Brazilian recruit’s death in Ukraine points to torture, abuse in foreign fighter unit

"A 28-year-old Brazilian recruit died after a brutal punishment handed out in a unit that regularly used discipline practices described as "torture" by those who both witnessed and suffered them, a Kyiv Independent investigation can reveal.
The man, Bruno Gabriel Leal da Silva, died overnight Dec. 28-29, 2025, according to former fellow fighters who spoke to the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity because they feared retaliation.

The unit in question is a Brazilian-led formation called Advanced Company, led by the Brazilian Leanderson Paulino who is accused by several of those serving under him of overseeing — and in some cases taking part in — the abuse of his subordinates.
"It was a battalion that tortured people. Abuse there was normal," one former soldier said.
Witnesses and victims interviewed by the Kyiv Independent described torture including burnings, beatings, waterboarding, and even sexual assault with wooden objects.
Advanced operates under Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) as an approximately 150-200-strong unit within Revanche, commanded by Bohdan Khodakovskyi, part of HUR's International Legion led by Maj. Vadym Popyk.
Ukrainian officials have acknowledged Leal da Silva's death and say they are investigating. Prosecutors said police have opened a pre-trial investigation after his body was found on the territory of a military unit in Kyiv, while the military ombudsman said her office has ordered an inspection of Advanced." KI

F2 tornado damages hundreds of homes in São José dos Pinhais, Brazil

"An F2 tornado struck Guatupê, São José dos Pinhais, in Brazil damaging hundreds of homes
and leaving 2 people with minor injuries. The tornado damaged around 350 homes, impacting about 1 200 people, and left at least 2 people with minor injuries. Strong winds and heavy rains also affected the region, downing at least 57 trees in Curitiba, with winds reaching 70 km/h (43 mph) through the day." W

Russia joins China, Iran for naval drills in South Africa

"South Africa

held on Jan. 10 the opening ceremony for Chinese-led naval exercises taking
place in South African waters until Jan. 16., Bloomberg reported.
Russia, Iran, China and South Africa are participating in the drills, called "Will for Peace 2026," with Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia joining as observers." KI

Dam failure triggers flooding in Ponte Alta do Bom Jesus, Tocantins, Brazil

"Heavy rainfall in Ponte Alta do Bom Jesus, Brazil southeast of Tocantins, caused breach in a
dam triggering widespread flooding in the area. 

The failed around 08:50 local time, during work to close the spillway, affecting around two meters of the crest of the structure. Much of the surrounding area was submerged by the large volume of water damaging homes, trees, and other structures in the region." W

Bright fireball streaks across the sky over Brazil’s Northeast region

"A bright meteor streaked across the sky over Brazil’s Northeast region at nightfall captured
by Clima ao Vivo monitoring cameras in Pernambuco, Paraíba, and Ceará. Preliminary analysis by the Brazilian Meteor Observation Network (BRAMON) indicates the object entered the atmosphere at a speed of around 180 000 km/h (112 000 mph). The event coincided with the active Geminid meteor shower period, one of the most intense annual meteor streams visible from Earth." W

Severe hailstorm injures more than 150 people and damages hundreds of homes, prompting state of emergency in Erechim, Brazil

"A powerful convective storm developed over northern Rio Grande do Sul during the afternoon bringing heavy rainfall, strong wind gusts, and hail to Erechim and surrounding municipalities.

According to the Civil Defence of Rio Grande do Sul (Defesa Civil RS), the hail event was triggered by a low-pressure system interacting with hot and humid air, generating strong updrafts capable of sustaining large hail formation.
The storm produced hailstones reportedly up to 10 cm (3.9 inches) in diameter, causing severe damage to roofs, vehicles, and power infrastructure.
Local officials said the hail fell for roughly 20 minutes, damaging hundreds of residential buildings. At least 35 schools sustained structural damage, including broken windows and collapsed roofs.
Hospitals in Erechim and nearby municipalities treated between 150 and 200 people for injuries related to hail impacts or debris from damaged structures. Most injuries involved cuts and head trauma from falling ice or roofing materials." W

Deadly tornado destroys 80 percent of Rio Bonito do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil

"A powerful tornado struck the municipality of Rio Bonito do Iguaçu, Paraná, southern Brazil,

in the late afternoon of November 7, 2025, killing at least five people and injuring over 130, of whom 30 were seriously injured. Winds exceeding 240 km/h (150 mph) destroyed most of the town’s structures, prompting a large-scale emergency response by Civil Defense, the Fire Department, and state authorities." W

Mysterious Asteroids Near Venus Could Slam Into Earth Soon

"Somewhere in the orbit of Venus, scientists believe a hidden population of asteroids is circling the Sun—nearly invisible to Earth-bound telescopes and possibly capable of striking our planet with very little warning.

