President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

Dueling visits to Brazil by the presidents of Israel and Iran are showing the South American powerhouse's growing role in Mideast diplomacy. Israeli President Shimon Peres opens a visit to Brazil on Tuesday, in the Jewish state's latest bid to battle growing Iranian influence in Latin America. Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is due on Nov. 23, and Brazilian officials say Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas may visit later this month. The visits follow a July trip by Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to Brazil, during which time he tried to enlist help in stymieing Iran's alleged effort to build a nuclear weapon. During his seven ... Read Full Story

Dueling visits to Brazil by the presidents of Israel and Iran are showing the South American powerhouse's growing role in Middle East diplomacy. President Shimon Peres opens a visit to Brazil on Tuesday, in Israel's latest bid to battle growing Iranian influence in Latin America. Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is due on November 23, and Brazilian officials say Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas may visit later this month. The visits follow a July trip by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to Brazil, during which time he tried to enlist help in stymieing Iran's alleged effort to build a nuclear weapon. During his seven years in office, ... Read Full Story

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva met Queen Elizabeth II Thursday on the last day of his trip to Britain, where he sought to drum up investment and signed an Olympic cooperation deal. The meeting at Buckingham Palace followed talks Wednesday with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who penned a government-to-government agreement with Lula to share business expertise between the two Olympic host nations. It will allow organisers of the 2016 Games in Rio to learn from London's experience of hosting the 2012 Olympics, including on how to deliver a legacy that benefits the whole country. "As this is the first time a South ... Read Full Story

Israeli President Shimon Peres is to visit Brazil next week, just days before his country's archfoe, Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is to also arrive, according to officials. Peres is scheduled to visit Brasilia, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro between November 10 and 15, the Israeli embassy and Brazilian officials said. Ahmadinejad, who has called for Israel to be wiped off the map, is due to be in Brazil on November 23 after pushing back a visit originally meant to have taken place in May. Brazil is seeking a bigger role on the world stage commensurate with its burgeoning economic clout. Part of its ... Read Full Story

Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says Rio de Janeiro is capable of hosting a safe 2016 Olympics and the city will show it deserved to win the games. At the launch of a gym and cultural center inside a city slum Wednesday, Silva said Rio will be ready for the Olympics despite a recent wave of violence that has killed more than 40 people, mostly gang members, after a police helicopter was downed Oct. 17. "We are not going to fail. We want to show that this country does not owe anything to Madrid, to Chicago and to Tokyo," Silva said, referring ... Read Full Story