Brazil

Referendum shows Venezuela is "divided," Lula advisor says

Referendum shows Venezuela is "divided," Lula advisor says Brasilia - The referendum victory that enables Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to stand for re-election in 2012 revealed that the country is "obviously divided," said a senior foreign policy advisor to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

In an interview with Sao Paulo radio station Eldorado on Monday, Marco Aurelio Garcia said that the fact that Chavez's proposal was passed in a referendum Sunday did not guarantee his re-election.

Bloody Sunday for Brazilian football, with 1 dead, over 40 injured

Bloody Sunday for Brazilian football, with 1 dead, over 40 injured Rio de Janeiro  - A violent Sunday left one person dead and over 40 injured in clashes between rival football hooligans in the Brazilian cities of Sao Paulo and Belo Horizonte, the authorities said Monday.

The most serious incident happened in Belo Horizonte, where a 20- year-old supporter of Atletico Mineiro was shot dead. Two people shot him from a motorbike while he waited at a bus stop to go to the Mineirao stadium, where his team was to play Cruzeiro.

Doubts arise about Brazilian's claim of racist attack in Zurich

Zurich - The mystery of a Brazilian woman who claimed she was attacked by three skinheads in Zurich earlier this week deepened Friday as new details emerged that cast some doubts on her story.

Police responded to a train station in the major Swiss city on Monday after reports that a pregnant woman was attacked with a knife during a racially motivated crime. The
26-year-old Brazilian, who said she was three months pregnant at the time of the attack, said she went into a bathroom afterward and miscarried.

However, the Institute of Forensic Medicine determined Friday that she was not pregnant at the time of the attack. Police also said the wounds on her body could have been self-inflicted.

Tom Cruise''s ‘coffee cup’ up for grabs

Tom Cruise to reprise ‘Les Grossman’ character for online videosNew Delhi, Feb 11 : A Brazilian website is selling a coffee cup which was reportedly used by Tom Cruise while on holiday in Forte da Urca, Brazil.

So far the empty cup has a sale price of 2,200 dollars, reports the China Daily.

The man who initiated the auction on website Mercado Libre goes by the screen name Rafael Mak.

The authenticity of the sale has, however, been contested.

Upbeat Serie A Brazilians ready for friendly with Italy

Upbeat Serie A Brazilians ready for friendly with Italy London  - Brazil's Italy-based internationals said Monday they were looking forward to meeting the Azzurri in a high-level friendly in London Tuesday.

Inter Milan defender Douglas Maicon, one of the 10 Serie A players summoned by coach Dunga, Monday told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "It never occurred to me to play against the national team of the country where I play.

"I hope it all goes well for Brazil. It will certainly be a good experience."

Plane carrying more than 20 people crashes in Brazil

Plane carrying more than 20 people crashes in Brazil Sao Paulo  - An airplane carrying 24 people crashed into a river in the state of Amazonas in northern Brazil late Saturday.

The turboprop plane manufactured by Brazilian company Embraer was on its way to Manaus and crashed because of unknown reasons in the Manacapuro River. Officials said the plane disappeared from the radar screens about 20 minutes before its scheduled arrival.

At the last minute, the pilot attempted an emergency landing in the town of Manacapuro, but crashed about 500 metres from the runway.

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