After achieving their second-biggest harvest ever Portuguese producers celebrated impressive results at the World Olive Oil Competition Portuguese olive oil pro­duc­ers cel­e­brated a suc­cess­ful har­vest in 2023/24 with Casa de Santo Amaro and Acushla among the award-win­ning com­pa­nies pro­duc­ers are opti­mistic about the upcom­ing 2024/25 har­vest with expec­ta­tions of favor­able con­di­tions After cel­e­brat­ing the country’s sec­ond-biggest har­vest in the 2023/24 crop year pro­duc­ers in Portugal antic­i­pate another good har­vest in 2024/25 Portuguese olive oil pro­duc­tion reached 157,600 tons, exceed­ing the five-year aver­age by 17 per­cent and fell less than 50,000 tons short of the record-high 206,200 tons recorded in 2021/22 the ben­e­fits of a bumper har­vest did not spread evenly across the Iberian coun­try the largest olive-grow­ing region by a sig­nif­i­cant mar­gin pro­duc­ers in the north had below-aver­age har­vests Despite their chal­lenges, includ­ing the impacts of the region’s unprece­dented drought from 2022 to 2023, ris­ing pro­duc­tion costs and labor short­ages Portuguese pro­duc­ers still main­tained award-win­ning qual­ity lev­els Producers from Europe’s third-largest pro­ducer (over­tak­ing Greece for the first time) com­bined to earn 30 awards from 56 entries at the 2024 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition Among the country’s biggest win­ners was Casa de Santo Amaro which earned five awards at the com­pe­ti­tion “These three Gold Awards and two Silver Awards are the result of a huge effort by all the Casa de Santo Amaro team which works daily to make this recog­ni­tion pos­si­ble,” said co-owner António Pavão ​“I believe that these awards are very impor­tant for our com­pany and have an impor­tant impact on the noto­ri­ety of all Portuguese olive oils.” Unlike many other pro­duc­ers across the coun­try, Pavão said Casa de Santo Amaro suf­fered a sig­nif­i­cant pro­duc­tion decline in 2023/24, sim­i­lar to the one suf­fered in 2022/23 “But, with all the effort, ded­i­ca­tion and pro­fes­sion­al­ism of the team, we were able to har­vest fresh and healthy olives and imme­di­ately pro­duce these extra vir­gin olive oils of enor­mous qual­ity in our mill,” he said “There were huge drops in pro­duc­tion in the last two har­vests and pro­duc­tion costs prac­ti­cally dou­bled because the costs of sub­sidiary mate­ri­als increased a lot fol­low­ing unusual infla­tion,” Pavão added this is a gen­eral sit­u­a­tion in all pro­duc­ing coun­tries in Europe.” Elsewhere across the his­toric regions of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Duoro pro­duc­ers saw their awards as a happy end­ing to another dif­fi­cult har­vest the company’s fifth World Competition recog­ni­tion in six years “We know that we pro­duce one of the best organic olive oils in the world but receiv­ing this val­i­da­tion from inter­na­tion­ally rec­og­nized enti­ties is an honor espe­cially in the American mar­ket,” said Clara Paredes Castro In addi­tion to ben­e­fit­ing the com­pany Paredes said these awards add to Portugal’s inter­na­tional pro­file as a high-qual­ity olive oil pro­ducer “We believe there is a grow­ing per­cep­tion that Portugal is a coun­try where peo­ple eat very well and where high-qual­ity prod­ucts such as olive oil Paredes said Acushla expe­ri­enced a slightly bet­ter har­vest in the cur­rent crop year than the pre­vi­ous one but the yield was still below pre­vi­ous har­vests “The qual­ity of the fruit remained very high but extract­ing oil from it was more chal­leng­ing,” she said Paredes cited the mor­phol­ogy of Trás-os-Montes as a con­sis­tent chal­lenge to pro­duc­ing high-qual­ity olive oil this is also one of the crit­i­cal suc­cess fac­tors for the qual­ity of our olive oil,” she said ​“Our pro­duc­tion this year was lower than expected because we chose to har­vest the fruit when it was still very green which low­ers the oil yield but ensures the fresh­ness and qual­ity we desire.” “Other com­mon chal­lenges include cli­mate change mete­o­ro­log­i­cal phe­nom­ena and the increase in raw mate­r­ial costs due to global events such as war,” Paredes added About 85 kilo­me­ters north of Acushla, another peren­nial NYIOOC win­ner also cel­e­brated a Silver Award “Winning another award at the NYIOOC was an exhil­a­rat­ing expe­ri­ence for us,” said Julio Alves, the founder of Quinta dos Olmais ​“This recog­ni­tion not only val­i­dates our hard work but also inspires us to strive for excel­lence con­tin­u­ally.” Quinta dos Olmais has earned seven awards since 2016 which Alves said demon­strates the company’s com­mit­ment to qual­ity from the out­set “These awards have sig­nif­i­cantly boosted our brand’s cred­i­bil­ity and rep­u­ta­tion in the mar­ket,” he said ​“They have pro­vided us with a plat­form to show­case our ded­i­ca­tion to qual­ity and have helped us gain the trust and loy­alty of con­sumers.” Alves agrees that the awards also increase the recog­ni­tion of Portuguese extra vir­gin olive oil abroad “These awards high­light the excep­tional qual­ity and crafts­man­ship that Portuguese pro­duc­ers bring to the table,” he said ​“They help to ele­vate the rep­u­ta­tion of Portuguese olive oil on the global stage show­cas­ing it as a prod­uct that com­petes with the best in the world.” Meanwhile, Miguel Azevedo Remédio, the com­mer­cial direc­tor of Casa Agricola Roboredo Madeira (CARM) which cel­e­brated a third con­sec­u­tive Gold award for a medium organic blend said that win­ning World Competition awards set a qual­ity bench­mark for the entire indus­try While the Douro Superior-based pro­ducer said the com­pany saw a slight rebound in quan­tity Remédio said they sig­nif­i­cantly increased qual­ity [the award] means that we con­tinue on the right track and that the hard work we’ve put into last year’s har­vest was com­pen­sated,” he said ​“It helps a lot in con­tin­u­ing to build an image of qual­ity “The main chal­lenges we face are related to the lack of water and the dif­fi­culty of find­ing peo­ple to work the land,” he said but human labor is still an impor­tant issue.” On the other side of Portugal, in the south­ern region of the Algarve, the pro­duc­ers behind Viveiros Monterosa cal­i­brated win­ning a pair of Silver Awards at the NYIOOC “Winning these awards is very mean­ing­ful and it rec­og­nizes our ded­i­ca­tion and work in pro­duc­ing high-qual­ity oils for the past 20 years,” said oper­a­tions chief Pedro Esperança and com­mer­cial direc­tor António Duarte Portuguese pro­duc­ers have made a big effort to pro­mote the qual­ity of their oils in the domes­tic mar­ket,” they added ​“Since this is the biggest inter­na­tional extra vir­gin olive oil com­pe­ti­tion win­ning an award puts the Portuguese pro­duc­ers among the best oils from other coun­tries and this helps change the way con­sumers view the prod­uct.” the com­pany antic­i­pates a slight pro­duc­tion decline in the com­ing har­vest as many trees enter an ​‘off-year’ in the nat­ural alter­nate bear­ing cycle of the olive tree Farther north, Sociedade Agrícola Ouro Vegetal (SAOV) was another of the country’s biggest win­ners The com­pany, which Serralha pre­vi­ously told Olive Oil Times rep­re­sents about two per­cent of the country’s olive oil pro­duc­tion earned two Gold Awards and three Silver Awards for its range of local mono­va­ri­etals the com­pe­ti­tion has proven to be a valu­able resource and good mar­ket­ing tool for SAOV and our part­ner Veronica Foods who sup­plies a net­work of North American olive oil retail­ers,” said Alberto Serralha ​“The medals high­light excel­lence and pro­vide qual­ity assur­ance to the con­sumer.” Serralha said the com­pany expe­ri­enced a 50 per­cent pro­duc­tion increase com­pared with 2022/23 we started har­vest­ing in late September and had to face chal­leng­ing weather con­di­tions includ­ing high tem­per­a­tures and per­sis­tent rain,” he said “Our uti­liza­tion of high vac­uum malax­a­tion allows instant paste tem­per­a­ture cor­rec­tion a deci­sive step to achiev­ing high qual­ity under such adverse con­di­tions,” Serralha added ​“Our deci­sion to start har­vest­ing so early helped us com­plete the har­vest with­out being impacted by fruit dis­eases.” Serralha said the sit­u­a­tion looks promis­ing for SAOV “The expec­ta­tions are very favor­able in terms of crop size and cli­mate con­di­tions,” he said ​“We are opti­mistic and look­ing for­ward to begin­ning the sea­son.” Other pro­duc­ers across Portugal shared his sen­ti­ments we are opti­mistic about its cur­rent sit­u­a­tion,” Alves added ​“We have been dili­gently mon­i­tor­ing the health and devel­op­ment of our olive trees he warned that there is still a long way to go before the har­vest begins in early October we remain vig­i­lant about weather pat­terns,” he said ​“Our prepa­ra­tion and ded­i­ca­tion give us con­fi­dence as we approach the har­vest sea­son let’s just hope the weather does­n’t throw us any curve­balls before har­vest.” also cit­ing unusual weather con­di­tions as a fac­tor that tem­pers the com­pa­ny’s opti­mism ahead of the har­vest “Portugal is expe­ri­enc­ing unusual weather with a lot of humid­ity which is not typ­i­cal for this sea­son,” she said which could affect the fruit by halt­ing its oil pro­duc­tion process Table Olive Production in Spain Rebounds, but Falls Short of Initial Expectations Farmers warn that a hot and dry August impacted the size and marketability of table olives South African Farmers Enjoy Production Rebound Despite challenges created by bad weather and rolling blackouts producers across South Africa enjoyed a fruitful harvest Award-Winning Tuscan Producer Opens Olive Oil-Centric Restaurant features the award-winning extra virgin olive oil of Frantoio Pruneti in a range of traditional Tuscan dishes Croatian Producers Share Secrets Behind Their Award-Winning Success The small southeastern European country produced just 3,500 tons of olive oil in the 2023/24 crop year but earned 80 awards from 97 entries at the World Competition California Table Olive Yield Projected to Increase for Second Consecutive Year California's table olive production is set to rise to 40,000 tons in 2024 due to favorable weather despite ongoing challenges like labor shortages and competition from imports The Resilience of Tunisia’s Endemic Olive Varieties Fermes Ali Sfar has garnered international acclaim for its Chetoui and Chemlali monovarietals Organic Olive Cultivation in Italy Continues to Expand More than 6,000 hectares of olive groves were converted to organic agriculture in the last year as Italy inched closer to achieving European sustainability goals Why Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is Linked with Lower Dementia Risk, Better Brain Health Research demonstrates that the polyphenols and monounsaturated fatty acids