Rio de Janeiro

Brazil: Why Lightning (Almost) Always Spares Christ the Redeemer

Standing 38 meters tall, arms outstretched atop Mount Corcovado, Christ the Redeemer watches over Rio de Janeiro. But this stone guardian, national symbol of Brazil, is also a prime target for lightning strikes. At nearly 710 meters above sea level and perched in isolation, the statue is struck an average of four to six times per year. During ...

BRICS Summit in Rio: A Leaderless Giant in a Fractured World

They were meant to embody an alternative. In Rio de Janeiro, the expanded BRICS+ group of emerging powers showcased impressive numbers: over 50% of the world’s population and around 40% of global GDP. But the summit on July 6 and 7 mostly highlighted their shortcomings — a striking lack of leadership, an absence of cohesion and a political ...

Lady Gaga Stuns Rio with Historic Copacabana Beach Concert

Lady Gaga rocked Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach on Saturday with a free mega-concert that the Brazilian city said drew about two million fans. "Brazil, I missed you so much," screamed the American pop star — in her first Brazil gig since 2012 — before launching into Poker Face on a monumental chessboard, one of many grandiose backdrops in ...

Lady Gaga Ignites Copacabana, Rio Overflows with Fans

Behind his oversized black studded sunglasses, Victor Faro keeps his eyes fixed on the windows of the hotel where Lady Gaga is staying in Rio de Janeiro. He’s hoping to catch a glimpse of his idol before her massive free concert set for Saturday on Copacabana Beach. Wearing plastic goat horns on his head and a curled Dali-style mustache, the ...