Lynette Ortiz grasping at straws? Dennis Uy turns (again) to Cebu property developer to cover P1.4B Landbank loan as PHR cash troubles deepen The road to recovery: Mike Arroyo to return to the Philippines after successful treatment Loan scam warning: BSP disowns links to UNA Financing Three years running: Dennis Uy’s DITO continues to rule as Philippines’ top mobile network – Ookla Consumer group urges Marcos to order audit of Meralco’s books from 2005 to 2024 amid rising power costs Legal clouds clear: With Sobrepeña out, Camp John Hay attracts P248M in new investments The soul of Senigallia: Where land, sea, and flavor unite at Uliassi Trump orders curb on virus research he blames for Covid pandemic Dizon says old system broken: DOTr to tighten road safety measures, limit bus driving hours after fatal crashes Scottie Scheffler finishes Byron Nelson -31 for first win of ’25 the country’s leading home improvement and construction supply retailer controlled by the Belo family reported a 27.5% decline in its first-quarter profit net sales increased by 1.2% to ₱8.408 billion driven primarily by the opening of new stores The company opened two new locations during the quarter—one depot in North Luzon and a smaller-format Do-It-Wilcon (DIW) store in Metro Manila—bringing its total store count to 102 citing positive sales trends observed just before and after the long Easter holidays in April which was mainly driven by lower sales in the first two months of the year we are expecting a turnaround especially in the second half given the encouraging average daily sales right before and right after the long Easter holidays in April,” said Belo-Cincochan “Should this sales trend continue and especially if it improves further we expect to reverse the decline in net earnings in this quarter later in the year.” Belo-Cincochan also noted that the performance of Wilcon’s newer stores generating positive earnings after several quarters of negative results last year This was despite the soft market conditions in early 2025 The company’s depots accounted for 96.5% of total sales an increase of 1.8% from the previous year plunged 67.2% and contributing only 0.4% of total sales as no major projects were completed during the quarter The company plans to integrate project sales into depot sales if this trend continues Wilcon’s gross profit for the quarter decreased by 1.7% to ₱3.264 billion reflecting lower margins from both exclusive and in-house brands The contraction in project sales also contributed to the decline despite the ongoing demand for discounted products driven by higher depreciation from new store openings and increased lease-related interest for newly acquired stores These increases were partially offset by reductions in trucking and short-term rent expenses Wilcon’s other operating income fell 25.1% to ₱96 million due to timing differences in supplier support and other fees delivery fees and customer charges saw an increase of 61.6% contributing to a slight rise in overall other income Wilcon remains optimistic that the growth from new store openings and improved sales trends will support the company’s recovery even as the market continues to face challenges The company plans to focus on enhancing the customer experience and improving profitability in the second half of the year Introducing “CES LA VIE” by the one and only CES OREÑA-DRILON. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by—immerse yourself in the captivating world she unveils. Embrace the allure, embrace the journey. CES LA VIE! 2025 | Christian Poirier | Eye on the Amazon unchecked corruption and corporate greed are creating multiple severe threats Along the Xingu River in the Brazilian Amazon Belo Sun’s long-stalled Volta Grande mega-mine is dangerously close to breaking ground and the consequences could be catastrophic.  A recent cash infusion from Luxembourg-based investor La Mancha Resource Capital has given the Canadian company new momentum to push forward with one of the most destructive mining projects the Amazon has ever faced In December, La Mancha quietly acquired a significant stake in the mega-project doubling its stock price while touting its self-proclaimed  “environmental and social programs and close collaboration with local communities and stakeholders.” The Amazon rainforest is the heart of our planet’s weather system and it should be a no-go zone for mining projects like ths one HELP DEFEAT BELO SUN “La Mancha” means “The Stain,” and it is living up to its name by pumping financial oxygen into an extractive project that threatens to generate obscene wealth for a few while irrevocably defiling a unique and highly sensitive ecosystem that sustains hundreds of communities La Mancha’s surprise acquisition of 17% of Belo Sun’s stock came on the heels of another shocking setback for the environment and the peoples of the Xingu’s Volta Grande. Last month, a Brazilian court ruled that the mine’s environmental licensing process which has been suspended since 2017 due to the company’s failure to consult Indigenous communities impacted by the projected mining operations should be wrested from the federal environmental agency IBAMA and handed over to the Pará state agency SEMAS is largely known for rubber-stamping highly destructive development projects to benefit powerful economic and political interests The same court had previously ruled in 2023 that Belo Sun’s Volta Grande Project fell within IBAMA’s federal jurisdiction because the mine would have compounding negative impacts with the Belo Monte hydropower dam and because it would affect Indigenous lands What stands in the way of Belo Sun plundering the Volta Grande? The company remains deprived of its critical land concession since a court annulled its dubious contract with INCRA in early December last year Without approved access to the land under which lie the rich seams of gold a license to operate the project is essentially meaningless INCRA’s role is pivotal and could be the next domino to fall clearing a path for Belo Sun to operate after more than 13 years of attempting to mine the Volta Grande Important sectors within INCRA continue to execute the predatory vision of the Bolsonaro regime that granted Belo Sun access to a vast land concession in 2021 even threatening to arbitrarily displace hundreds of families to a far-flung settlement Brazilian news outlet Estadão reported that INCRA agreed to Belo Sun’s terms after the company offered the agency farmland as well as two large 4×4 trucks demonstrate how tenuous the 2024 ruling annulling the project’s land concession could prove to be All of these dynamics are playing out amid a backdrop of Belo Sun’s aggressive behavior in the Volta Grande region, where it has been accused of steamrolling opposition to its project through a campaign to divide and conquer communities The company’s heavy investments to coerce or purchase the acquiescence of local inhabitants also indicate that it may know something about which we can only speculate: that its mega-mine is poised for final approval The lower Xingu basin and its peoples simply cannot survive another devastating mega-project so near to the Belo Monte dam which has already caused incalculable environmental and humanitarian harm the planet cannot withstand the further destruction of the Amazon rainforest that Belo Sun’s project would bring about.   The importance of stopping the Volta Grande mine for our collective climate and future cannot be overstated This mine would not be just a local disaster – it would cause a global crisis The Amazon is the heart of our planet’s weather system and Belo Sun is on the verge of tearing another gaping wound in that heart The time to act is now in solidarity with frontline defenders in Brazil A powerful new configuration of Parliamentarians for a Fossil-Free Future joined forces with Indigenous leaders at COP16 to usher in a new era of climate justice in the Amazon Munduruku ancestral territory Sawré Muybu advanced to the final stage of demarcation DONATE NOW DONATE NOW DONATE NOW Join the conversation on social networks and participate in our online community NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Belo Sun Mining Corp OTCQB:BSXGF) is pleased to announce La Mancha Investments S (“La Mancha”) (a subsidiary of La Mancha Resource Fund SCSp) as a new shareholder and investor in the Company La Mancha will hold approximately 17.1% of the Company’s outstanding common shares (“Common Shares”) making them Belo Sun’s largest shareholder upon completion of the Acquisition and the Offering described hereunder La Mancha’s acquisition includes the purchase from Sun Valley Gold LLC (“SVG”) of approximately 68.3 million (or 15%) of the Common Shares (the “Acquisition”) and the concurrent subscription from the Company of approximately 11,660,790 Common Shares by way of a non-brokered private placement at a price of C$0.10 per Common Share for gross proceeds to the Company of approximately C$1,166,079 million (the “Offering”) being approximately 2.5% of the Common Shares issued and outstanding post-closing of the Offering Closing of the Offering remains subject to the final approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange Belo Sun intends to use the proceeds of the Offering for general working capital and corporate purposes No finder fees have been paid in connection with the Offering The securities issued under the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day following the closing date Upon completion of the Acquisition and the Offering La Mancha will own approximately 17.1% and SVG will own approximately 8.4% of the Common Shares As a condition of La Mancha completing the Acquisition and the Offering the Company has agreed to enter into an investor rights agreement with La Mancha (the “IRA”) in addition to certain participation rights includes (i) the right for La Mancha to immediately have one nominee appointed to the Company’s board who shall be entitled to participate on two of the existing board committees and (ii) the right for La Mancha to propose the appointment of a second board nominee subject to a minimum ownership threshold and approval of the Company’s board ((i) and (ii) together “We are very pleased to welcome La Mancha as a shareholder and look forward to working with them to advance our Volta Grande Project (“PVG”) La Mancha is a seasoned international investor with extensive experience in Brazil and the gold mining sector La Mancha shares our commitment to responsible development equitable value sharing and environmental protection We see their investment in Belo Sun as a testament to the high quality of our PVG asset and as a vote of confidence in the ability of the Belo Sun team to develop PVG for the benefit of all stakeholders including our shareholders host governments and local Indigenous Peoples and communities.” Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of La Mancha Resource Capital LLP "We are proud to invest in Belo Sun and support its renewed leadership as they work toward the reinstatement of PVG’s key permits We view PVG as one of the most technically promising gold projects in the region and believe its successful development hinges on meaningful environmental and social programs and close collaboration with local communities and stakeholders Our investment reflects our confidence in Belo Sun’s ability to advance the project responsibly.” The securities to be offered pursuant to the Offering have not been and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to United States persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer For inquiries, please contact Belo Sun Mining Corp, +1 (416) 861-2262 or info@belosun.com La Mancha Resource Fund SCSp (the “Fund”) is a Luxembourg-based deep value fund focused on investments in the precious and energy transition metals space The Fund’s general partner is La Mancha Capital Management GP S.à r.l which has delegated investment management over the Fund’s investments to NS Partners Europe S.A. which has further delegated the Fund’s portfolio management to La Mancha Resource Capital LLP La Mancha Resource Capital LLP is authorised and regulated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 978592) Caution regarding forward-looking information: Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws Prior to the concurrent Acquisition and Offering La Mancha did not beneficially own or have control or direction over any Common Shares Upon settlement of the Acquisition and Offering La Mancha will own and have control and direction over an aggregate of 79,919,077 Common Shares representing approximately 17.1% of the outstanding Common Shares La Mancha’s acquisition of Common Shares is for investment purposes La Mancha intends to review its investment on a continuing basis Belo Sun’s business and financial condition and/or other relevant factors increase or decrease its investment in Belo Sun through market transactions including pursuant to the terms of the IRA La Mancha also intends to exercise the Board Nomination Rights and may engage with management and the board of directors of Belo Sun regarding additional changes thereto Belo Sun's head office is located at 198 Davenport Road La Mancha's head office is located at 31-33 Avenue Pasteur THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE Brazil’s two largest hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) play essential roles in the country’s electricity sector With respective installed capacities of 14 GW and 11.2 GW they account for around 11% of Brazil’s electricity generation capacity full realization of the plants’ potential depends on water availability in the rivers on which they are located Deforestation of the Amazon forest modifies rainfall in hydrographic basins both inside and outside this biome reducing the flow of rivers and negatively affecting the HPPs’ power generation Researchers from the Climate Policy Initiative/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CPI/PUC-RIO) and Amazon 2030 have analyzed the impact of changes in rainfall patterns caused by deforestation on the electricity generation—and associated revenues—of the Itaipu and Belo Monte HPPs the HPPs are losing 3,780 GWh in energy generation potential per year due to deforestation This is equivalent to the electricity consumption of approximately 1.5 million people and around US$ 200 million in revenue for the HPPs Itaipu HPP’s average loss of annual electricity generation potential induced by deforestation is estimated at 1,380 GWh This translates into a loss of approximately US$ 86 million in revenue per year approximately 6% of the plant’s recent annual average profit The second case study conducts the same analysis for Belo Monte HPP, Brazil’s second-largest HPP, located in the state of Pará, within the Amazon biome. The plant accounts for 5% of the national electricity mix, supplying 5.9% of all energy used in the country in 2023.[3] The average loss of annual electricity generation potential due to deforestation is estimated at 2,400 GWh This translates to an annual loss of US$ 110 million in revenue—approximately 20% of the plant’s earnings before interest The report also identifies the areas of the Amazon that influence the electricity generation of the Itaipu and Belo Monte plants The area affecting Belo Monte HPP is more concentrated than that affecting Itaipu HPP which is influenced by air currents with trajectories that extend over several regions of Brazil Identifying the areas that most affect energy generation can guide better implementation of conservation and restoration policies allowing the appropriate targeting of resources to mitigate the adverse effects for the energy sector The results show that Brazil’s largest HPPs are already being affected by Amazon deforestation This creates a strategic necessity for the electricity sector to actively participate in the country’s environmental agenda Greater definition and integration of strategies that reconcile forest conservation and restoration policies with those for electricity generation are crucial for the security of the electricity sector and for boosting forest restoration generating electricity by harnessing the power of river flow using small reservoirs relative to their generation capacity This highlights the importance of river flow which is strongly influenced by the rainfall regime As described in Pinto et al. (2024), when air currents pass through deforested areas, they do not receive recharges of water from the forest and thus become less humid.[15] This reduces the incidence of rain along their routes the flow of rivers intersecting with these air currents is reduced ultimately cutting the generation capacity of HPPs positioned on the rivers the loss of forest vegetation directly impacts the productivity of HPPs Link between Deforestation and Loss of Energy Generation Figure 2 illustrates how air currents from the Atlantic Ocean travel across the Amazon and pass through the Paraná and Xingu river basins where the Itaipu and Belo Monte hydroelectric plants are located Although the trajectory of the air masses varies throughout the year they cross a significant portion of the mentioned river basins indicating how the mechanism described in Figure 1 affects hydroelectric generation at the plants analyzed in this study Flying Rivers and the Basins that Feed the Itaipu and Belo Monte HPPs Source: CPI/PUC-RIO with data from Copernicus-ERA5 (2023) The first case study analyzes the impacts of deforestation on Itaipu HPP, which, as of 2024, had an installed capacity of 14,000 MW, enough to supply 50 million homes.[16] This plant is more than 1,000 km from the border of the Amazon biome highlighting the extent of the impact of deforestation Cumulative Loss of Power Generation and Revenue for Itaipu HPP Figure 4 identifies the areas of forest crossed by air currents that are relevant to power generation at Itaipu HPP which includes regions in Brazil and other Amazonian countries Some of this area is deforested and some remains conserved Within the 25% most influential area for Itaipu (1,625,835 km²) These figures indicate the importance of investing in the conservation and restoration of forest areas that impact the flow of rivers feeding Itaipu HPP given that the plant’s loss of revenue stems from the forest loss observed Areas of Greatest Relevance for Power Generation for Itaipu HPP Based on the estimated revenue loss of US$ 86 million per year the area of Amazon forest that influences electricity generation at Itaipu HPP is worth an average of US$ 816/km² in perpetuity if we focus only on the 5% area most visited by wind trajectories—that is the 5% most relevant to the plant’s power generation as illustrated in Figure 4—the value of the forest for power generation rises to US$ 2,240/km² Mapping the land tenure categories of the areas that affect the electricity generation of Itaipu HPP is crucial to target policies to combat deforestation and develop effective mechanisms and instruments to conserve and restore these areas Taking the Brazilian territory from the region shown in Figure 4 the land tenure categories that are most prevalent in the wind path to Itaipu HPP and therefore significantly influence the plant’s operations were analyzed Private rural properties registered under Brazil’s Land Management System (Sistema de Gestão Fundiária – SIGEF) are the main land tenure category accounting for 39.6% of the area crossed by winds Figure 5 shows the distribution of land tenure categories The adoption of forest conservation and recovery actions must take into account the land tenure categories in areas that influence HPPs For the rural properties registered at SIGEF actions should be guided by the Forest Code which imposes obligations for the conservation and recovery of liabilities in Permanent Preservation Areas (Áreas de Preservação Permanente – APPs) and Legal Reserve (Reserva Legal – RL) it is essential to implement economic instruments that generate incentives for forest conservation and restoration forest protection comes both from monitoring and enforcement by the government and from programs that benefit Indigenous populations for the conservation of the region Such programs include Payment for Environmental Services (PES) and reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of Sustainable Management of Forests and the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+) Distribution of Land Tenure Categories for the Most Relevant Areas for Itaipu HPP Note: Most relevant areas are defined as the top 25% of areas for which wind flows.Source: CPI/PUC-RIO with data from Copernicus-ERA5 (2023) The second case study analyzes the impacts on the Belo Monte HPP, located on the Xingu River in the north of the state of Pará, in the middle of the Amazon forest. The plant began operating in 2016 and has an installed capacity of 11,233 MW, enough to supply 60 million people.[26] The methodology used for the Itaipu HPP was also applied to assess the impact of deforestation on Belo Monte HPP Belo Monte HPP has experienced a loss of energy generation due to lower rainfall—and consequently lower river volume—at the plant’s location resulting from the effect of deforestation in the Amazon forest Cumulative Loss of Power Generation and Revenue for Belo Monte HPP within the 25% most influential area for Belo Monte (1,659,021 km²) When focusing on the most influential 5% of this area This underscores the importance of implementing forest restoration efforts to safeguard Belo Monte’s energy security Areas of Greatest Relevance for Power Generation for Belo Monte HPP Based on the estimated loss of annual revenue the area of Amazon forest that influences electricity generation at Belo Monte has an average value of US$ 778/km² in perpetuity Focusing on the 5% most relevant area to the plant’s power generation the value of the forest for power generation rises to an average of 85,395/km² This substantially exceeds the value observed for Itaipu HPP because that plant has a greater area of influence diluting its financial losses over thousands of kilometers of forest Analysis of the land tenure categories in the 25% area of higher relevance for Belo Monte HPP generation identify that rural properties registered at SIGEF are the main land tenure category (29%) followed by Sustainable Use Protected Areas (23%) actions to promote restoration and/or conservation of SIGEF-registered rural properties should prioritize the implementation of the Forest Code and the adoption of financial mechanisms that encourage the adoption of practices that induce forest protection and/or recovery