BEIJA FLOR WINS 2011 RIO CARNAVAL

With 299,8 points,from a possible of 300, Beija-Flor Samba School from the town of Nilopolis was the winner of this year´s carnaval. Beija Flor has now won the championship 12 times (including two tri-championships: 1976/1977/1978 and 2003/2004/2005).

Unidos da Tijuca was second with 298,4 points, Mangueira third with 297,2 points, Unidos de Vila Isabel was fourth with 297 points. Salgueiro was fifth with 296,2. Sixth was Imperatriz Leopoldinense (295,5 points). These schools will parade again at the Sambodromo, (Sambodrome) next Saturday 12th of March at the "Parade of Winners" (Desfile das Campeãs).

The Carnaval continues this weekend with several street parades:on Saturday there will be seven parades (blocos da rua) , such as Bafafa, in Ipanema near Posto 9. There will be a big parade on Sunday at Rio Branco Avenue, where Monobloco will dance from Av.Presidente Vargas until Cinelandia., and 350,000 spectators are expected. On the first day of carnaval, 2 million people paraded on Rio Branco, the city´s biggest avenue.

Fluminense in trouble after losing to America (Mexico)

The 2010 Brazilian champions, Fluminense, may be near to being eliminated from this year´s Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent of the UEFA Champions League. In its third match , Fluminense lost by 1-0 to America at the Aztec Stadium in Mexico City. "Flu" only has 2 points after drawing its first two matches in Rio de Janeiro.

Now the team only has 22% chance of qualifying for the next round of the Libertadores. Fluminense has been without its star striker Fred, and also its midfield general, Dario Conca is in poor form, so it seems that the Rio de Janeiro team will have a hard time to beat Argentinos Juniors or Nacional (Uruguay) in the next two matches that will be played in Buenos Aires and Montevideo respectively. Argentinos Juniors is now leading Group 3 after beating Nacional by 1-0 in Montevideo. America has six points, Fluminense 2 and Nacional only 1 point.

LINE UP FOR CARNAVAL PARADE AT SAMBODROMO (RIO SAMBODROME )

THIS IS THE ORDER OF APPEARANCE FOR THE 1ST DIVISION SAMBA SCHOOLS AT RIO DE JANEIRO´S SAMBODROMO (sambodrome).

SUNDAY , MARCH 6:

1) SAO CLEMENTE

2) IMPERATRIZ LEOPOLDINA

3)PORTELA

4) UNIDOS DA TIJUCA

5) VILA ISABEL

6) MANGUEIRA

MONDAY, MARCH 7:

1)UNIAO DA ILHA

2) SALGUEIRO

3) MOCIDADE

4) GRANDE RIO

5)PORTO DA PEDRA

6) BEIJA FLOR

RIO has 4th highest commercial rentals in the world

According to an article published in DestakRio , a local newspaper, Rio de Janeiro has the 4th most expensive commercial rental prices in the world, only Hong Kong (1) , London (2) and Tokyo (3) have higher prices. According to CB Richard Ellis, RJ has another record: only 2% of the offices were not rented during the last quarter of 2010. Big industries need offices of an international standard, and Rio is receiveing a lot of investment before the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, said Leo Schneider ,VP of the local real estate association. Also Rio appears in another segment, the most expensive rentals for commercial property (outside the city center): these are 1) Hammersmith (London) and 2) Barra da Tijuca (Rio de Janeiro) 3) South East Paris 4) Greater Geneva (Switzerland).

PRICE OF METRO TICKET GOES UP IN APRIL

The price of a subway ticket (known as Metro in Rio) will rise from R$ 2,80 to R$ 3,10 as from April 2011; an increase of 9,7%. Last year, since the inflation index was negative, the price was not adjusted. In 2008, the ticket cost R$ 2,60. This price increase was included in the contract signed with Metrô Rio, the company that runs Rio´s subway system.

CHANGES TO TRAFFIC IN RIO DE JANEIRO

As from yesterday, Monday 21st February, the traffic has been changed in Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, one of the main avenues in the district and that is formed by four lanes. The two lanes to the right will only be used for public transport such as buses.The number of buses that will be allowed to transit on the avenue will be reduced by 20%, and bus stops have been reduced to 20. Private cars , taxis and trucks can only travel on the left hand lanes. If a private car transits for more than one block along Nossa Senhora de Copacabana Avenue, it will be monitored by the cameras and fined. From now on, taxis cannot pick up passengers on the avenue, only on side streets. Cars will not be allowed to park on the right hand side during the night, only on the left and only after 9 p.m. No trucks will be allowed to load or unload on the avenue, only in side streets.
This system will also be implemented soon in two other main avenues in Copacabana: Barata Ribeiro and Raul Pompeia. In the rest of the the city, traffic in 21 avenues will also be reorganized.