Brazil Online Weekly - Report shows Brazil improved its position in corruption ranking

Monday (12 / 01) - According to the new epidemiological bulletin released by Brazil’s Ministry of Health, around 734 thousand people are living with HIV and AIDS in the country today, but 143 thousand, nearly 20 percent, are unaware of their status. Of the total new cases 26.9 were among men and 14.1 among women for every 100 thousand inhabitants. The number of reported cases of AIDS among 15 to 24-year-olds has increased over the past seven years. In 2007, there were 9.6 cases of the disease for every 100 thousand inhabitants, and 12.7 new infections were reported in 2013.

Monday (12 / 01) - New hair transplant is expected to be launched in Brazil next month bringing the world's first system in the treatment of hair loss and hair restoration. The ARTAS System is an interactive, computer-assisted robotic-based device designed to treat hair loss that isolates and extracts single follicular units, naturally-occurring groups of 1-4 hairs, choosing the best ones for transplant without causing the type of trauma traditionally associated with other types of hair transplantation surgery. Resulting in significant cost and time savings to the patient, the procedure,  which may take 20 percent shorter time, lasting 6 to 9 hours, is minimally invasive and leaves no scars. With the commercial launch in late 2011 in the US, this transformative technology is currently being used in 17 countries. Brazil is the first Latin American country to adopt the ARTAS Robotic System.

Monday (12 / 01) - Football ace Neymar has been named on the 15-man shortlist for the forwards in Fifa's FIFPro World XI. The final eleven will be during the awards ceremony for the FIFA Ballon d’Or which will take place in Zurich, Switzerland on the 12th of January. Alongside Neymar, FC Barcelona players Messi and Luis Suárez have chosen amongst the strikers’ 15 man shortlist. Also nominated for the list are Neymar’s teammates Xavi and Andrés Iniesta in midfield, Claudio Bravo amongst the goalkeepers and Gerard Piqué, Dani Alves, Jordi Alba and Javier Mascherano amongst the shortlist of 20 for the four places in defense.

Tuesday (12 / 02) - A total of 23 Spanish companies on Tuesday in Porto Alegre, the capital city of Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul southern state, began a business conference with the aim of identifying investment opportunities and finding new local business partners with whom to pursue their projects in Brazil. In addition to exploring the opportunities that both countries offer, the Spain-Brazil Business Encounter, organized by Spain's ICEX export and investment agency, is designed to be a forum at which the firms can make strategic alliances in third countries, organizers said.

Tuesday (12 / 02) - Brazilian catering firm boss from Harrow on the Hill wows harsh judges on “MasterChef: The Professionals”, aired on BBC Two channel. Chef Luciana Berry, 34, made the head-to-head round of the British cookery TV program after advancing as one of two lucky losers in a repechage-style 'cook off' dish. The mother-of-one main dish was smoked duck breast with puréed cassava, black eyed bean and chorizo farofa mash with toasted cassava flour, butter and salt, with glazed peaches and red wine sauce. Her desert was açaí sorbet with granola meringue and coconut, which piqued the judges interest.  

Tuesday (12 / 02) - Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the death of the world motor racing legend Ayrton Senna, a new Proof 2014 .999 fine silver NZ$2 coin is being released by Niue Island. Created by designer Renato Saes, the official coin minted in honor of the Brazilian Formula 1 driver by the French company ART MINT features the racing driver’s effigy, a laurel wreath and his car, as well as his birth and death dates (1960/1994) and the inscription “AYRTON SENNA”. The coin’s reverse side shows the nominal value, an image of the Queen Elizabeth II with the inscription ‘Elizabeth II’, the name of the issuer, ‘Niue Island’ and the year of issue, 2014. This very special item for collectors and Ayrton Senna fans only will cost nearly US$114. 

Wednesday (12 / 03) - In the midst of a widespread corruption scandal in which two former executives and more than a dozen construction industry executives have been arrested involving Brazil’s biggest multinational energy company Petrobras, Brazil has improved its position in the corruption ranking. The largest Latin American country was ranked 69th among 175 countries listed by the Corruption Perception Index released Wednesday (03) by Transparency International, a global anti-graft watchdog. Despite the improvement, Brazil is still behind Chile, Uruguay, Ruanda and Botswana. Alejandro Salas, regional director for Transparency International America, said that it was a “disappointment” to see Brazil stuck in its position, but he held some hope for that country. “With all the movement that has been in Brazil this year, I expect an improvement in score in years to come.Brazilian telenovela writers Duca Rachid and Thelma Guedes received the trophy in the category of best soap opera for "Joia Rara" (“Exquisite Gem”) by Globo Television at the 42nd edition of the International Emmy Awards event held Monday (24) in New York, USA. The series beat off competition from Canada's "30 Lives: Maxim Bouchard", Portugal's "Belmonte" and "My Husband's Lover" from the Philippines. In 2013, the biggest prize in the world television went to Brazil’s soap opera “Lado a Lado” (“Side by Side”),  and to Brazilian star Fernanda Montenegro, who took the award for best actress for the special “Doce de Mãe” (“Sweet Mother”).

