Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school floats parade through the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday. Rio's two nights of famously extravagant Carnival parades began late Sunday in a burst of fireworks and to the cheers of festival goers. The processions, featuring dancing queens, spectacularly imaginative floats and thousands of extras, were being held Sunday and Monday before a stadium crowd of 70,000 and an international broadcast audience. (AP) __
