Page 8 - Brazil

Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro charged in alleged coup plot

Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet charged Bolsonaro and his running mate, General Walter Braga Netto, with leading a "criminal organization" that aimed to overthrow Brazil's 40-year-old democracy

Brazil nixes Brics currency, eyes less reliance on 'mighty' dollar

Brazil is pushing reforms within Brics to ease international payments in local currencies, opening the door to less dependence on the dollar for global trade

Brazil restricts smartphone use in schools amid concern over its impact

Brazilian students returned to class this week with a new task: staying away from their smartphones as a new law restricting their use in schools takes effect. President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva signed a bill in January limiting smartphone access at schools, in line with a trend seen in the U.S. and Europe. It applies to public and private schools, and applies to classrooms and the halls. Phones are still allowed for educational purposes, with the teacher's permission, and when needed for the student's accessibility and health. Schools have the autonomy to set their own guidelines, such as whether students can keep phones in backpacks or store them in lockers or designated baskets. Before the federal law, most of Brazil's 26 states - including Rio de Janeiro, Maranhao and Goias - had already passed measures applying some restrictions to phone use in schools. As of 2023, nearly two-thirds of Brazilian schools had some limitations, with 28 per cent banning them entirely, according to

Trump vows tariffs on nations that 'harm' US; names India, China, Brazil

The United States will impose tariffs on the countries that "harm" America, President Donald Trump has said, as he named China, India and Brazil as high-tariff countries. We're going to put tariffs on outside countries and outside people that really mean harm to us. Well, they mean us harm, but they basically want to make their country good, Trump told House Republicans at a Florida retreat on Monday, the first after he became the president for the second term last week. Look at what others do. China is a tremendous tariff maker, and India and Brazil and so many other countries. So we're not going to let that happen any longer because we're going to put America first, he said. He said that the US will establish a "very fair system where money is going to come into our coffers and America is going to be very rich again", adding that it will happen "very quickly". Trump underscored that it was time for the US to return to the system that made it "richer and more powerful than ever ..

Azul, Gol draw closer to potential partnership to form major Brazil airline

Azul Chief Executive John Rodgerson said in an interview that the combined carrier, which would continue operating two separate brands despite the combined ownership, would be 'a national champion'

Brazil issues 72-hr deadline to Meta over content fact-checking practices

Attorney General's Office in Brazil gave Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, 72 hours to explain its decision to discontinue its data verification program earlier this week

BYD brought hundreds of Chinese workers to Brazil on irregular visas

A total of 163 of those workers, hired by BYD contractor Jinjiang, were found last month to be working in what Brazilian authorities said were slavery-like conditions

Ethanol 2.0 policies key for India to match Brazil as a biofuel superpower

Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme 2.0 is essential because the International Energy Agency forecasts India to be the biggest contributor to global oil demand in the years ahead

Indonesia admitted to BRICS bloc of developing nations, Brazil announces

Indonesia has been admitted as a full member of the BRICS bloc of developing economies, the group's presiding country Brazil announced Monday. Indonesia's candidacy was endorsed by BRICS leaders in August 2023, according to the foreign ministry of Brazil, which holds the group's presidency for 2024. However, the world's fourth-most populous nation opted to formally join the bloc only after the formation of its newly elected government last year. The Brazilian government welcomes Indonesia's entry into the BRICS, the government said in a statement. With the largest population and economy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia shares with other members a commitment to reforming global governance institutions and contributes positively to deepening South-South cooperation. BRICS was formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2009, and added South Africa in 2010. Last year, the alliance expanded to embrace Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. Saudia Arabia has been invited to joi

Global uprisings: Protests and movements which shook the world in 2024

Kenya's cost-of-living crisis, to martial law in South Korea. Here's a look at major protests that erupted across the globe in 2024

Workers at BYD construction site victims of human trafficking: Brazil

BYD and contractor Jinjiang Group have agreed to assist and house the 163 workers in hotels until a deal to end their contracts is reached, Brazil's Labour Prosecutor's Office said

China's BYD slams reports of poor conditions at Brazil's factory site

A spokesperson for Chinese automaker BYD has objected to reports about poor conditions at a construction site in Brazil where it is building a factory, saying the allegations were aimed at smearing China and Chinese brands. Earlier in the week, a task force led by Brazilian prosecutors said it had rescued 163 Chinese nationals it said were working in slavery-like conditions at the site. A video from the Labour Prosecutor's Office of dorms housing the workers showed beds with no mattresses and rudimentary cooking facilities. A BYD spokesperson, Li Yunfei, vehemently objected in a statement posted Thursday on his Weibo social media site. In the matter of smearing Chinese brands, smearing China, and attempting to undermine the friendship between China and Brazil, we have seen how relevant foreign forces maliciously associate and deliberately smear, it said, also criticizing media reports about the situation. BYD, which stands for Build Your Dreams, is one of the world's largest produc

