INTERVIEW:
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Brazilian gymnast's journey, from an athlete to an artist.
p32 TOURISM: PANTANAL
FEB 28th - MARCH 06th 2011
The most pristine and biologically rich environment on the planet.
ISSUE NO. : 012 | WWW.BRAZILIANPOST.CO.UK
HIGHLIGHTS: I DO:
P04
Brazil Brides face $300 fine for being late.
ENVIRONMENT:
P06
Catastrophic drought in the Amazon.
THEATER:
P07
Gerald Thomas is back on the stage!
SHOWBIZ
P14
Britney does it again with new controversy.
ITALY:
P24
Vatican warns of papal ticket scam.
ECOMMERCE:
P26
"Alibaba" and the 2,236 thieves.
ABROAD:
P28
Student Visas: It ain't broke.
SPORTS: Brazil's football wages increase with the rising economy.
P30
It's
CARNIVAL TIME!!! Carnival is the most famous party season in Brazil and it is also the best postcard of the South-American country to the world. Apart from the famous Rio de Janeiro parade that attracts thousands every year, a diverse country like Brazil has different kinds of carnival parties spanning the entire nation. All these celebrations have their own distinct character. This year, the Carnival starts on March the 3rd and carries on till the 8th. Leaf through our issue to know more about this experience and also about the Brazilian carnival celebrations happening in London. - Page 2.
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Brazil
The Brazilian Post
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Carnival is the most famous party season in Brazil and it is also the best postcard of the SouthAmerican country to the world. It is the period of the year for which, we can say without making a mistake, that 99% of the population waits during the entire year. It starts forty days before Easter. This year, the Carnival will start on March, the 3rd and will end on the 8th.
EDITOR MARCELO MORTIMER 078 2816 5812 marcelo@brazilianpost.co.uk
BRAZILIAN CARNIVAL:
Let the party begin! And even if you have never experienced the Carnival in Brazil, or if you are not Brazilian, you probably are familiar with the images of the Rio de Janeiro's carnival, the Samba Schools create a parade showing their music, fantasies, and allegorical cars. They are followed by the people and every year the parade tells a different story. The Samba School Parade at Rio´s Sambodromo is something everybody has to experience at least once in life. The event is broadcast live to several countries, and all Brazilian states. Watching on TV is cool, but not half as much fun as being there. You have to mingle with the crowd, sweat, maybe even march with a samba school. In case you are getting completely mixed up: Samba Schools are not teaching institutions. A Samba School is basically an association of people from the same neighborhood, usually a working class community. They get together on a regular basis for samba nights and rehearsals at their samba court. Samba schools provide invaluable jobs to the community that is employed yearround in the production of costumes and floats. The parade starts at 9 p.m. and goes on until sunlight the next day, around 6-7 a.m. Any person
can join the parade, but it is necessary to pay for it. The value can be from cheap to expensive, depending on the kind of costume or the type of the Samba School. And for those who don't know, samba is the special music for this kind of celebration in Rio de Janeiro. This samba marathon is more than a show - it's also a fierce competition. Each year a school is downgraded from special to access group, and vice-versa. The year of 2011 is an exception. As there was a fire at Cidade do Samba, a place where the costumes were kept, none of the schools will be downgraded. But the carnival in a country like Brazil, with a population of almost 200 million people, it is easy to understand that Carnival in Rio is just the top of the colorful iceberg of music and dance. In the North-East of Brazil the Sao Paulo (British Airways) 362* state of Bahia is located, with sevRio de Janeiro (TAP) 290 All the above prices eral major differences to the CarniSalvador (Air Europa) 326 val in Rio de Janeiro. The musical are for return styles for each carnival are differBelo Horizonte (TAP) 385 tickets and subject ent. In Bahia there are many Brasilia (TAP) 389 to availability. rhythms, including samba, sambaPorto Alegre (TAP) 428 reggae, axé, etc., while in Rio there Londrina (TAM) 428 is a multitude of samba styles. Goiania (TAP) 428 *taxes not included and conditions apply Bahia is also the homeland of micaretas, where during the days of 23 Eccleston Street, London SW1W 9LX the party, a huge truck (called "trio phone:020 7730 8646 • fax:020 7730 3024 elétrico"), with a band on the top
Where you can Buy in advance and pay in stolments
*British Airways Special Offer to Sao Paulo.
and sound boxes all around, drives slowly along the streets or enclosed spaces. The crowd follows the trio elétrico singing, dancing, jumping to the sound of the music. To be allowed to follow the truck, one must buy admittance to one of the several "blocos" (groups). As with the Samba Schools in Rio, it is mandatory to pay to be part of the micaretas. On the tropic of Capricorn lies the state of Pernambuco, whose carnival attracts thousands of tourists every year, especially to the cities of Recife and Olinda, where the parties happen in the streets and there is no need to pay for anything, except for drinks! Galo da Madrugada, or the Rooster of Dawn, is considered the world's largest street Carnival parade that happens in Recife. More than a million people join this huge parade, which leaves every Carnival Saturday at about 6am from the historic Recife landmark. This party is considered, by Guinness, the biggest free-of-charge carnival parade in the world. If samba is the soundtrack for the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, in Recife, the music is different, as bands playing atop sound-wired trucks, keep the crowd dancing to frevo, a typical carnival dance from this part of the country. A towering rooster statue slowly makes its way amidst the throngs on the streets of Recife. In the northern regions of Brazil, it is possible to find Samba Schools too, but there is a special tradition that makes the event different from the rest of the country. In Portuguese, there is the legend of the Bumba Meu Boi, which is the folk tale of a woman who is pregnant and wants to eat the tongue of the bull of the most important farmer of the region. Her husband will do whatever it takes to give the special dish to the woman and this funny story is the plot of several carnival songs and costumes. Some southern cities such as São Paulo, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Camboriú, and Porto Alegre have smaller samba school groups or blocos, but these cities also seem to prefer balls to street dancing. So what is stopping you from being a part of this celebration of life? It is impossible to summarize all the rhythms, dance and parties in just words and feel that connection with so many others, so why don't you go to Brazil to see for yourself and enjoy the best of the Brazilian carnival? OK, maybe it is not possible to travel to Brazil this year, but do not miss the chance to be at 2012 carnival?
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR ASHWINI AGRAWAL SUB-EDITORS FILIPE MACIEL filipe@brazilianpost.co.uk PACO DE LA COBA paco@brazilianpost.co.uk SPECIAL CORROSPONDENT ANUJA THIRANI anuja@indianpost.co.uk ART DEPARTMENT JIG SARVAIYA ERNESTO KURIACOSE FASHION ZAZA OLIVA zaza@brazilianpost.co.uk WHAT'S UP DADA BUENO LAW/IMMIGRATION DANIEL MARTINS ECONOMY CHRISTIANO HOLANDA cholanda@brazilianpost.co.uk PHOTOGRAPY ERICK OLIVERIA THIAGO VIANA THAIS GOMES DISTRIBUTED BY BR JET PRIVATE distribution@brazilianpost.co.uk PUBLISHED BY THE BRAZILIAN POST
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The Brazilian Post
Brazil
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Brazil
The Brazilian Post
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Brazilian government claims only a 'small minority' oppose Belo Monte dam The President of the Brazilian public company EPE (Energy Research Company), Maurício Tolmasquim, declared last week that just a "small minority that does not accept any form of hydroelectric power," is against the building of Belo Monte. The statement was given in an interview over the phone to the international press, after a few days of protests against the major enterprise stopped Brasília. EPE is the public company responsible for the planning of the projects for generation of electric power in Brazil. Tolmasquim was designated by the government to interface with the press after an avalanche of criticisms made against the hydroelectric powerplant since early January, when the license for its building was granted by IBAMA, the federal government's environmental agency. During the interview, Tolmasquim tried to rebuff all criticisms made by organizations and the community against this major undertaking. Although hundreds of indigenous people took part in a protest in Brasilia last February 8th and handed over a petition demanding the cancelling of Belo Monte containing 600 thousand signatures, he insisted that all interested parties were heard and that the inhabitants of Pará, the state in which the powerplant will be built, defend its construction. "Four technical seminars were conducted in Belém (the state's capital), 30 meet-
ings were held with villages of indigenous people", mentioned the President of EPE. Aside from that, he ensured everyone that the greatest public hearing ever conducted in the country's history took place during the evaluation of the environmental license for Belo Monte. "In the public audience in Altamira [the city which will be partially flooded by the plant's reservoir], 6 thousand people took part", he said. According to him, the consultation with the communities in Xingu led to substantial changes in the project's characteristics. The main alteration, he countered, took place with regard to the relationship between generation and installed power. Belo Monte will be built with a power of 11 thousand MW, but will generate, on the average, only 40% of this total. In the words of Tolmasquim, the percentage is "just a little below" the Brazilian average of 55% because the government "does not compromise on power generation without sustainability". In practical terms, this meant the reduction of the Belo Monte reservoir in relation to its original design in the 80's. Even so, the communities of indigenous people that were present in Brasilia complained especially of the upstream impact that the damming of the Xingu River can cause, diminishing fisheries and eventually worsening the quality of water. - Source: Eco Amazonia.
Brazil to rebuild houses lost in rains
Brazil's president has committed the government to building 6,000 homes for displaced residents of the hillside communities devastated by landslides that killed at least 842 people in January. The areas, which suffered heavy rains, flooded the towns of Petrópolis, Teresópolis and Nova Friburgo, creating the worst natural disaster in Brazil's history. Just after the tragedy, Ms. Rousseff said the federal government would join with the state of Rio and private companies to help relocate homeless residents. Gov. Sergio Cabral of Rio said the state would build 2,000 homes, bringing the total to 8,000. “Through this initiative we hope to lessen the pain for these families,” Ms. Rousseff said. The severe flooding left 8,777 people homeless, and nearly 21,000 additional people abandoned their homes, state officials said. Construction is scheduled to begin in the next few weeks, with the federal government being responsible for construction and the state government for infrastructures like sanitation. Disaster experts have cited Brazil's lack of disaster preparedness in the tragedy and criticized local officials for allowing people to construct dwellings in areas prone to flooding. State officials said the houses would be constructed on donated land but did not specify where.
Brazil brides face $300 fine for being late to the altar One cathedral in Brazil is trying to crack down on tardy brides by fining them $300 for showing up late to their own wedding. It's a common tradition in the South American nation for brides to arrive at least 10 minutes late. And it's not unusual to be an hour late - or more. Priest Roberto Carrara at the Nossa Senhora de Lourdes Cathedral in the small southern city of Apucarana is tired of wedding delays disrupting scheduled Masses and other ceremonies. Cathedral secretary Daiane Evaristo said Wednesday that couples will be required to leave a $300 check as deposit. They can only get it back if they're on time. How romantic.
Sao Paulo will definitely host 2014 opener, says mayor Sao Paulo will "without question" host the 2014 World Cup opening match, according to the mayor of Latin America's biggest city even though work has yet to start on its stadium. Gilberto Kassab said that the construction of the Itaquerao, the start of which has been repeatedly put off, should finally get underway in April barely three years before the tournament will take place. "We can say that without question we will have the World Cup opening match in Sao Paulo, in Itaquera, in the stadium of Corinthians," Kassab said. The Sao Paulo venue is the biggest of many headaches facing the 2014 World Cup hosts where initial worries about crumbling infrastructure and rampant crime have been exacerbated by delays in the building or reconstruction of stadiums. The stadium will be situated in the east of the sprawling city, several kilometres from the centre. Corinthians, one of Brazil's
biggest and most popular clubs, had planned to built the stadium with a capacity of 48,000, while FIFA require a minimum of 65,000 for the opening match. Brazil is due to stage the tournament in 12 cities despite the difficulties of moving around the vast country. Last November, sports minister Silva said that the country's outdated and overcrowded airports were the biggest risk to the event's success and that not enough was being done to improve them.
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
The Brazilian Post
Brazil's tourism industry booming According to figures released at the end of last month by the Central Bank, expenditure by foreign tourists in Brazil during 2010 was US$5.92bn – the highest total ever and an increase of more than 11% as compared to 2009. The figure for December 2010, the start of the summer season, was US$607m – more than 17% up on December 2009. The figures include tourists' foreign exchange transactions and credit card spending. The president of Brazil's national tourism organization (Embratur), Mário Moysés, noted that the increase in foreign tourists' expenditure in Brazil during 2010 was roughly double the average worldwide increase, which suggests that Brazil is establishing itself as a major player in the competitive international market. According to tourism minister Pedro Novais, the figures indicate that Brazil is succeeding in its aim of increasing the average duration of stay by foreign visitors.
