Rio de Janeiro, April 19 : Ronaldinho apologised to Atletico Mineiro fans after describing a Copa Libertadores match against Sao Paulo as a "training session".

The two-time FIFA World Player of the Year made the comments Wednesday in a half-time television interview during Atletico's 0-2 defeat to Sao Paulo in their final group match, reports Xinhua.

With the score 0-0 and Atletico having already secured their passage to the round of 16 as leaders of Group 3, Ronaldinho called on his teammates to treat the second half as preparation for the knockout phase.

Rio de Janeiro, April 13 : Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has said that the government intends to double per capita income by 2022, when Brazil celebrates 200 years of independence from Portugal.

"We will soon celebrate the 200th anniversary of our independence, and on that day, we will have to look back and see what we did to build our sovereignty, our development, and the well-being of our people ... our goal is ... to double our per capita income, " Rousseff told a business ceremony Friday.

Last year, Brazil's per capita income remained stable at 22,402 reals ($11,429), reported Xinhua citing official figures.

Rio de Janeiro, April 10 : In the latest of a series of tax cuts aimed at revving up the economy by boosting consumption and production, the government has announced it was doing away with tax on smartphones made in Brazil.

The PIS/Cofins welfare tax waiver will be applied to smartphones that retail for less than 1,500 reals ($750), which excludes high-end models such as the latest iPhones and Samsung Galaxy models, but includes most smartphones sold in Brazil.

Several companies that produce smartphones in Brazil, including Apple, Nokia, Samsung and Motorola, will benefit from the tax exemption, reported Xinhua.

Rio de Janeiro, April 4 : German firm GoalControl has been awarded a contract by world football's governing body FIFA to provide goal-line technology during June's Confederations Cup and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The firm, which was the last of four bidders to win a FIFA licence in February, uses 14 high-speed cameras with seven trained on each goalmouth, reports Xinhua.

"The use of GoalControl-4D in Brazil is subject to a final installation test at each stadium where the system will be installed," FIFA said in a statement.

Rio de Janeiro, April 4 : Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has enacted a bill to lower payroll taxes for the industry and service sectors.

The measure, designed to stimulate the economy and encourage companies to hire more workers, relieves certain companies from paying 20 percent payroll taxes to the government, reported Xinhua.

Rousseff partially vetoed the original bill, which called for payroll tax cuts in 33 sectors of the economy, saying lower payroll taxes in several sectors would lead to violations of the fiscal responsibility rules, since there were no estimates on the bill's impact in those sectors.

Rio de Janeiro, April 2 : Injury-ravaged midfielder Paulo Henrique Ganso has said he was driven by a desire to earn an international recall for Brazil's 2014 World Cup campaign on home soil.

The 23-year-old has not represented Brazil since last year's London Olympics but has overcome injury to cement a regular starting berth for Sao Paulo, the club he joined from Santos for $12 million last September, reports Xinhua.

Rio De Janeiro, April 1 : Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt narrowly missed breaking his own world record by powering to victory in a 150m exhibition event here at the Copacabana beach.

The six-time Olympic gold-medallist Sunday posted a time of 14.42 seconds, 0.07 slower than the mark he set in Manchester in 2009, reports Xinhua.

Brazilian qualifier Bruno Lins finished second in 14.9 seconds, followed by Ecuador's Alex Quinones and Daniel Bailey of Antigua and Barbuda.

Rio de Janeiro, March 31 - Brazil's Bruno Lins earned the right to challenge Usain Bolt in Sunday's 150-metre exhibition sprint on Copacabana beach by winning heat for the last remaining starting berth.

Lins clocked 15.08 seconds Saturday to finish ahead of Alison Feitosa (15.30) and Sandro Viana (15.67). Apart from Bolt and Lins, the final will also feature Ecuador's Alex Quinones and Antigua and Barbuda's Daniel Bailey, reports Xinhua.

Rio de Janeiro, March 30 : Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt has vowed to push himself to the limit during Sunday's 150m exhibition event on Rio's Copabacana beach.

The 26-year-old surprised passers-by Friday when he trained on the famed stretch of sand and conversed with local fans, reports Xinhua.

"I don't run 150m often but I am going to give my all," Bolt said of the race, which will be staged on a temporary track that has been custom-built on the beach.

"I hope everything goes well and that I am able to perform as planned. It's all about keeping my focus and staying calm."

Rio de Janeiro, March 28 : Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes has denied the closure of the city's Olympic athletics stadium will affect preparations for the 2016 Games.

The reassurance came a day after the Engenhao Stadium was shut after an engineer's appraisal showed the venue's roof could collapse due to structural problems, reports Xinhua.

