Air Transport

Israel's El Al is to start direct services to Sao Paulo in Brazil next year, although precise details of dates, frequency and aircraft type have yet to be confirmed.

A spokeswoman for El Al says that "sometime in the middle of 2009" the airline will launch services, which will mark a return to Brazil and South America after a 10-year absence.

It is not known whether the Israeli flag-carrier will operate to other South American countries, but the spokeswoman says that further details will become known "in a month or two".