Brazil taxi drivers rally against Uber

[SAO PAULO] Hundreds of angry taxi drivers protested by blocking roads in Sao Paulo on Tuesday, saying the city hall's plans to regulate the online ride-sharing service Uber will ruin them.

About 300 taxis blocked the road in front of the city hall in the huge Brazilian city for more than three hours as their drivers let off firecrackers in protest.

Another group of taxis blocked access to the city's Congonhas airport, media reported.

The US firm currently operates in 58 countries and is valued at more than US$50 billion.

Cutting out conventional taxis by connecting self-employed drivers to passengers online, it has infuriated cab firms and battled regulators worldwide.

Sao Paulo's mayor Fernando Haddad has vowed to regulate and tax Uber drivers, but taxi drivers want Uber banned from the city.

AFP