From the point of view of Sustainable Use Protected Areas conservation remuneration mechanisms such as PES and REDD+ should also be considered Distribution of Land Tenure Categories at HPPs Belo Monte These plants have higher operating costs—which can make electricity more expensive—and most of them rely on fossil fuels leading to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and intensifying climate change it is essential to adopt public policies that combat deforestation and encourage the restoration of critical areas for maintaining hydrological regimes Preserving the forest not only strengthens the country’s energy security but also avoids economic losses and reduces the need to use more expensive and polluting power sources Reducing hydroelectric generation capacity directly compromises HPPs’ revenue affecting their profits and putting their financial sustainability at risk it is essential that companies in the electricity sector take an active role in defending effective environmental policies recognizing that their economic viability is directly linked to keeping the forest standing A key strategy for improving these policies is tracking the areas of the Amazon that are most strategic for maintaining hydroelectric generation Identifying and prioritizing these regions will make it possible to direct efforts toward implementing policies and finance mechanisms aimed at conservation and restoration it is essential to consider each area’s specific land features ensuring that the proposed solutions are appropriate to local realities and engage the relevant actors The body of evidence presented here demonstrates the need to structure public policies that integrate environmental conservation and energy security guaranteeing a sustainable model for the national electricity mix and other players will be decisive in enabling solutions that reconcile forest protection with energy supply stability promoting long-term environmental and economic benefits it is essential that the research carried out here be expanded to consider the impacts of deforestation on other plants in the country and on relevant reservoirs as well as their interactions with climate dynamics [1]       EPE. Anuário Estatístico de Energia Elétrica 2024: Ano base 2023. 2024. bit.ly/3BdxE0D [2]       Itaipu Binacional. Geração. nd. Access date: December 17, 2024. bit.ly/3VGZCct [3]       Norte Energia. Sustainability Report 2023. 2024. bit.ly/41gnRQM [4]       Considering a total installed capacity of 226 GW. Learn more at: EPE. Anuário Estatístico de Energia Elétrica 2024: Ano base 2023. 2024. bit.ly/3BdxE0D [5]       Itaipu Binacional. Participação nos mercados. nd. Access date: December 17, 2024. bit.ly/3BnNdTX [6]       Itaipu Binacional. Operational performance. nd. Access date: December 20, 2024. bit.ly/4gV16r9 [7]       Lu, Marcus. “These are the world’s largest hydroelectric dams”. World Economic Forum. 2022. Access date: December 17, 2024. bit.ly/3ZJgG2y [8]       Considering a total installed capacity of 226 GW. Learn more at: EPE. Anuário Estatístico de Energia Elétrica 2024: Ano base 2023. 2024. bit.ly/3BdxE0D [9]       Norte Energia Belo Monte closes 2022 with record annual energy production [10]      Marengo, José A. et al. “Changes in Climate and Land Use Over the Amazon Region: Current and Future Variability and Trends”. Frontiers in Earth Science 6 (2018). bit.ly/3UOflVT [11]      Marengo, José A. et al. “Climatology of the Low-Level Jet East of the Andes as Derived from the NCEP-NCAR Reanalyses: Characteristics and Temporal Variability”. Journal of Climate 17, no. 12 (2004): 2261-2280. bit.ly/3ZArXnr [12]      Araújo, Rafael and João Mourão. The Amazon Domino Effect: How Deforestation Can Trigger Widespread Degradation. Rio de Janeiro: Climate Policy Initiative, 2023. bit.ly/TheAmazonDominoEffect [13]      Araújo, Rafael. “The value of tropical forests to hydropower”. Energy Economics 129 (2024). bit.ly/3ys5Cgl [14]      Ibid [15]      Pinto, Gustavo R. S. et al. Cutting Down the (Hydropower) Plants: How the Amazon Deforestation is Jeopardizing Electricity Generation in Brazil. Rio de Janeiro: Climate Policy Initiative, 2024. bit.ly/DeforestationAndHydropower [16]      Itaipu Binacional. Operational performance. nd. Access date: December 20, 2024. bit.ly/4gV16r9 [17]      Pinto, Gustavo R. S. et al. Cutting Down the (Hydropower) Plants: How the Amazon Deforestation is Jeopardizing Electricity Generation in Brazil. Rio de Janeiro: Climate Policy Initiative, 2024. bit.ly/DeforestationAndHydropower [18]      Pinto, Gustavo R. S. et al. Cutting Down the (Hydropower) Plants: How the Amazon Deforestation is Jeopardizing Electricity Generation in Brazil. Rio de Janeiro: Climate Policy Initiative, 2024. bit.ly/DeforestationAndHydropower [19]      The analysis starts in 2002 as the price of energy becomes more stable from this period onwards which reduces a potential bias in the financial impacts [20]     For the estimates made, we used electricity generation data made available by the National Eletric System Operator (Operador Nacional do Sistema Elétrico – ONS). It was accessed in June 2023 and, as the ONS informs us, the data may change after it is released. Learn more at: ONS. Geração por usina em base horária. 2023. Access date: June 30, 2023. bit.ly/3XwJBql [21]      A total consumption of 532 TWh in 2023 was considered. Learn more at: EPE. Anuário Estatístico de Energia Elétrica 2024: Ano base 2023. 2024. bit.ly/3BdxE0D [22]     A population of 212.6 million was considered. Learn more at: Belandi, Caio. Brazil’s estimated population will reach 212.6 million residents in 2024. Agência IBGE Notícias. 2024. Access date: December 20, 2024. bit.ly/41cIJs6 [23]     Considering a consumption of 532 TWh and a population of 212.6 million the estimated per capita consumption was 2,502 kWh [24]     It is relevant to highlight that by considering the Differences Settlement Price as the energy price the Energy Reallocation Mechanism (MRE) is not accounted for The powerplants that compose such mechanism are compensated if their production falls below a certain threshold the MRE reallocates the energy generated in excess by some powerplants to those who produced less than their physical guarantees While this mechanism tends to mitigate the effects of the potential generation losses reported in this study such solution only works if there is excess energy to be distributed amont poweplants affecting a relevant number of power plants the MRE’s mitigation capability should be substantially jeopardized [25]     The profits of the last seven years were taken into account [26]     Santana, Jéssica. Belo Monte celebrates 5 years of full operation. Norte Energia. 2024. Access date: December 17, 2024. bit.ly/41CWuSw [27]     Considering a per capita consumption of 2,502 kWh (see footnotes 19-21) [28]     As it is a recent project Belo Monte HPP is not yet making a profit because it is amortizing its construction investments the impact was compared with its average EBITDA over the last five years [29]     IPAM. Arc of Deforestation. nd. Access date: December 17, 2024. bit.ly/43aq16P [30]     These figures were obtained by adding up the average revenue losses for the two HPPs and translating the sum of the average energy loss into average consumption per consumer (2,502 kWh) This report received financial support from Itaúsa Institute and Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI).The authors would like to thank Salo Coslovsky and Thiago Nasseh for research support; Juliano Assunção and Natalie Hoover for their comments and suggestions; Rafael Araújo and the CPI/PUC-RIO empirical group for their discussions; Giovanna de Miranda and Camila Calado for proofreading and editing the text; and Nina Oswald Vieira and Meyrele Nascimento for drawing up the figures and formatting the text ← → Indigenous communities that rely on the natural flow of the Xingu River have long fought the Belo Monte dam in Brazil they are urging the government to allow more water to flow which would help revive the river and their way of life A belt of bare treetops jutting out of the water is the first sign of sweeping change Beneath the surface on this stretch of the Xingu River lies land that communities once called home an expanse of water soon gives way to the orderly concrete slabs of the hydroelectric complex that flooded tens of thousands of acres displacing people and diminishing biodiversity upstream For the Xingu River’s Indigenous Yudjá and ribeirinho (river-dwelling) communities and power stations of northern Brazil’s 11.2 gigawatt Belo Monte hydroelectric project As part of the country’s hydropower drive during President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s first term or the Big Bend of the Xingu — an 80-mile stretch of river and seasonally flooded forest that is a global biodiversity hotspot — have dropped by up to 80 percent Fish and turtle species that communities relied on as food sources can no longer survive The project not only deforested the immediate area Its associated roads opened the region to further encroachment by illegal loggers Deeply troubled by its potential impacts on the river the people of the Volta Grande have fought Belo Monte since its inception — through protests “We have always survived on the river,” says Giliarde Juruna whose name translates as “owners of the river.” “Our future depends on it.”  Belo Monte’s operating license is now up for renewal; a decision from IBAMA the federal environment agency that greenlighted the project has been pending since the first license expired in November 2022 This regulatory limbo has offered a rare opportunity for river communities to try to tweak the rules that govern how much water powers the dam and how much is left for ecosystems and people Subscribe to the E360 Newsletter for weekly updates delivered to your inbox. Sign Up linked with both climate change and deforestation has further raised the stakes by threatening river health and reducing power generation — a reality faced by many hydroelectric plants around the world But Lula’s government is now in the spotlight: He will host this year’s U.N climate conference (COP30) in Brazil while facing scrutiny from environmental and human rights advocates over his campaign promises on sustainability Belo Monte’s relicensing looms as a test of how his government handles difficult trade-offs between energy security engineers diverted much of the Xingu’s flow to power turbines through an artificial canal flooding just under 50,000 acres of land and displacing an estimated 40,000 people The project also severely lowered river levels along an 80-mile stretch downstream Feet from the shoreline in this part of the river a fisherwoman who has lived all her life in the Volta Grande watches quietly as a group of visitors huddle over a hand-drawn graph meant to show why local fish stocks are in peril destroys tracajá’s [turtle’s] nests and breeding grounds,” she says Encoded in the curves of the graph was a key message: The problem isn’t just the volume of water lost to the dam but the disturbed rhythm of its flow — naturally high during the Amazonian winter and low in the summer Fish need a surge of water to travel upstream and into spawning sites on forested islands Fruit ripens and falls just at the right time to feed