in extra virgin olive oil are associated with a lower risk of dementia and mitigation of its symptoms How about taking advantage of the many Casas del Norte strolling through the park or stopping by the local cathedral Santo Amaro is one of those areas of São Paulo so complete that it even seems like an independent city (and If you’re passing through the district or planning a visit take a look at the guide below and discover some of the coolest places to visit there Sesc Santo Amaro is one of the best cultural options in the district As well as dance and theater performances the Cathedral of Santo Amaro is one of the great prides of the people of Santo Amaro the building has undergone restoration in order to better serve the faithful Casas do Norte are a great option for a family lunch In addition to the various types of dishes you can also buy and take home delicacies such as nuts If you’re one of those who like to venture into large shopping centers in search of low prices With a collection of more than 50,000 titles, the Prefeito Prestes Maia Library occupies a seven-storey building. The highlight there are the many books dedicated to architecture and urbanism. Where: Avenida João Dias, 822 – Santo Amaro View this post on Instagram A post shared by Biblioteca Prefeito Prestes Maia (@biblioprestesmaia) Active since 1935, São Paulo’s most famous equestrian club has an area of 330,000 square meters. Several horse-riding competitions have free entry, so it’s worth checking the venue’s schedule. Where: Rua Visconde de Taunay, 508 – Vila Cruzeiro View this post on Instagram A post shared by Clube Hípico de Santo Amaro - Oficial (@chsa_oficial) With a capacity for 1110 people, it is one of São Paulo’s main theatrical venues. In recent years, it has hosted musical shows such as “Billy Elliot” and “Peter Pan”. Where: Rua Bento Branco de Andrade Filho, 722 – Santo Amaro View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rose Rauck (@roserauck) Finally, the Alto da Boa Vista Park  is a great choice for those who want to venture out into nature. A great place for a walk, or perhaps a stroll with the pets! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nicolau Terranova/pet friendly e influencer (@nicolauterranova) 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 Traçado Regulador Editorial Team 6 November 2024, 9:00From time to time, we open the doors to a dream home in Portugal. This week, we present a new project developed for a luxury residence in Santo Amaro de Oeiras, with construction set to begin very soon. The two-storey house, offering sea views, is situated on a plot of 1,000 square metres (m²) with a total construction area of around 600 m². Featuring four suites, expansive spaces filled with natural light, and six parking spaces (both open and covered), the residence, designed by Traçado Regulador, stands out for its brightness, "inspiring a tranquil and fulfilling living experience amidst the lush and vibrant nature of Santo Amaro," highlights the press release sent to the media. Traçado ReguladorThe infinity pool is another standout feature of the property, designed to blend with the terrain and prioritise the southern view, allowing all rooms to enjoy a sea vista. “This is yet another project bearing the Traçado signature, where we favour a contemporary language that adheres to a meticulous interplay of transparency, solids and voids, light and shadow, creating a spacious functional environment characterised by its generous areas,” states João de Sousa Rodolfo, architect and CEO of Traçado Regulador. Branded Residences: Portugal is the European country with the most projects in the pipeline The phenomenon of Branded Residences is “in rapid growth” in Portugal Executive Director of the Portuguese Association of Residential Tourism and Resorts (APR) The Savills Global Residential Development Consultancy study Branded Residences: Portugal Snapshot 2025 concluding that Portugal is the European country with the most projects in the pipeline for the next five years: by 2031 the country will have over 1,200 branded resi In December 2020, the Negro Leagues were recognized as major leagues. The Amaro family might thus have retroactively become the first to send three generations of players to the top level,1 ahead of the Boones, the Bells, the Hairstons, and the Colemans.2 Their worthy heritage started with their big Cuban patriarch he was prevented by racial barriers from playing in the American or National League during his prime He also made the personal choice not to play in the Negro Leagues because of the racism he encountered in the United States Santos Amaro played 14 winter seasons in his homeland from 1936-37 to 1949-50 He was in Mexico during the summers from the late 1920s through 1955 including at least 17 seasons in the Mexican League He was also a manager in both Cuba and his adopted home and he eventually became a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame in each nation Rubén Sr.’s own excellent memory strongly complements what can be gathered from other sources the couple adopted a seven-month-old baby girl named Ana Teresa After barnstorming almost two years with Bacardí Amaro joined the Mexican League team Tigres de Comintra in 1930 further documentation has not yet surfaced; La Enciclopedia del Béisbol Mexicano’s records start in 1937 The Dominican pro circuit collapsed after the excesses of 1937, however, not to reappear for another 14 years. Amaro then went to Venezuela in the summer of 1938, as did various other Latino ballplayers. A book called Historia del Béisbol en el Zulia, which focuses on the game in Venezuela’s westernmost state, notes that he joined the Centauros team.39 This locale remained important to the Amaro family over the years became a manager and executive for the winter-ball team Águilas del Zulia Amaro also appeared in the American Series of 1942 when the Brooklyn Dodgers came to Havana for spring training and lost three out of five games to a Cuban all-star team (Catcher Andrés Fleitas died in December 2011 at the age of 95.) Amaro succeeded Martín Dihigo as manager of Águila in 1951 and led the club to the Mexican League championship in 1952 His last five games as an active player took place in 1955 Over his documented summer career in Mexico he hit .314 with 32 homers and 705 RBIs in 1,186 games He spent four more summers as skipper in his home city winning another league championship in 1961 couldn’t add anything about that chapter of his career Amaro started the 1964 summer season with León of the Mexican Center League, a lower-level circuit. He was replaced as manager by Dan Bankhead Dan’s older brother Sam had been Amaro’s teammate with Santa Clara and an opponent with Ciudad Trujillo Amaro also managed Reynosa in the Mexican League that summer He managed Aguascalientes in the Mexican Center League for part of the season “I believe Pipo finished his career in baseball after the 1965 Aguascalientes job,” said Rubén Sr. “He started work with Rubio Exsome, a construction engineering firm in Veracruz, after that.” Amaro also worked for Deportivo Veracruzano, the city’s foremost sporting institution. His second career continued for 22 years.64 Santos and Pepa Amaro continued to live in their Veracruz home until late 1997 They stayed for a couple of months with a niece my brother Mario and I decided to put both Mima and Pipo in the nursing home Residencias La Paz under Spanish nuns Mima suffered a fall trying to clean windows at her house recuperated very well and we didn’t want them to have any more mishaps One of the rules of La Paz was that anyone joining them must be able to take care of themselves Mima and Pipo continued to travel and visit their family anytime “Both lived there until the Lord took them away. Pipo, May 31, 2001, and Mima, March 16, 2007. They were both cremated and their ashes remain together in Veracruz. Dad passed away of natural causes, all the nuns praying and singing around him. Mima fell in her bathroom early one morning, didn’t call for help, broke her femur in two places and left us after three days from the day she fell.”65 He became a member of the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977 In 2012 he was named part of the fourth class of veterans to join the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame in the Dominican Republic In November 2012, 101-year-old Conrado Marrero contributed his opinion of his teammate from six decades past. “Santos Amaro was a serious, decent, and honorable man … one heck of a ballplayer from his cap to his spikes.”67 This biography was riginally published in 2012. An updated version appeared in “Cuban Baseball Legends: Baseball’s Alternative Universe” (SABR to reflect Santos Amaro’s recognition as a major-leaguer and a series of e-mails from October 31 through November 25 Continued thanks to Rogelio Marrero for obtaining the input of his grandfather Continued thanks to Jesús Alberto Rubio in Mexico for various details of Santos Amaro’s career Jesús knew Amaro personally when he lived in Veracruz in the 1970s and early 1980s Enciclopedia del Béisbol Mexicano (Mexico City: Revistas Deportivas Early Latino Ballplayers in the United States (Jefferson Courtesy of Jesús Alberto Rubio collection 1 If one counts indirect lineage then the Schofield/Werth family could also be included 2 Ruben Amaro, Jr. made it to the majors more than a year ahead of Bret Boone 3 Telephone interview 4 “Santos ‘Canguro’ Amaro,” Amaro’s page on Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame website (http://www.salondelafama.com.mx/salondelafama/trono/alfasf.asp?x=36) This appears to be a synopsis of stories by Jesús Alberto Rubio 5 Roberto González Echevarría The Pride of Havana (New York: Oxford University Press 6 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 7 “Santos ‘Canguro’ Amaro” 8 Milton Jamail 9 In 1976 Cuba’s original six provinces were subdivided and Aguacate is today in the province of Mayabeque 10 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 11 Nick Wilson 12 E-mails from Rubén Amaro 13 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 14 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 15 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 16 “Santos ‘Canguro’ Amaro.” 