An 11-year-old girl tragically died after inhaling spray deodorant as part of a viral social media trend Brenda Santana was found unresponsive Sunday at her home in Bom Jardim where she died after going into cardiac arrest told Brazilian news outlet G1 that he and his wife had previously warned her not to inhale deodorant spray The dangerous online craze sometimes known as 'chroming,' involves inhaling toxic fumes from household products including hairspray and nail polish remover to achieve a high The girl's father said he had no idea how his daughter learned of the trend on social media since she did not own a cellphone according to Brazilian reporter Adielson Galvão 'What I wanted was for my daughter to be alive.' José Santana said he left his daughter with her grandmother and went to visit a friend was at another friend's home near the family's residence He returned home to find the child lying in a bed with a white substance in her mouth I saw that her pulse wasn't beating,' the father said The girl was then taken by her mother and a neighbor to the hospital She went into cardiac arrest before she was admitted according to the Bom Jardim Health Department 'Despite efforts of health professionals and the implementation of resuscitation protocols death was declared after 40 minutes of care,' the Bom Jardim city government said in a statement Leticia Santana told police investigators that Brenda had a 'habit' of inhaling the aerosol deodorant and was told to stop Andrey Damasceno treated Brenda and said that the bronchi they affect the central nervous system and slow down brain activity Breathing in toxic fumes can also bring on more serious symptoms potentially causing a heart attack or cardiac arrest The Bom Jardim city government stressed that parents should be more vigilant of their children's activities with household products and the use of cellphones with access to social media In September 2024, Cesar Watson-King went into cardiac arrest after doing the deodorant challenge at his home in Doncaster, England. 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No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first. {{message}} You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed The following new mission presidents and companions have been called to serve by the First Presidency Bountiful Utah Mueller Park Stake: Ecuador Quito Mission Elder and Sister Anderson are senior missionaries in the Perú Trujillo South Mission Elder Anderson is a temple sealer and former stake presidency counselor ward mission leader and missionary in the Perú Arequipa Mission He was born in Salt Lake City to John McKay Anderson and Marva Denise Anderson Sister Anderson is a former stake Young Women camp director seminary teacher and temple ordinance worker She was born in Salt Lake City to Ellis Clark Butler and Barbara Mineer Butler Fortaleza Brazil Bom Jardim Stake: Brazil São Paulo East Mission succeeding President Brad Kofford and Sister Rachelle Kofford Brother Andrade is a high councilor and stake executive secretary and former stake president Primary teacher and missionary in the Brazil Rio de Janeiro Mission to Luciano Menezes de Andrade and Francisca Ferreira de Andrade Sister Andrade is a public affairs director and a former stake Relief Society president to Joaquim Silveira Sales and Maria Lúcia Santiago Sales Rexburg Idaho West Stake: Montana Billings Mission Brother Bressler is a high councilor and former stake presidency counselor temple ordinance worker and missionary in the California Oakland/San Francisco Mission to Leland Bressler and Gayle Marie Bressler Sister Bressler is a stake Relief Society president and former stake Relief Society presidency counselor Relief Society teacher and Sunday School teacher to John Alvin McKellar and Julie Rose McKellar Curitiba Brazil Iguaçu Stake: Brazil Rio de Janeiro South Mission Cavalcante and Sister Christiana Cavalcante ward mission leader and missionary in the Brazil Maceió Mission to Jaime Antônio Paz and Miriam Skrabe Paz Sister Paz is a former stake Young Women presidency counselor ward Sunday School teacher and seminary teacher to Adalton de Paula Parrela and Delgia Teixeira Parrela Mesa Arizona Alta Mesa Stake: Perú Lima Northeast Mission Brother Porter is a temple ordinance worker and former stake presidency counselor ward Young Men president and missionary in the Chile Concepcion Mission to Elden Spencer Porter and Patsy Ruth Porter Sister Porter is a temple ordinance worker and former Church service missionary ward Young Women presidency counselor and ward Primary presidency counselor Salt Lake East Mill Creek Stake: France Lyon Mission Brother Soulier is a stake presidency counselor and a former mission presidency counselor ward Young Men president and missionary in the Switzerland Geneva Mission to Michael Wesley Soulier and Barbara Frost Soulier Sister Soulier is a choir director and a former ward Relief Society president Primary music leader and missionary in the Italy Rome Mission to Richard Gordon Hinckley and Jane Everett Freed Hinckley Perth Australia Rockingham Stake: Australia Adelaide Mission Brother Standley is an elders quorum presidency counselor and temple ordinance worker and former stake president ward Young Men president and missionary in the China Hong Kong Mission to Graham George Standley and Ann Maree Standley Sister Standley is a ward Young Women presidency counselor and former ward Relief Society presidency counselor ward Primary presidency counselor and Primary music leader to John Calvin Sheppard and Lynette Gaie Sheppard Brazil (CNS) -- Marluce Coelho has mixed feelings about the college scholarship that has made her one of about 300 students of Afro-Brazilian descent studying at the Federal University of Western Para "It is hard to realize that I am only able to study because my grandfather was a slave," said Coelho is one of about 300 students at the university who are from quilombos communities founded by slaves who escaped from forced labor or who were freed after Brazil officially abolished slavery in 1888 But although slavery as an institution no longer exists forms of forced labor persist in the country And "quilombolos," as the residents of quilombos are known still suffer from the racism and discrimination that made the brutal slave trade possible in the first place the students encounter prejudice from people who belittle them because of their dark skin or doubt their ancestry because their skin is lighter or why we are so white," said Jose Henrique de Jesus Pinto one of the leaders of the quilombolos organization at the university That's a big concern of the communities around here." The students hail from quilombos along the Tapajos River it is home to at least 10 indigenous groups some of which live several weeks by river from Santarem Although much of the region is heavily forested It also led to construction of dams on the Tapajos River and its main tributaries and partly to tame rapids on the rivers so farmers can ship grain to the port at Santarem Those changes have disrupted traditional life in the quilombos along the lower part of the Tapajos River where people mainly fish or farm small plots of land Their communities are now under siege from soy plantations that encroach on their lands as well as from dams that disrupt their traditional fishing practices and mines that pollute the water a quilombo about an hour by road from Santarem have watched soy farms expand to the borders of their community They say the chemicals sprayed on the crops poison their water when crops on the large neighboring farms are sprayed as often as once a week between December and August giving children headaches and sometimes killing chickens in homes near the fields Now quilombolos along the river worry about a new threat a proposed port facility that would occupy their traditional fishing grounds and cut off their river route to the city where they sell or purchase goods in markets which will affect the community's traditional food supply The risk is even greater because like the many quilombos Bom Jardim does not have a communal land title that would protect the residents against outsiders who might try to take their property That is partly because the community has a complicated past who promised to leave it to the couple's slaves when she died "You have to understand where you came from and that there is a movement behind you." the workers formed a free community and remained on the land Bom Jardim's residents generally make a living by fishing farming small plots and foraging in the forest beyond the cluster of houses which fall from giant trees early in the year but soy farmers fell and burn the trees to clear land The environmental impact study for the port project concluded that there would be no effect on traditional communities but dos Santos and other community leaders disagree The quilombos and indigenous communities near the proposed port site should be consulted before the plan can go ahead Some local politicians are trying to avoid a consultation by claiming that the quilombos are not traditional communities is fighting to obtain title to its land to give it a stronger position The quilombos have formed a federation to fight for territorial rights president of the association of residents of Tiningu A community leader was murdered in 2018 and Mota has received death threats The Tiningu quilombo is caught between the soy and corn plantations that are invading the neighboring indigenous community of Acaizal and the planned port which will obliterate the local fishing grounds Mota and other leaders are fighting for the community to obtain title to its land -- a task complicated by a private estate that remains inside the community's territory He and other quilombolo leaders in the area are also fighting for the right to be consulted about the plans for port construction Young people from Tiningu are among those now studying at the university in Santarem "You have to understand where you came from and that there is a movement behind you," said Evilane dos Santos Clemente Her community is affected by runoff from mining Others have seen fishing grounds wiped out by dam construction and several are studying the possible impacts of construction of the port the students are aware that they owe that opportunity to people who came before who fought for the right to an education but who may not have been able to enjoy it themselves Coverage of the Catholic News Service Amazon series was supported in part by Aid to the Church in Need-USA (www.acnusa.org) and the USCCB Collection for the Church in Latin America Password reset instructions will be sent to your registered email address As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important America’s voice is in the conversation about the church and the world. We can't do it without you—America Media relies on generous support from our readers. Please visit our membership page to learn how you can invest in our work by subscribing to the magazine or making a donation If you’re already a subscriber or donor, thank you! If you login and register your print subscription number with your account, you’ll have unlimited access to the website. Please contact us at members@americamedia.org with any questions. