Pigeons used to smuggle phone parts into Brazilian prison

September 8th, 2009 Tornado, storms kill up to 15 in Argentina, BrazilBUENOS AIRES, Argentina — A violent storm that spawned a tornado has killed as many as 15 people across northern Argentina, southern Brazil and Uruguay, authorities said Tuesday. Dozens were injured in the winds and hail as their homes were destroyed.

July 3rd, 2009 Brazil prison guards nab pigeon with cell phoneSAO PAULO — Prison guards foiled a new attempt to smuggle a cell phone into a Brazilian prison by carrier pigeon — this one wearing a tiny backpack — and said Friday that the practice is becoming almost commonplace. An exhausted pigeon wearing a small makeshift backpack was intercepted just outside walls at the Danilo Pinheiro prison near the city of Sorocaba, said a spokesman for the Sao Paulo State Prison Affairs department.

June 3rd, 2009 Brazil suspends American dad's custody of boySAO PAULO — A Brazilian supreme court justice has suspended a court order granting custody of a 9-year-old boy to his U.S. father. The decision by Justice Marco Aurelio was in response to a request by a Brazilian political party.

June 2nd, 2009 SAO PAULO - A member of Brazil's non-reigning royal family was travelling on the Air France plane that went missing Monday off Brazil's north-eastern coast, the Orleans e Braganca family confirmed in a statement. According to the family's representatives in Sao Paulo, Prince Pedro Luis de Orleans e Braganca, 26, was among the 228 occupants of the airplane that was en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris when it disappeared from radar screens.

June 1st, 2009 Timeline of disappearance of Air France jetTimeline of events surrounding the disappearance of Air France Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, according to Air France, Brazilian Air Force. All times in Brazilian local time: — 7:03 p.m.

May 9th, 2009 Brazilian stocks fall in early tradingMEXICO CITY — Brazilian stocks are falling as investors lock in gains from weeks of large advances. Sao Paulo's Ibovespa index is down 2.3 percent to 50,315 after the first hour of trading on Thursday.

April 29th, 2009 LONDON - Pop star Britney Spears' former manager Sam Lufti has been ordered to stay away from the pop superstar for three years. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Aviva Bobb issued a harsh restraining order against Lutfi and his legal associate Jon Eardley April 28, reported contactmusic.com.

April 23rd, 2009 Official: Negotiate end to Brazil custody battleBRASILIA, Brazil — A Brazilian official says there should be a negotiated end to a custody battle between a U.S. father and a Brazilian stepfather over a boy.

March 15th, 2009 KOCHI - Want to make some extra money by spending a couple of hours a day with birds? City-based Kerala Pigeon Foundation (KPF) says it's quite possible, given the increasing demand for pigeons in the local market. The KPF, which is conducting a pigeon market every second Sunday to promote the business, said they have approached the Kochi Corporation for financial help to pigeon-rearers, a move that could help expand the business in the state.

March 12th, 2009 BRASILIA - The Brazilian presidency got stuck in a diplomatic fumble Wednesday when it got wrong the name of Britain's Prince Charles in an official agenda. As the Prince of Wales started a five-day visit to the South American country, the first version of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's agenda mentioned a meeting with 'Charles Philip Arthur Chaves,' according to Brazilian news website G1.

February 26th, 2009 MOSCOW - A group of Russian Navy officials are suspected of attempting to smuggle 30 anti-submarine missiles and 200 airplane bombs worth a total of $18 million to Tajikistan for sale to China, an official said. Russia's chief military prosecutor, Sergei Fridinsky, said a criminal case had been opened and an investigation was ongoing, adding that the smugglers included a number of businessmen.

February 15th, 2009 PENZA - The police in central Russian city of Penza are searching for a man who paid for gold jewellery with Brazilian and Surinamese currencies, an official said Monday. The unknown man bought goods worth over 30,000 rubles ($860) in a store, telling the shop assistant that the Brazilian real and the Surinamese guilder were currently more sought after than the US dollar and the euro.

February 2nd, 2009 SYDNEY - An Australian man was stopped at the Melbourne airport Tuesday with two pigeons concealed in his underwear. The 23-year-old arrived on a flight from Dubai and was discovered to be wearing tights that held a bird tightly to each leg.

January 21st, 2009 MADRID - Brazilian giants Palmeiras announced that they have signed veteran Edmilson from Spanish club Villarreal, for an undisclosed fee. According to Brazilian website Globoesporte, Edmilson, 32, has agreed to a two-year contract with Palmeiras, who are coached by Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

January 12th, 2009 LOS ANGELES - Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen is engaged to marry American football superstar Tom Brady, People.com reported. The New England Patriots quarterback, 31, proposed with a diamond solitaire to the Brazilian supermodel, 28, on Friday, said People Monday.