Rio de Janeiro names first female police chief In Rio de Janeiro, Martha Mesquita da Rocha has been named the first female civil police chief in Brazil. Rocha, 51, has been on the force for 28 years, and was formerly in charge of a special division of precincts that focused on crimes against women. Throughout her career, Rocha has often taken a stand against corruption. Allan Turnowski, Rocha's predecessor, is reportedly about to be indicted for tipping off a cop who was under federal investigation. Turnowski officially resigned on Tuesday, February 15th, 2011, with Rocha sworn in that same day. The officer in question is Christiano Gasper Fernandes, who has been arrested and charged with being a member of the policefilled militia that violently controls slums
and extorts money from local residents and businesses. As of February operation, 38 people have been arrested as part of the crackdown on corruption, with 30 being police officers. When asked by O Globo newspaper about her plans to handle her officers she compared it to being a stern mother, saying, “I will punish when necessary and distribute hugs when they are deserved.” Rocha added that she does not expect “resistance of rejection” since Brazil has already elected Dilma Rousseff as the first female president of the country. “I think that maybe five years ago nobody would have expected a female president… [or] a female police chief. Soon this will stop being a shock, it will no longer be different.”
Brazil foraying into the oil industry Today, Brazil may be best known for its Carnival, soccer and gorgeous beaches but deepwater oil and gas drilling is moving up the list. Indeed, as the South American nation moves to turn huge offshore oil discoveries into producing fields, it is slowly building a domestic industry that can do more of the work on its own — and that may soon give Houston a run for its money. The goal is to create a Silicon Valley-like cluster of scientists, engineers and manufacturers that can develop and build everything from drill bits to drilling rigs and unlock huge deepwater oil fields, buried under thick salt layers off Brazil's southeastern coast. But the bigger mission is to establish an industry that can help the developing nation's economy grow, and can survive long after oil from those so-called pre-salt fields is gone. "We understand that just extracting oil from the pre-salt is not enough to move Brazil forward," Segen Estefen, director of technology and innovation at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, told reporters visiting recently. Behind the effort are strict government rules that require as much as 65 percent of products and services on new offshore projects to come from Brazilian companies, targets that often have proved hard to hit. And Petrobras, the country's giant state-controlled oil company, is providing a boost by sending work to Brazil's universities, shipyards and manufacturing plants. But international oil service companies are also expanding in Brazil and sharing technology, aware of the "potentially massive" opportunities in the nation's deep-water fields, analysts with Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. wrote in a report on Brazil last month. A dozen major oil field services and equipment providers, including Schlumberger, Baker Hughes and Halliburton, are spending $50 million apiece on research centers in a technology park at the Federal University in Rio. The centers will work on technology for pre-salt fields that often lie more than a mile below the water, another 10,000 feet of rock and a thick layer of shifting salt. - Source: Chorn.
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President Dilma talks about freedom of speech The Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff was among the guests of the 90th anniversary of the Folha de São Paulo Brazilian newspaper. During the event, she gave a speech talking about the importance of the freedom of speech not only for the Brazilian newspapers but also for media groups from other countries. During her speech, Mrs Rousseff pointed that the media in Brazil was not free during the decades of 1960, 1970, until the beginning of the decade of 1980 and that she is glad that since then, the media in the country is free. She also mentioned that a free media is something that helps to develop a democratic government. “Our democracy is stronger every day and the media has a very special role in this process, especially for the freedom of speech and expression”, explained Dilma. Rousseff At the end of her speech, she mentioned that being a journalist is being very courageous.
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The Brazilian Post
Brazil's Petrobras at limits of refining capacity Brazilian oil giant Petrobras has reached the limits of its refining capacity and needs to invest in new refineries to keep pace with the growing demand, the CEO of the statecontrolled firm said last week. "Not investing in refineries at this moment is long-term suicide. We must invest and it has to be now," Jose Sergio Gabrielli told a gathering of business executives in Rio de Janeiro. He was responding to criticism of the large sums Petrobras is spending to expand its refining capacity. "We have a problem: we are at the limit of refining and with an exponential growth in petroleum production," the CEO said. While Petrobras has 11 refineries in Brazil, its total refining capacity1.9 million barrels per day- lags the company's median crude output of 2 million bpd. The firm expects crude output to reach 3.9 million bpd by 2020, when refining capacity will be 3.2 million bpd, even with the three new refineries now under construction and two more in the planning stage, Gabrielli said. Brazil's fuel consumption is increasing at a faster pace than the country's gross domestic product, according to Gabrielli, who said Petrobras is finding it difficult to keep up with Brazil's demand for gasoline, aviation fuel and cooking gas. If Petrobras doesn't invest in additional refining capacity, Brazil will find itself being forced to send crude oil to countries such as China and India to be processed into fuel, the CEO said.
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Catastrophic drought in the Amazon A widespread drought in the Amazon rainforest last year caused the "lungs of the world" to produce more carbon dioxide than they absorbed, potentially leading to a dangerous acceleration in the global warming. Scientists have calculated that the 2010 drought was more intense than the "one-in-100-year" drought of 2005. They are predicting it will result in some eight billion tonnes of carbon dioxide being expelled from the Amazon rainforest, which is more than the total annual carbon emission of the United States. For the second time in less than a decade, the earth's greatest rainforest released more carbon dioxide than it absorbed because many of its trees dried out and died. Scientists believe that the highly unusual nature of the two droughts, which occurred in the space of just five years, may be the result of higher sea-surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic, which could also be influenced by global warming caused by man-made emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The Anglo-Brazilian team of researchers has emphasised that there is, as yet, no proof that the two highly unusual droughts in the Amazon are the direct result of rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, but the scientists have warned that the world is gambling with its future if it fails to curb fossil fuel emissions. Simon Lewis of Leeds University, the lead author of the study, said: "If greenhouse gas emissions contribute to Amazon droughts that in turn cause forests to release carbon, this feedback loop would be extremely concerning. Put more starkly, current emission pathways risk playing Russian roulette with the world's largest rainforest. "Two unusual and extreme droughts occurring within a decade may largely offset the carbon absorbed by intact Amazon forests during that time. If events like
this happen more often, the Amazon rainforest would reach a point where it shifts from being a valuable carbon-sink slowing climate change to a major source of greenhouse gases that could speed it up. Having two events of this magnitude in such close succession is extremely unusual, but is unfortunately consistent with those climate models that project a grim future for Amazonia." The study, published in the journal Science, analysed satellite data on rainfall across two million square miles of rainforest during the 2010 dry season. The scientists were able to make a direct comparison with an earlier study of the 2005 drought, which also looked at the effect of the low rainfall on the growth of trees.
New Brazilian president's promising start The Economist has an interesting take on Dilma Rousseff's role as Brazil's new leader. DILMA ROUSSEFF won Brazil's election last year less because of her own qualities than because her hugely popular predecessor and political mentor, Luiz InĂĄcio Lula da Silva, urged the voters to choose her. Since she had never before held elected office, nobody could be sure what kind of president she would turn out to be. Some Brazilians are worried that she might be a more rigidly ideological left-winger than the pragmatic Lula. The evidence of her first six weeks in office is reassuring. Under Lula, Brazil saw faster growth, impressive social progress but little or no reform of burdensome taxes and red tape. Abroad, an activist foreign policy brought new clout and new criticism. Ms Rousseff came to power on a platform of continuity. But she has also inherited an overheating economy, with inflation revving up and industrialists screaming about the strength of the real. She knows that she will be judged in part on whether Brazil's airports, stadiums and transport are ready in time for the 2014 football World Cup. Ms Rousseff is a very different person from Lula. Lacking his star quality, she has shunned the limelight. But what she has so far said and done has been clear and welcome. She has scotched notions that she would be soft on inflation. Her team has quickly signalled the need for some budget austerity after Lula's last two spendthrift years. She rightly wants to focus social policy on eliminating extreme poverty
(which still afflicts about one Brazilian in ten), while improving health care and schooling. And she is right, too, to want to seek tax and political reforms, even though those prizes eluded both Lula and his predecessor, Fernando Henrique Cardoso. The most immediate change has been in the tone of foreign policy. Lula had a penchant for embracing dictators, from Cuba's Fidel Castro to Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Brazil's decision to vote against the UN resolution tightening sanctions against Iran's nuclear programme was particularly ill-judged and did nothing to advance its claim to a permanent Security Council seat. In contrast, Ms Rousseff has criticised repression in Iran, stressed her commitment to human rights and said she wants to “deepen� ties with the United States. This amounts to a deft rebalancing of policy without detracting from Brazil's case for reform of global governance. But Brazilians will judge her on the economy. Can she sustain faster growth without sacrificing economic stability? Here the task is not easy. This week she won an important battle on the minimum wage: she wants to restrict its rise, because it has expensive knock-on effects on pensions. Her government's plan to seek cuts of 50 billion reais ($30 billion) in the inflated budget may be both insufficient and hard to implement. But at least she is battling on the right side.
Made in UK
The Brazilian Post
07
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Gerald Thomas is back on the stage!
Gerald Thomas is back. After his announcement of retirement, nobody expected the internationally acclaimed director and playwright to be back on the stage again. Still, he returns with "Throats". After creating and traveling around the world for over 33 years, the Brazilian director has chosen London for the world premier of throats. The play is touted to be a funny, dark and surprising journey through a strange and surreal world. This powerful 90-minute piece starts with just a recorded dialogue, in which a patient and his therapist do an exercise of imagination about a Last Supper metaphorical located in a kind of purgatory in the subconscious of the narrator with divine pretensions but sadistic tendencies. And there is zombie reunion with a kind of banquet, where the wine is served from the blood of other attacks and dates of historical conflicts, and that turns to become a crucifixion, with the right black orthodox Jew taking the place of Jesus Christ. Throats stars an outstanding company of actors and features music from former Led Zeppelin
bassist John Paul Jones, Gerald´s longtime friend, and a partner in a opera project expected to launch in 2013. The controversial artist is a well-known avantgarde writer. He got famous by creating the Dry Opera Company in Brazil in the 80´s, then he rebuild a new one, with the same name, in New York. Now he is establishing one in London. It is the first work of the theater company in the English capital. London Dry Opera (www.londondryopera.com) consists of seven actors, chosen through auditions which were attended by over 600 candidates. This show debuted last week in the Pleasance, an independent venue located in an alley in Islington district, north London. The play will run until March 27th and costs between £8 and £15. It has explicit adult content, and is not suitable for viewers under the age of 14 years. Gerald already has plans to hit the road again and take the show to Brazil. The show could take place in São Paulo, but it depends on the performance of the season in London. So theatre-lovers, do not miss this chance!
What is PlaySport London: Free Sport? PlaySport London: Free Sport is a small grants programme which provides funding of up to £1,500 for sports clubs and community groups to deliver free sporting activities to Londoners of all ages and abilities. The programme is being delivered with key partners including Sport England, which has made a significant National Lottery investment in the scheme. The aim of the programme is to promote greater participation in sports, which can be by encouraging people to take up new
sports, or perhaps returning to a sport they haven't played since school. Activities kicked off in December and will run through until 31 March 2011. Our website tells you all you need to know about free sporting activities in London. Get involved and find activities near you. You can also contact the PlaySport London: Free Sport team on playsportlondon@limelightsports.com or call 020 7034 2783. - Source: London.gov.uk
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The Brazilian Post
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Be a part of the cultural calendar for 2012 If you are planning a cultural event in 2012, you've got until 31 March 2011 to add your event to The Culture Diary. Find out more. The Culture Diary, a calendar and online planning tool, has been created to help the planning and promotion of every cultural event taking place across London in 2012. With so many activities going on, it is crucial that organisers give plenty of advance notice for events being planned for 2012, so public service resources can be effectively coordinated and allocated across London during the year. Organisers of any London-based cultural event can register their activities for 2012, and use the diary to search for other planned events. Even if events are not confirmed, we still want to hear about them. Registered users can: · add and update information about the events they are planning for 2012, whether specifically for the year or part
of an ongoing programme. use the diary to see what else is planned for the year, identifying collaborative opportunities, including artistic content, as well as potential clashes. · identify other opportunities for joint marketing and promotional campaigns. Information from The Culture Diary will be shared with a cross-London planning group, including emergency services. It will also inform of a year-long promotional campaign showcasing the depth and breadth of London's extraordinary citywide cultural offer, starting in January 2012. Once registered at The Culture Diary (www.theculturediary.c om), you have until 31 March 2011 to add details of any cultural events you are planning in 2012. Please note: Entry into the diary does not constitute approval and normal planning processes apply. ·
U.K. drops ban on gay civil ceremonies in churches Gay couples are to be allowed civil partnership ceremonies in churches, Britain's government said last week — erasing some of the last remaining distinctions between gay partnerships and traditional marriages. Although marriage and civil partnership are already similar under British law, civil partnership ceremonies are currently not allowed to have religious references, are banned from churches, and must take place in a public building overseen by a government registrar. The change, being introduced under equality laws, will give same-sex couples the chance to tie the knot in religious buildings — although the government stressed that churches can opt out if they wish to. "No religious group will be forced to host a civil partnership registration, but for those who wish to do so this is an important step forward," said Home Secretary Theresa May. The change is the first step towards making civil partnerships more equal to marriages and there may be further changes in the law in this direction, the Home Office said. In Britain, only heterosexual couples can get married, while civil partnership is available only to same-sex couples. Activists argue both should be open to all couples. Gay rights campaigners have welcomed the move, but the Catholic Church and British Muslim groups have strongly opposed same sex unions of any kind. Some activists have complained that authorities could have gone further and given the green light to gay marriages. - Source: The Associated Press.
