Page 17 - Brazil

Rio police release 17 hostages from a gunman on bus, two people wounded

Brazilian police said Tuesday they released 17 hostages from a gunman that took over a crowded bus in Rio de Janeiro and wounded at least two people. Rio police said in its social media channels that all hostages aboard a bus parked at one of the city's main terminals had been freed after a successful work of negotiation led by its elite squad. The man's motive remains unclear, Police Col. Marco Andrade said in an interview on TV news channel Globo News. We have children and older people inside the bus, Andrade said, adding that very little was known at this stage. The bus was parked at the Sao Cristovao terminal in the city center and was scheduled to head to the neighboring state of Minas Gerais. Police cars and ambulances could be seen waiting near the bus, while thousands of passengers were stranded waiting for information on scheduled travel. People interviewed on TV said they heard several gunshots, causing panic inside the crowded terminal. One wounded person was sent to a

G20 finance chiefs' meet: Brazil warns of global economic challenges

He also said the G20 finance leaders are discussing financing for Ukraine to raise pressure on Russia, adding that funds could be mobilized for Kyiv by using proceeds from frozen Russian assets

G20 leaders to mention regional 'conflicts' in tight draft statement

"Risks to the global economic outlook are more balanced," with faster-than-expected disinflation and more growth-friendly fiscal consolidation underpinning growth, the draft said

Bolsonaro supporters stage demonstration to defend him amid investigations

Tens of thousands of supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro rallied in Brazil's biggest city Sunday to defend him against legal challenges that could put him in jail. The far-right leader said in a speech that he seeks "pacification to erase the past, taking a more conciliatory tone than when he was in office. Bolsonaro is seeking to show his base is resilient as he is being investigated by federal police over his alleged role in the January 8, 2023, attacks on government buildings by his supporters over his election loss. He wants the dozens of people still in jail for those incidents to get pardons. Bolsonaro is also accused of illegally receiving jewels from Saudi Arabia during his presidency. Six blocks of Paulista Avenue filled with Bolsonaro supporters, many of them saying that he is being persecuted by Brazil's Supreme Court and that President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva unfairly won his narrow victory in the 2022 election. Some also carried Israeli flags as a show of .

Brazil prez accuses Israel of genocide, doubling down after earlier uproar

Brazil's president alleged Saturday that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians, doubling down on harsh rhetoric after stirring controversy a week earlier by comparing Israel's military offensive in Gaza to the Nazi Holocaust. Israel has vehemently pushed back against genocide claims, saying its war is targeting the militant group Hamas, not the Palestinian people. It has held Hamas responsible for civilian deaths, arguing that the group operates from civilian areas. The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza said Saturday that the bodies of 92 Palestinians killed in Israeli bombardments were brought to hospitals over the past 24 hours, raising the overall toll in nearly five months of war to 29,606. The total number of wounded rose to nearly 70,000. The ministry's death toll does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, but it has said two-thirds of those killed were children and women. Israel says its troops have killed more than 10,000 Hamas fighters, but has no

Dani Alves sentenced to four and a half years in prison for sexual assault

Soccer star Dani Alves was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman and sentenced to four years, six months in prison by a Barcelona court on Thursday. The ruling by the three-judge panel followed a three-day trial this month. Alves was summoned to the courthouse to receive the verdict and sentence. The victim's lawyer, Ester Garca, said this week that she and her client would not be present. The ruling considered it proven that the victim did not consent to sex and there was evidence, in addition to the defendant's testimony, that she had been raped. The court also imposed 150,000 euros ($162,000) in compensation for the victim and payment of costs by Alves. Once it concluded his sentence, the court ordered that Alves, aged 40, be monitored for five years and have no communication with or go near the victim. The court found Alves sexually assaulted his victim early in the morning of Dec. 31, 2022, when she said he raped her in a bathroom of an upscale Barcelona nightclub. Sta

Brazil min calls for reform of United Nations as it starts G20 presidency

Brazil's foreign minister called for reforms of the United Nations and other multilateral institutions on Wednesday while criticising their inability to prevent global conflicts, as his country kicked off its presidency of the Group of 20 nations. Mauro Vieira told fellow foreign ministers during opening remarks for a G20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro that the UN Security Council has been unable to prevent or halt conflicts such as those playing out in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip. Multilateral institutions are not adequately equipped to deal with current challenges, as demonstrated by the unacceptable paralysis of the Security Council in relation to ongoing conflicts, Vieira said. Foreign ministers of the 20 leading rich and developing nations are gathering this week to discuss poverty, climate change and heightened global tensions, setting a roadmap for work to accomplish ahead of a November 18-19 summit in Rio. One of Brazil's key proposals, set by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva,

Muraleedharan represents India at G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Brazil

"Honored to represent India at G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Rio. During my intervention at a session on 'G20's role in dealing with ongoing international tensions'," Muraleedharan posted on X.