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Lidiane Leite lived the life of luxury in a city 180 miles away after stealing around £4.5m from one of the poorest towns in the entire country I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The 27-year-old directed local officials using WhatsApp while she lived a life of luxury in Sao Luiz She eventually gave herself up after 39 days on the run Following a two-and-a-half year legal battle Leite was sentenced to 14 years and one month in prison followed by six years of house arrest after she was found guilty of taking R$20m (£4.5m) from an education fund The saga began in 2012 after her former boyfriend, Humberto Dantas dos Santos, who was also known as Beto Rocha, was banned from serving as mayor of the town in 2012 due to corruption allegations Leite ran in his place and appointed the 44-year-old as her chief advisor He was responsible for most of the town’s day-to-day management Meanwhile Leite lived a lifestyle full of expensive champagne and fast cars in Sao Luiz as she communicated with her deputies via a special “Task Force” WhatsApp group Dos Santos is still on the run but was also sentenced to 17 years and nine months in prison followed by seven years and four months of house arrest in absentia At the start of 2015 the couple broke up and Dos Santos resigned This is when the corruption scheme started to unravel Bom Jardim is a poor town of around 40,000 people in one of the country’s’ poorest states Many families rely on the local school to give their children at least one decent meal a day. Locals told the BBC that during Leite’s tenure they never had food at the school which first prompted the investigation into the mayor and her associates The authorities began to look at Leite’s social media feeds where she repeatedly bragged about her glamorous life of luxury One post on Instagram wrote: “Before I became mayor, I was poor. I had a Land Rover, now I drive a [Toyota] SW4. Maybe I should buy a more luxurious car, because – thank you God – I have enough money to do it. “I can buy whatever I want. I’m going to spend money on what I want and I don’t care what people say about me.” Once Brazilian authorities announced her arrest she went on the run – all the while sending WhatsApp messages to her deputies insisting she was still the mayor and forbidding them from talking to prosecutors. Fabio Santos de Oliveira said she and around 10 others had pilfered millions from the state coffers – especially the health and education budgets. He said: “In one case, she contracted fake companies to rebuild three schools in Bom Jardim, that way she could steal money from the budget.” Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Parakanã indigenous people suffer attacks by land grabbers in villages in Pará telegram Join our Telegram channel! telegram The wave of violent attacks on Indigenous Peoples in Brazil is now targeting the Parakanã this Monday (16/5) land grabbers mounted on horses invaded two villages Ka'a'ete and Tekatawa instilling terror and escalating tension to an unprecedented level. Mendes authorized a conciliation process that further stimulated land grabbing and deforestation by creating an expectation of regularizing the illegal invasion deforestation in the Parakanã territory recorded 2.480 hectares This is the highest rate ever detected in IT in the last decade. The decision was reversed in December 2021 17 families from the Parakanã decided to open two villages in the interior of the territory — Ka'a'ete and Tekatawa— in order to expand the area of indigenous occupation and territorial protection leaving these indigenous people in a situation of extreme vulnerability. indigenous people have received information that the invading farmers were organizing themselves into groups to surround the two villages and invade the indigenous people's home on horseback they carried out the plan and entered the two villages According to the MPF the Federal Police superintendent in Belém and the chief of Redenção the city closest to the possible location of the attacks so the MPF and security agencies are trying to implement priority security measures to prevent violence against the Parakanã villages indigenous people who live on the banks of the Xingu River in an area further away from the invasions are preparing for an expedition to villages that are under attack with the aim of trying to protect them from the invaders' violence. was approved in 2007 and has been in the process of deintrusion and relocation of non-indigenous occupants since 2011 one of the conditions of the environmental license for the construction of the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant what has been seen in recent years is the intensification of invasions in the IT. Even with the permanent presence of the National Force TI Apyterewa remains at the mercy of invasions Deforestation is already putting pressure on neighboring Indigenous Lands such as the Araweté Igarapé Ipixuna and the Bacajá Trench new invasion fronts were initiated in 2019 that continue to expand The expectation of regularization of illegally owned land is an important factor in attracting invaders and is supported by the Government's speeches which has already shown itself to be favorable to the reduction of indigenous territories and the regularization of mining in Protected Areas Always at the top of the ranking of deforestation among ILs Apyterewa alone represented 52% of deforestation in all ILs in the basin in the penultimate two-month period of 2021 reaching the highest deforestation rate recorded in the territory in the last ten years Deforestation in 2021 in the Apyterewa TI increased by 28% compared to 2020 which is the highest annual rate (in Indigenous Lands) recorded by the Sirad X monitoring more 22 km of new illegal roads in the last two months of last year gold mining and invasions of neighboring Indigenous Lands possible The most relevant news for you to form your opinion on the socio-environmental agenda LAST ISSUE Brazilian authorities are looking for Lidiane Leite She's accused of siphoning funds from schools while "flaunting a luxurious lifestyle," one official says '+n.escapeExpression("function"==typeof(o=null!=(o=r(e,"eyebrowText")||(null!=l?r(l,"eyebrowText"):l))?o:n.hooks.helperMissing)?o.call(null!=l?l:n.nullContext||{},{name:"eyebrowText",hash:{},data:t,loc:{start:{line:28,column:63},end:{line:28,column:78}}}):o)+" \n '+(null!=(o=c(e,"if").call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2PreText"):l,{name:"if",hash:{},fn:n.program(32,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:63,column:20},end:{line:63,column:61}}}))?o:"")+"\n"+(null!=(o=(c(e,"ifAll")||l&&c(l,"ifAll")||n.hooks.helperMissing).call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Text"):l,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Link"):l,{name:"ifAll",hash:{},fn:n.program(34,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:64,column:20},end:{line:70,column:30}}}))?o:"")+" Protected areas are undoubtedly the world’s most important conservation success story, and recent research shows that protected areas are effective—housing more biodiversity and greater abundances of species inside rather than out progress on protected areas is stalling and in some cases even falling behind According to a sobering new paper today in Nature only 20-50 percent of the world’s land and marine protected areas are meeting their goals while the rest are hampered by lack of funding The paper arrives just a few days before the opening of the IUCN World Parks Congress 2014 “Protected areas offer us solutions to some of today’s most pressing challenges but by continuing with ‘business as usual,’ we are setting them up for failure,” said lead author James Watson of the Wildlife Conservation Society and the University of Queensland govern and manage those areas is neither impossible nor unrealistic and would only represent a fraction of what the world spends annually on defense.” Nations under the Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD) have pledged to protect 17 percent of the world’s land area and 10 percent of the oceans by 2020 12-15 percent of the world’s land is protected—creeping closer to the goal—and comprising an area larger than Central and South America combined But protection of the oceans has long lagged behind only three percent of marine waters are protected Yet even land-based parks are not adequately safeguarding the world’s many ecosystems over 60 percent of the 300 identified terrestrial ecoregions do not have 17 percent coverage The numbers are even worse in the oceans: here only 20 percent of ecoregions have 10 percent or more of total coverage and nearly half have less than one percent Such lack of equal coverage means many species are left out “A recent global analysis of all threatened birds amphibians and mammals found that 17 percent are not found in a single protected area and 85 percent do not have sufficiently large populations in protected areas to give them a reasonable chance of long-term survival,” reads the paper But even when protected areas are established they often suffer from a lack of government support and a rising trend in governments actively weakening or even abolishing protected areas for industries such as mining and logging means that the world’s parks rarely live up to their conservation potential “Under-resourcing of protected area management is the primary reason for poor performance in protected area effectiveness especially in the developing world,” write the paper’s authors “Fewer than 6 percent of the countries reporting to the CBD in 2003 indicated that resources for management of protected areas were adequate.” Many protected areas in the developing world have been dubbed so-called “paper parks,” i.e illegal logging and poaching are all taking a toll on parks that have little funding and few staff to deal with these threats But it’s not just the developing world “Inadequate financing of protected areas is also becoming increasingly prevalent in some of the richest countries where major reductions in staffing levels and funding have been recently observed,” the scientists write It’s also not just little known parks and regions that are facing challenges and stuck with lack of resources but some of the most famous—and beloved—parks in the world “Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park…has experienced significant degradation with large declines in coral cover in less than 30 years as well as substantial declines in species populations and habitat condition and extent across large areas of the park,” the authors write Ecuador’s Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve—one of the best-known protected areas in the world—has widespread problems including alien species invasion population collapse of exploited marine species and declines in ecosystem condition.” The experts estimate that it would cost between $45 and $75 billion annually to adequately fund the world’s protected areas—including expansions pledged under the Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD) this is 2.5 percent of the world’s annual military spending “It seems sensible to invest an amount equivalent