WORLD BRIEFING / BRAZIL

The government of Rio de Janeiro state will build seven miles of concrete walls around some of the biggest slums in an effort to halt deforestation of the jungle surrounding the teeming city of Rio de Janeiro, officials said.

Walls reaching 10 feet high will be built this year around parts of at least 11 slums, said Icaro Moreno, president of the state’s public works department. Standing atop the Dona Marta slum, Moreno pointed to a 100-yard section of the first wall under construction.

“Each year that passes, we’re losing more of the Atlantic rain forest,” Moreno said. “Now we’re setting limits on where these communities can expand.”