RIO DE JANEIRO – A police helicopter flying over a clash between drug gangs was hit by gunfire and crashed Saturday, police said. Two officers were killed.
Violence also broke out Saturday in the Jacarezinho neighborhood, where a commuter bus was set on fire. Police did not have details of that event, though gangs sometimes set buses aflame to protest police operations.
Bumping this as there really isn't anywhere to put it, less than two months:
Just seven weeks before the opening ceremony of the Olympics, the governor of Rio de Janeiro has declared a "state of calamity." Interim Governor Francisco Dornelles says the state's government is bankrupt and can't meet its financial commitments ahead of the games.
The financial emergency is just the latest crisis to hit Brazil. The country's president is facing impeachment proceedings and the country is in the middle of an economic recession. A security crisis and the Zika virus have also rattled Brazil, as Lulu Garcia-Navarro has reported.
Lulu tells our Newscast unit that finances in Rio "have been so dire ... that civil servants haven't been paid and hospitals are operating on a shoe string." She adds that even amid a countrywide recession, "the state that is hosting the Olympics has been particularly hard hit." Here's more from Lulu:
"Most of its revenue comes from oil and gas, and the state oil company has been at the center of a corruption scandal. The federal government is expected to bail Rio out with just enough money to see it through the Olympics – but what happens after the athletes go home is still unclear."
In a decree, Dornelles said the state requires emergency measures to prevent "a total collapse in public security, health, education, transport and environmental management," Reuters reported.
Scientists have found dangerous drug-resistant “super bacteria” off beaches in Rio de Janeiro that will host Olympic swimming events and in a lagoon where rowing and canoe athletes will compete when the Games start on Aug. 5.
The findings from two unpublished academic studies seen by Reuters concern Rio’s most popular spots for tourists and greatly increase the areas known to be infected by the microbes normally found only in hospitals.
They also heighten concerns that Rio’s sewage-infested waterways are unsafe.
A study published in late 2014 had shown the presence of the super bacteria – classified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an urgent public health threat – off one of the beaches in Guanabara Bay, where sailing and wind-surfing events will be held during the Games.
This is one of those really crazy moments in human history where you have the most bizarre and absurd juxtaposition of two events. The world's Olympic games are being held in a city that is rapidly deteriorating, has rampant crime (a Paralympian had his wheelchair stolen not too long ago amongst dozens of other stories), and waterways contaminated with raw sewage, and flesh eating bacteria that has already infected many athletes.
There is no backup plan...this is a disaster in the making if we actually go ahead with the games. How can anyone think there is going to be a positive outcome here
Well Russian athletes can now focus on their families as there is no Zika virus threat for them and their babies. Although their whole careers are forever gone now and most of them were too committed to have a plan B. Bleh.
“I was threatened with arrest if I did not get in their private car and accompany them to two ATMs to withdraw a large sum of money for a bribe. “This place is well and truly f***ked in every sense of the word imaginable.” Lee’s partner, New Zealand journalist Laura McQuillian, later tweeted: “Boyfriend was accosted by Policia Militar cops who drove him to two ATMs and forced him to withdraw cas #roadtoRio.
So every news story I've read suggests that Rio is a trainwreck. For example:
Despite noting that the World Health Organization is increasingly concerned about the Zika virus, WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan maintained that there is no reason the 2016 Summer Olympics—which are expected to draw an anticipated 500,000 people to Brazil—should be moved, canceled, or postponed from Rio de Janeiro. "The more we learn about Zika, the more worried we get about it," said Chan at the World Health Assembly, adding that she herself would be attending the games. "But you don't want to bring a standstill to the world's movement of people. This is all about risk assessment and risk management."
But according to new survey data from Allianz Global Assistance, a travel insurance provider, Americans are thinking about the Olympics a little differently than Dr. Chan. Nearly half of Americans surveyed (49 percent) think that the Rio Olympics should in fact be delayed or canceled because of the virus. The survey also found that 71 percent of Americans are not interested in traveling to Rio or Brazil, with 82 percent saying that Zika has some impact on whether they take the trip: 42 percent would definitely not go because of the virus, 23 percent are less interested in going, and only 18 percent would go, but would be worried about Zika during their travels.
The virus, which has now spread to 60 countries and can also be transmitted through sex, was in February declared a global health emergency. In April, the Centers for Disease Control determined that despite earlier theories, the virus does, indeed, cause microcephaly and other birth defects. Experts concerned about the Olympics and calling for their delay or cancellation have said the influx of people in Brazil could potentially accelerate the virus's spread around the world, and spark even more outbreaks. Brazil, for its part, has refused to entertain the possibility.
The original post continues below.
