Troops move in to stop Amazon's illegal loggers Feb 27, 2008
Located in the state of Para, 240 kilometres from its capital Belem, the town is one of many remote Amazon outposts where illegal logging, prostitution, drug trafficking and corruption flourish. Tailandia is said to be home to about 90 sawmills. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Brazil targets illegal loggers Feb 26, 2008
The officials had been attempting to shut down illegal logging operations based in this city when the confrontation took place, forcing a retreat to the city of Belem, the capital of the state of Para, to re-group ... Tailandia is a dusty, economically depressed place of about 65,000 people about four hours by car south of Belem. (Aljazeera.Net)
Brazil cracks down on illegal logging Feb 15, 2008
About 140 officers raided eight sawmills in the town of Tailandia, some 280 km southeast of Para state capital Belem on Wednesday. They confiscated 10,000 cubic meters of tropical timber chopped down illegally, a spokeswoman for the state environment office said. (Globe and Mail -- International)
Brazil Police Crack Down on Illegal Amazon Logging Feb 14, 2008
About 140 officers raided eight sawmills in the town of Tailandia, some 175 miles (280 km) southeast of Para state capital Belem on Wednesday. They confiscated 10,000 cubic meters of tropical timber chopped down illegally, a spokeswoman for the state environment office said. (Planet Ark, United States)
Nicholas George Andrian Jan 17, 2008
He spent three years traveling back and forth between Rio de Janeiro, Belem and New York. At times he would live in the jungle and participate in the everyday lives of the people with whom he was working. (Corvallis Gazette Times, OR)
Cabo da Roca, Portugal: Where land meets sea Jan 5, 2008
The most monumental fruit of their epic odyssey is in Belem on the outskirts of Lisbon the vast Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, commissioned by King Manuel I and constructed in the 16th century with revenue from the Indian spice trade. The king and his second wife, Dona Maria, are entombed there along with Vasco da Gama, who first succeeded in getting to India by sea, and da Gama's chronicler, Luis Vaz de Camoes. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Travel)
2008 sports calendar Jan 4, 2008
25 Track and field, IAAF Grand Prix, Brasil Caixa de Atletismo, Belem. 25 Women's college lacrosse, NCAA Division I championship game, Towson, Md. (Yahoo News -- Auto Racing)
Hour-by-hour forecast Jan 3, 2008
Melbourne, FL 32935 Last Updated: 01/03/08 07:15:48 EDT. C) Relative Humidity: 55% Visability: 10 miles (16 km). (Florida Today)
Complete weather forecast Dec 7, 2007
Jackson, MS 39201 Last Updated: 12/07/07 07:45:24 EDT. C) Relative Humidity: 74% Barometer: 30. (The Clarion-Ledger)
Sex Said Forced on Jailed Brazil Girl Nov 25, 2007
The 15-year-old said she was required to have sex with at least two inmates, police spokesman Walrimar Santos said by telephone Thursday from Belem, at the mouth of the Amazon River, where the victim was transferred after nearly a month living with male inmates ... Police and human rights officials said the girl was out of touch in Belem and would not speak to reporters ... The girl was arrested Oct. 21 on accusations of breaking and entering a house and jailed with male inmates in Abaetetuba, a... (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- World)
Shock to systemRape case adds to notoriety of Brazilian prison regime Nov 24, 2007
TIMELINE 21 Oct: Police arrest girl for allegedly stealing and send her to a cell in a police station in Abaetetuba 5 Nov: Police chief asks for transfer to women's prison in city of Belem 14 Nov: Official responsible for child welfare discovers girl. She is taken to a room from where she escapes 16 Nov: Girl is found and sent to centre for young offenders in Belem Source: Folha de Sao Paulo. (BBC News -- Americas)
Rape inquiry in Brazil over girl jailed with 20 men Nov 24, 2007
According to reports in the Brazilian press, the teenager was arrested last month after being caught stealing in Abaetetuba, a town on the outskirts of Belem, the capital of the Amazon state Para. She reportedly spent 26 days in a cell at the local police station, although no formal charges were brought. (Guardian Unlimited -- World)
Brazil outrage over jail gang-rape Nov 24, 2007