Royal Wedding invitations are in the post! Forget Willy Wonka's golden tickets. For Britain's great and good, there's only one envelope that matters -- and the British royal family has revealed that that’s in the post. The marriage of Kate Middleton to England's Prince William, second-in-line to the UK throne, is scheduled for 29 April, 2011 and it's the international society event of the year. The Palace has announced that invitations were dispatched this week and are now winging their way to the addressees. The exclusive goldbevelled, die-stamped, heavyweight cards have been issued in the name of the Queen. If she posted them herself, it will have taken several trips -- they are numbered at around 1,900. Lucky recipients include William's extended family, Kate's new-money relatives, and their elite network of international friends. The announcement will have the upper echelons of the global society camping out by their mailboxes, ready to pounce on the mailman. "No-one is going to turn one of these down," says royal watcher, Mark Saunders. "You'd have to be the coolest person on earth." The royal couple's wedding is not officially a state occasion, so the pair have made a point of inviting predominantly friends
and family -- around 1,000 in all. Surprisingly, there are only around 40 foreign royals on the list. While the media has been buzzing with rumors that U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle have been snubbed by the palace, Saunders says, "If they didn't invite the president, they would have a diplomatic incident. It's inconceivable." Along with the Swedish and Japanese royal families, Saunders expects to see King Abdullah of Jordan and his famously beautiful wife, Queen Rania attend, as well as the Greek royals, because of Philip, Duke of Edinburgh's family connections. The couple are expected to decline wedding presents in favor of donations to charity. That hasn't stopped some oddball promises of gifts. According to AFP, cheeky South African lowcost airline Kukula has already offered the Middleton family a traditional gift of cattle on behalf of Kate's prince. Now that's a way to board the Royal Wedding publicity train. David and Victoria Beckham -- the former England football captain bonded with William on England's failed World Cup bid; French leader Nicolas Sarkozy and wife Carla Bruni; business supremo Richard Branson’s daughter Holly is a friend of the couple.
The Brazilian Post
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Brit author's debut novel set in Brazil The search of a son to find a long-lost father even when separated by an ocean. From the streets of Brighton, Joel decides to go to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's most famous post card, to look for his father. However, he will go beyond Copacabana beach to get involved with the reality of the poor areas of the tropical city. This is the plot of the novel Invisibles, first work of British author Ed Siegle that will be released on March 17th. “This is a story about a man trying to find his father”, explains Siegle. He express the importance of the topic as he has a step-son himself and was interested in the issue of fatherhood and the effect that losing a father might have on a person. Apart from this, he express that his novel is about social invisibility, the way in which people ignore, reject and neglect particular social groups - those that live in favelas, or the homeless, or those of a different race. About bring the plot to Brazil, Siegle explains that he loves the country. “I had recently returned from time living and working in Rio, and had a very strong sense of missing the life there. So it immediately made sense to write about a character longing for a return to Brazil, and it was a great way for me to stay in touch with the country and think about it in absence. All of the research I did and thinking about Brazil helped to keep my feelings for it alive.” Siegle is very excited about Invisible, as this is his first novel. “It took me about two and a half years to write. I was working full-time (I still am) and wrote a lot of the first draft on a commuter train from Brighton to London. It wasn't how I'd imagined writing a novel, but the time on the train proved to be good writing time”. About the most difficult aspect of the writing process,
Siegle pointed that the most difficult thing was writing about Brazil whilst he wasn't still there. “I would love to have been wandering the streets of Rio, or finding some nice cafe in which to scribble away, but my family and job were now rooted in the UK. However, I had a lot of memories, diaries and photographs, and I read a lot of books to research things. The internet has made the process a lot easier”. And to the many people who aspire to write novels, Siegle gives an advice, that at a basic level, you just have to sit down and dive in. “Don't think that you need to have everything worked out. In fact, a lot of the fun can come from not knowing where a story is going and working that out as you write. The sense of having created something can be really strong that way”. And for the future, Siegle has plans for a second novel, which will also involve Brazil, but will be set in 3 or four locations - Brazil, Somerset (where he grew up), Venezuela and Valencia, in Spain. Invisibles will be available at all good bookshops, and can be pre-ordered online now via Amazon, Waterstones, WHSmiths and alike.
Made in UK
09
English councils get £100 millions to fix potholes An extra £100 million is being spent to fix damages to roads caused by the harsh winter. But the AA tells Channel 4 News "this is the chickens coming home to roost". The funding is in addition to the basic £831 million that the department is spending on road maintenance this year and £3 billion committed over the next four years. Transport Secretary Phillip Hammond said in a statement: "Millions of motorists have their daily drives ruined by potholes and the awful winter weather we had this year is only going to make that problem worse. This money should make
The Brazilian Post sub-editor's short film selected for 2 film festivals The documentary Solving Problems: Zero Budget Film Making was selected for two new festivals to be screened. The first, is the Byron Bay International Film Festival, in Australia, while the second is the British Horror Film Festival, in London. The documentary so far has been exhibited in four film festivals: two in England, one in South Africa and the United States. Solving Problems is a short documentary film about independent horror filmmakers in England developed as part of Filipe Maciel (our sub-editor) Masters in Journalism Television International. They share their experience and give out advice. Among them is Marc Price, who produced the feature Colin for 45 pounds and presented it in several international festivals including Cannes, in 2009. Most important, these directors will show how to be creative without money.
a real difference to the millions of drivers who are fed up having to continually battle against dangerous potholes.” Potholes are formed when water freezes in small cracks in the road, expanding and forming a larger cavity. A recent poll of AA members showed that 81 per cent thought that the condition of the country's roads had deteriorated significantly over the last three years, with 57 per cent of respondents saying they were "significantly" worse. At the AA, a spokesman told Channel 4 News: "This is the second year that the Government has bailed out local authorities. This is the chicken coming home to roost because there hasn't been sufficient investment in road upkeep and going back and filling in holes isn't the best use of money." He said that the local authorities are responsible for keeping the highways in good condition: "A number of authorities have used potholes as a reason to push up parking fees. It's unfair on lower income families who have to pay for parking permits while richer people have off-road parking. Roads have been the cinderella of local authority spending."
Olympic fever hits Britain Crackdown on London The first set of Olympic Rings, the symbol of the Olympic Games, will be unveiled this week on March 3rd at London's St Pancras Station, 18 months ahead of the opening of the London Olympics 2012. The five multicoloured, interlinked, aluminium rings, will be suspended in front of the clock at the end of the platforms at St Pancras. Measuring 70 foot wide and 30 foot high in total, they will remain hanging in the station until the games are over. More rings will be placed in London's landmarks such as the London Eye over the course of the year. St Pancras was selected as the site for the first unveiling for the red, yellow, black, blue and green rings, because as one of London's it is the station from which many visitors to the Olympic Park will set out on their journey. The unveiling will take place on Thursday with key figures present including London's Mayor Boris Johnson and Chairman of the Locog, Lord Coe.
Record rise in immigration as 240,000 given right to stay in 1 year Figures show that almost a quarter of a million migrants were handed the right to stay in Britain last year. Grants of settlement, which are one step short of a passport, rose 35 per cent to 238,950 in the year to September 2010 – the highest since records began in 1960. The total includes tens of thousands given full access to Britain's public services because of the catastrophic failure to deal with their asylum cases swiftly. Official figures also showed migration added 226,000 to the country's population in 2010. This net migration figure – the number of arrivals minus those departing – is more than double the level that would be needed if ministers are to fulfil their pledge to reduce the annual net total to 'tens of thousands' by 2015. Among the arrivals were spiralling numbers of students. Study visas issued in Labour's last year were up by 41 per cent. The Office for National Statistics stated: 'Long-term immigration to the UK for formal study has trebled over the last decade.'
2012 ticket touts
London 2012 boss Lord Coe says everything will be done to ensure the "greatest sporting event on earth" does not become "the greatest scam on earth". With just over three weeks before tickets for the Games go on sale, Lord Coe warned spectators of the danger of fakes. "We want to ensure we create an environment as comfortable as possible for genuine fans - and as uncomfortable as possible for those selling tickets illegally," he said. To combat the flood of bogus websites that are expected to spring up, sports fans will be able to tap in a special website checker to ensure they are buying tickets from an official seller.The checker will go live on March 15 at the same time tickets go on sale.It will verify whether a ticket website is real and also guide the buyer towards an official source. "We are very proud of this," London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton said. Special software will also pick up "unusual patterns" of buying and all tickets will have in-built security measures making their origin traceable, he said. Buyers will be able to resell their tickets through London 2012 at face value. Tickets can be bought and shared between families and friends so long as no-one is making a profit. London 2012 has opted for what it calls a "fans in front" approach to sales, arguing the chance of tickets being resold is drastically cut if they are sold to genuine fans. They say they will use every aspect of the law, ranging from heavy fines to seizure of assets, Asbos and tight bail conditions, to keep touts at bay.
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Made in UK
The Brazilian Post
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
“Everybody has his or her own Cirque de Soleil.” With an energetic and astonishing performance of acrobatic acts, the Totem Cirque du Soleil made British audience forget about their daily lives and be part, at least for a few hours, of a magical world. The audience is taken on an enchanting journey by the artists/ acrobats/athletes to see several distinct stages of life on our planet. From tiny frogs at the beginning, to monkeys, Adam and Eve, narratives of civilizations, to finally, the space. Cirque de Soleil troupe that came to London was composed of around 150 people, including artistes, musicians and backstage crew. Among so many nationalities, for the Brazilian community, there was a very special name on the tour book of the show. Fabio Luis Santos, 24 years old, is the only Brazilian who is part of Totem. The Brazilian Post watched the performance and got an interview with Fabio. Fabio, can you tell us about how did you become a part of the Cirque du Soleil cast? I was 9 years old when I started to get involved with sports and then I became a gymnast, in Itajai, Santa Catarina, south of Brazil, which is my hometown. When I was 11 years old, I was training five days per week, four hours per day. At that time, it was never part of my plans to work in circus activities. I spent my entire adolescence training and taking part in sports activities until 19 years old. I was then in São Paulo and then I heard, for the first time, about a Cirque du Soleil audition, so I decided to try. The year was 2006 and I was amongst the eight finalists, but at the end of the process, I was not selected. Two years later, the Cirque du Soleil did another audition in Brazil, this time, in 2008.
How was this second audition? The first part of the audition is related to what you, as a gymnast, can do. Then, it is the moment to improvise something in an artistic way, like a dance or a theater act. I guess a very important moment of the audition was when they asked to express some kind of emotion and the other candidates were just crying and performing sad emotions. I decided to laugh and the Cirque du Soleil professionals, who were there, start to laugh too. At the end, they told me that my name would be part of their data information and that one day, if they need me, they would call. So in August, 2009, they called to offer me to be a part of Totem, which was then their new show and they wanted me to be a part not only as a someone who would participate in the show, but also to help them for the creation of the show itself. And once a part of the group, when did you moved to Canada? I went to Montreal in September 2009 to start work on the creation aspect of the show. Did you speak English? No, almost nothing. But the Cirque has a huge team, so there was a translator waiting for me and during the first weeks, I had the support of a translator, which was great. Today I can speak, but I never had any official teacher or got a proper english course. I need one day to be part of a proper English course. And how was it, leaving Santa Catarina to live in Montreal? It was a little strange, as when I arrived in Montreal the weather was ok, but it suddenly started to get colder and colder and with snow everywhere and the weather became minus 30. How is life on the road with the Cirque du Soliel? Well, the life here is really good. They have all the support that one needs for anything. I am traveling around the world. I really like it, but at the same time, you need to practice every single day and sometimes you have two shows per day, but course, we all practice a lot so it is something that we can do. And tell us about the feeling of performing at the Royal Albert Hall, which is the most important theater arena in the UK. It is something fantastic and the chance to receive the feedback from the audience is also great. It is similar to receiving a gold medal. And it is the audience that also pushes you to deliver your best. What do you do on the stage in this show? I am part of the opening act, which is the beginning of life. And I also do the role of a monkey during the evolution. And how many shows have you done so far? The Totem started in April 2010 and so far, we have done 303 shows. Generally, we present the show nine or 10 times per week. We have performed at Montreal, Quebec, Amsterdam and London till now. The next stop will be in USA. And next year, we will return to London. But do you get any vacation during this period? Yes, when we came from Canada to Europe,
we had a month's break and then, I went to Brazil. Sometimes when we move from one city to another city, we can have 10 days off so it is a kind of short vacation. What about the future with the Cirque, not just for you, but for everybody involved with it? Is it like soccer, where you have an age limit to stay involved? It depends. There are 40 years old people who can be part of gymnast activities, so it depends a lot about how well prepared you are, the act you are involved with, etc. Any person who knows your story will feel inspired, as you are realizing your dream every single day. We have a Brazilian community living in London and many from this community are striving for their dreams too. What kind of advice would you give to them? It does not matter what your dream is- Never give up. It may sound cliché, but is not. Mine was the Cirque de Soleil, but everybody has his or her own Cirque de Soleil. So keep going and keep putting in your efforts.
