Brazil

The NFL says the playing surface at Rio de Janeiro's Maracanã Stadium passed all required field tests ahead of kickoff between the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens. The statement addresses concerns about field conditions at the iconic venue, and the game is going ahead as planned.

The NFL Players Association has flagged concerns about playing conditions in Brazil ahead of the Dallas Cowboys' game against the Baltimore Ravens. The league's opening international game in São Paulo drew scrutiny, with the union warning about the quality and safety of the playing surface for athletes. Fans and commentators are debating whether hosting games abroad puts player health at risk, a recurring issue for the NFL's international expansion.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is campaigning for what is billed as his final term in Brazil's crunch election, presenting himself as viscerally dedicated to social issues. Coverage frames the vote as a defining moment for the country, with Lula's record on poverty reduction and social programmes central to his appeal to voters as he seeks one last mandate.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott says the team wants to 'be the aggressors' when they face the Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro. The comments frame Dallas's approach to the high-profile matchup in Brazil, with the Cowboys looking to set the tempo rather than react. The game gives the NFL another showcase in an international market.

Brazil's CNPEM research centre is working with CERN on magnet technology for a proposed 91-kilometre collider, a scale of machine far beyond today's accelerators. The collaboration ties Brazilian superconducting research into the Future Circular Collider effort, and physicists are watching how magnet development for such a huge ring progresses.

The European Central Bank and Brazilian authorities have launched a study to explore linking the ECB's TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) system with Brazil's Pix instant payments network. The initiative would allow faster cross-border payments between the euro area and Brazil, an emerging area of cooperation as central banks worldwide look to make international transfers quicker and cheaper.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has banned online gambling ahead of the country's presidential election, according to a BBC report. The move, announced on the same day the ban was enacted, is expected to become a talking point in the election campaign, with gambling regulation emerging as a live political issue in Brazil.