Brazzil Mag

After 47 consecutive days of rain the city of São Paulo, in Southeast Brazil, had its first dry day this Monday. Rains in São Paulo have already killed at least 74 people since December. Brazilian are now asking themselves: "What if this turns out to be normal - for next year and a few more years, even a decade or so?

Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva once again stated that a final decision on the purchase of 36 fighter jets for the Brazilian Air Force has still not been made. He went on to say that the proposals by the three finalists remain under examination by the Ministry of Defense.

The Brazilian ministry of Health has begun distributing condoms directly in schools alarmed with high rates of AIDS among adolescents. To make things easier for youths who often feel uncomfortable asking for a condom, a machine is being tested that delivers them automatically.

Ever since Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office in 2003 this argument has been going on. Have things improved in Brazil because of policies and decisions Lula made? Or have things improved because there was a continuation of policies begun in the Fernando Henrique Cardoso administration?

Vitalmiro Bastos de Moura, aka Bida, the landowning farmer accused of being one of the people who ordered the murder of the American missionary, Dorothy Stang in 2005,  surrendered to the Civil Police in the city of Altamira, in the state of Pará on Saturday, February 6.

Brazil and Argentina gathered in Buenos Aires spent two days in high level negotiations, which should help ease bilateral trade relations tension particularly since both countries economies are forecasted to grow at 5% during 2010.

The "sub-imperialism" of Brazil, the arrogance of Brazilian businessmen and a more left wing approach for a future government of the ruling Workers Party (PT) are some of the points of the document to be considered next week at the party's convention, which will choose the candidate for October's presidential election and supposedly the heir of president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The middle class in Brazil has grown since 2003 when Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva first took office and now represents almost half of the country's population, according to a report from the Getúlio Vargas foundation released over the weekend.

Brazil's stock exchange, the Bovespa, started the week in a positive note after three falls in a row in the preceding days. Vale and Petrobras had an important role in the recovery.

Brazil's capital goods industry posted revenues of 64 billion Brazilian reais (US$ 34.8 billion) last year. The figure represents a reduction of 18% compared with 2008, in nominal terms, according to information disclosed by the Brazilian Machinery Manufacturers Association (Abimaq).

Brazilian companies are going to make use of the starting race of the Indycar Series, to take place in São Paulo for the first time, in a street circuit, to do business with international buyers. The race is going to happen this coming March 14.

Lebanese president, Michel Suleiman, should visit Brazil this year. According to the consul general of the Arab country to São Paulo, Joseph Sayah, the date has not yet been defined, but may be in the second half of April.

Compared with December of last year, Brazil's vehicle production dropped by 3.7% in January. A total of 243,425 units were produced, as against 252,759 in December. In comparison with January of last year, there was growth of 31.6%.

Hana Teisir, 20, works at one of the main beauty parlors in the small city of Santa Maria, 286 kilometers away from Porto Alegre, the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul in the Brazilian South. Along with her sister, Handa, she does threading, an epilation technique that is less harmful to the skin.

Brazil's Ministry of Tourism and the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), last week, established a line of credit of 1 billion Brazilian reais (US$ 544.5 million) for refurbishing, expanding and building new hotels.

You most certainly heard of, or even tasted, churrasco (barbecue) and feijoada, a complex meal that includes a stew of black beans with pork and several side dishes, including rice, collard greens, peeled orange, cassava flour, red pepper sauce and our national distilled beverage, cachaça.

Before bossa nova, there was baião. This contagious rhythm from the Northeast of Brazil was taken to Hollywood by Carmen Miranda, in the thirties, and later originated forró, one of the most delicious forms of Brazilian dance.

Queen of the drum section is an important role in Rio's Carnaval parade. It's a task and honor usually assigned to gorgeous actresses and models who appear in skimpy and daring attire parading in the Sambadrome.

Caipirinha - a mix of sugar cane spirit (cachaça), crushed lime, white sugar and ice - is a big hit among foreigners who visit Brazil. It is pretty much everywhere in the country and many Brazilian families own the special wooden mortar used to prepare the beverage.