to a tiny percentage of global military spending to help provide security for humans and all other living organisms on Earth through a system of marine and terrestrial protected areas that is operating at its full capacity,” argue the researchers Finally, a number of parks are facing governments hostile to their very existence. In a trend known as Protected Area Downgrading, Downsizing, and Degazettement (PADDD) parks are facing not only weakening of borders and regulations “The Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman was removed from the World Heritage List after the government reduced the size of the reserve by 90 percent to allow for oil and gas extraction,” reports the paper The paper also points to oil exploration inside Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park uranium mining in what used to be a part of Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania and chopping off parts of Yugyd Va National Park in Russia for mining “Developed countries are not immune to PADDD as witnessed in Australia in recent years with the opening up of parks to allow industrial logging recreational hunting and fishing,” write the authors many of the world’s governments are not respecting how much protected areas contribute While in many cases the full range of benefits provided by protected areas are not calculated even looking at just tourism the numbers can be staggering the 2012–13 budget for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority was approximately Aus$50 million but tourism to the reef was worth more than Aus$5.2 billion annually to the Australian economy…In 2009 the Canadian government spent Can$800 million but the contribution to the economy was Can$4.6 billion and supported the employment of 64,000 people…In the Eastern Arc Mountains in East Africa one-third of protected areas do not receive the minimum funds necessary to be effective reserves even though it would only require reinvestment of 13% of the revenue raised through protected area tourism in Tanzania to fully fund the protected area estate,” write the authors The paper offers a number of recommendations to turn the trend against protected areas around In addition to boosting funds for protected areas they say much could be achieved by governments simply living up to past pledges and international agreements they write that “policies should be aligned within government so that the actions of ministries dealing with development resource extraction and agriculture do not undermine those of ministries concerned with the environment and conservation.” The authors suggest that new funding sources—both public and private—should be sought to help faltering protected areas live up to their potential “Non-conventional funding sources (philanthropic contributions and payments for ecosystem service mechanisms such as REDD+) have the potential to be crucially important future alternative funding sources as do mechanisms such as offsets and ‘debt-for-nature swaps’ from the corporate sector,” reads the paper the paper calls for on-going expansion of protected areas especially focusing on little-represented areas “The growth of the modern global protected area movement over the last 100 years is arguably the greatest conservation achievement,” noted Julia Marton-Lefèvre “It is also increasingly important for livelihoods and global security The key now is for countries to recognize the return on investment that protected areas offer and realize that those places are fundamental to the future of life on earth This is exactly what we hope to achieve at the upcoming IUCN World Parks Congress.” Protected areas do work, concludes study That’s the conclusion of a new analysis of over 80 different studies on the efficacy of parks and nature reserves in safeguarding wildlife the new study finds that in general protected areas house higher abundances of wildlife as well as greater biodiversity than adjacent areas 91% of Kenya’s protected areas shrank in 100 years 91.7 percent of all changes to protected areas in Kenya have involved reductions in their area which is an unusual and remarkable statistic from a global perspective that a variety of factors—including some that which occurred half a century ago—could be responsible for the status of forests in Kenya today Russia and China blamed for blocking Antarctic marine reserve another failed attempt to protect a significant chunk of the Ross Sea efforts to create the world’s biggest marine protected area to date were shot down by Russia and China during a meeting in Hobart Tasmania of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) De-protection of Protected Areas ramps up in Brazil, ‘compromises the capacity’ of ecosystems (10/31/2014) Brazil has reserved about 17.6 percent of its land (1.5 million square kilometers) to receive protection from unauthorized exploitation of resources despite significant expansions in protected areas since the mid-2000s the formation of Protected Areas has stagnated in the country since 2009 and many have had their protections completely revoked Local communities rise to the forefront of global conservation practice (commentary) a remote aboriginal community in western Australia made headlines when it completed the establishment of an Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) containing over 4.2 million hectares of desert and grassland is billed as the largest protected expanse of arid land on Earth Tigers vs. diamonds: India’s protected areas rampantly downgraded to make room for people, industry (10/29/2014) In India’s central state of Madhya Pradesh lie 500 square kilometers (200 square miles) of protected land demarcated as the Panna Tiger Reserve and global-scale analyses show Panna is far from alone among India’s many threatened Protected Areas World’s rarest gorilla gets a new protected home the rarest and most threatened of gorilla subspecies signed a decree to officially create a new protected area – Tofala Wildlife Sanctuary – in the southwestern part of the country How protected are they? Report finds world’s Protected Areas may relax, shrink, even completely disappear the United States Congress declared 3,400 square miles of land spanning three states as the country’s – and the world’s – first national park there are over 160,000 PAs spanning 12.7 percent of the planet’s land surface Scientific association calls on Nicaragua to scrap its Gran Canal (10/27/2014) ATBC—the world’s largest association of tropical biologists and conservationists—has advised Nicaragua to halt its ambitious plan to build a massive canal across the country The ATBC warns that the Chinese-backed canal will have devastating impacts on Nicaragua’s water security Conservationists propose Dracula Reserve in Ecuador cool forests of Ecuador and Colombia live strange and mysterious organisms Some inhabit the trees and others stay to the ground and many are threatened by human encroachment Rainforest Trust has launched a Halloween fundraising drive to help pay for the creation of the Dracula Reserve–named for its dramatic inhabitant Brazil declares new protected area larger than Delaware the Brazilian government announced the declaration of a new federal reserve deep in the Amazon rainforest The protections conferred by the move will illegalize deforestation and help safeguard the future of the area’s renowned wildlife What makes the jaguar the ultimate survivor? New books highlights mega-predator’s remarkable past and precarious future (10/02/2014) For thousands of years the jaguar was a God and today it is the inspiration for arguably the most ambitious conservation effort on the planet A new book by renowned big cat conservationist tells this remarkable story from the jaguar’s evolutionary origins in Asia to its re-emergence today as a cultural and ecological symbol The “fortress conservation” model is under pressure in East Africa as protected areas become battlegrounds over history and global efforts to halt biodiversity loss Mongabay’s Special Issue goes beyond the region’s world-renowned safaris to examine how rural communities and governments are reckoning with conservation’s colonial origins and trying to forge a path forward […] when the producers of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1 and Part 2 asked Sandi to help find the perfect coastal spot for filming when Covid struck and he had no idea whether the company would survive — “cinemas were the first to close and the last to reopen” — he took himself from the city to the beach house to isolate “Suddenly we had everything you could ever need to make you happy We had fresh fish and beaches and sunshine We had the life that most people dreamt of having.” the historic little coastal town halfway between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro had been mostly abandoned In the 17th century it had been a rich port a place in which slaves were shipped in and gold bullion shipped out When the gold ran out and pirate attacks increased land was so cheap they were able to buy a 30,000 sq m peninsula between the country’s fast-disappearing Atlantic forest and the ocean that Adamiu had his epiphany: not only did they live in one of the most beautiful parts of Brazil then other smart travellers would want to come and stay in it And if they got an architect to transform their old boathouse they could create one of the coolest beach houses on the Ilha Grande coast In 2020 he set about renovating the property and in 2021 he opened the beach home and its former boathouse Arriving at Bom Jardim on Adamiu’s speedboat it soon becomes clear why this little stretch of Brazil’s Costa Verde (Green Coast) has become the fashionable retreat for the country’s billionaires Protected from Atlantic swells by large islands out to sea reflecting the colour of the forests around wafting from the thick carpets of trees on the Serra da Bocaina mountains The cloudless skies are dotted with seabirds and tiny colourful sunbirds that dart between flowers And because most of the coast adjoins a protected marine reserve As my partner and I drifted in to dock on the little private jetty there was no one else in sight but a smiling waving housekeeper who had come to help us haul our bags up to our new home The jetty at Villa Bom JardimAs Adamiu had told us his Bom Jardim Loft is perfectly positioned for holidaymakers the double-storey stone structure is surrounded on three sides by forest and fronted by the sea Above the floating wooden jetty an outdoor table has been set for lunch and towels laid out on loungers for afternoon dips on the balcony fronting the master bedroom terracotta-tiled hacienda peeks out from behind a row of swaying palm trees and a long moon-shaped beach of creamy sand understood exactly how they wanted to transform the former boathouse Because of strict planning laws along the coast he opened up the double-storey stone and wood structure with walls of sheer glass with fold-back doors that allow the cooling forest and sea air to waft in I didn’t get to meet Adamiu’s seventy-something mother with its linen-clad wingback armchairs and sofas is a cart turned into a mobile bar on recycled bicycle wheels that was clearly made for parties Walls are adorned with jolly ceramic starfish and