According to Brazilian researchers, ticks that are considered parasites, including vectors of numerous diseases, carry a key compound in their saliva which is effective in treating skin, liver, and pancreatic cancers.

Spanish Liga club Villarreal announced on Saturday the signing of Brazilian striker Nilmar da Silva from Porto Alegre club Internacional.

It is believed Villarreal paid around 11 million euros (15.65 million dollars) for the 25 year-old international, which makes him the most expensive signing in the club's history.

Facing a two-goal deficit at half time in the final of the Confederations Cup against the US, Brazilian players knew that they had to find something special if they wanted to maintain a proud tradition.

Going into Sunday's final at the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, the Selecao had managed to win all but two of the nine finals they had played on the world stage.

Bundesliga top scorer Grafite said on Friday he will renew his contract at champions VfL Wolfsburg until 2012.

"I will sign on Monday. I am happy that I am staying," said the Brazilian striker at a pre-season training camp on the North Sea island of Sylt.

Brazilian players are looking forward to Sunday's Confederations Cup Group B clash against Italy in Pretoria's Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

After the Selecao had comfortably beaten the United States 3-0, everybody was expecting Brazil and Italy to have already qualified by the time their game is played.

The Egyptian Football Association has lodged an appeal against the red card shown to Mohamed Al-Muhamadi by referee Howard Webb in the 4-3 Confederations Cup defeat to Brazil.

"We have received the protest and will look at the situation," FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot said Tuesday in Johannesburg.

Air France is to redesignate its route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, following the disappearance of flight AF 447 on Monday.

The route will be known as AF 445 as of Sunday, an Air France spokesman told the German Press Agency dpa.

The reports said the aircraft had been missing since 0400 GMT. President Nicolas Sarkozy was quoted as expressing "great concern" at the reports.

The ADP airport authority set up a crisis team and set aside facilities at Charles de Gaulle airport to deal with enquiries from relatives of those on board.