them fish eggs dry out in shallow waters and fruit that drops on dry ground goes to waste Ebbs and flows that once moved to a natural pulse are now dictated by the dam breaking a cycle that sustains aquatic ecosystems and unraveling an entire way of life Depleted fish stocks mean less healthy food and less income Deprived of traditional ways of making a living which has been called one of Brazil’s most violent cities “Talking to you today is not easy for me or the Indigenous people,” says Rodrigues “We wanted to be here talking about the Volta Grande that I knew Now the water kept back from the Volta Grande props up a different way of life thousands of miles away It generates energy for some 60 million people in the country’s south including urban centers like Rio de Janeiro Brazil relies on hydropower for more than 60 percent of its electricity Up to 10 percent of that is provided by Belo Monte at full capacity; in 2023 the plant met only 6 percent of Brazil’s consumption Hydropower will remain a big part of Brazil’s renewables mix in its quest to meet energy demands and climate goals Plugging the power production gaps of intermittent wind and solar is the top challenge for the country’s energy grid an engineer and project manager at Brazil’s Institute for Energy and Environment because its energy generation plummets in the dry season Local communities began to monitor changes in their territory as the dam’s structures took shape and their tug of war with Norte Energia continues to this day through their appeals to IBAMA and in the courts which declined to comment for this article has over the years insisted its plant leaves enough water in the river to maintain ecological health in the Volta Grande region and environmental advocates have countered those claims with multi-year peer-reviewed studies that show high tree mortality In a major reversal, the World Bank is backing mega dams. Read more It agreed to environmental mitigation plans with Norte Energia when the plant was first licensed But experts and advocates say those measures fall short of making up for the damage the company won a court case shutting down an earlier order by IBAMA to temporarily maintain high water levels downstream the Yudjá took advantage of the pending license renewal and working with a research coalition of scientists and river dwellers supported by the Brazilian NGO Socio-Environmental Institute (ISA) and other institutions offered the government their own version of a hydrograph a technical plan that spells out how much water can be released at different times of the year for the places and times during which fish swim upstream to spawn the coalition’s plan calls for releasing enough water to maintain levels at roughly 70 to 80 percent of the historical average volume flowing into the Volta Grande over the course of a year It would also smooth out abrupt changes in river flow to more closely mimic natural cycles The relicensing decision was expected by mid-2024 a federal public ministry prosecutor in the state of Pará who has handled numerous legal challenges to Norte Energia “We still don’t know if the government is taking the relicensing seriously because [it] has not yet decided how much water will be diverted to the plant,” he said “We are waiting.”  According to André Oliveira Sawakuchi a professor of geosciences at the University of São Paulo who works with MATI the research coalition that proposed the Piracemas hydrogram a senior government official said that discussions are ongoing in what is effectively a silent conflict within the government the Ministry of Mines and Energy is pushing against changes to the existing hydrograph and for a greater role in monitoring social and environmental conditions linked with the dam’s operation Both IBAMA and the Ministry of Mines and Energy declined interview requests Belo Monte is allowed to operate indefinitely on a temporary license The trade-off between water for the power grid and water for life on the river has always been at the root of the Belo Monte controversy “When we get [to] the point to take a decision you have this conflict between [the] social and environmental sector and the energy sector of the federal government,” he says It is unclear what bearing the intense drought of recent years will have on the relicensing decision The Amazon River hit record low levels in 2023 and 2024 In the first three weeks of September 2024 Belo Monte worked at less than 3 percent of its full potential a new low after failing to meet its projected capacity over most of its life At current trends, hydropower output is set to decline even further. Climate change impacts, including heat waves and drought, could cause the Xingu’s water levels to drop by up to 50 percent in coming decades, according to modeling studies by researchers at Brazilian and U.S And scientists now see clear evidence that widespread deforestation will soon lead to a tipping point in which the Amazon no longer generates its own rainfall worsening drought and further undermining the dam’s generating capacity As drought shrivels hydro, this African nation pivots to solar. Read more the hydropower complex continues to divert water The Yudjá and ribeirinhos know there’s no going back that life in their region of the Xingu will never be the same again and they believe their Piracemas hydrogram is the most realistic chance to do that I’m not leaving Volta Grande,” says Rodrigues “As long as there’s a single drop of water My children know that if something happens to me Anita Makri is a London-based writer specializing in global development and science, with a focus on health, the environment, and human rights. Her work has appeared in National Geographic, The Guardian, Nature, and Undark, among other outlets. She publishes the WorldWise newsletter on Substack. More about Anita Makri → Never miss an article. Subscribe to the E360 Newsletter → FRAMINGHAM — Despite a previous violation earlier this year, a Brazilian barbecue restaurant has been granted a new entertainment license by the city's licensing commissioners On Monday, the Framingham Board of Licensing Commissioners voted 3-0 to approve an amended entertainment license for Café Belo The new license includes allowance for live music bands karaoke and stand-up comedy — but no dancing the restaurant's entertainment license allowed for a DJ with a keyboard only and acoustic music Commissioners Shannon McCullough and Laura Medrano abstained from the vote with the other three commissioners — Chair Stuart Pologe Clerk Joseph Sturniolo and Alycia DeAngelis — approving the change Earlier: Framingham restaurant hit with suspensions, found to be operating as a nightclub During Monday's meeting, commissioners raised concerns about Café Belo's previous violation, which occurred in March, of its entertainment license. In July, the board voted 4-1 (with DeAngelis opposed) to temporarily suspend the restaurant's liquor and entertainment licenses members on Monday questioned how dancing won't happen given that the restaurant hosts weddings and special events "What's a wedding without dancing?" Sturniolo asked McCullough also questioned that if dancing is not allowed why are tables pushed around a rectangular open space in the meeting room Café Belo manager and owner Louis Hildo Costa assured the board that he would not allow nightclub conditions He said he would hire private security on nights when large crowds are expected Framingham licensing board approves new entertainment licenseThe licensing board approved an updated entertainment license Café Belo approved: Former Angry Ham's to get Brazilian barbecue restaurant The restaurant also shares a name with a chain of Brazilian steakhouses that had a location in Framingham at 417 Waverly St and it's unclear whether the previous Café Belo chain and the current Framingham restaurant are affiliated The previous Café Belo in Framingham, which was managed by Hildo DaCosta, also had problems with its liquor license. Framingham selectmen unanimously voted to suspended the liquor license for the previous Café Belo for 17 days in 2009 after unpaid taxes foiled a liquor license transfer to the establishment's new owners Café Belo is an authentic Brazilian steakhouse serving 10 types of slow-roasted skewers of meat This regular column links to the most significant stories about Webster University or that quote Webster faculty and staff members Webster University faculty and staff highlights offer a roundup of recent Webster faculty and staff activity and achievements Webster University’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program was named one of the top graduate nursing programs in the nation for the fourth.. a Brazilian federal court issued a major setback to Belo Sun Mining Corp declaring the contract that granted the company its land concession null and void This pivotal decision marked a landmark victory for the communities of the Volta Grande do Xingu who have fought the installation of Belo Sun’s massive open-pit gold mining project for over a decade The ruling annuls a highly-contested contract issued in 2021 by Brazil’s National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA) granting Belo Sun access to public lands originally designated for agrarian reform the gold mine – called the Volta Grande Project – cannot advance paralyzing the Canadian miner’s efforts to open Brazil’s largest open-pit gold mine in Pará state home to next year’s UN Climate Conference (COP30).  This long-awaited ruling resulted from a 2022 lawsuit by Brazil’s Federal Public Defender’s Office (DPU) and the State Public Defender’s Office of Pará (DPE/PA) The federal judge in Altamira noted that the area Belo Sun seeks to mine remains formally designated for the implementation of agrarian reform policies the previous negotiations that originally led to the land concession did not ensure meaningful participation of settled families that the contract would directly impact.  The court’s decision impacts other lawsuits filed by Belo Sun. “Without formal access to land, lawsuits by Belo Sun against settlers, such as repossession claims and criminalization complaints alleging invasion are likely to lose their merit,” said Alfinito The decision marks a major setback for Belo Sun which will need to reinitiate its negotiations with Brazil’s federal government to obtain renewed access to its desired mining site the court’s ruling stopped short of annulling the project’s environmental licensing process despite the fact that an environmental license requires that the company hold formal and legal tenure rights to a mining concession Belo Sun may also appeal last week’s ruling in the near future.  “This ruling represents the restoration of legal security in lands usurped by Belo Sun,” said Ana Laide Barbosa “It determines that granting land designated for food production under agrarian reform policies to Belo Sun is illegal jeopardized the lives and futures of farmers in the region we expect INCRA to comply with the court’s decision and allocate the recovered land to landless farmers seeking a place to plant and human rights activists urge INCRA to fulfill its constitutional duty by completing a process initiated earlier this year In its official response Belo Sun downplayed the ruling and referred to INCRA as its partner stating it would “work with INCRA to resolve this issue.” Interim President and CEO Ayesha Hira reiterated this stance: “We look forward to working with INCRA on the next steps following the ruling by the Federal Court in Altamira.” The ruling comes as the Brazilian Amazon faces unprecedented fires and droughts exacerbated by the climate crisis while the country simultaneously receives heightened international attention as it prepares to host COP30 in Belém President Lula’s government has pledged to protect the Amazon and combat poverty recently celebrating the creation of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty during the G20 an agency under the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Family Farming would prioritize a foreign mining company over the needs of families working to produce food and protect the forest is attempting to establish Brazil’s largest open-pit gold mine overlapping the Ressaca region on the banks of the Xingu River This project threatens to cause irreversible harm to a territory already devastated by the Belo Monte mega-dam The Alliance for the Volta Grande do Xingu – a coalition of organizations defending communities at risk from Belo Sun – brought these issues to global attention. In 2021, they denounced the company to the United Nations, the European Union, and investors. local communities have established a camp on the disputed land exposing contract irregularities and reporting threats and attacks by Belo Sun Allegations against the company date back to 2013 and violations of free movement and territorial access rights In June 2023, the Association of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) also denounced the violations of Indigenous rights related to Belo Sun Mining’s project in the report entitled Mine of Blood and intimidations perpetrated by the mining company against the Indigenous peoples of the Volta Grande do Xingu Belo Sun’s environmental license has been suspended since 2017 by the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region and informed consent from affected Indigenous and traditional communities; and the harassment and violation of the right to free movement and access to the territory of local communities This recent federal court decision annulling Belo Sun and INCRA’s contract is a crucial step toward justice underscoring the resilience of the communities of the Volta Grande do Xingu in their fight for land Thanks to the courageous leadership of Indigenous women like Yarley and Lucila and the continued pressure from Colombian and international allies Lower Remanso is advancing its vision of justice and self-determination we learned the monumental news that Leonard Peltier member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and the longest-serving Native political prisoner in U.S has been granted presidential clemency by President Joe Biden 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Belo Sun Mining Corp OTCQB:BSXGF) reports that the Federal Court of Appeals in Brasília (TRF1) has unanimously ruled that the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainability of the State of Pará (SEMAS) will be the competent authority for the environmental permitting process of the Volta Grande Gold Project (“PVG”) going forward This decision reverses the decision made in September 2023 by the TRF1 that designated the Federal Brazilian Institute of the Environment (IBAMA) as the competent authority for the environmental permitting process of PVG (see press release dated September 12 The written ruling will be published in the coming days SEMAS had been conducting the permitting of PVG and issued PVG’s Preliminary (“LP”) and Construction (“LI”) Licenses in 2014 and 2017 Though the ruling designating SEMAS as the competent authority could be subject to appeal it is a positive development for PVG due to the Pará State agency’s familiarity with and knowledge of the project the LP was revalidated by SEMAS in 2022 following FUNAI’s (Brazilian Federal Agency for Indigenous Affairs) approval of the Company’s Indigenous Study (ECI) The next stage in the permitting process of PVG will be the transferring of files back to SEMAS as the Company begins to work with them on progressing the necessary work to advance PVG “We welcome the TRF1 Court ruling confirming SEMAS as the permitting authority for the project an agency that is already familiar with PVG and one that has been permitting mining projects in this important mining jurisdiction in Pará State The Company has had a constructive and transparent relationship with SEMAS and we look forward to working with the agency to advance the permitting process of PVG in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations in particular the local communities and Indigenous Peoples.” is a mineral exploration and development company with gold-focused properties in Brazil Belo Sun’s primary focus is advancing and expanding its 100% owned Volta Grande Gold Project in Pará State Belo Sun trades on the TSX under the symbol “BSX” and on the OTCQB under the symbol “BSXGF.” For more information about Belo Sun For inquiries, please contact Belo Sun Mining Corp, +1 (416) 861-2262 or info@belosun.com OTCRB: BSXGF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Jack Lunnon as a director of the Company with immediate effect Lunnon is a nominee of La Mancha Investments S (“La Mancha”) appointed pursuant to the investor rights agreement among the Company and La Mancha (see Press Release dated December 30 Jack Lunnon serves as Chief Technical Officer for the La Mancha group where he is responsible for overseeing all technical aspects of their investments He has over fifteen years of experience in geology Jack also has significant board-level experience having previously served as a director of Elemental Altus Royalties Corp Jack is a Chartered Geologist in London (CGeol) and Europe (EurGeol) Jack is an expert in manipulating geological models and has obtained a Citation in Geostatistics from the University of Alberta Jack holds a Master of Geology (MGeol) degree from the University of Southampton Jack was a Consultant Geologist for SLR Consulting (formerly RPA) where he performed countless due diligence reviews and audits on numerous projects across the world and generated NI 43-101-compliant mineral resource and technical reports for multiple clients developing in-depth knowledge of advanced resource modelling Jack’s resource skills are backed by solid geological exploration experience across Africa Interim President and CEO of Belo Sun commented “We are very pleased to welcome Jack Lunnon to our board as the La Mancha nominee as we look forward to working with La Mancha in the advancement of the Volta Grande Project Jack’s breadth of global technical experience will be an asset to the Board along with his experience with the La Mancha group in Brazil helping the company unlock value for the benefit of all stakeholders.” The Volta Grande Gold Project is located in Para State Belo Sun’s primary focus is advancing and expanding its 100% owned Volta Grande Gold Project please contact BSX Mining Corp: (416) 309-2137 International Relations Assistant Professor Dani Belo was interviewed by KTVI news about the tariffs imposed on Canada by the Federal Government.  Belo also co-authored an op-ed in The Hill Times about the impact the new U.S administration is having on its long-time alliances.  School of Communications Assistant Professor Joshua Johnson was profiled in the Vermont College of Fine Arts’ Alumni Newsletter Walker School of Business & Technology Dean Simone Cummings was featured in St. Louis Magazine.  OTCQB:BSXGF) reports that the Federal Court of Altamira has ruled on a case filed by the Federal Public Defender's Office (DPU) and the Public Defender's Office of the State of Pará (DPE) in 2022 contesting the agreement made between the Company and the Brazilian National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA) in November 2021 (“INCRA Agreement”) The Judge has declared the INCRA Agreement null and void on procedural grounds The ruling stated that INCRA had not completed an ordinance required to announce the measure taken by the government on the declassification of the area from agrarian reform the Judge rejected the DPU’s request to annul the Volta Grande (PVG) environmental licensing process and as requested by the Company excluded the DPE from the lawsuit The Company will be evaluating all legal options including a potential appeal of the decision and continuing to work with INCRA Commenting on the Federal Court of Altamira ruling “We look forward to working with INCRA on the next steps following the ruling by the Federal Court in Altamira We will also be evaluating all the legal options available to the Company We believe PVG is well positioned to bring benefits to the surrounding communities We continue to work to benefit the region and all stakeholders as we look to advance PVG.” A small portion of INCRA designated land in the PVG vicinity overlaps the Company’s mining concessions and will be affected by the mining operations of PVG (“impacted area”) The Company entered into the INCRA Agreement on November 26 under which INCRA was to provide the Company access to the impacted area for mining activities Further details on the INCRA Agreement can be found in the Company’s Management For inquiries, please contact Belo Sun Mining Corp, +1 (416) 861-2262 or info@belosun.com History Professor Warren Rosenblum was quoted in The Forward about the rise of antisemitism in Europe.  Newsweek also interviewed Belo about the recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.  Jennifer V. Stewart, director of the Office of Student Engagement, was quoted in Forbes Magazine about the All In Campus Democracy Challenge School of Communications Instructor Julie Smith was interviewed on KMOX about the rising popularity of the social media network Bluesky.  2024 | Ana Paula Vargas and Ana Carolina Alfinito | Eye on the Amazon Indigenous and riverine communities are celebrating a landmark victory a federal court voided Belo Sun’s contract granting the Canadian company land rights in the region in a major setback to its plans to carve Brazil’s largest open-pit gold mine into the banks of the Xingu River.  This pivotal decision reinvigorates the more than decade-long struggle led by frontline communities against Belo Sun’s “Volta Grande” mega-mine which threatens to cause irreversible harm to a territory already devastated by the Belo Monte mega-dam.  As we come together to celebrate this major victory we also remain vigilant and steadfast in our movement for environmental justice We count on your support to stand with Indigenous and campesino communities to protect their lands and rights YES, I CAN CHIP IN! By annulling a highly-contested contract issued in 2021 by Brazil’s National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA) the recent ruling denies Belo Sun access to mine public lands originally designated for agrarian reform The move reigns in Belo Sun’s reckless and unlawful efforts to subvert Brazilian land policy for their own ends effectively halting the advancement of the Volta Grande project This retribution comes in a symbolic place and time as Brazil’s Pará state prepares to host next year’s UN Climate Conference (COP30).  