Along with the other candidates to host the World Cup in 2018, England had to select its host cities and stadiums well in advance. And so earlier this month, the Fifa inspection committee could ride the tube, visit the venues, talk to officials and end up with a firm idea of what they will be getting if England gets the nod.

It is unfortunate that the 2014 hosts did not have to go through a similar process.

Communications-technology provider Harris Corp. said Monday it opened a factory in Brazil to make UHF transmitter products for the region’s shift to television.

The facility will be located in Campinas, 80 miles northwest of Sao Paulo. It will produce low- and mid-power transmitters for broadcasters in Brazil and other countries in Latin American.

Iran will not send a woman who had faced death by stoning on an adultery conviction to Brazil, which has offered her asylum, the president said in a TV interview broadcast Monday.

To play again in Brazil is a dream come true, said former Portugal midfielder Deco after completing his move to championship leaders Fluminense on Monday.

Brazilian-born Deco, who played for Portugal in two World Cups, was released by English champions Chelsea at the weekend and is expected to make his ‘Flu’ debut in the Rio derby against Vasco da Gama on August 22.

Indigenous people protesting against the construction of a hydro-electric plant in the Brazilian Amazon have allowed most workers to leave the site, the Brazilian authorities say.

A spokesman for the National Indian Foundation said only five employees remained there.

Nearly 300 Indians occupied the site in Mato Grosso state on Sunday, confining about 100 workers to their barracks

The Brazilian government announced measures on Monday to speed up preparations to host the soccer World Cup in 2014, boosting spending and cutting red tape for public works

Brazilian police said on Sunday they had found no explosive devices aboard an Air France plane that was forced to divert to the north-eastern city of Recife after a bomb scare.

Air France flight 443, en route to Paris from Rio de Janeiro, More >

Few teams have the audacity to attack Brazil and their 3-0 World Cup second-round win over Chile on Monday showed what happens to those who do.

Chile boldly tried to go where few have gone before, fielding three forwards against the five-times world champions, and taking the game to their fellow South Americans.

Once the intensity of the game against Ivory Coast ebbs and his anger at their late physical tackles melts into the night, Carlos Dunga’s no-nonsense demeanour might permit a smile.

All fire and brimstone before Saturday’s match the coach would be happy at how well Brazil’s campaign has unfolded. Even Kaka’s red card, assuming it gets the usual one-match ban, may not be too much of a setback. Their clinical dismantling of Ivory Coast means the blockbuster against Portugal is now a formality. Injured in the opener, Kaka might have been rested for the Durban tie.