The teenager, whose identity was not disclosed, was arrested in Abaetetuba, 80 km from Para state's capital Belem, on October 21 on suspicion of robbery and put behind bars at a local police station until an anonymous caller tipped off the media. "Nobody really knows what she was charged with," Cohen said. (Aljazeera.Net)
Brazilians rally to help whale Nov 17, 2007
The agency said the whale apparently entered the Amazon River at its mouth in Belem and kept swimming until it ran aground on Wednesday near Santarem in Para state. Sea creatures rarely venture so far into fresh water. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
At the tipping point Nov 16, 2007
I ended my travels under a great Samaumeira tree on the island of Combu, not far from Belem in the Amazon river delta. This was the heart of the fabled "lungs of the earth," the tropical rain forest prey to the de-forestation and land degradation that accounts for an estimated 21 percent of global carbon emissions. (International Herald Tribune -- Ed/Op)
Brazil Seeks Aid From UN Chief to Protect Amazon Nov 14, 2007
BELEM, Brazil - Beneath a towering canopy in the heat of the Amazon jungle, Brazilian Indians and officials urged UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday to rally international support to protect the world's largest rain forest. "We need the Secretary to help convert international good will into concrete mechanisms that benefit the residents of the Amazon," Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva told Ban under a century-old Samauma tree 30 minutes upriver from Belem, the Amazon's... (Planet Ark, United States)
U.N. cheif visits Amazon Jungle Nov 14, 2007
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visits the Emlio Goeldi Museum's research center in Belem, at the mouth of the Amazon River, November 13, 2007. (Xinhua/AFP Photo). (Xinhuanet, China)
Gafisa Acquires 70% of Cipesa Oct 27, 2007
"With our broad scope and scale, we are confident that this new venture will further create synergies that will allow us to expand our national footprint and sustain our growth." "Gafisa started its geographic diversification several years ago, and is now in the second cycle of launches. We are already at the forefront of delivering completed developments in many new locations, such as Manaus, Belem, and Salvador among other places. This acquisition will add significant value to Gafisa as we... (PR Newswire)
Brazilian says he shot U.S. nun out of fear, rage Oct 23, 2007
Sales admitted firing the shots, but denied he was contracted by anyone to do it and said he killed her because she had threatened him, court spokesman Gloria Lima said in a telephone interview from Belem, the capital of Para ... This case today is about ending impunity, he said in telephone interview from Belem. (MSNBC -- International)
'Brega' sound turning industry on its ear Oct 20, 2007
BELEM, Brazil (AP) -- This steamy city at the mouth of the Amazon river is a haven for pirates -- the digital kind who copy CDs and DVDs by the thousands for illegal sidewalk sales. A DJ performs as people dance to tecnobrega music in Belem, Brazil ... Belem is also home to one of Brazil's most thriving pop scenes: tecnobrega, a musical movement that's expanding exponentially thanks to musicians and producers who see copying as a marketing tool rather than intellectual property theft. (CNN -- Tech)
China Sunday voiced its strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the U.S. tentative plans of arms sales to Taiwan and urges the United States to immediately cancel the plans.• Taiwan referendum plan condemned Sep 17, 2007
In Brasilia, Belem and some other Brazilian cities, overseas Chinese organizations issued statements over the past days slamming the referendum plan, which they denounced as a plot to split Taiwan from the motherland. The referendum plan will never be allowed to be put into practice, the Association of Overseas Chinese in Brasilia warned in its statement. (Xinhuanet, China)
WEATHER: Thunderstorms possible Aug 28, 2007
Weather - 7-day Forecast Summaries. Melbourne, FL 32935 Last Updated: 08/28/07 09:30:35 EDT. (Florida Today)
Lula unveils plan to battle urban crimewave Aug 22, 2007
