Brazil

• Thursday, June 4th 2009 - 16:46 UTC

  Air France crash: Brazil navy arrives in ocean zone

  

  Search crews flying over the Atlantic have found debris from the crashed Air France jet spread over more than 90km of ocean. Brazilian Defence Minister Nelson Jobim said the existence of large fuel stains in the water could rule out an explosion.

• Wednesday, June 3rd 2009 - 10:51 UTC

  Brazil confirms Air France jet crashed into the Atlantic

  

  Brazil's military has found wreckage from the Air France passenger jet that disappeared with 228 people on board, the country's defence minister says.

• Tuesday, June 2nd 2009 - 12:35 UTC

  Brazilian public opinion split on Lula da Silva’s re-re-election

  

  Brazilian public opinion is split almost equally on the re-election of President Lula da Silva for a second period, according to the latest poll published in Sao Paulo. Lula da Silva one of Brazil’s most popular leaders in decades has a support of 69% but a constitutional reform is needed if he is to run again in 2010.

• Monday, June 1st 2009 - 13:33 UTC

  Brazilian beef industry blamed for Amazon deforestation

  

  Boots and training shoes are not the first things that spring to mind when you think about the causes of rainforest destruction and climate change, but just because the connection isn't obvious doesn't mean it isn't realm, says Greenpeace in a new report, “Slaughtering the Amazon”.

• Saturday, May 30th 2009 - 15:22 UTC

  Brazil’s Real at it highest in 8 months; Bovespa up 40% so far this year

  

  The Brazilian currency reached its highest level in eight months on Friday as signs that the world economy is bouncing back and there’s a return of capital inflows to emerging markets. Similarly the Bovespa market index rose 12% in May totaling 40% since the beginning of the year.

• Friday, May 29th 2009 - 08:43 UTC

  Itaipú is a “political problem”, says Lula da Silva’s main advisor

  

  Differences between Brazil and Paraguay over the world’s largest operational hydroelectric dam, Itaipú, are a “political problem” and not an energy issue according to Marco Aurelio García, international affairs advisor to the Brazilian Executive.

• Friday, May 29th 2009 - 05:04 UTC

  Brazil discovers the benefits of efficient cook stoves.

  

  Woodland in Brazil is being cut down, day after day. The local people say they need it to make a living. This is not the Amazon rainforest deforestation, but the woody landscape of Caatinga in the North Eastern corner of Brazil. Caatinga’s inhabitants are cutting wood for cooking.

• Wednesday, May 27th 2009 - 12:05 UTC

  Brazilian companies free of nationalization spree, promises Chavez

  

  Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez told his Brazilian peer Lula da Silva that Brazilian corporations are safe from the current nationalization process in his oil-rich country. The two presidents met on Tuesday in Bahia to discuss Mercosur, energy, finances and regional integration.

• Wednesday, May 27th 2009 - 11:53 UTC

  Brazil confident Venezuela joins Mercosur next September

  

  Brazil Lula da Silva said on Tuesday his peer Hugo Chavez is expecting the Brazilian Senate to approve Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur before next September.

• Wednesday, May 27th 2009 - 06:23 UTC

  Brazilian Central Bank not surprised by steady gain of the Real

  

  Brazilian Central Bank President Henrique Meirelles said Tuesday that there are signs that the economy is recovering although he offered no specifics. Brazil’s economy expanded 5.1% in 2008 but government forecasts have been downgraded to 1% for 2009, and private estimates are even more pessimistic