India contributes $1 mn to IBSA Fund to alleviate poverty, hunger

India has contributed USD 1 million to a fund established by India, Brazil and South Africa which undertake projects aimed at alleviating poverty and hunger. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj handed over the cheque of USD 1 million as a contribution towards the India, Brazil and South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation Fund (IBSA Fund) to the Director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) Dima Al-Khatib here on Monday. Speaking on the occasion, Kamboj said the focus of India's G20 Presidency was the development of the people, by the people and for the people. Accordingly, India is committed to supporting the IBSA Fund as we believe that the Fund has made a positive impact on the lives of millions across the Global South and has strengthened the spirit of South-South cooperation, she said. The IBSA countries - India, Brazil and South Africa - each contribute one million dollars annually to the Fund in a spirit of ...

Israel asks Brazil's Prez to apologise for comparing Gaza war to Holocaust

Israel's foreign minister said on Monday that Brazil's president would not be welcome in Israel until he apologises for comments he made comparing Israel's war in Gaza to the Holocaust, accusing him of a very serious antisemitic attack. On Sunday, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that what is happening in the Gaza Strip and to the Palestinian people hasn't been seen in any other moment in history. Actually, it did when Hitler decided to kill the Jews. Lula made the comments while speaking to reporters at the African Union summit in Ethiopia. Foreign Minister Israel Katz summoned the Brazilian ambassador to Israel's national Holocaust museum in Jerusalem on Monday for a reprimand. The things that Lula said when he compared the righteous war of the State of Israel against Hamas, which murdered and massacred the Jews, and Hitler and the Nazis is shameful and unacceptable, Katz said. On Monday evening, Lula recalled Brazil's ambassador to Israel, Frederico Meyer, to the country

Netanyahu slams Brazilian president's comparison of Gaza war to Holocaust

Israel has condemned Brazil's president for comparing the war in Gaza to the Holocaust, accusing him of being antisemitic and trivializing the Nazi genocide of European Jews during World War II. The outcry further strained relations between the countries, which have deteriorated since President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva returned to office last year. Lula has portrayed himself as a leader of the Global South, a loosely defined group of developing countries. Speaking to reporters at the African Union summit in Ethiopia, Lula said that what is happening in the Gaza Strip and to the Palestinian people hasn't been seen in any other moment in history. Actually, it did when Hitler decided to kill the Jews." Such comments strike a raw nerve in Israel, a country established as a haven for Jews in the wake of the Holocaust. Israel rejects any comparisons of its conduct in the war in Gaza to the Holocaust. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Lula's comments trivialised the Holocaus

Brazil's govt's deficit soars in 2023 to second-largest ever: Report

The shortfall follows a December primary deficit of 116.1 billion reais, impacted by 92.4 billion reais disbursements to settle court-ordered payments

Global warming, not El Nino was primary cause of Amazon drought: Report

Human-induced global warming, and not El Nio, was the primary driver of last year's severe drought in the Amazon that sent rivers to record lows, required deliveries of food and drinking water to hundreds of river communities and killed dozens of endangered dolphins, researchers said on Wednesday. Both climate change and El Nio contributed about equally to a reduction in rainfall. But higher global temperatures were the biggest reason for the drought, according to World Weather Attribution, an initiative that brings together climate scientists to rapidly analyze extreme events and their possible connections to climate change. The drought was agricultural, combining reduced rainfall with hotter conditions that evaporated moisture from plants and soil. It was that heat-driven evaporation that was critical in the drought's severity, said study co-author Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at the Imperial College of London. What is now about a one-in-50-year event would have been much

Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state confronts flood damage after rain kills 11

Neighbourhoods in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state remained flooded on Monday more than a day after torrential rains that killed at least 11 people. The heavy downpour wreaked havoc over the weekend, flooding peoples' homes, a hospital, the metro line in the city of Rio de Janeiro and a main freeway section, Avenida Brasil. Some people drowned and were killed in landslides, while at least three died after being electrocuted. Eight towns across the state remained at a very high risk of landslides and another 10 at high risk, according to civil defence officials. We feel like animals. It's not normal to live like this, Heloisa Regina, 55, said as she surveyed her flooded bar and home in Duque de Caxias, a city to the north of Rio where more than 100 millimetres (3.9 feet) of rain fell in 24 hours. Regina spent the night trying to sleep on a pool table, wondering how she was going to pay to repair the damage to the bar she has owned for 30 years. We've lost everything, she said. Residen

