By , BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian health officials braced on Wednesday for President Jair Bolsonaro to fire his health minister over disagreements on how to handle the coronavirus outbreak, with at least one secretary offering his resignation in protest.Slideshow In a defiant news conference, Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta acknowledged his differences with Bolsonaro and said he had discussed a search for his replacement with the presidential chief of staff.Bolsonaro and Mandetta have been at odds over the handling of the coronavirus epidemic for weeks, as the president played down...…By , BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian health officials braced on Wednesday for President Jair Bolsonaro to fire his health minister over disagreements on how to handle the coronavirus outbreak, with at least one secretary offering his resignation in protest.Slideshow In a defiant news conference, Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta acknowledged his differences with Bolsonaro and said he had discussed a search for his replacement with the presidential chief of staff.Bolsonaro and Mandetta have been at odds over the handling of the coronavirus epidemic for weeks, as the president played down...WW…

BRASILIA --The Brazilian health regulator Anvisa on Monday rejected importing the Russian-made Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine requested by state governors battling a deadly second wave of the virus that is battering Latin America's largest nation.Anvisa's five-strong board voted unanimously not to approve the Russian vaccine after technical staff had highlighted "inherent risks" and "serious" defects, citing a lack of information guaranteeing its safety, quality and effectiveness.Ana Carolina Moreira Marino Araujo, general manager for health monitoring, said that taking into account all the...…BRASILIA --The Brazilian health regulator Anvisa on Monday rejected importing the Russian-made Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine requested by state governors battling a deadly second wave of the virus that is battering Latin America's largest nation.Anvisa's five-strong board voted unanimously not to approve the Russian vaccine after technical staff had highlighted "inherent risks" and "serious" defects, citing a lack of information guaranteeing its safety, quality and effectiveness.Ana Carolina Moreira Marino Araujo, general manager for health monitoring, said that taking into account all the...WW…

By , BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil on Tuesday reported a record number of COVID-19 deaths just as the country’s new health minister nominee pledged to continue the controversial policies of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has downplayed the severity of the disease.The initial comments by cardiologist Marcelo Queiroga, a day after he was tapped by Bolsonaro, dashed hopes for significant change in course to curb a worsening pandemic that has killed over 280,000 people in Brazil, which already had the worst weekly death toll in the world last week.On Tuesday afternoon, Brazil recorded...…By , BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil on Tuesday reported a record number of COVID-19 deaths just as the country’s new health minister nominee pledged to continue the controversial policies of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has downplayed the severity of the disease.The initial comments by cardiologist Marcelo Queiroga, a day after he was tapped by Bolsonaro, dashed hopes for significant change in course to curb a worsening pandemic that has killed over 280,000 people in Brazil, which already had the worst weekly death toll in the world last week.On Tuesday afternoon, Brazil recorded...WW…

By BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro went to Congress on Tuesday to deliver a provisional measure associated with his government’s plans to privatize state-run electricity provider Eletrobras.Bolsonaro, who is under fire for announcing a shakeup at Petrobras that sent the oil company’s stock tumbling due to fears of government meddling, delivered the measure in person to show his commitment to privatizing state firms.“Our privatization agenda is going full steam ahead,” he said after meeting with the leaders of Congress.Senate head Rodrigo Pacheco and lower chamber...…By BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro went to Congress on Tuesday to deliver a provisional measure associated with his government’s plans to privatize state-run electricity provider Eletrobras.Bolsonaro, who is under fire for announcing a shakeup at Petrobras that sent the oil company’s stock tumbling due to fears of government meddling, delivered the measure in person to show his commitment to privatizing state firms.“Our privatization agenda is going full steam ahead,” he said after meeting with the leaders of Congress.Senate head Rodrigo Pacheco and lower chamber...WW…

TOKYO --A new coronavirus variant has been detected in four travellers from Brazil's Amazonas state, Japan's Health Ministry said on Sunday, the latest new mutation of the virus discovered.A ministry official said studies were underway into the efficacy of vaccines against the new variant, which differs from highly infectious variants first found in Britain and South Africa that have driven a surge in cases."At the moment, there is no proof showing the new variant found in those from Brazil is high in infectiousness," Takaji Wakita, head of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases,...…TOKYO --A new coronavirus variant has been detected in four travellers from Brazil's Amazonas state, Japan's Health Ministry said on Sunday, the latest new mutation of the virus discovered.A ministry official said studies were underway into the efficacy of vaccines against the new variant, which differs from highly infectious variants first found in Britain and South Africa that have driven a surge in cases."At the moment, there is no proof showing the new variant found in those from Brazil is high in infectiousness," Takaji Wakita, head of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases,...WW…

By , Slideshow BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday withdrew the name of a family friend he had picked to run the federal police, after a Supreme Court justice blocked an appointment that opponents said would allow him inappropriate influence over law enforcement.His decision to drop Alexandre Ramagem, who was director of the Brazilian intelligence agency Abin, was published in the government’s official gazette.The suspension of the appointment by Justice Alexandre de Moraes earlier on Wednesday came after the top court authorized an investigation into...…By , Slideshow BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday withdrew the name of a family friend he had picked to run the federal police, after a Supreme Court justice blocked an appointment that opponents said would allow him inappropriate influence over law enforcement.His decision to drop Alexandre Ramagem, who was director of the Brazilian intelligence agency Abin, was published in the government’s official gazette.The suspension of the appointment by Justice Alexandre de Moraes earlier on Wednesday came after the top court authorized an investigation into...WW…