SAO PAULO, Brazil -- A subway strike in Sao Paulo that threatened to disrupt the opening of the World Cup was averted Wednesday

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- A subway strike in Sao Paulo that threatened to disrupt the opening of the World Cup was averted Wednesday night even as airport workers in Rio de Janeiro declared a 24-hour work stoppage in the main destination for soccer fans travelling to Brazil. Air Max 97 Elemental Rose . Some 1,500 subway workers in Sao Paulo voted against going back on strike in a pay dispute. They had suspended the walkout Monday amid a popular backlash and government pressure to end the transportation chaos in Brazils biggest city. "We thought that right now its better to wait," union president Altino Prazeres said, but added that he wouldnt rule out resuming the strike sometime during the monthlong soccer tournament. "We get the feeling that maybe we arent as prepared for a full confrontation with police on the day the World Cup starts." The union said its members would hold a march Thursday morning demanding that 42 workers fired during the five-day work stoppage are rehired. World Cup organizers are counting on Sao Paulos subway system to carry tens of thousands of fans Thursday to Itaquerao stadium, where Brazil will play Croatia in the tournaments first game far from the hotel areas where most tourists are staying. Even as tensions eased in Sao Paulo, labour conflicts heated up in Rio, where fans were arriving ahead of Sundays match between Argentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina. On Wednesday, check-in counter clerks, baggage handlers and janitorial staff who have been demanding raises of at least 5.6 per cent for several months voted to strike starting at midnight. The work stoppage will affect the citys Galeao international airport as well as the Santos Dumont airport that connects Rio to other Brazilian destinations A union representative said only 20 per cent of workers would stay off the job for 24 hours, abiding by a labour court order that threatened to fine unions more than $22,000 if staffing fell below 80 per cent of normal levels. The official agreed to discuss specifics of the walkout only if not quoted by name because he wasnt authorized to speak publicly. The airport workers strike is the latest unrest to hit Brazil as workers battered by several years of high inflation take advantage of the spotlight from the World Cup to pressure for pay raises from employers and the government. In the northern city of Natal, where the United States plays its first game Monday against Ghana, bus drivers will stay home Thursday for at least 24 hours to press their demands for a 16 per cent pay increase. Teachers remain on strike in Rio and routinely block streets with rallies, and subway workers in that city briefly threatened a walkout. Police in several cities have also gone on strike in recent weeks, but are back at work now. There also has been a steady drumbeat of anti-government protests across Brazil criticizing the billions spent on hosting the World Cup and demanding improvements in public services. The protests that began last year have diminished in size but not in frequency, and they also have disrupted traffic at times. ------ Associated Press writers Stan Lehman in Sao Paulo and Bradley Brooks in Rio de Janeiro contributed to this report. Air Max 97 Off White Outlet . Sterling was banned for life and fined US$2.5 million by the NBA on Tuesday for racist comments the league says he made in a recorded conversation. Nash, who plays for the rival L.A. Lakers, spoke as a representative of current NBA players at a press conference assembled by Sacramento mayor and National Basketball Players Association adviser Kevin Johnson. Nike Air Max 97 Gs Valentines Day .B. -- Canadian pairs skaters Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford went from elated to frustrated in the span of a few minutes. http://www.airmax97outlet.it/scontate-air-max-97-bling-bling.html . For the Miami Heat, that was outstanding news. LeBron James scored the last of his 32 points on a layup that put Miami up for good with 11.Canadas Brad Jacobs looks to make it a gold medal sweep in curling for Canada when he takes on two-time world champion David Murdoch of Great Britain in the mens final on Friday. Catch all the live streaming action at 8:30am et/5:30am pt. Canada finished the roundrobin in second place with a 7-2 mark, putting together six straight wins heading into the playoffs. In Wednesdays semifinal against China, the foursome from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario scored three in the seventh end to snap a 4-4 tie and then punched their ticket to the final with three more in the ninth frame for a 10-6 victory. "It was definitely our best game," said Canadian third Ryan Fry. "We have a knack of being able to elevate our game in the big games. I dont know what the recipe is for that but we brought it for that game." Great Britain wrapped up the roundrobin in fourth spot with a record of 5-4, good enough for a berth in a tiebreaker with Norways Thomas Ulsrud. Trailinng by one in the 10th end, Murdoch came through with a deuce and a 6-5 win to advance to a semifinal matchup against top-ranked Niklas Edin of Sweden, who finished with an 8-1 record. Air Max 97 Ultra Premium. Once again trailing by one heading to the last frame, Murdoch again scored a deuce for a 6-5 win and a guaranteed medal for the first time in his third trip to the Olympics. "It is by far the best day I have ever had," said Murdoch after the win. "In past Olympic Games, I have been so close. Throughout my whole career, its the Olympic Games that matter and I have always been an inch away." Canada faced Great Britain in the roundrobin on Saturday and came away with a 7-5 decision in a game that came down to a steal by Jacobs in the 10th end. Sweden faces China in the bronze medal game at 3:30am et/12:30am pt. On Thursday, Canadas Jennifer Jones won the gold medal on the womens side with a 6-3 win over Swedens Margaretha Sigfridsson. ' ' '