The victory springs from a 2022 lawsuit by Brazil’s Federal Public Defender’s Office (DPU) and the State Public Defender’s Office of Pará (DPE/PA) that sought to cancel Belo Sun’s land concession over glaring irregularities.  “This ruling represents the restoration of legal security in lands usurped by Belo Sun,” said Ana Laide Barbosa and protect what remains of the Amazon.” Belo Sun has remained determined to force its Volta Grande mine upon the communities of the Xingu.  In its official response the Canadian mining company downplayed the ruling and referred to INCRA as its partner claiming it would “work with INCRA to resolve this issue.”  Despite the fact the company no longer holds a land concession the court stopped short of annulling its project’s environmental licensing process meaning a successful appeal could put the mine back on track.  Amazon Watch and the members of the Xingu Alliance will remain vigilant and maintain our work in the region by increasing the pressure on INCRA to uphold its institutional commitment to agrarian reform and food sovereignty and human rights activists urge INCRA to strengthen land reform in the region It is crucial for the agency to register the families settled within the Ressaca Land Reforms Settlement (PA Ressaca) and advance public policies that enable Indigenous and traditional communities to produce and live with dignity.  At the same time that the Brazilian Amazon is reeling from unprecedented fires and droughts exacerbated by the climate crisis the country is receiving increasing international praise as a global climate leader as it prepares to host COP30 in Belém recently celebrating the creation of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty during the G20.  would prioritize a foreign mining company over the needs of families working to produce food and the communities whose lives have been dedicated to protecting the Amazon forest and the rivers underscoring the resilience of the communities of the Volta Grande do Xingu Amazon Watch will continue to stand in solidarity with our partners in the region amplifying their fight to protect their ancestral land and liberation are essential to our collective survival in the face of the climate crisis The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. 43,000+ global companies doing business in the region 102,000+ key contacts related to companies and projects news and interviews about your industry in English School of Education Interim Dean Stephanie Mahfood was interviewed live on KMOX about the teacher shortage in Missouri and potential solutions to the problem.  Walker School of Business Professor Joe Roberts was quoted by MoneyGeek.com about the pros and cons of transferring credit card balances Adjunct Professor Jameca Woody Cooper was quoted by the Detroit Free Press about postpartum depression. The story was republished by USA Today FRAMINGHAM — City officials on Monday voted to briefly suspend a Brazilian barbecue restaurant's liquor license and to temporarily suspend its entertainment license after the restaurant faced allegations of operating as a nightclub The Board of License Commissioners voted to suspend Café Belo's liquor license after it was found to be operating under "nightclub conditions" by the city's public safety departments The board voted 4-1 to suspend the restaurant's liquor license for three consecutive days within 30 days of the decision However, during the meeting, board members also raised questions about the type of entertainment being held at Café Belo, consequentially leading board members to vote 3-2 to suspend the restaurant's entertainment license for 14 days, pending a decision from Mayor Charlie Sisitsky on whether to suspend the license on Sundays New tenant: Former Angry Ham's at 2 Beacon St. to get Brazilian barbecue restaurant Commissioner Alycia DeAngelis was the lone no vote on the liquor license suspension pointing to social media evidence of the nightclub activities Café Belo, which opened in early 2023, is at 2 Beacon St., a location where previous establishments had multiple alcohol violations, including Angry Ham's Garage and Beacon Street Bar & Grill, the former of which was featured on the reality television show "Bar Rescue" back in 2011 Police Department objected to restaurant staying open until 2 a.m.Concerns were previously raised when Café Belo applied for an all-alcohol restaurant license and common victualer license in June 2022 In a letter to the licensing board at the time, Lt. Thomas McCarthy, the licensing bureau commander for the Framingham Police Department closing would be a risk to public safety because Framingham has few public transportation and cab options for those who can’t drive after drinking at the establishment; additionally the rate of pedestrian fatalities does not make walking home a safe option McCarthy told the board during Monday night's meeting that Louis Costa Costa said he had already begun to make changes in order to make sure the overcrowding doesn't happen again Costa told the board he has two employees standing at the doors checking and counting the number of patrons coming in He later said he has private security on-site but was unable to provide the name of the security vendor when asked The allegations of nightclub activities stem from a March incident in which Framingham Police and Fire personnel responded to a medical incident public safety officials observed Café Belo operating over capacity with loud music and lowered lights a nightclub is defined as a place with high occupant load density with features such as low lighting; music above normal sound levels; nighttime operating hours; tables and seating that create ill-defined aisles; a specific area designated for dancing; and a serving facility for beverages with limited food service Licensing Board members raised concerns that Café Belo was violating its entertainment license which permitted for acoustic guitar and a DJ with a keyboard Multiple board members brought up the social media accounts of Café Belo which advertise bands and have videos of large groups of people not any amplifier on it; that's the spirit of that entertainment license," Licensing Board Chair Stu Pologe told Costa “I’m seeing a video here on Instagram for the Carnival Belo and you could see people dancing,” Commissioner Laura Medrano added there are women in little clothes — this is not a restaurant with an acoustic guitar.”  both Pologe and Medrano were the no votes on the vote to suspend the entertainment license after Commissioner Shannon McCollough made the motion to suspend the entertainment for license for 14 days Medrano said 14 days will damage the business Costa agreed to pay $300 in administrative fees He is not allowed to appeal the liquor license decision as part of the deal Decisions about entertainment on Sundays are made by the mayor meaning the entertainment license suspension's enforcement on Sundays is up to Sisitsky 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 Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight The Presidents' Volunteer Lifetime Service Award recognizes a "lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service." Bill Bengtson is a reporter for the Aiken Standard He has focused most recently on eastern Aiken County He is a graduate of the University of Georgia and Whitman College and also studied at Oregon State University and the University of Guadalajara To support local journalism, sign up for a subscription. See our current offers » Two local residents have a fresh accolade to their credit in recognition of years of volunteer service Judy Floyd and the Rev. William Belo, both attending a Jan. 7 gathering, received the President's Volunteer Lifetime Service Award, which "honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action, too," as described on an AmeriCorps-associated website Belo, an Augusta resident, is senior pastor of New Beginnings Impact Ministries, having been with that congregation since 2021; and Floyd, an Aiken resident, directs the Christ Central Mission Station The award noted the recipients' "lifelong commitment to building a stronger nation through volunteer service."  The honor bestowed upon Floyd and Belo represents at least 4,000 volunteer hours per person and is for "individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action, too," as described on the website Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: 1/37Boys Soccer: Colonia vs. Spotswood, October 23, 2024.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Tyler Duffy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comNoah Belo had the game-winning goal in overtime to help give Colonia a 3-2 victory over Spotswood in Colonia Jayvian Mandry and Jacob Marin each added a goal for Colonia (11-4-1) Colonia led 2-1 at halftime before Alex Lagowski scored the game-tying goal in the 49th minute for Spotswood (11-5) Goalie Brandon DeSouza made eight saves for Colonia to help secure its third win in four games The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) (edited) Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices decided to embrace the love around her and celebrate in a grand fashion (Photo: Daniel Tan) This year decided to embrace the love around her and celebrate in a grand fashion (Photo: Daniel Tan) For years, Dr Vicki Belo has been hesitant to celebrate her birthday due to a painful childhood memory She shares that her birthday marked the day she was “given away” as an adopted child the beloved doctor to the stars decided to embrace the love around her and celebrated in grand fashion the Belo Medical Group organised a dazzling soirée at Kenneth Cobonpue’s newly opened Fable Café + Lounge in Bonifacio Global City It was Dr Belo’s first-ever celebration family and fellow “Belo Babies” who were also born in January and February More from Tatler: Iain Glen dives into Philippine history for his role in upcoming biopic ‘Quezon’ lovely birthday dinner at Kenneth Cobonpue’s Fable Café + Lounge (Photo: Daniel Tan) An intimate lovely birthday dinner at Kenneth Cobonpue’s Fable Café + Lounge (Photo: Daniel Tan) “Those who know me are also aware that I don’t like to be greeted with a happy birthday on the same day I was ‘given away’ for adoption,” said Belo “But feeling the love and joy all around was really something else.” Celebrating with her were partner Dr Hayden Kho Jr and daughters Cristalle Belo-Pitt and Scarlet Snow “After years of skipping her own birthday Vicki finally agreed to celebrate— but only if she could share it with all our Belo Babies born in January and February we had to make it extra fun [and] special,” Dr Kho wrote on social media Above The Belo Family (Photo: Daniel Tan) Above Dr Hayden Kho Jr and Scarlet Snow Belo (Photo: Daniel Tan) The Belo Family (Photo: Daniel Tan) Above Donny Pangilinan (Photo: Daniel Tan) Above Anne Curtis-Smith and Solenn Heussaff (Photo: Daniel Tan) Donny Pangilinan (Photo: Daniel Tan) Dressed in a stunning embellished mini dress Dr Belo shone among an exclusive guest list of Manila’s brightest stars The intimate all-white affair brought together some of the biggest names in entertainment Donny Pangilinan and Star Magic head Laurenti Dyogi Power couples like Matteo Guidicelli and Sarah Geronimo as well as personalities like Ruffa Gutierrez Ivana Alawi