The five-year plan will focus on the 11 Brazilian cities affected most by the presence of weapons and drugs, among them Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador, and the Amazon city of Belem. One of its biggest challenges will be the north-eastern city of Recife, the capital of the state of Pernambuco, the birthplace of Mr Lula. (Guardian Unlimited -- World)
HSBC loaned cash to company accused of abuse Jul 31, 2007
"It was like being in a prison," he told the government news agency Agencia Brasil shortly after being freed from the plantation in the rural municipality of Ulianopolis, 250 miles from the state capital, Belem. Shortly after the raid it emerged that the company had received loans from several banks, including the Brazilian branch of HSBC, which passed on money from the country's development bank, BNDES. The size of the loan was not revealed, but according to reports in the Folha de Sao Paulo... (Guardian Unlimited -- World)
* Pereira breaks Pan Am medal mark Jul 23, 2007
In cycling, Yumari Gonzalez of Cuba won the 78km women's road race in 2:04:52, edging Belem Guerrero of Mexico and Danielys Garcia of Venezuela at the Flamengo Park circuit. Wendy Cruz of the Dominican Republic won the 156km men's race in 3:38:50. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Brazil fishermen caught killing dolphins Jul 19, 2007
But in the Amazon city of Belem, river dolphin jaws are sold in an open-air market. The eyes are also sold as fetishes to men who believe they have magical powers attract riches and women, and dolphins penises are ground into a powder thought to make men more virile. (Herald Online, SC -- Health)
A Monkey Advocate Lands Behind Bars Jul 16, 2007
"He is brilliant and he has his own way of doing things," said Jose Maria da Silva, vice president of science at the Belem office of Conservation International, a Washington-based NGO.. Back in 2002, when IBAMA fined him and tried to reclaim his newly discovered monkeys, Van Roosmalen spoke about his commitment to the rainforest and acknowledged his unorthodox methods. (Time.com)
Brasil Sensational News: Embratur Welcome Party Presents Brazilian Rhythms and Flavors Jul 13, 2007
A traditional dish from Belem, state capital of Para, it is made from duck, tucupi (a liquid extracted from the cassava) and jambu (a typical kind of greens from Para state, with anesthetic properties). In the Northeast area, guests enjoyed bobo de camarao, which is a mixture of prawns with mashed cassava and dende oil, while the star attraction of the Center West was arroz de pequi, rice cooked with pequi, a native fruit. (PR Newswire)
Argentina commemorates somber anniversary of coup Jul 9, 2007
Partygoers dance to tecnobrega in the Amazonian city of Belem, Brazil. (Jack Chang/MCT). (Yahoo News -- Argentina)
Enormous, brutal, smelly creature more than myth to Amazon tribes Jul 9, 2007
" So widespread and so consistent are such accounts that in recent years a few scientists have organized expeditions to try to find the creature. They have not succeeded, but at least one says he can explain the beast and its origins. "It is quite clear to me that the legend of the mapinguary is based on human contact with the last of the ground sloths," thousands of years ago, said David Oren, a former director of research at the Goeldi Institute in Belem, at the mouth of the Amazon River. "We... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Is monster slothstalking Amazon? Jul 8, 2007
"It is quite clear to me that the legend of the mapinguary is based on human contact with the last of the ground sloths," thousands of years ago, said David Oren, a former director of research at the Goeldi Institute in Belem, at the mouth of the Amazon River. "We know that extinct species can survive as legends for hundreds of years. But whether such an animal still exists or not is another question, one we can't answer yet.". (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Police Bust Illegal Amazon Logging Ring - Reports Jul 2, 2007
"These are gangsters not loggers," police officer Sergio Rovani from Belem, a city at the mouth of the Amazon river, told Globo television ... Police officers in Belem were not available to comment. (Planet Ark, United States)
Singapore dengue cases hit new high,fear of epidemic May 30, 2007
