18 April 2025 --- AMG Critical Materials N.V EURONEXT AMSTERDAM: "AMG") announces that AMG Lithium BV has signed an exclusive agreement with Grupo Lagoa to become the first producer of spodumene concentrate in Portugal with an initial capacity of 8,000–9,000 tons per annum by the first half of 2027 This exclusive agreement builds upon the positive results from our joint pre-engineering efforts since the first announcement of our partnership on August 17 The capital expenditures of approximately 10 million Euros for this commercially sized pilot plant will be provided by AMG in the form of a loan to Grupo Lagoa AMG secures accelerated access to local production of spodumene in Europe to supply its lithium refinery in Germany The supply from the pilot plant will be based on market prices this agreement contains terms for the delivery of ore from Grupo Lagoa should AMG Lithium devise to build an industrial size spodumene plant at the Lagoa mine This partnership presents a unique opportunity for both parties as we can significantly leverage AMG’s engineering and operating experience in Brazil due to the similarities of our mine and operations there Grupo Lagoa operates a pegmatite mine supplying the Portuguese ceramic and glass industry since 1984 the process will allow for the continued supply of ceramic and glass materials to local customers very competitive production costs for both feldspar and lithium and a limited impact on the local environment and communities President of AMG Brazil and Managing Director of AMG Lithium BV “Our partnership with Grupo Lagoa is a very significant step in establishing a European spodumene production base building upon longstanding local experience and existing infrastructure Producing spodumene concentrate and further processing it locally in both Brazil and Europe to supply our battery-grade lithium hydroxide plant in Bitterfeld Germany is a key part of AMG Lithium’s overall integration strategy.” AMG's mission is to provide critical materials and related process technologies to advance a less carbon-intensive world AMG is focused on the production and development of energy storage materials such as lithium AMG's products include highly engineered systems to reduce CO2 in aerospace engines as well as critical materials addressing CO2 reduction in a variety of other end use markets AMG’s Lithium segment spans the lithium value chain reducing the CO2 footprint of both suppliers and customers AMG’s Vanadium segment is the world’s market leader in recycling vanadium from oil refining residues AMG’s Technologies segment is the established world market leader in advanced metallurgy and provides equipment engineering to the aerospace engine sector globally It serves as the engineering home for the Company’s fast-growing LIVA batteries NewMOX SAS formed to span the nuclear fuel market and spans AMG’s mineral processing operations in graphite With approximately 3,600 employees, AMG operates globally with production facilities in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, China, Mexico, Brazil, India, and Sri Lanka, and has sales and customer service offices in Japan (www.amg-nv.com) For further information, please contact:AMG Critical Materials N.V.        +1 610 975 4979Michele Fischermfischer@amg-nv.com Certain statements in this press release are not historical facts and are “forward looking” Forward looking statements include statements concerning AMG’s plans plans and intentions relating to acquisitions AMG’s competitive strengths and weaknesses plans or goals relating to forecasted production financial position and future operations and development AMG’s business strategy and the trends AMG anticipates in the industries and the political and legal environment in which it operates and other information that is not historical information the words “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “should,” and similar expressions are intended to identify 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Industry Market Size Copyright © ChemAnalyst - 2020 | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy Your Ads Privacy ChoicesIMDb Read today's Portuguese stories delivered to your email On Tuesday 11th March, the Algarve Archaeological Association (AAA) will be presenting two lectures by Archaeologist Dra Lucy Shaw Evangelista.  The first lecture will be at 2.30pm at the Museu do Traje in São Bras de Alportel the second lecture will be at 6pm at the Convento de São José in Lagoa In this presentation, Archaeologist and Bioanthropologist Dra Lucy Shaw Evangelista will be talking to us about The Quinta dos Poços site, located in the municipality of Lagoa. The site was the focus of an archaeological investigation carried out by ERA Arqueologia during the development of a golf course by the Pestana Group which AAA members visited in 2023 non-technical exploration of the discoveries made at the site and their significance in understanding the prehistoric past of the region Through the combination of archaeological monitoring shedding light on burial practices from over 5,000 years ago One of these tombs dates to the 3rd millennium BCE while the remaining three are attributed to the Middle Neolithic (4th millennium BCE) Lucy will take us through a number of stages the discovery and excavation process describing how these ancient tombs were uncovered and recorded She will describe the tomb architecture and burial customs explaining what the structures and grave goods reveal about prehistoric beliefs Lucy will explain the scientific dating methods employed and the findings explaining how we determine the age of these burials and what they tell us about the past She will put the site in its regional context explaining how these discoveries fit into the broader picture of the prehistoric Algarve This session is designed for a general audience with an interest in history just a curiosity about the lives of those who walked this land thousands of years ago Dra Lucy Shaw Evangelista is an archaeologist and bioanthropologist currently serving as the Head of the Bioanthropology Department at ERA Arqueologia She is also a researcher at the Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS) at the University of Coimbra and an associated researcher at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour (ICArEHB) at the University of Algarve She earned her degree and Master’s in Prehistoric Archaeology from the University of Porto (2004) followed by a PhD in Physical Anthropology from the University of Coimbra (2018) Her research focuses on funerary practices and burial architectures among Late Prehistoric Iberian societies Lucy Evangelista has conducted extensive fieldwork across Portugal and Spain working in archaeological contexts spanning all chronological periods with particular expertise in prehistoric funerary rituals She has led investigations at numerous sites most notably the Peridigões Archaeological Enclosure in Reguengos de Monsaraz Tomb I and Death Management in the 3rd Millennium BC at the Perdigões Enclosure (Reguengos de Monsaraz Portugal): Understanding Mortuary Practices and Collective Burials in Chalcolithic Portugal Non-members are welcome to attend AAA lectures for a 5-euro admission fee, with all money raised by the AAA being used for archaeological grants and speakers. For more information contact info.algarvearqueo@gmail.com (please note this new email address) visit arquealgarve.weebly.com or Facebook 'Algarve Archaeological Association' Please check the website or Facebook page for any last-minute changes We appreciate that not everyone can afford to pay for our services but if you are able to we ask you to support The Portugal News by making a contribution – no matter how small You can change how much you give or cancel your contributions at any time Send us your comments or opinion on this article Reaching over 400,000 people a week with news about Portugal 'This land belongs to us' telegram Join our Telegram channel! telegram but he has been waiting for the area to be approved for more than 15 years which causes constant insecurity for him and his family Waiting for the demarcation of their lands there are countless communities that live in sub-human conditions They also suffer from the most diverse forms of prejudice and exploitation – in addition to frequent attacks and threats against those who decide to return to their lands of traditional occupation.  Next Monday (19/08), the federal government promises to inaugurate a new chapter in attempts to resolve this serious situation. Responding to a demand from Aty Guasu, representative organization of the Guarani Kaiowá and Guarani Ñandeva President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced a task force to accelerate the processes of demarcation of the Indigenous Lands (TIs) of these peoples in Mato Grosso do Sul.  the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples (MPI) stated that together with the National Foundation of Indigenous Peoples (Funai) it is qualifying the data requested by Lula and that it will begin work next week with the discussion of methodology and details of action.  