Tag Archives: Brazil

The Insider reports: The coronavirus has now reached every continent on earth except for Antarctica after Brazil confirmed its first case. On Tuesday, Brazil’s ministry of health confirmed that a man in São Paulo had tested positive for COVID-19, according to Reuters. The 61-year-old male returned to São Paulo from Lombardy, Italy, on February 21, the ministry said. He had …

Science Magazine reports: The appointment of a creationism advocate to lead the agency that oversees Brazil’s graduate study programs has scientists here concerned — yet again — about the encroachment of religion on science and education policy. President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration on Saturday named Benedito Guimarães Aguiar Neto to head the agency, known as CAPES. Aguiar Neto, an electrical engineer …

The New York Times reports: Federal prosecutors in Brazil on Tuesday charged the American journalist Glenn Greenwald with cybercrimes for his role in the spreading of cellphone messages that have embarrassed prosecutors and tarnished the image of an anti-corruption task force. In a criminal complaint made public on Tuesday, prosecutors in the capital, Brasília, accused Mr. Greenwald of being part …

The BBC reports: Brazil’s culture minister has been sacked after using parts of a speech by Nazi Germany’s propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels in a video, sparking outrage. In the clip posted on the ministry’s Twitter page, Roberto Alvim detailed an award for “heroic” and “national” art. Lohengrin by Wagner, Hitler’s favourite composer, played in the background. Earlier, Mr Alvim said …

Reuters reports: Brazil has requested that the international police organization Interpol help find and detain a man suspected of attacking the office of producers of a controversial Netflix movie that portrayed Jesus as gay, authorities said. An arrest warrant was issued in Brazil for the suspect authorities say threw fire bombs into the headquarters of Brazilian comedy group Porta dos …

The BBC reports: A judge in Brazil has ruled that a film depicting Jesus as gay must be removed from the TV streaming service Netflix. The film, The First Temptation of Christ, infuriated fervent Christians in the country. Two million people signed a petition calling for it to be axed, and the production company was attacked with Molotov cocktails last …

NBC News reports: Police in Rio de Janeiro have identified one of the people responsible for a gasoline bomb attack targeting satirists behind a Christmas program on Netflix that some critics have described as blasphemous. Officers carried out a search warrant Tuesday morning and found money, a fake firearm, ammunition, a “political-philosophical” shirt and computers, police said in a written …

Variety reports: The Rio de Janeiro H.Q. of Porta dos Fundos, the Brazilian comedy troupe behind the Netflix gay Jesus Christmas Special sparking outrage in Brazil, was hit by a Molotov cocktail attack in the early hours of Dec. 24. Two petrol bombs were thrown at the building. causing a fire, which was put out by one of the office’s …

Axios reports: President Trump tweeted Monday that he will restore steel and aluminum tariffs against Brazil and Argentina due to their currency devaluations. Trump’s tweets show that he is not afraid to open a potential new front in his ongoing global trade war even as the 2020 presidential election approaches — and also touched on his antagonism with the Federal …

Reuters reports: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro claimed on Friday that Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio financed fires being set in the Amazon rainforest, without presenting any evidence, the right-wing leader’s latest broadside in casting blame over forest fires that have generated international concern. Bolsonaro appeared to be commenting on social media postings claiming that the environmental organization the World Wildlife Fund …

Buzzfeed News reports: Glenn Greenwald got into a fistfight with Augusto Nunes, a far-right Brazilian journalist, during the live taping of a radio show in Brazil. The two journalists had a heated exchange over Nunes’ previous comments about Greenwald’s children with his husband, Brazilian politician David Miranda. Nunes had said, “I was thinking of this couple: Glenn Greenwald spends the …

Politico Europe reports: The Brazilian government rejected an offer for a fund from the G7 members to help fight fires in the Amazon rainforest. G7 leaders, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Biarritz, France, agreed Monday to set up a $20 million fund to help Brazil tackle the ravaging fires, which have sparked international concern and condemnation. Brazil Ambassador’s …

Sky News reports: A Bolsonaro supporter posted a Facebook meme mocking the appearance of Brigitte Macron, 66, and comparing her unfavourably with Brazil’s first lady Michelle Bolsonaro, 37, along with the caption: “Now you understand why Macron is persecuting Bolsonaro?” Mr Bolsonaro responded: “Do not humiliate the guy, hahaha.” Asked about the comment at the G7 summit in Biarritz, Mr …

The Associated Press reports: Pope Francis said Sunday that the Amazon forest is vital for our Earth and is urging prayers that fires there are quickly controlled. Francis added his voice to the chorus of international concern that the blazes in Brazil will have grave repercussions on the world’s environmental health. The pontiff, who is from the neighboring South American …

The New York Times reports: As dozens of fires scorched large swaths of the Amazon, the Brazilian government on Thursday struggled to contain growing global outrage over its environmental policies, which have paved the way for runaway deforestation of the world’s largest rain forest. The fires, many intentionally set, are spreading as Germany and Norway appear to be on the …

The New York Times reports: While campaigning for president last year, Mr. Bolsonaro declared that Brazil’s vast protected lands were an obstacle to economic growth and promised to open them up to commercial exploitation. Seven months into his term, that is already happening. Brazil’s part of the Amazon has lost more than 1,330 square miles of forest cover since Mr. …

ABC News reports: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro says he’s considering nominating his son to be ambassador to the United States, raising a storm of complaints Friday alleging nepotism and questioning his qualifications. Eduardo Bolsonaro, who is currently a congressman, met with Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo on Friday and told reporters that the minister “expressed support” for his nomination. The president …

Reuters reports: The former governor of Rio de Janeiro state said in court testimony on Thursday that he paid $2 million (1.59 million pounds) to buy votes to ensure the sprawling Brazilian seaside city would be chosen to host the 2016 Olympic Games. Sergio Cabral told a judge the money went to Lamine Diack, the former president of the International …

Agence France-Presse reports: One of the world’s largest LGBT Pride parades took center stage in Sao Paulo on Sunday with the carnivalesque festivities tinged with unease over Brazil’s conservative political climate under President Jair Bolsonaro. As many as three million people took part in the annual march through the heart of Brazil’s economic capital, traditionally an exuberant celebration of camp, …

USA Today reports: Even as activist groups continue to raise concerns of Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro’s [photo] views toward LGBT people, Brazil’s supreme court voted to criminalize homophobia and transphobia similarly to its laws on racism. Eight of Brazil’s 11 Supreme Federal Court justices ruled today to include homophobia and transphobia within the country’s laws prohibiting racism — a clause …