Brazil inmates’ demand

SAO PAULO: Brazilian prison inmates who have staged riots in recent days have demanded the right to watch World Cup football. The First Capital Command gang has staged deadly uprisings in several jails in Sao Paulo state, and staged attacks on police and other targets. About 150 people have been killed in the unrest since last Friday. Imprisoned gang leader Marcos Camacho, known as “Marcola”, “put on the table” the demand that his incarcerated followers wanted to watch the World Cup matches.

Abramovich in finals

LUEBECK: Roman Abramovich, the billionaire Russian owner of English champions Chelsea, will moor two of his motor yachts in the northern German port of Luebeck during the World Cup finals. Abramovich, 39, will commute from the port to matches by helicopter, the Luebecker Nachrichten newspaper said. With a fortune of $18.2 billion, the former market trader turned oil mogul shot up from 21st to 11th place in the annual rich list compiled by Forbes magazine.

‘FIFA made mistakes’

BERLIN: The hoteliers’ federation in the German capital said world football governing body FIFA had made “big mistakes” in estimating its needs for the World Cup. FIFA was last week forced to ‘give back’ 5,000 of 8,000 rooms it had reserved for the finals.

No smoking campaign

BERLIN: Germany captain and new Chelsea signing Michael Ballack will front the no smoking campaign for the World Cup, but fans cannot be forced to stop lighting up in the 12

World Cup stadium, FIFA said. Ballack will appear on posters and adverts urging “No smoking please”.