Hundreds of scientists from all over the world under the umbrella organization World Science Forum, WSF, meets this week in Rio do Janeiro to discuss their role in the 21st century and to emphasize the importance of scientific advice in political and economical decisions.
Jaguar Land Rover plans to build a 500 million dollars manufacturing plant in Brazil, the O Globo newspaper reported on Sunday. The daily wrote that the Rio de Janeiro factory will be the company's second production facility outside Britain, in addition to one China. It also has an assembly plant in India.
Airport operators from Singapore, Germany, Switzerland and Brazil on Friday won rights to run airports in Rio and Belo Horizonte, two host cities of the 2014 World Cup. One consortium including engineering firm Odebrecht and Singapore airport operator Changi paid 19 billion Reais (8.24 billion dollars) for a 25-year concession to run Rio's Galeao airport at an auction held at the Sao Paulo stock exchange.
Argentine Defense Minister Agustín Rossi met his Brazilian counterpart, Celso Amorim and agreed to incorporate all South American countries in their bilateral treaty on cyber-defense. The decision was made after several reports indicated the United States engaged in espionage activities against the countries in the region.
At least 573 people have died from dengue in Brazil so far this year, nearly twice the figure reported in 2012, according to official figures released Wednesday. Last year, 292 deaths were recorded and 473 in 2011, according to the health ministry.
Airports in Rio and Belo Horizonte, two host cities of the 2014 World Cup, are to be privatized at an auction this week, Brazilian civil aviation authorities said this week. Press reports said five consortia, each with at least one foreign partner, are to take part in Friday's auction at the Sao Paulo stock exchange.
Brazil's jobless rate fell to 5.2% in October from 5.4% the previous month, despite sluggish economic growth, official statistics released Thursday showed. In October of 2012, the rate stood at 5.3%, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Brazil experienced record low unemployment of 4.6% last December.
Infestations of the Helicoverpa caterpillar in Brazil's grain belt prompted the agriculture ministry this week to declare a state of emergency in the leading soy state of Mato Grosso, highlighting the potential risk to large parts of the crop.
The Miss Bum Bum 2013 winner is 25-year-old Dai Macedo of Brazil. Dai Macedo, who was the representative for the state of Goias in central Brazil, was one of fifteen finalists that participated in the competition in Sao Paolo last week.
Brazil on Thursday paid homage to Joao Goulart, ousted as Brazilian president ahead of the 1964-85 military dictatorship, after his remains were exhumed to determine if he was poisoned. The exhumation took place at the Sao Borja cemetery near the Uruguayan and Argentine border, and flown to the capital Brasilia.