"We already have a lot of responsibilities ahead of the Olympics but luckily we are within the expected time frame and can handle the situation," Paes said in a television interview.

Rio de Janeiro, March 28 : Brazil's investments to strengthen safety measures at its two nuclear plants after the 2011 accident at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power complex will total 300 million reais (about $150 million) through 2016, authorities reported Wednesday.

The figure includes 26 million reais ($13 million) invested in 2012 and 50 million reais ($25 million) that will be spent this year, according to a communique issued by the state-run Eletrobras Eletronuclear, the company responsible for the operation of the Angra 1 and Angra 2 electricity generation plants.

Rio de Janeiro, March 27 : Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Paes has confirmed the closure of the city's 2016 Olympic track and field stadium due to structural problems.

The announcement follows an assessment by an unnamed private construction company which said the Engenhao Stadium posed a safety risk due to "cracks" and "movement" in the roof's support structure. Paes said the stadium would be closed for an "indefinite period", reports Xinhua.

Rio de Janeiro, March 26 - Botafogo midfielder Clarence Seedorf was likely to receive a six-match ban after a Brazilian sports tribunal launched an investigation into an incident that led to his stoppage-time dismissal.

Seedorf was shown consecutive yellow cards after arguing with referee Philip Georg Bennett over where to leave the pitch when substituted during Botafogo's 2-1 victory over Madureira, reports Xinhua.

The Sports Justice Tribunal of Rio de Janeiro announced the investigation Monday after reviewing Bennett's report card.

Rio de Janeiro, March 25 : Brazil's 2011 pole vault World Champion Fabiana Murer has claimed the 2014 FIFA World Cup is negatively affecting Brazil's preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The 32-year-old said the best interests of athletes have been ignored as local organisers focus on meeting World Cup infrastructure deadlines, reports Xinhua.

"All the attention is being given to football and only after the World Cup will the focus turn to other sports. We are seeing athletes without clubs and training in difficult situations. I thought it was going to be better after the London Games," Murer said Sunday.

Rio de Janeiro, March 25 : The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is set to provide a record $5 billion windfall for FIFA, according to audit and consultancy firm BDO.

The figure represents a 36 percent rise on the $3.655 billion made at the last World Cup in South Africa and is 110 percent higher than the $2.345 billion earned at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Xinhua reported Sunday.

According to BDO, revenue from television rights and soaring sponsorship demand based on the tournament's 'exclusivity' provided the catalyst for the World Cup's rise in profitability.

Rio de Janeiro, March 22 : Brasilia's Mane Garrincha stadium is on track to officially open April 21, less than eight weeks before hosting the opening match of the FIFA Confederations Cup, government officials confirmed.

The 71,000-capacity stadium will host two test events before the June 15-30 tournament, considered an organisational warm-up for the World Cup a year later.

The venue's opening will coincide with Brasilia's 53-year anniversary as the country's capital.

Rio de Janeiro, March 21 : Brazilian state-controlled oil company Petrobras, which is striving to boost daily domestic crude and natural gas output to 3.4 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day by 2017, said it plans to earmark 62 percent of its investments over the next five years to exploration and production.

"The company's priority is exploration and production of oil and natural gas," Petrobras CEO Maria das Gracas Foster said at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro.

Rio de Janeiro, March 19 : Cheslea midfielder Ramires is the latest player to be axed from Brazil's squad to face Italy in Geneva Thursday due to injury.

Ramires suffered a strained right adductor during Chelsea's 2-0 Premier League victory over West Ham Sunday. He is also in doubt for Brazil's fixture against Russia at Stamford Bridge March 25, reports Xinhua.

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has already had to rule out Paris Saint-Germain winger Lucas (ankle) and Paulinho (thigh) for the international friendlies.

Rio de Janeiro, March 18 : Brazilian football giants Flamengo have named 1994 World Cup-winning right-back Jorginho as their new coach.

The 48-year-old replaces Dorival Junior, who was sacked Saturday after reportedly refusing to accept a pay cut, reports Xinhua.

"Jorginho is widely respected for his great international experience and history at this club," Flamengo director Wallim Vasconcellos said in a statement on the club's official website Sunday night.

Jorginho, who helped Flamengo win the 1987 Brazilian Serie A title, will lead the Rio de Janeiro outfit until December 2014.

Rio de Janeiro, March 17 : Brazil's 2014 World Cup organising committee has guaranteed that the Maracana Stadium here will be ready in time to host the FIFA Confederations Cup in June.

The iconic venue has already had its playing surface laid but is still awaiting the installation of its fibre-glass roof. Originally earmarked to be ready by December last year, the stadium has already had its completion postponed thrice, reports Xinhua.

Last month, FIFA said the latest deadline shift to April 27 would be final.