Chinese workers found in 'slave-like conditions' at BYD's Brazil facility

BYD has cut ties with its contractor Jinjiang Construction Brazil Ltd, and pledged to protect the rights of all subcontracted workers

At least 10 killed as plane crashes into Brazil's popular town Gramado

A small plane crashed into a Brazilian town that's popular with tourists on Sunday, killing all 10 passengers and crew on board and injuring more than a dozen people on the ground, Brazil's Civil Defence Agency said. The agency in a post on X said the plane hit the chimney of a home and then the second floor of a building before crashing into a mobile phone shop in a largely residential neighbourhood of Gramado. More than a dozen people who were on the ground were taken to hospitals with injuries including smoke inhalation, with two said to be in critical condition. It is not immediately clear what caused the crash. Local media reported that the passengers were members of the same family and were travelling to Sao Paulo state from another town in Rio Grande do Sul state. Gramado is in the Serra Gaucha mountains and popular with Brazilian tourists who enjoy the cool weather, hiking spots and traditional architecture. The town was settled by large numbers of German and Italian ...

Many feared dead as small plane crashes into popular tourist town in Brazil

A small plane crashed into a Brazilian town that is popular with tourists on Sunday, killing several people, local officials said. Eduardo Leite, governor of Rio Grande do Sul state, said in a statement on X that no passenger survived the crash in Gramado town, and that the plane had capacity to carry nine passengers. Authorities did not immediately say how many passengers or crew were on board. Brazil's Civil Defence Agency said the plane hit the chimney of a home and then the second floor of a building before crashing into a shop in a residential neighbourhood. More than a dozen people who were on the ground were taken to hospitals with injuries including smoke inhalation. Gramado is in the Serra Gaucha mountains and is popular with Brazilian tourists who enjoy the cool weather, hiking spots and traditional architecture.

Brazilian currency faces volatility as Prez Lula criticises rates level

Speaking in an interview with TV Globo aired late on Sunday, the leftist leader called the interest rate hikes "irresponsible" and said his government would "take care of that"

Brazilian police arrest ex-Bolsonaro cabinet member in coup plot probe

Brazil's Federal Police on Saturday arrested Gen Walter Braga Netto, a former member of President Jair Bolsonaro's cabinet and his 2022 running mate, in connection with investigations into an alleged coup plot, according to a source close to the process. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorised to speak publicly. Braga Netto was formally accused in November, along with Bolsonaro and 35 others, of plotting a coup to keep Bolsonaro in office following his failed 2022 re-election bid. Prosecutors have yet to file formal charges against Braga Netto. The arrest made on Saturday stemmed from allegations of obstructing the collection of evidence, the Federal Police said in a statement. Local media have reported that Braga Netto sought to discover what a former Bolsonaro aide, who was arrested, was telling authorities, and whether he had signed a plea bargain. Authorities also executed two search and seizure warrants. Braga Netto served as Bolsonaro's ch

Brazil's Lula to undergo new surgery to minimise further brain bleeding

The follow-up procedure had been discussed by doctors since Tuesday's surgery, and does not represent a worsening of Lula's health situation, according to Kalil

Brazilian Prez Lula recovering in hospital after emergency brain surgery

The 79-year-old Lula was in stable condition and speaking and eating normally after the successful operation at Sirio-Libanes Hospital

Unclear if US law permits Trump's 100% tariff threat on Brics: Ex-RBI Guv

President-elect Donald Trump's warning that BRICS countries will face 100 per cent tariffs if they choose to move away from the US dollar is unclear to what extent he will carry out his threat, as it remains to be seen if the US law permits such an action, former RBI Governor Duvvuri Subbarao said on Monday. He also said even for BRICS, there are internal differences about bringing out an alternative to the US Dollar. The nine-member group that includes India, Russia, China, and Brazil, moving out of the US currency and having a common one remains a non-starter because of both politics and economics. "Donald Trump has threatened to slap 100 per cent tariffs on imports from countries that try to move out of the dollar. His ire was particularly directed at the BRICS bloc which has been actively talking about developing an alternative to the dollar. Trump is known to bark more than he bites," Subbarao told PTI. BRICS, formed in 2009, is the only major international group of which the