and Anthony Pangilinan with wife the beloved doctor to the stars decided to embrace the love around her and celebrate in grand fashion (Photo: Daniel Tan) This year the beloved doctor to the stars decided to embrace the love around her and celebrate in grand fashion (Photo: Daniel Tan) The evening was a heartfelt mix of elegance and fun luxurious prizes and special awards that made the celebration even more memorable Even eventologist Tim Yap made last-minute changes to be there for her “Vicki never celebrates her birthday—it’s just not her thing So when Hayden called to tell me about this party bookings and flights to make sure I was present for Vicki when it mattered most.” the evening was an embodiment of what Dr Belo represents: confidence it was a reminder that love can change even the hardest moments into something beautiful High protein foods (that aren’t eggs) to include in your diet April 2025 Dining Radar: New restaurants to try this month Young blood: Take note of these up-and-coming chefs on the scene DAVID RISING and NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press East Timor (AP) — When the Vatican acknowledged in 2022 that the Nobel Peace Prize-winning East Timorese independence hero Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo had sexually abused young boys it appeared that the global clergy sexual abuse scandal that has compromised the Catholic Church's credibility around the world had finally arrived in Asia's newest country the church in East Timor today is stronger than ever doubting or dismissing the claims against Belo and those against a popular American missionary who confessed to molesting young girls Many instead focus on their roles saving lives during the country's bloody struggle against Indonesia for independence Pope Francis will come face to face with the Timorese faithful on his first trip to the country a former Portuguese colony that makes up half of the island of Timor off the northern coast of Australia there is no word if he will meet with victims or even mention the sex abuse directly as he has in other countries where the rank-and-file faithful have demanded an accounting from the hierarchy for how it failed to protect their children Even without pressure from within East Timor to address the scandals it would be deeply meaningful to the victims if Francis did the Dutch journalist who helped bring both abuse cases to light The day after Lingsma detailed the Belo case in a September 2022 report in De Groene Amsterdammer magazine the Vatican confirmed that Belo had been sanctioned secretly two years earlier In Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni's statement he said the church had been aware of the case since 2019 and had imposed disciplinary measures in 2020 including restrictions on Belo's movements and a ban on voluntary contact with minors many in East Timor still don't believe it like Dili university student Martinha Goveia who is still expecting Belo will show up to be at Francis' side during his upcoming visit "that is not good in my opinion," because it will confirm he is being sanctioned by the Vatican Vegetable trader Alfredo Ximenes said the allegations and the Vatican's acknowledged sanctions were merely rumors and that he hoped Belo would come to welcome the pope and refute the claims in person Timorese officials refused to answer questions about the Belo case but there's been no attempt to avoid mentioning him with a giant billboard in Dili welcoming Pope Francis placed right above a mural honoring Belo and three others as national heroes Only about 20% of East Timor's people were Catholic when Indonesia invaded in 1975 shortly after Portugal abandoned it as a colony some 98% of East Timor's 1.3 million people are Catholic making it the most Catholic country in the world outside the Vatican A law imposed by Indonesia requiring people to choose a religion combined with the church's opposition to the military occupation and support for the resistance over years of bloody fighting that saw as many as 200,000 people killed helped bring about that flood of new members Belo won the Nobel Peace Prize for his bravery in drawing international attention to Indonesian human rights abuses during the conflict and American missionary Richard Daschbach was widely celebrated for his role in helping save lives in the struggle for independence where the culture tends to confer much power on adults and authority figures helps explain why the men are still revered while elsewhere in the world such cases are met with outrage of the online resource Bishop Accountability "But no case we've studied exhibits as extreme a power differential as that which exists between Belo and his victims When a child is raped in a country that is devoutly Catholic and the sexual predator is not only a bishop but a legendary national hero there is almost no hope that justice will be done." the priest confessed in a letter to church authorities to abusing young girls from at least 1991 to 2012 "It is impossible for me to remember even the faces of many of them The 87-year-old was defrocked by the Vatican and criminally charged in East Timor where he was convicted in 2021 and is now serving 12 years in prison But despite his confession and court testimony from victims that detailed the abuse has visited Daschbach in prison — hand-feeding him cake and serving him wine on his birthday — and has said winning the ex-priest's early release is a priority for him which he shared with current East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta he suddenly retired as the head of the church in East Timor in 2002 was sent by the Vatican and his Salesian missionary order to another former Portuguese colony he spent his time "teaching catechism to children giving retreats to young people." Today he lives in Portugal had been allowed to quietly retire rather than face any reckoning given the reputational harm to the church that would have caused In a 2023 interview with The Associated Press Pope Francis suggested that indeed was the case reasoning that was how such matters were handled in the past Lingsma said she first heard allegations against Belo in 2002 won its formal independence after the Indonesian occupation ended in 1999 She said she wasn't able to investigate the case and build enough evidence to publish her story on him until two decades later Her story garnered international attention as well as the Vatican's acknowledgement of the case but in East Timor was primarily met with skepticism and negative reactions toward her reporting Her 2019 story exposing the Daschbach case eventually prompted authorities to charge him but also did not lead to the outpouring of anger that she had anticipated "The reaction was silence," she recalled nuns and missionaries put themselves at great risk to help people like "parents wanting to save their children," helping form today's deep connection between the church and people of East Timor said Timorese historian Luciano Valentim da Conceixao The church's role is even enshrined in the preamble to the young country's constitution which says that the Catholic Church "has always been able to take on the suffering of all the people with dignity placing itself on their side in the defense of their most fundamental rights." Because so many remember the church's significant role during those dark days it has fostered an environment where it is difficult for victims of abuse to speak out for fear of being labeled anti-church and where men like Belo and Daschbach continue to receive support from all walks of society said the cases of Belo and Daschbach were the Vatican's jurisdiction and that most people consider the sex abuse scandals a thing of the past "We don't hear a lot of people ask about bishop Belo because he left the country.. Lingsma said she knew of ongoing allegations against "four or five" other priests "That also shows that this whole reporting system doesn't work at all," she said said he did not know enough about the cases against Daschbach or Belo to comment on them but that he was well acquainted with their role in the independence struggle and called them "fearless freedom fighters and clergymen." Barrett Doyle said "the victims of those two men have to be the most isolated and least supported clergy sex abuse victims in the world right now Francis' visit to East Timor could be a landmark moment in his papacy if he were to denounce Daschbach and Belo by name and praise the courage of the victims sending a message that would resonate globally "Given the exalted status of the Catholic Church in East Timor just imagine the impact of papal fury directed at Belo Daschbach and the yet unknown number of other predatory clergy in that country," she said "Francis could even address the country's hidden victims promising his support and urging them to contact him directly about their abuse — he literally could save lives." BINI for Belo ADVAlight Press Release Cover Vicki Belo is mourning the death of her long-time makeup artist, Marife Mordido. On Instagram, the celebrity doctor shared a reel of their photos together for over 20 years "28 years of togetherness, Marife," Vicki said in the caption. "My good vibes girl my protector and one of my closest friends," she added. "I love you so much." In a separate post, Vicki's daughter, Scarlet Snow also paid tribute to the makeup artist who became close to their family "Thank you for taking good care of Mommy and me In 2022, the Belo family celebrated Christmas in Japan with Marife and their helper, Anita Almedilla. Marife was a renowned makeup artist who had worked with big celebrities and personalities, including Alice Eduardo, Tootsy Angara, Lani Misalucha, and Iza Calzado, among others. {{gallery.imageDetails.images.0.description}} Noah Belo (7) of Colonia moves the ball past Pavel Yurkov (5) of Summit during the NJSIAA North 2 final round boys soccer game at Colonia HS in Woodbridge .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By John Lewis | For NJ Advance MediaNoah Belo scored the only goal of the game in the 65th minute as Colonia bested J.P The goal was Belo’s second of the season and it came off an assist from Cristian Alvarez Brandon DeSouza earned a clean sheet for the Patriots with six saves It was the first loss of the season for J.P The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) Vicki Belo turned emotional after she addressed the usual "uneven" breasts comments that she gets on her content online the celebrity doctor shared screenshots of the usual comments and stitched them into a reel that details the explanation of her uneven breasts "Baka you think my breasts were done in Belo that's so not true," the celebrity doctor said Vicki recalled that she had breast cancer in 2016 and the tumor on her left breast was five by seven centimeters She added that the surgery to remove her tumor was performed in a hospital in New York so that's why my armpit is a bit deep on this side I wanted to clear it up because I don't want you to think that's what happens to boobs in Belo." Vicki asked netizens to be kinder when leaving such remarks "Iiyak na ako," before ending her video with In 2023, Vicki marked being cancer-free for seven years then in a candid video "I was never comfortable talking about my cancer but I'm feeling extremely grateful — here's to 7 years being cancer-free," she said She is married to Hayden Kho, and they have a daughter named Scarlet Snow. Noah Belo (7) of Colonia and Mike Corbett (9) of Woodbridge battle for the ball during the boys soccer game between Colonia and Woodbridge at Colonia High School School in Colonia .