Brazil

• Thursday, July 25th 2013 - 06:00 UTC

  Brazil current account deficit narrows in June, but will be above 3% of GDP in 2013

  

  Brazil's current account deficit narrowed in June from a year ago, central bank data showed on Tuesday, although it may still be unable to cover that gap in 2013 with direct investment from abroad. The country posted a current account gap of 3.6 billion dollars in June.

• Thursday, July 25th 2013 - 05:55 UTC

  Conference in Brazil to discuss oil and gas industry latest practices in HSE

  

  Oil spills have always tormented the oil and gas industry with devastating incidents being reported world wide. A recent oil spill of about 11,480 barrels in Ecuador has given rise to concerns to the neighbouring countries of Latin America.

• Thursday, July 25th 2013 - 05:43 UTC

  For the first time since 2000, Brazil is expected to post a trade deficit

  

  Brazil is this year, for the first time since 2000, is expected to post a balance of trade deficit which, according to the Brazilian Foreign Trade Association (Aeb), and should be in the range of 2 billion dollars.

• Thursday, July 25th 2013 - 02:08 UTC

  From Brazil’s largest basilica Pope Francis calls on young people to shun the idols of money and pleasure

  

  Pope Francis held his first mass as a pontiff at the Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida in Sao Paulo before thousands of faithful who gathered despite de cold and the rain. During the Wednesday mass, Pope Francis urged young people to shun the “ephemeral idols” of money and pleasure and cherish traditional values to help build a better world.

• Wednesday, July 24th 2013 - 07:29 UTC

  Argentina/Brazil trade disputes reached a ‘furious level’ during Mercosur last summit in Montevideo

  

  International issues helped Mercosur to close ranks and give a false image of unity during the last summit held in Uruguay, according to diplomatic sources in Montevideo that are surfacing details of a bitter exchange behind doors between Argentina’s Cristina Fernandez and Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff.

• Wednesday, July 24th 2013 - 07:23 UTC

  Rio subway breakdown adds to Monday’s security lapses in Pope Francis visit

  

  Rio de Janeiro's subway broke down on Tuesday, causing chaos for throngs of pilgrims in town for a huge Catholic gathering and a papal visit already marked by security lapses. Crowds of people crammed into buses, scrambled to find taxis or began walking toward Copacabana beach for an evening mass to officially kick off World Youth Day.

• Wednesday, July 24th 2013 - 07:19 UTC

  Mass with 400.000 Catholics in Copacabana beach marks opening of World Youth Day

  

  Around 400,000 Roman Catholics have joined a Tuesday evening ceremony on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro to mark the opening of World Youth Day. The highlight of the festival will be a visit on Thursday by Pope Francis.

• Tuesday, July 23rd 2013 - 08:00 UTC

  Polls confirm support for Rousseff has crashed and Lula da Silva becomes an option

  

  Former president Lula da Silva is back leading opinion polls as the most likeable candidate for Brazil’s presidential election in 2014, eleven percentage points ahead of his successor and current president Dilma Rousseff according to the latest public opinion polls released over the week end.

• Tuesday, July 23rd 2013 - 07:54 UTC

  Despite papal blessings, Brazil further cuts spending and growth forecast

  

  Brazil is cutting spending for the second time in two months to help meet its fiscal target as it forecasts slower growth this year which was also confirmed according to the latest Central Bank survey. The economic data was announced while Brazil had its eyes and ears in Rio do Janeiro to receive Pope Francis.

• Tuesday, July 23rd 2013 - 07:48 UTC

  Violent protests against Rio do Janeiro governor following Pope’s reception

  

  Rio de Janeiro was the stage for violent protests centred at Palacio Guanabara where earlier in the day Pope Francis had been received by Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff. The incidents occurred Monday night during a demonstration against Rio state governor Sergio Cabral which convened an estimated 1.500 people according to the police.