Brazil

Ronaldo returns to action after over a year out

Ronaldo returns to action after over a year outRio 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.

Nine-year-old Brazilian girl, raped by stepfather, aborts twins

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.

At least eight dead as hospital shuttle crashes in Brazil

At least eight dead as hospital shuttle crashes in BrazilRio 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.

Brazil: Lula condemns murder of Guinea-Bissau's president

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva 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.

Cayman captured after breaking into Rio restaurant

Cayman captured after breaking into Rio restaurant Rio de Janeir

Cruise ship evacuated off Uruguay coast after fire

Cruise ship evacuated off Uruguay coast after fireMontevideo/Rio de Janeiro  - A cruise ship carrying 1,429 passengers and 590 crew members was evacuated off the coast of Uruguay on Thursday after a fire broke out on board.

Costa Romantica, operated by Italy's Costa Cruises out of Brazil, suffered a mechanical problem that caused a fire to break out in a power generator overnight, but it was quickly brought under control. Efforts to repair the generator were unsuccessful.

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