Supriya Lifesciences targets Brazil, eyes Rs 200 crore sales in 2-3 years

This ambition follows the company's recent approval from Anvisa (Brazilian health regulatory agency), which has facilitated its entry into the Brazilian market

A yr after pro-Bolsonaro riots, dozens of arrests, Brazil still recovering

Brazil's Congress has everything ready to open an exhibit Monday featuring pieces including a tapestry crafted by renowned artist Burle Marx and a replica of the country's constitution dated 1988. The display is notable not because of the rarity of the objects, but because they are the living memory of one of the grimmest episodes in Brazil's recent history: As unprecedented riots in support of former President Jair Bolsonaro took place on January 8, 2023, in government buildings in the capital Brasilia, the tapestry was damaged and the replica constitution was taken. Many saw the rioting as part of a failed attempt by Bolsonaro to remain in power following his election loss. A year and hundreds of arrests later, Brazil is still recovering. Brazil's society still doesn't know how to handle what happened, there's no consensus, said Creomar de Souza, founder of political risk consultancy Dharma Politics. Brazil's society is now in extreme opposites. And parts of those opposites are in

Brazil coach Diniz fired, Sao Paulo's Dorival Junior could replace him

Brazil coach Fernando Diniz was fired by the confederation president, a day after the latter got his job back. The Brazilian Football Confederation said in a statement that president Ednaldo Rodrigues informed Diniz that he wanted to advance the process of choice of a permanent coach. Diniz was contracted to the middle of the year as Rodrigues expected Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti to take the Brazil job before the Copa America in June in the United States. However, Ancelotti recently extended his stay at Madrid. Diniz was splitting Brazil duties with coaching Fluminense, the Copa Libertadores champion. Rodrigues was returned to office by Brazil's Supreme Court on Thursday, one month after a Rio de Janeiro court ousted him and his directors and triggered an election process that was questioned by FIFA. The CBF thanks Fernando Diniz for his work, his dedication, his seriousness and for the challenge of revamping Brazil, a statement said. Neither Diniz nor Fluminense have yet .

Mario Zagallo, World Cup winning player, coach for Brazil, dies at age 92

Mario Zagallo, who won two World Cups as a player, one as a coach and another as an assistant coach for Brazil, has died. He was 92. The first person to win the World Cup both as a player and a manager, Zagallo is for many Brazilian soccer fans synonymous with patriotism, grit and glory. Brazilian soccer confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues said in a statement in the early hours of Saturday confirming Zagallo's death that Zagallo is one of the biggest legends of the sport. No cause of death was released by the federation or his family. We offer solidarity to his family members and fans in this moment of grief for the departure of this great hero of our soccer, Rodrigues said. Several Brazilian clubs where Zagallo played and coached also expressed their sorrow for his death. Zagallo's social media channels called him a dedicated father, a loving grandfather, a caring father-in-law, a loyal friend, a victorious professional and a great human being. A gigantic hero. A patriot t

Brazil Supreme Court ruling returns soccer confederation prez to office

A justice of Brazil's Supreme Court ruled that the country's ousted soccer confederation president should be returned to office. Justice Gilmar Mendes annulled a Rio de Janeiro court ruling dated Dec. 7 that removed Ednaldo Rodrigues and all his executives from their jobs at the confederation, known as the CBF, because of irregularities in the 2022 election process. The move comes four days before FIFA and South American soccer body CONMEBOL executives visit to discuss an allegedly undue third-party interference at the top of the CBF. Soccer's governing body was threatening to suspend Brazil from international competitions because of it. The Brazilian justice said there was evident risk of damage if Brazil was blocked from competing in Paris Olympic qualifiers this month because of the interference. Squads must submitted to soccer's governing body by Friday, and the CBF has yet to send its list. The 10 other justices of Brazil's top court will analyze Mendes' preliminary decision f

Brazil's economy improves during Prez Lula's first yr back, divide remains

Brazilian President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva likes to boast he had a good first year after returning to the job. The economy is improving, Congress passed a long-overdue tax reform bill, rioters who wanted to oust him are now in jail, and his predecessor and foe Jair Bolsonaro is barred from running for office until 2030. Still, the 78-year-old leader has struggled to boost his support among citizens and lawmakers. Some major setbacks, including a series of votes by Congress to override his vetoes, signaled that Lula's future could be less productive in a Brazil almost evenly split between his supporters and Bolsonaro's. Brazil's political polarization is such that it crystallized the opinions of Lula and Bolsonaro voters beyond the economy, said political consultant Thomas Traumann, the author of a recent best-selling book on Brazil's political divisions. These groups are separated by very different world views, the values that form the identity of each group are more important than