Brazil

• Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Seism shakes north east Brazil causing panic but no victims

  

  A slight tremor with 3.9 Ritcher scale degree intensity, lasting a few seconds, followed by over a hundred low intensity replicas was felt in the Brazilian northeastern state of Ceará, according to Brazilian Civil Defence.

• Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Limited reopening of EU market for Brazilian beef

  

  The European Union said Friday it will allow some Brazilian farms to export beef to Europe again, ending a month long freeze over animal disease concerns. A total of 106 farms meet EU health standards, thus reopening trade between Brazil, the world's leading beef exporter, and its main market in Europe.

• Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Relief in Brazil: loss of “state secrets” was petty theft

  

  Brazilian officials said petty theft and not corporate espionage was responsible for the disappearance of computers with highly sensitive information on recently discovered oilfields, which could make Brazil a hydrocarbons powerhouse.

• Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil's inflation falls to 7 month low; Real 26% stronger

  Brazil's inflation index fell to a seven-month low in February mitigating concerns about an increase in interest rates to keep prices under control, which has been one of the driving forces of the administration of President Lula da Silva.

• Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Containing Brazilian currency appreciation is costing billions

  

  Brazil's central bank posted a loss of 47.5 billion reais (28.5 billion US dollars) in 2007, triple the amount in the prior year, because of efforts to slow the strong real's appreciation against the US dollar.

• Tuesday, February 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Lula da Silva says Brazil has become financially “serious”

  Brazil is well-prepared to weather a United States recession as diversified exports, thriving domestic markets and the elimination of foreign debt have bolstered its economy, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Monday.

• Tuesday, February 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  “Four years of energy crisis” forecasts Lula da Silva

  

  Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva forecasted that the current “energy crisis” will extend for “at least another four years” both for Brazil and Argentina since only then, Bolivia will be producing sufficient natural gas to supply domestic and neighboring markets.

• Monday, February 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil headed for annual record crop of 139.3 million tons

  

  Brazil is expected to harvest 139.3 million tons of grains and oil seeds in the 2007/08 season, up 5.4% over the previous crop helped by limited diseases and the use of gene-modified seeds to grow stronger plants, said Agroconsult a Brazilian agriculture consultant company.

• Monday, February 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil and Argentina committed to building a nuclear submarine

  

  Brazil says that it will start working jointly with Argentina in the construction of a nuclear submarine, the first in Latin America, to be built using French technology, according to reports in the Buenos Aires press.

• Friday, February 22nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil makes history: first time ever net foreign creditor

  Brazil which for decades was the world's largest emerging-market debtor became a net foreign creditor for the first time in January according to a report released Thursday by the Central Bank in Brasilia.