17 Wilson Early Latino Ballplayers in the United States 18 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 19 Other sources have shown different spots in Mexico as Rubén Amaro Mora’s birthplace but Nuevo Laredo – as confirmed by Rubén Sr in October 2012 – fits with that point in his father’s career 20 José Antero Núñez 21 Stuart Gustafson, Remembering Our Parents … Stories and Sayings from Mom & Dad, Excerpt from book to be released, on Gustafson’s Legacydoctor.com site (http://legacydoctor.com/?page_id=376) 22 Paul Hagen 23 Jorge Aranguré 24 E-mail from Rubén Amaro appeared in two games for Veracruz in 1955 and in the US minors for Mexicali in 1955 (where Rubén Sr 25 Robert H “The Latins Storm Las Grandes Ligas,” Sports Illustrated 26 Telephone interview 27 http://www.lelands.com/Auction/AuctionDetail/24206/June-2005/Sports/Baseball-Memorabilia/Lot366~Martin-Dihigo-Letter 28 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 29 Wilson 30 Milton Jamail and the Caribbean.” Part of Douglass Sullivan-González and Charles Reagan Wilson Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi 31 Wisconsin State Journal 32 González Echevarría 33 “19th Hole: The Readers Take Over,” Sports Illustrated 34 “Santos ‘Canguro’ Amaro.” 35 González Echevarría 36 Milton Jamail and the Caribbean,” Part of Douglass Sullivan-González and Charles Reagan Wilson 37 E-mail from Rogelio Marrero to Rory Costello 38 William F Black Baseball Out of Season (Jefferson City 39 Luis Verde Historia del Béisbol en el Zulia (Maracaibo 40 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 41 Antero Núñez 42 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 43 Rob Ruck 44 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 45 The word alijador in Spanish has various meanings Alijadores is often translated as Lightermen Lightermen transferred goods between ships and docks 46 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 47 Pedro Galiana Pact Hailed by Cuban League,” The Sporting News 48 Lou Hernández The Rise of the Latin American Baseball Leagues The Sporting News indicated in its issue of February 8 that Connors’ season was cut short by an ailing foot 49 González Echevarría 50 E-mail from Peter C “The league was of such little stature that Jorge Figueredo does not list any of the stats in his Who’s Who in Cuban Baseball 1878-1961 and I did not mention it in my own A History of Cuban Baseball.” 51 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 52 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 53 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 54 Wilson 55 Gulian Lansing Morrill The Devil in Mexico (Minneapolis: self-published 56 The Sporting News 57 Fausto Miranda “Peloteros Viejos de Verdad,” El Nuevo Herald (Miami 58 Miguel A “Veracruz Halted after 10 Straight,” The Sporting News 59 Roberto Hernandez “Shakeup Mapped for Tail-End Club,” The Sporting News 60 “Bejerano to Pilot Stars,” The Sporting News 61 Roberto Hernández, “[Julio] Becquer Arano Standouts as Veracruz League Opens,” The Sporting News “Jalapa Gives Up Franchise; Veracruz League Goes Under,” The Sporting News 62 Horacio Ruiz, “Santos Amaro and Joe Hicks Named Pilots,” The Sporting News 63 Horacio Ruiz “Oriental Turns on Steam with Friol as Pilot,” The Sporting News 64 E-mails from Rubén Amaro 65 E-mail from Rubén Amaro 66 Wilson 67 E-mail from Rogelio Marrero to Rory Costello If you can help us improve this player’s biography, contact us Parent-Child · Cuba · Cuban Baseball Legends Meet the Staff Board of Directors Annual Reports Inclusivity Statement Contact SABR the unique and fragile landscapes of the Lençóis reward the adventurous The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith explained the circumstances under which a transgender person could be baptized and when it would or would not be possible for LGBTQ+ Catholics to serve as godparents or witnesses at a Catholic wedding Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández comments on changes in the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith as meets a CNS reporter in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican after Pope Francis made him a cardinal Sept VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- If it would not cause scandal or confusion among other Catholics "a transsexual -- even one who has undergone hormone treatment and gender reassignment surgery -- may receive baptism under the same conditions as other faithful," said a document from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith 31 by Pope Francis and by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith A note published with it said the document was a response to a letter submitted in July by Bishop José Negri of Santo Amaro "containing some questions about the possible participation in baptism and weddings by transsexual persons and homo-affective persons." The questions about weddings involved whether transsexual or other LGBTQ+ persons could be witnesses at a Catholic wedding The response to both questions was that "there is nothing in current universal canonical legislation that prohibits" either from serving as a witness at a Catholic marriage Responses to the questions about baptism were longer more nuanced and urged pastoral prudence to minister to the people in question safeguard the sacrament and prevent scandal Whether deciding to baptize a person or to permit him or her to serve as a godparent "due pastoral prudence demands that every situation be wisely pondered in order to safeguard the sacrament of baptism and especially its reception since it is necessary for salvation," the document said when "there are doubts about the objective moral situation in which the person finds him- or herself or about his or her subjective dispositions toward grace." The church teaches that when baptism is received without repentance for serious sins he or she receives the "sacramental character" but not "sanctifying grace." affirms that "this configuration to Christ and to the Church it remains forever in the Christian as a positive disposition for grace a promise and guarantee of divine protection and as a vocation to divine worship and to the service of the Church." once the person baptized without the proper disposition repents "The Joy of the Gospel," wrote that the church must have very serious reasons for turning someone away and must be especially hesitant before denying someone baptism even if there are doubts about the person's current commitment to living a fully Christian life "one must never forget this aspect of the fidelity of the unconditional love of God which is capable of generating even with the sinner an irrevocable covenant always open to a development that is also unpredictable." The church and its ministers do not simply wait for a person's conversion but constantly call people "to live fully all the implications of the baptism received which must always be understood and unfolded within the entire journey of Christian initiation." On the question of whether a transsexual can be a godparent the document said it is possible "under certain conditions," but because the role is not a right "pastoral prudence" is required to avoid the "danger of scandal" or confusion among the faithful It also cautioned that gay persons living together in a relationship like a marriage especially if it is known in the community but can be invited to serve as witnesses to the baptism The dicastery repeated an affirmation that the child of a gay couple can be baptized when there is a well-founded hope that the child will be raised Catholic Catholic News Service has been providing complete in-depth coverage of the popes and the Vatican for more than 70 years faithful and informed connection to the Holy See Cardinal Gugerotti urged electors to draw on Eastern Christian humility and let the Spirit A Rome tailor is hoping the new pope will appear on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica wearing a cassock he sewed himself Cardinal Fernández said contempt for the poor can be masked in refined language and warns against false meritocracy that distorts.. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB’s) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy ©2025 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Made possible by funding from  This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page I was warned about the neighbours: the elderly insomniac who enjoyed waking up the rest of the building with screams that her apartment was vibrating the lively north-easterners who put on loud dance parties each Sunday I would return home from lunch to find two bullet-riddled corpses on my doorstep just a few days after drug traffickers had shot down a police helicopter The newspaper vendor was frowning and glancing nervously across the road Fifty metres up the street a crowd of curious onlookers had gathered outside my flat I arrived in time to see the second of two limp bodies being hauled down the stairwell in a pink duvet by four stocky cops Another policeman followed the improvised funeral procession pointing a small silver digital camera at the body "It's not been like this for two-and-a-half years," our doorman said excitedly Located on the fringes of Rio's glamorous south zone Catete is one of the city's most beautiful bairros A place where history drips off the buildings My Lonely Planet guide describes the local park as "a quiet refuge from the rest of the city" But young drug traffickers control the neighbourhood's most notorious favela "We were told that certain elements were hiding in Santo Amaro," the commanding officer Lieutenant Teixeira "The criminals greeted us with shots and in the confrontation two unfortunately died." He didn't sound upset Meanwhile my neighbours in the normally bucolic Catete were in high spirits "They should have killed 20," beamed one A startup that has developed a platform for companies to manage employee compensation and benefits in one place has raised $16.3 million in fresh funds which was founded in 2021 and touts itself as a remote-first business also enables workers to manage their own benefits and choose from perks like health insurance Coverflex claims its platform offers high tax advantages for employers and also enables HR teams to personalize which teams can access specific benefits.  "Previously it was hard when scaling a company to around 300 people across different offices because it's difficult to compensate staff," Coverflex CEO Miguel Santo Amaro said "Now amid the great resignation and layoffs companies want to differentiate themselves to employees and add value We saw an opportunity to create a platform to make things better for them because HR leaders are not often that tech savvy." The startup's funding was led by Scor Ventures alongside existing investor Breega and participation from MS&AD Coverflex will use the funding to continue its European expansion plans to Italy where the meal voucher market has displayed a lot of strength the company will boost its marketing spend and increase its headcount from around 100 remote staff currently to 150 Check out Coverflex's 14-slide pitch deck below: “Baseball is our way of life in the Amaro family,” said Rubén Amaro Sr. Four generations of Amaros have played professionally. Amaro’s father, Santos, had a long and distinguished career in Cuba and Mexico. His son, Rubén Amaro Jr. he continued to serve the game in many capacities: scout As a player, Amaro was known more for fielding than hitting. In 940 big-league games, he batted .234 with a slugging percentage of just .292, including eight home runs. Four of those homers came during the 1964 season, in which he also won a Gold Glove for his play at shortstop – even though he was sharing the position in Philadelphia with Bobby Wine Rubén Amaro was sometimes called “Cangurito.” He too became a member of the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986 Rubén and Santos became the first father-son duo to be so honored Santos had come to Mexico with a traveling Cuban ballclub as early as 1928. In 1929, he met a young woman named Josefina Mora (1910-2007), a member of the Vera Cruz Women’s Professional Baseball Club.4 They got married and had two sons. Mario was born in 1931 in Cuba. Rubén was born in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico on January 6, 1936.5 As Rubén told author Stuart Gustafson many years later, his parents were a study in contrasts. Santos was tall (1.92 meters, or roughly 6-feet-3½). Josefina was petite (5’1”) and fair (her grandparents on both sides were Spanish). Rubén and Mario wound up in between at 5-feet-10½. “Doña Pepa” was the one with whom the boys practiced their baseball skills, because Santos stressed education above all.9 Mario Amaro was also a skillful player but focused instead on medicine He remained in Cuba for some time after 1951 to continue his schooling Rubén – whose favorite player growing up was Roberto Ávila, the Mexican star of the Cleveland Indians – became a star for Mexico in national and international amateur competition. He took part in the Amateur World Series in Caracas, Venezuela in 1953. In March 1954, he helped his homeland win a silver medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Mexico City.10 Before the 1954 season, the St. Louis Cardinals signed Amaro as an amateur free agent. The scout was Tufie Hashem, who in 1949 had become general manager of the minor-league club in Mexicali, Baja California. “In 1954, when the Cardinals’ organization extended a working agreement to Mexicali, Hashem came up with his first find, Ruben Amaro.”11 Amaro also noted the involvement of Mexicali’s player-manager “The Cardinals signed me not for my glove,” said Amaro I did not start playing shortstop until 1953 after our regular shortstop for the Mexican team broke his leg.” Amaro began his pro career with Mexicali, which was then in the Arizona-Texas League (Class C). He played in only 93 games, though – “the manager for Bisbee took me out with a rolling slide and broke my fibula.” That summer, Amaro also got a brief taste of action with Veracruz in the Mexican League – where his father was player-manager. Rubén went 2 for 5 in four games but never returned to that league in future.12 Amaro rejoined Mexicali for the 1955 season and his first cousin Mario Amaro Romay was one of his teammates Rubén hit 18 homers – he never even approached double digits in any other season – while batting .309 he had the tendency to overrun grounders due to his eagerness.” Over time viewed Rubén as one of the best shortstops he ever saw in this regard “The other was that I had to know I was going to get the batter out at first.” In other words he had to catalogue all the batters and how well they ran too During that advance camp, The Sporting News said of Amaro, “[He] has shown exceptional fielding skill at shortstop. He glides around the infield with speed and deftness. If he can hit he’ll be on some major league club before long.”17 That’s where the other influence came to bear – Houston manager Harry Walker “Harry the Hat” was known for his inveterate remolding of batters’ swings in his own spray-hitting style “Those two years in Houston changed me as a player,” he said Still, Rubén moved up to Triple-A Rochester in 1958. Although he was hitting just .200 in the first few months of the season, the big club called him up to St. Louis in late June. “Eddie Kasko was not only down below .200 at bat but had slipped in the field.”18 Amaro became just the 12th player born in Mexico to reach the majors Rubén and Judy had two sons, both of whom became baseball players. David was drafted in the 24th round by the Chicago Cubs in 1984. He played that summer in short-season Class A ball and eight games in the Mexican League in 1985. David’s sons Robert and Andrew were both drafted by the Phillies out of high school but chose college instead; Andrew played Class A ball for the Phillies in 2015.28 Rubén Jr played in the major leagues from 1991 through 1998 and then moved into the front office of the Phillies He became the club’s general manager in 2008 and remained in that position through September 2015 he then joined the coaching staff of the Boston Red Sox In January 1962, the Associated Press wrote, “Amaro, a brilliant fielder, is the keystone of the Phillies infield.” Gene Mauch said, “Amaro must have been the most improved player in the majors last year. He moved in a couple of steps at short and became a star. He also became a tough hitter.”29 Back with the Phillies in 1963, Amaro got off to a cold start with the bat, and his fielding was still not quite up to his brilliant standard of 1961. Therefore, Mauch gave Wine another shot.32 Wine hit well for a few weeks and though he tailed off severely at the plate after that he continued to get more shortstop duty than Amaro overall During the four seasons that Wine and Amaro were teammates they split the shortstop duties as follows: Rubén Amaro and Bobby Wine: Selected Averages It was an interesting pattern – not a true platoon in that both men were righthanded batters who didn’t contribute much with the stick Both were excellent defenders who positioned themselves well though Wine was known more for his stronger arm and Amaro for his greater range and quick release Both also filled in at third base; Amaro also played a significant amount at first base including seven starts during the 1964 season Wine started 70 of the first 97 games at short, but then fell below the Mendoza Line, and Mauch turned more to Amaro as the summer wore on. Late in the season, Lewis wrote that Amaro was back in his top form of 1961 in the field and was hitting respectably too. Rubén himself credited being in a good rhythm with regular play. Oddly enough, he said that a spring wrist injury helped his swing.37 Amaro also made a unique contribution to how the history of the 1964 Philadelphia Phillies was recorded with the series of letters he wrote to his father and mother at their home in Veracruz but are lost to history because Doña Pepa threw them out while cleaning house in 1971 Amaro ordered $1,800 worth of World Series tickets for his family before the Phillies collapsed down the stretch He never did get to a World Series as a player though he was present as first-base coach when the Phillies finally triumphed in 1980 extraordinary – but nothing ever is going to make up for our loss in 1964.” He drew a parallel with another team he served as coach who won the first two games of the NL Championship Series that year but couldn’t close it out but it was devastating at the end when we lost three games to San Diego and couldn’t go to the Series.” The good Catholic summed it up this way: “When the saints turn their back there is simply no way you are going to win.” Amaro was the main candidate to step into the shoes of a Yankee hero, Tony Kubek, who had retired in January 1966. Although he became the first Mexican to play in the majors for the Yankees, he got into just 14 games with New York that year. He injured his knee in the fifth game of the season, colliding with left fielder Tom Tresh on a blooper off the bat of Brooks Robinson He underwent surgery and did not return until September The Bronx Bombers finished in last place in the American League that year one of the worst seasons in the proud franchise’s history Bobby Murcer (originally a shortstop for the Yankees) went into the Army for a two-year hitch in 1967. Amaro returned to play 130 games, overcoming the long layoff and some lingering mental concerns to earn some consideration as Comeback Player of the Year.42 Houk gave him a career high 470 plate appearances New York moved Tom Tresh to shortstop and Amaro became a seldom-used reserve He came to the plate just 50 times in 47 games In November 1968, the California Angels purchased Amaro’s contract from the Yankees for $25,000. They wanted a capable veteran backup for Jim Fregosi, who had tired after the All-Star break.44 That winter A few weeks after the 1969 season ended, the Angels released Amaro. They offered him a job managing in their minor-league system, but he still wanted to be on the field. Thus he played winter ball again, this time with the Culiacán Tomateros.46 The following spring So I called Gene Mauch,” who was then managing the Montreal Expos I would earn whatever I made with the Angels.” Amaro was an insurance policy at shortstop; the incumbent – none other than Bobby Wine – had an elbow problem that concerned the Expos.47 “He also had a neck problem,” Amaro added I fell on my shoulder in a rundown with Aurelio Rodríguez I got to spring training and I couldn’t throw Amaro played in 106 games in 1970 for Philadelphia’s top farm club. That July, he became a player-coach.49 He spent one last winter as a player in Mexico he got into 17 games for Eugene and 11 with the Double-A affiliate In 1970, Gene Mauch had called Amaro an excellent managing prospect, saying, “He’s got it up here” while tapping his forehead.50 “The owner in Eugene wanted me to be manager,” Amaro said. “They had guys like Greg Luzinski [1971] and Mike Schmidt [1972] I might have become a major-league manager Rubén became a full-time manager for the first time in the winter of 1971-72 with Culiacán. He was celebrating the team’s victory in the first half of the season at the ranch of owner Juan Manuel Ley when he mounted a horse and the animal threw Amaro over its head.51 “I shattered and dislocated my ankle and that was the end of my playing career.” Caribbean area; assistant to Dallas Green; infield instructor Involved in signings of various major-leaguers including Guillermo “Willie” Hernández (1973) Involved in signing of big leaguer Johnny Paredes Won league title in 1983-84 and then the 1984 Caribbean Series Also managed the club in 1990-91; 1991-92; 1994-95; 1995-96; 1996-97 (part); 1997-98 (part); 2000-01; 2003-04 Involved in signing of big-leaguer Jorge Velandia (1992) Santos and Rubén Amaro became the first father-son managers in the Mexican summer league Minor-league field and defensive coordinator “When I first worked for the Phillies in 1972,” Amaro recalled, “there were only four people in the [farm director’s] office: Paul Owens, Dallas Green