Brazil’s Congress passes forest legislation
Brazil's Congress has voted in favour of amendments to the law surrounding the controversial Forest Code.
Members of congress voted 247-184 in favour of the legislation, which the country's farmers welcomed – it will, they claim boost productivity.
Brazil hosts first OGP summit
The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is, as its name suggests, an enterprise that exists to make governments more transparent and accountable. It's a global organisation comprised of 50 nations – it aims to expand its number of members over time – who have declared their commitment to improving the way democracies operate within their own borders and that elsewhere.
That the first summit occurred in Brazil speaks volumes about the way the South American country has transformed itself in ways unimaginable and become not only a huge economic force, but a world leader in democratic values. Brazil is clearly a nation of opportunity, idealism and progress.
Brazil and Canada keen to develop ties
Brazil's president has welcomed Canada's governor general as the two nations discussed how they can develop partnerships in the field of technology, science, education and innovation.
Dilma Rousseff and David Johnston had much to talk about, with both sides keen to work together for the benefit of both countries.
Brazil’s ‘glowing’ fiscal transparency
Brazil's fiscal transparency is one of the best in the world, its minister of planning has stated.
Miriam Belchior noted that the South American country has made massive progress since its "re-democratisation", investing in the mechanism needed to be transparent.
Brazil and US ‘committed’ to working together
Brazil and the US have announced their commitment to work together for mutual benefit in a symbolic meeting that saw the South American country's president Dilma Rousseff meet her American counterpart Barack Obama at the White House in Washington this month to discuss further strengthening ties between the two nations.
Obama, who is gearing himself up for an entertaining election campaign in a few months time and is hoping to secure a second term in which he can 'realise his dream' as promised four years ago, was in a positive mood, stating that relations between the two powerhouses "had never been stronger".
Brics seek to secure global sway
Who knows whether Brazil, Russia, India, China and now South Africa would ever have come together to form a small but influential block of countries had it not been for the economist Jim O'Neil way back in 2001, who first coined the now ubiquitous and powerful political trademark that is Brics.
It has come to represent, in some ways, the symbolic age of global politics, the Brics embodying a precocious talent that the old guard, despite being aware of their losing influence, acknowledge as being unstoppable.
Brazil’s ‘oil story’ continues to surprise
In November 2011, Brazilian authorities accused Chevron Corporation, the American multinational energy company, of playing down the full extent of an oil spill off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. Magda Chambriard, director of Brazil's National Petroleum Agency, went so far as to say Chevron "tried to make the accident less than it was".
Two months later, at the start of the new year, after the company was banned from conducting any further drilling – no small act given that it is the South American country's third biggest oil producer – it was reported that a Brazilian prosecutor was considering bringing criminal charges, in what would be a multi-billion dollar lawsuit. In response to this news, Chevron dug in its heels and stated that it would "rigorously" defend the company's honour. It added that the so-called charge being made against it, claiming the company acted irresponsibly, was entirely "without merit".
Brazil’s congress set to vote yes for Forest Code changes
As Brazil's congress prepares to vote on changes to the Forest Code, activists have cautioned that any advancement made in halting the devastating effects of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest could be cancelled out.
The bill, which has already been approved by the South American country's senate, is supported by the agricultural lobby, which has argued that the changes remedy the draconian measures that have long harmed farmers.
Natal district home to property investment opportunities
A district within the largest city of the Brazilian state Rio Grande do Norte is helping drive the boom for Brazilian property, according to Obelisk Investment.
The private investment business reported that Zona Norte, which is comprised of 37 per cent of Natal's population, is swiftly developing, which in turn is generating lucrative opportunities for investment in property and business in general.
Expensive football stadiums back on schedule
Not for nothing but the construction of Brazil's football stadiums for the 2014 FIFA World Cup has been a topsy-turvy adventure, with more ups and downs than the Six Flags Great Adventure rollercoaster.
It was therefore welcome news to hear from the government that construction on all 12 of the stadiums – by which we means both brand new developments and significant renovations of existing sports grounds – is on schedule.
FIFA reported: "In the vast majority of cases, the infrastructures have been completed and the superstructures are now going up, including upper and lower level terraces."
