Pedro Martins

Laura Cardoso, who died at 98, maintained that retirement came only with death and continued working into her later years, with her final role in the short film Dona Rosinha. Revered by colleagues including Susana Vieira as a teacher and master, she was known for an intensely disciplined acting method involving exhaustive reading, memorization and character research. Her career began in live radio in 1942, moved to live television at TV Tupi in 1952 and reached the theater in 1959. The experience of performing without recording or editing shaped the precision and preparation that defined her work across more than six decades. She leaves two daughters, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild; her wake is being held in São Paulo.

Brazil’s 2026 presidential campaign opened with rival street rallies by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in São Bernardo do Campo and Flávio Bolsonaro in Rio de Janeiro. Lula emphasized his labor movement roots, the history of the Workers’ Party, social issues and economic themes, while Flávio invoked his father Jair Bolsonaro’s legacy and focused on the economy, public security, education and other campaign priorities. Polling cited by BBC News Brasil placed Lula ahead of Flávio in a hypothetical second round, 46% to 43%. Other candidates, including Renan Santos, Ronaldo Caiado, Romeu Zema and Augusto Cury, held smaller events across Brazil.

El Niño is expected to remain active through early 2027 and influence Brazil’s weather throughout August, bringing above-average temperatures across much of the country. Southern Brazil is expected to face heavy rain, strong winds, hail, flooding and a possible extratropical cyclone with gusts of up to 95 km/h, while temporary cold spells may affect the South, Southeast and parts of central Brazil. The Southeast and Central-West are likely to experience heat and low humidity, and the North and Northeast may receive less rain, increasing wildfire risks. Official agencies are also warning of continuing floods near Uruguaiana and Porto Alegre, as well as possible urban flooding and landslides along parts of the northeastern coast.

Testosterone does not necessarily increase strength or muscle mass, particularly when it is used without a medical indication, in inappropriate doses, or without specialist supervision. Experts explain that people may not need replacement, responses vary because of androgen-receptor sensitivity, the hormone depends on adequate nutrition and normal metabolic processes, and conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes can reduce its effects. Non-medical use can cause acne, suppression of natural testosterone and sperm production, infertility, arrhythmias, blood clots, cardiovascular events and heart enlargement. The experience of João Possato illustrates both the side effects and the emotional and medical difficulties of stopping treatment. Clinically indicated replacement can be beneficial, but for users without a confirmed deficiency, the risks generally outweigh the benefits.