Volunteer Fatima Sanson, dressed up as Mrs. Claus, embraces a needy child in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.

Brazil: 'Mrs Claus; offers hugs and gifts to poor children

Millions of people have already begun taking to the streets ahead of the start of Brazil's most iconic festival, Carnival, an event that promises to provide a jolt to the South American giant's struggling economy.

Brazil hopes the pre-Lenten party - which officially runs from March 1 to March 6 - will bring in some 6.8 billion reais (around $1.8 billion) in revenue, with businesses in the hotel services, transportation and food sectors being the biggest beneficiaries.

Many Brazilians are showing faith in the country's recovery from a deep 2015-2016 recession and spending money on travel, while others see an opportunity for temporary work and the chance to build up some savings.

Some 5 million people are expected to celebrate Carnival in Sao Paulo alone, while 50 per cent of that metropolis' available hotel rooms are to be filled. 
Marcos de Andrade, an economist at Sao Paulo's Mackenzie Presbyterian University, told EFE there are high expectations for that city's festival.

He noted that this year the number of Sao Paulo "blocos," street bands that mobilize massive crowds and are the heart of Carnival, are expected to exceed those in Rio de Janeiro, a city more traditionally associated with that world-renowned festival.

In addition, more money has been invested in 2019 in the Sao Paulo blocos as opposed to their Rio counterparts.

"There also has been greater investment by professionals and business leaders in the sector," the economist said, noting that expectations are that temporary hiring will be up 10 per cent from 2018.

A week before the festivities officially kick off, millions of Carnival lovers have already begun packing the streets of Sao Paulo wearing masks, disguises and accessories and taking part in one of the 208 bloco parades already underway.

Nevertheless, Andrade sees the financial boost provided by Carnival as seasonal and says it would be a stretch to talk about a consolidated economic recovery in Brazil, which has grown at a tepid pace over the past two years.

Likewise, Jose Pena - chief economist at Porto Seguro Investimentos, the asset management arm of insurance company Porto Seguro - said it is very difficult to measure Carnival's nationwide contribution, though adding that its positive impact is undeniable.

He noted that economic activity during Carnival is mainly concentrated in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Salvador and Recife and in the hotel, food services and transportation industries.

"Those sectors clearly hit their peak during Carnival and attract a large number of tourists, so the (number of people travelling to those cities) jumps during that period," Pena said.

In fact, according to a study by Brazil's Tourism Ministry, five states will account for around 80 per cent of Carnival's nationwide revenues in 2019. 
Rio de Janeiro, which continues to lead the way, is projected to attract 7 million people to its streets during this year's festival, including 1.5 million tourists.

Meanwhile, the hotel occupancy rate in Brazil's most emblematic city was already 74 per cent a week before the official start of Carnival.

Estimates are that that rate will reach 98 per cent and 95 per cent, respectively, in the case of two northeastern cities: Salvador and Recife.

Despite persistent economic uncertainty in Brazil, there are signs of greater optimism for the first time in recent years.

Attorney Gabriel Morettini e Castella, who still has not decided in which city he will celebrate Carnival, said he has quite a bit more money to spend this year.

He said the law firm that employs him has seen an uptick in business that goes hand-in-hand with a better economic climate over the past four months.

"That improvement raised my income and will allow me to spend more than in previous Carnivals. This year, I'm willing to spend double the amount I did last year," Morettini e Castella said.

Millions of people have already begun taking to the streets ahead of the start of Brazil's most iconic festival, Carnival, an event that promises to provide a jolt to the South American giant's struggling economy.

