Brazil

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 21:41 UTC

  Argentina/Brazil clash over restrictions to footwear imports

  

  Argentine and Brazilian footwear manufacturers clashed this week over restrictions to trade, mainly through the delay in approving import licences but agreed to keep talking next month in Rio do Janeiro.

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 21:36 UTC

  Brazil lowers basic rate half a point for a second time running to 11.5%

  

  Brazil’s central bank cut borrowing costs by half a point for a second straight meeting. The bank’s board, led by President Alexandre Tombini, voted unanimously to reduce the benchmark Selic rate to 11.5% from 12% percent.

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 07:00 UTC

  Lula da Silva: only way out for the crisis is growth and jobs, not balanced budgets

  

  Former Brazilian president Lula da Silva recommended European Union leaders to stop discussing balancing budgets and recapitalization of banks and find a solution to the current crisis through more economic growth, more trade and more jobs.

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 06:44 UTC

  Brazil’s ‘beautiful game’ fans want big boss ‘cartola’ out

  

  Ricardo Teixeira has dominated Brazilian football for so long that, like many of the best players, he is known by just one name. They call him the “cartola,” literally the “top hat,” a title given to football bosses that instil respect and fear in equal measure and can carry more than a hint of shadiness.

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 04:07 UTC

  UK Parliament praises Brazil, but regrets its ‘hardening’ policy towards Falklands

  

  Britain’s House of Commons strongly supports a closer bilateral relationship with Brazil, which it describes as a democratic, well governed, responsible state but regrets the hardening position of Brazil towards the Falklands and the HMS Clyde incident.

• Thursday, October 20th 2011 - 00:10 UTC

  Argentina, Brazil and Mexico attempt to harmonize positions ahead of G20

  

  Argentina, Brazil and Mexico meeting in Uruguay ahead of the G-20 summit in France next November, agreed to demand a greater role for the region in global affairs and in helping to resolve the global economic crisis.

• Wednesday, October 19th 2011 - 21:06 UTC

  Who’s the best player ever: Pelé, Maradona, Romario or Messi?

  

  Former Barcelona (1993/95) striker Romario and 1994 World Cup champion came on stage to say that Argentine star Lionel Messi still has some way to go before he can call himself the best player ever.

• Wednesday, October 19th 2011 - 16:51 UTC

  EC report claims Argentina and Brazil are increasing trade barriers

  

  Major trading nations led by Argentina, Brazil and Russia are raising barriers to international and threatening the global economic recovery, the European Union's executive arm said on Wednesday.

• Wednesday, October 19th 2011 - 07:23 UTC

  After the Falklands war, Brazil helped repatriate Argentine repressor jailed in the UK

  

  The Brazilian dictatorship mediated before London in 1982 to have Navy Captain and notorious repressor Alfredo Astiz, repatriated to Argentina from Britain, where he had been flown after he surrendered the South Georgia garrison to the British Task Force.

• Wednesday, October 19th 2011 - 07:01 UTC

  Brazilian press not fond of CFK and criticizes her populism and use of icons

  

  Brazilian media toughened up its opinion about President Cristina Fernandez ahead of the general elections on Sunday. Several news vehicles have run stories on CFK use of alleged populism and of political icons such as Juan Domingo Péron and Eva Perón and the Peronism to draw in more votes.