Involuntary Treatment for Brazil Crack Addicts

For The Rio Times

In an attempt to tackle Brazil’s growing crack epidemic, the city of Rio de Janeiro has begun a program of involuntary hospitalization for users, one month after Brazil’s biggest city São Paulo began a similar program. At least 99 addicts have been hospitalized, 29 involuntarily, since the program launched one week ago, according to local media tallies.

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Fewer Foreign Tourists Expected for Carnival

For The Rio Times

Continued financial turmoil in Europe is likely to diminish numbers of foreign visitors to Rio during Carnival this year, experts predict, but increased domestic tourism will likely more than compensate for the shortfall in visitors. However the different tourist profile has some concerned that lower spending levels are likely during Rio’s largest annual holiday.

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Brazilians look on London 2012 with envy, but vow to throw a better Olympics party in Rio

Next hosts know they have a hard act to follow

For The Independent

Even before their Mayor received the Olympic flag from Boris Johnson last night, the citizens of Rio de Janeiro could feel the gaze of the sporting world begin shifting their way.

Brazilian flags and Union flags have hung side by side in bars over the past fortnight, and newspaper cartoons have depicted a glossy, barely-dressed Brazilian carnival queen in place of Elizabeth during the 2016 Opening Ceremony.

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Subsea 7 Plant Moves to Rio State

For The Rio Times

The newest addition to Rio de Janeiro state’s Superporto do Açu will be where Norwegian company Subsea 7 plans to begin manufacturing oil and gas pipelines in 2014. The R$21 million-per-year lease was signed following Subsea 7’s withdrawal from plans to build the project in the southeastern state of Paraná, where difficulties in obtaining an environmental license blocked the company’s first choice of location.

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A Brazil Perspective on Rio+20

For Americas Quarterly

The Rio+20 summit is a global coming-out party for Brazil. But could the government’s controversial environmental policies be a black mark on its hosting status?

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