March 20:

Infrastructure may be a key issue in election campaigns throughout Brazil due to outcry in northeastern regions. Dilapidated roads and ports inhibit trade throughout the predominantly agricultural Brazilian northeast, whose crop output is limited due to accumulated traffic in the area's sole port.

Dousseff, candidate for the incumbent PAC party, addresses the issue citing stricter government economic intervention and expansion of rail networks as a solution. The opposition, Jose Serra, governor of São Paulo State, states inefficient bureaucracy as the origin of the shortcomings in infrastructure.

Source: Reuters

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62H0I520100318

March 17:

A statement issued by Palestinian Authority spokesperson Mohamed Edwan states the Palestinian Authority's support for Lula da Silva in attaining the position of Secretary General of the United Nations. The position is currently held by Ban Ki Moon of South Korea.

Edwan states that President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority personally endorses Lula as well.

When Lula arrived in Ramallah, he was greeted with popular praise and the inauguration of Rua Brasil (Brazil Street) in the Palestinian Capital.

Lula himself has not responded to the commentary.

Source: BBC Brazil

http://www.bbc.co.uk/portuguese/noticias/2010/03/100317_lula_secretario_gf_cq.shtml

March 17:

President Lula, currently on a tour of all Middle East nations, remarked from Ramallah in the Palestinian territory that recent disagreements between US foreign Ministers and officials from Israel regarding the construction of 1.6 thousand Israeli homes in East Jerusalem, a predominantly Palestinian settlement, could be advantageous to finding lasting peace between the Palestinian Authority and State of Israel. Lula further stated that Brazil does not support the blockade imposed by Israel on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, remarking "O bloqueio à Gaza não pode continuar. O muro da separação deve ir abaixo." (The blockade upon Gaza cannot continue. The separating wall must come down.)

Lula called the diplomatic dispute between the US and Israel "uma coisa mágica" (a magical thing).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/portuguese/noticias/2010/03/100317_lula_palestina_ss_vdm.shtml

March 9:

The WTO has authorized Brazil to impose surcharges on 102 American products totaling 591 million USD. The WTO has approved sanctions up to 892 million USD. The British business daily paper, Financial Times speculates that the actions taken by Brazil to condemn protectionist farm subsidies could provoke a "trade war" between the two nations unless a final accord can be arranged. Brazil has stated that it intends to specifically emphasize the tariff levied on imported cotton. The journal however noted that foreign imports (not limited to US trade) only constitute 13% of the Brazilian GDP and thus, commercial interdependency among the two nations is not as great as investors may have thought.

The journal also speculated on the transfer of cotton farming technologies among the two nations if negotiations were to come into fruition.

Source: BBC Brasil (in Portuguese)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/portuguese/noticias/2010/03/100309_retaliacoes_financial_times_rw.shtml#googtrans/auto/en

March 9:

Brazil announces possible sanctions to be imposed on at least 100 goods imported from the US. The World Trade Organization approves of the sanctions due to "archaic farm subsidies" in which many nations have come to consensus on the necessity of US stopping the practice. The tariff on American-manufactured automobiles will rise 35-50%, milk powder by 20% and cotton by 100% unless a negotiated accord could be reached in which the "discriminatory" practice of subsidizing American farms ceased on behalf of the US government ceased.

The US government believes the sanctions (and the WTO's approval thereof) to be unfair.

Source: BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8556920.stm

That's adorable, with no endearment intended and in the ignorant five-year-old sense of the word.

It's disheartening to know that even federal representatives are unaware that the US lacks an official language de jure at the national level. Never mind the fact that Spanish is an official language de facto in New Mexico and two commonwealths, as is French official de facto in Louisiana.

February 20:

The Brazilian Worker's Party, the party of incumbent president Lula da Silva, endorsed economist Dilma Rousseff as the party candidate for the imminent national elections this coming October.

Rousseff was personally nominated by Lula, who is legally prohibited from serving a third consecutive term.

Rousseff promises fiscal frugality and stability at the federal level if elected. She however, faces formidable competition from the conservative minority opposition. She has expressed interest in maintaining the existing pluralist coalition government.


Source: BBC Brazil

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8526633.stm

February 19:

Brazilian forces rescued all sixty-four passengers aboard the SV Concordia, a Canadian masted vessel which inexplicably capsized 300 miles east of Rio de Janeiro. The ship had departed from Salvador on the 8th of February and was bound for arrival at Montevideo the 25th of February. All aboard the ship have been accounted for with minimal injuries sustained.

Source: BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8524439.stm

Feb. 7

A Brazilian landowner convicted of murdering nun and American national Dorothy Stang in 2007 was recently apprehended. Stang had lived in the Amazonas region of Brazil for thirty years campaigning for rainforest conservation and providing aid to the underprivileged residents of the area. Vitalmiro Moura was convicted of Stang's murder after admitting to shooting her six times. The verdict was appealed and overturned in 2008 until a judge decided Moura was to be subject to retrial. Moura is now in police custody.

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8502635.stm

Feb 6:

President of Brazil, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva (affectionately called "Lula" by supporters) proposes legislation for measures to be taken against corruption within the national government of Brazil.

Any company found to be providing financial incentives to public officials at the local or federal level for the company's personal benefit will be fined 1-30% of their annual gross income.

Under Lula's administration, several corruption scandals concerning high-ranking officials have marred the reputation of the incumbent administration. Lula was almost impeached himself in 2005. The measures taken to curb corruption, according to supporters of Lula's government, will heighten morale at the federal level.

Source: Reuters

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0818158220100208

February 16.

Geisy Arruda, a 20 year old student, was from the Bandeirante University in São Paulo after donning a mini-skirt, which administrators deemed "provocative behavior." Videos later surfaced depicting the events, in which she was forcibly driven from the school amidst mobs calling her a whore.

Arruda was given a position as a samba dancer and queen, the role symbolic of the Virgin Queen Elizabeth, and has since risen to celebrity status. Bandeirante has repealed her expulsion and readmitted Arruda into the college of tourism.

Source: Reuters

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61D1FB20100216

February 15.

Julia Lira, the seven year old selected to be the Carnaval drum corps queen from Viradouro, unable emotionally cope with her public performance, was reported to have cried throughout the duration of the parade.

Lira's role as a samba queen sparked much moral debate among Brazilian citizens, some of whom felt that the role was unsuitable for small children, given the sexual connotations of the parade.

Source: BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8515791.stm

February 12.

Governor of Brasilia, Jose Roberto Arruda, surrendered to police after the Brazilian Supreme Court voted 12-2 in issuing a warrant for his arrest. Arruda is accused of accepting bribes from contractors in an effort to further bribe a witness in a corruption inquiry against the contracting company. Arruda denied the charges of corruption claiming the money was allocated towards providing bread for poor families.

Such is an example of President Lula's efforts to execute anti-fraud legislation after his own concerns with corruption in his administration during his first term in office.

Source: BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8512204.stm