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Should internet campaign ads be against the law?

September 17, 2009 06:43Updated May 30, 2010 13:07
SAO PAULO, Brazil — Brazilian politicians thinking about re-election have been devouring books about Barack Obama and others who capitalized on the internet during last year's U.S. presidential campaign. Many have begun Twittering and blogging as they try to connect to an ever-more-web-savvy country. But even if proposed reforms go into effect, they won't be able to take full advantage of the Obama model, since among other things campaign advertising will still be forbidden outside the presidential race. (They will be able to Twitter away, though.)

The only Ethiopian in Brazil

September 13, 2009 10:12Updated May 30, 2010 13:07
SAO PAULO, Brazil — As an Ethiopian national living in the heart of Sao Paulo state’s sugar cane country, 34-year-old Weinshet Kifle is part of a very, very small ex-pat community: herself.

Lula's petro-state plans

Seth KugelSeptember 9, 2009 18:32Updated September 9, 2009 18:32
 Top News: We’re almost five months into the Year of France in Brazil, but cultural exhibitions, culinary events and film festivals notwithstanding, Monday was the Frenchest day so far.  Nicolas Sarkozy was in Brasilia with President Lula, supposedly to celebrate Brazilian Independence Day and to

A World of Trouble: Is the nightmare over?

September 10, 2009 06:57Updated May 30, 2010 13:07
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With signs of economic recovery finally emerging, here's where things stand in 20 countries.

The Ritz of movie theaters

September 8, 2009 06:32Updated May 30, 2010 13:06
Welcome to Sao Paulo's ultra-luxe theater, where the popcorn topping is truffle-infused olive oil.

Teflon Sarney

Seth KugelAugust 26, 2009 13:56Updated August 26, 2009 13:56
Top News: The political drama over months of Senate scandals came to a head in the last two weeks. Under pressure from President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, senators from the Workers Party joined senators from the PMDB, or Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, to drop all remaining ethics charges against embattled Senate President Jose Sarney.  

Need an Advil in Brazil? Not so fast.

August 27, 2009 06:42Updated May 30, 2010 13:06
SAO PAULO — Brazil’s new pharmacy rules give a whole new meaning to the term “over the counter medication.” Citing the dangers of self-medication and the desire to bring more information to consumers, the federal National Health Surveillance Agency has released regulations that require virtually all medications, down to aspirin, to be sold over the counter. Literally.

Political drama in Brasilia

August 20, 2009 14:08
Since I got back to Brazil on Tuesday, there has been a political whirlwind in the nation's capital. Here's a summary:

Brazil in the News

August 17, 2009 14:25
I've been in Colombia for the last week and will be back in Brazil tomorrow, but while I've been away there has been a lot of interesting stuff published in the English-language press about Brazil. In this week's Economist, a piece on the president which weighs in on some of the issues I alluded to in my recent piece on Lula.

Peering into the future with scientific arson

Stephan FarisAugust 16, 2009 09:02Updated May 30, 2010 13:05
ROME — Scientists will set fire later this month to a small patch of the Amazon forest. A line of flames will crawl across the leaf-covered ground, rip through patches of dry grass and linger over fallen logs — the victims of blazes from previous years.
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