Diarlei Rodrigues

Scientists and conservationists are working with communities in Brazil’s Ilha Grande Bay to protect a cove used by pregnant blacktip sharks as a breeding area. The effort combines underwater monitoring, environmental education and campaigns against shark consumption, which is widespread in Brazil despite the vulnerability of shark populations and the health risks from accumulated heavy metals. Researchers also hope shark-watching ecotourism can provide new income for the remote fishing community.

Humpback whale sightings off Rio de Janeiro have surged as the species rebounds to near pre‑whaling numbers, driving strong demand for whale‑watching tours. Conservation groups report major population recovery following the global whaling moratorium, while new tourism operators offer guided trips that emphasize marine protection. Thousands of whales migrate through Brazilian waters between June and November, with many gathering near the Abrolhos Bank. A scientific expedition is underway to study whale behavior, health, and movement patterns and assess whether new areas near Rio could become future breeding or resting grounds.

Two helicopters collided over Rio de Janeiro and crashed in the city’s western zone, killing all six people aboard. One helicopter struck a car dealership and caused a fire that firefighters extinguished. Authorities are investigating the cause, while police have been unable to identify the victims; singer and comedian Oliver Tree was listed as a possible passenger.

A youth soccer project in Rio de Janeiro’s Penha favela has given about 100 children regular training, community support and an alternative to poverty, violence and drug trafficking. Ten boys represented Brazil at the Street Child World Cup in Mexico, where they went undefeated and won the tournament. Participants and community leaders say the initiative creates safety, hope and opportunity, although police operations and armed violence have sometimes disrupted training. The project’s organizers view keeping children away from criminal groups as a major achievement.

A Paris appeals court found Airbus and Air France guilty of manslaughter over the 2009 crash of Air France Flight 447, which killed all 228 people aboard, and imposed the maximum fine of €225,000 on each company. The ruling overturned a 2023 acquittal, but both companies plan to appeal. Victims’ families welcomed the decision but remain divided over whether it delivers justice, with Nelson Faria Marinho calling for prison sentences for executives. The case focused on systemic failures involving defective pitot tubes, inadequate warnings and insufficient pilot training, alongside official findings of pilot error and icing-related problems. The crash prompted changes to aviation regulations and pilot training.

Originarios, a new Rio de Janeiro fifth-division soccer club made up of Indigenous players from 13 Brazilian peoples, is preparing for its debut. The team gives young players such as Sávio Conrado Mura a rare route toward professional soccer while allowing them to maintain cultural traditions through language, music and body paint. Despite limited funding, amateur facilities and logistical challenges, the project aims primarily to create opportunities and visibility for Brazil’s Indigenous population, which represents less than 1% of the country. The club’s organizers also hope to establish a women’s team in 2027 and have received offers to play internationally.

A Brazilian police raid across several Rio de Janeiro favelas killed at least seven suspected drug traffickers, including Red Command leader Cláudio Augusto dos Santos, and a local resident caught in crossfire. About 150 military police officers participated, seizing rifles, pistols and revolvers, while a woman was rescued after a hostage incident. In retaliation, alleged criminals set fire to a bus and blocked roads, leading to four arrests. Police will remain in the area indefinitely, amid scrutiny of Rio’s security policy and reports that the United States is considering designating Red Command and PCC as terrorist organizations.

Floods in Brazil’s southeastern state of Minas Gerais have killed at least 36 people, with 33 still missing and about 3,000 residents displaced. The hardest-hit cities are Juiz de Fora and Ubá, where mud, landslides and torrential rain have disrupted daily life and suspended classes. Rescue teams are searching through the affected areas as more heavy rain is forecast. Local authorities are relocating families from high-risk areas to temporary shelters, while President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said security forces and healthcare teams had been deployed to assist residents.

Rio de Janeiro samba school Porto da Pedra will dedicate its Carnival parade to sex workers of all genders, honoring activist Lourdes Barreto and seeking to challenge the profession’s stigma. Although voluntary adult sex work is legal and recognized as an occupation in Brazil, activists say police targeting and unclear legal distinctions between prostitution and sexual exploitation leave workers vulnerable. More than 50 sex workers are expected to participate, with organizers and performers hoping the parade will promote visibility, compassion and respect.

Rio samba school Porto da Pedra will dedicate its Carnival parade to Lourdes Barreto and sex workers, aiming to challenge stigma without apologizing for or glamorizing the profession. The parade will feature about 40 sex workers alongside hundreds of participants and forms the final part of creative director Mauro Quintaes’s trilogy on marginalized communities. Although voluntary adult prostitution is legal and recognized as an occupation in Brazil, legal ambiguities allow police to regulate the sector arbitrarily. Activists and participants hope the highly visible performance will encourage greater respect, compassion and recognition of sex workers’ rights.