The government measures come in response to an escalation of violence that began about a month ago against villages reoccupied by indigenous people in TI Panambi-Lagoa Rica measuring 12.196 hectares (one hectare corresponds more or less to a football field) Days before the president's promise, a federal government delegation visited the area Present were the Minister of Indigenous Peoples executive secretary of MPI; Marco Antonio Delfino de Almeida coordinator of the 6th Chamber of the Federal Public Ministry (MPF).  more than offering solidarity to the victims “There is an urgent need among the population for a short-term solution We are here as a representation of this government that is committed to moving forward with this demarcation process because it is an area that will not be affected by the Temporal Framework Law,” she stated.  Even though it was not applicable to the case, in 2015 the demarcation process was annulled by the Federal Court based on the ruralist thesis of the “time frame” (remember) a Federal Court injunction had already suspended the progress of the demarcation in favor of the Itaporã Rural Union to unlock this process that has been stopped due to a judicial impasse,” said Sonia.  the presence of the National Force and government representatives was unable to intimidate the camp of ruralists that gathered dozens of pickup trucks just 150 meters from the Yvyajere village “Do we need to die to have the right to what is ours?” The day before the delegation arrived, a Possession repossession action filed by one of the non-indigenous occupants of the TI was suspended by the TRF-3 but the situation remains tense and the indigenous people fear a new offensive ruralists carried out a “struggle” against the demarcations in Douradina since we were very young we ran away from firearms it's amazing how we still have to keep doing this Nona Mereciiana told the delegation that pots were offered in exchange for their land when the colonizers arrived [...] When we refused to leave the attacks began and continue to this day” The first attack on indigenous people in the Panambi-Lagoa Rica TI occurred in the early hours of July 13 and 14 as a reaction to an attempt to occupy one of the portions of the demarcated territory – the old village of Jaguay'guague According to reports from the Guarani Kaiowá the reoccupation was promptly repelled by rural producers who surrounded the indigenous people with cars and made them flee on foot threatening to return and destroy older villages “The farmer came here close to his neighbor and started shooting” three other villages were reoccupied by the indigenous people – Yvyajere Pikyxiyn and Kurupa'yty – and that the siege of the ruralists expanded Tekoha designates an area of ​​traditional occupation and means “ "place where the way of being takes place" in Guarani.  general coordinator at the Department of Mediation and Conciliation of Indigenous Land Conflicts at MPI said that the body was only able to act quickly because it had already installed a Crisis Office to monitor the situation of the Guarani Kaiowá in the state The body has been working to guarantee the safety of indigenous people in the attacked areas One of the actions was to pressure the Ministry of Justice for the National Force to be relocated to the area again as the operational ordinance had expired on July 10 Listening to indigenous people and on-site monitoring allowed the department to identify the modus operandi of the attacks and some of their main actors according to a preliminary analysis by the National Force and the PM it is an ammunition that It is not for use by the security forces of the Brazilian State What makes us aware is also about the formation of these militias in the countryside” Even with the presence of the National Force and monitoring of the situation by the authorities there was an even more violent attack on the indigenous people leaving at least ten people seriously injured both by rubber bullets and with lethal ammunition A young man was shot in the head and was hospitalized who is Funai's regional coordinator in Dourados the agency has visited the attacked communities daily and monitored the situation of the victims “The atmosphere from the beginning is quite tense,” she says the National Force's personnel increased from two to 20 vehicles The basic food baskets distributed by Funai and the state government are insufficient and indigenous people have faced racism and hostility when trying to buy food in nearby municipalities and are depending on donations Souza recalls that the area has already been recognized as a TI for more than ten years and that the community fears an even longer wait to have effective possession of the land: “They can't wait any longer”.  land is not just a physical space; it is a fundamental part of their ñandereko recalling his fight for recognition of the Guyraroká TI one of the greatest symbols of the attack on indigenous territorial rights in Brazil the report is in the hands of [STF minister] Gilmar Mendes but it looks like Gilmar Mendes threw it in the trash” because it will take a while for the demarcation of Guyraroká I'm 106 years old and I've been living here” The southern cone of Mato Grosso do Sul concentrates one of the largest indigenous populations in Brazil – around 65 thousand people from the Guarani Kaiowá and Guarani Ñandeva peoples in 26 ILs with demarcation processes that have begun but which have not advanced to the next stages there are 15 areas whose identification studies have not even been published It was in 2016 the last time that Funai recognized lands belonging to the Guarani Kaiowá and Guarani Ñandeva: the TIs Dourados Amambaipegua I, in Caarapó, and Ypo'i/Triunfo, in Paranhos. The last area approved by the Presidency of the Republic was the TI Arroio Korá But even in areas that have reached this last stage of the demarcation process indigenous people are often not in possession of their lands The efforts of various actors and institutions to advance the demarcations are not new: after intense mobilization of indigenous people in 2007 a Conduct Adjustment Commitment (CAC) was signed between the MPF and Funai to oblige the indigenous body to carry out the identification and delimitation studies of 12 areas until 2010 many indigenous people return small portions of their traditional territories who is fighting for the demarcation of the Laranjeira Ñanderu TI “This 'time frame' that came to me is a greater genocide We lived a peaceful life for more than 500 years then they come and make a law to destroy the people the only person who can control time is the deity Xiru Pa'i Kuara and that the impacts it will produce are not restricted to indigenous people “This 'time frame' harmed the entire country demarcation processes are already being affected by the “Temporal Framework Law” “This 'time frame' thesis generated much more insecurity This has greatly hampered the progress of the processes This started to affect the [Working Groups] GTs which have much more difficulty carrying out their studies,” she stated.  the thesis is now used to perpetuate the vulnerable situation experienced by the Guarani Kaiowá There are so many things that people need to live with dignity and no one sees them This is disrespectful to the rights of indigenous peoples There was never the necessary demarcation,” she criticizes her According to attorney Marco Antonio Delfino de Almeida the application of Law 14.701/2023 to demarcations is not appropriate once the processes were initiated and their reports were approved the new law should not be a reason to paralyze them “It’s a legal issue: the Constitution says that the law will not harm the acquired right the perfect legal act and the res judicata” There are 263 demarcation processes underway at Funai today (Learn more) The impact of these devices used to block demarcations is also one of the warnings raised in the note “Retroacting a new Law to demarcation processes that have already taken 10 20 and even 30 years to be finalized will constitute an unacceptable default by the Brazilian State with indigenous peoples who are under threat and in serious physical and social vulnerability” The lawyer of ISA Juliana de Paula Batista recalls that the application of the 'time frame' without further analysis may even disregard the history of violence and forced expulsions of original peoples expulsions were carried out by the State's own security forces in arbitrary collusion with non-indigenous occupants These forms of violence were prohibited by the Brazilian Constitution which prohibits the forced transfer of indigenous people from their lands and classifies territorial rights as original and imprescriptible" The region where the escalation of violence occurred is known by the Guarani Kaiowá as Ka'aguyrusu which in their language means “big forest” Today deforested and dominated by sugarcane the area is what the indigenous people call tekoha guasu and holds countless stories of expulsions and attempts at confinement on tiny portions of land Stories that are alive not only in the memory of the elderly but also in the memory of young people.  “Our grandparents were expelled from their territory and now the Kaiowá want it to be demarcated explains Ava Poty Ju about the recovery actions “It's been 20 years since they demarcated our territory The children who were there in 2005 have grown up today We ourselves are going to do the self-demarcation mentioning and translating a kotyhu song of his people which refers to the return of the Guarani Kaiowá to their tekoha: Ko yvy pray mba'e [This land is ours]Ko yvy nhande mba'e [This land belongs to us]Tupã xeru ome'e va'ekue  [This land was left by Tupã]Ko tekoha re xe avy'a  [In this territory I rejoice]Ambohyapu x mbaraka [Here I sing and make my rattle sound] when the government of Getúlio Vargas promoted a policy of encouraging the colonization of the Center-West the Ka'aguyrusu region was impacted by the creation of the National Agricultural Colony of Dourados (Cand) – which would pave the way for the founding of municipalities Douradina The areas traditionally occupied by the Guarani Kaiowá and Nhandeva were transformed into colony lots and ceded to non-indigenous people There was a group that went to the Panambizinho region a group that stayed here and a group that was always moving around and the moment came when it was no longer possible to move around” recalls indigenous researcher Kaiowá Puku* who is also originally from Ka'aguyrusu and has studied the region's history.  many indigenous people were still in their localities in various regions – including the region of Ivinhema Fátima do Sul and lived from hunting and fishing And there were already farmers at that time Many families were taken to the Dourados Indigenous Reserve Even though he is not originally from Ka'aguyrusu centenarian Tito Vilhalva also has memories of this process and the traditional occupation of the Guarani Kaiowá in the region: “I was born in 1920 the only way to drive was by horse and cart.”  remove and confine indigenous people from the vast areas they traditionally occupied in small reserves created by the state were sold and alienated as private properties to farmers and settlers whose possession was legitimized by property titles issued by the State itself.  leaders of the Panambi villages sought out the SPI to mediate conflict situations that occurred following the occupation of their lands by settlers the administration of the Agricultural Colony promised an area of ​​2.037 hectares to the Guarani Kaiowá communities in the region The transaction was never made official at a notary's office Among the documents that prove this history is a report sent by anthropologist Joana Fernandes to Funai in the 1980s although they had been reserved for indigenous people and physically demarcated by Funai in 1971 the 2.037 hectares were not in the possession of indigenous people and they were then confined to a small area of ​​the Agricultural Colony Um 1984 document from the 9th Regional Police Station of Funai proves that the agency was aware of the situation Funai and Incra officials report that the indigenous people were living on just 400 hectares and that the area then claimed coincided with 46 lots in the Colony “completely deforested and being mechanically cultivated every year” officials were already calling for the area to be regularized as a matter of urgency.  in the case of the Guarani Kaiowá in Panambi-Lagoa Rica even with the expulsions and the confinement process the community never moved away from their territory there is extensive documentation about this The demarcation process that took place in 1971 buried any claim that there was a possibility of a 'time frame' there They never left the constitutionally foreseen Indigenous Land” State agents were mainly responsible for the removal of indigenous people and the titling of their lands to private individuals which he classifies as a “historical error” within the concept of Transitional Justice the leadership of the Jety Jagua Guasu area recalled that the violations they suffered were not only documented at the time but personally witnessed by the indigenous people the way a human being should never be treated If I was going to show you our houses burning our fields being burned by farmers and that we only witnessed with the naked eye Today they are killing our brothers in the retakes The ceremony in which the Brazilian State once again apologized to the Guarani Kaiowá in Sucuriy for evictions and psychological violence between 1984 and 1987 took place on the same day that the Federal Court decided in favor of an action for the reintegration of possession against one of the retakes in the Panambi-Lagoa Rica TI this land is also part of the broad traditional territory of Ka'aguyrusu.  attorney Marco Antônio also connected the situations of the two lands remembering that the indigenous people never left that place and that their right to stay was systematically denied by the State itself “We have systematically gone to Douradina and listened to people who are there houses were burned because they were exactly in the places where the lots would be delimited so that this reparation can be made not only to this community but also to other communities that have suffered and are suffering this same violence”.  who is making a film about the history of Aty Guasu it is an injustice that indigenous people who fight to return to their territories are treated as invaders when their lands were invaded and expropriated in the past.  when the government sold it to the farmers the indigenous people didn't know Portuguese they were afraid of guns and they left for their territory It's not that we took it back from the people The return of Genito and his relatives to the retaking of Guaiviry took place in 2011 under the leadership of his father Nísio Gomes who was shot to death in an expulsion attempt that year The investigations led to the preventive arrest of people involved in the attack and the indictment of 19 of them for the death of the chief studies for the delimitation of the territory by Funai have not yet advanced – and the body of the prayer Nísio Gomes killed in the fight for the demarcation of his land Solidarity campaign for the Guarani and Kaiowá families of the Panambi-Lagoa Rica TI  Follow the organizations of the Guarani Kaiowá people on social media Aty Guasu Kuñangue Aty Guasu  Aty Young Resumption  The most relevant news for you to form your opinion on the socio-environmental agenda LAST ISSUE Lagoa residents will once again have extra discounts when paying the Municipal Property Tax (IMI) and the Municipal Tax on Onerous Property Transfers (IMT) The regulation, which will come into force from January 2025, provides for a reduction “between 25% and 2.78%, depending on the valuation of your properties, on the general IPTU rate of 0.36%, which is in force in the municipality of Lagoa”, announced the Lagoa Chamber “around 80% of people from Lagoa to pay IMI below the national minimum rate for those who reside or want to reside in the municipality which will be automatically applied in the next IMI settlement depending on the tax asset value of the property” properties with an asset value of up to 66,500 euros "will pay IMI at a rate of 0.27%" a rate lower than the national minimum rate of 0.30% the vast majority of people from Lagoa will have a reduction that will allow them to pay an effective tax rate of 0.29%” «properties valued up to 66,500 thousand euros will have a reduction in the IMI rate of 25% properties between 66,500 and 125,000 thousand euros will have a reduction of 19.44% properties between 125,000 and 200,000 thousand euros will have a reduction of 13 properties between €200,000 and €250,000 will have a reduction of 8.33% properties between €250,000 and €500.00 will have a reduction of 2.78% and properties worth more than 500,000 euros will not have any reduction “The application of this regulation benefits the middle class and those who need it most depending on their family and the asset value of their properties Contrary to what would happen if the IMI rate of 0.36% was reduced blindly and equally for everyone regardless of the property value of the properties” As part of its musical production plan for 2025 Ideias do Levante – Associação Cultural de Lagoa (Algarve) in partnership with the Municipality of Lagoa (Algarve) and with the support of the Parish of Nossa Senhora da Luz (Lagoa Algarve) will organise its first edition of the Lagoa New Year's Recital with the participation of Tiago Santos (clarinet) and Cristiana Silva at the Church of Carvoeiro (Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação) This event is the result of a partnership between the Municipality of Lagoa (Algarve) the Parish of Lagoa and Ideias do Levante - Associação Cultural de Lagoa with the aim of promoting the religious artistic heritage of the municipality of Lagoa and making it known/promoting religious spaces instruments and works by Portuguese and foreign composers This recital presents a diverse set