2/4/2016: In recent months, the Zika virus has spread rapidly and explosively, leading to travel alerts for more than 20 countries and territories, confirmation that the virus can be spread sexually, and the World Health Organization’s classification of the virus—and its associated health risks—as a global health emergency. Throughout it all, Brazil, a country at the epicenter of the virus, has wrestled with clumsy vaccine testing and overrun hospitals, battled public perception, and faced the inevitable, tough-to-avoid question it doesn't want to even consider: Should the 2016 Summer Olympics be canceled?
In the midst of economic struggles and claims of a corrupt government, the Olympics, slated to begin in Rio de Janeiro on August 5, were expected to give a much-needed lift to the country. Hoping to attract more Olympic-goers (and to entice travelers to spend more time in Brazil) the government even temporarily waived visa requirements for travelers in the country from June 1 through September 18. Yet the Zika virus—and the fear of it—quickly spread, leading to a price drop in fares to the South American nation and a rise in the number of questions. Both Brazilian and foreign athletes expected to compete at the games have voiced their concerns. Kipchoge Keino, the head of Kenya's Olympics committee, said the country wouldn't risk sending its athletes to Brazil if the virus reaches "epidemic levels."
The Brazilian government has remained steadfast in its assurance that the virus will not affect the Olympics, which will cost them more than $13 billion. Federal troops are spraying for mosquitos across the country, officials are reportedly performing daily inspections of Olympic facilities, and neighborhood health inspectors have been tasked with identifying—and eliminating—standing bodies of water where the mosquitoes are known to breed. Given recent confirmation that the virus can spread through sex, health officials say condoms will be available at Carnival venues and health outposts around the city. Yet despite World Health Organization chief Dr. Margaret Chan noting that the agency is increasingly concerned about the virus, the possibility of cancellation has been met with almost uniform dismissal. "This has never been mentioned. No way," said Rio spokesman Mario Andrada earlier this year. "It's impossible to do that. There is no reason to do that." Recently impeached Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s former chief of staff, Jaques Wagner, has been as resolute in the past. "We have to explain to those coming to Brazil, the athletes, that there is zero risk if you are not a pregnant women," he told reporters.
But Brazil has also been criticized for its lack of transparency, and for not sharing significant samples and data to determine whether the virus is responsible for the increase in the number of babies born with microcephaly, a rare neurological condition. The lack of information, U.N. and U.S. health officials say, has hindered efforts to provide diagnostic testing, and hampered the development of drugs and vaccines. Residents of the 66 percent of Rio homes whose sewage goes currently untreated have also said they are not hopeful that preventative measures are actually being implemented—or will even work. Community organizer José Martins, from the low-income area of Rocinha, which has some 100,000 people, said he has seen no measures from health officials to do what they said they would—e.g. eliminate standing water and open sewage. "For decades, we have been advocating for improvements in sanitation as the number one priority for public investments here, while the government has insisted on flashier interventions that do not save money on healthcare costs down the line,” he said.
Thus far, the International Olympic Committee has echoed Brazil’s sentiment. Committee president Thomas Bach said he is “very confident” in the steps taken to address the outbreak. In the unlikely event the IOC should decide to cancel the Olympics, it would be the sixth time in history the Games have been scrapped, and the only time in history they’ve been changed because of health reasons—previous dates in 1916 (Berlin), 1940 (Tokyo and Sapporo), and 1944 (London and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy) were all canned because of international wars.
Regardless of whether or not Brazil will actually move forward with the Olympics, travel to the country will no doubt be affected: According to data from the World Bank, countries where the virus has been confirmed or where it is expected to spread—the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, and parts of South America—are at risk of losing some $63.9 billion in international tourism. Stan Sandberg, co-founder of TravelInsurance.com, a trip insurance comparison website, told Condé Nast Traveler he's seen a significant increase in traffic this past week, and adds that the site has been fielding customer inquiries about the virus primarily as it relates to trip cancellation coverage. "We've been seeing a large number of first-time travel insurance buyers who might not have considered it in the past," says Sandberg.
Travelers have seen a rush of flexibility in the wake of the virus, and several major airlines and cruise lines have all offered fee-waived cancellations and alterations: Lufthansa said pregnant passengers and their companions can rebook a flight to any of the affected countries free of charge; United Airlines has a similar policy, offering passengers "who are traveling to the affected regions the opportunity to rebook at a later date or receive a full refund."
Eh, if anyone's going to Rio.. carry small cash on you only. Maybe a throwaway phone as well. If you have nothing you may experience violence when robbed. But if you have something you can hopefully give it up and get away.
There was a detailed reddit thread about these types of robberies as well, it may have had this video linked and it had a 8-10 major points about what to do if you're in this situation. iirc tl;dr just give them your stuff and never mess with anyone with a clown tattoo. Even if it's kids because sometimes those kids have some nasty people behind them.
