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Subscribe to RSSPeople surround a bus which fell from a bridge with a height of 49 feet in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Tuesday. The accident left 7 people dead and 11 injured.
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Dead fish fill Rio lagoon
Christophe Simon / AFP - Getty Images
Tons of dead fish float on the waters of the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, beside the Corcovado mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on March 13, 2013.
Christophe Simon / AFP - Getty Images
Municipal workers collect dead fish floating on the waters of the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, beside the Corcovado mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on March 13, 2013.
A storm earlier this week washed organic matter into a lake in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil leading to the deaths of 12 tons of fish, reports the Montreal Gazette.
Ricardo Moraes / Reuters
Royal Ballet prepares to open in Rio de Janeiro
Students attend a master class with dancers of the Royal Opera House at the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theater on Feb. 23. The Royal Ballet will open the 2013 season of the theater with gala performances March 1-3.
Gold and feathered samba dancers spice up Carnival celebrations in Rio
Christophe Simon / AFP - Getty Images
A dancer with the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school performs during Carnival at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, on Feb. 12.
Alexandro Auler/str / Getty Images
Members of the Beija Flor Samba School perform during Carnival at the Sambodrome on Feb. 12, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Antonio Scorza / AFP - Getty Images
The Grande Rio samba school performs during Carnival at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Feb. 12.
Antonio Scorza / AFP - Getty Images
Dancers with the Grande Rio samba school perform during the second night of Carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Feb. 12.
Also see: From cubicle to Carnival: A samba dancer keeps her day job
Felipe Dana / AP
A performer from the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, on Feb. 12.
From cubicle to Carnival: A samba dancer keeps her day job
Felipe Dana / AP
Samba dancer Diana Prado, right, adjusts her costume as she prepares for a carnival parade at central station in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Feb. 2.
Felipe Dana / AP
Samba dancer and as a call center supervisor Diana Prado talks with a co-worker, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Feb. 5.
Pilar Olivares / Reuters
A reveller participates in the annual block party known as the "Banda de Ipanema
Published 3:30pm ET -- Though samba dancers, or "passistas," as they're known in Portuguese, are unquestionably the star attractions of the world's most iconic Carnival celebrations, they're not on the payroll of the samba school they represent. Diana Prado made her Carnival debut at age 19, after auditioning for a spot with the Sao Clemente, one of 13 top-tier schools that will compete for the annual titles at the Sambadrome this weekend.
Prado spends her daylight hours working at a call center. At night, she is a samba dancer for the Sao Clemente group. Although her hectic schedule of pre-Carnival preparations often requires her to apply her extravagant glitter stage makeup in the office bathroom, Prado insists being a "passista" doesn't undermine her authority with the 15 telemarketers she supervises.
-- The Associated Press
Felipe Dana / AP
Samba dancer and a call center supervisor Diana Prado sits at her work desk, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Feb. 5.
Felipe Dana / AP
Samba dancer Diana Prado does her makeup before the start of a carnival parade at central station in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Feb. 2.
Felipe Dana / AP
Samba dancer Diana Prado performs during a carnival parade at central station in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Feb. 2.
Felipe Dana / AP
A blue Santa tries to prevent a blue Christmas for residents of a Rio shanty town
A police officer dressed in a Santa Claus costume holds a sack and cane in the Macacos favela, or slum, after arriving by police helicopter in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Dec. 20, 2012. Wearing police blue, the Santa Claus handed out gifts to young residents of the favela.
Rio teens decked out for debutante ball
Silvia Izquierdo / AP
Girls turning 15 pose in their gowns for photos inside a pink limousine before their debutante ball, in the Mangueira favela, or shantytown, in Rio de Janeiro.
Silvia Izquierdo / AP
A girl turning 15 pauses to look out the limousine that drove her and other girls to a group debutante ball, organized by the Peacemaker Police Unit program, as the car's interior disco lights illuminate her friend's dress.
Silvia Izquierdo / AP
A girl rests on the sidewalk in her gown before attending the debutante ball in the Rio de Janeiro shantytown.
Silvia Izquierdo / AP
A girl turning 15, dances with her friend during a group debutante ball in Rio de Janeiro.
Silvia Izquierdo / AP
A debutante ball party goer sits on the floor as she adjusts her high heel shoe.
