Brazil

• Friday, February 21st 2014 - 06:46 UTC

  Argentina and Brazil fearful Venezuelan crowds in the streets could be contagious

  

  The current political crisis in Venezuela is rattling regional organizations, has two of the leading countries fearful of the crowds in the streets, while Latin American left wing populism believes there is a concerted right wing effort to destabilize the governments of Venezuela and Argentina, according to Argentine political analyst Rosendo Fraga.

• Thursday, February 20th 2014 - 10:27 UTC

  Scolari wants to banish the ghosts of the 1950 when Brazil was beaten by Uruguay

  

  Coach Luis Filipe Scolari says he wants Brazil to banish the ghosts of 1950, when his country last hosted the World Cup and lost the final in a defeat against neighboring Uruguay that has haunted them ever since.

• Wednesday, February 19th 2014 - 22:45 UTC

  Hague launches business and science programs to attract talented Brazilian students to UK

  

  The business-education partnership between Brazil and the UK will benefit hundreds of talented Brazilian students aiming to study in the UK, said Foreign Secretary William Hague who is on a three-day visit to Brazil.

• Wednesday, February 19th 2014 - 22:38 UTC

  Mercosur to meet 7 March to finalize the proposal to be presented to EU

  

  In early March Mercosur will have readied its proposal to liberate trade to be presented to the European Union, the basis for a wide-ranging cooperation and trade agreement between the two blocks, announced Rubens Barbosa, head of the Trade Council from the Sao Paulo State Industries Federation, FIESP.

• Wednesday, February 19th 2014 - 22:24 UTC

  Hague and Figuereido optimistic about outcome of the delayed Mercosur/EU trade pact

  

  Brazilian and UK foreign ministers Luiz Alberto Figuereido and William Hague said that Mercosur and the European Union are concluding the tariffs' reduction proposals which they plan to exchange as part of the process leading to a wide ranging cooperation and trade agreement between the two blocks.

• Tuesday, February 18th 2014 - 08:41 UTC

  Brazilian industry wants to change Mercosur rules and demands an urgent trade accord with the EU

  

  Brazil's National Confederation of Industries, CNI, supports a review of Mercosur rules such as the current impediment for member countries to negotiate trade agreements with third countries, and fervently backs an urgent full trade and cooperation agreement with the European Union.

• Tuesday, February 18th 2014 - 06:09 UTC

  Hague in Brazil for a three-day visit to reaffirm close links and Strategic Dialogue

  

  Foreign Secretary William Hague arrived in Brazil for a three-day visit to further the strong and growing partnership between the UK and Latin Americas leading economy. This is Mr. Hague's second visit for a series of meetings and events which started at Manaus where he visited the Arena Amazonia stadium, host of England's first 2014 World Cup match against Italy on June 14.

• Tuesday, February 18th 2014 - 05:34 UTC

  Hague in Brazil for a three-day visit; includes the Manaus stadium where England will play its first Cup match

  

  Foreign Secretary William Hague, currently on a three-day visit to Brazil, joined on Tuesday with England manager Roy Hodgson in Manaus to promote the Foreign Office’s ‘Be on the Ball’ campaign and FCO's preparations for World Cup 2014.

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 09:57 UTC

  FIFA will conduct surprise doping tests of all World Cup players

  

  FIFA is expected to conduct surprise doping tests of all World Cup players at least once beginning in March, setting up biological passports to determine possible irregularities in blood and urine samples. FIFA chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak said all teams and players should be tested unannounced between March 1 and the World Cup opener in June.

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 07:49 UTC

  Argentina/Brazil diplomatic incident almost triggers another Mercosur stall

  

  In what was described as a “shameful incident”, Brazil had to retract from statements made by one of its diplomats, a condition demanded by Argentina to continue negotiations for a Mercosur common tariffs reduction proposal which was taking place in Caracas. The incident occurred last week but only came to light over the weekend.