Hotels along the beaches of the Southern Zone of Rio are practically full for New Year's celebrations. In Copacabana, there are no more places left for people who want to see the fireworks display.

Starting right now, tourists who come to Rio de Janeiro will receive a booklet with orientations about how to act in the city to avoid become easy marks for thieves and fleecers. The booklet was released December 28 by the Brazilian Hotel Industry Association (Abih).

Air France is investing so as to win the preference of a group of professionals responsible for the turnover of hundreds of billions of dollars worldwide: the men and women who operate in the oil business.

Brazil's macroeconomic situation is better today than what was forecast at the beginning of 2004, when the Central Bank (BC) and the market estimated a trade surplus of US$ 19.15 billion, foreign direct investments of US$ 12 billion, and a US$ 3.5 deficit in current foreign transactions. All of these variables surpassed expectations.