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Tuesday, September 15, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
ENVIRONMENT-BRAZIL: Stepped-Up Gov’t Efforts Cut Deforestation in Half
The rate of deforestation in Brazil's Amazon region was cut in half between August 2004 and July 2005, the Environment Ministry reported Friday - the first triumph of a forest action plan put into effect by the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in March 2004.EDUCATION-BRAZIL: Integration Now Extends to Language
South American integration has finally extended to language training in Brazil, thanks to a new law that makes it mandatory for all secondary schools in this Portuguese-speaking giant to teach Spanish, the language spoken by the vast majority of the continent's nations.BRAZIL: Awakening the Dreams of Young Slum Dwellers
Left blind in one eye by a bullet wound, 18-year-old Rosinaldo Inaldo admits that he used to be violent, but says he now dreams of becoming a singer of traditional songs from northeastern Brazil like the "axé" and "frevo".CORRUPTION-BRAZIL: Seeking Salvation Amidst Rising Tide of Allegations
It is finally President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's turn in the spotlight as the corruption scandal in Brazil continues to escalate, prompting the ruling Workers' Party (PT) and even some opposition forces to work harder than ever to save the government from total collapse.
Factory Reopens After Charges of Killing Swans
In late August the Chilean cellulose plant blamed for the death of some 500 black-necked swans will begin operating once again. Local indigenous and fishing communities oppose the reopening.LABOUR-BRAZIL: Night-time Brings Relief for Street Vendors
At night on the streets of downtown Rio de Janeiro, Carlos Alberto is finally able to let down his guard when he spreads his toys on a piece of canvas alongside dozens of other street vendors hawking their goods on a 200-metre stretch of sidewalk.CORRUPTION-BRAZIL: Lula and the PT Struggling for Survival
In a nationwide address on Friday, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva apologised to the Brazilian people and said he felt "betrayed" by the individuals responsible for the corruption scandal that is threatening to topple his government and the Workers Party (PT).SOUTH AMERICA: Mercury, Another Threat to the Amazon
Mercury is a serious threat to the health of the people of the Amazon. In Brazil, more than 2,000 tonnes of this heavy metal have been dumped into the environment by ''garimpeiros'' (artisanal gold miners) since 1980, but some researchers say that a great deal more than that is found in the Amazon jungles.
Mercury, Another Threat to the Amazon
Informal gold mining has led to more than 2,000 tons of the dangerous metal mercury being dumped into the Brazilian environment. The eight countries of the Amazon Basin will present a plan of action to protect the region in September.AIDS-BRAZIL: Gov’t Backs Down on Threat to Break Patent
Despite its highly publicised threats, the Brazilian government has decided not to break the patent on the antiretroviral drug Kaletra, a move that has disappointed and angered those who administer, sponsor and benefit from the country's highly lauded HIV/AIDS treatment programme.CORRUPTION-BRAZIL: ‘Life or Death Duel’ Inconclusive
Former cabinet chief José Dirceu testified late Tuesday before a lower house ethics committee, facing off against lawmaker Roberto Jefferson, whose allegations launched the corruption scandal that forced Dirceu to step down.AGRICULTURE-BRAZIL: Output Down, Exports Up
Brazil's agricultural boom seems to have lost steam this year, with a 5.7 percent decrease in grain production and a significant drop in revenues, although exports have continued to rise./ARTS WEEKLY/FILM-BRAZIL: The Poetic Madness of a Garbage Dump Dweller
"I'm an outcast, but I won't change the way I am, I won't give in. I'm Estamira, and that's that."CORRUPTION-BRAZIL: Lula Remains Bullet-Proof as Scandal Rages On
Despite growing evidence of corruption in Brazil's ruling Workers Party, there is little doubt that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will remain safely in power until the end of his term in January 2007, especially now that even the opposition is striving to shield him from the fallout of the ongoing scandal.HEALTH: AIDS Research Skewed Toward African Tragedy
The tragic situation in Africa has led AIDS researchers to ignore the realities of other regions of the world, including Latin America, local activists stressed at the end of a major international conference held here this week./ARTS WEEKLY/FILM-BRAZIL: Three Blind Sisters Born To Sing
The Brazilian documentary "Born to Be Blind" tells the extraordinary story of three sisters who overcome almost inconceivable adversity to achieve a certain measure of fame in the second half-century of their lives - and yet are still not able to fully escape the poverty and precariousness that has marked their entire existence.BRAZIL: Hometown Mourns Brazilian Slain by Police in London
Gonzaga, a small Brazilian town with a population of roughly 2,600, came to a standstill on Monday as residents took to the streets to protest the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes, the young Brazilian shot down by police in London on Friday.CORRUPTION-BRAZIL: More Heads Roll as Crisis Deepens
The crisis facing Brazil's ruling leftist Workers Party (PT) and President Luiz Inácio "Lula" da Silva has progressively deepened over the last seven weeks, as a growing number of government figures are toppled by the emergence of further evidence of large-scale corruption.BRAZIL: Agency Seeks More and Better Media Coverage of Children and Youth
A news agency that neither writes nor distributes news is nonetheless responsible for promoting more comprehensive media coverage of issues related to children and youth in Brazil, and has even contributed to the adoption or improvement of social policies.BRAZIL: Crackdown Not Enough to Stop Amazon Deforestation
Operation Curupira looked like a spectacular triumph in defence of the Amazon forests. It dismantled corruption and fraud network that had helped make the central-western Brazilian state of Mato Grosso the nation's leader in deforestation.
Crackdown Not Enough to Stop Deforestation
Entrepreneurs and activists are challenging the results of Operation Curupira, which in June struck at the mafias behind destruction of the Amazon forest. They charge that the government's sting operation also paralyzed the legal lumber industry.« Previous Page — Next Page »
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