plus a couple of secretaries.” Amaro took great pride in having contributed to the renewed success of the franchise the very high percentage of players who went to winter ball together was a major factor helping with fundamentals and team cohesion “I never wanted to leave the Phillies – never,” Amaro continued because I joined Dallas Green with the Cubs and he built something which I don’t think he gets enough credit for.” but internal politics prevented that – the Phillies instituted a rule against family connections Rubén had a daughter named Alayna from a relationship with Mary Beth Allio a member of the family that owns Águilas del Zulia Luis played short-season Class A ball for the Phillies in 2011 Grateful acknowledgment to Rubén Amaro Sr. for his memories. All Amaro quotes are from telephone interviews on October 18 and November 20, 2012, unless otherwise indicated. Thanks also to Steve Grande, Media Relations, Houston Astros, and to Dick Schofield Sr. for confirming information about the Cardinals’ advance camps Continued thanks to Alfonso Araujo in Mexico for various details of Rubén Amaro’s career in winter ball online history of La Liga de la Costa del Pacífico www.historiadehermosillo.com/BASEBALL/Menuff.htm 1 In Cuba Santos Amaro hit .294 with 12 homers and 321 RBIs (total games played are not available) 2 In Mexico Santos Amaro hit .314 with 32 homers and 705 RBIs in 1,186 games (available statistics for 17 seasons start in 1939) 3 Santos Amaro became a member of the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame (in exile) in 1967 The Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame inducted him in 1977 4 Nick Wilson 5 Other sources have shown different spots in Mexico as Rubén Amaro Mora’s birthplace but Nuevo Laredo – as confirmed by Amaro in October 2012 – fits with that point in his father’s career 6 Wilson 7 Milton Jamail and the Caribbean.” Part of The South and Caribbean (Douglass Sullivan-González and Charles Reagan Wilson 8 Roberto González Echevarría 9 Stuart Gustafson on Gustafson’s Legacydoctor.com site (http://legacydoctor.com/?page_id=376) 10 The Dominican Republic’s team 11 “Obituaries,” The Sporting News 12 Enciclopedia del Béisbol Mexicano 13 Miguel A “Series Sweep Puts Cordoba in First Place,” The Sporting News 14 Al Levine “Mexico’s Amaro: Hero or Traitor?” Miami News 15 Jorge Aranguré Jr. 16 Red Byrd “Too Early for the Curves – and Kid Cards Draw Raves,” The Sporting News 17 Byrd “Too Early for the Curves – and Kid Cards Draw Raves” 18 Neal Russo “Cards Cool in July as Foes Make Merry with 4-Base Drives,” The Sporting News 19 Jamail 20 George Vecsey 21 Allen Lewis “Phillies Tagging Thomas to Stitch Up Backstop Tear,” The Sporting News 22 Allen Lewis 23 Chile Gómez (1935-36) was the second Mexican in The Show Bob Greenwood (1954-55) was not an ethnic Mexican 24 Allen Lewis “Phillies Flash New Life At Bat; They’re Mauch’s Maulers Now,” The Sporting News 25 Al Abrams “Sidelights on Sports,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 26 Mike Jensen “Family pick: Phillies choose Amaro as GM,” Philadelphia Inquirer 27 Stan Hochman “Phillies GM Amaro always will have his mother in his corner,” Fox Sports 28 Rob was a 40th round pick in 2009 but went to the University of Virginia Andrew was a 47th round pick in 2011 but went to the University of Maryland 29 Ralph Bernstein “Mauch Is Sure Phils Won’t End in Cellar,” Associated Press 30 Allen Lewis 31 Roberto Hernández 32 “Bobby Wine Stars in Amaro Position,” Associated Press 33 Gene Mauch “Mauch Makes No Predictions for Phillies,” Associated Press 34 Allen Lewis 35 Stan Hochman 36 Allen Lewis “Phil Foes Crumble as Cookie Clouts,” The Sporting News 37 Lewis 38 Oscar Kahan 39 Allen Lewis “Phils Well-Heeled at Shortstop; Listen to Bids for Amaro 40 Allen Lewis “Knowles Gets Shot as Phils’ Starter – Brandt Has CF Job,” The Sporting News Bobby and Tony – Yank Three-Part Riddle,” The Sporting News 41 Murray Chass “Retirement Terminated By Aparicio,” Associated Press 42 Jim Ogle “From Just Plain Awful to Super – That’s Amaro’s Amazing Saga,” The Sporting News 43 Levine 44 John Wiebusch “Weary Fregosi To Get Support In Amaro Glove,” The Sporting News 45 Ross Newhan 46 Ted Blackman He’s Trying to Convince Mauch,” The Sporting News 47 Ted Blackman “Expos disturbed over shortstop spot,” Montreal Gazette 48 Ted Blackman “Expos split on weekend,” Montreal Gazette 49 “Amaro Player-Coach,” The Sporting News 50 Blackman 51 Tomás Morales “A Fractured Leg May End Amaro’s Career,” The Sporting News 52 Aranguré 53 Marty Noble “More Slices of Spring Training in Florida,” MLB.com Parent-Child · Scouts · Mexico · 1964 Philadelphia Phillies One of the first big festivals of the year starts on the 12th January in Santa Cruz Evenings the city will be filled with those enjoying this first religious festival and putting an end to the Christmas festivities and get rid of the rest of the Christmas goodies and drinks Each night there will be entertainment on stage Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email The Santo António festivities in Lisbon are celebrated in these neighborhood festivals but also in alternative places in the city Grills and beer barrels are already on the streets folk musicians are tuning their throats and there are stages in practically every neighborhood in the city If you follow the smell of grilled sardines you’ll come across most of the festivals but the best GPS is the itinerary we’ve prepared for you Choose your favorite neighborhoods (or run to all the chapels) and get ready for the liveliest month in the capital the Popular Saints of Lisbon last the entire month of June So here’s everything you need to know to have the best time in these Lisbon neighborhoods From June 25 to 30, this Lisbon neighborhood will host the traditional St. Amaro Pilgrimage and there will be plenty of entertainment near the Chapel of Santo Amaro admission is free and the musical program is incredible Address: Alto de Santo Amaro Hours: June 25 to 30 Address: São Pedro de Alcântara Viewpoint (Bairro Alto) Days: June 1st to 30th Address: Alameda Padre Álvaro Proença (Benfica) Hours: June 20th to 23rd “the great festival of central Lisbon” and promises to bring the usual entertainment to Quinta do Zé Pinto Address: Rua de Campolide (Quinta do Zé Pinto) in front of EMEL’s parking lot Hours: from May 31 to June 15 plenty of food and drink and “the best Portuguese folk music” will last until 4am to the sounds of Deixa Rolá and DJ Cota Ruizadas but on the previous days there will be plenty of room for partying with José Malhoa Address: Vila Berta (Graça) Schedule: june 1st to 12th This is one of the quietest Lisbon festivals in the city Saturday and national holiday eve you’ll be able to enjoy live music and grilled sardines and drinks to keep you going all night But there are more surprises that you really can’t miss. Shall we get to know them? Address: Praça da Alegria (next to Avenida da Liberdade) Hours: until June 16 This year, the Arraial de Alvalade has one of the most complete programs The program also includes activities for the little ones Address: São João de Brito Municipal Sports Complex Hours: June 12-16 This year, Arraial dos Navegantes returns for four days One of the features of the Arraial dos Navegantes is the dedicated space for the little ones where volunteers promote fun activities with the children There are many more surprises you have to enjoy in this arraial which is one of the most modern neighborhoods in the city Address: Passeio Levante 6 (in Parque das Nações next to the Church of Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes) Hours: on May 30 and 31; June 1 and 2 Tickets: free The Parish Council of Penha de França will bring together the parish’s community groups in a charity festival at the Sapadores Market in addition to the traditional bifanas and sardines there will also be vegan options at all the stalls Address: Rua da Penha de França (Sapadores Market) Hours: from June 8 to 12 Terrapleno de Santos will once again host one of the city’s liveliest St with entertainment for young and old alike Address: Terrapleno de Santos (next to K Urban Beach) Hours: May 16 to June 16 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Freguesia de Estrela (@freguesiadeestrela) Address: in the streets of Mouraria Hours: May 30 to June 15 Address: Calçada de Santo Amaro Schedule: june 27th to July 2nd Address: Neves Costa Street Schedule: june 2 Address: in the streets of Alfama Hours: June 1st to July 1st Address: Largo da Princesa (Clube Sportivo de Pedrouços) Schedule: june 2 Address: in the streets of Bica Timetable: pending announcement Address: in the streets of Graça Timetable: pending announcement It’s not just Lisbon’s neighborhoods that celebrate Santo António there are places in the city where you wouldn’t believe it was possible to celebrate the capital’s biggest parties O Saint Anthony in Mouraria is already a hallmark of Lisbon’s Santos Populares especially because this Lisbon neighbourhood is characterized by its multiculturalism making it the most diverse and inclusive festival in the city with a cultural menu that is also very different from what you might expect to find at any other festival in the city Address: Largo da Rosa (Mouraria) Hours: from June 1st to 17th The beginning of June will focus all attention on this space on the banks of the Tagus which has been given the name “Santódromo” to celebrate the Popular Saints in Lisbon The organization of the project Saints on the Tagus promises a different and unique St the most comfortable and safe that Lisbon will have this year Address: Avenida Infante D. Henrique A (Doca da Marinha) Hours: from June 1 to 12, starting at 5 p.m Tickets: 5€ until May 23 (with drink) and 7.5€ from May 24 (with drink), on sale at website; 10€ at the door (no drinks) There are events that we can put off until later but there are others in which our participation is also a civic duty and the Arraial Lisboa Pride is one of these Come and join thousands of people who will jump O Arraial Lisboa Pride, which will take place on June 25 in Praça do Comércio is a party that aims to give visibility to and celebrate the resistance of lesbian will have a special program for the night of June 12 where all customers will be able to celebrate the Santos Populares Rossio Gastrobar will be the perfect place for Santos Populares lovers to enjoy a special menu prepared by Chef João Correia pão com chouriço and pastéis de nata will be served to sweeten the palate Address: Rua 1º de Dezembro 118 (Baixa) Schedule: june 12th Guia de como “sobreviver” aos Santos Populares de Lisboa Bahia – Alongside the Ministry of Cities (Ministério das Cidades) Brazil’s federal government resumed its Minha Casa My Life) program – the largest of its kind in Brazil – on February 