Incumbent Eduardo Paes has been reelected for a fourth, non-consecutive term as the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, after winning an absolute majority of votes in the first round of Brazil’s local elections.

To thunderous applause, Rio de Janeiro’s mayor coronated King Momo, marking the beginning of the symbolic Carnival monarch’s five-day reign over the revelry.

Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue was illuminated with a welcome to Brazil message for Taylor Swift.

Weeks ahead of Brazil’s presidential election, police have carried out search warrants targeting several business leaders who allegedly participated in a private chat group that included comments favoring a possible coup and military involvement in politics.

Starting Wednesday night, Rio de Janeiro samba schools’ elaborate floats and feather-festooned dancers will parade between packed bleachers.

Rio de Janeiro is relaxing the use of masks as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes in Brazil.

Brazilians are bidding farewell to their samba queen, the legendary singer and force of nature Elza Soares.

Brazil has topped 600,000 virus deaths as it bids to return to pre-pandemic normalcy.

Wayne Pollard receives a COVID-19 vaccine at the Martin Luther King Senior Center, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, in North Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)RENO, Nev. — Nevada health officials have confirmed the state’s first known case of a coronavirus variant that was originally identified in South Africa. AdNevada has also reported six known cases of a more contagious coronavirus variant that first originated in the United Kingdom. ___ALGIERS, Algeria — President Abdelmadjid Tebboune says Algeria will start producing Russia’s Sputnik-V coronavirus vaccine in six or seven months. ___CARSON CITY, Nevada — Health officials have confirmed the first known case in Nevada of a coronavirus variant that was first identified in South Africa.

A church stands in Serrana, Sao Paulo state, Brazil, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. The city is small, but the task is sizeable: administering shots over eight weeks to the entire population aged 18 and up — 30,000 people. “It’s a lot of joy, because it’s not just me, it’s for the whole city. Butantan contracted with Chinese firm Sinovac for 46 million doses of its CoronaVac vaccines in September, as well as a transfer of technology for future domestic production. Looming shortages have also been reported in at least four other capitals, according to Brazilian newspaper O Globo.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. Este material no puede ser publicado, difundido, reescrito o redistribuido sin permiso. Los videoperiodistas de The Associated Press Mario Lobão y Diarlei Rodrigues contribuyeron a este despacho. El alcalde de Río de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, quien participa a menudo en el desfile en el Sambódromo, pidió a la población que respete las reglas y que no pague entradas para fiestas que no estarán permitidas. Copyright 2020 The Associated Press.

Rio de Janeiro Mayor Marcelo Crivella is escorted to a medical exam after his arrest, at the city police headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. Rio de Janeiro state police arrested the outgoing mayor on Tuesday in connection with an alleged kickbacks scheme. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)RIO DE JANEIRO – Rio de Janeiro state police arrested outgoing Mayor Marcelo Crivella on Tuesday in connection with an alleged kickbacks scheme, yet another show of political turmoil in Brazil’s postcard city. Crivella told reporters upon his arrival at the Rio police headquarters on Tuesday that his arrest is unfair. “I am the mayor who most fought corruption in Rio de Janeiro,” Crivella said as he walked into police headquarters.

People wait in line to vote in municipal elections at a polling station at the Rocinha slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Nov.15, 2020. Voters across Latin America's biggest country are electing mayors and municipal council members. In more than 5,500 cities, Brazilians voted for mayors and city councilors on Sunday. Of the nearly 60 candidates whom the leader backed, only nine advanced, according to a tally by newspaper Estado de S.Paulo. The incumbent Mayor Bruno Covas (PSDB party) didn’t garner enough votes to avoid a runoff against opponent Guilherme Boulos (PSOL party), a Bolsonaro critic.