Protest rallies held in Brazil's main cities

Protesters have massed across Brazil to demonstrate against the rising costs of both public transport and the 2014 World Cup to be held in the country, following clashes with police over several days.
Protesters gathered in four Brazilian cities on Monday in what they hoped would be their biggest demonstrations yet against the increase in transit rates.
The protest movement is mainly made up of the middle class and is critical of the government's decision to increase transit rates by 10 cents, to $1.60.
Police in Sao Paulo estimated that 30,000 people rallied in the city's biggest demonstration yet. Up to 20,000 people marched in Rio de Janeiro and another 6,000 took part in protests in the capital Brasilia.
Authorities said they would respond with force only if protesters destroyed property.
Riot police had fired rubber bullets and tear gas into crowds of protesters on Thursday in Sao Paulo. Protest organisers said more than 100 people were hurt. Police only confirmed about a dozen injuries.
On Sunday police used tear gas and rubber bullets again when several hundred protesters marched near Maracana stadium before a Confederations Cup match between Italy and Mexico, part of an eight-team warm-up tournament for next year's World Cup finals in Brazil.
The government of Brazil, where almost one-fifth of the population lives in poverty, estimates that hosting the 2014 World Cup will cost $14.5bn.
Some tickets to the international football tournament are expected to cost more than Brazil's minimum wage of $300.
The government, however, has asked FIFA to make 500,000 seats available for free to the poor.
Demonstrations also were being held in the capital of Brasilia and in Rio de Janeiro.
In Brasilia, several thousand people under heavy police escort marched on the Esplanada dos Ministerios thoroughfare that cuts between rows of government ministry buildings.

Brazilian officials are using drones, thermal cameras and thousands of troops to patrol the six stadiums hosting matches in six different cities across the country.