Less than two weeks ahead of the Olympics, the Rio 2016 organising committee has acknowledged that 19 of the 31 buildings in the Athletes Village have yet to pass safety tests.
With hundreds of athletes turning up by the day, this will add to concerns prompted by gas and water leaks and at least one power outage. The Guardian has also learned that a short circuit caused a small fire on Saturday.
Close to 10% of the competitors have already arrived in Brazil and many are housed in the village, though the shoddy conditions – which include flooded floors, broken elevators, mould and holes in the ceiling – have shocked some team managers, athletes and volunteers.
The organisers promise to resolve the problems by Thursday, but in the interim the Australian team has decided to temporarily rehouse its athletes. The Dutch and Italian teams have also complained and hinted that there may be demands for compensation.
Stress tests – which should have been done months ago – are still less than halfway complete because the 17-storey buildings were delivered behind schedule and the water, gas and electricity were only recently connected.
Although Rio2016 said the faults affected only 5% of the rooms, spokesman Mário Andrada admitted only 12 of the 31 tower blocks have been checked and proved OK.
“This should have been tested a long time ago,” he told the Guardian. “But the problem is there and now our task is to fix it as quickly as possible and to ensure everything is safe.”
The risks were evident on Saturday when a small fire broke out in building 26, which is the home of the Dutch team.
I read that the Italian, American, and dutch federations hired firms on their own dime to bring up their facilities to code and are housing their people in hotels until then.
On July 26 2016 16:35 Sermokala wrote: I read that the Italian, American, and dutch federations hired firms on their own dime to bring up their facilities to code and are housing their people in hotels until then.
The Dutch have hired contractors to fix up the rooms yeah but they are sleeping in the accommodations and not in hotels at the moment.
Remember, don't go to the beach at night. Usually touristy spots like Ipanema, Copa Cabana or Lapa are safe, except in crowds. But with a big event, everything isn't as usual, so have your grain of salt. PUT ON MOSKITO REPELLENT! Contracting dengue feaver sucks. I know from experience. Plus Zika... Only drink bottled water from stores. A shopping centre is nice for cooling down (please don't get shot though!).
Yay, Olympics, or not? I'm not sure...
On July 25 2016 14:28 LegalLord wrote: So every news story I've read suggests that Rio is a trainwreck. For example:
Despite noting that the World Health Organization is increasingly concerned about the Zika virus, WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan maintained that there is no reason the 2016 Summer Olympics—which are expected to draw an anticipated 500,000 people to Brazil—should be moved, canceled, or postponed from Rio de Janeiro. "The more we learn about Zika, the more worried we get about it," said Chan at the World Health Assembly, adding that she herself would be attending the games. "But you don't want to bring a standstill to the world's movement of people. This is all about risk assessment and risk management."
But according to new survey data from Allianz Global Assistance, a travel insurance provider, Americans are thinking about the Olympics a little differently than Dr. Chan. Nearly half of Americans surveyed (49 percent) think that the Rio Olympics should in fact be delayed or canceled because of the virus. The survey also found that 71 percent of Americans are not interested in traveling to Rio or Brazil, with 82 percent saying that Zika has some impact on whether they take the trip: 42 percent would definitely not go because of the virus, 23 percent are less interested in going, and only 18 percent would go, but would be worried about Zika during their travels.
The virus, which has now spread to 60 countries and can also be transmitted through sex, was in February declared a global health emergency. In April, the Centers for Disease Control determined that despite earlier theories, the virus does, indeed, cause microcephaly and other birth defects. Experts concerned about the Olympics and calling for their delay or cancellation have said the influx of people in Brazil could potentially accelerate the virus's spread around the world, and spark even more outbreaks. Brazil, for its part, has refused to entertain the possibility.
The original post continues below.
2/4/2016: In recent months, the Zika virus has spread rapidly and explosively, leading to travel alerts for more than 20 countries and territories, confirmation that the virus can be spread sexually, and the World Health Organization’s classification of the virus—and its associated health risks—as a global health emergency. Throughout it all, Brazil, a country at the epicenter of the virus, has wrestled with clumsy vaccine testing and overrun hospitals, battled public perception, and faced the inevitable, tough-to-avoid question it doesn't want to even consider: Should the 2016 Summer Olympics be canceled?
In the midst of economic struggles and claims of a corrupt government, the Olympics, slated to begin in Rio de Janeiro on August 5, were expected to give a much-needed lift to the country. Hoping to attract more Olympic-goers (and to entice travelers to spend more time in Brazil) the government even temporarily waived visa requirements for travelers in the country from June 1 through September 18. Yet the Zika virus—and the fear of it—quickly spread, leading to a price drop in fares to the South American nation and a rise in the number of questions. Both Brazilian and foreign athletes expected to compete at the games have voiced their concerns. Kipchoge Keino, the head of Kenya's Olympics committee, said the country wouldn't risk sending its athletes to Brazil if the virus reaches "epidemic levels."