Millions of people have already begun taking to the streets ahead of the start of Brazil's most iconic festival, Carnival, an event that promises to provide a jolt to the South American giant's struggling economy. Brazil hopes the pre-Lenten party - which officially runs from March 1 to March 6 - will bring in some 6.8 billion reais (around $1.8 billion) in revenue, with businesses in the hotel services, transportation and food sectors being the biggest beneficiaries. Many Brazilians are showing faith in the country's recovery from a deep 2015-2016 recession and spending money on travel, while others see an opportunity for temporary work and the chance to build up some savings. Some 5 million people are expected to celebrate Carnival in Sao Paulo alone, while 50 per cent of that metropolis' available hotel rooms are to be filled. Marcos de Andrade, an economist at Sao Paulo's Mackenzie Presbyterian University, told EFE there are high expectations for that city's festival. He noted that this year the number of Sao Paulo "blocos," street bands that mobilize massive crowds and are the heart of Carnival, are expected to exceed those in Rio de Janeiro, a city more traditionally associated with that world-renowned festival. In addition, more money has been invested in 2019 in the Sao Paulo blocos as opposed to their Rio counterparts. "There also has been greater investment by professionals and business leaders in the sector," the economist said, noting that expectations are that temporary hiring will be up 10 per cent from 2018. A week before the festivities officially kick off, millions of Carnival lovers have already begun packing the streets of Sao Paulo wearing masks, disguises and accessories and taking part in one of the 208 bloco parades already underway. Nevertheless, Andrade sees the financial boost provided by Carnival as seasonal and says it would be a stretch to talk about a consolidated economic recovery in Brazil, which has grown at a tepid pace over the past two years. Likewise, Jose Pena - chief economist at Porto Seguro Investimentos, the asset management arm of insurance company Porto Seguro - said it is very difficult to measure Carnival's nationwide contribution, though adding that its positive impact is undeniable. He noted that economic activity during Carnival is mainly concentrated in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Salvador and Recife and in the hotel, food services and transportation industries. "Those sectors clearly hit their peak during Carnival and attract a large number of tourists, so the (number of people travelling to those cities) jumps during that period," Pena said. In fact, according to a study by Brazil's Tourism Ministry, five states will account for around 80 per cent of Carnival's nationwide revenues in 2019. Rio de Janeiro, which continues to lead the way, is projected to attract 7 million people to its streets during this year's festival, including 1.5 million tourists. Meanwhile, the hotel occupancy rate in Brazil's most emblematic city was already 74 per cent a week before the official start of Carnival. Estimates are that that rate will reach 98 per cent and 95 per cent, respectively, in the case of two northeastern cities: Salvador and Recife. Despite persistent economic uncertainty in Brazil, there are signs of greater optimism for the first time in recent years. Attorney Gabriel Morettini e Castella, who still has not decided in which city he will celebrate Carnival, said he has quite a bit more money to spend this year. He said the law firm that employs him has seen an uptick in business that goes hand-in-hand with a better economic climate over the past four months. "That improvement raised my income and will allow me to spend more than in previous Carnivals. This year, I'm willing to spend double the amount I did last year," Morettini e Castella said.

Brazilians hope world-famous carnival will give economy a boost

A collapse of a disused dam at an iron-ore mine complex in southeast Brazil killed at least nine people and left 300 missing, officials said, as they sought to evaluate the full scope of the disaster.

The tailings dam, owned by Brazilian mining giant Vale, broke apart "very violently, very suddenly," sending a massive torrent of mud over the complex where hundreds of employees were working, Vale CEO Fabio Schvartsman told a news conference in Rio de Janeiro.

The deluge rumbled on to the nearby town of Brumadinho, located southwest of the city of Belo Horizonte, cutting a swath through vegetation, farmland and roads, and impeding access to the area.

The death toll was expected to rise, as rescue teams scoured through the disaster zone overnight into Saturday. Dozens of helicopters were being used.

Brazil's new government led by President Jair Bolsonaro reacted to its first big emergency since taking office early this month by launching disaster coordination between the defence, mining and environment ministries and authorities in the affected state of Minas Gerais.

Bolsonaro and his defence minister were to fly over the zone on Saturday. His environment minister raced to the area late Friday.

An AFP photographer viewing the zone from the air described tractors, houses and a bridge submerged in mud, and emergency crews using earth-moving machinery to search for survivors.

Television images earlier showed helicopters being used to rescue people stuck in mud.

'Human tragedy'

Schvartsman called the dam break "a human tragedy because we're talking about probably a large number of victims -- we don't know how many but we know it will be a high number."

Schvartsman, who had his two-year term renewed last month by Vale's board, said it was an "inactive dam" that was in the process of being decommissioned that burst apart.

