Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | Brazil’s gigantic corruption scandal will move from news TV to movie theaters and Netflix next year, when rival directors turn the real-life thriller into entertainment. For two years, Brazilians have watched in fascination and horror as prosecutors unleashed a probe codenamed Operation Car …
Read More »Evangelical bishop elected Rio mayor
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | An evangelical mega-church bishop who once branded Catholics demons was elected mayor of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, in nationwide municipal elections confirming Brazil’s shift to the right. This was the second round of balloting for city halls in Latin America’s biggest country …
Read More »Brazil preparing to release millions of factory-bred mosquitoes
Brazil mutant mosquitoes to breed out diseases Piracicaba, Brazil | AFP | Scientists in Brazil are preparing to release millions of factory-bred mosquitoes in an attempt to wipe out their distant cousins that carry tropical diseases. The insects’ method: have sex and then die. British firm Oxitec says its …
Read More »Brazil’s ‘eternal captain’ Carlos Alberto dies at 72
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | Carlos Alberto, the revered captain of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup-winning side, considered one of the greatest of all time, died on Tuesday aged 72. The right-back starred alongside Pele, Tostao, Jairzinho and Rivelino in the legendary Brazil team that beat Italy 4-1 in …
Read More »Brazil’s big party is over – now the hangover?
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | Brazil’s been partying hard for five years, hosting a string of international mega-events that end this Sunday with the Paralympics. So is it time for the hangover? There was the 2014 football World Cup, the Confederations Cup, the Rio+20 United Nations environmental summit, …
Read More »Olympics: ‘Marvellous’ Rio flames out as Super Abe takes baton
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | The Rio Olympics ended in a blaze of colour with an exuberant closing ceremony on Sunday as Tokyo took up the baton promising to host the best Games yet in 2020. After a rollercoaster fortnight which mixed off-field hitches with compelling sporting drama, …
Read More »Olympics: Reborn Brazil make quarters as crisis-hit Argentina exit
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | Hosts Brazil finally launched their campaign for Olympic gold as sought after starlet Gabriel Barbosa struck twice to defeat Denmark 4-0 on Wednesday, as two-time champions Argentina bowed out of Rio 2016. Barcelona star Neymar is still yet to hit the net, but …
Read More »Rio’s glittering opening launches Olympics 2016
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | The Rio Olympics opening ceremony started with fireworks and laser lit choreography on Friday as Fireworks and laser-lit choreography launched the Rio Games on Friday as Brazil sought to forget seven years of troubled preparations and the Olympic movement temporarily put aside …
Read More »Football: Neymar tasked with delivering Brazil’s elusive gold
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | Brazil has barely got over its World Cup disaster and now it is counting on Barcelona star Neymar to finally deliver a treasured first football Olympic gold medal. Olympic gold is the only international title to elude Brazil in an illustrious history that …
Read More »Brazilian judge blocks WhatsApp nationwide
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | A judge on Tuesday suspended the WhatsApp smartphone messaging service across Brazil, where it is hugely popular, for failing to surrender user data in a police investigation. “WhatsApp is blocked across the whole national territory,” a spokesman for the court in Rio de …
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