of works that showcase the diversity of styles and atmospheres possible when combining clarinet and piano The program includes pieces ranging from classical repertoire to more contemporary melodies emphasizing the expressive interaction between the two instruments the audience is invited to appreciate the different emotions and soundscapes that arise from this musical partnership Remarks: There is a little parking area by the church and a few more around the church The concert is recommended for ages 6 and older and is limited to existing capacity It is necessary to make a reservation in advance using an online form at: https://www.ideiasdolevante.info/reservas For more information about the reservation and ticket process, please contact the Ideias do Levante secretariat on 282 380 053, from Monday to Friday (except holidays when it is closed), from 09:30 to 12:30 and from 14:30 to 17:30. Alternatively, the association has a "Helpdesk" section where you can obtain more information about the association and its activities, via https://www.ideiasdolevante.info/helpdesk the number 965017845 will be available from 14:00 for more information Please visit the following address for more information on how to support the association: https://www.ideiasdolevante.info/obrigado For more information on Ideias do Levante events, please visit: https://www.ideiasdolevante.info/eventos Riders vying for victory in the 51st Volta ao Algarve by bicycle will have their first test today the first to count after the cancellation of the opening stage After the commissioners' panel decided to cancel the first stage following a signalling error that led part of the peloton to miss the finish line in Lagos the times for the final overall race will start to be counted today on the 177.6 kilometre route starting from Lagoa The stage today is scheduled to start at 12 pm and includes five mountain climbs the last of which coincides with the finish line Lagoa Council has purchased the warehouse of the former Caves Dom Teodósio facilities the current “Alibaba” store and surrounding area to house the future Municipal Archives there This warehouse “will allow the municipal collection currently spread across several municipal buildings providing more efficient and organised management of municipal documents” According to Sul Informação, the rehabilitation of the area surrounding the warehouse also includes the creation of a parking area and a street bordering the current Rua General Humberto Delgado, with the consequent widening, "which will improve traffic circulation in this area", in the view of the City Council The same project includes the requalification of the area surrounding CEFLA and the Lagoa Municipal Pavilion where the construction of a square with a new two-storey car park is planned "which will contribute to resolving the historic lack of parking spaces in that area as well as the replacement of all existing infrastructure (water network public lighting network and telecommunications network)" This new car park will meet the growing demand for parking for users of the CEFLA (Lagoa Study and Training Centre) the Municipal Pavilion and the Municipal Swimming Pools as well as the various services installed in this area The existing sports complex will be moved to another area of ​​the city In the future, there are also plans to install a General Competence Court and IRN (Institute of Registries and Notaries) Room at CEFLA Lagoa Council is also “working on a solution to increase parking in the existing Parking Area next to the Municipal Swimming Pools” Lagoa is preparing to welcome Christmas from December 6th with a program that includes several shows “Lagoa Natal” is located in Largo do Auditorio Carlos do Carmo and runs until January 5th Sundays and holidays from 10am to 8pm (with a break for lunch between 1pm and 2pm) the target audience is the elderly population with moments of entertainment and socializing there is a show for the general population with music and interactive activities and on Sunday Lagoa City Hall has prepared a diverse program for all tastes including the 10th Edition of Living Statues the cultural association Ideias do Levante from Lagoa (Algarve) in partnership with the City Hall of Lagoa (Algarve) will organise the seventh Lagoa Easter Concert The concert will have the Dell'Acqua trio performing two recitals at the Centro Cultural Convento S The Dell'Acqua project is composed of Carla Pontes (Soprano, www.carlapontes.info), Grace Borgan (Transverse Flute, www.graceborgan.info) The musicians will perform several works be Pergolesi Bach and Mozart alluding to the Easter season The concert is expected to last around 60 minutes The repertoire to be presented in both performances will be the same The program will be announced from March 15 Both performances will take place at the Cultural Center of the Convent of S Please check the following address which contains the map with the location of the show venue: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Gs2E6BNjKoBQhFcK9 https://www.ideiasdolevante.info/reservas This production has the support of the following entities: Municipality of Lagoa It is one of the largest energy infrastructures in Brazil and it is contributing to the sustainable growth of South America’s entire economic and production sector A record-breaking plant has been built in the state of Piauí: the Lagoa dos Ventos facility consists of 230 wind turbines making it Enel Green Power’s largest wind farm worldwide The 1,063.05 MW facility can generate over 3.3 TWh per year thereby avoiding the emission of more than 1.6 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere EGP designed an innovative plant layout based on a high-resolution wind resource assessment to optimize the project’s energy output EGP used a variety of innovative tools and methods to build Lagoa dos Ventos such as proximity sensors on machinery to boost site safety as well as advanced digital platforms and software solutions to monitor and remotely support site activities and plant commissioning more accurate and reliable data collection thereby improving the quality of construction and facilitating communication between on-site and off-site teams The Algarveans have once again delivered a theatrical delight they’ve truly outdone themselves with their production of Blithe Spirit.  Having regularly impressed with their past performances—always staged with remarkable professionalism for an amateur theatre group—this latest offering stands as their best yet ensuring a well-paced and engaging performance that brought Noël Coward’s witty and supernatural comedy to life The cast delivered their roles with impeccable timing and energy making the most of Coward’s sparkling dialogue and ghostly mischief The chemistry between the actors kept the audience entertained throughout The staging and technical aspects were equally commendable and sound enhancing the otherworldly atmosphere creating a polished and immersive experience that would not be out of place in a professional setting It’s a pleasure to see The Algarveans continue to raise the bar If this production is any indication of what’s to come I eagerly anticipate their future performances Bravo to the entire cast and crew for a thoroughly entertaining evening Photo credits: GOR ROSI and www.AlgarvePictures.com a Balls & Strikes series about some of Donald Trump’s most unhinged judicial appointees whether in their legal opinions or their off-the-clock conduct have continued to push Trump’s agenda from the bench forming something of a life-tenured Originalism Caucus within the federal judiciary we’ll be checking in on these men and women now that they’ve gotten a chance to spread their wings during the Biden administration—and as they fight to be first in line for a Supreme promotion the next time Republicans control the White House Judge Barbara Lagoa was born in south Florida to parents who fled Cuba after the Cuban Revolution she attended Columbia Law School and worked at two different BigLaw firms She took a job in a federal prosecutor’s office in 2003 then got appointed to a state court of appeals by then-governor Jeb Bush in 2006 That Republican majority has rushed to support reactionary politicians and politics within their jurisdiction, and Lagoa has been on the bleeding edge of that push. Back in 2018, nearly two-thirds of Floridians voted to approve Amendment 4 which automatically restored voting rights to nearly all people convicted of felonies after they completed their sentence The Republican-controlled Florida Legislature countered by passing a law declaring that a sentence was only “complete” after affected people paid all their court costs While Lagoa was on the Florida Supreme Court she heard oral argument about the meaning of Amendment 4 and made very clear that she supported the legislature’s position citing “reams … of op-ed pieces and editorials” that agreed with it Set aside that Florida Times-Union editorials are not the law; Lagoa was letting everyone know what she thought disenfranchising a million people in the process