Stories about Portuguese from July, 2010
Brazil: Nomad Tribe Protest to Prove Its Existence
Altino Machado blogs on the tribe Awá-Guajá, a group of nomad indigenous who emerged from the heart of the Amazon forest to prove their existence [pt] and to demand that their land be protected from invasion. Survival International also reported on the story.
Brazil: Copyright Reform Proposal Under Consultation
A public consultation on the Brazilian Copyright Act has received over 1,200 contributions. The proposed changes have fuelled intense debate in the blogosphere and twittosphera.
Brazil: Disgust at prejudice against atheists on live TV
Robson Fernando comments [pt] on a declaration of the police-show host José Luiz Datena who has “associated atheists and disbelief in God with everything that sucks” and said that “Atheists have no moral boundaries, the most brutal crimes are linked to the ‘lack of God in the heart'” on live...
Brazil: African Artist Refused Entry
Spanish based storyteller and artist Boniface Ofogo Nkama, from Cameroon, was refused entry to Brazil last Friday because of the lack of a visa. He had been invited to participate in a Storytelling Symposium [pt], and the organizer, Benita Prieto, pours her heart out and tells all [pt].
Spain: First Online Galician Newspaper Closes Down
The first monolingual Galician online newspaper Vieiros [gz] has closed down after 15 years because of financial problems. In a melancholy post, Galician reporter McShuíbhne says the loss of language online amounts to a loss of nation.
Brazil: Limits on Food Ads Shake Market Forces
The Federal Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency has ruled changes in food advertising to include warnings printed on packages, amidst strong industry reaction. Do consumers have a say in this debate?
São Tomé & Principe: Political Background for a Voting Day
The 25th of July 2010 is a voting day for local and regional government in São Tomé & Príncipe. Blog OPLOP posts a report about the political system and the current electoral situation in a country that celebrates its 35th anniversary this month [pt].
Brazil: Collaborative Website on Street Dwellers
Maria Frô talks about the new website FalaRua [Street Talking], dedicated to the street dwellers of Brazil. The online community offers information about the Project for Training and Strengthening of Street Dwellers and invites everyone to participate through a quick registration. [all links in Portuguese]
Angola: Coins Gleaming Again
Last May the National Bank of Angola brought into circulation kwanza coins again. In a country where the population uses US Dollars along with Kwanza in the daily life, people are getting used to a new practice and discussing its purpose.
Brazil: Training Citizen Media in the Suburbs of São Paulo
A new citizen journalism project is underway in the poor, marginalized suburbs of São Paulo. Journalist Bruno Garcez launched blog Mural [pt] where he posts citizen media tips and interacts with his students. The new citizen reporters are also invited to publish their reporting and explain the process they have...
Mozambique/Brazil: “Ethanol diplomacy” meets criticism
NGOs furiously denounced last week's trilateral accord between Brazil, Mozambique and the European Union promoting ethanol production in Mozambique for the European market. The blogsphere provides some background to this "ethanol diplomacy" and questions its future social and environmental impacts.
UK: No Reckoning for Police Excessive Force
Today marks five years since the shocking shooting death of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes by London police. The Brazilian blogosphere has yet to respond. Random Blowe reminds that no official has been held responsible, and compares to the G20 brutality case in which it was just announced there will...
Brazil: Daily Violence Against Women
In Brazil, 10 women are assassinated everyday. The recent assassination of a woman by the alleged father of her baby, and a promising young Brazilian goalkeeper, has sparked the conversation in the blogsphere about violence against women.
Portugal: Seagulls Invade the city of Porto
A seagull problem has been occurring in Porto's historical center. Portuguese netcitizens report that the birds are hungry and fearless and have even killed pigeons. For Cristina Santos, they are scaring tourists with their attacks on the garbage piled in the streets. Marta, a tourist, witnessed what she calls a...
Global Lives: Revisiting the project recording people's lives
Two years ago we wrote about a project in its initial stages: Global Lives set out to record a day in the life of 10 people from all over the world. Today we revisit the project and check up on how they're coming along.
Brazil: Electoral Blogsphere Censored
Censorship in the Brazilian blogsphere is an extremely sensitive issue due to a dictatorship past when it was legal. As the presidential elections of 2010 approach, the siege tightens and bloggers react.
Mozambique: Parties, citizens and state tussle over properties
In Beira, a city known for its opposition to ruling party Frelimo, a conflict has ensued over a number of houses called “neighborhood centers”. At issue is whether they are state or political party property. When police have gone to enforce controversial court orders, neighborhood dwellers have resisted, reports Carlos...
Guinea-Bissau: The Role of Women
Blog Novas da Guiné Bissau [pt] shares a video preview of Fala di Mindjeris, a documentary about the women of that country. In a different blog, Paula da Costa, talks [pt] about their important role in that society and reports on a violent attack led by the military against three...
Brazil: Lusophone Countries United at the Theater Stage
For the first time in Brazil, theater groups from East Timor and Sao Tome & Principe will present plays at the FESTLIP (Festival of Portuguese Language) [pt]. The festival taking place in Rio de Janeiro, also includes plays from all the other lusophone states: Cape Verde, Mozambique, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Portugal...
Brazil: Call for the First Progressive Bloggers Meeting
Conceição Lemes in Viomundo calls on bloggers for the 1st Progressive Bloggers Meeting, to take place in São Paulo in 21-22 August [pt]. The meeting will gather bloggers from all over the country in order to share experiences on freedom of speech, politics, and democracy in the Brazilian society, in...
Argentina: Senate Approves Equal Marriage
The Argentinean Senate sanctioned a law that establishes equal rights to marry, without discriminating between heterosexual and homosexual couples, and with the same rights to adoption, among other issues. With this measure, Argentina becomes the first Latin American country to allow same-sex marriage.