Brazil

• Saturday, July 30th 2016 - 05:39 UTC

  Mercosur limbo: Uruguay's presidency is over, who will hold the rotating chair ?

  

  Uruguay made public on Friday a letter sent to Mercosur fellow full members stating the finalization, this Saturday 30 July, of its six-month presidency of the group, which means the rotating chair “should be transferred to Venezuela”. The letter was accompanied by a 32 page report of its six-month as chair of the group, particularly intense because of the trade negotiations with the European Union.

• Saturday, July 30th 2016 - 04:22 UTC

  Mercosur controversy: Brazil does not oppose Venezuela, but Caracas must first comply with agreed set of rules

  

  Brazilian interim president Michel Temer laid out the steps Venezuela must comply with before it is confirmed as full member of Mercosur, and following on that can effectively become chair of the group. Temer's Friday statement makes clear Brazil's position in the ongoing controversy regarding Venezuela's aspiration to succeed Uruguay in the rotating chair.

• Thursday, July 28th 2016 - 12:59 UTC

  Miss Bumbum displays her attributes in Olympics' body paintings

  

  The Rio Olympics have their “”sex muse” promoted by Playboy magazine with a display of pictures of Brazilian model Suzy Cortez, in body painting, who currently holds the Miss Bumbum crown (sexiest derriere).

• Thursday, July 28th 2016 - 12:53 UTC

  Rio Olympics cocaine: neat envelopes with the Games logo and rings

  

  Rio Olympic Games scheduled to be opened in just a few days time is facing all sorts of last minute challenges, mainly because of lack of proper planning and shortcomings, but this has not impeded the so called “marvelous” city, known for its sculptural girls, beautiful beaches and easy going mood as well as crime, drugs and favelas, to adapt inventiveness to the festivity spirit.

• Thursday, July 28th 2016 - 11:23 UTC

  Uruguay will transfer Mercosur chair to Venezuela, despite objections from Brazil and Paraguay

  

  Despite objections from Brazil and Paraguay, Uruguay next Saturday 30 July will transfer to Venezuela the rotating chair of Mercosur for the second half of the year, as indicated in the “group's rules and regulations”.

• Wednesday, July 27th 2016 - 15:14 UTC

  Argentina and Brazil celebrate 25th anniversary of accord which buried nuclear rivalry

  

  Argentina and Brazil commemorated on 18 July the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Material, ABACC, which was the result of the nuclear energy exclusive peaceful use accord, signed by then presidents Carlos Menem and Fernando Collor, in Guadalajara, Mexico.

• Wednesday, July 27th 2016 - 14:01 UTC

  Rousseff and Lula will not attend Rio Olympic Games opening

  

  Brazil's suspended president Dilma Rousseff and her predecessor and left-wing ally Lula da Silva will boycott the opening ceremony at the Rio Olympics, officials have said. Their absence at the 5 August ceremony highlights the political crisis in Brazil, with Rousseff facing possible removal from office in an impeachment trial shortly after the Games end.

• Wednesday, July 27th 2016 - 13:51 UTC

  Temer vetoes foreign 100% ownership of Brazilian airlines

  

  Brazil's interim President Michel Temer vetoed on Tuesday an article in a new law, which would allow foreign investors to take 100% ownership of Brazilian airlines, according to the official Gazette. The article is part of a law seeking to modify areas of the aviation sector, mainly in order to allow the state-owned airport infrastructure firm, Infraero, to restructure its debts.

• Tuesday, July 26th 2016 - 21:51 UTC

  Meirelles insists on a cap for government spending, if not taxes will have to rise

  

  Brazil's Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles has warned that if Congress does not approve a ceiling for public spending, the country will have chosen a most cumbersome path with new rounds of tax increases and higher interest rates which will further delay sustainable growth.

• Tuesday, July 26th 2016 - 21:38 UTC

  Olympics Brazilian security personnel have been trained by Israel Special Forces

  

  Next month's summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will take place under watchful eyes of 10,000 Brazilian soldiers and police officers and all have been highly trained for the job by Israelis, according to a report on the Israel NonStop website, based on details broadcast by Israeli Channel 2 television news reporter Nir Dvori.