Its contents -- tailings, or mining byproducts mixed with water -- cascaded into another dam, which overflowed, he said.&nbsp;

The liquid, brown mass barreled on towards Brumadinho, population 39,000, but did not deal it a direct hit.

The Minas Gerais government statement said 427 people had been working at the Vale mine at the time of the dam collapse, and 279 were recovered alive. The others were listed as missing.

"Where are our relatives?" wailed Raquel Cristina, one of several people demanding information in Belo Horizonte about their kin in the mud-hit area.&nbsp;

"My five-year-old nephew is asking me if his dad died. What do I tell him?" asked another, Olivia Rios.

Romeo Zema, the governor of Minas Gerais state, told reporters that, while all was being done to find survivors, "from now, the odds are minimal and it is most likely we will recover only bodies."

Vale shares plunge&nbsp;

Shares in Vale plummeted eight per cent in New York trading Friday. The Sao Paulo stock market was closed for a holiday.

The disaster recalled trauma from a 2015 dam break in a different part of the same state of Minas Gerais, in Mariana, in which 19 people died.&nbsp;

That accident three years ago released millions of tons of toxic iron waste along hundreds of kilometres (miles), causing what is considered the country's worst environmental disaster. Vale was joint operator of that dam, along with the Anglo-Australian group BHP.

The Brazil office of Greenpeace, the environmental activist group, said Friday's dam break was "a sad consequence of the lessons not learned by the Brazilian government and the mining companies."

It said that the incidents "are not accidents but environmental crimes that must be investigated, punished and repaired."

Civil defence officials said people living in low-lying areas of Brumadinho had been evacuated after the collapse.

Vale issued a statement saying it had set up shelters for residents left homeless.

Brumadinho's municipality issued an alert on social media warning residents to move away from the Paraopeba river that the dam had been holding back.

The town is best known to tourists for Inhotim, an outdoor contemporary art museum, which was evacuated as a precaution. The venue receives 35,000 visitors a month.

A collapse of a disused dam at an iron-ore mine complex in southeast Brazil killed at least nine people and left 300 missing, officials said, as they sought to evaluate the full scope of the disaster.

A collapse of a disused dam at an iron-ore mine complex in southeast Brazil killed at least nine people and left 300 missing, officials said, as they sought to evaluate the full scope of the disaster. The tailings dam, owned by Brazilian mining giant Vale, broke apart "very violently, very suddenly," sending a massive torrent of mud over the complex where hundreds of employees were working, Vale CEO Fabio Schvartsman told a news conference in Rio de Janeiro. The deluge rumbled on to the nearby town of Brumadinho, located southwest of the city of Belo Horizonte, cutting a swath through vegetation, farmland and roads, and impeding access to the area. The death toll was expected to rise, as rescue teams scoured through the disaster zone overnight into Saturday. Dozens of helicopters were being used. Brazil's new government led by President Jair Bolsonaro reacted to its first big emergency since taking office early this month by launching disaster coordination between the defence, mining and environment ministries and authorities in the affected state of Minas Gerais. Bolsonaro and his defence minister were to fly over the zone on Saturday. His environment minister raced to the area late Friday. An AFP photographer viewing the zone from the air described tractors, houses and a bridge submerged in mud, and emergency crews using earth-moving machinery to search for survivors. Television images earlier showed helicopters being used to rescue people stuck in mud. 'Human tragedy' Schvartsman called the dam break "a human tragedy because we're talking about probably a large number of victims -- we don't know how many but we know it will be a high number." Schvartsman, who had his two-year term renewed last month by Vale's board, said it was an "inactive dam" that was in the process of being decommissioned that burst apart. Its contents -- tailings, or mining byproducts mixed with water -- cascaded into another dam, which overflowed, he said. The liquid, brown mass barreled on towards Brumadinho, population 39,000, but did not deal it a direct hit. The Minas Gerais government statement said 427 people had been working at the Vale mine at the time of the dam collapse, and 279 were recovered alive. The others were listed as missing. "Where are our relatives?" wailed Raquel Cristina, one of several people demanding information in Belo Horizonte about their kin in the mud-hit area. "My five-year-old nephew is asking me if his dad died. What do I tell him?" asked another, Olivia Rios. Romeo Zema, the governor of Minas Gerais state, told reporters that, while all was being done to find survivors, "from now, the odds are minimal and it is most likely we will recover only bodies." Vale shares plunge Shares in Vale plummeted eight per cent in New York trading Friday. The Sao Paulo stock market was closed for a holiday. The disaster recalled trauma from a 2015 dam break in a different part of the same state of Minas Gerais, in Mariana, in which 19 people died. That accident three years ago released millions of tons of toxic iron waste along hundreds of kilometres (miles), causing what is considered the country's worst environmental disaster. Vale was joint operator of that dam, along with the Anglo-Australian group BHP. The Brazil office of Greenpeace, the environmental activist group, said Friday's dam break was "a sad consequence of the lessons not learned by the Brazilian government and the mining companies." It said that the incidents "are not accidents but environmental crimes that must be investigated, punished and repaired." Civil defence officials said people living in low-lying areas of Brumadinho had been evacuated after the collapse. Vale issued a statement saying it had set up shelters for residents left homeless. Brumadinho's municipality issued an alert on social media warning residents to move away from the Paraopeba river that the dam had been holding back. The town is best known to tourists for Inhotim, an outdoor contemporary art museum, which was evacuated as a precaution. The venue receives 35,000 visitors a month.