Portuguese Parlance
The Brazilian Post
11
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Portugal bailout only a matter of time Almost all analysts agree that Portugal will soon have to ask for a bailout from the Eurolarger chunks of debt to pay back in 2012. Belgium is in a similar situation. Portugal seems to be pean Union. “Europe is sitting on an active volcano,” writes Richard Barley in the Wall Street playing for time. “Portugal may not be able to avoid seeking an international bailout, but it can Journal. “Economists and bond analysts have little doubt that rising bond yields will eventually afford to wait until an EU summit in late March, or longer, in the hope that Europe will offer a force Portugal to seek financial aid, as did Greece and Ireland,” writes Reuters. “Analysts are more generous rescue scheme to indebted states,” writes Reuters. Portugal's position is not suspractically unanimous that a bailout is a reality which Portugal will have to face in the end”. tainable. Many European nations are still heading toward an economic meltdown that will force The European Central Bank (ECB) spent €711 million on debt from eurozone countries last them to hand over power in exchange for financial security. Each eurozone economy that fails week as it attempted to help debt-laden nations to continue to borrow affordably. The Financial brings eurozone countries closer to central control by Europe's chief bailout banker—Germany. - Source: trumpet. Times reports: “Rumor has it that the majority of bonds were Portuguese.” If it weren't for the ECB's help, Portugal would have probably needed a full bailout package already. J.P. Morgan estimates that the ECB has bought between €16 billion and €17 billion of Portuguese debt since last May—nearly all of the debt that Portugal has issued during that time. Societe Generale estimates that the bank owns 15 percent of Portugal's debt. Compounding Portugal's problem is that it cannot pay its debt back evenly over time. Instead, large chunks of it are due all at once. On March 18, it has to pay back debt worth nearly 2 percent of its total economy. Then on April 15, it has to pay back 2.7 percent and two months later, 2.9 percent. Guinea Bissau's attorney general on Wednesday That's it for 2011—but should Portugal make it past June, it has even said that the anti-drug fight in the country, a key transit hub for drugs headed to Europe, was in disarray. "There is total discord in the fight against drug trafficking. It is necessary to determine each body's areas of intervention and competence," Attorney General Amine Michel Saad told reporters. "This is the only way we can effectively fight against drug trafficking and organised crime." He said if the army or any other control unit seized drugs, they public treasury, from where they disappeared after a should be returned immediately to police for investigafew days in circumstances that have never been made tion and completion of the legal procedure to incinerate clear. In recent years the notoriously unstable West the drugs 30 days later. African nation has become a major transit point for "I want to make it clear to all. Any civil or military South American cocaine destined for Europe, with the entity that seizes drugs and refuses to give them to the complicity of a powerful military. In early February the police will be considered a drug dealer and convicted as country set up a unit to combat drug trafficking and such," he added. In 2006, 674kg of cocaine was seized by organised crime, made up of judiciary police, migration police, but the drugs were withdrawn and placed in the services and customs officers.
Guinea Bissau's drug fight in disarray
Mozambique minister warns about food prices Minister of Planning and Development, Aiuba Cuereneia, during last week, warned that Mozambique may once more face food shortages and higher food prices in the coming months. Speaking at the opening of Maputo seminar on “The Challenges of Economic Growth and Job Creation”, Cuereneia noted that, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), in January world food prices reached their highest level in 20 years. “Mozambique could be negatively affected by this situation, bearing in mind that the country is still an importer of foodstuffs”, he said. Looking on the brighter side, Cuereneia said that this threat also opens “a window of opportunity” for increased investment in agriculture to take advantage of the country's rich soils and rivers, which are still largely unexploited. But he added that the potential for growth, not only in agriculture, but also in mining and industry, could only be achieved with additional investment in infrastructure. “The Development Strategy and Integrated Plan for Public Investment, now under preparation, will contribute to a more harmonious approach to the country's development”, promised the Minister. He said he hoped that the seminar would propose solutions to the main constraints which have hindered more rapid growth in the national economy. Among the challenges he listed were unemployment, and the export of goods with only limited added value. Mozambique's continues to have high growth rates. According to the available statistics for 2010, Mozambique's overall growth rate was 5.9 per cent, much higher than the average for sub-Saharan Africa (five per cent) or for the world (4.8 per cent). Cuereneia said that he believes that the country could do better. “The greatest challenge facing us is to transform our raw materials into finished products so that our economy can have a speedier and sustainable economic growth, which creates jobs for our young people, who have spared no effort in getting education and training”, he said.
MOZAMBIQUE: Memorandum signed on fertilisers and soil fertility The Mozambican government signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC) on developing a fertiliser industry, using the organic material and minerals (such as phosphates) available in the country. Under the memorandum, signed by Agriculture Minister Jose Pacheco and the IFDC Chief Executive Officer, Amit Roy, the IFDC pledges to assist the government in its long term plans for soil fertility management and rural development. According to the IFDC, the organisation's activities in Mozambique “include training farmers in sound agricultural practices, improving their access to inputs (fertilisers, seeds and crop protection products), strengthening agriculture market development and building the capacity of farmer organisations and agrodealers in the private sector”. The IFDC is implementing the Agricultural Input Market Development (AIMS) project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The IFDC notes that currently fertilizer use in Mozambique is only
four kilos per hectare, half the African average of eight kilos per hectare, and far below the target of 50 kilos by hectare limit set by the African Fertiliser Summit held in Abuja in 2006. Pacheco declared that Mozambique recognises the IFDC as a “strategic partner” in the Green Revolution advocated by the government, particularly in the areas of soil fertility and developing the market for agricultural inputs. Pacheco hoped that the partnership with the IFDC would promote the use of fertilisers in increasing and improving agricultural production and productivity. The IFDC is a not-for-profit agency which describes itself as “a public international organisation, governed by an international board of directors with representation from developed and developing countries”. Its main focus is “increasing and sustaining food security and agricultural productivity in developing countries through the development and transfer of effective and environmentally sound nutrient technology and agribusiness expertise”.
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Portuguese Parlance
The Brazilian Post
Government to rehouse flood victims in Angola Some 390 Angolan families based in the three sheltering centres for flood victims in southern Cunene province, will definitely be relocated this year, assured the deputy governor for organisation and technical services, Cristino MĂĄrio Ndeitunga. Cristino Ndeitunga said that the re-housing process will kick off soon after the conclusion of the construction project of 1,600 houses in Onahumba ward and other 1,500 in Cachila, both started in 2010. "The Executive is busy creating conditions to secure the accommodation of people, with a view to address the daily plights faced by the families", underlined the vice governor, who called for calm. According to the data made available by Service of Civil Protection, 11,000 people grouped in 390 families are residing, since 2008, at sheltering centres of Naipalala, Caculuvale and Cachila.
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Portugal making progress in heart attack intervention
A recent law, passed in Portugal just over 18 months ago to regulate the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) outside hospitals by non-medics, has significantly increased the chances of survival for heart attack victims after it emerged it has been widely adopted. Large chains such as Starwood Hotels, the Auchan and Sonae retail groups, and national airports have since made it their mission to equip their infrastructures throughout the country with the life-saving apparatus. Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) is a portable electronic apparatus that analyses heart rhythms, detects irregularities and attempts to rectify arrhythmias by administering electric shocks. They have been directly linked to a “significant rise� in the number of victims surviving heart attacks. In Portugal, cardiovascular disAt least 5,000 animals, such as dogs, cats and monkeys eases are one of will be vaccinated against rabies in eastern Moxico province, the most serious stated the head of department of veterinary services, public health probAguinaldo Mutaleno. lems as well as, The source said that this process will be implemented the number one from March, under the National Contingency and Emergency cause of death. It Rabies Programme that will also immunize 18,000 cattle, to is estimated that avoid certain types of sicknesses. Aguinaldo Mutaleno said around 20,000 sudthat the campaign would be supported by the Health Ministry den deaths occur and the local government, whose technical, human and logisin Portugal every tical base are already in place. In 2010, the Veterinary Seryear, an average vices in Moxico vaccinated 3,450 dogs, cats and monkeys and of 55 incidents a registered 40 cases of bites, which claimed two lives. day.
Angola: Services to vaccinate 5,000 animals against rabies
Subsequently, the fundamental need for AEDs being more directly available to the general public has resulted in the introduction of a new law, which defines the issue in two distinct areas: Public access programmes and programmes inserted within the Integrated System of Medical Emergencies (SIEM). The overall objective is to offer an effective resolution to possible cases of sudden death. This will come as welcome news, not least to heart attack survivors such as long term resident Sarah Twist, who was concerned by a perceived lack of AEDs in Portugal after she herself required assistance last year. INEM anticipated that by the end of last year a further 100 fire brigades would be covered by the AED programme.
HIGHLIGHTS: FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
GUIDE
Showbiz: Paris Hilton's birthday cake stolen! Page 15.
Sacred Chat: Know the importance of smiling in life. Page 20.
Fashion: Zaza Oliva spots the best looks on people at the London Fashion Week. Page 18.
Special Headline:
BRAZILIAN Carnival in London Ladies and Gentlemen, it is Carnival time! Unfortunately not everybody gets the opportunity to be present in Brazil to see one of the most cheerful, colourful and beautiful festivals in the world! But do not despair dear readers, because the Carnival is here in London for you! So in this edition, our special correspondent Dada Bueno shares with you fun tips and useful information on how to enjoy the Carnival in London. Come out to play! Be a part of this vibrant spectacle and discover more about our culture. Do not miss it! Page 19
Thank you London! We are overwhelmed by your response to the English edition of The Brazilian Post. So from now every 2nd issue released will be in English. Do not forget to grab your copy!
Rihanna has been offered half a million dollars to perform for just one hour at a private event. She will perform at a charity gala to be held at Donald Trump's Mar-aLago estate, a 58bedroom mansion in Palm Beach, Florida. Page 15.
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Showbiz
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
ANNA NICOLE opera faces legal action The sold-out Anna Nicole opera, which hit the town at Royal Opera House last week, has already created a controversy. Apparently, the Anna Nicole's estate is taking legal action, against how she is being portrayed on the show. The opera, simply called Anna Nicole, is based on the tragic life of the model and sex symbol Anna Nicole Smith, a famous American playmate who died prematurely. According to the theater 's website it's “a celebrity story of our times that includes extreme language, drug abuse and sexual content.” And this is what is creating the problem. But what is the secret in this? Her life story did have all the makings of a great opera: love, betrayal, sex, tragedy, death. She was the contemporary Marilyn Monroe. And this is a really clever way of bringing opera to a new audience.
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Britney Spears accused of using a body double The pop star has officially released the muchawaited music video for "Hold It Against Me". The song is a hit single from the new album "Femme Fatale", and set to be released on March 29. One can see plenty of dance action and mesmerizing lighting, and too many special effects. Not only is the concept of the video with Britney being surrounded by paparazzi tiring, the fight against herself has already been done by Madonna..." Heartbreakers". With the news of her using a body double in the video surfacing, it also leaves us questioning her dancing abilities. Spears has hit out at rumors that a body double was used in certain scenes. It is said that Britney was struggling with her choreography, so the director Jonas Akerlund asked her dance double Allison Kyler to fill in. But her rep says, "The accusations could not be further from the truth. Britney worked extremely hard on this video and rehearsed for six weeks prior to shooting,”. Certainly not a good beginning, Brit.
Newborn found dead in Oprah's school Oprah Winfrey put all kinds of time as well as money into her South African school, but tragically the body of a newborn baby was found on the premises. It is said that a 17-year-old student gave birth to a child that was found in a plastic bag, but it cannot be confirmed as the cause of death. It is still unknown if the baby died of natural causes or was killed. The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in Johannesburg is reporting that they're investigating the incident in cooperation with the local police. The institution is a girls-only boarding school, officially opened in January 2007. Oprah Winfrey´s Leadership Academy is to provide educational and leadership opportunities for girls who come from impoverished backgrounds in South Africa, but exhibit leadership qualities to make a difference in their community, in the world.
The Brazilian Post
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
The Brazilian Post
Showbiz
15
Marc Jacob interviewing applicants on twitter! Business partner and Marc Jacobs BFF, CEO Robert Duffy won't be the responsible for the label's twitter presence anymore, which has about 99,000 followers. And the designer is looking for someone "smart, funny, entertaining" to oversee their Twitter account and social media interactions, a dream job that will include benefits, a paid relocation to New York City, and "generous clothing allowance." Shall we pinch ourselves? But hold off on sending those big formal resumes. The interesting bit is that applicants (if you can call them that) tweet something clever at them in order to be considered for the job. That's right — no interviews, no resumes, just tweets. "Be clever. Smart. Understand our DNA. Say it in one tweet! That is your interview!" Certainly this is quite innovative and creates an opportunity for those who may not be so experienced and may well be what is required. So may the best tweeter win!
Paris Hilton´s birthday cake stolen!
If you thought that Paris Hilton was too quiet these past days, she has reemerged with another embarrassing way to grab the limelight. She had one heck of a 30th birthday, but Paris fell victim to a cake theft. During the birthday party in Hollywood, a drunken gate-crasher by the name of “Paz”, sneaked in and swiped one of the socialite's cakes valued at $3,200. What comes as a big surprise is that no guest saw him stealing it, even when the cake was big, red and had Paris written on it! And everybody is now trying to get their bit of the taste. Even the company that baked the cake, Lucid Absinthe, is pronouncing, aka promoting, themselves with this story saying that they would love to hear Paz´s thoughts about the cake. And they did get their instant fame and lived happily ever after.
