Brazil

• Tuesday, November 13th 2012 - 00:05 UTC

  Lula da Silva former chief of staff sentenced to 10 years in prison for corruption

  

  The chief of staff to former President Lula da Silva, and fellow founder of Brazil's ruling Workers' Party, was sentenced to over 10 years in prison for running a congressional vote buying scheme almost a decade ago.

• Monday, November 12th 2012 - 07:34 UTC

  Drug lords continue to challenge Sao Paulo city: 20 killings over the weekend

  

  A wave of killings and attacks which is pounding the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo became even more violent over the weekend with at least twenty homicides reported in the metropolitan area according to the Military Police and Civilian Police releases.

• Thursday, November 8th 2012 - 07:08 UTC

  Brazil says inflation in October peaked and should begin to ease

  

  Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega said on Wednesday that inflation has peaked and indicators are pointing to a retreat to a lower level. Consumer prices rose in October at their fastest pace since April due to higher food prices, government data showed, though a measure of wholesale costs suggested relief should arrive in coming months

• Thursday, November 8th 2012 - 01:53 UTC

  Brazil expands investmetns and builds closer economic ties in Africa

  

  Brazilian companies are moving into Africa amid a government drive to build closer economic ties with the continent. A year ago Vale, the Brazilian mining giant, exported its first overseas coal shipment from Mozambique.

• Wednesday, November 7th 2012 - 22:14 UTC

  Rousseff pledges combating corruption is “State policy” in Brazil

  

  Transparency International described corruption as “a plague which destroys lives, communities and countries, and feeds armed conflicts and wars”, during the opening in Brazil of the 15th International Anti Corruption Conference.

• Wednesday, November 7th 2012 - 04:27 UTC

  Soy crop prospects fin South America down: Argentina excessive water, in Brazil lack of rain

  

  South America’s crop prospects deteriorated because of excessive rainfall in Argentina and dry conditions in central Brazil, according to Oil World. Argentina’s estimated 55/56 million tons soybean crop could drop anywhere from 3 6o 6 million tons because of delays in sowing caused by torrential rains and flooding.

• Tuesday, November 6th 2012 - 22:38 UTC

  Sao Paulo with federal support promises to crack organized crime and drug lords

  

  Brazil announced on Tuesday it will create a new police agency, boost surveillance operations and mull transferring inmates to more secure prisons as it battles killings of police in surging violence blamed on a jail-based drug gang.

• Monday, November 5th 2012 - 13:10 UTC

  Lawless Sao Paulo: 22 people killed over the weekend including the 90th cop

  

  Law and order seems out of control in Brazil’s largest city and financial hub. To the usual appalling crime statistics follows a rash of police officers killings. This weekend an off duty military police officer was the twenty second murder victim and the 90th killed in the city so far this year.

• Friday, November 2nd 2012 - 08:28 UTC

  Drought in US farms is helping Brazil’s exports of corn and ethanol

  

  Brazil's trade ministry said the country's exports of corn and ethanol rose in October as foreign buyers turned to Brazil after the worst drought in 50 years ravaged US crops.

• Friday, November 2nd 2012 - 06:44 UTC

  Chavez promises attendance, God willing, to Mercosur summit in Brasilia

  

  President Hugo Chavez said on Thursday that he will be attending the coming Mercosur presidential summit next 7 December in Brasilia and assured Venezuela is speeding up so the country can display all its potential within the political and trade block.