The Brazilian government has remained steadfast in its assurance that the virus will not affect the Olympics, which will cost them more than $13 billion. Federal troops are spraying for mosquitos across the country, officials are reportedly performing daily inspections of Olympic facilities, and neighborhood health inspectors have been tasked with identifying—and eliminating—standing bodies of water where the mosquitoes are known to breed. Given recent confirmation that the virus can spread through sex, health officials say condoms will be available at Carnival venues and health outposts around the city. Yet despite World Health Organization chief Dr. Margaret Chan noting that the agency is increasingly concerned about the virus, the possibility of cancellation has been met with almost uniform dismissal. "This has never been mentioned. No way," said Rio spokesman Mario Andrada earlier this year. "It's impossible to do that. There is no reason to do that." Recently impeached Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s former chief of staff, Jaques Wagner, has been as resolute in the past. "We have to explain to those coming to Brazil, the athletes, that there is zero risk if you are not a pregnant women," he told reporters.
But Brazil has also been criticized for its lack of transparency, and for not sharing significant samples and data to determine whether the virus is responsible for the increase in the number of babies born with microcephaly, a rare neurological condition. The lack of information, U.N. and U.S. health officials say, has hindered efforts to provide diagnostic testing, and hampered the development of drugs and vaccines. Residents of the 66 percent of Rio homes whose sewage goes currently untreated have also said they are not hopeful that preventative measures are actually being implemented—or will even work. Community organizer José Martins, from the low-income area of Rocinha, which has some 100,000 people, said he has seen no measures from health officials to do what they said they would—e.g. eliminate standing water and open sewage. "For decades, we have been advocating for improvements in sanitation as the number one priority for public investments here, while the government has insisted on flashier interventions that do not save money on healthcare costs down the line,” he said.
Thus far, the International Olympic Committee has echoed Brazil’s sentiment. Committee president Thomas Bach said he is “very confident” in the steps taken to address the outbreak. In the unlikely event the IOC should decide to cancel the Olympics, it would be the sixth time in history the Games have been scrapped, and the only time in history they’ve been changed because of health reasons—previous dates in 1916 (Berlin), 1940 (Tokyo and Sapporo), and 1944 (London and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy) were all canned because of international wars.
Regardless of whether or not Brazil will actually move forward with the Olympics, travel to the country will no doubt be affected: According to data from the World Bank, countries where the virus has been confirmed or where it is expected to spread—the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, and parts of South America—are at risk of losing some $63.9 billion in international tourism. Stan Sandberg, co-founder of TravelInsurance.com, a trip insurance comparison website, told Condé Nast Traveler he's seen a significant increase in traffic this past week, and adds that the site has been fielding customer inquiries about the virus primarily as it relates to trip cancellation coverage. "We've been seeing a large number of first-time travel insurance buyers who might not have considered it in the past," says Sandberg.
Travelers have seen a rush of flexibility in the wake of the virus, and several major airlines and cruise lines have all offered fee-waived cancellations and alterations: Lufthansa said pregnant passengers and their companions can rebook a flight to any of the affected countries free of charge; United Airlines has a similar policy, offering passengers "who are traveling to the affected regions the opportunity to rebook at a later date or receive a full refund."
Anything more promising coming out of Brazil that suggesting that they're making solid progress?
Actually, no. it might calm down when, IF, Dilma comes back to office or Lula gets reelected. But I think this country is like an oil tanker without a captain.
If the conditions are truly as described; Corruption in the police, Insufficient security. Rampant crime and deceases, a economic recession and critically sub-poor living conditions - i find it, (slightly) hurtful to my sanity, that no one in the IOC, or otherwise IS SERIOUSLY contemplating pulling the brakes on this one ..
I might be young and naive - but this seems to be so ill advised. I know that the 2008 OL in China got a lot of criticism for the way that the handled the preperations going into the OL. And at that time people were talking about boicutting it. But unless my view is rose-tainted of the past - this is BEYOND that scope.. So exactly WHAT is happening . T_T
On July 27 2016 15:35 Chr15t wrote: If the conditions are truly as described; Corruption in the police, Insufficient security. Rampant crime and deceases, a economic recession and critically sub-poor living conditions - i find it, (slightly) hurtful to my sanity, that no one in the IOC, or otherwise IS SERIOUSLY contemplating pulling the brakes on this one ..
I might be young and naive - but this seems to be so ill advised. I know that the 2008 OL in China got a lot of criticism for the way that the handled the preperations going into the OL. And at that time people were talking about boicutting it. But unless my view is rose-tainted of the past - this is BEYOND that scope.. So exactly WHAT is happening . T_T