A recent study led by Valerio Carruba, an astronomer at São Paulo State University in Brazil. His team published findings in Astronomy & Astrophysics that paint a detailed and slightly alarming picture of what’s known as Venusian co-orbital asteroids—a category of objects few people outside of planetary science have even heard of.
“We can’t detect them with current telescopes,” Carruba explained in an interview,

He warns that some of these objects might be as large as 300 meters wide—enough to create a crater several kilometers across and release energy comparable to “hundreds of megatons.” msn

Brazil in Chaos: Tsunami Hits Rio de Janeiro, Destroying Homes and Beaches, Residents Flee in Fear

"Unbelievable scenes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

! Overnight, massive 4-meter waves — triggered by an extratropical cyclone — slammed into world-famous beaches like Leblon, Ipanema, and Maricá, flooding luxury streets and paralyzing coastal life. No earthquake, no tsunami warning — just nature’s fury turning paradise into chaos." DW

Extratropical cyclone brings damaging winds and coastal flooding to Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

"An extratropical cyclone impacted Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil producing wind gusts over 62 mph and waves up to 11 feet. The storm caused widespread structural damage, coastal flooding, and large-scale power outages." W

Rubio Takes Bold Action Against Brazil Over Increasing Authoritarianism

"Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Friday that the United States would implementing visa restrictions on a powerful Brazilian Supreme Court judge after the nation’s high court issued search warrants and restraining orders against former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, his allies on the Supreme Court and his immediate families members will have their visas revoked, Rubio announced. This is due to what he described as a “political witch hunt” against Bolsonaro and his supporters that has essentially amounted to a much more aggressive version of the January 6 Capitol protests crackdown, resulting in decades-long prison sentences for peaceful protesting.
“President Trump made clear that his administration will hold accountable foreign nationals who are responsible for censorship of protected expression in the United States,” Rubio said in a statement.

“Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes’s political witch hunt against Jair Bolsonaro created a persecution and censorship complex so sweeping that it not only violates basic rights of Brazilians, but also extends beyond Brazil’s shores to target Americans,” he continued.
As part of the high court’s orders, Bolsonaro is prohibited from contacting foreign officials, using social media or approaching embassies over allegations that he sought support from President Donald Trump. Moraes — who has aggressively expanded the power of the Supreme Court since 2021 — claimed there was a “high possibility” that Bolsonaro would flee the country.
Federal agents earlier this week raided Bolsonaro’s properties and placed on ankle monitor on him despite the fact that he is polling ahead of current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, an anti-American figure who has pulled Brazil towards Russia and China." TP

Biden said ‘Russia should be destroyed’ – Brazil’s Lula

"Former US President Joe Biden wanted to see Russia “destroyed” during his time in office, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said in an interview with Le Monde.
The Brazilian leader, who has consistently pushed for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, objected to attempts to single out Moscow as the sole culprit behind the conflict, telling the French newspaper on Tuesday that “Western countries also bear part of the responsibility.” RT

Ukraine launches drone attack on Moscow four days before military parade in Red Square

"Ukrainian forces attacked Kursk firing missiles, crossing the border, and maneuvering through minefields with special vehicles, according to Russian war bloggers. Russia reported three civilian deaths.
On the 1167th day of war in Ukraine, Russian anti-aircraft defense units destroyed four Ukrainian drones heading towards Moscow without causing casualties or damage from the debris, said Moscow's mayor, Sergei Sobyanin. In four days, on the 9th, Russia will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany with a military parade in Red Square, where world leaders such as the presidents of China, Xi Jinping, and Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, are expected to attend." ms

Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro Threatens to Invade Puerto Rico

"Socialist dictator of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro threatened to use Brazilian troops to

“liberate” Puerto Rico from the United States’ “colonization” in remarks this weekend.
Maduro, fresh from being sworn in for his third fraudulently obtained six-year presidential term, issued his warning on Saturday.
“With the troops of Brazil. And Abreu de Lima at the front. The [Brazilian historical figure that participated in South America’s independence movements José Inácio] Abreu e Lima Battalion to liberate Puerto Rico, what do you think?” he asked." Breitbart

Ukraine's ambassador warns of pivotal eight weeks ahead of Trump's inauguration

"The next eight weeks will be the most critical and challenging in Ukraine's history since 1991, Ukraine's Ambassador to Brazil, Andriy Melnyk, said in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on Nov. 24.