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Steven Bassin | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comColonia extended its winning streak to three straight games thanks to the heroics of Noah Belo during its 2-1 overtime victory over Edison in Colonia Belo knocked home the game-winning goal in overtime to send the Patriots to their fifth win of the season Cristian Alvarez tallied the game’s first goal in the first half off an assist from Cristian Alvarez to give Colonia (5-1) a 1-0 lead going into halftime Edison (2-5) tied the game three minutes into the second half off the foot of Anthony Cedeno Each team failed to find the back of the net during the rest of regulation Brandon DeSouza got the win in net for the Patriots with four saves in the contest Emmanuel Kostis had the assist on Cedeno’s goal for the Eagles and George Kostis recorded 13 saves for Edison The N.J. 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Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) Steven Bassin can be reached at SBassin@njadvancemedia.com By Metro Report International2024-10-14T13:00:00+01:00 BRAZIL: Construction started on Belo Horizonte’s second metro line on September 16 with a ceremony organised by metro operating concessionaire Metrô BH and the Minas Gerais state government The 10·5 km metro Line 2 will link Nova Suíça on Line 1 with Barreiro in the southwest of the city it is ‘committed to accelerating the schedule’ Metrô BH announced the purchase of 24 four-car metro trainsets from CRRC on June 10 The trainsets are already in production and are due to serve both lines 1 and 2 In October last year, Metrô BH awarded Alstom a contract to automate the existing Line 1 and the future Line 2 Alstom is to supply new signalling to support ATO as well as onboard equipment for the existing fleet plus the 24 newly purchased trains BRAZIL: Belo Horizonte metro operating concessionaire Metrô BH announced the purchase of 24 four-car metro trainsets from CRRC on June 10 The vehicles are to feature Automatic Train Operation equipment passenger information screens and large windows The final fit-out of the trains is still being undertaken .. BRAZIL: Alstom is about to start producing metro trainsets for São Paulo Line 6 at its Taubaté factory as the company invests to support growing rail markets in South America BRAZIL: Belo Horizonte metro operating concessionaire Metrô BH has awarded Alstom a contract to automate the existing Line 1 and the future Line 2 Alstom is to supply new signalling to enable automatic train operation on the 28·1 km Line 1 between Eldorado and Vilarinho and .. Site powered by Webvision Cloud prepares to increase its stake in Belo Medical Group up to 70 percent after its initial investment in July 2024 A report by business news site InsiderPH placed the value of Belo Medical Group Victoria “Vicki” Belo at under P20 billion The report said Ares Management would take a majority position of up to 70-percent interest in Belo Medical Group Ares Management announced in July 2024 a strategic investment into Belo Medical Group which has 14 branches across the Philippines Belo Medical Group was the first Philippine company accredited by the prestigious National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) as an ambulatory clinic The investment aimed to enable Belo Medical Group to expand to new locations and services invest in innovative technologies and build out its skincare product portfolio while continuing its mission in seeking to deliver world-class aesthetic services to its discerning clients Ares Management said that as of end-March 2024 it had about $428 billion of assets under management with 2,900 employees operating across North America “With Ares’ track record in the health and beauty sector globally and prior work with founder-led businesses I have full confidence that Ares is the right partner for Belo Medical Group as we embark on the next 30 years of our journey,” said Belo founder and medical director of Belo Medical Group Belo said the partnership aimed to accelerate the group’s growth and achieve its ambition of making the Philippines a hub for aesthetic medicine in Asia “We aim to make Belo’s treatments and technologies accessible to patients not only across the Philippines managing director of Belo Medical Group said in the July statement principal of Ares in Asia said the investment in Belo Medical Group is consistent with its strategy of partnering with market-leading growth businesses across the region © All Rights Reserved. 2025 | Manila Standard | Developed by Neitiviti Studios The team behind this little Belo bikes startup set out to build a more sustainable kids’ bike Pairing fast-growing bamboo frame tubes with recycled plastic lugs they’ve created a bike they say is as close as you can get to carbon-neutral and affordable for parents faced with kids that grow like weeds the Belo bike is being offered through a Kickstarter campaign in 14″ to 20″ wheelsize But Belo hopes to deliver their sustainable made-in-Germany kids bikes already by the middle of next summer “Let your little ones explore the world sustainably As parents themselves also faced with fast-growing kids the Belo design team wanted to figure out how to build a high-quality bike that would get their children excited about riding a bike that they could feel was more in line with the climate-positive benefits of actually riding bikes instead of creating another disposable product Bamboo as a frame material first came to mind for its rapidly renewable character building conventional bamboo bikes is still very labor intensive and requires a lot of less-friendly epoxy work So they spent the past 3 years developing a plug-and-play lug system that uses injection-molded recycled plastic to give the bikes structure the white recycled plastic lugs were specifically infused with splashes of colorful throughout to create an eye-catching look to contrast the neutral tones of the bamboo frame elements Belo builds affordable frames thanks to the simple lugged construction “By choosing our eco-friendly kids’ bike you’re not only providing your child with a fun and healthy activity but also supporting a more sustainable planet.” Belo describes the bamboo they build their frames & rigid forks from as “light as aluminum recycled plastic lugs are overbuilt to be extra strong for how kids use & abuse bikes The bikes are also disc brake only and feature thru-axles to work with high-quality wheels Belo bikes feature solid kid-centric components Belo has just opened up a crowdfunding campaign for their sustainable bamboo and recycled plastic kids’ bikes on Kickstarter and they still have quite a ways to go to meet their funding target you could pre-order their 14″ bike for just 400€ or the 16″ bike for 500€ The 20″ 10-speed geared Belo kids’ bike is a bit more at 700€ And there’s even an option for a limited founders addition where you can get a custom-colored Belo bike for 1000€ then in any of the wheel size options to fit your kid We’ve also heard they’re likely also working on a smaller balance bike version for even smaller kids Belo’s Kickstarter runs through the middle of November Belo expects to ship their bikes out to early backers next summer starting in May but officially by July 2025 Belobikes.com Cory Benson is the EU Tech Editor of Bikerumor.com Cory has been writing about mountain bikes gravel bikes & bikepacking for over 25 years even before the industry created some of these names Cory was a practicing Architect specializing in environmental sustainability has designed bike shops & bike components Cory travels extensively across Europe riding bikes meeting with key European product developers industry experts & tastemakers for an in-depth review of what’s new Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed A while ago I knew this guy who grew bamboo for commercial use I was thinking at the time of making a seat post with a bamboo shaft We talked about controlling the diameter of the tube by mounting a shell on the bamboo that would have forced the bamboo to grow to a desired diameter but I still wonder if this is even possible if possibly made in a controllable fashion would be an excellent frame material and could be used more frequently for bike frames Or you could find a used kid’s bike for a fraction of the price while being a lot more eco-friendly still Sell it or gift it to another family when you’re done with it And if the bike you buy smoked is made of bamboo the effect of sustainability is even greater but don’t want to deal with solvents Simpyfast claims their Lube Cube is the easiest way Peak Performance expands on their MTB specific clothing with new pants Apparently that’s an option when you’re designing products for the GOAT We spotted Cofidis racing an all-new prototype wireless 13-speed Campagnolo Super Record 13 WRL SC road groupset Canyon Bicycles is now selling select models directly through Amazon.com Want wireless shifting but don’t want to have to buy a whole new drivetrain Be protected from the sun with the new UV Hooded Trail Shirt… OrNot The new Van Nicholas Astraeus is a beautiful titanium road bike that’s limited to just 50 frames © Copyright 2022 SNKRDUNK Magazine.All rights reserved The L-SPC version of a Leader card depicting one of the One Piece's manga more minor characters is anything but a minor addition to any collection the commander of the East Army of the Revolutionary Army hasn’t made many appearances in the One Piece manga to date since her introduction in the Levely Arc this hasn’t stopped this latest Parallel Art reprint which features her from becoming one sought out by many collectors This card’s rarity exceeds that of the previous Parallel Art iteration of a card originally from Awakening of the New Era [OP-05]; it comes in the rarity of L-SPC What makes this really interesting is that the card’s imagery is an almost exact copy of the illustration of the non-Parallel Art Leader card from the set; the main difference lies in the fact that the holofoil used is slightly different this card’s value gets the advantage provided by the fact that it depicts a female character Not only that—the illustrators clearly leaned into the character’s sex appeal as Betty is shown relatively scantily clad with much of her chest as well as her entire midriff exposed This is certain to add appeal to the card for demographical reasons This card has already been launched in English A Belo Betty (Awakening of the New Era [OP-05] OP05-002) card with a rarity of L-SPC goes for 5,000 JPY (~US$32) In other TCG-related news, check out the Perona card from Wings of the Captain [OP-06] you can also head over to the SNKRDUNK App via the banner below and find the top trending and latest single cards and boxes IFLR is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025 Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement The content you are trying to view is exclusive to our subscribers You have reached the limit for gifting for this month