Taylor Momsen concerned about bad girl image I wonder if she will ever get tired of her miss bad influence image. Taylor Momsen, who was the face of Madonna and her daughter, Lourdes's fashion line "Material Girl", has said that she is concerned that her crazy life style has a certain impact on the pop queen's kid and other young girls. But Taylor hopes that her fans can be themselves and do not try to copy her. According to her "They wouldn't want to be like me. I'm crazy. I'm fucking out of my mind. I've been told I was out of my mind since I was 11." It does not matter if she is mentally delayed, but I do support her attitude encouraging people to be genuine.
Half a million for 30 minutes of
Rihanna Rihanna has been offered half a million dollars to perform for just one hour at a private event. She will perform at a charity gala and that will be held at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, a 58-bedroom mansion in Palm Beach, Florida. Only 600 guests are expected to attend the event. The VIP guests will be paying as much as $200,000 for a table of ten, but those who are not so well-off, the cheapest place at the fancy dinner still costs $2,000. Riri must be happy, because this will cover her beauty expenses for at least 6 months. It has been reported that she spends half a million pounds a year on her looks.
The Kardashians: Hop, shop and clop to the top! The Kardashian family is richer than ever. They earned a staggering 65 million dollars last year – more than Tom Cruise, Sandra Bullock and Angelina Jolie all put together. The money comes from sources like endorsements, a realityTV show, Twitter, paid public appearances, fragrance lines, Dash clothing stores and more. According to The Hollywood Reporter Kim Kardashian charges up to 25,000 dollars just to mention a brand name on her blog, and she charges from 100,000 to 250,000 dollars for a single event appearance. The reality show "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" propelled them to fame in the US by exploring their lives, led by the drama-queens Kourtney, Khloé and Kim Kardashian. The famous surname comes from the former husband of Kris, Robert Kardashian, the best known lawyer who represented O.J. Simpson.
by
Carla Monsora
16
London By Night
The Brazilian Post
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
LONDON BY NIGHT If you are looking for good music, beautiful people and the best of Brazilian rhythm, London is the place. Bars and restaurants like Guanabara, Soul Brazil or Primo Bar (at the Park Plaza) are some of the best options. Checkout our photos for a glimpse! Photos by Thiago Vianna and Erick Oliveira.
Host for the evening Cleide Silva (in the centre) together with her friends Fabio Louis and Cida Ferreira.
The Park Plaza parties will make you feel like being part of a Brazilian event.
Victor Baioco and his friends enjoying at the Park Plaza.
The Guanabara is the perfect place to find beautiful people.
Best friends Lucas, Roberta, Nelcy and Everton celebrating.
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Friends Lucas Ferreira and Roberta Dayana having a great time together.
The Brazilian Post
London By Night
Adriana Costa (first left) celebrating her birthday with friends.
Achei na Semana by
Paula Ligo and Thiago Nascimento are always at the Guanabara.
Soul Brazil is a great place for those looking for fun.
Vem ai Sรกbado dia 12.03.2011 no Coronet em Elephant & Castle - Eduardo Costa - ingressos a venda, veja os pontos de vendas no acheilondres.com
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Fashion
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
The Brazilian Post
This week, we present to you styles spotted in the background at the London Fashion Week. Our columnist caught some really great styles of the bloggers, photographers, stylists, designers and models. Check them out!
by
ZAZA OLIVA
Cool hunter
Special Fashion week edition
What's Up
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Carnival Weekend at Made in Brasil
You don't have anything to do? Bueno, our columnist is going to fill your week's schedule with the best programs, cultural tips and all that is happening in London. Make the most of it!
03/03/11 Thursday | Boca Nova Band playing the best of MPB, Bossa Nova, Funky Samba.
The Brazilian Post
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from Rio de Janeiro's school of sambas, they are ready to make you feel yourself in a great carnival party! Primo Bar 200, Westminster Bridge road,
04/03/11 Friday | ‘Ay Caramba' Live- The best of MPB and Brazilian Funk & Dj Moola with his Latin House sessions. 05/03/11 Saturday- OPEN UNTIL 5AM London School of Samba, Carnaval dancers, Brazilian Top Djs with Samba Rock and Brazilian Funky House and Dj Ventania with Friends- 'Techno Sessions' In Copacabana Beach Bar
The Guanabara Club is promoting a special Carnival week with Brazilian music, dance, food and drinks:
The Colours of the Carnival
by
DADA BUENO
Traditional Brazilian music and Carnival with band Eri Okan & Friend Live, Dj Trever Brazil. Rio and Bahia rhythm. At 9:30(PM) is a show of capoeira. 03/03 Thursday From 5pm to 2:30 am £5 after 9:00 pm
School of Samba Full Carnival parade and live performance by London School of Samba, an energising show with drums and live "bateria" from 7 pm. After the parade, DJs Limao, D'vysor & Trever Brazil takeover the party with the best of Carnival, R&B and Latin House tunes. 04/03 Friday £10
Ball Masque with DJs
Bar and restaurant Feijao do Luis will have a special carnival party on March the 5th, from 1 pm to 6 pm. The party will have typical carnival music and live pagoda show. 10-14 Market Row, Electric Lane, London SW9 8LD.
Tiger Tiger will promote, on Sunday (06) a Masquerade Ball. The first 100 people to arrive will get a free Caipirinha drink. From 5 pm to 8pm is happy-hour with free entrance and 50% discount on drinks. 29 The Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4SP
Beautiful and mysterious masks are a must for this party. Ritmos da Cidade and The DJs Knight will be entertaining the crowds. Dress code: Wear a mask. Free masks will be available at the venue. Fancy dress
is more than welcome. 05/03 Saturday From 5:00 pm to 4:00 am £10
Forro music & Carnival
06/03/11 Sunday- Live BandRudy Rocha & Fabio Da Guitarra Made in Brasil 12 Inverness Street, NW1 7HJ Tel: 02074820777
Seu Azevedo, Forro Carnival Special + DJ Andre & Jimmy Jam. Arrive early for free forro lessons! 06/03 Sunday Open till 4:00 am £5 after 8:00 pm SE1 7UT
Batucada Sambista Masterclass
Favela Chic & Carnival
A special night with samba and free samba lessons from 8pm. Film screening at 8.30pm - A History of Samba & Rio Carnival - and special Carnival with the Old Carnival Classics, a completely different style of Carnival Music (marchinhas de Carnaval) and DJ Limao till 2.30 am.
Favela Chic is a trendy bar and restaurant on Old Street which always offers good shows, music and food. The club will have some special nights to celebrate the Carnival this week. Check it out! Live: WAH WAH 45s Rio Carnival Special 03/03 7:30 pm
07/03 Free entry before 9.30 pm/ £5 after
Rio Carnival Special: DJ Gringo da Parada 04/03 7:00 pm
Zumba Does Rio! A special samba class. 08/03 from 6:30 pm £5 Guanabara Parker Street WC2B 5PW Tel. 020 7242 8600
The Soul Brazil bar is also with a great carnival programme. The soundtrack of the party that will run on March, the 5th, will be axe, samba and pagoda. The first floor is the place for those who love funk and pop, while the second floor will be for live bands and capoeira's presentation, plus a great performance by beautiful Brazilian women. BANKETE Samba Night, saturday, (6), from 6 pm to late. Live Music. 3 Bell Lane, E1 7LA, 020 72475479
Park Plaza Carnival Season: Every Wednesday – Brazilian Night 02 March- Primo BarWestminster Park Plaza Netto Pio and group of samba, DJ LIMAO- Rio|Bahia Carnival Playing up tempo songs and music
Rio Carnival Special: DJ Deany Seagulls 05/03 7:00 pm Favela Chic 91-93 Great Eastern Street EC 2 Old Street Tel: 0207 613 5228
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Sacred Chat
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
The Brazilian Post
GOODBYE, BOTOX
A warm smile attracts others to you, besides keeping you happy, healthy and motivated, says Bindiya Murgai. The expression you wear on your face is what impacts your relationships, work, and most of all, your state of mind. And it's the smile that determines your expression. It's the first thing others notice about you. A warm smile is free and infectious. It opens doors and hearts, spreads warmth and joy, and infuses you with confidence. So make smiling a habit. A smile is among the most effective forms of nonverbal communication. It is a universal language of friendship and good intentions across the world. It's so effective that even a smile over the phone can be felt, if not seen, and attracts a positive response.
Key To Health Smiling often and regularly, reduces stress and anxiety and prevents panic attacks. It makes you calmer, lowers your blood pressure and is a natural pain killer. It whips up an additional 10 per cent of oxygen and glucose in the bloodstream, making you more active and energetic, besides sharpening your memory and improving learning. Smiling is also nature's way of keeping you looking younger, longer. Botox, and a plastic surgeon's knife is no answer to looking younger. So concentrate on smiling. Botox treatments that fight facial wrinkles might temporarily paralyse muscles that cause wrinkles, but Botox used around the mouth area restricts your smile. Researchers have discovered that this inability to smile when you are happy gets transmitted back to the brain, reducing the intensity of your happiness. Smile Yoga Try smile yoga instead. It needs just 10 minutes and can be done anywhere, anytime. The results will leave you smiling!
However, it's important to know your “true smile”. Most of us commonly know only two types — the fake “airline” smile, which a certain erstwhile airline once used to train their cabin crew, and the “Duchenne” smile, named after the neurologist who analysed the natural and spontaneous smile. The “genuine smile” on the other hand, is your jackpot — your trump card that can bring about real change. It uses all your facial muscles, including your eyes. You can easily recognise it because it lifts the cheeks and crinkles your eye muscles — something that's hard to fake. It's the kind of smile that endears you to others. Helpful Tips If smiling does not come easily to you, here is what you can do to make it a natural habit: Before you get out of bed, every morning, think of a pleasant memory and smile. Smile at yourself in the mirror. Put up a 'happy' picture on your bedside table or as a screensaver on your laptop and your mobile. Smile at it often. Notice happy and funny things; watch funny serials. Read funny books. And laugh.
Smile Bank A genuine smile that evokes response releases endorphins in your body and is a signal to the subconscious mind that here is a person who makes me feel good. Babies learn to smile by mimicking the people around them. So, if they see smiling, happy faces around them, they pick up positive signals and this shapes their personality, assuring them that they are loved and wanted. Smiles are the only instantly multipliable assets that you have. So, start with smiling at people around you — family, staff, colleagues and even your pets. Smile at the shopkeeper, and the parking attendant. Find excuses to smile.
- by Prof. Orecram
This week we have the last three days of the waning moon in Sagittarius (everything will be peaceful, many dreams, faith and hope) and the new moon in Pisces conjuncts Mars on the 4th of March which means that people will be very focused on mysticism and willing to work things through faith or spirituality or even 'magic'. ARIES Your career comes under the spotlight and if what you do as a living isn't really suited to you, then this is the week you decide to do something about is. Scorpios link to such dramas. A phase for speeding ahead with good planetary influences on your side, don't be afraid to ask for favours.
TAURUS You have important business to take care of. This week you can achieve more than you did in the whole of last month. This is exactly why you shouldn't let fair-weather friends distract you. A get-up-and-go mood and heightened confidence may be apparent!
GEMINI Try not to let down that family member, they are counting on you more than you can imagine and their gratitude is sure to be reward enough. Saturn
brings mystery and intrigue. Be on the lookout for social newcomers. This is not a time to stay indoors, so try to go halfway to make new friends who may soon prove invaluable!
CANCER Friends are going to be making the effort to meet up with you. Bear in mind though that if you continue to make excuses for any longer, they may give up altogether. Make the extra effort. Your communication skills and negotiating strengths may be improved-try these out at work to give a boost to your career.
LEO Travel looks prominent and as it's something I know you love to do, so this is going to be a pretty exciting month for you. Don't play games in love with texts; you'll get your fingers burnt. You should enjoy being exposed to the new and unusual and
may prefer to delay your usual responsibilities.
VIRGO It's really important that you spend some of your time this week thinking about your career and also about education. It may be worth taking a step back in order to take two forward. A really quiet period when you may have to settle for second best may be at hand.
LIBRA The stars conspire to spice up your life and give you the chance to do something you wouldn't have the nerve or the inclination for. Oh my, how you've changed and how exciting this sounds! Don' t assume too heavy a workload right now and suspend major decisions!
SCORPIO Fun is on offer as emergencies at the workplace allow
you to see a softer side of a face you once feared. Don't argue over money, your side of events is weak to say the least. Self-protective walls are high on this week. The planetary influence bodes well for recreational pursuits, intelligent risks, childcare duties and self-expression!
SAGITTARIUS Exciting and alternative offers of both a personal and professional nature come your way. Guard against any displays of bad temper, it can only backfire on you if you do. Love life is boosted and all matters social and intimate keep you smiling as you get the best from others!
