At least 24 people were killed by landslides spawned by heavy rains in a mountainous area of the Brazilian sate of Rio de Janeiro, authorities said Tuesday. Another 18 people have been injured and 1,466 were forced to leave their homes or were left homeless following the heavy downpour that began late Sunday in and around Petropolis, located 68 kilometers (42 miles) north of Rio de Janeiro, officials said. The bodies of two boys and one girl who had been unaccounted for were found Tuesday in a stream, firefighters said.

At least 17 people have died in landslides triggered by heavy rains in a mountainous area of Brazil, authorities said Tuesday. Dozens more have been left homeless since Sunday in and around Petropolis, a former imperial capital located 68 kilometers (42 miles) north of Rio de Janeiro, civil defense officials said. Two rescue workers were among the dead, according to a local official. Rio state governor Sergio Cabral called on residents to leave high risk areas and to seek refuge in shelters provided by city authorities amid worsening downpours.

Nairobi, Mar 13 (EFE).- Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is beginning a tour of Africa on Wednesday, the Lula Institute said in a statement. The erstwhile head of state will visit Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Benin and Nigeria and will meet with political leaders, businessmen and representatives from civil society. During his March 15-16 stay in Ghana, Lula will "participate in a discussion about social programs at the headquarters" of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the institute said.

By Brian Winter SAO PAULO, March 9 (Reuters) - By leaving Venezuela under the cover of night and skipping a funeral ceremony for its late leader Hugo Chavez this week, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was once again trying to chart out a more moderate brand of leftism and send a clear signal to investors and diplomats.