By Ben Tavener, Senior Contributing Reporter SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – The Brazilian Senate has approved by a wide majority a bill that changes rules governing how the country’s ports are regulated, in a victory for the ruling government, despite last-minute attempts by opposing senators to derail the bill. The bill aims to open state-run ports to [...]
By Ben Tavener, Senior Contributing Reporter SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – An investigation has found that some of Brazil’s port terminals are still not operating twenty-four hours a day, despite the introduction of the Porto 24 horas (24-Hour Port) program nearly a month ago, aimed at improving the ports’ efficiency. According to the report by O Globo [...]
By Ben Tavener, Senior Contributing Reporter RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – With the FIFA Confederations Cup and World Youth Day (WYD 2013) set to arrive in Rio, the city has seen pacification operations in favelas at the base of Corcovado Mountain. Rio’s 33rd Police Pacification Unit (UPP) will establish a permanent presence in the area and [...]
By Ben Tavener, Senior Contributing Reporter RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Sales of Brazilian-made firearms to the U.S. increased 187.5 percent while former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was in office, compared to the same eight-year period of his predecessor. The U.S. purchased nearly 7.9 million, or eighty percent, of the 9.9 million exported [...]
By Ben Tavener, Senior Contributing Reporter RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Data compiled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that Brazil was once again the world’s biggest exporter of meat in 2012, after coming second to Australia in 2011. However, as BBC Brasil reports, Brazil may not hold the position long, as India’s meat [...]
By Ben Tavener, Senior Contributing Reporter RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Telecoms giant Oi launched its high-speed 4G mobile internet service in Rio on Thursday, becoming the city’s second operator to offer the service. Rival operator Claro launched its 4G services in cities hosting the FIFA Confederations Cup, including Rio, last week. TIM and Vivo [...]
By Ben Tavener, Senior Contributing Reporter RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The State of Rio High Court last week approved so-called “direct authorization” of same-sex civil marriages, making Rio one of eleven states which have approved gay marriage in Brazil, including São Paulo and the Federal District. However, there is uncertainty over whether judges in [...]
By Ben Tavener, Senior Contributing Reporter RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazil could overtake the U.S. in terms of soybean production this year to become to the world’s largest producer of grain, O Globo newspaper reports. Yet it has been a long uphill climb for Brazil to reach this level of production, and experts are [...]
By Ben Tavener, Senior Contributing Reporter RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega is set to defend the use of unconventional monetary policies by emerging economies, including Brazil, to counteract the damaging effects of the global economic crisis, in a speech to the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) on Saturday at [...]
By Ben Tavener, Senior Contributing Reporter RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Ministry for Cities has announced it is launching an inquiry into accusations that former civil servants defrauded the government’s major public housing program, known as Minha Casa Minha Vida (My House My Life), by setting up a network of front companies. The R$72 billion [...]
Recent Comments