Biofuels a boon for Brazils rural poor but obstacles remain elsewhere | Paige McClanahan

The Guardian - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Brazil , a country that is home to both a sizeable biofuels industry and about 4.1m small-scale family farms. But while some of the country's biofuels policies have fallen short, others have proved a boon to the rural poor. Smallholder farmers have seen their incomes rise thanks to the introduction of more progressive standards and new rules on contract negotiations."The numbers show ...

Brazil main opposition party elects a new leader and 2014 presidential hopeful

Merco Press - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Brazilian opposition unified over the weekend behind Aecio Neves who was elected by a landslide president of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party, PSDB. His naming opens the way for his candidacy to the 2014 presidential election, when President Dilma Rousseff will be bidding for another four ...

U.S. womens soccer stars to Brazil

Politico - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

When it comes to foreign aid, sending soccer players to Brazil might seem a bit like shipping coals to Newcastle.But when those players are women, the story is different. As part of the State Department’s Empowering Women and Girls Through Sports Initiative, retired U.S. women’s soccer players Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain (yes, the one who tore off her shirt) are traveling to ...

Brazilian Jumper Threatens to Retire Before 2016 Olympics

Prensa Latina - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Rio de Janeiro, May 21 (Prensa Latina) The Brazilian jumper Maureen Maggi could end her career before the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro-2016 due to inattention, reports O Globo newspaper. Maggi, Olimpic golden medal in Beijing 2008, claimed "a structure behind me" before the appointment of Rio, if not "I retire because it would not be fair to the medal I have and it will be no ...

Brazilian president denies plan to end subsidy to poor

Global Times - Tuesday 21st May, 2013

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Monday strongly denied rumors that the government plans to end an income subsidy program called Bolsa Familia."I want to make it clear that my government's commitment to Bolsa Familia is strong, deep and definitive," Rousseff said at a completion ceremony of an oil tanker platform in northeastern Brazil."We will always guarantee the ...

Brazil China to cooperate on digitalization of historical archives

China.org.cn - Monday 20th May, 2013

Antunes said that Brazil can learn a lot from China when it comes to digital preservation of archives, as China has much more experience on this ...

Pregnant Salvadoran woman Beatriz seeks life-saving abortion in El Salvador

whatsonsanya - Monday 20th May, 2013

The pregnant woman has lupus and doctors say her baby has anencephaly, a total or partial absence of the brain and the skull. Source: Quest Newspapers A pregnant, chronically ill Salvadoran woman testified before the Supreme Court to urge the justices to allow her to proceed with an an abortion that could save her life. Abortions are strictly forbidden in El Salvador, where the sentence for ...

Chinese president to visit three Latin American nations meet Obama in US

Global Times - Monday 20th May, 2013

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay state visits to Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica and Mexico from May 31 to June 6, and meet with US President Barack Obama in the United States on June 7-8, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang announced Tuesday.According to Qin, Xi's visits are at the invitation of President of Trinidad and Tobago Anthony Carmona, President of Costa Rica Laura ...

Former Olympic champion Maggi ponders retirement

Global Times - Monday 20th May, 2013

Brazil's former Olympic long jump champion Maurren Maggi has conceded her dream of competing at the Rio 2016 Games could be over after failing to qualify for this year's World Championships in Moscow.The 36-year-old managed a best jump of just 5.92 meters to finish in last place during her final World Championship qualifying event in Sao Paulo on Sunday.She blamed a lack of support and ...

Zim to Boost Asia-South America Rates in Mid-June

Journal of Commerce - Monday 20th May, 2013

will raise rates for all shipments on its trade from Asia to the east coast of South America, starting June 15.The increase will be $500 per 20-foot container and $1,000 per 40-foot container, the carrier said.Containerized exports from Far East Asia to South and Central ...

Man Linked by U.S. to Hezbollah Is Arrested in Brazil

New York Times - Monday 20th May, 2013

RIO DE JANEIRO -- The Brazilian police have arrested a businessman listed by the United States as a member of Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese militant group, under suspicion of operating a fraudulent scheme in the clothing industry -- a far cry from the arms, drugs, explosives and counterfeit bills that American officials have suspected him of trafficking in during the ...