held that the freaks who “practice” this “therapy” have a First Amendment right to perform this “treatment.” Lagoa joined this opinion without comment Late last year, in Adams v. School Board of St. Johns County, Lagoa took a more active role, writing an opinion for the entire Eleventh Circuit that upheld separate-but-equal bathrooms for trans students and implied that students claim to be trans to be bathroom predators She also took the unusual step of writing a concurrence to her own opinion—the judicial equivalent of a P.P.S on a yearbook signature—loudly warning that trans women playing in school sports could undermine Title IX of the Civil Rights Act Given that the case wasn’t about high school sports and that the plaintiff was a trans man it was a bizarre rant—one she probably had to confine to a concurrence because she couldn’t get any other judges to sign onto it And, just last month, Lagoa was on a three-judge panel upholding an Alabama law that, among other horrific things, banned gender-affirming care for trans teenagers, thus forcing them to go through puberty for the wrong gender—a result that experts say could entail severe mental health consequences A federal district court had granted a preliminary injunction blocking the law’s enforcement finding that it likely discriminated against transgender people and that parents have a constitutional right to make healthcare decisions for their children wrote the opinion throwing out that injunction writing that plaintiffs needed to prove that their rights were “deeply rooted in the Nation’s history and tradition”—a nod to Dobbs v the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v Because transgender people weren’t receiving hormone therapy in 1868 they didn’t have the right to receive it in 2023 It is the same strategy that Republican judges everywhere are using to hollow out civil rights: By characterizing the right the plaintiffs sought as narrowly as possible—as a constitutional right to gender-affirming care as opposed to a constitutional right to make decisions about your body—Lagoa shut the courthouse doors throwing the plaintiffs to the mercy of the Alabama legislature similar laws in Georgia and Florida will likely take effect soon knowing the right people almost always means knowing people in the Federalist Society And not only did Leonard Leo interview Lagoa for the Florida Supreme Court job the so-called “godfather of the Federalist Society in Miami.” an idea that even the Eleventh Circuit rejected Given Lagoa’s connections, it’s not surprising that she was on the very short list to take Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat in late 2020. Trump himself was fascinated by the idea and believed that appointing Lagoa his team was so worried he might pass over Amy Coney Barrett for Lagoa that they had to resort to extremes originally appointed Lagoa to a Florida state court That was enough; Lagoa never even never got a chance to interview for the job Still, Lagoa’s name keeps getting mentioned as a future Supreme Court nominee; shortly before nominating Barrett, Trump himself told a Lagoa supporter to “let her know she’s going to have her chance” down the road. She’s young, she’s full of hate, and she’s willing to ignore any putative limitations on her power. If Trump wins next year, he may well give her that chance. James LaRock is a practicing lawyer and recovering legal podcaster whose commentary has been featured in The Outline.  The views he expresses on this web site do not represent those of his employer. Deeply rooted in this nation's history and tradition The Vale da Pipa project, an initiative by Carvoeiro Branco to deliver 304 affordable homes in Lagoa has received overwhelming public interest.  With over 150 residents already registering their intent to secure homes the project has become a clear symbol of the urgent need for affordable housing in the region The project will feature a variety of housing options, including apartments ranging from 1 to 3 bedrooms, as well as 20 villas, ensuring diverse and flexible solutions for families of different sizes. While pre-sales, initially scheduled for December 15, have been temporarily postponed, Carvoeiro Branco emphasises that it has fully met all technical and regulatory requirements additional adjustments to infrastructure plans called attention to the importance of moving forward without further delay: “The strong interest from the community makes it clear: residents need these homes now We have done everything required to make this project a reality It is time to prioritise what truly matters to the people of Lagoa.” The project has already sparked significant engagement, with over 150 individuals and families eager to secure their homes. Carvoeiro Branco remains hopeful that the Urban Planning Department of the City Council of Lagoa will recognise the urgency of this initiative and take swift action to grant final approval The company stresses that no further delays should be expected and that the project’s timeline is now in the council’s hands Carvoeiro Branco invites all interested parties to continue submitting their expressions of interest so they can be added to the priority list for pre-sales the Vale da Pipa project will not only address the critical housing shortage but also foster economic growth by incorporating commercial spaces to support local businesses and entrepreneurs Carvoeiro Branco extends its gratitude to the Lagoa community for their patience and ongoing support during this process The company remains fully prepared to deliver on its commitment Real estate developers Carvoeiro Branco is awaiting approval from the Municipality of Lagoa to proceed with its most ambitious projects yet This significant milestone would allow them to deliver 304 affordable apartments and 20 individual plots.  After more than three years of meticulous planning and navigating a maze of bureaucratic requirements the developer has satisfied every condition set by the authorities “We have done everything that was asked of us,” stated Erik de Vlieger and fulfilled every demand from the authorities it’s time for Lagoa to step up and deliver on its commitment to affordable housing for its residents.” Carvoeiro Branco’s proposal goes beyond just another real estate project; it’s a dedicated mission to provide quality Unlike the high-end developments that often dominate the Algarve’s property market this project focuses on creating accessible housing for local families who are increasingly priced out of their own communities The initiative aims to directly address the urgent need for affordable living spaces contributing to the social and economic well-being of the region “We understand the pressures on local families trying to find housing amidst a market driven by tourism and luxury,” Erik de Vlieger emphasized “This project is about supporting our community and ensuring that residents of Lagoa have a place to call home.” Carvoeiro Branco is setting a clear and ambitious timeline the developer will begin accepting reservations exclusively for residents born in Lagoa or those currently living in the area assuming that the Municipality of Lagoa will grant final approval for the “Lotemento” before this date Erik de Vlieger emphasized: “On December 15 it’s a promise we are making to the community.” Carvoeiro Branco’s project will also include commercial spaces designed to attract local businesses and entrepreneurs These spaces will provide new opportunities for shops and small enterprises to thrive within the community Carvoeiro Branco is a leading real estate developer in the Algarve renowned for its commitment to quality and community-driven projects the company has completed a wide range of successful developments across the region While Carvoeiro Branco continues to balance both affordable housing and luxury tourism projects the current focus is on addressing the housing needs of local residents through affordable initiatives The repaving of several roads and streets in the municipality began in October with a total investment of around 850 thousand euros and the works will run until the end of the year The Municipality of Lagoa has started the repaving of several roads and streets, which are divided into three lots covering the Parish of Porches (lot 1), the Union of Parishes of Lagoa and Carvoeiro (Lot 2) and the Union of Parishes of Estômbar and Parchal, as well as the Parish of Ferragudo (lot 3). The works will focus mainly on urban roads, since they are already several years old, are degraded and need to be replaced. From Senhora da Rocha to downtown Ferragudo, there will be around two dozen roads and/or urbanizations that will benefit from improvements in terms of roads. Although the roads and streets to be affected are defined, there may be adjustments during the works. Lagoa City Hall is already preparing a new public tender to carry out more paving during 2025, representing an investment of around one and a half million euros. We appreciate that not everyone can afford to pay for our services but if you are able to, we ask you