News from the World Cup City, And It Isn't About Neymar

In a non football-related event near the Mineirao Stadium in the city of Belo Horizonte where the World Cup is being held, an unfinished overpass collapsed onto a busy road below, crushing part of a passenger bus, two trucks and another car. Rescue workers could not reach one of the vehicle trapped underneath the debris. The incident further mars a tournament that has been plagued with repeated construction accidents and delays.

The collapsed bridge was part of an unfinished Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system that was supposed to be ready by May this year. An angry crowd gathered around the scene, some furiously claiming that construction was rushed in an attempt to meet the deadline. Massive government spending in preparation for the World Cup and long construction delays have spurred violent street protests across Brazil over the past year. Federal funds of about US$450 million was channeled into building the network of bus corridors but as the World Cup began, only downtown portions of the BRT network was up and running while other stretches were still incomplete.

images: todayonline.com, malaysianinsider.com