Those travelling to Brazil imagining they have arrived in England or those coming to Rio imagining to be in London will undergo a frustrating experience said Eduardo Paes, mayor of Rio do Janeiro, one of the cities to host the World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.
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.
Brazilian police backed by troops occupied a massive favela next to Rio de Janeiro's international airport without firing a shot to secure one of the city's most violent neighborhoods long run by drug dealers.
The government in Brazil says it will send federal troops to Rio de Janeiro to help deal with a spate of violent attacks targeting the city's police. The decision came after the governor of Rio de Janeiro state, Sergio Cabral, asked President Dilma Rousseff for government support ahead of the football World Cup in June.
Brazil's jobless rate fell to 5.2% in October from 5.4% the previous month, despite sluggish economic growth, official statistics released Thursday showed. In October of 2012, the rate stood at 5.3%, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Brazil experienced record low unemployment of 4.6% last December.
An agreement has been signed by INTERPOL and the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee for the world police body to provide additional support to the Brazilian authorities in ensuring the safety and security of the event.
Brazilian tourism officials say that the country has stepped up efforts to lure more foreign tourists as Brazil gears up to host 2014 World Cup. Tourist board Embratur said September had seen a major publicity push worldwide, including promotions at the just-ended Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) showcase in Tokyo, as well as across North America and Russia.
Delays are plaguing work at airports in seven of the 12 Brazilian cities that will host the World Cup nine months from now, the daily O Globo reported Sunday. Citing a survey by Infraero, the federal airports agency, the paper said the worst delay was in the southern city of Porto Alegre, where work on expanding terminal at a cost of 69 million dollars has not even begun.
The head of the public body coordinating planning for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro has resigned, raising concerns about the city's ability to stage the first games in South America. Resignation of Marcio Fortes, who headed the Olympic Public Authority, was confirmed Wednesday by the organization.
Thousands of Brazilian airport workers went on strike on Wednesday to demand higher wages, although contingency plans kept flights running on time, according to state airport agency Infraero. The workers' union is pressing for a roughly 16% salary bump along with improved benefits such as childcare.