Brasilia - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday called for "urgent" reform in international financial institutions as the ongoing credit crisis has put developing countries at risk.

"The progress that our countries have made is at risk. The global financial crisis can affect developing countries in an unfair and particularly harsh way," he said.

Brasilia  - The Brazilian government's agrarian reform programme is among the key factors that have led to a rise in deforestation in the Brazilian Amazonia, said the country's Environment Minister Carlos Minc.

The accusation made late Monday in Brasilia caused a crisis in the government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Brasilia  - Brazil is to provide "logistics" support to Bolivia, to dismantle armed groups in the northern province of Pando, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Wednesday.

Lula, however, made it clear that Brazil will not be sending troops to its Andean neighbour.

"Do not even think of a Brazilian interference in Bolivia, much less troops," Lula said in an exclusive interview with state television channel TV Brasil that was set to be aired later Wednesday.

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Brasilia- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Friday in Brasilia that a United South America can shift the global balance of power.

"South America, united, will move the board game of power in the world, not for its own benefit, but for everyone's," Lula said.

As he opened the summit to launch the Union of South American Nations (Unasur), the region's latest integration initiative, Lula stressed that the region can contribute to overcoming the current world food crisis, as long as it is autonomous.

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