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Mud madness at Brazil’s Carnival in photos

PARATY, Brazil (AP) — Mud-covered revelers took over the beach in Paraty, Brazil, on Saturday as part of a Carnival tradition that has grown steadily since it began 40 years ago. In the seaside town near the country’s historic colonial center, participants coated themselves in gray sludge, rolled through the silty shallows and emerged caked head to toe before dancing along the sand chanting “Uga! Uga!”

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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

Small changes in Hanoi’s streets can mean big disruptions for those who depend on them

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — The noise is everywhere in Hanoi. The crack of a hydraulic breaker, the groan of excavators, the crunch of brick and concrete being torn apart. As Vietnam pushes for double-digit economic growth, its capital is pursuing an ultramodern vision for the next 100 years. In the first half of 2026 alone, Hanoi spent $2.4 billion clearing land for nearly 1,500 projects, transforming one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited capitals. Authorities say the redevelopment includes flood-controls and measures to reduce air pollution as Hanoi adapts to extreme weather from climate change. Vietnam is among the nations most vulnerable, enduring frequent and intense typhoons, floods and extreme heat. The capital often is enveloped in thick smog as one of the world's most polluted cities. The promise of progress comes at a cost of homes, livelihoods and familiar sites, as dust from demolitions drifts across neighborhoods, settling on rooftops, trees and the few buildings still standing.
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