The debutante ball marks girls' transition from childhood to adulthood and is common in Brazil and other Latin American countries. This particular ball was organized by the Peacemaker Police Unit program in Rio de Janeiro's Mangueira favela, or shantytown. All photos were shot on Nov. 8, but made available to NBC News today.
Michael Regan / Getty Images
Brazil's 'cidade maravilhosa' (marvelous city) steps into the international spotlight as it prepares to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Explore some of the sights the city offers.
Michael Phelps conducts a swim lesson in Rio
Antonio Lacerda / EPA
Olympic record gold medal winner U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps adjusts his googles during his visit to the sport complex of the Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Oct. 30.
Ricardo Moraes / Reuters
U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps gives a swimming lesson to youths during a visit at the Alemao slum complex's Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro, Oct. 30.
Silvia Izquierdo / AP
U.S. Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps trains young swimmers at Olympic Village Carlos Castilho in the Complexo de Alemao slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Oct. 30.
Silvia Izquierdo / AP
U.S. Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps high fives young swimmers after leading them in a workshop at the Olympic Village Carlos Castilho in Complexo de Alemao slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Oct. 30.
Micahel Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, held a swimming workshop in the Clomplexo de Alemao slum of Rio de Janeiro today. He was visiting to Rio de Janeiro to promote the 2016 Olympic Games.
Christophe Simon / AFP - Getty Images
Brazil police raid Rio favelas in crime crackdown
A Brazilian policeman from the Action Battalion (BAC) searches for drugs as two boys look on, in a narrow street of the Jacarezinho favela in Rio de Janeiro on October 16, 2012.
Some 1,300 heavily armed police participated in raids on Jacarezinho and another shanty town, Manguinhos, Agence France Presse reports.
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Ricardo Moraes / Reuters
Rio celebrates Germany's reunification
Tourists photograph the Christ the Redeemer statue lit in the colors of Germany's national flag in Rio de Janeiro, Oct. 3, 2012. The lit statue celebrates the anniversary of the reunification of Germany in 1990.
Slideshow: Rio de Janeiro
Brazilian soldiers patrol in Rio to guarantee 'democratic freedom' ahead of election
Ricardo Moraes / Reuters
A student walks past a Brazilian Army tank during a patrol of the Muquico slum in Rio de Janeiro on Oct. 1. Brazilian soldiers and marines started a patrol in Rio de Janeiro slums to guarantee "democratic freedom" and allow candidates to campaign for the upcoming Oct. 7 elections for the mayor and city council.
Silvia Izquierdo / AP
An Electoral Tribune worker removes illegal campaign banners while a Brazilian soldier patrols the Fogo Cruzado slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Oct. 1. Brazil's Defense Ministry says troops will be used to ensure peaceful voting and campaigning in Rio de Janeiro ahead of next week's municipal elections. Voters in 5,565 cities and towns across Latin America's biggest country will elect mayors and municipal councilmen on Oct. 7.
Silvia Izquierdo / AP
A child lounges on a bench next to a campaign banner at the Fogo Cruzado slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Oct. 1.
Typically sunny Rio de Janeiro becomes unrecognizable during cold spell
Pilar Olivares / Reuters
People walk along the coast on a cold day at Leblon beach in Rio de Janeiro on Sept. 26. According to local media, temperatures have fallen down to about 16 degrees Celcius (60 degrees Fahrenheit) and winds could reach speeds of almost 76 km (47 miles) per hour.
Pilar Olivares / Reuters
Workers look at dark clouds on a cold day at Leblon beach in Rio de Janeiro on Sept. 26.
Antonio Scorza / AFP - Getty Images
Tourists walk along Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sept. 26, during a cold day. The temperature lowered to 13 degrees Celcius with a real feel of 9 degrees Celcius.
Antonio Scorza / AFP - Getty Images
A kite surfer takes advantage of the strong winds at Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sept. 26, during a cold day.
Antonio Scorza / AFP - Getty Images
View of the Christ the Redeemer statue, atop the Corcovado hill, with heavy clouds in the background in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sept. 26, during a cold day.
See what Rio and its sun-filled beaches usually look like in our slideshow:
Michael Regan / Getty Images
Brazil's 'cidade maravilhosa' (marvelous city) steps into the international spotlight as it prepares to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Explore some of the sights the city offers.
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