Brazil

• Tuesday, December 30th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Energy: strong Big Brother Brazil medicine for Paraguay

  Brazil is willing to correct with Paraguay some practical distortions in the implementation of the Itaipú shared hydroelectric dam system, but “not the Treaty”, said Marco Aurelio Garcia, President Lula da Silva's main international affairs advisor.

• Sunday, December 28th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil unveils plan to expand ethanol sales in Asian market

  Brazil's giant oil and gas corporation Petrobras has plans to open next year its first service stations in Japan to promote the distribution of ethanol, of which Brazil is the world's second leading producer, according to a report from O Estado de Sao Paulo. Petrobras already operates an oil refinery in Japan.

• Saturday, December 27th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Suspected killer of rainforest activist arrested in Brazil

  

  Brazilian police detained a rancher suspected of the murder of rainforest activist Dorothy Stang for allegedly acquiring titles illegally to land that the United States missionary died trying to defend.

• Saturday, December 27th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Less fertilizer use anticipates smaller 08/09 crop in Brazil

  

  Brazil's 2008/09 harvest is forecasted to experience a loss of 5 to 10% compared to the previous record crop of 143 million tons, according to Katia Abreu, president of the Brazilian Agriculture and Livestock Confederation CNA.

• Friday, December 26th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil health office to buy and distribute 1.2 billion condoms

  Brazil's Health Ministry announced it will purchase 1.2 billion condoms next year for the country's national program against AIDS, according to Brazilian media reports.

• Friday, December 26th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Lula da Silva signs bill creating sovereign wealth fund

  Brazilian President Lula da Silva has signed a law creating a sovereign wealth fund to protect the country from the global financial crisis and help Brazilian companies boost trade and expand overseas.

• Thursday, December 25th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Lula da Silva choice confirmed as presidential hopeful

  

  Brazil's ruling Workers Party, (PT) has announced its full support for cabinet chief Dilma Rousseff as candidate for the presidential elections of 2010. PT chairman Ricardo Berzoni made the official statement last Wednesday after meeting with President Lula da Silva in Government House, Planalto.

• Wednesday, December 24th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Lula da Silva asks Brazilian consumers to go out and spend

  Brazilian President Lula da Silva called on consumers to step up spending to help the economy overcome the global credit crisis while assuring them that inflation will remain under control.

• Tuesday, December 23rd 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  France to help Brazil build its first nuclear powered submarine

  Brazilian Defence minister Nelson Jobim announced Monday an agreement with France for the construction of a nuclear submarine. Jobim said France would help build a yard in Rio do Janeiro for the assembling of four conventional Scorpone submarines and one nuclear powered.

• Monday, December 22nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil has injected 164 billion US dollars to prop economy

  

  The Brazilian government has injected an estimated 164 billion US dollars, mostly to banks and corporations, since the beginning of the financial downturn, according to the official news agency.