Tag Archives: brazil

Postcard from Sao Paolo: Business

The world economy may be going to hell in a handbasket, but you wouldn’t know it in Maria Irece da Silva’s tiny cosmetics store in the impoverished favela of Jardim Carumbé. “The rich talk about the crisis but the poor don’t mention it,” says Da Silva, whose business — helping women look good in a country where style always trumps substance — is booming. Not even the worst recession in memory has stemmed the flow of shampoos, lipsticks and nail varnish from the shelves of her tiny beauty-aids store.

Share

Excommunicated doctor hailed for abortion on child rape victim

A doctor excommunicated by the Catholic Church for performing an abortion on a 9-year-old rape victim received a standing ovation during a national convention on women’s health, according to a local media report. The response came during the opening ceremony of an event hosted by Brazilian Minister of Health Jose Gomes Temporao. The newspaper O Povo reported that Temporao called on the audience to acknowledge the “brilliant” work done by a medical team in the abortion, performed in Brazil’s northeastern city of Recife.

Share

iReport: 90-year-olds share secrets of long life

Friedel and Robert Borisewitz have led extraordinary lives. Jewish citizens born in Antwerp, Belgium, they survived the Holocaust by fleeing to Brazil with fake documents. Friedel later survived severe tuberculosis, and while both have experienced personal tragedy during their long lives, they have refused to be crushed by it.

Share

South Korean Shin takes Champions title

Diminutive South Korean Ji-Yai Shin was walking tall after a superb two-stroke victory from Australian Katherine Hull at the HSBC Women’s Champions tournament in Singapore on Sunday. Seven adrift at halfway and still six behind with a round to go at Tanah Merah, the 20-year-old British Women’s Open champion took the title with her second successive 66 for an 11 under total of 277. Hull had started the final round with a two-shot advantage thanks partly to a final-hole birdie in the third round Shin, who collected $300,000 for her latest triumph, birdied the first four holes and then picked up further strokes on the 11th and 15th to put the pressure on her big rival

Share

China Goes on a Smart Shopping Spree

The world might be sinking into its worst recession in generations, but China is on a wild shopping spree. Sitting some $2 trillion of cash reserves, Beijing is taking advantage of the woes of others to cement its grip on new sources of commodities ranging from olive oil to crude oil —often at fire-sale prices. China’s growth rate may be slowing in concert with the world economy, but even at that slower rate, its economy continues to expand, requiring a steady increase in supplies of oil, copper, aluminum and other minerals.

Share