CAPRICORN Travel brings good news concerning your love life. Watch out how much you tell certain friends about your future plans, you would be better off to wait until any deals have been signed and sealed. Enjoy spending
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time involving family activities and think about enhancing your home!
AQUARIUS Talking about your problems can be a great beginning to sorting them out. Ignoring them will lead nowhere. Today can and should prove that a problem shared is a problem halved. Time to speak out. Professional matters should go successfully, and you could even get more than you bargained for!
PISCES Don't chase dreams of others, not when you are so close to obtaining your own. Conversations with friends can reveal what really did or didn't happen last weekend. Beware of lies coming from an Aquarian. On the other hand, expect something good in your way-this influence may mean that you burn the candle at both ends with a successful outcome!
World Is Ethiopia becoming a global investors' hub? Investors from 30 different countries obtain licenses in just 30 day. These are some of the latest investment data obtained from the Ethiopian Investment Agency, which reveals that the number of foreign investors coming to Ethiopia is increasing. In just one month, September 2007, a total of 173 investment projects were registered, with more than half of these being foreign ventures from 30 countries. Chinese investors lead by investing in 18 projects out of the 90 registered. These are followed by 17 Americans and 10 Britons, most of whom are of Ethiopian descent, according to the record found from the Agency. The remaining projects are joint ventures between foreigners and Ethiopians. The origins of the remainder of investors registered in September are: India, Canada, Germany, Australia, France, Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, New Zealand, South Africa, Barbados, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Pakistan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Sudan, Trinidad, Kenya and Djibouti. In addition to the 173 companies registered by foreigners, almost half of the 52 share companies licensed in the same period have at least one or two foreign shareholders along with Ethiopian partners. Real-estate, manufacturing, Hotel and construction sectors are among the major areas that attract most of the investors. Many observers attribute the provision of incentives to investors by the government as one of the reasons behind the huge interest from abroad to invest in Ethiopia. On the other hand, some also opine that foreign investors
are interested in Ethiopia because of the cheap labor and less competition in larger markets which also include neighboring countries. The incentives for investors include one hundred per cent exemption from the payment of import customs duties and other taxes levied on imports of all investment capital goods such as plant machinery, equipment and construction materials. In addition, Ethiopian products and services destined for export are exempted from the payment of any export tax and other taxes levied on exports. Duty Draw-Back Scheme, Voucher Scheme and Bonded Manufacturing Warehouse Scheme are also among the incentives for exporters. Besides, any income derived from an approved new manufacturing and agroindustry investment or investment made in agriculture shall be exempted from the payment of income tax for certain periods depending upon the area of investment, the volume of export, and the location in which the investment is undertaken.
Mexico's Economy Expanded at the Fastest Pace in a Decade Mexico's gross domestic product expanded last year at the fastest pace in a decade as Latin America's second-biggest economy recovered from a 2009 recession provoked by the global financial crisis. GDP, the broadest measure of a country's output of goods and services, grew 5.5 percent last year, the most since 2000, the national statistics agency said on its website. GDP expanded 4.6 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier. The economy was forecast to grow 4.4 percent in the final quarter, according to a survey of 13 analysts by Bloomberg. The economy grew more than forecast in the fourth quarter because the U.S. performed better than the analysts had expected, a trend that will proba-
bly continue to boost growth for its southern neighbor this year, said Sergio Martin, chief economist for Mexico at HSBC Holding Plc. “It was undoubtedly a high number,” Martin said in a telephone interview from Mexico City. “The fourth-quarter dynamic helps you see the boost from the U.S.” that will continue in 2011. In the U.S., rising consumer spending, business investment and exports are ensuring the economy continues to grow even as housing remains depressed. Federal Reserve policy makers said in minutes released Feb. 16 that the U.S. recovery was on a “firmer footing” while the labor market was improving “gradually.” - (Source: Bloomberg)
The Brazilian Post
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FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Caracas criticises interpol for inaction in arresting 'corrupt bankers' Hugo Chavez's government, through the Venezuelan Prosecutor, have raised a complaint with the International Police (Interpol) for its inaction to stop "corrupt bankers" to order red 'search and seizure. " According to the Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz, 40% of requests for arrest issued by Interpol Venezuela have been blocked on the grounds that it is "politically persecuted." Some bankers refugees have appealed to Article 3 of the police organization, based in France, which rejects arrest warrants to "meddle in military affairs, racial, political or religious." Among the recipients are Nelson Mezerhane, owner of Federal Bank and a shareholder of Globovisión, Pedro Torres Ciliberto, father and son, owners of Banco Real, Gonzalo Tirado Yepes, by Inverunion, and Eligio Cedeño,
who fled to Miami in 2009 after spending nearly two years behind bars for an alleged crime of theft of public funds. According to a list provided by the Attorney General, in 2010 it handled 49 international arrest warrants against Venezuelan entrepreneurs, linked mainly to the banking sector and the media. The bankers' lawyers have submitted several documents and videos to prove that his case does not reflect a fair and impartial investigation, but a prosecution launched by Hugo Chavez against dissidents. During 2010 the Venezuelan government intervened in 17 banking entities in the country for irregular management of capital, directly affecting thousands of clients who had their savings in those institutions. - Source: LatinAmerican News.
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World
The Brazilian Post
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
The Brazilian Post
World
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Honduras bans smoking in enclosed spaces including homes! It's official. Honduras has joined the long list of countries in the world to ban smoking in enclosed spaces to avoid the loss to nonsmokers. The aim is to reduce the consumption of snuff in which each year lempiras 4,500 million (238 million dollars) is spent throughout the state, which causes the increase of poverty among poor families. The regulations came into force last week throughout the Republic. However, it provides important constraints that do not exist elsewhere. For example, the law bans smoking in most closed public or private spaces and orders smokers to stand at 1.8 metres away from nonsmokers in any open space. Snuff consumption and the use of electronic cigarette in hospitality venues and workplaces is not allowed, as they are included in the reserved areas. Although one of the most striking aspects of this law is probably no smoking inside the home if the other family members are nonsmokers. The only option would be to smoke isolated in a room; otherwise, the smoker may be denounced by his own family for not respecting the law. According to the Honduran Institute for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction (IHADFA), half of the smokers in Honduras are teenagers and expressed concern at the onset of the consumption age, placed between eight and ten years. That is why the new law which prohibits smoking under 21, affects the access to premises where snuff is sold. Even sale of sweets and toys in the form of cigarettes which could be attractive to children, is not allowed. So 80% of the pack of snuff should now be covered by images that show shocking consequences of smoking to health. No advertising of snuff in any medium, the sale of cigarettes individually or the use of vending machines is allowed. Neither is it permitted and sold in schools, stadiums and health stores, and up till now it was possible to buy cigarettes in a pharmacy in Honduras. Breaking the rules does not come cheap. The warnings can lead to arrest under penalty of minimum
wage for a day (slightly more than ten dollars). This is an important figure when taking into account that, according to the National Statistics Institute, only 56% of the economically active population has a job with an average salary of just $ 250 per month. Any person owning property that violates this standard is also liable to be punished, according to this law. In this case, the perpetrator must pay from five to 200 minimum wages, or may have to close the business if a repeat offender. The law stipulates that the revenue from such fines shall be allocated by the government and municipalities to implement prevention and treatment programs for those addicted to snuff. Over 35% of the Honduran population smokes, and blows approximately 18% of a regular household budget on cigarettes.
Mexican teen on strike wants royal wedding invite A Mexican woman says she has been on a hunger strike for at least eight days to demand an invitation to the wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton. Estibalis Chavez set up a tent outside the British embassy in Mexico City on February 10 and said Friday last week that she intends to continue the strike for as long as necessary, passing the days by painting pictures of the engaged couple. It was unclear till Sunday whether she continued to strike. Chavez, 19, said the embassy has told her that her request to be invited to the April 29 wedding of William and Middleton is impossible to grant. "My mom was a fan of Princess D," Chavez told CNN en Espanol, referring to William's mother, the late Princess Diana. "She died before I was born. I am a fan of her, too. So I promised
0 1 ÂŁ
myself I would make it to the wedding." The British royal family announced Sunday that invitations to the wedding were posted last week, declining to reveal the roughly 1,900 names on the coveted guest list.
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World
The Brazilian Post
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
UN Discussing Sanctions Against Libya have not been finalised." Still no word at all on how this would benefit the Libyan people. Meanwhile, The UAE will send two plane loads of humanitarian aid to Libya, where protesters are battling the regime. Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan was quoted as saying "two planes carrying humanitarian aid will leave Saturday from the UAE to Libya via Turkey in order to meet the urgent needs of the Libyan people in the circumstances they are facing." In its report, Al Jazeera added that Qatar has sent a relief plane to Libya that Qatar Airways said will land in Libya's second city Benghazi, which is in the hands of the protesters.AFP reports that the African Union has finally condemned "the disproportionate use of force" against civilians in Libya and expressed regret at
The United Nations Security Council is discussing sanctions, including a total arms embargo, freezing of assets and travel bans on Libyan government officials. The European Union is also looking at sanctions, while U.S. President Barack Obama has signed an executive order imposing sanctions against the Al Qathafi regime, and according to some press reports, had not ruled out military action. There is even some suggestion the International Criminal Court might investigate the Libyan government's attacks on protesters, with a view to indicting senior officials for crimes against humanity.However, the notion of using western military forces to impose a no-fly zone over Libya to prevent Al Qathafi from using warplanes and helicopter gunships against his own people has been stymied by China and Russia, even though both countries have large numbers of nationals in Libya. So far, the only serious military response on the part of western countries has been to use planes and warships to help evacuate nationals stranded in Libya. According to Al Jazeera, Washington is finalising sanctions against Libya; the precise plan will be outlined in "the near future" according to Washington spokesperson, Jay Carney. "The mechanics of the sanctions
the loss of life there. AU Commission chief Jean Ping was following the situation in Libya "with great concern" and "condemns the disproportionate use of force against civilians and deeply deplores the many human lives lost so far, is in contact with the Libyan authorities and other actors, and will pursue his efforts for an end to the spilling of blood." According to AFP, Ping also asked for "an immediate end of the repression and violence", stressed "that only dialogue and consultation will enable the Libyans to find appropriate solutions to the challenges facing their country and to embark upon the necessary reforms," and asked "all the actors concerned to favour dialogue in order to open new prospects for Libya in peace, security and democracy." - Source: AFP.
Girl with 12 fingers, 14 toes reaches for a record “I asked the nurses whether my kid was born complete with hands and legs," says her mother. "They replied that the baby even has more than she needs." Born with 12 fingers and 14 toes, Le may be the most "digitally enhanced" person in the world. Now, the 16-month-old girl's family in impoverished Myanmar is seeking a Guinness World Record to prove it. A neighbor is helping her mother apply to claim the record after hearing that a boy from India currently holds the record for the most digits, with 12 fingers and 13 toes. Polydactylism — being born with an extra finger or toe — is fairly unusual, but it is even more rare for someone to have spare functional digits on both hands and feet, as Le does. Le lives with her family in a small wooden house on
the outskirts of the Southeast Asian country's former capital of Yangon, where she runs around with seven toes on each foot. Proud mom Phyo Min Min Soe, 26, said that she'd be happy to see Le gain a world record, but even without that, her daughter already has a happy life, and even some natural advantages. "She seems to have a stronger grip on things — so she doesn't drop things much," she says, as Le plays nearby with a mobile phone. According to the Guinness World Records website, the record for most fingers and toes for a living person is currently held by two people in India, who have 12 fingers and 13 toes each. - Source: The Associated Press.
Vatican warns of papal ticket scam The Vatican is warning people who plan to travel to the beatification of Pope John Paul II to look out for scammers claiming to sell tickets for the ceremony. "It is very important to make as clear as possible that no tickets are needed to attend the beatification of John Paul II," said monsignor Guido Marini, master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations, according to Vatican Radio. John Paul is drawing huge crowds even after his death. Two million pilgrims are expected to flock to the Vatican for the special Mass, which will be presided over by Pope Benedict XVI and take place in St. Peter's Square on May 1 -- the first Sunday after Easter. But officials became concerned after hearing about "unauthorized offers by some tour operators, especially on the Internet," asking people to pay fees for access to the event, the Catholic News Service reported. No tickets are required for the beatification Mass of Pope John Paul II, and no papal events require tickets, the Vatican emphasized. There has been a huge interest in John Paul's road to sainthood, with his beatification -the first step in the process is coming six years after his death. (That timetable is very fast in Vatican terms. Pope Benedict XVI dispensed with rules that normally impose a five-year waiting period before beatification can even start.) Born Karol Wojtyla in Poland, the charismatic John Paul spent more than a quartercentury as the head of the Catholic Church. He spoke more than a dozen languages and visited more than 100 countries, setting an unheard of pattern of pastoral travel.