botanical prints And there are flashes of colour everywhere: on striped nautical cushions and jolly throws gold-painted Versace plates and animal-print Hermès cups exotic and Brazilian; the perfect hangout in which to live in a bikini and swan between breakfast and beach Because the Loft is never rented out when the main house is occupied (and vice versa you get the garden and beach and jungle all to yourself we suntanned alone on a long stretch of beach with a coolbox of drinks and snacks delivered and towels and ice replenished by the four staff who come with the house we hiked through giant hardwoods hundreds of years old amid butterflies the size of a hand and colourful birds that flitted in the green-tinged light that filtered through the leaves We came across the remnants of an old fort And along the way we discovered endless numbers of exotic plants there are 36 species classed as rare and 29 as endemic from those with lurid-coloured petals and striped leaves to others with insect-eating flowers and long a smart 25ft Orca and a 36ft Freeway speedboat One day we went out exploring uninhabited islands swimming with turtles in emerald-clear bays and picnicking in little coves The next day we went to see scallops being farmed by the passionate Gabriel Silva who is trying to popularise traditional fishing techniques and who cooked us delicious fat specimens on rocks using just a blowtorch and some lime A cobbled street in ParatyEKATERINA BELOVA/GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTOOn our last evening we were sped across to Paraty for a treat of red snapper caught that morning by Pico the Sicilian chef at the Adamius’ Pousado de Sandi hotel chatting to bohemian hippies selling handmade jewellery and drifting among the chic boutiques that have sprung up in this newly fashionable little town explore the old churches and mingle with locals whose ancestors might have been African slaves or native miners or Portuguese priests But wanting to make the most of our last night in our beach house we instead sped back across the inky water to watch the phosphorescence flickering in the little waves and turtles lifting up their pointy heads in the moonlit bay to listen to the otherworldly hoots and screeches of birds in this precious little tract of rainforest that he wants more people to experience — to feel the beauty of the natural world to help to protect the seas and traditional fishermen “The film world is full of billionaires,” he says straightforwardly If I can be a portal to bring the wealthy here and show them what they can do if they put their mind to it ● The most beautiful beaches in Brazil● Best things to do in Rio de Janeiro will partly finance the replumbing of Paraty Lisa Grainger was a guest of Joro Experiences which offers bespoke and sustainable two-week itineraries with a focus on wildlife and the natural beauty of Brazil (joroexperiences.com) Our travel journalism is written and edited by independent experts to inform inspire and advise our readers about the best choices for your holidays We also feature properties and itineraries from a specially selected list of trusted operators These buttons and adverts are clearly signposted and provide direct links through to external sites Uxua Casa HotelThree more Brazilian beachside retreats 1. Uxua Casa Hotel, TrancosoUxua is a boho boutique hotel that started out as the beach home of the former head of the Diesel fashion chain and morphed into a hotel whose aim is to create a sustainable way of living for a small community in the historic town of Trancoso but its 11 little wooden rooms — or casas — have become a fashionable hangout for high-profile travellers wanting to escape crowds and party in one of Brazil’s most beautiful little beach towns.Details B&B doubles from £344 (uxua.com) Pousada Tutabel2. Pousada Tutabel, TrancosoJust under a mile from Itapororoca beach this laid-back little wooden home is not fashionable or overly designed But its seven simple rooms and garden suites are a favourite with beach-lovers who come to walk down to the famous white crescents of Trancoso and swim in its pale turquoise waters Nearby is the Rio do Brasil Nature Reserve with balconies overlooking the jungly garden everything is sourced sustainability.Details B&B doubles from £322 (tutabel.com.br) ten-bedroom private property overlooking the clear green waters of the Costa Verde were constructed before the surrounding Unesco-protected Serra do Mar State Park was classified so it is one of the very few places to stay in the area surrounded by greenery and overlooking a protected two-mile stretch of beach this is a way to experience authentic Brazil: to visit communities and do yoga in sweet forest air by the sea.Details Full-board doubles from £308 (wearenature.com) Follow us on Instagram and Twitter COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER Police responsible for the town of Bom Jardim in the far northeastern state of Maranhão confirmed to AFP reports that Lidiane Leite had turned herself in Leite shot to local fame after her boyfriend but stepped aside amid corruption allegations then quickly became known more for showing off her high-rolling lifestyle than for helping the town of approximately 40,000 in the impoverished region Social media selfies and other shots of Leite showed her posing in tight tank tops low-cut dresses and heavy jewelery as she partied or vacationed The pictures included her drinking champagne and appearing in expensive cars earning her the tag in Brazilian media of “Mayor Showoff.” after prosecutors accused Leite of involvement in the embezzlement of town school funds Video on Globo news site showed her entering the police station in an unusually plain all-black outfit the school fraud and other corruption could involve a total of 15 million reais ($3.6 million) Beautiful image of the region of the sky around Antares We invite you to visit our campaign page to discover why we need your contributions now more than ever to preview an illustration from Guy Ottewell’s great book that we're helping finalize and to learn more about EarthSky’s history “Things are always so much more peaceful when looking up.” We couldn’t agree more we apologize for the popup and greatly appreciate your support For those desperate for a little shot of sunshine before winter sets in here are five new hotels by the sea – from two boho hotels in the Greek party island of Mykonos and a modern villa village in the coastal resort of Bodrum to a former boathouse in Brazil’s tropical Paraty and a sustainable bolthole in Bali An investigation by Repórter Brasil, winner of Public Eye's Investigation AwardReporting by André Campos Carolina Motoki and Bruna BronoskiPhotos: Ruy Sposati João Laet · Drone videos: Ruy Sposati November 2023Deutsch · Français the largest rivers in the Amazon Forest were affected by drought much more than usual resulting in the death of animals and threatening the survival of the local population a flood caused by a cyclone killed 50 people whose homes were swept away by the force of the water cities such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro hit extreme temperatures close to 40ºC – highly unusual for that time of year Scientists considered these extreme weather phenomena as consequences of climate change and predicted that they will become increasingly common in the country The agricultural sector is the main agent for climate change in Brazil not only due to emissions arising from arable farming or cattle-raising but also because of the deforestation required for the expansion of farm land after an extratropical cyclone in early September 2023 As one of the biggest agricultural commodities producers in the world Brazil has a public subsidy for rural insurance The Rural Insurance Premium Subsidy Program (PSR is the acronym in Brazil) allows farmers to share the policy cost with the government thus reducing their contribution to the contract Swiss Re is one of the 17 companies authorized to participate in the program the Brazilian branch of the global corporation also offers corporate insurance to various economic sectors Swiss Re signed at least 19 insurance policies for protecting crops or cattle-raising at farms where public authorities had found illegal deforestation and had imposed an environmental prohibition on the respective regions Brazilian legislation prohibits the planting of crops in areas subject to such a restriction with the goal of ensuring the regeneration of native vegetation Granting insurance for planting crops or raising animals in restricted areas is “Agribusiness contributes significantly more to climate change when it operates on deforested land As it becomes riskier to plant in some areas there is a greater demand for agricultural insurance which in Brazil is subsidized by the government farmers profit from deforestation and then socialize the losses – everyone pays for them,” criticizes Paulo Barreto a researcher at the Amazon Institute of People and the Environment (Imazon) gross emissions from deforestation in Brazil exceeded the total emissions of a country like Japan according to calculations by the Observatório do Clima – a coalition of Brazilian civil society organizations created to discuss and research climate change Extreme weather events are the main risk factor for subsidized insurance and this is a market that has been growing exponentially the number of subsidized policies jumped from 39,800 to 212,900 per year During its first decade of operation (2005-2015) almost half of the claims for insurance payments were caused by events such as drought (30 percent) or excessive rainfall (8 percent) The Brazilian Amazon River: Due to a severe drought in October 2023 a houseboat is stranded in the riverbed According to the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock adverse weather events have been observed with greater severity and frequency during the last three harvest seasons which were affected by prolonged periods of drought” there is much greater interest among producers in taking out insurance to protect their property “If the farmers affected hadn’t had insurance they would most likely not have paid off their financing it would also have been a problem for the government there was support for the agricultural sector,” concludes the president of the Rural Insurance commission of the National Federation of General Insurance (FenSeg) Repórter Brasil also identified farmers who had their crops grown inside indigenous land insured by Swiss Re Another customer of the company was a coffee farmer caught during a federal government inspection using slave labour in the grain harvest This investigation was based on data obtained from contracts receiving public subsidies where the Brazilian government pays part of the premium providing a substantial discount on the final cost of insurance to farmers The contract information is available to the public including the geographical coordinates of the insured properties Asked for a comment on these business practices Swiss Re only stated very generally that “we remain fully committed to its sustainability ambitions and targets and address sustainability risks throughout our business We use available information when evaluating a potential