to support The Portugal News by making a contribution – no matter how small. You can change how much you give or cancel your contributions at any time. Send us your comments or opinion on this article. Reaching over 400,000 people a week with news about Portugal, written in English, Dutch, German, French, Swedish, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Romanian, Turkish and Chinese. Fáilte chuig gaa.ie - suíomh oifigiúil CLG Samuel Lagoa Blanco pictured before a match for St The chance discovery of Gaelic football has ultimately been life-changing for Samuel Lagoa Blanco but his Gaelic games journey began on the beaches of his native Fisterra in Galica It was there he first kicked a Gaelic football after being introduced to the sport by University friend who played for a GAA club in Santiago de Compostela one of 12 in Galicia where Gaelic games have put down strong roots and are growing vigorously Gaelic football was the sport he didn’t realise he had been looking for all his life He and his brother Tomás joined their friend’s club and dedicated themselves to becoming the best Gaelic footballers they could be says Lagoa Blanco of his first impression of Gaelic football soccer and I just found that Gaelic football was a nice mixture of different sports like rugby “It just felt like you could do whatever you wanted I can score goals and kick it over the bar the appeal of Gaelic football is that it's more than just a sporting outlet for Lagoa Blanco Genetic studies have discovered that a large proportion of the Irish population are likely descendants of migrants from the North West of Spain and to this day Galicians and Irish people share a similar celtic culture “In Galicia we have a lot of that Celtic connection,” says Lagoa Blanco “We are also pipers and we listen to a lot of Irish music When I was young the Chieftains came to play in the south of Galicia and they used to play with our own pipers We would also listen to the Wolfe Tones and Seán Ó Riada and all of those great musicians “So when we realised that there's a Gaelic sport as well we really bought into the sport A lot of people in Galicia are sick of soccer all the time and all the talk of Real Madrid and Barcelona and that sort of thing and we wanted to have a connection instread with Ireland and the GAA “That's why lots of people are happy to get rid of the soccer and start to play GAA.” Brothers Samuel and Tomás Lagoa Blanco pictured together before playing for Galicia Gaelic football has become so popular in such a relatively short period of time in Galicia that it is now part of the sporting curriculum in many schools where over the course of the last three years around 10,000 children have been coached how to play the game. “It’s growing all the time,” says Lagoa Blanco “At the moment we have around 12 clubs in the main cities in Galicia and some rural areas as well and we play a League and also go abroad to play “We have a project that is called Gaelico Escolas where we have coaches like myself when I lived in Galicia who go to the different primary and secondary schools and teach them the sport “We spend an hour or two per week going there and teaching them the skills and playing Gaelic football When they feel confident enough and they want to keep practicing the sport then they come to the clubs that we have already established “We also have school competitions where the schools play one another It's growing all the time and people are really interested in it in Galicia.” When Lagoa Blanco moved to Ireland in 2022 one of the very first things he did was to find out where the nearest GAA club to him was and join them “The first house I lived in was Corduff and the closest team to me was St Peregrines so I got in contact with them and from the very beginning they were absolutely amazing,” he says They helped me with anything that I needed in my personal life I only have beautiful words for all of the people that are involved with the club I've made a lot of friends and relationships here “I was a qualified teacher in Spain but didn’t have the required teaching qualifications for Ireland when I moved here One of my coaches is a deputy-principal in a local school and he helped with those and is the one who got me into the primary school system here the GAA has helped me a lot in a lot of aspects of my life and with my mentality in terms of how to be more resilient.” Samuel Lagoa Blanco pictured in action for St Patrick’s National School in Corduff where he struck up a friendship with fellow teacher and Mayo Gaelic footballer The two would go for regular kick-abouts in Abbottstown together as Lagoa Blanco made it his business to work on his skill-set as much as he possibly could It took him a little time initially to adapt to how Gaelic football is played here compared to Galicia “In Galicia we have a lot of influence from soccer so we are not as physical as they are here,” he says “When I came here and I started crashing into people and just finding it much more physical I realised that I have to change something here “I've improved a lot over the three years I started in Division 11 and last year I was able to play a few games with the intermediate team in Division 4 “I like to play full-forward and be a Bear in the Square!” Lagoa Blanco isn’t just an enthusiastic Gaelic footballer he has embraced all aspects of Irish culture through St Peregrines “I joined an Irish-speaking group in the community school and I go to a lot of Gaeltachts and Ceilís in the club I can play a few tunes on the tin-whistle and the pipes and sing a bit “I’m still learning with the Irish but I can have a basic conversation Now teaching in Castaheany Educate Together National School in Ongar where he also coaches Gaelic football Lagoa Blanco is making a great contribution to his local community on and off the pitch and loving life in Ireland “I'll hopefully stay here for the foreseeable future “At some stage in the long term it would be good to go back to Galicia and create my own Gaelic football team in the area that I'm from and live closer to my family as well “But for now I'm very happy in Ireland Kerry impress in Electric Ireland Munster MFC win over Cork13 hours ago Tipp beat Clare in Electric Ireland Munster MFC Phase 1 Final16 hours ago Referees named for Ulster and Leinster SFC Finals24 hours ago Kevin McStay expecting positive Mayo response1 days ago Official Sponsors of the GAA Football All-Ireland Championship Official Sponsors of the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Championship Study by 72 researchers from eight countries concludes that the Lagoa Santa people are descendants of Clovis culture migrants from North America Distinctly African features attributed to Luzia were wrong (images: André Strauss and Caroline Wilkinson) Distinctly African features attributed to Luzia were wrong By Peter Moon  |  Agência FAPESP – The history of the peopling of the Americas has just been interpreted afresh The largest and most comprehensive study ever conducted on the basis of fossil DNA extracted from ancient human remains found on the continent has confirmed the existence of a single ancestral population for all Amerindian ethnic groups Over 17,000 years ago this original contingent crossed the Bering Strait from Siberia to Alaska and began peopling the New World Fossil DNA shows an affinity between this migratory current and the populations of Siberia and northern China Contrary to the traditional theory it had no link to Africa or Australasia The new study also reveals that once they had settled in North America the descendants of this ancestral migratory flow diversified into two lineages some 16,000 years ago The members of one lineage crossed the Isthmus of Panama and peopled South America in three distinct consecutive waves The first wave occurred between 15,000 and 11,000 years ago The second took place at most 9,000 years ago There are fossil DNA records from both migrations throughout South America The third wave is much more recent but its influence is limited as it occurred 4,200 years ago An article on the study has just been published in the journal Cell a group of 72 researchers from eight countries affiliated with the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil and Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Germany the lineage that made the north-south journey between 16,000 and 15,000 years ago belonged to the Clovis culture named for a group of archeological sites excavated in the western US and dating from 13,500-11,000 years ago The Clovis culture was so named when flint spearheads were found in the 1930s at a dig in Clovis Clovis sites have been identified throughout the US In North America the Clovis people hunted Pleistocene megafauna such as giant sloth and mammoth With the decline of the megafauna and its extinction 11,000 years ago bands of hunter-gatherers had traveled south to explore new hunting grounds as evidenced by 9,400-year-old human fossil DNA found in Belize and analyzed in the new study Clovis hunter-gatherers crossed the Isthmus of Panama and spread into South America as evidenced by genetic records from burial sites in Brazil and Chile revealed now This genetic evidence corroborates well-known archeological finds such as the Monte Verde site in southern Chile where humans butchered mastodons 14,800 years ago the only burial site associated with Clovis tools is in Montana where the remains of a baby boy (Anzick-1) were found and dated to 12,600 years ago DNA extracted from these bones has links to DNA from skeletons of people who lived between 10,000 and 9,000 years ago in caves near Lagoa Santa the Lagoa Santa people were partial descendants of Clovis migrants from North America “From the genetic standpoint, the Lagoa Santa people are descendants of the first Amerindians,” said archeologist André Menezes Strauss who coordinated the Brazilian part of the study Strauss is affiliated with the University of São Paulo’s Museum of Archeology and Ethnology (MAE-USP) the members of this first lineage of South Americans left no identifiable descendants among today’s Amerindians,” he said “Some 9,000 years ago their DNA disappears completely from the fossil samples and is replaced by DNA from the first migratory wave All living Amerindians are descendants of this first wave We don’t yet know why the genetic stock of the Lagoa Santa people disappeared.”  