Brazil

• Sunday, July 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil calls for regional trade to cut US, EU dependency

  

  The presidents of Brazil and Colombia vowed Saturday to boost trade and investment between their nations ahead of crucial world trade talks this week. Brazilian President Lula da Silva urged Colombia and the region to increase trade ties “so we aren't left dependent on a single partner,” such as the US or European Union.

• Friday, July 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Petrobras workers preparing nationwide strike in August

  Brazilian offshore oil workers will end a five-day walkout on the original Saturday deadline, but warned they may call a new, nationwide strike against state oil company Petrobras next month. Petrobras issued a statement saying the strike and a later work slowdown by refinery workers had not affected production levels.

• Tuesday, July 15th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Petrobras record production; strike coming to an end

  

  Brazil's oil and gas government managed corporation Petrobras announced on Tuesday that total production (domestic and abroad) in June reached a record of 2.412.155 barrels of oil equivalent per day, boed, which is 3.3% higher than a year ago and 2.3% over May 2008.

• Monday, July 14th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil heading for record grain and oil seed harvest

  

  Brazil's 2008 harvest of cereals, legumes and oilseeds has been estimated in a record 143.6 million metric tons, which is 7.9% higher than the 2007 production (133.1 million metric tons) according to the June report from the country's Geography and Statistics Institute, IBGE.

• Monday, July 14th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Petrobras strike: “contingency plan” guarantees supply

  

  Brazilian government managed oil and gas corporation Petrobras reacting to a labor strike which began early Monday announced that all but two out of 38 offshore platforms are extracting hydrocarbons.

• Friday, July 11th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil's Petrobras rig workers begin strike next Monday

  

  Workers from Brazil's government managed oil corporation Petrobras confirmed on Friday they will begin a five-day strike at the country's main fields in the off shore Campos basin on Monday, regardless of whether the company presents a proposal before then.

• Friday, July 11th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Lula da Silva calls Vietnam war, “victory of the oppressed”

  

  Brazilian president Lula da Silva visiting Vietnam described the war against the United States which ended with the country's union and full independence as a “victory of the oppressed”.

• Thursday, July 10th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil's Central Bank promises full action against inflation

  

  The Brazilian Consumer price index unexpectedly slowed in June from May, though on an annual basis inflation remains at its fastest pace since November 2005, according to the latest report from the country's IBGE (Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute) released on Thursday.

• Thursday, July 10th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil confirms merger and world's third largest bourse

  

  Brazil's antitrust authority, Administrative Council for Economic Defence, CADE, approved the merger between the Bovespa stock exchange and the BM&F futures market, a spokesman said this week.

• Monday, July 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil: dramatic drop in infant mortality and malnutrition

  

  Malnutrition among children below the age of 5 dropped dramatically in Brazil between 1996 and 2006 according to a release from the National Demography and Health Studies on women and children released on Sunday.