BRASILIA， June 28 (Xinhua) -- Federal police in Brazil have disbanded a corruption ring that defrauded the Culture Ministry of some 180 million reals (53 million U.S. dollars)， Agencia Brasil reported Tuesday.


Police arrested 14 people suspected of abusing a law designed to promote spending on cultural activities， by using the money instead to throw parties and lavish weddings.


According to Rodrigo de Campos Costa， an official with the force's organized crime division， the abuse was flagrant.


"There was， at the very least， an auditing failure on the part of the Culture Ministry，" he said.


In 1991 Brazil enacted the Rouanet Law， which allows companies to declare any money spent on promoting cultural activities as a tax write off.


Investigators said the suspects diverted funds that were earmarked to support such projects as children and youth theater productions in poor neighborhoods， concerts and the publication of books， among other activities.


Campos Costa said the ministry was cooperating with the investigation， to ensure "the law is effectively used for the objective it was designed， which is to promote culture in the country."


For at least the past two years， Brazil has been mired in successive public-sector corruption scandals that have led to the imprisonment of top officials.


President Dilma Rousseff has also been suspended pending an impeachment trial on charges of concealing the extent of the public deficit. Enditem


PARIS DeMarco Murray Jersey , Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- France and Belgium on Tuesdayannounced their squads without much surprise for the 2017 Davis Cuptennis tournament final later this month.


France's captain Yannick Noah recruited Jo-Wilfried Tsonga,Lucas Pouille, Nicolas Mahut, Pierre-Hugues Herbert, JulienBenneteau and Richard Gasquet.


Tsonga and Pouille, positioned 15th and 18th in ATP rankingsrespectively, can earn their places in singles. Mahut and Herbert,currently featuring at ATP Finals in London, are expected to playin doubles. The quartet combined to eliminate Serbia in September'ssemifinals. France will take Benneteau and Gasquet assubstitutes.


Benneteau, 35, earned his place in the squad after flying highat the Paris Masters earlier this month, as he saw off Tsonga,David Goffin and Marin Cilic en route to the final four.


However, the squad is subject to any change until the drawingceremony on November 23, according to players' physical and mentalconditions.


Noah's Belgian counterpart Johan Van Herck called up Goofin,Steve Darcis, Ruben Bemelmans and Arthur De Greef, with Joris DeLoore as a reserve.


Nine-time winner France will host Belgium at Stade Pierre-Mauroyin the northern city of Lille, seeking its first title since 2001,after falling short in 2002, 2010 and 2014 finals.


Clinching its first title is the mission for Belgium aftermaking its second final appearance for the past three years.


Nominations for the 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were revealed Wednesday and as expected, the leading ladies of “Big Little Lies” earned nods, as did the stars of the year’s biggest streaming hits, Claire Foy of “The Crown” and Elisabeth Moss of “The Handmaid’s Tale.” The SAG Awards, like the Golden Globes and the Critic’s Choice Awards, are often predictors for the Oscars. That means that newcomers Saorirse Ronan and Margot Robbie have good chances of also being recognized by the Motion Picture Academy for their turns in “Lady Bird” and “I, Tonya,” respectively. The awards ceremony will be simulcast live on Jan. 21 at 8 p.m. on TNT and TBS.


FILM


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role:


Judi Dench, “Victoria & Abdul”


Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water”


Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”


Margot Robbie, “I, Tonya”


Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird”


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role:


Timothee Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name”


James Franco, “The Disaster Artist”


Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out”


Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour”


Denzel Washington, “Roman J. Israel, Esq.”


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role:


Mary J. Blige, “Mudbound”


Hong Chau, “Downsizing”


Holly Hunter, “The Big Sick”


Allison Janney, “I, Tonya”


Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role:


Steve Carell, “Battle of the Sexes”


Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”


Woody Harrelson,”Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”


Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water”


Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”


Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:


“The Big Sick”


“Get Out”


“Lady Bird”


“Mudbound”


“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”


TELEVISION


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series:


Millie Bobby Brown, “Stranger Things”


Claire Foy, “The Crown”


Laura Linney, “Ozark”


Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale”


Robin Wright, “House of Cards”


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series:


Jason Bateman, “Ozark”


Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us”


Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones”


David Harbour, “Stranger Things”


Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series:


Uzo Aduba, “Orange Is the New Black”


Alison Brie, “GLOW”


Jane Fonda, “Grace and Frankie”


Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”


Lily Tomlin, “Grace and Frankie”


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series:


Anthony Anderson, “Black-ish”


Aziz Ansari, “Master of None”


Larry David, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”


Sean Hayes, “Will & Grace”


William H. Macy, “Shameless”


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