Economy - Brazil
The Brazilian Post
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FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Borrowing in Brazil is US tries to punitively expensive win Brazil's support in China currency row by CHRISTIANO
HOLANDA
cholanda@brazilianpost.co.uk
US Treasury secretary Tim Geithner visits São Paulo
US Treasury secretary Tim Geithner has moved to enlist Brazil in the US's row with China over its allegedly undervalued currency. In a speech at São Paulo Business School, Geithner said Brazil was bearing the burden of other countries' undervalued currencies. He did not name China but a recent US Treasury report labeled its currency as "substantially undervalued." "Brazil is seeing a surge in capital inflows," said Geithner. "These flows have been magnified by the policies of other emerging economies that are trying to sustain undervalued currencies with tightly controlled exchange rate regimes." Geithner said: "It would help Brazil if some of the other big trading countries had more flexible foreign-exchange policies. This flexibility is coming. It will happen, and we want to encourage it, but it is in the very early stages." He said Brazil's booming economy gave it a platform among its fellow emerging markets and pledged to support Brazil's place on the world stage. Brazil is trying to regain control of its currency, the “Real”, which has appreciated by 40% since 2008, according to Nomura's latest global currency outlook. The government wants to keep exports competitive and has moved to dampen speculations by increasing taxes on short-term investments, among other measures.
The banks in Brazil charge an average lending rate of approximately 25% and, in case of consumer lending, the rates are well in excess of 30%. This means the Brazilian borrower base is paying “real” interest of circa 20-25% against a norm of 1-3% in most countries. For consumers specifically, the ramifications are serious as the debt service burden has risen to 24% of disposable income and is set to rise further as rates push higher. We expect the burden to rise to an exorbitant 30% by 2012. To put this into context, the US consumer “blew up” when the debt service burden hit 14% (with a current read of approximately 12%). In other words, the Brazilian consumer has twice the debt load from a cash flow perspective relative to a US consumer who is still widely regarded as being over leveraged. The situation in Brazil is worryingly similar to the subprime crisis in the US. The banks at high rates are pushing a lot of credit to consumers who ultimately won't be able
to service the debt. While there are parallels with the US there are also unique features in Brazil. Risk management infrastructure has largely been missing in Brazil's credit build up, with a “positive” credit bureau still not yet approved owing to consumer protection issues (a positive credit bureau shares credit history of all customers whereas negative bureau shares information for customers only in default, typically this information comes too late). This has enabled borrowers to build multiple lines of credit without the lenders' knowledge, especially as most loans are “unsecured” and there is no collateral involved. Brazil is in this spot from a financial standpoint due to inefficiencies in the financial system. The operating expense to assets ratio of the Brazilian banking system is a staggering 4.2% compared with 1.1% and 1.6% for Chinese and Indian banks respectively, and this large expense base keeps the cost of credit abnormally high.
AUTHENTIC BRAZILIAN BUFFET
Brazil's economy began 2011 in strong deceleration
Brazil's economy has already begun a deceleration and local growth will likely slow to around 4.5% to 5.0% this year from 7.5% in 2010, Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega said last week. Speaking on a conference call ahead of a meeting of G-20 officials this week, Mantega admitted that local inflation was on a trajectory above official targets due to high food prices, but said that it was already showing signs of deceleration. Mantega said Brazil's government was
practicing counter-cyclical economic policy, and could help significantly cut excess demand with recently announced budget cuts. Brazil's government last week pledged to cut at least 50 billion reais (£ 19 billion) in spending from the 2011 budget in its effort to help curb inflation. Mantega noted that local interest rates, including long-term interest rates, had already begun to rise in response to elevated inflation expectations and that the country's central bank was responding to the situation. Brazil's central bank in January raised the country's reference Selic interest rate by half a percentage point to 11.25% annually. According to recent central bank market surveys, the rate is seen rising to as high as 12.50% by the end of the year as part of the country's inflation control efforts. Brazil's IPCA consumer price index, the country's main measure of inflation, accelerated 5.99% in the 12-months through January, well above the 4.5% center-point of Brazil's official annual inflation target.
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Economy - World
The Brazilian Post
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
The Italian's job The next president of the world's second-most-important central bank should be Mario Draghi Earlier this month bickering at a Brussels summit unsettled financial markets and sent bond spreads soaring. Now the future leadership of the European Central Bank is up in the air, after the sudden resignation of Axel Weber, the president of the German Bundesbank and the man who had seemed most likely to replace the ECB's current president, Jean-Claude Trichet. Mr. Trichet's term ends in October. If history is a guide, the politicians could wrangle for months over his successor. Worse, judging by other recent Euro-appointments—think of Herman Van Rompuy from Belgium and Cathy Ashton from Britain, respectively the EU's president and foreign-policy chief—the ECB could end up with a compromise candidate whose passport or politics, is the main qualification. Both delay and decision-bylowestdenominator would be a disaster. The euro zone is in the midst of its deepest crisis since the single currency was created. It cannot afford to have
months of uncertainty over who will lead the ECB, let alone a second-rate choice. Europe's politicians need to set aside their desire to divvy up the main positions, overcome their national biases and simply find the best person for the job. That should not be difficult. For an objective assessment of who has the relevant experience and right temperament to be Europe's leading central banker, one candidate stands out: Mario Draghi, the head of Italy's central bank. He is an economist with stacks of experience in central banking and government finance, plus a four-year stint in the private sector. In addition to running Italy's central bank, he is chairman of the Financial Stability Board, the regulators' club spearheading international reforms of financial rules. No other candidate's CV can match his. Klaus Regling, the German head of the European Financial Stability Facility, has never been a central banker. Erkki Liikanen, head of Finland's central bank, lacks financial and regulatory experience.
Bolivians hit by economic slowdown returning home
Until recently, a quintile of Bolivia's citizenry could be found working outside the country. As a result of the global recession though, and specifically the ailing construction industry in Spain and the United States, Bolivians are returning home in droves, often after many years of informal work. Of course, Bolivia's economy has also suffered since 2009, and while nationwide unemployment hovers around 10% (hardly unusual for a country during this global crisis), wages for jobholders in Bolivia generally do not cover basic utilities. Hence, the prospects for returned laborers in Bolivia are bleak. And many are being treated as failures for not having capitalized on their opportunity to make it in the rich world. While some are trying to get back on their feet in Bolivia and plot their next move back to Europe or the States, more and more Bolivians are choosing to migrate to Brazil for work. Brazil's labor laws are seen as more lenient to itinerant laborers, and given Brazil's multi-ethnic and multi-cultural composition it is easier for Bolivians to fit in.
“Alibaba” and the 2,236 thieves The Economist's assessment and views on the online chinese scandal, adapted by C Holanda. IN ITS early days, the founders of eBay would often say that their real accomplishment was neither their clever technology nor the electronic marketplace they had created—both of which existed before. Instead, their achievement was spiritual: they helped create trust between people who've never met. Building this sort of trust was always going to be a challenge in China, where counterfeiting and the production of dangerously flawed products is rife, but it has been a key aspect in the development of Alibaba, China's eBay-inspired ecommerce platform. The company's value as an electronic listing service has always been evident: standard business directories had disappeared after the communist revolution and an information vacuum persisted after the economic re-awakening. However, given China's problems with fraud and product quality, its potential as a trading platform has been a matter of debate, attracting both believers and sceptics. It now evidently appears that at least some scepticism is warranted. On February 21st, in a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Alibaba announced two of its most senior representatives, David Wei, the chief executive, and Elvis Lee, the chief operating officer, would resign to accept responsibility for the company having granted "golden status" a mark of supposed integrity, to 2,236 dealers who it says had subsequently defrauded buyers. Although the two executives were not personally implicated, the company said an internal investigation had found that about 100 sales staff and “a number of supervisors and sales managers” were “directly responsible in either intentionally or negligently allowing the fraudsters to evade” various controls. Alibaba says that the average compensation claim
from victims of the scams is only $1,200 but so far it has not disclosed how much the claims are likely to cost it in total. In 2009, as the frauds started coming to light, the company set up a compensation fund, which has so far paid out $1.7m to 2,249 buyers. The revelations, and the company's response, have generated conflicting responses. One view, which the company itself is vigorously promoting, is that the resignations and the firm's public announcements are indicative of Alibaba's underlying integrity and quality. It investigated the fraud accusations thoroughly and was forthcoming in publishing details, in sharp contrast to other Chinese companies caught up in scandals, most notably those involved in distributing melamine-tainted milk. Conversely, it can be argued that Alibaba had little choice. The revelations put the company's very existence at risk. Anything other than a highly publicised defenestration of senior people could have been fatal to the overall business. The scam originated at a critical part of its business, a dedicated platform called “China Gold Supplier”. A trader pays a fee to join, and then after being verified by a third party, can sell to global buyers. The scams endangered the endorsement value of this verification system, and, of course, undermined the incentives for any global buyer to work through Alibaba. Had Alibaba done nothing, it may have ultimately been worth nothing. The investigation attributed the fraud to “the pursuit of short-term financial gain at all cost”. It emerged at a time when Alibaba's broader business prospects had seemed to be dimming. Its shares fell abruptly after the announcement, but even before it they had been trading at less than half their level in the heady days of 2007, following the company's initial public offering.
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The Brazilian Post
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Economy
27
German machinery running smoothly German companies great and small are making the most of globalization. Their success owes more to judgment than to luck. The silence is unsettling, as is the sight of halfassembled cars gliding about on robotic transporters that move as if they had minds of their own. The scene of this industrial serenity is Porsche's assembly line in Leipzig. The airy, almost clinical factory provides a good illustration of how, even as its European neighbors and other rich economies splutter fitfully out of recession, Germany has been zooming along the economic autobahn. The production line that ends in Leipzig spans whole countries. Painted bodies for the Cayenne, a sport-utility vehicle, are brought by train from a factory owned by Volkswagen (with which a merger is pending) in Slovakia. Those for the Panamera, a hatchback, come in from Hanover. The robotic carriers then ferry them from one group of assembly workers to the next. Parts arrive just as they are needed. The system is flexible, allowing two different models to roll off the line in exactly the required numbers. The cars then head east and west to Porsche's two biggest markets, China and America. The factory shows how Porsche has gained from globalization — and how Germany has, too. On the demand side, the carmaker sells at premium prices to the world's fastest-growing big economy and to simply its biggest. On the
production side, it uses expensive but flexible German labor on what can be seen and cheaper east European workers on what cannot. “Germany is by far the world's biggest winner from globalization,” says Thomas Mayer, Deutsche Bank's chief economist. “It has benefited from both increased division of labour on the production side and increased trade on the delivery side.” Germany's recent economic performance stands out among rich economies. Last year its GDP grew by 3.6%, the fastest rate since the country was reunified in 1990. America managed 2.9%. Growth in the rest of the euro zone probably fell short of 1%. Exports have been Germany's main engine: they jumped by 21.7% in the year to November. In the first ten months of 2010 sales to China were already 17% higher than in the whole of 2009 and 46% higher than in 2007. No other big, rich economy has seen its exports to China grow so quickly in the past decade. No wonder that business confidence is at a record high, having recovered from a horrid plunge in late 2008. The success of German business is plain. It also raises a question: has Germany just been lucky to be making the sorts of things that China and other fast-growing economies happen to need now, or has it made its own good fortune?
BAA: £317m in losses BAA has reported a loss of £317m for 2010 The loss has narrowed because the 2009 figure included losses from its forced sale of Gatwick airport and a £218m charge for its pension deficit. The three exceptional events affecting the results began in April last year with the Icelandic volcano eruption that closed Heathrow and Stansted for five days. BAA also pointed to the 22 days of strike action by BA cabin crew, which resulted in 34 days of service disruption at Heathrow. That was followed by airport closures and flight cancellations caused by December's heavy snow, which BAA said last month had cost it £24m. The company has appointed an external panel of experts to establish what lessons could be learnt from the disruption so that the airport can better respond to future problems. It is due to report its findings next month. BAA, which is owned by Spain's Ferrovial, owns and operates Heathrow, Stansted, Southampton, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports. However, the Competition Commission wants BAA to sell Stansted and either Glasgow or Edinburgh airports. Last week, BAA lost its latest court challenge against the ruling to sell these airports.