Wednesday (12 / 03) - Brazil's government has recently provided more than $9.76 million to help efforts against Ebola in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, the three West African countries most impacted by the disease. The donation was allocated to multiple UN divisions. Half the amount was given to the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide care to infected populations and support prevention efforts. 

Wednesday (12 / 03) - The United Nations recognized Brazil’s São Paulo State exceptional performance for the pioneering work in building urban resilience to natural disasters. The UNISDR’s Making Cities Resilient Campaign granted role model status to Sao Paulo for its ability to mobilize 211 cities and towns in the populous southern state for being committed to basic principles of disaster risk management which protect citizens from a range of natural hazards through improved land use, urban planning and strong building codes. 

Thursday (12 / 04) - Brazil won three gold medals in the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in Doha, Qatar. Brazilian Felipe França Silva had a fruitful night, winning the three gold medals as part of the two relays, and in the 100 breaststroke. In the men's 4x50 medley relay, Brazil's quartet of Guilherme Guido, Felipe França Silva, Nicholas Santos and Cesar Cielo finished in 1 minute, 30.51 seconds to take the gold. This was the first time the event was staged at the worlds with France standing second with the silver and the United States third, with the bronze medal. Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff nominated on Thursday (27) the new main members of the economic staff for her second tenure. Naval engineer Joaquim Levy, former secretary of the National Treasury, will be the new Finance Minister replacing current Guido Mantega. The head of the Ministry of Planning will be Nelson Barbosa, former executive secretary of the Ministry of Finance, replacing Planning Minister Miriam Belchior. Levy and Barbosa are the first appointments for the Cabinet of President Dilma Rousseff, whose second inauguration is slated for January 1, 2015.

Thursday (12 / 04) - Federal prosecutors and Federal Court recommended criminal action of Former Petrobras Downstream Director Paulo Roberto Costa, laundering organization leader Alberto Youssef and a group of seven people accused of allegedly diverting millions through operation that included funds from multinational energy company Petrobras. The requested sent to Brazil’s Federal Court is part of the final allegations heard in a confrontation statement of the criminal legal action requested during the Operation “Lava Jato” (“Car Wash”), which unveiled the biggest corruption scheme involving the state-run oil company. 

Friday (12 / 05) - Swiss Federal Banking Commission is transferring to Brazil all criminal actions against suspects of Sao Paulo train cartel after unearthing documents showing possible corrupt payments. Thus, Brazilian Justice will be getting their bank account details including the ones that are actually frozen. The information was released to Brazilian prosecutors who went to Berna this week to explore whether to charge individuals as part of the bribery investigation into French train-maker Alstom SA and Munich-based Siemens AGas well as national officials. Federal Police indicted 33 individuals suspect of being involved in the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy’strain cartel between 1998 and 2008, during the administrations of Brazilian Socialist Party governors Mario Covas (1930 - 2001), José Serra and Geraldo Alckmin. São Paulo Metropolitan Train Company (CPTM) chief executive Mario Bandeira is also being investigated. 

Friday (12 / 05) - In the last ten years, the number of students in the undergraduate distance learning courses in Brazil has increased 23 times, according to data released by the Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC). According to the study, the number of different distance education courses had a drastic increase, jumping from 8 to 84 courses and the number of under-graduated students went from 4 thousand to 161 thousand. In 2003, just over 50 thousand students enrolled in distance education courses, representing 1.3 percent of the total graduated student capacity. In 2013, however, there was a stunning 15.7 percent growth with 1.15 million enrolled students. The report showed that the number and range of distance education courses has significantly flourished throughout Brazil and reached very remote locations, far away from major cities. 

Friday (12 / 05) - Brazilian Model and Runner-Up in Miss BumBum Andressa Urach is doing fine after becoming infected as a result of failed thigh enhancement surgery. Although still in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a medical bulletin informed the model was in a 'serious condition' in a hospital in the southern city of Porto Alegre, in southern Rio Grande do Sul state, after removing gel from her thighs, which had previously been injected for cosmetic purposes. In November, she had hydrogel implants installed into her thighs in order to maintain her bubble butt. Andressa Urach, 27, has been in the international press, best known for finishing second in the Miss BumBum competition in 2012, and for her apparent sexual relations with soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in April.