Rio de Janeiro  - The Catholic Church on Thursday excommunicated the mother of a 9-year-old girl who had an abortion after being raped by her stepfather.

Brazilian Archbishop Jose Gomes Sobrinho also excommunicated the doctors who performed the procedure ending the girl's pregnancy with twins.

Abortion is illegal in predominantly Catholic Brazil, but the law admits exceptions, allowing it in cases of rape and pregnancies that put the mother's life at risk.

According to the head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Olinda and Recife in northeastern Brazil, all the people involved in the termination of the pregnancy on Wednesday, had committed "a serious crime," more specifically "homicide against two innocent lives."

Rio de Janeiro - Ronaldo made his long-awaited return to competitive football Wednesday, making a second-half appearance as a substitute for Brazilian side Corinthians in a cup match against Itumbria.

Three-time world footballer of the year Ronaldo failed to get on the scoresheet after coming on in the 68th minute but saw his side win 2-0.

The 32-year-old striker has been out of action since undergoing knee surgery on his left knee to cure an injury he picked up while playing for AC Milan in February 2008.

Rio de Janeiro  - A nine-year-old Brazilian girl, who was raped by her stepfather and conceived twins, had an abortion Wednesday, doctors said.

Sergio Cabral of the University of Pernambuco's Amaury de Medeiros Integrated Health Centre said the procedure was successful and the girl was recovering quickly.

Abortion is illegal in Brazil, but the law admits exceptions, allowing it in cases of rape and pregnancies that put the mother's life at risk. Cabral said the abortion was carried out with the consent of the girl and her mother.

Rio de Janeiro - At least eight people died and seven others were injured Wednesday in southern Brazil when the hospital shuttle bus they were travelling in crashed near the town of Venancio Aires, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

According to preliminary police reports, the accident happened early Wednesday. The bus belonged to the town of Sobradinho, and was taking sick people to a hospital in state capital Porto Alegre.

Sao Paulo  - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday condemned the murder of Guinea-Bissau President Joao Bernardo Vieira.

"We cannot remain quiet in the face of an attack against a budding democracy, which was just starting to be formed," the Brazilian leader said, after meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende in Sao Paulo.

Vieira was slain Monday by soldiers loyal to his Army chief, General Tagme Na Waie, who died in a bombing Sunday evening.

Rio de Janeir