At least 9 dead, 300 missing in Brazil dam collapse disaster

A dam in southeast Brazil collapsed on Friday, unleashing a torrent of mud that killed "several" people living in an area close to the city of Belo Horizonte, an official with the local fire service told AFP.

Emergency services were still responding to the situation in and around the town of Brumadinho and did not yet have a precise toll, the official said.

"According to accounts that we are receiving, there were several deaths," he said.

Television images taken from the air showed a wide swath of devastation cut through vegetation and farmland in which several homes were seen, many damaged and some destroyed, with nothing but their tiled roofs left sitting on mud.

A rescue helicopter was seen hovering close to two survivors trapped up to their waist in mud, with its crew trying to pull them to safety.

An online video showed the moment the river of tons of mud cut across a road.

The dam belonged to Brazil's biggest mining company Vale, which confirmed its collapse and said "the total priority is to protect the lives of employees and inhabitants."

Brumadinho's municipality issued an alert on social media warning residents to move away from the Paraopeba river that the dam had been holding back.

The emergency recalled trauma from a 2015 dam break in a different part of the same state of Minas Gerais, at Mariana, in which 19 people died. That was considered the country's worst environmental disaster.

A dam in southeast Brazil collapsed on Friday, unleashing a torrent of mud that killed "several" people living in an area close to the city of Belo Horizonte, an official with the local fire service told AFP.

A dam in southeast Brazil collapsed on Friday, unleashing a torrent of mud that killed "several" people living in an area close to the city of Belo Horizonte, an official with the local fire service told AFP. Emergency services were still responding to the situation in and around the town of Brumadinho and did not yet have a precise toll, the official said. "According to accounts that we are receiving, there were several deaths," he said. Television images taken from the air showed a wide swath of devastation cut through vegetation and farmland in which several homes were seen, many damaged and some destroyed, with nothing but their tiled roofs left sitting on mud. A rescue helicopter was seen hovering close to two survivors trapped up to their waist in mud, with its crew trying to pull them to safety. An online video showed the moment the river of tons of mud cut across a road. The dam belonged to Brazil's biggest mining company Vale, which confirmed its collapse and said "the total priority is to protect the lives of employees and inhabitants." Brumadinho's municipality issued an alert on social media warning residents to move away from the Paraopeba river that the dam had been holding back. The emergency recalled trauma from a 2015 dam break in a different part of the same state of Minas Gerais, at Mariana, in which 19 people died. That was considered the country's worst environmental disaster.

Dam collapses in Brazil; several feared dead

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Brazil: 'Mrs Claus; offers hugs and gifts to poor children

Brazilians hope world-famous carnival will give economy a boost

At least 9 dead, 300 missing in Brazil dam collapse disaster

Dam collapses in Brazil; several feared dead