One possible reason for the disappearance of DNA from the second migration is that it was diluted in the DNA of the Amerindians who are descendants of the first wave and cannot be identified by existing methods of genetic analysis According to Tábita Hünemeier a geneticist at the University of São Paulo’s Bioscience Institute (IB-USP) who took part in the research “one of the main results of the study was the identification of Luzia’s people as genetically related to the Clovis culture which dismantles the idea of two biological components and the possibility that there were two migrations to the Americas one with African traits and the other with Asian traits” “Luzia’s people must have resulted from a migratory wave originating in Beringia,” she said referring to the now-submerged Bering land bridge that joined Siberia to Alaska during the glaciations “The molecular data suggests population substitution in South America since 9,000 years ago Luzia’s people disappeared and were replaced by the Amerindians alive today although both had a common origin in Beringia,” Hünemeier said The Brazilian researchers’ contribution to the study was fundamental Among the 49 individuals from which fossil DNA was taken seven skeletons dated to between 10,100 and 9,100 years ago came from Lapa do Santo The seven skeletons, alongside dozens of others, were found and exhumed in successive archeological campaigns at the site, led initially by Walter Alves Neves, a physical anthropologist at IB-USP, and since 2011 by Strauss. The archeological campaigns led by Neves between 2002 and 2008 were funded by FAPESP Altogether the new study investigated fossil DNA from 49 individuals found at 15 archeological sites in Argentina (two sites 11 individuals dated to between 8,900 and 6,600 years ago) three individuals dated to between 9,400 and 7,300 years ago) 15 individuals dated to between 10,100 and 1,000 years ago) five individuals dated to between 11,100 and 540 years ago) and Peru (seven sites 15 individuals dated to between 10,100 and 730 years ago) The Brazilian skeletons come from the archeological sites Lapa do Santo (seven individuals dated to about 9,600 years ago) Jabuticabeira II in Santa Catarina State (a sambaqui or shell midden with five individuals dated to about 2,000 years ago) as well as from two river middens in the Ribeira Valley São Paulo State: Laranjal (two individuals dated to about 6,700 years ago) and Moraes (one individual dated to about 5,800 years ago) Paulo Antônio Dantas de Blasis, an archeologist affiliated with MAE-USP, led the dig at Jabuticabeira II, which was also supported by FAPESP through a Thematic Project The digs at the river midden sites in São Paulo State were led by Levy Figuti, also an archeologist at MAE-USP, and were also supported by FAPESP “The Moraes skeleton (5,800 years old) and the Laranjal skeleton (6,700 years old) are among the most ancient from the South and Southeast of Brazil,” Figuti said “These locations are strategically unique because they’re between the highlands of the Atlantic plateau and the coastal plain contributing significantly to our understanding of how the Southeast of Brazil was peopled.”  These skeletons were found between 2000 and 2005 From the start they presented a complex mixture of coastal and inland cultural traits and the results of their analysis generally varied except in the case of one skeleton diagnosed as Paleoindian (analysis of its DNA is not yet complete) “The study that’s just been published represents a major step forward in archeological research exponentially increasing what we knew until only a few years ago about the archeogenetics of the peopling of the Americas,” Figuti said Hünemeier has also recently made a significant contribution to the reconstruction of human history in South America using paleogenomics Not all the human remains found at some of the most ancient archeological sites in Central and South America belonged to genetic descendants of the Clovis culture The inhabitants of several sites did not have Clovis-associated DNA “This shows that besides its genetic contribution the second migration wave to South America may also have brought with it technological principles that would be expressed in the famous fishtail points that are found in many parts of South America,” Strauss said How many human migrations from Asia came to the Americas at the end of the Ice Age more than 16,000 years ago was hitherto unknown formulated in the 1980s by Neves and other researchers was that the first wave had African traits or traits similar to those of the Australian Aboriginals The well-known forensic facial reconstruction of Luzia was performed in accordance with this theory Luzia is the name given to the fossil skull of a woman who lived in the Lagoa Santa region 12,500 years ago and is sometimes referred to as the “first Brazilian” The bust of Luzia with African features was built on the basis of the skull’s morphology by British anatomical artist Richard Neave in the 1990s skull shape isn’t a reliable marker of ancestrality or geographic origin Genetics is the best basis for this type of inference,” Strauss explained “The genetic results of the new study show categorically that there was no significant connection between the Lagoa Santa people and groups from Africa or Australia So the hypothesis that Luzia’s people derived from a migratory wave prior to the ancestors of today’s Amerindians has been disproved the DNA shows that Luzia’s people were entirely Amerindian.”  A new bust has replaced Luzia in the Brazilian scientific pantheon a forensic anthropologist at Liverpool John Moores University in the UK and a disciple of Neave has produced a facial reconstruction of one of the individuals exhumed at Lapa do Santo The reconstruction was based on a retrodeformed digital model of the skull “Accustomed as we are to the traditional facial reconstruction of Luzia with strongly African features this new facial reconstruction reflects the physiognomy of the first inhabitants of Brazil far more accurately displaying the generalized and indistinct features from which the great Amerindian diversity was established over thousands of years,” Strauss said also presents the first genetic data on Brazilian coastal sambaquis “These monumental shell mounds were built some 2,000 years ago by populous societies that lived on the coast of Brazil Analysis of fossil DNA from shell mound burials in Santa Catarina and São Paulo shows these groups were genetically akin to the Amerindians alive today in the South of Brazil DNA extraction from fossils is technically very challenging especially if the material was found at a site with a tropical climate For almost two decades extreme fragmentation and significant contamination prevented different research groups from successfully extracting genetic material from the bones found at Lagoa Santa This has now been done thanks to methodological advances developed by the Max Planck Institute “Construction of Brazil’s first archeogenetic laboratory is scheduled to begin in 2019 thanks to a partnership between the University of São Paulo’s Museum of Archeology and Ethnology (MAE) and its Bioscience Institute (IB) with funding from FAPESP it will give a new thrust to research on the peopling of South America and Brazil,” Strauss said “To some extent this study not only changes what we know about how the region was peopled but also changes considerably how we study human skeletal remains,” Figuti said Human remains were first found in Lagoa Santa in 1844 when Danish naturalist Peter Wilhelm Lund (1801-1880) discovered some 30 skeletons deep in a flooded cave Almost all these fossils are now at the Natural History Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen It was donated by Lund to the