transaction We continue to update our own processes and analyses to reflect evolving ESG criteria and address new variables as they emerge and also to align with best governance practices.” The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock was also presented with all the issues investigated but said only that it “has no official knowledge of the reported cases.” The ministry added that by 2024 it expects to have implemented a system for monitoring subsidized policies the Swiss multinational ranked fourth among the insurers with the highest number of policies contracted within the Brazilian PSR The total area insured by the company in these contracts – 659,000 hectares – is equivalent to 16 percent of Switzerland’s territory almost the size of its biggest canton Grisons. Swiss Re aims to “make the world more resilient.” Operating in 25 countries the company reported a net income of USD 1.4 billion in the first six months of 2023 equivalent to the full-year result for 2021 the company emphasizes environmental commitments as one of its assets According to its 2022 sustainability report one of the key ambitions is to advance towards a greenhouse gas emissions neutrality framework – a goal the company plans to achieve by 2050 Swiss Re could have contributed to the end of the world’s most biologically rich savanna – the Brazilian Cerrado a region that has over 10,000 species of plants and which stretches across nearly 200 million hectares of Brazil This is one of the most threatened biomes in the country and the loss of its native vegetation also significantly contributes to climate change Grain warehouses owned by the Kumasaka family who have been planting illegal crops in areas banned by environmental inspectors Manto Verde farm insured by Swiss Re despite embargoes Soy is driving deforestation in the Cerrado The 17 insurance policies that Swiss Re provided for The 17 insurance policies that Swiss Re provided for soybean crops at Manto Verde Farm between 2016 and 2022 have geographic coordinates that precisely coincide with a 2400-hectare embargoed area inside the property The environmental prohibition was imposed because their owners deforested the Cerrado without authorization and planted crops in the area without permission federal government inspections identified violations at Manto Verde Farm including crops being grown in these areas The inspections resulted in fines totalling approximately $3 million USD the prohibition on Manto Verde Farm “resulted from an institutional dispute between environmental agencies” and stated that the farm is “in the process of legalization.” In May of this year a court decision suspended the legal measure while the farm sought environmental licensing for its activities the prohibition was still in effect when contracts with Swiss Re were signed Swiss Re made a transaction with the farmer Edvair José Manzan to insure a 547-hectare soybean plantation at São Francisco Farm in the municipality of Peixe an environmental prohibition had been placed on the property where authorities identified the illegal deforestation of 92 hectares Manzan claimed to Repórter Brasil that the crops were not grown in a embargoed area: “Only a part of the property was embargoed by the government The rest of the farm operates completely within the law.” cattle-rancher Jefferson Luiz Bazanella signed a contract with Swiss Re to insure 27 animals at Queda Livre Farm in Novo Progresso part of this farm had been embargoed six years earlier when an inspection identified illegal deforestation on the site Bazanella didn’t answer our e-mails asking for comment Deforestation in the Cerrado increased by 21% in the first half of 2023 The clearing of forest areas for livestock is the main cause of deforestation Agribusiness expansion is accelerating deforestation of the Brazilian Cerrado Cattle-ranching is the main driver of deforestation in the Amazon biome – a green area representing one-third of the world’s tropical forests and whose preservation is considered indispensable for achieving the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement Swiss Re pledges support for “the reforestation of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest” but there is no mention in the document of their business activities in the Cerrado or the Amazon The company also states that it does “not provide business support to activities that contribute to the conversion or degradation of ecologically sensitive areas and respects specifically protected areas including World Heritage Sites.” Both the Cerrado and the Amazon forest include fragments of land that are on Unesco’s WHS list the Amazon deforestation returned to 2008 levels as his government lifted many environmental rules and laws Recent data from the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) a Brazilian federal agency monitoring deforestation deforestation alerts in the Amazon fell by 33.6 percent in the first six months of 2023 But the deforestation of the Cerrado biome remains high: in the first six months of 2023 deforestation in the Cerrado increased by 21 percent Both Bazanella and soybean farmer Manzan invoked the insurance and received payments from Swiss Re A death of an animal in Bazanella’s herd led to a transferral of approximately $2,000 USD while soybean farmer Manzan received compensation of around $27,000 USD due to a drought an area of 56,000 hectares (a little smaller than Singapore) in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul was officially identified by the Brazilian government as part of the traditional territory of the Guarani and Kaiowá peoples According to the anthropological report that led to the decision the indigenous groups who lived there had been subjected to successive forced removals throughout the 20th century while their lands were occupied by farmers The report also identified dozens of rural producers who named Dourados-Amambaipeguá I Indigenous Land through legal action contesting this identification they avoided being removed from the location is also one of the five farmers accused of murdering the Kaiowá community member Clodiodi Aquileu Rodrigues de Souza a month after the government’s decision acknowledging the indigenous people’s rights to the area Mettifogo and four other farmers organized an attack on the indigenous area with the support of about 40 pickup trucks left six other community members hospitalized an indigenous man died after being attacked by farmers in an area that had been retaken by the Kaiowá people Mettifogo is among the clients of Swiss Re in Brazil when he was already a defendant in the homicide case – a still-pending trial – the company signed three insurance policies with him to financially protect his crops in the region against climate events such as drought or frost The geographical coordinates of one of these contracts overlap the indigenous land Other contracts signed with Mettifogo are for his Edurama Farm which is adjacent to Dourados-Amambaipeguá I and contiguous to another farm registered in his name inside the indigenous territory Repórter Brasil identified at least four other farmers who had their crops insured by Swiss Re within Dourados-Amambaipeguá I According to Marco Antônio Delfino de Almeida from the Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Dourados there is no legal impediment to granting insurance on this indigenous land as the process of final homologation of the area has not yet been completed After the identification of an indigenous land in anthropological reports there is still a long legal path to be followed subject to all kinds of potential interventions by landowners “Insuring plantations in conflict-ridden areas is not consistent with international legislative and corporate standards especially for institutions that commit to complying with Convention 169 and to following environmental social and corporate governance (ESG) principles” observes Almeida Mettifogo was contacted by Repórter Brasil and answered through his lawyer who stated that his client had “nothing to say” about the case Swiss Re itself states in its ESG Risk Framework that they “ do not support business activities that negatively impact local communities and the rights of specific groups of people prior and informed consent for indigenous peoples.” The Guarani and Kaiowá inhabit only a small part of the indigenous land of Dourados-Amambaipegua I Mato Grosso do Sul has Brazil's third largest indigenous population The Caarapó massacre was one of 24 attacks on indigenous communities in Mato Grosso do Sul identified by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office between 2000 and 2016 The nature of violence has characteristics that lead human rights experts to classify these acts as crimes against humanity is the state with the third-largest indigenous population in Brazil Many of them live in precarious conditions distributed in small areas demarcated by the government in the early 20th century regional coordinator of Indigenist Missionary Council (Cimi) an indigenous rights advocacy organization “It is absurd and immoral that banks and insurers are financing and covering these plantations,” he concludes Simão Kaiowa is one of the survivors of the attacks attributed to Virgílio Mettifogo He lives near Souza’s grave – buried where he was killed – and says that even today he carries a bullet lodged in his chest from the shots fired that day Simão travelled with Repórter Brasil on some of the roads that cross the region and showed farms located inside Dourados Amambaipeguá I registered in the name of Jorge Luiz Rolim the place where Rolim grows his crops is “Javoraikue” – a word that means “house of Javorai” in reference to a community prayer leader whose name was used to baptise the locality One of the survivors of the "Caarapó Massacre" Simão Kaiowá plants corn in a retaken area of the Dourados-Amambaipegua I Indigenous Land Rolim signed six insurance policies with Swiss Re for the planting of soybeans and corn in the area referring to another reference point for his people now occupied by the Camacho family’s farms who signed three contracts with Swiss Re between 2019 and 2022 “Our indigenous land is in the hands of farmers and they still want to receive agricultural insurance?” asks Simão Kaiowá who is fighting to take back the indigenous areas Two other cases of Swiss Re contracts with coordinates overlapping the indigenous land concerns the policies signed with Gilmar Frenhan between 2020 and 2022 at Santa Tereza Farm but Gilmar has had authorization to grow soybeans there since 2020 And the three contracts signed by the company with Lucilo Carlos Ciceri between 2017 and 2021 for insurance on Diamante Farm Simão is surprised when he discovers that the plantations in the area are covered by insurance: The farmers either didn’t answer our requests for comments or couldn’t be found by Repórter Brazil’s team an inspection by Brazilian authorities at Bom Jardim Farm in Minas Gerais state found that the producer was keeping 39 farmworkers in conditions analogous to slavery during the coffee harvest Inspectors also confirmed the use of child labour on the property Among the rescued workers were three 14-year-old adolescents Felipe signed a contract with