14 The program was created by the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in March 2009 In a ceremony held in the municipality of Santo Amaro President Lula and the Minister of Cities Jader Filho delivered 2,745 MCMV homes to the people They also guaranteed work on another 5,562 homes for the low-income population and announced the goal of contracting 2 million new projects by 2026 President Lula emphasized that the program is one of the government's priorities: to look out for the Brazilian population "We have returned to govern this country in the expectation of improving the quality of life of the Brazilian people" the president signed a provisional measure that establishes Minha Casa Minha Vida and presents its general guidelines The legal act is be published in the Official Gazette (Diário Oficial da União) over the next few days The government’s efforts to resume MCMV in record time were highlighted by Minister Jader Filho Minha Vida is an absolute priority to the Lula government and to the Ministry of Cities we’ve worked incessantly within the Ministry – and because we’ve had to face and overcome huge issues along the way technicians and analysts of the Ministry of Cities are so happy right now Minha Vida will also influence Brazilian economy we’re going to create more than a million new direct and indirect jobs in construction work There will be 2 million new homes for people across Brazil Minha Vida also has this effect: moving the economy and generating income and opportunities throughout the country" GREAT NEWS — One of the main novelties of the program is that Level 1 is back and now focused on families with an up to BRL 2,640 gross monthly income the population in this income range had been excluded from the program the idea is to offer up to 50% of the financed and subsidized homes to this part of the population the support offered to families in this income range ranges from 85% to 95% Minha Vida are expanded inclusion in social rental housing; the possibility of purchasing second-hand urban homes; and the inclusion of homeless families in the program These new developments will be closer to shops and have better surrounding infrastructure President Lula celebrated the program’s comeback “I came over here to start proving that we can indeed rebuild this country We’re going to work hard and we’re never going to stop I’m going to travel all over Brazil with my ministers and we’re going to make sure that all the construction work that has been paralyzed begins again We’re going to start advancing all of them so that this country may be able to once again move ahead so the wheels are turning and producing new economic growth MCMV focuses on increasing the supply of homes to meet the housing needs of Brazil’s low-income population the program strives to promote families’ rights to cities and decent housing All this is associated with urban and economic development; with work and income generation; and with raising standards of housing and quality of life for the population Minha Vida offers subsidies and interest rates below the market to facilitate the acquisition of popular housing and housing developments in the city or in the countryside up to a certain amount HOMES DELIVERED — Way beyond numbers and investment figures creates perspectives and opens new paths to many people who were previously hindered by deprivation and an imposed lack of dignity This is how Brazilian manicurist Josimeire Santana Pinheiro – future resident of Residencial Vida Nova Sacramento Single mother of three children aged between 4 and 11 has been waiting for the keys to her own house for six years – and they’ve arrived by the hands of President Lula and the Minister of Cities Jader Filho in a very moving exchange who has benefited us with this gift,” said Josi “If it weren't for Lula – who took so many people like me out of poverty and gave us dignity to live in our own houses – I wouldn't have my own home” The houses delivered on Tuesday cover nine Brazilian municipalities: Santo Amaro (684) in the state of Bahia; Aparecida de Goiânia (300) and Luziânia (192) in the state of Minas Gerais; João Pessoa (160) in the state of Paraíba; Santa Cruz do Capibaribe (206) in the state of Pernambuco; and Cornélio Procópio (238) These homes were almost ready in the beginning of 2023 so were only being held back by certain bureaucratic issues – such as making beneficiary documentation official in notary offices All this is part of the process that enables keys to be handed over It should be noted that some of this construction work had been contracted almost ten years ago the Ministry of Cities has made efforts over the last 30 days to visit each of the projects that were delivered Obstacles and solutions were identified alongside financial agents and local entities to enable delivery to the population RESUMPTION OF WORKS — The developments that will be resumed – as announced by President Lula – are located in five municipalities: Rio Largo (609) in the state of Alagoas; Chapadinha (868) and Imperatriz (2,837) in the state of Maranhão; Governador Valadares (240) in the state of Minas Gerais; and Belém (1,008) the Brazilian government will strive to continue or resume work on 186,700 homes across the country there are approximately 186,000 unfinished houses in the Minha Casa Urban Entities and Rural Entities modalities There are another 16,000 in the Public Offering modality 83,000 developments are at a standstill due to situations such as irregular occupation; pending infrastructure; construction company abandonment; and signs of construction defects These homes will be jointly worked on by financial agents the federal government and public entities – respecting the attributions of each – towards resumption and completion The homes that are ready were contracted in the 2009-2018 period; 80% of them between 2012 and 2014 37.5 thousand houses are to be built in 2023 – 10.8 thousand in the first 100 days of government and 26.7 thousand during the remainder of the year after 2023 work will resume on around 32,000 houses which present more complex challenges – such as occupations/invasions and infrastructure problems In addition to President Lula and Minister Jader Filho Minha Vida in Santo Amaro was attended by the Presidency Chief of Staff Rui Costa; by the Minister of Transport Renan Filho; by the president of Caixa Econômica Federal Maria Rita Serrano; and by the governor of Bahia Jerônimo Rodrigues The event was held simultaneously in four other municipalities The event in Lauro de Freitas was attended by the Minister of Culture Margareth Menezes; in Contagem by the Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira; in Aparecida de Goiânia by the Minister of Women Cida Gonçalves; and in João Pessoa é uma das obras mais destacadas de Josué de Castro - Foto: Acervo Fundação Joaquim Nabuco-MiE “It wasn’t at the Sorbonne or any other wise university that I first knew about the phenomenon of hunger It was revealed to me spontaneously before my eyes in the miserable neighborhoods of the city of Recife: Afogados That was my Sorbonne: the mud of Recife's mangroves full of crabs and human beings.” That’s how doctor and geographer Josué de Castro, born in Pernambuco state, defines himself in the book “Of Men and Crabs” (1966). By looking at the unequal landscapes of Recife, he was able to understand the real causes of hunger a serious problem that affected the world's population in the middle of the 20th century and continues to do so to this day.  When the 1964 military coup happened Josué was chief ambassador to Geneva He was removed from the post and died in exile but internationally renowned for presenting an innovative look at one of the saddest problems in the world: hunger.  In the third episode of the series “Futuro interrompido: as consequências da ditadura militar para o Nordeste” (Future interrupted: the consequences of the military dictatorship for the Northeast region) Brasil de Fato recalls how the coup interrupted Josué de Castro's political rise and curbed for two decades many important ideas that are still guiding public policies to combat hunger.  what he defended in parliament and what the military did with all his work Josué made efforts to reveal concrete political and social causes of hunger Josué de Castro was born in 1908 in Recife the son of a sertanejo (someone from the Sertão region) who married an heiress to large sugar cane plantations he grew up surrounded by the mud of mangroves With a degree in medicine, Josué stood out for his work on nutrition in the 1930s and 1940s Then President Getúlio Vargas invited him to draw up a social survey Collected data was later used to ground the idea of the minimum wage policy implemented by Vargas "There was a lot of talk about hunger ‘There's hunger here and there,’ but nobody could see where it was That's what's so innovative about his work," says Marina Gusmão researcher and author of the book O combatente da fome: Josué de Castro: 1930-1973 (“The Hunger Fighter: Josué de Castro: 1930-1973” in a rough translation).  That's what people used to say," she adds The first time Josué de Castro pointed out hunger as a social problem was in a factory in Recife He had been hired to investigate the reasons for the supposed unproductivity of employees His response was surprising and caused a stir among industrialists "He did a study and concluded that it was impossible to increase workers’ productivity because they were suffering from hunger so he had no solution to the problem," says Marina Gusmão In 1946, Josué de Castro published The Geography of Hunger, a classic work and a reference for scholars on the causes of hunger worldwide. With this book, he literally put on the map the regions that were actually living in famine conditions. He then offered political solutions to the problem “‘The Geography of Hunger’ divides Brazil into geographical areas but according to criteria that he established in which he points out areas where there is acute hunger and so on," recalls Marina Gusmão In an interview for the documentary film Josué – um cidadão do mundo geographer Milton Santos recalls the innovative character of the Pernambuco thinker: "I believe that Josué plays two important roles: firstly to show the generality of the phenomenon of hunger and one of the most important hunger activists in Brazil highlighted the revolutionary nature of Josué's work: "The Geography of Hunger was a must-read book due to the topic he approached I think it was he who said that there is hunger in Brazil He was the one who gave hunger political and scientific status when he raised this issue." The Northeast Brazilian region that Josué studied was marked severe child malnutrition and low life expectancy Per capita income in the region was US$ 96 much lower than in the center-southern