Brazil

• Thursday, June 10th 2010 - 18:28 UTC

  Lula da Silva says “espionage plot” on opposition candidate is a ‘set up’

  

  Brazilian president Lula da Silva talked for the first time about the alleged espionage plot against opposition presidential candidate Jose Serra and described the whole operation as an ‘absurd set up’ with electoral purposes.

• Thursday, June 10th 2010 - 18:17 UTC

  Brazil-Paraguay discussions to review the Itaipú Treaty are ‘done and over’

  

  For Brazil the renegotiation of the Itaipú dam treaty between Brazil and Paraguay ‘is over’ following on last year’s declaration of Presidents Lula da Silva and Fernando Lugo, said Marco Aurelio García the Brazilian president main advisor in international affairs.

• Thursday, June 10th 2010 - 06:48 UTC

  Mini-Watergate scandal involves Brazilian incumbent presidential campaign

  

  A mini Watergate Brazilian-style is emerging following statements from a former high ranking intelligence police officer who claims he was contracted by members of the incumbent presidential candidate team to spy on her main opponent.

• Thursday, June 10th 2010 - 06:47 UTC

  Chinese exports displace Brazilian goods overseas and at home

  

  Brazil lost an estimated 12.6 billion US dollars in exports between 2004 and 2009 because of Chinese penetration in the country’s main international markets according to a report from the powerful Federation of Sao Paulo States industries, FIESP, released Wednesday.

• Thursday, June 10th 2010 - 06:07 UTC

  Brazil expects 145.8 million tons crop in 2010; soybeans area up 7.2%

  

  Brazil's crop will reach 145.8 million tons in 2010, up 8.8% from 2009, according to a May projection released on Tuesday by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The projection is 0.5% lower than April’s, released in May.

• Wednesday, June 9th 2010 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil’s tightest presidential election formally takes off this weekend

  

  Brazil’s most influential parties will be holding this week their national conventions, which is the previous step to the formal launching of the October presidential election campaign considered one of the tightest races in recent electoral history.

• Wednesday, June 9th 2010 - 01:29 UTC

  Brazil GDP expands at ‘Chinese pace’9%; rates increase forecasted

  

  Brazil’s economy grew at its fastest annual rate since 1995 in the first quarter anticipating expectations that the central bank will raise interest rates 0.75 percentage point Wednesday to prevent overheating.

• Tuesday, June 8th 2010 - 03:53 UTC

  Petrobras controls spill at offshore rig while transferring oil to ship

  

  Brazil’s government managed oil and gas corporation Petrobras announced Monday it had controlled an oil leak at an offshore platform in the Campos Basin, 160 kilometers from Rio do Janeiro.

• Monday, June 7th 2010 - 09:22 UTC

  Incumbent Brazilian presidential campaign accused of spying on adversary

  

  A member from the campaign team of Brazilian presidential candidate Dilma Rousseff was forced to resign over the weekend because of an alleged espionage plan to tap information from the main opposition hopeful Jose Serra.

• Saturday, June 5th 2010 - 00:51 UTC

  President Lula da Silva admits he would consider running again in 2014

  

  Brazil’s president Lula da Silva confirmed he is seriously considering running again in 2014 when Brazil will be hosting the World Football Cup. The Brazilian president made the announcement during an interview with Bandeirantes television.