Swiss Re to insure a coffee plantation on another of his properties the coffee grower again obtained insurance policies from Swiss Re this time for soybean cultivation on the same Bom Jardim Farm where the workers were rescued Swiss Re is subjected to the UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 which applies to any company with annual UK revenue exceeding £36 million It requires such companies to take measures to identify and mitigate modern slavery in their operations and business networks as well as to publish an annual statement reporting on these measures In its annual statement for the year 2020 – the same year as the rescue at Bom Jardim Farm – Swiss Re stated that violations of human rights forced labour and slavery are criteria outlined in its sustainability policies and that these crimes can lead to the exclusion of business partners in insurance transactions neither in this statement nor in any of its subsequent statements did the insurer mention specific risks and actions related to slave labour in Brazil only 21 of the 250 cases involving potential issues addressed by Swiss Re’s Environmental Social and Corporate Governance risk team resulted in contract terminations According to federal government inspectors responsible for the raid on Bom Jardim Farm the victims worked without employment contracts did not have access to clean drinking water and had inadequate provision of personal protective equipment The rescue took place during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and Brazilian authorities emphasized the absence of measures to prevent infection in the working environment Another issue identified was the lack of sanitary facilities in the working areas where men and women of various ages harvested coffee “The people were subjected to the embarrassment of having to relieve themselves while in the vegetation notes the inspection report, to which Repórter Brasil had access one of the activities insured by Swiss Re in Brazil such degrading work is one of the legal criteria that define ”modern slavery,” and this was the administrative measure with that Fuad Felipe was charged with federal government inspections have rescued more than 60,000 people from slavery-like working conditions in the country with the vast majority of cases (90 percent) involving rural workforce Felipe didn’t answer Repórter Brazil’s requests for comment The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) audits only 1 percent of the total number of subsidized agricultural insurance policies to scrutinize the information contained in the documents These properties are also inspected on-site but this did not prevent the signing of contracts in areas associated with negative social and environmental impact there are tools available today to avoid this overlap (of insurance in prohibited areas),” notes Paulo Barreto of Imazon He points to the possible use of satellite images in combination with public data on the boundaries of farms and protected areas within them “It would already be possible to analyze 100 percent of the contracts; there’s no need for sampling,” he adds Increased deforestation of native vegetation in the Brazilian Cerrado is linked to the expansion of grain monocultures and pastureland The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock confirms that the monitoring system that is now being tested – and expected to be available by 2024 – will cross-check many databases against social and environmental information as well as information on farms subject to environmental prohibitions and overlapping with indigenous land According to a regulation published in June 2022 by the Superintendence of Private Insurance – the federal agency of this sector in Brazil – the responsibility for verifying whether the business complies with expected socio-environmental parameters lies with the insurance company In its sustainability report from 2022 Swiss Re states that it activates its ESG Risk team to deal with potentially problematic cases This group can suspend a particular business just 21 out of the 250 cases brought before the team in 2022 resulted in contract terminations Approximately 17 percent of the total analyses conducted by this risk group in 2022 were based on human rights or environmental issues the document does not specify where or when these cases occurred concludes Merel van der Mark, the coordinator of the Forests & Finance Coalition an international platform that analyzes the financing received by agribusiness companies that could potentially cause socio-environmental damage Repórter Brazil is member of that platform Update 2025: Three new cases of the large-scale farms Janaína which Repórter Brasil describes in a follow-up investigation are examples of how Swiss Re continues to systematically neglect its due diligence – despite its own promises Repórter Brasil is a non-profit organization dedicated to investigative journalism on human rights and environmental issues Swiss NGO Public Eye offers a critical analysis of the impact that Switzerland has on economically disadvantaged countries Public Eye also demands the respect of human rights and of the environment throughout the world With a strong support of some 28,000 members Reports like this one are only possible thanks to the people who support us: with a donation Public Eye's Investigation Award has been granted to Repórter Brasil also received grant funding 2023 and was published in January 2024 Fernando MartinhoEnglish redaction: alphadocInfographics and web implementation: Fabian Lang February 17, 2016 Jason Iannone Seeing as how the most big-hearted politician's agenda can be derailed by their own roaring dumbassery common sense dictates that we citizens temper our expectations of our government overlords The best traits we can ask for are stuff like we're talking about normal public officials here There's also that special breed of government employee who's so unilaterally bugfuck that they don't simply wipe their asses with the social contract -- they make prolonged unflinching eye contact with you while they're doing so Lidiane Leite/Instagram Lidiane Leite's rags-to-stolen-riches story begins with a humble girl selling milk door-to-door in one of the poorest municipalities in Brazil The milk maid's boyfriend was barred from running for mayor (because of allegations of corruption) Mayor Milk Seller got right to work turning her poverty-stricken town into a thriving community reinvigorated with youth and more calcium than anyone could ask for TV Mirante Sao Luis "Anyone caught using soy milk will be executed on the spot." Right off the bat, Leite delegated the day-to-day work to her boyfriend (who legally couldn't be mayor after accusations of, again, corruption), moved four hours away to a much richer city called Sao Luis, and ordered her staff around via fucking WhatsApp Imagine how quickly we'd scream for impeachment if the president texted his way through a single cabinet meeting while living it up in Key West Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images News/Getty Images He can't even bare his toes without somebody giving him shit, remember A typical Leite work day involved hot parties braggadocious selfies showing off how rich she was and I don't care what people say about me." As far as inspirational political quotes go it's not quite "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," but it's a start Adopting the Kardashian lifestyle would be bad enough if the money was hers. But, of course, it wasn't Leite had stolen $4 million from her municipality -- which needed every penny of it She would do shit like invent fake companies and then steal the money to buy ridiculous amounts of eyeliner We're sure dirt-poor villages like Turi do Augusto BBC Blackboards and pencils just spoil the little brats anyway Finally, in August 2015, authorities issued a warrant for her arrest, presumably after studying Instagram for 10 seconds and concluding, "Come on, really?" After 39 days of being the most glamorous fugitive she could be, Leite turned herself in because who among us hasn't stolen millions from the poor and blown it all on caviar KOCO News 5 Some people don't go corrupt for the money -- they do it for the art. That's the only way to explain the alleged actions of former Luther, Oklahoma, Councilman James Richard Smith's actions which cost his city thousands and netted him just enough cash for a tank of gas noticed Luther had just received six brand-new tornado sirens and saw a chance to make some serious coin If he had just lifted them like a normal person he might well have actually made some money -- the sirens were worth thousands each while overseeing a group of prisoners cleaning up the city during a work program forced) three of them to strip all the aluminum and copper from the sirens That's like the shittiest Joker scheme ever KOCO News 5 At least when he tried to copyright fish the prisoners removed 62 pounds of aluminum and 92 pounds of copper which Smith took to a recycling center and sold for a hefty .. KFOR Newschannel 4 We're sure the tornadoes will take his generosity into consideration before blowing his house to Texas Smith's dummy scam was immediately discovered, since the destroyed sirens (which cost about 31,000 taxpayer bucks to repair) were still laying out in the open, right behind town hall. Also, junkers keep records, so the paper trail was easy to follow. But that's not the end of this story as Smith has since proven himself not just a shitty crook but a shitty wannabe mafioso Smith proceeded to run one eyewitness off the road while threatening to murder another So now he's got assault and death-threat charges to deal with all over scrap metal that didn't even pay him enough to buy Fallout 4 but this guy couldn't even light the match You know that Johnny Cash song "One Piece At A Time," where Cash scores himself a free car by stealing tiny part after tiny part over 20 years and then assembles it into a barely working glob of mismatched metal In 2011, Thomas Rica, former public works inspector of Ridgewood, New Jersey, decided that he needed some extra funds to supplement his meager public servant salary of $86,000. The Dickensian pauper quickly found his solution: the town's meter coin storage room Rica used a master key to gain unauthorized access to the room and made off with a fistful of quarters It went so well that he soon went back again Rica would snatch quarters and deposit them in his bank account using coin-counting machines to both cash in and avoid the suspicion that typically comes with dumping thousands of coins on a clerk's desk and saying North Jersey Record Sadly don't expect "but someone might steal the money!" to work on the meter maid ticketing your car Rica had not-earned over $460,000 in quarters The fact that two years' worth of workers didn't produce a single person capable of realizing and presumably the judge took an entire town's elephant-sized blind spot into account when sentencing Rica to zero jail time He simply has to pay back every cent he stole over five years (hand-rolled Some people adopt roads. Others just outright steal them, like Russian prison chief Alexander Protopopov. In 2014, Protopopov was running a northern Russian prison