Brazil according to data cited by Vandeck Santiago in his book Pernambuco em chamas – a intervenção dos EUA e o golpe de 1964 from 30% of GDP in the 1930s to just 11% of the GDP in the 1950s From a health point of view, the level of malnutrition was extremely high. Children between the ages of five and ten had only 10% of the weight and height of those in the same age group in the United States Daily calorie intake was below the minimum conditions recommended at the time according to a survey carried out by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1957 Only 4% of children were breastfed after six months of age according to data in the book The Revolution That Never Was "He says that the history of humanity is a history of hunger and goes on to show that hunger was always hidden People pretended the problem didn't exist It only came to light scandalously at the end of the Second World War when people in concentration camps were freed and the world saw them already in a catatonic state due to hunger," says Marina Gusmão "He worked on the progressive spectrum among those who understood that governments should act in favor of the most socially and economically excluded segments of society and those who are hungry," says political scientist Túlio Velho Barreto The coup silences Josué's ideas With the military coup of 1964, Josué de Castro became an enemy of the country. He was included on the list of first people to be persecuted, alongside President Jango and other authorities He lost his ambassadorial post and had his political rights revoked where he taught geography at the University of Vincennes he also traveled to various countries in Asia and Africa spreading his recent revolutionary thesis on hunger He remained abroad until his death in the 1970s "Josué de Castro's work was something that bothered the military the maintenance of status from the point of view of the elite and the dependence of the starving population on rulers," analyzes political scientist Túlio Velho Barreto Despite the silence imposed by the dictatorship, Josué de Castro continued to be studied by many researchers at universities, read by artists and adopted as a political reference for people’s movements, especially those fighting for agrarian reform In 2004, President Lula quoted Castro during the launching ceremony of the Food and Nutrition Security Council (CONSEA The event took place in Olinda (Pernambuco state) Lula pointed out that the geographer is a reference and that he dared to do what everyone else had neglected "A Brazilian like him should never have been punished but rewarded because he was concerned about something that the state should have been concerned about," he said the Mãos Solidárias Campaign organized by the Landless Workers' Movement (MST) created the Solidary People's Kitchens project The initiative is based on Josué de Castro’s ideas and provides weekly meals for food-insecure families in various areas of the Metropolitan Region of Recife is the coordinator of the Vila dos Milagres Solidarity Kitchen in Ibura She is in charge of preparing meals donated every week She describes the difficulties families face and the persistence of hunger despite the resumption of public policies in President Lula's third term Some people live almost in the mud: they don't have sanitation or a home," she denounces The Mãos Solidárias Campaign understands Josué de Castro's thesis on the causes of food insecurity and tries to denounce those who favor this environment of crisis hunger and helplessness for families living in impoverished areas "We see that hunger is not simply a lack of food, because there is food. If you go to supermarkets, production and agribusiness are increasingly making more profits of technology or production so that this food reaches people It's a political problem of social organization," explains Tomás Agra All original content produced and editorially authored by Brasil de Fato may be reproduced provided it is not altered and proper credit is given All original content produced and editorially authored by Brasil de Fato may be reproduced Oeiras is one of the best-known municipalities in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area with so much to see that you'll need to go back several times The town of Oeiras is located on the coast about 16 kilometers from the city center of Lisbon With a population of around 170,000 (2011 figures) there’s so much to see and do here that you’ll have to come back a few more times both in the town and in the surrounding areas we’ve put together a dozen must-sees Some of these beaches (not all of which have lifeguards) are among the favorites of holidaymakers from Lisbon – and beyond – who choose them for their good size and where it’s more pleasant to spend time with family or friends also helps make Oeiras’ beaches a favorite in the summer It has a capacity of around 1,000 people and is located between Praia da Torre and the Oeiras Marina the Oeiras ocean pool has two saltwater tanks: one for children with an area of1500m2 and depths ranging from 1.2 to 2 meters the Passeio Marítimo de Oeiras is one of the most fantastic places to walk This walk starts at Paço d’Arcos Beach and ends at Torre Beach the ocean pool and some of Oeiras’ beaches Parque dos Poetas is one of our favorite parks in Greater Lisbon It covers 22.5 hectares and you can find representations of 60 poets 50 of whom are Portuguese and 10 from Portuguese-speaking countries or territories It is undoubtedly a unique park that brings poetry and sculptural art together in the same space where you will find sculptures alluding to 20 poets of the 20th century you can enjoy a spectacular view over the river and ocean as well as getting “lost” in the Poetry Time the Island of Love and the Cybernetic Fountains Classified as a National Monument in 1953 this area in Oeiras relied on the mastery of architect Carlos Mardel who was able to create a strategic solution that allowed this area to be put to a more recreational use the doors on the first floor open onto a large garden where you can enjoy walks Handed over to the Oeiras City Council in 2003 the Marquês de Pombal Palace and its surrounding gardens have been visited by many curious people as well as being the venue for various events Contemplating one of the best decorative ensembles of the Pombaline period as well as the various walls and staircases covered in tiles are some of the attractions you’ll find here Of extreme importance to the economic and social life of the area the Fábrica da Pólvora (Gunpowder Factory) is one of the places where residents from the various surrounding areas gather first as a blacksmith’s shop and then as a black powder manufacturing workshop in 1995 the Municipality of Oeiras acquired the premises and transformed it into a complex open to all the picnic area and the children’s playground we suggest a longer visit to the Jardim da Caldeira dos Engenhos the Edifício das Galgas and a visit to the Museu da Pólvora Negra The Museum is known for the deep-sea specimens associated with King Carlos I considered by many to be the father of modern Portuguese oceanography; and the Aquarium is characterized by its emphasis on the diversity of marine fauna that occurs in mainland Portugal and the Azores and Madeira archipelagos with more than 200 species that invite all visitors to take a look at some of the most incredible marine species on our planet The Jamor National Sports Center is a multifunctional space that combines sports and leisure It is located in the valley of the Jamor River and has an extensive area – one of the largest in Portugal – which is sought after mainly for sports but also for walks and other outdoor activities The Palácio do Egito has been part of the Oeiras City Council’s assets since 1980 and is located in the town’s historic center It currently serves as a cultural center and offers a temporary exhibition hall The São Julião da Barra Fort is one of the most important military buildings in the country The most famous military men and engineers in the service of the kingdom such as Leonardo Turriano and Captain Fratino São Julião da Barra also served as a military and political prison Today it is the official residence of the Minister of Defense Esta é a Área Metropolitana de Lisboa que não sabias que existia Although sardines have ridden the waves of America's shifting tastes they're perfectly primed to surf into a spot on your pantry shelf Which means you need to know the difference between the bad and the best canned sardine brands out there There's a lot to look for in a can of sardines With the resurgence of interest in this product every seafood company out there is slapping a pretty label on its products to try and make a sale but it doesn't necessarily mean your brightly marketed fish will be better than the package with a simpler design How can you know what is a good tin to buy without being able to pop the top and see your product Follow this list for the ultimate guidance Even with a range of offerings expansive enough to compete with the big three of shelf-stable seafood companies (Chicken of the Sea, Bumble Bee, and Starkist), Ocean Prince Sardines might be the worst variety on the market. The sardines are often grainy, scaly, and have bones that eaters have to pick around. As Sardine.Reviews tells it sardines own a long-standing lousy rep for having a stinky scent but the tiny bits and pieces of spine and scales in Ocean Prince Sardines make it even harder to enjoy For fish reviewer Mouth Full of Sardines the worst part about Ocean Prince sardines isn't the skeleton but the fact that many of the brand's canned varieties are bone dry you'd still have to descale and debone them –- chores you could avoid by purchasing a better brand of canned sardines MW Polar proudly reports that its sardines come from Portugal, where Saveur indicates they are considered the country's national icon someone should get on the phone to Portuguese fisheries and let them know: MW Polar is ruining their good name While it's believed that some of the best tasting sardines come from Portugal MW Polar's are not among the tasty selection The best aspect about this brand is that if you're concerned about BPA content, you can get them in a glass jar. Otherwise, there is little upside to eating them over another, better can. As Mouth Full of Sardines reports whether eating the basic sardines in oil or those in mustard sauce If it weren't for the fact that you can get them in glass rather than tin there'd be no need to even think about eating sardines from MW Polar it also makes a reasonably palatable jalapeño-packed can while these sardines may not be the best on the list there are still some good reasons to buy them Chicken of the Sea is a step up from Bumble Bee; however canned sardines from