Brazil’s interim president declares Rio Olympics officially open

These are the first summer games Bach has presided over. Two-time Olympic sailing medalist Sofia Bekatorou is the flagbearer. We keep being told the Olympics are supposed to be void of politics. yet they get infused into the Opening Ceremony. Greece goes first given its role as the birthplace of the Olympics.

Here’s a guide to what, who and when to watch the swimming events at the Rio Olympics.

Another quirk for the opening is that the local language is used to alphabetize, meaning Portuguese this year.

It looked downright cheerful, and not much like the vision of favelas that Fernando Meirelles, who directed Rio’s opening ceremony, offered in his worldwide hit City of God in 2002. Among the featured artists: Ludmilla, Cristian Do Passinho, Lelezinha, Elza Soares, Marcelo D2 and Karol Conka. In 2012, England wanted us to know that it was a richer, more lavish country than we might imagine.

Due to Brazil’s most intense security operation ever, some among the 50,000 attendees faced two-hour-long lines as Brazil staged its most intense security operation ever. But a small budget is something that can either be concealed or turned into a virtue, and here the emphasis seemed to be on the latter option: trying to make the show look appealingly home-made, the costumes and choreography look simple (whether or not they actually are is beside the point). So it’s fitting that its opening ceremony should be rather stripped-down (its budget was one-tenth the cost of London’s opening ceremony).

The plane’s appearance only lasted for a few seconds.

Striding solo across the length of a stadium brimming with some 70,000 revelers – and on TV screens purportedly being watched by billions – supermodel Gisele Bundchen took what was being called her final catwalk.

President Barack Obama says he’s ready to cheer on the U.S. Olympians.

PELÉ PULLS OUT. Pelé did not attend yesterday’s opening ceremony because of poor health, denying Brazilians a chance to celebrate their greatest sports figure.

Bach also welcomed the team in his opening remarks after the parade of countries entered the stadium.

It was hard not to think of other problems threatening the country, too. Even if that cut the parade in half, it would be infinitely more engaging. And her trail, formed into the contours of iconic works by Brazil’s greatest architect, Oscar Niemeyer.

The lighting of the Olympic cauldron followed, with the honor going to Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima, a former runner who led the marathon at the 2004 Games until he was attacked by a spectator. The Ceremony starts at 6:30 p.m. on 12 News.

Gil is credited for helping revolutionize Brazilian music in the 1960s. He was jailed in 1968 after angering Brazil’s military dictatorship and lived in exile in London from 1969 through 1972.

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – What it lacked in flash, Rio made up for with feeling.

It was fantastic to get to carry the flag and but also be around the rest of the British team and chat to the guys. Among the most generally cited lyrics to the song are these: “Giant by thine own nature, thou art handsome, thou art strong”.

Outside of THE MESSAGE! of the environment, the storyline of the evening was, like it is with every one of these slogs, “the history of Brazil”.

Bundchen, in a slinky metallic dress, wowed the crowd, unlike the row of Brazilian government officials sitting in the front row. It could be expected, given the political times in Brazil right now.

Copacabana, normally busy on a Friday night, was deserted.

The two yachties revelled in the moment as they led the team into the Maracana Stadium.

But inside, the pre-show is underway.

“Uh, golf is OK”, she said.

The honorary International Olympic Committee member Carlos Nuzman of Brazil said Friday night to the roar of 60,00 people, “Those who do not know us have doubted”, adding, “We never give up”.

For all the diversion and energy the night provided, though, conspicuous by their absence were more than 100 Russian athletes banned as drug cheats – a reminder that the integrity of the competition isn’t always assured.

PHOTOS: 2016 Rio Olympics Opening Ceremony %INLINE%. Four years ago under the aegis of Danny Boyle these structures would have had three dimensions.

It’s unclear how much national enthusiasm is left for the Olympics, but tensions were still running high Friday as a handful of protests broke out in various areas.

One man was decked out in apparel that donned the Brazilian flag, a couple from Texas was there to volunteer, and United States undercover agents were walking around monitoring the area in an effort to keep Americans safe.Although I didn’t actually have tickets to the opening ceremony (they cost upwards of 2,000 USA dollars!), I was able to watch it on a TV in one of Rio’s many bars.

“The world is very tense and so is Brazil”.