Brazil, one of the world's leading agricultural producers, expects a record grain harvest this year of 192.3 million tons, up 2.2% from 2013, the IBGE statistics agency said this week.
President Dilma Rousseff said Tuesday her country was ready to host the World Cup in two days, rejecting criticism of delays, overspending and chaos in the tournament's preparations. However organizing the cup was tough, but she insisted that the 12 stadiums were ready and told foreign fans that Brazil would welcome them with open arms like Rio's Christ the Redeemer statue.
Days after reports that US/Puerto Rican singer Jennifer Lopez had canceled her performance with Pitbull and Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte at Thursday opening ceremony in Brazil, her representative retracted and said that she will be there, People magazine reported.
Floods have killed nine people and driven tens of thousands of people from their homes while swelling rivers to record levels in southern Brazil and neighboring Paraguay and Argentina, authorities said Tuesday.
At least eleven heads of state and government have confirmed their attendance at the opening ceremony of the World Cup, next Thursday (12th), in São Paulo, and a total of 20 leaders will be watching World Cup matches.
Subway workers have suspended a strike that crippled traffic in Brazil's biggest city, but warned they could resume their walkout on Thursday, when Sao Paulo hosts the first game of the soccer World Cup.
The Iguazu National Park in Argentina has taken precaution measures and closed access to the Devil's Gorge of the world famous Iguazú falls because of an imminent rise in water levels after the Itaipu and Yacireta dams announced they will be forced to increase the outflow.
Police in Sao Paulo fired tear gas Monday to disperse protesters supporting a subway strike that has unleashed transport chaos three days before the Brazilian mega-city hosts the World Cup kick-off.
Brazil's monthly consumer prices index slowed in May versus the previous month, but not as much as expected, as the impact of one of the worst droughts in decades in food prices receded only partially. The IPCA rose 0.46% compared with a 0.67% climb in April, the Brazilian Geographic and Statistics Institute, or IBGE, said.
Police in Brazil have used tear gas to break up protesters on the second day of a metro strike that has left Sao Paulo's transport in chaos. Nearly half of the stations were closed and there was gridlock on the streets of Brazil's largest city, which will host the opening match of the World Cup next Thursday.