Fr. Lombardi Brazil Expected to Be Popes Only 2013 International Trip

EWTN - Monday 20th May, 2013

Spokesman Also Confirms Benedict XVI's Move Back to the VaticanVATICAN CITY, April 25, 2013 (Zenit.org) - During a press conference at the Foreign Press Association headquarters in Rome, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, stated that the Pope's upcoming trip to Brazil for World Youth Day will be the only international trip for Pope Francis this ...

Penn urges US to pressure Bolivia to free US man

Miami Herald - Monday 20th May, 2013

WASHINGTON -- Actor Sean Penn is urging the U.S. government to pressure Bolivia to free an American businessman jailed there since 2011.Penn says international pressure is what Bolivian President Evo Morales needs to free Jacob Ostreicher of New York.Ostreicher was granted house arrest in December after being jailed 18 months without being charged with any crime. He was arrested in a money ...

CTS Australasia Exports to South America Plummet

General Sources - Monday 20th May, 2013

Containerized export volume from Australasia/Oceania to South and Central America steeply declined in March 2013, according to data from Container Trades Statistics ...

Brazil opens ports to private investment hoping to ease bottlenecks strangling exports growth

Merco Press - Monday 20th May, 2013

Brazil’s Congress approved legislation that opens up state-owned ports to private investment and lifts restrictions on the building of private ports in a bid to eliminate serious bottlenecks strangling the country’s export growth. The Brazilian Association of Infrastructure and Basic Industries praised the approval of the bill and anticipate investment of 25bn ...

Goode and Tomkins Ruled Out of South American Tour

New York Times - Monday 20th May, 2013

LONDON ...

Cesar Cielo To Lead Talented Brazilian Swim Team at World Championships

Swimming World - Monday 20th May, 2013

PHOENIX, Arizona, May 20. THE roster of swimmers that will represent Brazil in the pool at the FINA world championships this summer contain a defending world champion and a rising star in the sprinting ranks.Cesar Cielo is the brightest star for Brazil, and will go into the world championships in Barcelona set to defend his 2011 world title in the 50 freestyle. With Cielo undergoing surgery and ...

Three Brazilians die in Turkey hot-air balloon collision

Channel News Asia - Monday 20th May, 2013

Three Brazilian tourists died on Monday and 22 other people were hurt after two hot-air balloonscollided in a beauty spot in central Turkey, officials ...

Soccer-Brazils Confederations Cup stadiums

General Sources - Monday 20th May, 2013

May 20 (Reuters) - Following are details of the six stadiums that will host the June 15-30 Confederations Cup and test Brazil's capacity to organize next year's World Cup soccer tournament. MARACAN, RIO DE JANEIRO Capacity: 78,639 Cost: 808 million reais ($397.33 million) Maracan is one of the most famous soccer stadiums in the world. Pele scored his 1,000th goal there and ...

Saab upgrading bid for Brazil FX-2 contest

Middle East Times - Monday 20th May, 2013

Sweden's Saab is upgrading its bid for Brazil's FX-2 jet fighter purchase plan, even as it weighs challenges from rivals Boeing and France's ...

Brazilian Music Choices for the Novice

The World - Monday 20th May, 2013

My first morning in Brazil, I walked into the FNAC music store on Paulista Avenue in So Paulo's business district and sought the guidance of a few cool looking employees in their 20's. I figured, they'd know what was up. I met Gabriel Vianna and asked him to recommend three Brazilian musicians or bands that are selling well right now. He said female singers are hot in Brazil. ...

Brazilian Military Leads UN Mission in Democratic Congo

Prensa Latina - Monday 20th May, 2013

Kinshasa, May 19 (Prensa Latina) Brazilian Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto Dos Santos Cruz will lead the mission of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DR Congo (MONUSCO), confirmed today a government statement. The military was appointed on Sunday Commander of that force by the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, replacing Indian General Chander Prakash, whose term ...