Brazil

• Sunday, June 16th 2013 - 14:39 UTC

  Booing down of President Rousseff reflects growing dissatisfaction with the economy

  

  Inflation, slower growth, street protests over the increase in bus fares smacked full on at an ill-humoured Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff during the opening ceremony of the Confederations Cup in Brasilia when she was booed down three times and simply had to declare the event open.

• Saturday, June 15th 2013 - 04:01 UTC

  Brazil bus-fares protests extend with hundreds arrested and dozens wounded

  

  More than a hundred people were arrested and dozens wounded as police in Sao Paulo clashed with activists on Thursday night in the latest and most rowdy in a rising tide of protests against bus, metro and train fare increases in Brazil.

• Saturday, June 15th 2013 - 03:56 UTC

  FIFA expresses ‘full confidence’ Brazil can manage disorders in the streets

  

  After violent protests in three cities heading into the warm-up event for the 2014 World Cup, FIFA expressed ''full confidence'' on Friday that Brazilian authorities have shown they can manage disorder in the streets.

• Friday, June 14th 2013 - 23:17 UTC

  Brazil pumps more consumer credit lines trying to bolster the economy

  

  The administration of President Dilma Rousseff will hand out 17 billion Reais (8 bn dollars) in cheap loans for home appliance purchases it was announced this week, a further attempt bolster Brazilians' buying power as an anemic economy and high inflation erode its approval rating.

• Friday, June 14th 2013 - 20:42 UTC

  Brazilian fire-fighters accused of dereliction of duty in blaze that killed 242 students

  

  Brazilian police accused eight firefighters of dereliction of duty for their alleged failure to enforce fire codes at a nightclub where a January 27 blaze resulted in the deaths of 242 people, the Record TV network reported this week.

• Friday, June 14th 2013 - 08:19 UTC

  Countdown for 2014 World Cup takes off with simultaneous events in Rio, Sao Paulo and Brasilia

  

  The countdown to 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil officially began this Wednesday 12 June. Simultaneous events in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Brasilia celebrated the unveiling of a clock marking the time remaining to the opening game of Brazil 2014.

• Thursday, June 13th 2013 - 06:53 UTC

  Brazilians continue to violently protest higher transport cost in the main cities

  

  Sao Paulo authorities were on Wednesday assessing the damage from a violent protest over higher public transportation prices that left three people hurt and 20 detained overnight. Demonstrators torched buses, hurled petrol bombs and smashed windows during clashes with police who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets.

• Wednesday, June 12th 2013 - 07:14 UTC

  Car sales in Brazil full speed ahead; 1.4 million units sold in five months

  

  Car sales in Brazil are setting new levels almost every month and May has been no exception, with 300,940 units sold beating the previous May record of 300,514 cars (registered in 2011).

• Monday, June 10th 2013 - 14:08 UTC

  Brazil JBS becomes largest chicken producer; purchases main tannery in Uruguay

  

  Brazil’s JBS SA, the world’s largest beef producer, agreed to buy assets from Marfrig Alimentos SA in Brazil and Uruguay, which will make it the world’s largest chicken producer. JBS will take on 5.85 billion Reais (2.74bn dollars) in debt for the Seara poultry and pork unit in Brazil and the Zenda tannery unit in Uruguay, the Sao Paulo-based company said in a regulatory filing today.

• Monday, June 10th 2013 - 12:46 UTC

  Brazil world’s top orange juice exporter conditioned by rising labour costs

  

  High production costs have orange growers in Brazil, the world's top orange juice exporter, bracing for a tough citrus season, despite last season's record harvest and high juice prices.