BRASIL: 17 Pre-Carnaval Celebrants Electrocuted, 54 Injured In Bandeira do Sul.

BBC/

    Police say that at least 17 were electrocuted to death and at least 54 injured when a power line fell into a packed pre-Carnaval parade north of Rio in Bandeira do Sul, Minas Gerais state.
   "Most were hit by the line but it's possible the current passed from person to person because the crowd was so dense," said a spokeman.
    The crowd was following music from a sound truck when the accident happened in front of the town's main plaza.

FOR :44 Raw AP Video Of Rio's Famous Pet Parade-- NOT the tragic accident:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQQzxxXSygw&feature=player_embedded

BRASIL: At Least 20 Dead From Floods In Espiritu Santo And Minas Gerais.

Xinhua /

     Heavy week-long rains and landslides have killed at least 20 in the southeast and forced thousands from their homes.
    In Minas Gerais, 11 were killed in mudslides, including five children and a teenager, while 29 others were injured
     Officials in Espiritu Santo said five died this week in the floods: three when their house collapsed, one trying to cross a bridge over an overflowing river, and one swept up by flood waters. Sixteen people have been hurt there, and 551 are homeless.

BRASIL: Serra Fails To Convince Neves To Run With Him.

REUTERS/   Sao Paulo state Governor Jose Serra failed to convince the young popular governor of Minas Gerais, Aecio Neves, to be his vice-presidential running mate in October's election. Recently, Serra has lost most of his lead over President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's chief of staff Dilma Rousseff.