A lot of Brazilians rallied against abortion Tuesday ahead of Pope Benedict XVI's first Latin American visit during which he is expected to issue a strong message against the procedure that was legalized in Mexico City last month.

Pope Benedict begins his first trip to Latin America this week, traveling to Brazil. He has asked Catholics to pray for the success of the visit to a region that is home to nearly half of the world's Catholics and which the pope has described as "a continent of hope". Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome.

Brazil has rejected a U.S. drug maker's offer of a 30 percent discount on an anti-AIDS drug, Efavirenz. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's office is now deciding whether to break the drug's patent by making it or buying generic versions.

Brazil's national oil and gas giant Petrobras announced on Friday that it had signed a contract to lease a thermoelectric power plant in Sao Paulo state for 17 years.

World champions Italy have reclaimed top spot from Argentina in FIFA's world rankings. Argentina had knocked them off their pedestal for one month but the Azzuri's Euro 2008 qualifying victory over Scotland last month restored them to number one.

Brazil defended its ethanol agreement with the United States despite efforts by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to undermine the deal using his country's vast reserves of oil and natural gas.

Brazil has officially been named as the only bidder to stage the 2014 World Cup after handing over a bidding agreement form at FIFA's headquarters in Zurich. World football's governing body confirmed Brazil's status as sole bidder in a statement released after the handover.

Colombia has withdrawn from the race to host football's World Cup in 2014. A Colombian Football Federation spokesman said a letter had been sent to football's world governing body informing FIFA of the decision.

Farmers in Latin America's largest county increased the land devoted to sugarcane by 7 percent last year owing to Brazil's booming ethanol business and the fuel's growing international appeal.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says the dispute between rich and poor nations that has stalled global trade talks could be resolved this month.

Palm, Inc. and Claro, the Brazilian mobile carrier owned by America Movil Group, today announced the availability of the Palm Treo 680 smartphone in Brazil.

President George Bush is to meet his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Saturday at Camp David for talks on global trade issues and a recent bilateral deal on biofuels. VOA's Brian Wagner reports that experts say the new energy agreement may be a key step in renewing U.S.-Brazil ties.