Chicken of the Sea have some of the same disappointments as other big brands they're fairly lackluster in terms of any distinct taste Maybe that's why Chicken of the Sea has so many supplemental flavors on its sardine menu We found the lightly smoked variety to be one of the most disappointing tins on the market, no thanks to the unbearable pungency of fake smoke flavoring. Liquid smoke makes what is already an oily fatty fish taste overpoweringly woody. Then there are the sardines in mustard sauce, which Mouth Full of Sardines reviews as a potent combo with just too much zing the review site finds that other specialty flavors have a better profile The Mediterranean-style sardines are almost a full meal in a can with bell peppers and a Provençal herb seasoning that gives the sardines some balanced accents Another style comes with the peppery bite of Louisiana hot sauce noted for being flavorful if not a total disguise for the actual taste of the sardines The Gourmet Selects Sardines benefit from Starkist's sizeable industrial might: We've found each filet of fish to be clean of bones so there aren't any tricky bits to pick from your teeth each sardine is scaled and skinned correctly so you're getting a full bite of fish meat These canned sardines are firm but not rubbery Their consistent preparation makes them a joy to cook with or eat as a snack And while they are not the purest sardine flavor we can recommend that they're good to have in the pantry for days when you're craving seafood but don't want to pop open the special tin you've been saving Brunswick began as a small Canadian fishing company before being acquired as a subsidiary of the seafood conglomerate Bumble Bee It's conceivable that the fishing and canning work the original Brunswick brothers were doing in 1893 had high-quality results (after all that level of excellence has been lost to the ages Despite a big product line that boasts everything from sardines in water to sardines in sauces Brunswick is missing that all-important element: fish that tastes good When it comes down to it, Brunswick's troubles are related to the texture of the fish, which often lacks consistency. Upon popping the top on Brunswick's sardines in spring water, Mouth Full of Sardines found that the company gives you more water than fish Brunswick doesn't have the artisanal flair of many smaller sardine brands that are showing them up these days Having the backing of a multinational seafood company may come with benefits but quality sardines doesn't seem to be one of them But we're here to talk about sardines and indeed Safe Catch claims to pay the same attention to mercury counts within its smaller fish the canned sardines you'll be eating from its label are guaranteed to have 25% less mercury than the FDA allows if you are concerned about mercury levels in your seafood Safe Catch's promise is in the name and in the can The skinless boneless variety comes in water or olive oil and has a meaty texture that is firm (but not chewy) along with a clean taste which we found highly enjoyable so if you're looking for more intensity then keep shopping Tinned seafood has been making a comeback in the American kitchen, but the trend isn't isolated to this continent. As Refinery 29 writes many hungry eaters discover the beauty of canned sardines and other fish after visiting countries like Portugal and Spain These two places –- among other European nations -– have a rich history of preserving abundant coastal seafood in a tradition locally referred to as conservas Santo Amaro is one of many sardine companies working on canning this culture Santo Amaro's sardines have a clean flavor that accents this spicy sauce instead of hiding it Good luck finding a more unique can of fish For NURI Artisanal, a great-tasting sardine requires more than just good fish: The packaging process is equally (if not more) important to capturing quality in every can. That is why NURI is hand packed in an artisanal process that has been followed for more than 100 years (per Conservas Pinhais) The result is a less-industrialized operation that produces a limited batch of canned sardines full of old style flavors Most foodies can agree that culinary trends are drifting towards fresh craft goods made with consideration and care; NURI is the perfect canned sardine for this moment Popping the top on a can of NURI Artisanal is an experience but we've discovered that the scales are soft and entirely edible and seasonings in ways that taste natural and delicious We were delighted to find that sardines count to approximately four per can (a generous amount and have a texture that hovers between medium and firm you might find yourself transported to the Atlantic Coast of Portugal BELA Sardines have a unique claim as being strictly sourced from the Cornish Sardine Fishery, a highly managed ecosystem between the British and Portuguese coasts (via Marine Stewardship Council) The result of obtaining its fish from such a sustainable area gives BELA an edge when it comes to taste These aren't the paunchy smelling cans of past generations pair perfectly with fresh bread and olives and are a delicious afternoon snack eaten right out of the can BELA sardines come in full-bodied filets that are quite attractive for a food that can be mushy or gross upon reveal An artistic design will definitely grab the eyes of your guests but the flavor-packed addition to any appetizer table or main meal is guaranteed to wow their tastebuds we recommend the lightly smoked sardines with lemon and olive oil which bring simple ingredients together for a complex bite Although Mouth Full of Sardines points out that the seafood is processed in Vietnam the Californian company sources its fish directly from the Pacific before sending it to be packaged in Asia Focusing on a sustainable stock gives Wild Planet an advantage round filets dense with omega-3s and real taste the pieces aren't skinned and can sometimes look spotty or mangled but if appearance doesn't matter to you then feel confident in this choice If large and round sardine filets are too big of a taste for you to chew on, consider JOSÉ Gourmet. While the brand does offer fish with comparable sizes to other cans on the market, it also specializes in serving smaller sardines that have a more delicate texture. The smaller varieties are often softer per Sardine.Reviews which makes them perfect for whipping into a spread to slather on toast In addition to selling smaller fish, JOSÉ Gourmet offers a full bounty of sauced-up options like sardines in tomato sauce, lemon and oil, and even smoked and packed in olive oil. Each flavored tin is unique, despite having similar characteristics. Mouth Full of Sardines lists some common traits to all JOSÉ Gourmet sardines: pleasant aromas a tin of these sardines is definitely a unique protein to add to your diet Spain is certainly no stranger to sardines, and the tiny fish make up a large part of traditional cuisine, per Serious Eats. With such a big cultural focus on the small fish, it makes sense that La Brújula Sardinas taste so good The three to four hand filleted sardines in each can are fished from the waters of Galicia one of the characteristics La Brújula claims makes its sardines more flavorful than the rest Another reason they are so great is due to the processing they undergo La Brújula says that its carefully cut sardine slices are fried rather than smoked We recommend using that extra sauce to dress up some pasta 35 Sardinas is an inexpensive way to add luxury taste to your pantry Not only are the flavors of El Manar sardines spirited, but the texture and quantity of fish per can really sweeten the deal. If you're lucky, Amazon reviewers write that your container may come with as many as eight sardines per pack (though in that case We've found that El Manar sardines have a slightly firm to medium texture — and despite being skin-on — present attractively too In terms of artistic packaging, Fishwife Tinned Seafood Co. has one of the most vibrant cans on the market and the sardines packed tightly within each Fishwife tin are as striking as the labels The plump fish are wild-caught off the coast of Galicia and packed in olive oil Pull back the tab on these tins and you'll be greeted with a pleasant beachside aroma Unlike many other sardine companies, Fishwife does not have a wide variety of offerings. Rather, the lemon and oil canned sardines are the company's only option. Instead, Fishwife sells a lot of other preserved seafood like rainbow trout, tuna, and salmon. As written in Vogue the company has a fierce focus on quality over quantity; it sources fish as sustainably as possible which means only the best most ecologically sound sardines make the cut Female-led Fishwife may not provide a mass of variety but we've found the sardines to be full of everything else you could want in your canned fish If the number of canned seafood brands using Spanish fish is any indication, the shores of Galicia are home to the pinnacle of sardine fisheries. Per Matiz Gallego that means they deserve to be caught and processed in a customary way that respects their potential for flavor and helps preserve the health of the sardine population Filets of Matiz Gallego sardines are a meaty cut, mainly spineless and without scales (via Mouth Full of Sardines) They don't have a fishy taste but instead stand out with an exceptionally clean finish One thing the fish review site notes is that Matiz Gallego sardines can sometimes have a lot of roe True canned sardine lovers might say that this actually makes them more appealing but if you're not used to roe in your fish cans then it can come as a shock There is a variety of Matiz sardines canned with sweet Peruvian piquillo peppers and the uniqueness of that combo makes them one of the top canned sardine brands on the market It's no coincidence that the leader of all canned sardine brands is also named King Oscar What makes this brand such a well-regarded leader in the tin seafood market The wide selection is part of the draw: The company's website boasts 11 preserved or sauced varieties of Brisling sardines from Norway King Oscar has a Royal Select line of three packages filled with aromatic vegetables Yet, it isn't just the amount of sardine styles that makes King Oscar the top popular brand. This list has covered other companies that rely on a pantry full of preserving ingredients to make their fish seem more appealing. No, what makes King Oscar such a reliable pick is that the sardines are really, really good. Sardine.Reviews writes that the fish are large and dense there are tons of them per pack (sometimes up to 22 fish per can) and quality is consistent across all flavors King Oscar just does sardines well — and then it keeps doing it that way Whether you're part of the sardine set or a newcomer to tinned fish