Brazil was confirmed as host of the 2014 men's World Cup on Tuesday, marking the first time since 1950 that the privilege has been bestowed on the country that calls itself the land of the football boot.
Brazil is the only country in the running to host the 2014 World Football Cup competition, which is set to be staged in South America due to Fifa's rotation system. Inspectors have sent a report to the Fifa executive committee indicating their approval, and a decision will be announced next Tuesday.
Plans to search for oil and natural gas in Brazil's remote western Amazon have raised concerns that one of the last untouched areas of the world's largest wilderness will be spoiled.
World trade talks are progressing and appear to be edging close to a deal, Brazil's ambassador to the United States said on Wednesday. In Pretoria a summit of presidents from host South Africa, Brazil and India seemed to confirm expectations.
Brazil's Central Bank left this week the October reference interest rate, Selic, unchanged at 11.25%, putting an end to a monetary policy distention which begun over two years ago.
Brazilian president Lula da Silva reiterated he was against a hypothetical reelection for a third mandate but did not deny the possibility of running again in 2014, according to a Sunday interview with Folha do Sao Paulo. The president also pointed out that the last time he got drunk was in 1974.
Brazilian Defence minister Nelson Jobim stated that the Amazon sovereignty is non negotiable and rejected recommendations from a United Nations panel that last week shared with former US Vice president Al Gore the Nobel Peace Prize and suggested the creation of an international treaty to guarantee the protection of the vast rain forest in South America.
A general agreement on global trade liberalization in the Doha round of talks is closer than most people think, said U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez Wednesday.
The European Union may resort to a ban on Brazilian meat imports if the country does not improve food safety standards, the European Union's health chief said on Tuesday addressing members of the European Parliament.
Global liquidity in recent years has led to a boom, --and speculation--, in real estate and farming land in Mercosur member countries. Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay have seen land prices soar pushed by foreign buyers and now governments are reacting tightening restrictions on land ownership.