system when he observed a 30-mile highway and saw ruble signs Apparently concluding that Putin and his goons were too far away to notice that a fucking road disappeared Protopopov ordered his prisoners to remove all 7,000 slabs of concrete that made up the road They were rewarded for their hard work by rotting in their cells while Protopopov sold the cement to a business partner for a hefty profit That partner then turned around and sold the slabs again who's out roughly 6 million rubles (around 77,000 Cold War-winner bucks) in damages Imenno Given's Russia's reputation for stellar roadwork expect them to shell out the money sometime in 2125 somebody noticed the dark chasm where a road used to be and a quick investigation zeroed in on Protopopov who was promptly arrested and charged with embezzling state property Since he couldn't just deny the allegations with, "Nuh-uh, there's a road there; you didn't look hard enough," Protopopov went all-in with perhaps the most Russian defense of all time: It's the People's Road several random hooligans attempted to steal roads in the past but were never punished because no one (including the state) could claim definitive ownership anyone can steal a highway and do whatever they want with it We're going to assume Russia will respond with even stronger logic: guns Anne Broache / CNET but the military frowns on its soldiers stealing expensive equipment and selling it online to anonymous buyers who might be spooning with ISIS Take Douglas Rubsam an ex-Marine who lifted hundreds of restricted munitions from his base and sold them on eBay like they were old shirts His most popular item was light interference filters which protect night vision goggles from getting lasered to smithereens LIFs are apparently the new Tickle Me Elmo as Rubsam sold over 200 of them for what we're sure was a good gob of money While he claims he simply found them near a dumpster and took them home legally the fact that he illegally made over 40 sales to China and Russia -- frenemies who might be a tad interested in how American military tech works -- probably means he's off the sergeant's Christmas card list for a long time Arms List "You better hope Santa gets you a crowbar Then there are the three Colorado soldiers who allegedly stole $500,000 worth of military gear from Fort Carson and sold it all on eBay The stash included a fucking urban robot worth almost 200 grand .. which we're sure was great for its self-esteem These aren't isolated incidents, either; they're just the ones who have been caught undercover government agents bought back night vision goggles and ready-to-eat meals for civilians too lazy to even go to McDonald's Anne Broache / CNET Or dudes ready to take their peeping tom game to the next level such as scores of clip-on night vision devices for budgets of all shapes and sizes eBay eBay "Financing not an option because we'll need all the bail money we can get Of course, not all of this stuff comes from wayward soldiers breaking into secure storage areas or rummaging through top-secret dumpsters. Actually, a huge chunk of this crap comes from a failed, $750 million program called RCOS/Keyhole which hoped to develop tools to help soldiers detect bombs but instead did nothing but help budding entrepreneurs start a super-shady side business nobody gave enough of a shit to properly guard the gear making grand theft from the military both easy and inviting So the next time you want to sell a $15,000 night vision scope who wants his shit back and your ass as interest In 1989, the United States Treasury tapped printing engineer Robert Schmitt Jr. for their "Threaded Currency Paper Project," in which new threads would be sewn into $100 bills to make them harder to counterfeit But since the bills weren't woven out of neutron stars And it took until only 1994 for Schmitt to finally realize "Nobody ever suspects the butler!" He twice gained access to a special vault When a man barely scrapes by on $67,000 per year in 1990s money United States Government "$1.7 million stolen is $1.7 million earned." He also used $685,000 to purchase four houses including a waterfront estate for $400,000 People making $67,000 a year buy four expensive homes all the time Natalia Bratslavsky/iStock/Getty Images "Just cut back on Domino's for a month and any of you could do the same." But it's always the one detail you neglect that comes back to fuck you in the ass -- in Schmitt's case he didn't realize that banks deal with tons of smurfing so they typically investigate and report deposits slightly under $10,000 the IRS rudely invited themselves over for dinner at his place they confiscated the $650,000 he still had tucked away in his car With the jig completely up, Schmitt surrendered and took responsibility for everything. And by that, we mean he blamed drugs and a bad drug reaction had prompted him to live like a Robin Leach outtake Wavebreakmedia Ltd/Wavebreak Media/Getty Images Side effects include headaches The judge obviously knew this was bullshit, and locked him up for just over two years though -- Schmitt could've gotten 20 years Jason would like everybody reading this to give him a quarter. He promises to reward you with selfies of him partying it up while wearing his brand-new night vision goggles. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter Be sure to check out 5 Shockingly Crazy Judges Who Presided Over Modern Courts and 5 Certifiably Insane Politicians People Still Voted For Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and check out The 10 Biggest Lies From The Democratic Debate and watch other videos you won't see on the site Also, follow us on Facebook which is still less insane than these people Brazilian authorities this year have rescued 523 victims of slavery-like working conditions in the whole country The information was disclosed this week to Agência Brasil by the Ministry of Labor and Employment According to the Labor Prosecution Office (MPT) 32 workers from the sugar cane production chain were found in this condition The workers' accommodations were in "terrible conditions of hygiene and comfort," as detailed by MPT bathrooms in precarious conditions of hygiene and exposed electrical installations," the office reported The current Brazilian legislation classifies as slave labor any forced activity—when the person is prevented from leaving his or her place of work—performed under degrading conditions or exhausting working hours Also subject to complaint is any case in which the employee is constantly and ostentatiously watched by his or her employer A report written by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration points out that around 28 million people worldwide were victims of forced labor in 2021 Most cases (86%) occur in the private sector and almost one in eight people who were subjected to this type of violation is a child (3.3 million) The Labor Prosecution Office has a channel available on its website for registering complaints of crimes that violate workers' rights Subscribe to our English language newsletter and keep up-to-date with the most important news from Brazil All materials contained in this page may not be reproduced in any media without the prior written permission of Folhapress Home Estado já registrou ao menos três nevascas históricas Santa Catarina é um estado que se destaca também por se um dos destinos mais procurados por aqueles que desejam fazer turismo de inverno > Saiba como receber notícias de Santa Catarina no WhatsApp A neve em Santa Catarina é um fenômeno que geralmente acontece levando felicidade a essas regiões e atraindo um grande número de turistas até esses locais Não são só a Serra ou no Planalto Sul Catarinense os únicos lugares onde o fenômeno da neve ocorre em Santa Catarina por incrível que pareça já nevou também em cidades do Oeste Catarinense Durante as décadas de 40 e 60 era normal várias cidades do Oeste Catarinense registrarem temperaturas abaixo de zero de acordo com os dados do Centro de Memória do Oeste Catarinense (CEOM) e da Defesa Civil do Estado Mas os principais eventos de queda de neve que fizeram história em nosso estado e a 2ª maior nevasca do nosso país e a maior do nosso estado Os moradores da cidade de Chapecó tiveram uma bela surpresa ao acordarem no 21 de agosto de 1965: ficaram surpresos ao verem de suas janelas cair uma neve bem fina A nevasca que surpreendeu os chapecoenses cobriu a cidade de neve tendo o Centro de Memória do Oeste Catarinense preservado registros desse momento único através de fotos e matérias de jornal da época > Relembre outros momentos de neve em Santa Catarina com fotos essa nevasca não chegou a causar prejuízos a cidade e as temperaturas sentidas naquele dia não eram tão intensas quanto as de uma geada forte Em 2013 voltou a nevar em Chapecó novamente só que dessa vez o fenômeno acabou sendo rápido e sem acúmulo diferente da nevasca histórica registrada em 1965 O dia 20 de julho de 1957 marcou para sempre a vida dos moradores da cidade de São Joaquim quando nevou ininterruptamente por 7 horas fazendo desse dia a maior nevasca que já ocorreu em Santa Catarina e a segunda maior do país ficando atrás apenas de uma ocorrida em Vacaria Em Vacaria a neve chegou a acumular uma camada de 2 metros de neve já em São Joaquim o acúmulo foi de 1,30 metros A neve que caiu foi em uma quantidade tão grande que após 15 dias ainda era possível ver gelo amontoado nos campos os pouco mais de 10 mil habitantes de São Joaquim enfrentaram dias difíceis em função de tanta neve que caiu > Conheça receitas deliciosas para encarar o frio em Santa Catarina várias casas ficaram com seus telhados destruídos criações foram dizimadas e até os acessos para São Joaquim ficaram bloqueados por alguns dias em virtude do excesso de neve que caiu durante os dias em que ficou isolada e com os acessos bloqueados três dias após a nevasca um avião da Força Aérea Brasileira carregado com roupas Apesar dos problemas causados pela nevasca de São Joaquim em 1957 o episódio também foi importante para fomentar o potencial turístico nas regiões da Serra e Planalto Sul Catarinenses o governo estadual passou a incentivar que cada vez mais pessoas viessem conhecer e visitar o Caminho das Neves contemplado com 9 cidades e onde o fenômeno da neve sempre costuma acontecer a nevasca foi o ponto de partida para que os municípios da regiam investissem mais em hotelaria em restaurantes e opções de lazer capazes de atrair um número maior de turistas > FOTOS: Serra de Santa Catarina registra temperaturas negativas e formação de sincelo Em termos estatísticos, 2013 foi o ano que mais nevou no Estado, sendo que 113 municípios registraram ocorrência de neve e 35 municípios registraram ocorrências de chuva congelada sendo assim o maior registro de abrangência e volume que já teve em Santa Catarina 2013 foi o ano em que chegou a nevar até no Morro do Cambirela Santa Catarina é o Estado brasileiro que mais registra ocorrência de neve isso se deve a influências que o estado recebe de massas de ar polares vindas da Antártida > Relembre: Vale do Itajaí amanheceu coberto de neve Bom Jardim da Serra Urubici e Lages são as localidades do Planalto Sul e da Serra Catarinenses onde costuma nevar mais e com mais frequência em SC Isso acontece porque nessas