Brazil

• Wednesday, August 1st 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Pulp mill dispute involves the River Uruguay basin (and Brazil)

  

  Former Brazilian president Fernando Enrique Cardoso said he was hopeful his country could participate in finding an understanding to the Uruguay/Argentina pulp mill dispute since this involves the River Uruguay basin.

• Tuesday, July 31st 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazilean Air Force blames Airbus for Sao Paulo's tragedy

  

  Brazil's Air Force directly blamed Airbus for the recent tragedy in the Sao Paulo Congonhas airport which killed 200 people.

• Saturday, July 28th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Congonhas runway reopens and traffic begins to normalize

  

  Authorities reopened the main runway at Brazil's busiest airport on Friday for the first time since a TAM Airbus 320 jetliner crashed there on July 17, killing at least 199 people.

• Wednesday, July 25th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Air chaos extends to all Brazil as more flights are cancelled

  

  Brazil's president fired his defense minister on Wednesday hoping to bring an end to nearly a year of chaos in the military-controlled aviation system, including flight cancellations that have stranded thousands of travelers following last week's passenger jet crash. To reduce the delays and cancellations, Brazil's aviation authority has temporarily suspended all ticket sales for flights to and from Congonhas.

• Tuesday, July 24th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil flatly rejects foreign assistance to organize air space

  

  The president of Brazil's airports agency Infiero Jose Carlos Pereira rejected point blank Monday suggestions that Brazil should accept international help to overcome the air space situation.

• Tuesday, July 24th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Air chaos in Brazil: over half of flights delayed or cancelled

  

  Chaos in Brazilian civil aviation peaked Monday with 38% of flights delayed and another 20% cancelled, reported Infraero the agency which manages the country's airports.

• Sunday, July 22nd 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Amazon radar failure deepens Brazil air travel woes

  

  A radar failure over the Amazon forced Brazil to turn back or ground a string of international flights Saturday, deepening a national aviation crisis just hours after the president unveiled safety measures prompted by the country's deadliest air disaster.

• Saturday, July 21st 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Lula da Silva promises new airport for Sao Paulo

  Three days after Brazil's worst air accident president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva addressed the nation and promised that in 90 days he will be announcing the construction of a new airport for the city of Sao Paulo.

• Thursday, July 19th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil Central Bank lowers benchmark interest rate to 11.50%

  Brazil's Central Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Copom, announced Wednesday a half percentage cut in the basic interest rate or Selic, which dropped from 12% to 11.50% on an annual basis.

• Thursday, July 19th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil's worst aviation disaster unveils “chaotic air system”

  

  Investigations are continuing into what caused Brazil's worst air disaster, as attention turns to the plane's landing speed and the general safety conditions of the country's busiest airport which could end being closed down.