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Another shot of the Complexo do Alemao cable car, an infrastructure project aimed at improving the lives of people in the favelas below.

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The cats of Rio! At first I saw two, then I saw fifty. Unlike feral cats I've seen in other places, these little guys looked pretty well cared for. I tried to get a few better shots, but then a nice woman came over to tell me I was likely to get robbed of my camera by children.

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Sugarloaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro. We'll be heading there later today for a farewell chat with Audie Cornish @nprAudie

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This is the painting "the Redemption of Cain" that we talk about in our segment on race today. Note the mixed-race mother, the white father, and the white baby. The black grandmother stands to the left with her hands raised in prayer, praising God that her grandson is white. Filmmaker Joel Zito Araujo says the idea of "whitening" remains culturally prevalent in Brazil today.

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Coming up on All Things Considered today: Dilma cancels her state visit to Washington, Brazil's historically poor northeast experiences an explosion in growth, credit is easy to come by in Brazil - maybe too easy... and Tapioca! A Brazilian street food, made with love by Zeinha.

[andreanpr]

Also today on All Things Considered: Meet businessman Alfredo Bezerra Leite, owner of five bus companies, and a thousand toy buses, from all over the world.

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Also today on All Things Considered: Meet businessman Alfredo Bezerra Leite, owner of five bus companies, and a thousand toy buses, from all over the world.

[andreanpr]

Here's what Maracana looks like with no one in it -- 70,000 seats. Back in 1950, when Brazil lost to Uruguay in the World Cup Finals, some 200,000 packed this stadium.

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Baby's First Game at Maracana? Lots of children at Maracana last night, including this itty bitty one - almost, but not quite captured here, frame right.

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Greg Dixon and I are producing Melissa's stories in Brazil. This morning, we went to the military parade in honor of Brazil's Independence Day, Sept 7. A couple hours later, this same boulevard was filled with protestors.