Mercosur faces its most serious political crisis following the spiraling conflict between Brazil and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez who publicly announced a three months ultimatum for the definitive approval of his country's entry to the main South American trade block.
The Brazilian government will spend 1.7 billion dollars to bring running water and other basic services to Rio de Janeiro slums to counter drug gangs that control many of the poor areas, announced President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
World Trade Organisation (WTO) chief Pascal Lamy said this week the Doha Round global trade talks risks heading into a deep freeze but could be saved if key countries made small concessions.
The first ever summit between the European Union and Brazil is taking place in Portugal marking the start of what both sides hope will become a new strategic partnership on issues such as energy, climate change and human rights.
Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he was looking forward to talk with his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez to discuss the latest Mercosur misunderstandings but he also emphasized that there are rules to become a member of the trade group, but none to leave.
Argentine president Nestor Kirchner denied emphatically on Wednesday that his administration was assessing the rationalization of electricity supply to homes and insisted that those versions are only looking to destabilize his government.
Increased demand for bio-fuels is causing fundamental changes to agricultural markets that could drive up world prices for many farm products, according to a new report published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, and the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees welcomed an offer by Brazil to resettle an estimated 100 Palestinians formerly living in Iraq starting in mid-September.
Argentina has requested energy assistance from Brazil to overcome the very extreme winter the country is suffering, according to sources in Brasilia reports the Brazilian press.
Foreign visitors to Brazil last year left an estimated 4.3 billion US dollars, up 11.77% over 2005, in spite the number actually dropped and the recurrent air traffic problems in Brazilian skies.