Results tagged “rio”

       

We're three weeks removed from the awarding of the 2016 Summer Olympics to Rio over Tokyo, Madrid, and, yes, Chicago. But in the weeks since the announcement, while we in Chicago have been focused on figuring out what went wrong, Rio has been dealing with another problem: a continued string of high-profile violence. Last weekend, a police helicopter was shot down in a gun battle between police and gangs. Already dealing with one of the highest murder rates in the world, 29 people have been killed since this past weekend. Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said, “I need to clean the filth that drug traffickers impose on Brazil," and Sérgio Cabral, Rio’s governor, added, “We want to get to 2016 with a Rio de Janeiro in peace before, during and after the Games."

In an announcement that means heartbreak for many but relief for others, the International Olympic Committee has awarded the 2016 Summer Olympics to Rio de Janeiro over Madrid. Chicago, as we all know by now, was eliminated first in a stunning development.

     

We're just a few scant hours away from learning who, exactly, will host the 2016 Summer Olympics and things are getting heated. An American source told CNN the battle between Rio and Chicago is "close as hell." Still, representatives for long-shots Tokyo and Madrid are also still going all out for the bid. Need a quick cram session so you can wow the coworkers around the water cooler with your 2016 bid knowledge before the big announcement? Then check out our candidate city profiles: Chicago; Tokyo; Madrid; and Rio.

Brazil's Olympic promoters are fanning the flames of comments made last week by Mayor Daley regarding the competition between cities to host the 2016 Games. Daley minimized the odds of Tokyo and Madrid, based on geography, and dismissed Rio's bid chances in light of their hosting the World Cup in 2014. When asked last week if Rio hosting the World Cup would help it's bid for the 2016 Games, Daley said ``I don't think so. The World Cup is completely different than the Olympics,'' adding. ``that's all soccer stadiums, it's completely different. They don't have all the other events there that we have.'' The IOC prohibits bid cities from criticizing rivals.

• The Chicago-Rio feud intensifies as we close in on next week's 2016 Olympics host city announcement.
• The north suburb of Bannockburn reported its first murder ever today.
• What not to do if your son's being bullied: impersonate a cop to threaten the bully.

• Nicole Abusharif was convicted today by a DuPage jury in the death of her former lover, Rebecca Klein; she faces a sentence of up to 60 years.
• State health officials have confirmed 82 cases of the swine flu state-wide.
• An August date has been set as the start for the trial of James Degorski, the latest suspect to face trial in the 1993 Brown's Chicken killings.

The BBC has a nice little page that runs down the facts, pros, and cons of the candidates to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. They also have Chicago as the favorites to win the bidding at 11/10 odds (followed by Rio, Tokyo, and Madrid). What does the BBC say of us?