Brazil official: World Cup, Olympics will be safe

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) -- Brazil's foreign minister says "all necessary measures" are being taken to ensure security at next year's soccer World Cup and the 2016 Olympics following the deadly explosions at the Boston Marathon.

Antonio Patriota said Tuesday he is confident the country's security measures "will guarantee the security of the events."

While Brazil has never been a target of international terrorism, Monday's attacks underscore how vulnerable big sporting events can be. Some observers are predicting authorities beef up security heading for the events, though officials have so far provided few details.

Rio will also host two major events later this year, the Confederations Cup soccer tournament and the World Youth Day, a Roman Catholic pilgrimage that's expected to be attended by Pope Francis and as many as 2.5 million visitors.