The statements by newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump about his readiness to end the Russian war against Ukraine within 24 hours should be taken seriously, he argues. In Melnyk's opinion, the U.S. president-elect is the only one who can radically change the situation.
However, Melnyk noted that Trump is unlikely to "share the laurels of peacemaker" with countries like China or Brazil, which have also proposed their "peace plans" for Ukraine. Therefore, Melnyk stressed that all of Ukraine's efforts—diplomatic, political, and societal—should be focused on these "eight critical weeks" leading up to Donald Trump's inauguration.
"So, we have very little time—the inauguration is on Jan. 20, less than two months away," Melnyk stated, noting that Ukrainian diplomacy should primarily focus on Florida, where Trump spends most of his time.
The diplomat believes that the worst-case scenario would be if decisions about Ukraine are "imposed over our heads."
"When the day of inauguration comes, I fear that by then a decision will have been made, and it will be harder for us," Melnyk said.
The inauguration of the U.S. president is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2025. The ceremony will take place in the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C." NV

Brazil’s Lula to Tell G20 Summit: Time for Global Tax on the Rich

"Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the radical leftist President of Brazil currently hosting the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, will tell attendees Monday the time has come for a global taxation impost on ultra wealthy individuals.

At a July meeting of G20 finance ministers in Rio, the world’s wealthiest nations agreed to start a “dialogue on fair and progressive taxation, including of ultra-high-net-worth individuals,” despite fierce resistance from the United States and Germany." Breitbart

One Attacker Dead in Brazil Supreme Court Suicide Bombing

"A man killed himself with an explosive device outside of Brazil’s Supreme Federal Tribunal’s (STF) on Wednesday evening in what Brazilian police have described as a suicide attack.
Brazilian police identified the man as Francisco Wanderley Luiz, a 59-year-old man and locksmith by trade colloquially referred to as “Tiu França.” Luiz unsuccessfully ran for councilor in the 2020 local elections as a candidate for the Liberal Party (PL).

The man reportedly attempted to break into the STF building, killing himself by setting off an explosive attached to the back of his neck after he failed to enter the building.
According to initial reports, two explosions detonated at around 07:30 p.m. local time. The first explosion came from a vehicle in a parking lot near the STF building and the second one occurred about 20 seconds later, killing the suspected assailant. Other than Wanderley Luiz, the attack caused no other casualties. The vehicle where the first explosives detonated was registered under Luiz’s name.
The incident is being investigated by the Brazilian Federal Police as a terrorist attack. Officials from the Brazilian Military Police deactivated four other suspicious objects near the man’s corpse in the early hours of Thursday morning. Military Police also raided the man’s home finding booby traps with bombs, one of which reportedly went off.
He allegedly claimed he chose November 13 to carry out the attack because the number 13 is used to identify the ruling leftist Worker’s Party (PT) in local elections.
In one such message, Metropoles stated, Wanderley Luiz allegedly wrote, “Be careful when opening drawers, cabinets, shelves, material storage, etc,” followed with “Start: 5:48 pm on 11/13/2024. The game ends on 11/16/2024. Good luck!”
According to local outlets, Wanderley Luiz published a video on his TikTok account alluding to the impending attack with explosives." Breitbart

Bolsonaro Leads Massive Free Speech Protest In Brazil After Supreme Court Bans X

"Thousands of Brazilians flooded city streets on Saturday to protest against the government's censorship crusade against Elon Musk's 'free-speech' X platform.

The demonstration, held Saturday on Independence Day, was led by former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro - who said in response to Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes: "I hope that the Federal Senate puts the brakes on Alexandre de Moraes, this dictator who does more harm to Brazil than Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva himself." ZeroHedge

Finnish Mercenary Reported Dead in Ukrainian Conflict

"A Finnish mercenary fighting on the side of the Kiev regime has been killed in the Ukrainian conflict, Ilta-Sanomat has reported.

According to the tabloid, the mercenary who used the call sign “Samson” traveled to Ukraine in December and perished after being mortally wounded during a Russian airstrike near the city of Artemovsk (Bakhmut) in the Donetsk People’s Republic.
An unnamed Brazilian mercenary was also reportedly killed in the same airstrike that claimed Samson’s life." Sputnik

Dengue Fever Surges by 400% in Brazil After Bill Gates-Backed Gene-Edited Mosquitos Released

"Dengue fever has spiked fourfold in Brazil in 2024 following the release of millions of gene-edited mosquitos by the United Nations’ World Mosquito Program.

In the first five weeks of 2024, over 364,000 cases of dengue infection have been reported, according to the country’s health ministry, which is 4x greater than previous cases in the same period of 2023." NW