritizing other things... To be fair, Nicholas Sparks clichés always sounded a bit silly to me — which, thinking about it now, makes no sense, because I love romantic movies. I should have known better.

For the few of you who might not have seen it yet: The Notebook is the classic love story starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. It follows Noah and Allie, two people from completely different worlds who fall deeply in love one summer in the 1940s. Of course, like any great love story, life gets in the way — family pressure, war, years of separation — but what makes this movie unforgettable isn’t just the romance, it’s about choosing someone again and again, even when life pulls you in every possible direction.

Yes, it’s cheesy. Yes, it can make you cry (don’t fight it). But it’s also a reminder of the kind of love that doesn’t just survive — it fights, it rebuilds, it chooses. Watching a young Ryan Gosling build a house for love while Rachel McAdams storms into every scene like a hurricane? Cinematic therapy.

If you’re in the mood for a heavy dose of feelings and a beautifully done love story, do yourself a favor: Grab some tissues, hit play, and thank me later.

And remember: if you’re a bird, I’m a bird. (Rating 9/10)

WHAT ABOUT ME?

Micael

bora passar na Djalma noivas?

Hello dear readers,

What a month it’s been! So many days off, sun shining, flowers blooming, love flowing — and when life is good, you just want to keep the momentum going, right?

Which brings me to the big news — especially for my beloved Brazilian fans: I’m coming back, baby! After more than 2.5 years without stepping on Brazilian soil, it’s official. I’ll be back for over a month — yes, your dreams are coming true.

  • I’ll be touring different states, visiting my beautiful mom and family in Rondônia, and even stopping by my grandma’s town, where little Micael once ran around causing trouble (it’s been over 20 years!). Of course, São Paulo is on the list — and if the stars align, I might add another state or two to my Brazilian Holiday Tour™. (Accepting applications for tanamesers who are down for a trip!)

Here’s the plan so far:

  • October 18th: Arrival in São Paulo

  • October 20th–30th: Rondônia adventures

  • November 8th: Special appearance at Rafa’s wedding!

  • November 23rd: Return to rainy, moody Milan

So mark your calendars and send me your proposals — because I’m seriously craving some Brazil in my life right now.

Now, being honest: a foreigner will always be a foreigner. No matter how long you’re away, your home country never stops being home. Lately, I’ve been watching Tapas e Beijos every night (such a good show) and blasting MPB daily — things I rarely did before. But here I am, officially homesick.

For many of you, this will be the longest we’ve gone without seeing each other — and I like to think that only proves how strong our bond really is. 💖

I couldn’t be more excited to share this with you. And to my non-Brazilian fans: don’t worry — at the very least, you’re about to get a lot of hot new content for my Instagram, which has been severely lacking this year. (A tragedy almost as big as not visiting my grandma’s town for 20 years.)

This one had a lighter tone, but that’s what spring is for, right? To remind us that life can be lighter, days can be brighter, and somehow... we are only getting younger.

With love,
Micael.

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