This year, the holy period for Islam begins on July 20 and ends on August 18. Mosques throughout the country become crowded at prayer times and the faithful meet to break their fast late in the day.

The country has gone from second to eighth in the list of countries with the most optimistic businessmen. Still, it remains among the ten most positive in a survey of 40 nations.

The organisation has lowered its forecast for Brazilian growth this year. Now the estimate is 2.5%, half a percentage point below the previous estimate. For 2013, the IMF expects expansion of 4.6%.

Ahmad Rashwan will come to São Paulo to discuss movie ‘Born on the 25th of January’, to be shown in the second part of the 7th Arab World Cinema Exhibit. The programme begins on Tuesday (17).

Company Jovaceli, from Franca, exports male shoes to the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. They are shoes and sandals appropriate for the warm climate of the region.

Buyer project organized by Arab Brazilian Chamber and Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency brought representatives of Middle East companies to the country for meetings with food suppliers.