Italy crash out after heavy defeat to Brazil

Brazil thrashed Italy 3-0 to send the world champions home from the Confederations Cup as the United States also reached the semifinals after beating Egypt 3-0 in the other Group B match on Sunday. The 2006 World Cup winners trailed 3-0 at halftime in Pretoria to a Kaka-inspired Brazil as a Luis Fabiano double and an Andrea Dossena own goal dealt them a hammer blow. Brazil could afford to take the foot off the pedal after the break, but Italy could not score the goal which would have put them through.

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Spain win again to extend unbeaten streak

Spain have drawn level with Brazil’s record by going 35 matches unbeaten, after second-half goals from David Villa and Fernando Llorente gave them a 2-0 Confederations Cup victory over host nation South Africa in Bloemfontein. The result ensures the European champions comfortably reach the semifinals of the competition as group winners, while South Africa also progress to the last four after New Zealand and Iraq draw 0-0 in Saturday’s other Group A match in Johannesburg. Vicente Del Bosque’s side were last beaten in November 2006 and they will better Brazil’s unbeaten streak, achieved between 1993 and 1996, if they win Wednesday’s semifinal

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Brazilian judge rules U.S. dad can visit son — in Brazil

A Brazilian federal judge has issued a ruling making it possible for David Goldman to have more access to his son Sean in the ongoing custody battle over the boy, Goldman’s attorney said Friday. The Brazilian court said Thursday it will allow Goldman to visit with his son unsupervised every week from Monday morning through Saturday evening. The problem is he must do it on Brazilian soil, not in New Jersey where he lives.

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Air France bodies had broken bones, official says

At least some of the bodies recovered from the Air France crash this month had broken bones, Brazilian authorities have told French investigators, evidence that suggests the flight broke apart before hitting the ocean. Paul-Louis Arslanian, director of the Bureau d’Enquetes et d’Analyses, the French accident investigation board, said Thursday that Brazilian medical examiners had given that information to his agency

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Egypt shock Italy in Confederations Cup

A 40th-minute header from Mohamed Homos gives Egypt a shock 1-0 Confederations Cup victory over Italy at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, to leave the world champions’ qualification hopes in the balance. Homos — who replaced 35-year-old captain Ahmed Hassan, the country’s most capped player, in the only change to the Egyptian side beaten 4-3 by Brazil — rose powerfully to nod a corner from Mohamed Aboutrika past Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. Egypt and Italy are now level on three points in Group B, behind Brazil who have won both their matches, with the Pharoahs favorites to go through to the semifinals.

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Unbowed, Ahmadinejad Shows Up in Russia

On Tuesday, amid reports of escalating violence and protest across his country, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad slipped into a plane and jetted off to Yekaterinburg, a Russian city nestled in the Ural mountains. Iran seethed in the aftermath of Ahmadinejad’s disputed election victory last weekend even as foreign journalists were officially barred from reporting street protests a day after the largest demonstrations seen in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Meanwhile, the powerful Guardian Council is investigating allegations of poll fraud, and has suggested a partial recount — a solution main opposition leader Mir-Hossein Mousavi has rejected.

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Egypt protest over Brazil Confed Cup winner

Egypt said they would file a protest to FIFA after Brazi’ls controversial injury time winner in their Confederations Cup opener in Bloemfontein on Monday night. Egypt had come back from 3-1 down to be tied at 3-3 as the match headed into injury time, but were beaten by Kaka’s last-gasp penalty.

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