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From Our Own Correspondent: Brazil: United In Grief, Divided By Politics

07/01/2023

Brazil: United In Grief, Divided By Politics

BBC Radio 4 - From Our Own Correspondent, Brazil: United In Grief, Divided By Politics

As the nation unites to mourn a football icon, divisions open up over the return of Lula.

As mourners lined the streets of Santos to bid farewell to the football legend, Pele, political divisions were all too visible over the return of Lula da Silva to power.

Kate Adie presents stories from Brazil, Russia, the US, South Korea and Italy

Brazilians this week mourned the loss of one of their greatest footballers, Pele, with hundreds of thousands going to view his open casket in Santos. Meanwhile, the politics continue to divide the nation as Lula da Silva returned to power. Katy Watson was in Brasilia for his inauguration and reflects on the challenges ahead.

Vladimir Putin used his New Year address this year to rally the nation once more for war, as festive ice sculptures even depicted military figures. The announcement of a ceasefire for Orthodox Christmas appeared incongruous with Putin's rhetoric and was dismissed by Ukrainians as a plot to stay their advances. Steve Rosenberg was in Moscow as Russians were once more put on a war footing.

Linda Pressly has a dispatch from Tucson in Arizona where she met a group of committed Christians helping migrants who've crossed from Mexico into the harsh landscape of the Sonoran desert, and lost their way. This comes as President Joe Biden prepares to visit the border next week.

John Murphy visits the rooftop apartments of South Korea's capital Seoul to hear why they hold such appeal for young Koreans - and how economic circumstances, and social expectations are causing some to leave the city altogether.

Rome was also in mourning for another iconic figure - of the Catholic church. 50 000 mourners reportedly attended the funeral of Pope Benedict in St Peter's Square and tens of thousands more paid homage to him as he lay in state. David Willey has covered the Vatican for half a decade, and says there is a bigger sea change underway.

Series Producer: Serena Tarling
Editor: Emma Rippon
Production Coordinator: Iona Hammond and Janet Staples

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