Road blocks and marches hit Brazilian cities on Thursday as disparate groups criticized spending on the upcoming World Cup soccer tournament and sought to revive a call for better public services that swept the country last June.
Brazil forecasts that the estimated 3.7 million people expected to visit during the World Cup, including Brazilian and foreign tourists, will boost the country's economy to the tune of 3.03bn. dollars.
President Dilma Rousseff repeated Tuesday that Brazil is a democratic country and that its government guarantees the right to peaceful protest during the World Cup soccer competition, which begins June 12. However protests must not harm the Cup events in any way.
The Brazilian government is counting on a strong presence from world leaders during the football World Cup, which kicks off on June 12. Cristina Fernández, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US vice-president Joe Biden are among the dignitaries expected to attend.
Brazil's Pelé, the legendary attacker believes that his country's national team has the ideal opportunity to exorcise the demons of their 2-1 infamous loss to Uruguay at the Maracana 64 years ago, more precisely 16 July 1950.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter plans to run for a fifth term as the boss of global football, the Swiss newspaper Blick said on Friday. I want to do this, because things aren't over yet. My mandate is running out, but my mission is not finished, the 78-year-old was quoted as saying by the tabloid.
The Gibraltar Football Association has announced that UEFA President Michel Platini will visit Gibraltar on Saturday and attend the Rock Cup final.
Brazil's Sports minister Aldo Rebelo minimized the possibility of violence during the coming World Cup and replied to the British media that the Amazon city of Manaos, where England will be playing a match, will not be riskier that war zones.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice president John Coates has called Brazil's preparations for the 2016 Rio Games the worst in his experience and critically behind schedule, but warned there was no plan B to find another host.
FIFA president Joseph Blatter and several top players came out in support Monday of Barcelona right-back Dani Alves, who ate half of a banana that was thrown at him in a racist gesture a day earlier during his side's 3-2 win at Villarreal.