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Economy - UK
The Brazilian Post
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Student Visas: It ain't broke Plans to discourage foreign students threatens a successful business. At a time when university funding is being squeezed and exports are expected to power the shaky economic recovery, this approach has its critics. Britain has recently experienced the largest wave of immigration in its history. This contributed to a long stretch of economic growth, but has also provoked unease about jobs, wages, public services and terrorism. Before last year's general election the Conservatives made a pledge to cut annual net immigration, currently around 200,000, to the “tens of thousands” by the end of this parliament; now in government (with the Liberal Democrats), they are trying to meet it. The trouble is that many immigrants are either Britons returning from abroad or other European citizens who can't be kept out. Thus in November the coalition government announced a permanent and controversial cut in the number of non-Europeans coming in to work (a fifth of the total in 2009); this week it revealed that those earning more than £150,000 ($240,000) would be exempted from the new limit. Students are far bigger targets, accounting for well over half of non-European migrants, and their numbers have been rising. It isn't surprising that they are on the government's radar. Yet students contribute some £10 billion a year to Britain's economy, estimates Dominic Scott, chief executive of the UK Council for International Student Affairs, a pressure group. Higher education alone is the country's seventh-biggest export, reckons Steve Smith, of Universities UK, another lobby. Foreign university students subsidise domestic ones, who pay lower fees, and keep labs open: they do the lion's share of postgraduate scientific research. And many schools are thriving and creating jobs thanks to foreign students. All the same, there are worries that student visas are used as an easy way into Britain's labour market. Some immigrants sign up at bogus colleges that provide little or no education; some students never leave. An attempt by the UK Borders Agency (UKBA) to quantify visa fraud found much flouting of the rules at private further-education colleges in particular (and, to a lesser extent, at language schools). Damian Green, the immigration minister, thunders against people who ostensibly study in London while working in Wales. But the government, desperate to redeem a misguided promise, seems to be reaching for a hatchet instead of a scalpel. Though firm proposals are not expected until March, the broad outlines of the likely changes are clear. Only “highly trusted” schools and colleges will be allowed to offer foreigners courses below uni-
versity level. Applicants might have to show a better grasp of English than in the past. Those who want to go on from one course to another might have to go home to apply for another visa. And the prized right to stay and work for two years after completing a degree is likely to be reduced or removed. Nervous colleges protest that the previous government had already made the system tougher—by, for instance, raising the English-language requirement for visa applicants. The register of outfits entitled to recruit foreign students had been whittled down from more than 12,000 to around 2,200 UKBA-approved establishments by March 2009; since then 60 more have been struck off and 68 are currently suspended. Over a quarter of the institutions have agreed to stricter reporting standards in order to become “highly trusted sponsors”. Immigration rules aren't the only factor affecting students' choice of country: Australia might have suffered as much from its strong currency and some much publicised xenophobic incidents as from a harsher visa regime. Britain has the English language and an enviable reputation for quality. But visa rules matter: many schools reported a decline in Japanese business after the last tightening of the language requirement. The British Council, a cultural body, says there is concern in China, in particular, over the coming shake-up.
Inflation – a blip? One of the more durable achievements of the previous Government was the establishment of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), whose work – for around a decade – was widely praised. As the recession took hold, the MPC does seem to have been seriously off the pace. The announcement earlier this week that the Consumer Price Index had risen to 4% is way off the MPC’s prescribed target. Indeed, it looks likely that higher interest rates – for all their negative economic growth implications – will shortly be confirmed. Worryingly for millions of households, the prices of basic products, including many foods and travel, are rising sharply. In certain sectors, though, price-cutting remains to the fore – evidence that a highly competitive market is the best antidote to inflationary trends. However, as the 1970s demonstrated, eliminating inflation – once it has taken hold – is no easy task. At its peak, in the mid-1970s, it reached almost 27%. Aside from rigorous control of the money supply – quantitive easing notwithstanding – the market should be allowed to set prices. Memories of the 1970s era include eminently forgettable industrial relation relics such as the Price Commission, Pay Boards and the TUC-backed ‘solemn and binding’ agreements. Fortunately, they – and others - have been consigned to history. It should also be remembered that borrowers, including the government – with its c£1 trillion debt mountain generally benefit from rising inflation. The recent rise, though, in the 10-year gilt yield represents a partial risk adjustment to higher inflationary expectations. Amongst the worst losers are sav-
ers, many of whom are now retired. Given that they are currently earning minimal interest on their savings, a bout of inflation represents a ‘double whammy’ in the evening of their lives. Is the time now ripe for dealing aggressively with inflation before it becomes embedded? Inflation stubbornly high and heading higher - UK inflation has persistently come in above forecast and has been above the BoE’s 2.0% target since December 2009. The latest available figures show CPI was 3.7% in December last year and RPI was 4.8%, with further increases coming in the wake of tax increases and rising energy and commodity prices. The BoE has argued for some time that it can look through these numbers because they are due to a number of ‘temporary’ factors, such as the weakness of sterling over the past 2-3 years, various one-off administrative tax increases, notably VAT increases in January 2010 and January 2011, and increases in commodity prices. Inflation expectations are also rising The BoE’s job has become harder over recent weeks because of a steady increase in inflation expectations. Higher expectations can be a concern because they increase the chances that higher inflation due to temporary factors becomes embedded in the economic system, for example by workers demanding higher wages and companies increasing the prices they charge their customers. In an extreme scenario, a pernicious wage-price spiral could develop.
Sport
The Brazilian Post
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FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Tickets to Champions League Velodrome is ready! Finals price out most fans The UEFA, which set prices for the tickets, argues that the very expensive tickets reflect market demand for them, but few fans could ever afford them. This has become the year of the grotesque fleecing of sports fans. They are wanted at the showpiece games because, even in the age when television rights dwarf all other income streams, what would the spectacle be without the passion of the audience? And maybe there will be a Klondike rush when tickets go on sale this Thursday for the 2011 Champions League final, at Wembley Stadium in London on May 28. The poor, the young, the unemployed or even the everyday fan who supports a team through thick and thin need not apply. As to the next generation, they will need very well-heeled parents to attend the game. A limited number of reduced-price children's tickets will be available, but only in the £225, or $363, category. This would mean that a father-son or motherdaughter day out at Wembley that Saturday could cost £338, about $547, in entrance fees alone. Travel, subsistence and general expenses will doubtless double that outlay or, since this is
Europe's final and not just England's, possibly treble it because of demand. So the game that is awash with money even during tough economic times is in effect pricing itself beyond the reach of its grass-roots support and its future support. UEFA, the European ruler, and banker, of soccer, has a peculiar sense of scale. Its director of competitions, Giorgio Marchetti, argues that its pricing is fair and reasonable. “This is the market price,” he said in London last weekend. “Do you think we would have trouble filling Wembley if the prices were higher? “Do you think it would be different? We try to strike a balance between the interest of supporters and the interest of the event. Why should we price the tickets lower than what we think is a fair level?” What is fair to the administrators is foul to a whole generation of fans who live for and through the sport. Not even counting the £4,000-per-person cost of the corporate seats, or the 25,000 tickets reserved for members of what is euphemistically called the UEFA and FIFA Family, this treatment of
Boasting of 6,000 seats, a 360-degree glass viewing concourse and an elliptical race track which required 56 kilometers (35 miles) of surface timber from sustainability-sourced Siberian pine for its construction, the velodrome for the 2012 London Olympics has been unveiled as the pride of local organizers. Pressure to deliver is always a concern for the host city of the quadrennial Olympiad -with Athens and Atlanta being notable illustrators of the struggle endured in 2000 and 1996 respectively -- and it is a demand keenly felt in the capital of Britain, 18 months before the start of the latest edition of the iconic Games. Olympic Development Agency (ODA) chairman John Armitt said that the completion of the venue marked the site's "biggest milestone to-date", emphasizing the ambition of all associated with the event to maintain the "on-budget, on-time theme" set by the velodrome. Whether this goal can be achieved has yet to be seen but lead architect for the cycle-center project, Mike Taylor, told CNN he felt the aesthetic challenge set for his team had been met. "[The aesthetic] was fundamental, because most velodromes end up being on a piece of government land somewhere. This site was always going to be in the Olympic Park, so ... we designed it [instead] for legacy. - Source: CNN
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Sport
The Brazilian Post
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
SPORT
360º
by TICO
SILVERIO
ticosilverio@yahoo.com.br
Champions “English” League
Half way to the Dream
Brazilian Champions league is now a good business and players have decided to stay or come back to Brazil if they are playing abroad. The Brazilian economy has blossomed, the currency has become stronger and football wages are following the same trend. Today players can make more money playing in Brazil than in a foreign country. Ronaldinho gets approximately R$ 1.300.000 per month which means something like £ 120.000 per week. Ronaldo, who announced his retirement 2 weeks ago, received almost the same wage as Ronaldinho does. Neymar, 18 years old, Brazil's new star, gets approximately £92.000 a week with his Santos's package career and Deco, ex-Chelsea, gets £ 44.000 per week. This also means that when clubs abroad want a Brazilian player now, they need to outweigh the national offer first.
With Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea beating their opponents in the first leg of the tournament and Manchester United playing the second game at home, the English football could represent 50% of the quarter-final having 4 teams in the last 8. Also those 4 English teams are fighting point-to-point for the Premier League title and if they confirm their place in the next round we can have a Premier League “battle” inside the Champion League. But this is not a big surprise considering that we've always had at least one English team fighting for the title in 5 out of the last 6 Champions League finals.
Brazil x Scotland
The Brazilian Football Federation has confirmed a friendly match between Brazil x Scotland on 27th of March at Emirates Stadium. After two consecutive losses against Argentina and France, the only team that is a 5 times World Champion, will try its fourth win under its new coach, Mano Menezes. Mano has coached the Brazilian team in 5 games, with 3 wins and 2 losses and although his work has just begun, he is already feeling the pressure. Another loss can make his job very hard. But London, and especially Emirates Stadium, has brought luck to the Brazilian Squad, which has played 6 times there in the last 5 years and lost just once, in 2007, against Portugal. And this positive statistic should be the reason why the Brazilian Football Federation chooses London to host the friendly match there. On 4th of March, Mano will announce the list of players selected for the game and the great expectation is to see Kaka and Ronaldinho on that list.
Brazil's football wages increase with the rising economy Brazilian Champions league is now a good business and players have decided to stay or come back to Brazil if they are playing abroad. The Brazilian economy has blossomed, the currency has become stronger and football wages are following the same trend. Today players can make more money playing in Brazil than in a foreign country. Ronaldinho gets approximately R$ 1.300.000 per month which means something like £ 120.000 per week. Ronaldo, who announced his retirement 2 weeks ago, received almost the same wage as Ronaldinho does. Neymar, 18 years old, Brazil's new star, gets approximately £92.000 a week with his Santos's package career and Deco, ex-Chelsea, gets £ 44.000 per week. This also means that when clubs abroad want a Brazilian player now, they need to outweigh the national offer first.
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
The Brazilian Post
TheBrazilianPost
31
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The Brazilian Post
FEB 28 - MARCH 06th 2011
Beyond the
Amazon Forest Amazon Forest Brazil is a large country full of natural wonders and known for a rich coast and beautiful beaches and of course, the Amazon Forest. But there is much more than that to see. In Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, inland states, in the centre of Brazil and the South American continent, lies an immense landlocked river delta where annual floodwaters regularly rise several meters and then recede.
It is known as Pantanal Matograssense, a spectacular wetland system, the most immense, pristine and biologically rich environment on the planet. 80% of the Pantanal floodplains are submerged during the rainy seasons, nurturing an astonishing biologically diverse collection of aquatic plants and helping support a dense array of animal species. It extends through millions of hectares of central-western Brazil, eastern Bolivia and eastern Paraguay. With its extraordinarily
concentrated and diverse flora and fauna, and a landscape spanning a variety of ecological sub-regions, the Pantanal stands as one of the world's great natural wonders. The word “Pantanal” derives from the word “pantano” in Portuguese, which generally translates as swamp or marsh. The Pantanal, however, is more than simply one of these specialized wetland types. The term designates a river floodplain region, an internal delta encompassing a variety of ecological sub-regions. One can find in the Pantanal, an aquatic system of large rivers and standing water, terrestrial systems, and diverse types of riverine, palustrine and lacustrine “wetlands” — the transitional, halfway world between aquatic and terrestrial systems. More than diversity, the Pantanal is particularly renowned for its concentration of animals, which makes it a visual paradise for naturalists, photographers and ecotourists. The wildlife density is considered to be the greatest in the neotropics. The
natural drainage route. Water levels may be as much as five meters higher than during the dry season. In terms of tourism, it is advised to visit during the dry season.
most famous ecotourism tours in the Pantanal are: trails, horseback riding, livestock management, observation of the flora and fauna of the Pantanal, boating, riding chariots, canoeing, sport fishing, photographic safari, among others. When planning visiting the region one must consider that Pantanal has two seasons: a wet season from roughly October to March, and a dry season from April to September. About 80 percent of the rain falls during the wet season. This concentrated rainfall, combined with factors such as the very reduced topographic slope, poorly drained hydromorphic soils, reduced runoff bed and small exit area, results in a flooded plain, which propagates from north to south and from east to west along the Paraguai River — the Pantanal's only
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Things to do in Pantanal: For ecological reasons, we prefer to canoe on the Pantanal rivers. Besides, while canoeing you can enjoy the sounds and sights of nature much more. From the boat you can see many (water) birds and caimans. There's always a chance to spot other animals like capybaras, monkeys, iguanas, etc. As night starts setting in, predators and preys move around. Deer, ocelots, tapirs, foxes, giant anteaters and even jaguars can be spotted along the road using a flashlight connected to the jeep battery. Fishing piranhas is an activity one really should experience when in the Pantanal. It's easy to learn and they are really easy to catch. Inspite of what people think about piranhas, they don't eat human beings. The species that exists in the pantanal prefers to eat other fish's fins. Where to stay: In Pantanal, the tourist can chose to stay in several types of accommodations, from expensive hotels, to very cheap hostels. They vary in location, luxury, activity possibilities, and also in price. During the tour, do try to stay at different places as every location has its own specialty. How to get there: There is no direct flight from England to Pantanal, so the tourists must go first to Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo and then, take another flight to the central Brazil area. From Rio or São Paulo, the flight to Pantanal takes around 90 minutes.