Central bank President Henrique Meirelles
The president of Brazil’s Central Bank (BC), Henrique Meirelles, said this Friday, November 27, that the moratorium announced by the government of Dubai for the payment of debts of the Dubai World investments fund should not worry the government and the Brazilian banks. For Meirelles, the event is an alert against the “euphoria excess”.
“The euphoria excess problem happens when we think there are no more problems in the world and the first most important problem generates the opposite result,” said Meirelles.
For him, troubles as that in Dubai still can occur all over the world, but they are not so worrisome, nor should they generate a collapse in the global financial system because the international banks are taking steps to tackle situations like these. (more…)
Coconuts
Rio de Janeiro was about to lose one of its most enduring images, that of young coconuts opened and sold on its beaches. The environment secretariat of the host city of the 2014 soccer World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games argued that the big green fruit is an unhygienic eyesore and had decided to ban its sale starting December first.
Mayor Eduardo Paes decided to cancel the measure of the SMA (Environment Secretariat) after the announcement provoked an uproar among Cariocas (Rio’s Residents).
“Go on Ipanema Beach at the end of the day and you’ll see a mountain of coconuts that people have left on the sand,” said Jovanildo Savastano, the official in charge of the beaches. Up to 30 tons of empty coconuts are recovered every day, he said. (more…)
Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva told reporters on Thursday, November 26, that Rio de Janeiro is ready to put on the 2016 Olympic Games. “We will stage the best Olympic Games ever done. Brazil has material, economic, and sporting conditions and we are ready to host enviable Olympics,” he remarked.
Lula also said that Brazil owns “the best electric system of the world,” which eliminates any risk of blackout during the 2016 Games in Rio.
The Brazilian leader called the big blackout of two weeks ago, which left about 70 million Brazilians in 18 states without electricity, an unforeseen event that didn’t depend on the human will. (more…)
Brazil’s coffee industry is engaged in a tireless battle against rogue roasters who cut corners and costs by bulking up their products with corn, soy or even wood, the ABIC industry association says.
The tainted products have not been known to cause health problems in the consumers who drink them, usually unknowingly, but the industry takes a hard line against the fraudulent practice to protect the beverage’s image.
The joint initiative known as the Seal of Purity is run by the Brazilian Coffee Industry Association (ABIC) and involves laboratory testing of coffee picked at random from supermarket shelves. The seal was launched 20 years ago. (more…)
About 24.6 million Brazilians aged 15 and up are smokers, accounting for 17.2 percent of the population in this age group, according to a study released on Friday by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
Additionally, 26 million Brazilians or 18.2 percent of the population declared to be former smokers.
According to the IBGE, 33.9 percent of cigarette smokers consume 15 to 24 cigarettes a day, and about 51.2 percent of all smokers in the country said they want to quit the habit. (more…)