Messias Rodrigues (R) holds his three-month-old son Michaelis Rodrigues, who is recovering from dengue fever without having reported it to health officials, as the dengue epidemic continues to expand across Brazil and much of Latin America, in Belem at the mouth of the Amazon River, April 27, 2007. With more than 4650 cases reported across Para State in just the first four months of this year, this year's pandemic caused by the mosquito-transmitted virus is expected to rival the record outbreak... (Reuters AlertNet)
GOL Launches Flights to Cruzeiro do Sul, in Acre May 29, 2007
With the addition of this new destination, GOL's daily flights from Fortaleza (CE) will reach the furthest regions of Brazil through connecting flights in Belem (PA), Manaus (AM), Porto Velho (RO) and Rio Branco (AC) ... Please see the destination table below for flight departure schedules: Origin Destination Frequency Departure Arrival Fortaleza Cruzeiro do Sul Daily 6:30 AM 1:20 PM Belem Cruzeiro do Sul Daily 8:40 AM 1:20 PM Manaus Cruzeiro do Sul Daily 10:00 AM 1:20 PM Porto Velho Cruzeiro do... (PR Newswire)
* Rain forest rancher gets 30 years for nun killing May 17, 2007
AP, BELEM, Brazil Thursday, May 17, 2007, Page 7. A judge in an Amazon state sentenced a rancher to 30 years in prison for ordering the killing of US nun and rain forest defender Dorothy Stang, a case that could open the door to justice in the largely lawless region. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Brazilian Convicted Of Killing U.S. Nun May 16, 2007
BELEM, Brazil, May 15, 2007. Fast Facts. (CBS News)
Brazilian rancher gets 30 years for ordering killing of nun May 16, 2007
BELEM, Brazil -- A Brazilian rancher was convicted yesterday of ordering the killing of an American nun and rain forest defender in a case seen as an important test of justice in the largely lawless Amazon region. A judge sentenced him to 30 years in prison. (Boston Globe)
Rancher denies US nun's killing May 16, 2007
A Brazilian rancher has pleaded not guilty to the killing of US-born nun and environmental activist Dorothy Stang at a trial in the city of Belem. Vitalmiro Bastos Moura, 36, is accused of paying gunmen to shoot the 73-year-old missionary dead in 2005. (BBC News -- Americas)
Rancher convicted in killing of nun May 16, 2007
May 16, 2007 BELEM, BRAZIL - A Brazilian rancher was convicted yesterday of ordering the murder of an American nun and rainforest defender in a case seen as a test of justice in the largely lawless Amazon region. A judge sentenced Vitalmiro Bastos de Moura to the maximum 30 years in jail for the 2005 slaying of Dorothy Stang, 73. (Newsday -- World)
Brazilian Rancher Guilty of Killing American Nun May 16, 2007
BELEM, Brazil A Brazilian rancher was found guilty of ordering the killing of American nun and rain forest defender , a judge announced as the two-day trial ended Tuesday. was convicted of masterminding the killing of 73-year-old Dorothy Stang, on Feb. 12, 2005, along a muddy stretch of road deep in the rain forest. (Fox News -- Views)
Brazilian rancher guilty in nun's slaying May 16, 2007
BELEM, BRAZIL A jury convicted a rancher Tuesday of ordering the slaying of Sister Dorothy Stang, a U.S. missionary who championed the cause of the Amazon's landless peasants ... The family initially had faced some hostility here in Belem, the capital of Para state, notoriously under the sway of cattlemen and lumber interests eager to exploit the rain forests. (Los Angeles Times)
TAM and TAP Announce Partnership Apr 29, 2007
On the other hand, for TAP, it will involve domestic destinations operated by TAM to several Brazilian capitals and cities such as Belem, Manaus, Sao Luiz, Ilheus, Porto Seguro, Campo Grande, Cuiaba, Aracaju, Vitoria, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Goiania, Florianopolis, Joao Pessoa, Maceio, Navegantes, Porto Alegre and Foz do Iguacu, among others, in addition to cities in South America (Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Santiago, Chile). TAM and TAP also intend to extend cooperation to other... (PR Newswire)
* Illegal roads speeding destruction of Amazon Apr 27, 2007
A recent study by Imazon, an environmental group based in the state capital Belem, said around 1,930km of new roads are built each year. "It's a complete mess," Marquesini said. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Illegal roads speed destruction of the rainforest Apr 21, 2007
According to a recent study by Imazon, an environmental group based in the state capital Belem, around 1,200 miles of new roads are built each year. "It's a complete mess," said Mr Marquesini. (Guardian Unlimited -- World)