Brazilian History and Geography Institute in Rio de Janeiro On the same day as the Cell article was published (November 8, 2018), a paper in the journal Science also reported new findings on fossil DNA from the first migrants to the Americas Among the 15 ancient skeletons from which genetic material was taken five belong to the Lund Collection in Copenhagen They date from between 10,400 and 9,800 years ago alongside an individual from Nevada estimated to be 10,700 years old The sample comprised fossilized human remains from Alaska The results of its molecular analysis suggested the peopling of the Americas by the first human groups out of Alaska did not come about merely through gradual occupation of territory concomitantly with population growth According to the researchers responsible for the study the molecular data suggests that the first humans to invade Alaska This happened between 17,500 and 14,600 years ago One group colonized North and Central America The peopling of the Americas ensued by leaps and bounds as small bands of hunter-gatherers traveled far and wide to settle in new areas until they reached Tierra del Fuego in a movement lasting one or at most two millennia Among the 15 individuals whose DNA was analyzed three of the Lagoa Santa five were found to have some genetic material from Australasia as suggested by the theory proposed by Neves for the occupation of South America The researchers are unable to explain the origin of this Australasian DNA or how it ended up in only a few of the Lagoa Santa people “The fact that the genomic signature of Australasia has been present for 10,400 years in Brazil but is absent in all the genomes tested to date is a challenge considering its presence in Lagoa Santa,” they said Other fossils collected during the twentieth century include the Luzia skull Almost 100 skulls excavated by Neves and Strauss in the past 15 years are now held at USP A similar number of fossils are held at the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (PUC-MG) But the vast majority of these osteological and archeological treasures belonging to perhaps more than 100 individuals were deposited at the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro and were presumably destroyed in the fire that raged through this historic building on September 2 The Luzia skull was on display at the National Museum alongside Neave’s facial reconstruction Scientists feared it had been lost to the fire but fortunately it was one of the first objects to be recovered from the ruins The fire destroyed the original facial reconstruction (of which there are several copies) The article “Reconstructing the Deep Population History of Central and South America” (Posth et al.) can be retrieved from Cell at cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(18)31380-1 Latest UpdatesCountries Why Join?IL MagazineFree Daily E-LetterVideoOur ExpertsTestimonialsFAQsTopics Living overseas since 2011 Terry and her husband went on a housesitting assignment to Portugal in 2018 and they knew they’d found a place they wanted to call home A typical Portuguese village of white-washed buildings and tiled plazas that glow with sunshine year-round The existence of man in Lagoa dates to pre-historic times “menhirs,” found along the roadside along with ancient cemeteries Early settlers drained the marshes and lagoons or “lagoas,” to create fertile land fit for farming The area has become a tourist haven with its stunning beaches Whether you are visiting or call Lagoa home there is plenty to do here year-round Whether you’re looking to explore historical sites have some fun in the sun or sip Portuguese wine at corner cafe’s Discover why we love a slower pace of life Portugal and info on other European countries in our daily postcard e-letter Simply enter your email address below and we’ll send you a FREE REPORT – Explore the Old World in Laidback Portugal Considered by the Michelin Guide to be one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in Europe and among the top 100 in the world Man-made paths follow the tan and orange variegated cliffs that overlook the turquoise sea below family-friendly beach snuggles into the cove below Meander along the paths that follow the cliffs above the sea offering spectacular views or follow the steps down the beach to cool off in the water or chill in the sun Perhaps one of the best kept secrets near Lagoa is Praia de Albandeira secluded beach near Lagoa famous for its arch in the water The transparent water makes it the perfect spot for diving or snorkelling and since it’s protected by the cliffs the waters are tranquil and safe for children golden sand is perfect for relaxing or building a sandcastle to bring out your inner child Few tourists know about this local beach so let’s keep it a secret great for picking up a bite to eat or enjoying a fun night on the town The nearby beach by the same name is one of the most popular in the area and swells with crowds during the heat of the summer A nearby boardwalk goes along the cliffs that surround the town with views of the many caves and rock formations Head to the marina and jump aboard a small boat for a trip through the nearby caves of Benagil On route the boat will pass by other stunning sights like “boneca,” a natural rock formation that looks like a doll from the water and the “Algar Seco,” wind-swept rock formations created thousands of years ago square tower attached to a one-story care takers house making it look more like an old schoolhouse that a lighthouse yet it still gives a charming ambiance to the waterfront Old fishing shacks along one side of the beach can still be seen giving it a feel of yesteryear Imagine having the wedding of your dreams in this magnificent setting with the sounds of the waves breaking in the background for those already married it might be a better idea to renew vows or celebrate an anniversary little chapel is a must see when exploring the area of Lagoa but some adults have turned it into a career and art form with results for everyone to enjoy Sand City boasts of having the largest collection of sand sculptures in the world over 100 larger-than-life creations depicting scenes from around the globe Stroll along the paths and examine each one in a leisurely fashion then use the same entry ticket to return after dark when the sculptures take on a different look with colorful lighting A fanciful delight for the young and the young at heart A small cafe and restaurant offer a respite from the hot Grab an ice cream or drink before exploring the rest of the sand creations by foot or renting a golf cart to use for your visit Aqua Show is not just a water park but has become the first indoor water park on the Iberian Peninsula and the largest in Portugal This park has something for everyone in the family and coasters the park features a lazy river and even animal shows to appeal to almost every taste it makes the perfect go-to spot for a family vacation Seven Places to Retire in Portugal for Under $30,000 per Year Portugal Itinerary: How to Spend 7 Days in Portugal Is Portugal a Safe Place to Live? Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Florida Third District Court of Appeals Judge Barbara Lagoa to the Florida Supreme Court Justice Lagoa is the first Hispanic woman in history to serve on the Florida Supreme Court "Justice Lagoa’s proven commitment to upholding the rule of law unparalleled legal career and vast experience on the appellate bench distinguish her among the most qualified individuals to serve on our state's highest court," said Governor Ron DeSantis "It is my pleasure and my privilege to appoint Barbara Lagoa to the Florida Supreme Court with full confidence she will serve our state with the utmost integrity." Justice Lagoa is a Cuban-American from Hialeah where her parents instilled in her an appreciation of the freedoms enjoyed in the United States Justice Lagoa is the first Hispanic woman to serve on the Florida Supreme Court First appointed to the Third District Court of Appeals by Governor Jeb Bush in 2006 Justice Lagoa was the first Cuban American woman to serve on the Third District Court of Appeals she has more experience than any of the other nominees put forward by the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission Justice Lagoa graduated from Florida International University with honors in 1989 and from Columbia University School of Law in 1992 where she served as an editor to the prestigious Columbia Law Review Justice Lagoa worked at numerous prominent law firms in Miami Justice Lagoa has received numerous awards including the “Outstanding Women of Color” award from the Black Law Student Association and the Caribbean Law Student Association at St The award was presented for her outstanding contributions as a sitting judge on the Third DCA In 2003, Barbara joined the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida in Miami as an Assistant United States Attorney where she worked until her appointment to the bench in 2006 Justice Lagoa has heard more than 11,000 cases and issued more than 470 written opinions