Stories about Portuguese from May, 2010
Angola: Similarities between Cabinda and East Timor
Orlando Castro discloses [pt] the similarities between the Angolan enclave of Cabinda and the recent history of East Timor, criticizing the positions of the Portuguese and Timorese leaders for failing to recognize the self determination of a province that produces 70% of domestic oil.
Brazil: Rapper assaulted by Police Peacemaker Unit
MC Fiell, who recently launched a booklet about police approach at ‘favela‘ (slum) Santa Marta, was the target of a violent assault by members of the Police Peacemaker Unit (UPP). In his blog [pt], he describes the event and claims having been beaten when he tried to dialogue besides being...
Brazil: Bloggers React to Iran-Brazil-Turkey Nuclear Deal
Brazilian bloggers react to the deal reached between Brazil, Turkey and Iran concerning the uranium enrichment of the latter: from optimism to skepticism, here are some thoughts on the role of Brazil in such an international turnaround.
Brazil: Exchange Student Victim of Racism at the University
Kadija Tu, an exchange student from Guinea-Bissau, was severely beaten inside the campus of UFPB [Federal University of the State of Paraíba] on May 24th, reports Eugenio Cruz from the blog Quase nada sobre quase tudo [Almost nothing about almost everything, pt]. Witnesses say she was called ‘dog-nigger‘ (Negra-Cão) by...
Cape Verde: Using an Online Tool to Fight Dengue
The Government of Cape Verde is using the internet as a powerful tool to fight dengue [pt]. By creating an epidemiological watch online through which it is possible to insert every new case on a database as soon as it is discovered, they are able to assist and help areas...
Guinea-Bissau: Political Situation still Unstable
With the imminent approval of a law which will determine major reforms in the Armed Forces of Guinea-Bissau, Blog Pessôa [pt] reflects on the political instability in the country eight weeks after the military unrest of April.
East Timor: Portuguese Language in Debate
A heated discussion is taking place in the Timorese blogosphere regarding the implications of the adoption of Portuguese as one of the official languages in East Timor, along with Tetum. Kirsty Sword Gusmão, Goodwill Ambassador for Education, and spouse of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, reacts showing her concerns about education...
Brazil: 5XFavela: Art Breaking Social and Cultural Barriers
5X Favela is a social and cultural project that resulted in a feature film about the country's favelas being presented this week at the Cannes Film Festival. It is the first Brazilian feature film of its kind to be made by slum-dwellers themselves. But before traveling to the festival, Felha, one of the directors was randomly humiliated by police, showing that we still have some way to go in altering this stigma of Brazilian society.
Iran: The Iran-Brazil-Turkey Nuclear Deal
In Brazil, Maria Frô describes the deal signed by Iran, Brazil and Turkey as the major victory of the Brazilian diplomacy in recent times [pt]; on the other hand, in India, The Acorn blog considers it as an Iranian attempt to acquire more time and diplomatic space.
Brazil: Using Cleaner Fuels in Ships
Ambiente Brasil reports [pt] on the bill nº 7006/10 by the parliamentarian Carlos Bezerra. It intends to prohibit the traffic of ships whose fuels contain more than a thousand parts per million of brimstone in Brazilian waters, reducing the impact of pollution caused by them in cities close to the...
Brazil: Ants Protest Insecticide
Ants protest is an artistic video made and posted by attaspp in Vimeo and features a group of ants carrying placards reading “Stop the killing” and crossed out Baygon logos, the brand name for an insecticide. Wish to know how it was done? The Brazilian director has also posted a...
Global: The Green Wave 2010
Esse tal Meio Ambiente blogs [pt] on The Green Wave Campaign 2010, to take place on May 21-22 in parallel with the International Day for Biodiversity. The multi-year global campaign promotes the discussion of biodiversity by children and youth and the planting of trees.
Mozambique: Aid spat
Donor countries briefly suspended budget support to the Mozambican government over corruption concerns, sparking analysis and debate about aid, corruption and governance.