Banco do Brasil confirmed this Thursday (20) the acquisition of Nossa Caixa for U.S. $ 5.38 billion. The news was communicated through the Securities Commission (CVM) and the Stock Exchange of Sao Paulo.

The payments will be made in 18 months of $ 299.2 million starting in March 2009 – corrected by the basic interest rate.

“The value of the transaction was calculated on the basis of economic and financial assessment prepared by consultants hired by Banco do Brasil, which took into consideration, among other methods, the prospects for future profitability and cash flow of Nossa Caixa”, informed Banco do Brasil.

The sale of Nossa Caixa was preceded by meeting with the governor of Sao Paulo, Jose Serra, and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, held this Wednesday (19). However, after the meeting the governor Jose Serra denied that the issues has been discussed.

Fifteen of the 26 state capitals defined the new mayor in the first round of municipal elections. Of the 15 mayors elected, 13 managed to be re-elected in the election this Sunday (5). Other 11 capitals will have second round, held on 26 October.

Among  the capitals that will have the second round, only Belem has not established yet the two candidates. With 98.71% of the votes counted by 6:14 a.m. this Monday, Priante (PMDB) and Mario (PT) will compete against Duciomar Costa (PTB), current mayor.

Of the 20 mayors of the capital who sought re-election, 13 were re-elect in the first round and the other seven are guaranteed in the second round. The current mayor don’t competes for reelection in Belo Horizonte, Macapá, Natal, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and São Luís

Reelected

The first being elected in the capital was Beto Richa (PSDB), which received 77.27% of valid votes in Curitiba (PR). The performance of Richa was only exceeded by Cicero Almeida (PP), who was reelected in Maceió with 81.49% of valid votes.

In Aracaju, Edvaldo Nogueira (PC do B) was reelected with 51.72% of valid votes (140,962). In Boa Vista, Iradilson Sampaio (PSB) received 54.35% of the valid votes. In Campo Grande, Nelson Trad Filho (PMDB) obtained 71.41%.

Five of the 13 are from capital of the northeastern region. Apart from Aracaju and Maceio, the mayors were re-elected Ricardo Coutinho (PSB) in João Pessoa; Luizianne Lins (PT), in Fortaleza, and Silvio Mendes (PSDB) in Teresina.

It was also re-elect Raul Filho (PT) in Palmas; John Coser (PT) in Vitoria, Iris Rezende (PMDB), in Goiania, Roberto Sobrinho (PT) in Porto Velho, and Raimundo Angelim (PT) in Rio Branco.

The price of the basic basket in Sao Paulo decreased 0.72% from the day on September 26 and October 2, based on the search of the Foundation for the Protection and Consumer Protection (Procon). The average price, which was $ 295.19 last month, went to U.S. $ 293.07.

In the weekly variation, of the 31 products surveyed, six had increased the price, and 23 products decreased and two remained stable. Among the highlights, the group of personal hygiene fell 1.26%, followed by food that retreat 0.87%. Cleaning products had a mild high of 0.88%.

During the period, the products that most influenced the value of the basket, considering their weights were: type 2 rice, whole frozen chicken , potato, soybean oil and refined sugar.

Carlos Luciano da Silva is the full name of Mineiro, he played for Brazil team at the 2006 World Cup and was also in the team that faced England in a friendly at Wembley last year.

He played 18 months for Hertha in Berlim scoring twice in 36 appearances, having previously played solely in his homeland with Sao Paulo, Sao Caetano and Ponte Preta. One of his goals while at Sao Paulo made him very important. At the ocasion Sao Paulo beat Liverpool in the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship.

Luiz Felipe Scolari, the manager of Chelsea is making his squad as good as possible. Maneiro is one of the best midfielder from Brazil and will add some much-needed experience to the Chelsea midfield.

“He is a player that I need because I lost Michael Essien for six months. I have one midfielder like him, John Mikel Obi,” said Scolari.

“This week he will not play but maybe after 15 days to two weeks, he is ready to play normal games.”, said Scolari.

“He needs to play some games in the reserve team, and for me it is very good because I have one more player in this position.”, completed Scolari.

“I say to fans of Chelsea, if they remember Claude Makelele, Mineiro is the same. Good positionally, a very good marker. He is a man that works for the other players and he is also a good man outside of the pitch.”

The newspaper explained that, because of the high number of residents and cars circulating in the city, causing traffic jams of up to 200 kilometers, the rich executives, bankers and business journalism, among others, are opting for helicopter as a means of transport.

“The case of love of Sao Paulo with helicopters began in 1994, after the introduction of an economic plan that the government linked the new Brazilian currency to the dollar. The result was the sudden entry of helicopters made in the United States. In mid-90, the American giant, Bell helicopters arrived to introduce training courses for pilots in Portuguese, because the increased demand in Brazil. ”

Today, Brazil is living with the new period of economic stability and its currency reaching records based on nine years period, the number of helicopters is returning to grow in Sao Paulo.

According to the newspaper, “there is constant flow of helicopters crossing the sky of the city, small points up and down while doing your way, helipad for helipad.”

“According to the National Agency of Aviation in Brazil the number of helicopters in the State of Sao Paulo jumped from 374 to 496 between 1999 and 2008, making the city the world capital of the helicopter, ahead of Tokyo and New York.”

The Guardian says that only in the city of Sao Paulo there are 420 helicopters, which can be seen crossing the sky day and night.

There are at least 70 thousand flights of helicopters over the city every year and 420 heliports in Sao Paulo, which represents 75% of heliports in Brazil and 50% more than in the entire United Kingdom. “Analysts say that other 83 helicopters should be added to the fleet of the city by 2010,” says the report.

According to the report, the “fashion” is transforming Sao Paulo in a divided city, like Rio de Janeiro, where poor residents live beside millionaires buildings close to the beach.

São Paulo is also known for its unreliable weather, the sheer size of its helicopter fleet, architecture and multitude of skyscrapers. The São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport connects São Paulo with many Brazilian cities and also operates international flights.

Economic facts

São Paulo is consider the financial and economic capital of Brazil, the city is the largest in Brazil and fifth in the world by population and is located in the South East of the country. It is also the richest city of Brazil.

It was built with the force and the hard work of people from all parts of Brazil and the world, keeping each piece rooted in this land is intended to work. They are 645 municipalities and a population that exceeds 40 million residents. With the best infrastructure and workforce qualified, Sao Paulo can even be called “The locomotive of Brazil.” The State produces all, especially high-tech products. But the emphasis is not only in industry. The Sao Paulo also has agriculture and livestock.

In the economy, out of 260 shopping centers in the country, 94 are located in the state, accounting for more than 200 thousand jobs, and a broad network wholesaler and retailer spread by municipalities.

Tourism

The North Coast or North Shore, begins less than an hour’s drive from the city at the town of Santos, and about an hour later, the SP-55 highway (also known as Rio-Santos) is tracing a beautiful coastline of lush but rugged green hills towering over a shoreline of rocky coves and sandy beaches.

Some of the most sought-after beaches are within the municipality (more a county than a city) of São Sebastião.

But there is a scene for everyone, from the energetic, youthful resort town of Maresias, to the idyllic beaches tucked into the hills at Toque Toque Grande and Toque Toque Pequeno, to the unpretentious colonial center of São Sebastião that also serves as the ferry station to Ilhabela, a green Goliath of an island that looms just off the coast, full of upscale restaurants and hotels.

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