Slovenian conquers the Amazon Apr 9, 2007
"There will be a ceremony Sunday in Belem, but he finished today," said Borut. Strel started at the source of the Amazon in Peru on February 1 and arrived near the city of Belem, about 2,440km north of Brazil's Rio de Janeiro, on Saturday ... Once, they had to take me to the hospital to check my heart, but everything turned out OK". Tough ending Many gathered near Belem to watch the swimmer finish the 5,265-km journey He said on Thursday that the journey became tougher as he approached Belem.... (Aljazeera.Net)
Amazon swimmer braves piranhas Apr 8, 2007
Averaging about 80 kilometers (50 miles) a day since he started stroking in the Amazon's Peruvian headwaters on February 1, Strel fulfilled his goal near the city of Belem, 2,440 kilometers (1,515 miles) north of Rio de Janeiro ... "There will be a ceremony Sunday in Belem, but he finished today." ... Speaking by satellite phone during a break aboard his support vessel on Thursday, Strel said the journey became tougher as he approached Belem. (CNN -- International)
Cruise ship captain charged in sinking Apr 8, 2007
After nine weeks, Martin Strel arrived near Belem, the capital of the jungle state of Para, ending a swim almost as long as the drive from Miami to Seattle. Strel averaged about 50 miles a day since beginning his odyssey at the source of the world's second-longest river in Peru on Feb. 1. (Boston Globe)
Slovenian ends Amazon swim Apr 8, 2007
Martin Strel, 52, completed the 5,265-km (3,272-mile) marathon in 66 days when he neared Belem, 2,440km north of Rio de Janeiro, on Saturday ... "There will be a ceremony on Sunday in Belem, but he finished today," he told Associated Press news agency. (BBC News)
'Fish Man' completes Amazon River swim Apr 8, 2007
He arrived in the northern Brazilian city of Belem suffering from dizziness, nausea, diarrhoea and sunstroke. He averaged nearly 85 kilometres each day and was sometimes in such pain he had to be helped from the water. (ABC News Online, Australia -- Top Stories)
900 lie on beach path to protest Rio violence Apr 8, 2007
Averaging about 50 miles a day since he started stroking in the Amazon's Peruvian headwaters on Feb. 1, Strel fulfilled his goal near the city of Belem, 1,515 miles north of Rio de Janeiro. If confirmed by Guinness World Records, it will be the fourth time the 52-year-old has broken a world swimming distance record. (The Miami Herald)
Amazon Swimmer Claims New Record Apr 8, 2007
" Speaking in fluent accented English by satellite phone during a break aboard his support vessel, the elder Strel said that the going got tougher the closer he got to Belem. "The finish has been the toughest moment so far," he said Thursday. "I've been swimming fewer kilometers as I get closer to the end. The ocean tides have a lot of influence on the river's currents, and sometimes they are so strong that I am pushed backward. (Tampa Bay Online, FL -- News)
Bush visit to Brazil focuses on ethanol industry Mar 9, 2007
There were more peaceful protests in Belo Horizonte, Belem, Salvador, Porto Alegre and Recife. None of the demonstrations were near Bush's hotel. (The Miami Herald)
Amazon diaryMarathon swimmer Martin Strel answers your questions Mar 3, 2007
We are not going to Macapa, north of the delta, we are going south to Belem. It's not possible to reach Macapa, as it's too open and the waves are too big. (BBC News -- Americas)
Brazil Bishops Rap Government on Damage in Amazon Feb 23, 2007
"Our main concern is that the government is absent and not acting where it should," Dom Orani Joao Tempesta, Archbishop of Belem and commission head of the influential Brazilian National Bishops' Council, or CNBB, told Reuters on Thursday ... The CNBB annual Fraternity Campaign began debates on Thursday near Belem in the Amazon on how better protect the region. (Planet Ark, United States)
TAM Increases Daily Flights to Paris Jan 11, 2007
As a consequence, one of the daily flights leaving from Guarulhos, in Sao Paulo, to Miami, will be operated with an Airbus A320 aircraft, which is similar to the flight originating in Fortaleza with stops in Belem and Manaus. The measure also considers the lower demand to this U.S. destination in the first weeks of the year. (PR Newswire)
