Brazil

Wednesday, August 21st 2019 - 09:50 UTC
Cristina Kirchner leads call to free ex Brazil president Lula da Silva

Presidential frontrunner Alberto Fernandez and running-mate Cristina Kirchner led calls by dozens of Argentine personalities on Tuesday to free Brazil's jailed leftist icon Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Human rights activists, lawmakers, trade unionists, artists and scientists signed a petition published in the left-leaning Pagina 12 daily.
Wednesday, August 21st 2019 - 09:50 UTC
Deforestation: Brazil Amazon states want to deal directly with Norway and Germany

Brazilian states containing the country’s Amazon rainforest said they want to negotiate directly with European nations who fund projects to curb deforestation after changes proposed by the federal government led Norway and Germany to suspend donations.
Wednesday, August 21st 2019 - 09:42 UTC
UK program to help boost trade facilitation and export programs

A new trade facilitation program will support Brazilian businesses to export, which will help boost trade with countries including the UK. The £20 million program will work with existing export promotion and trade facilitation programs across Brazil to help bring businesses of all sizes to international markets.
Wednesday, August 21st 2019 - 09:33 UTC
Gunman holding a busload of passenger’s hostage in Rio was shot dead by police sniper

A gunman holding a busload of passengers hostage in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday was shot dead by police, officials said, ending the hours-long hijacking. Dozens of people were trapped on the bus after it was commandeered by the gunman on a heavily transited bridge connecting Rio with the neighboring city of Niteroi.
Tuesday, August 20th 2019 - 20:07 UTC
Brazilian bees decimated by pesticides which are banned in Europe

More than half a billion bees dropped dead in Brazil within just three months, according to Bloomberg. Researchers say the main cause of death is pesticides, which could end up affecting more than the bees.
Tuesday, August 20th 2019 - 17:10 UTC
Brazil's scientific community threatened by budget cuts: 80.000 scholarships on the line

Brazil’s main science-funding agency will have to suspend more than 80,000 scholarships to postdoctoral researchers and graduate and undergraduate students starting in September unless it receives additional cash from the government.
Tuesday, August 20th 2019 - 09:54 UTC
Alberto Fernández is like a matryoshka doll, “you open it and out pops, Cristina, Lula, Chavez...”

Argentine primary winner, Alberto Fernandez is like the Russian mamushka doll, “you open it and out pops Cristina Fernandez, again you open it and out pops Lula, and again, Hugo Chavez”, said Brazilian foreign minister Ernesto Araújo.
Tuesday, August 20th 2019 - 08:53 UTC
Brazil considering declaring Hezbollah a terrorist organization, but also weighs trade with Iran and Lebanese community

Brazil is considering designating Lebanese group Hezbollah a terrorist organization, as President Jair Bolsonaro increasingly aligns his government with the U.S. on foreign policy.
Saturday, August 17th 2019 - 06:47 UTC
Bolsonaro administration has privatized some US$ 20bn of assets

Brazil has privatized nearly US$ 20bn of assets and investments since the election of right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, according to a government minister. Secretary of state for privatization, divestment and markets Salim Mattar announced that the government’s sweeping program of privatization was going as planned.
Saturday, August 17th 2019 - 01:57 UTC
Testimony of torture centre survivor in Brazil could help crush 1979 amnesty law shielding military officials

Details provided by the sole survivor of a torture centre in Brazil could lead to the imprisonment of a man accused of raping her during her captivity. The accused has so far been shielded by a 1979 amnesty law which prevents military officials from being prosecuted for crimes committed under military rule.