cidades há a combinação perfeita entre a umidade e o frio intenso dessas regiões criando condições perfeitas para cair neve é possível que acabe nevando também em outros pontos do estado caso se reúnam as condições climáticas favoráveis para quem isso ocorra quando nevou na região do Morro do Cambirela região da Grande Florianópolis e mais próxima do nível do mar a neve aconteceu em função da chegada de uma frente polar que incorreu na região nessa época fazendo as temperaturas baixarem para temperaturas entre 0 e 1ºC e cobrindo o Morro do Cambirela de neve A cidade de Urubici fica localizada na região da Serra Catarinense chegando a registrar temperaturas baixas ao longo do ano Urubici é uma das principais cidades catarinenses para se fazer turismo de inverno em função de suas lindas paisagens e as temperaturas baixas no inverno a Pedra Furada e a parte mais alta da Serra do Corvo Branco estão entre os principais pontos turísticos da região uma oportunidade perfeita para se ver belas paisagens naturais > Neve em Santa Catarina: saiba em quais cidades é possível ver o fenômeno Considerada uma das cidades mais frias do Brasil e com a maior altitude em Santa Catarina (pois está a 1.425 metros acima do nível do mar), Urupema é uma das cidades onde mais cai neve em Santa Catarina e atrai muitos turistas em virtude de suas belezas naturais e as baixas temperaturas O Morro das Torres e a Cascata que congela são 2 das principais atrações para serem curtidas pelos turistas com as temperaturas negativas durantes os meses de inverno Se você deseja ver neve em Santa Catarina precisa ir a São Joaquim São Joaquim é uma das cidades mais frias de Santa Catarina e do Brasil é bastante conhecido pelas “árvores que congelam” através de um sistema de gotejamento já no interior do município são frequentes as geadas em especial nos caminhos que levam em direção do Vale dos Caminhos das Neves Bastante procurada durante a época de turismo de inverno São Joaquim é uma cidade bastante acolhedora sendo ideal para aqueles que adoram praticar o enoturismo nas diversas vinícolas da região famosas pela produção de vinhos de altitude a praça João Ribeiro e a Igreja Matriz são outros potos turísticos que vale a pena conhecer em São Joaquim > Neve em Santa Catarina: quando acontece Impossível não lembrar de Bom Jardim da Serra quando o assunto é neve em Santa Catarina e turismo de inverno essa cidade é o cartão de visitas da Serra Catarinense para aqueles que vão para a Serra através de Lauro Müller e enfrente a estrada da Serra do Rio do Rastro Bom Jardim costuma registrar geadas constantes e ser um dos principais pontos do estado onde chega a nevar Esse município é bastante conhecido por suas belezas naturais como o Cânion das Laranjeiras e o mirante da Serra do Rio do Rastro que estão entre as atrações turísticas mais procuradas Conhecida pela Festa Nacional do Pinhão, Lages está localizada na região serrana de Santa Catarina e Dona de um forte turismo rural e com sua culinária e hospitalidade bem marcantes onde não costuma ser tão frequente nevar quanto nas demais cidades da Serra e Planalto Sul Catarinense sendo mais comum a ocorrência de fenômenos como o sincelo (chuva congelada) e as geadas Entre os principais pontos turísticos da cidade podemos citar a Catedral Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres e o Parque Jonas Ramos além de diversas estruturas em pontos mais altos que são perfeitas para se tirar belas fotos Veja dicas de como trafegar em caso de pista congelada Relembre: Neve é registrada em pelo menos 107 cidades de Santa Catarina Neve em Santa Catarina: saiba em quais cidades é possível ver o fenômeno Relembre a neve em Santa Catarina com fotos Neve em Minas Gerais? Entenda o fenômeno que mudou a paisagem de cidades mineiras Era dia e pessoas passavam enquanto pelo menos três homens espancavam Dandara dos Santos A violência vivida ao longo de toda uma vida chegou As cenas foram registradas em vídeo pelos próprios algozes que ganharam as redes sociais um mês depois do fato foram interrompidas antes do ato final da sessão de tortura: os tiros disparados contra Dandara o motivo do assassinato é gritado pelos homens que zombam de sua condição e demonstram intolerância A causa foi posteriormente confirmada pela polícia cearense O caso ilustra tantos outros que ocorrem no Brasil De acordo com a Associação Nacional de Travestis e Transexuais (Antra) apenas em 2017 foram contabilizados 179 assassinatos de travestis ou transexuais os assassinatos foram contra pessoas do gênero feminino Os dados são detalhados no Mapa dos Assassinatos de Travestis e Transexuais no Brasil em 2017 A secretária de Articulação Política da Antra e autora do estudo disse que a violência está atrelada não ao exercício da sexualidade “A gente diz que o machismo é a sementre do ódio e do preconceito É como se os corpos dessas pessoas que desafiam as normas tivessem que ser expurgados da sociedade O relatório destaca que o número de assassinatos em 2017 é o maior registrado nos últimos 10 anos Apenas entre 2016 e 2017 houve um aumento de 15% de casos notificados A organização aponta que a situação mantém o Brasil no posto de país onde mais são assassinados travestis e transexuais no mundo A comparação é feita tendo como base os dados da ONG Internacional Transgender Europe (TGEU) o Nordeste é a região que concentra o maior número de mortes Minas Gerais é o estado que mais mata a população trans 20 pessoas trans foram mortas em decorrência do preconceito contra sua identidade de gênero Espírito Santo e Tocantins registraram sete mortes cada um Cinco pessoas trans foram assassinadas no Amazonas Rio Grande do Sul e também em Santa Catarina Mato Grosso do Sul e Sergipe somam duas mortes cada A maior parte das vítimas da violência transfóbica possui características semelhantes não foi possível identificar a idade de 68 pessoas Pessoas que foram assassinadas entre os 30 e 39 anos representam 23% do total os dados confirmam a baixa expectativa de vida da população trans a Antra aponta que ela é de cerca de 35 anos ser travesti e transexual é estar diretamente exposta à violência desde muito jovem depois na segunda instituição social que é a escola que forma pessoas preconceituosas que vão reproduzir esse preconceito na sociedade em geral” “80% dos casos foram identificadas como pessoas negras e pardas ratificando o triste dado dos assassinatos da juventude negra no Brasil” como não é seguro ser mulher e negro no país” Daí também o fato de 55% dos crimes terem ocorrido nas ruas em um país que ainda não existe uma lei que regulamente a prostituição que sofre um processo de criminalização e é constantemente desqualificada por valores sociais pautados em dogmas religiosos que querem manter o controle dos seus corpos e do que fazemos com eles” Ao adentrar a história desses assassinatos a Antra detalhou também os tipos de agressões praticadas identificar o instrumento utilizado no ato criminoso em 52% as mortes foram cometidas com o uso de armas de fogo; em 18% por arma branca e houve associação de mais de um tipo de arma “A associação mais comum é com a agressão física 85% dos casos os assassinatos foram apresentados com requintes de crueldade como uso excessivo de violência afogamentos e outras formas brutais de violência Onde vemos notícias de corpos gravemente mutilados tendo objetos introduzidos no ânus das vítimas tendo seus corpos incendiados e jogadas de viadutos” Para expurgar toda e qualquer possibilidade de existência e também de humanidade” a impunidade também é uma marca presente nesses crimes foram encontradas notícias de apenas 18 casos em que os suspeitos foram presos o que representa pouco menos de 10% do total A autora do relatório aponta que, por não existirem dados oficiais sobre a violência contra a população trans no Brasil, o levantamento anual é feito a partir de pesquisa em matérias de jornais e informações que circulam na internet, bem como de relatos que são enviados para a organização. A coleta é diária e manual. Ao longo desse trabalho, as informações são inseridas em um mapa virtual local da morte e o que mais estiver disponível a inclusão na lista de sete mortes que não puderam ser tipificadas como assassinatos bem como aquelas que ocorreram no exterior O relatório também não incluiu o número de suicídios por não serem necessariamente derivados da condição de gênero embora as organizações que reúnem pessoas trans apontem o alto índice de suicídios decorrentes do preconceito violências e outras dificuldades que marcam a vida de travestis e transexuais uma política de respeito ao uso do nome social pela polícia nos boletins de ocorrência o Grupo Gay da Bahia (GGB) já fazia esse mapeamento foi lançado levantamento do grupo sobre a morte de lésbicas travestis e transexuais (LGBTs) foram mortos em crimes motivados por homofobia O relatório apontou a ocorrência de 445 mortes Nolita Roastery celebra o Dia Mundial do Café com uma programação especial para os amantes da bebida haverá sessões gratuitas de torra e degustação (às 12h além de uma edição especial do Coffee Experience um tour guiado pelo fascinante caminho do grão à xícara clientes que realizarem compras no local também serão presenteados com mudas de café reforçando o vínculo entre origem e consumo A ocasião marca ainda o lançamento de um novo café da casa: o microlote Monthal café de pontuação 85 cultivado na Fazenda Goiabal que está há quatro gerações dedicada à produção de cafés especiais o grão se destaca pelas notas sensoriais de banana passa Inspirado em uma das maiores roasteries do mundo o Nolita Roastery ocupa 3.500m² e oferece uma verdadeira imersão gastronômica e sensorial no universo do café Serviço: Coffee Experience – Tour de Café – Do grão à xícara Data: 14 de abril Horário: 17h / Nolita Roastery – New York City Center / Informações & Reservas (21) 99512.5044 ou https://www.nolitaroastery.com.br / @nolitanyroastery Open in Spotify Aqui você encontra dicas culturais na cidade do Rio de Janeiro Entre em contato através do contato@rotacult.com.br o craque é um dos grandes destaques do elenco e também o responsável por ajudar o clube a conquistar os seus objetivos Léo Jardim deseja um bom contrato que seja compatível com sua importância no clube e além disso demonstre a valorização salarial que ele merece “Essa parte eu deixo para o meu empresário O que eu posso dizer é que eu tenho o desejo muito grande de ficar” reforçou que agora a decisão está nas mãos do Vasco: “Isso já foi passado para o clube e para a minha gestão também Estou esperando as coisas se resolverem” “Eles já sabem da minha posição e eu confio muito no trabalho deles para conseguir resolver da melhor maneira Acredito que as coisas vão ter um desfecho positivo mas o meu objetivo e foco é dentro de campo Trabalhar o mais forte possível para poder estar aqui e ajudar o Vasco sempre que precisar de mim” Léo Jardim comentou desejo de ficar no Vasco e espera que a renovação tenha um desfecho positivo Contrato dele se encerra no fim de 2025 e o Cruzmaltino corre para fechar um acordo antes do meio do ano o nome de Léo Jardim estava sendo circulado no Cruzeiro o clube de Minas disse que não estava a procura de goleiro e que tudo era um mal-entendido Copyright © 2006 - 2025 O TV Foco é um parceiro do Portal Metrópoles