A police and military raid targeting the Red Command drug gang in Rio de Janeiro’s Penha favela complex killed 132 people, including 60 alleged gang members and four police officers, making it the city’s deadliest operation. Residents and activists reported finding bodies with signs of possible executions, prompting calls from human rights organizations and the United Nations for investigations. Authorities said the operation captured 81 suspects and seized weapons and drugs, while Governor Claudio Castro defended it as part of a war against “narco-terrorism” and criticized the federal government. Federal officials disputed that claim, citing repeated support to Rio, while favela advocates argued that lethal raids fail to dismantle organized crime and leave communities facing continued violence.

A large-scale police and military operation targeting the Red Command gang in Rio de Janeiro’s Complexo de Alemão and Penha favelas left at least 60 people dead and 81 suspects arrested. About 2,500 personnel used helicopters and armored vehicles during the raid, which followed a year-long investigation and caused major disruption, including the closure of 46 schools.

At least 60 people were reportedly killed and 81 suspects arrested after about 2,500 Brazilian police and soldiers raided the Comando Vermelho drug-trafficking gang in Rio de Janeiro’s Complexo de Alemão and Penha favelas. The operation involved helicopters and armored vehicles, followed a year-long investigation and triggered intense shootouts, school closures and injuries, including the deaths of at least two police officers. Rio de Janeiro Governor Claudio Castro called it the largest raid in the city’s history and said the federal government should provide more support to address organized crime.

An aerial circus performance in Niterói, Brazil, uses acrobatics, theater and statistics to highlight gender-based violence and suggest collective empowerment as a path to healing. Created by survivor Juliana Berti Abduch’s Suspended Circus Acrobatics project, the show depicts a woman overcoming male violence and reclaiming her strength. Performers who have experienced abuse say the training helps them overcome fear and trauma. The performance comes amid record levels of violence against women in Brazil, where abortion access remains legally permitted in limited circumstances but difficult to obtain in practice.

Brazil’s small coffee farmers fear that Donald Trump’s 50% tariff on Brazilian goods will reduce U.S. demand, weaken coffee prices and further squeeze already vulnerable family farms. The tariff was linked by Trump to the trial of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, accused of attempting to overturn his 2022 election defeat by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Brazil exports about 85% of its coffee, with the United States accounting for roughly 16% of those exports. Experts expect Brazilian coffee to become less competitive in the U.S., while producers are already facing falling arabica prices, drought and climate-related uncertainty. Farmers in Rio de Janeiro state say they may be forced to abandon coffee cultivation if costs and losses continue to rise, although Brazil’s coffee exporters’ council expects the U.S. to keep buying from the world’s largest coffee producer.

Brazilian breast cancer survivors and patients in the Va’a Roses group say Polynesian canoeing has helped them overcome depression, maintain motivation during treatment and rebuild a sense of community. The women train twice a week in Niterói’s Guanabara Bay, combining exercise and social connection with the restorative effects of nature. Polynesian canoeing has expanded sharply in the city since the Covid-19 pandemic, and Niterói is preparing to host a world championship while pursuing a bid for the 2031 Pan American Games.

Clowns, musicians and a standard-bearer from Rio’s Clown Circle project brought a quieter version of Carnival to sick children and their caregivers at the State Servants Hospital. The performers danced through decorated corridors, played traditional Carnival music and interacted with children in ways unrelated to medical treatment. Parents and medical staff said the activities lifted children’s spirits, encouraged communication and provided relief from the strain of hospitalization. The project holds weekly hospital performances and adapts elements such as volume and presentation to suit patients’ needs.

Unidos de Padre Miguel's promotion to Rio de Janeiro's top Carnival league has increased its annual budget from about 900,000 reais to 11 million reais. The additional funding from city support, sponsorships, television rights, parties and ticket sales is generating jobs for seamstresses, carpenters, welders and other residents of the Vila Vintem favela. Residents report using their new earnings to buy smartphones and household appliances, while the samba school is completing a larger headquarters for rehearsals and community programs. Despite the financial boost, Padre Miguel remains poorer than rival schools and is expected to prioritize avoiding relegation over winning the championship. Its parade will celebrate Iya Nassô, a founder of an early Candomblé ritual space in Brazil.

Rio samba school Paraiso do Tuiuti is dedicating a Carnival parade to Xica Manicongo, a 16th-century African-born enslaved person in Bahia who was persecuted by the Portuguese Inquisition for cross-dressing and same-sex relations and forced to use a male identity to avoid execution. The parade will include a section made up entirely of trans women and feature transgender lawmakers and activists, seeking to restore historical recognition and challenge Brazil’s continuing violence and discrimination against transgender people. Organizers are also providing samba and costume-design training, while using Carnival’s mass audience to confront anti-trans politics and promote visibility, employment and social inclusion.

A fire at the Maximus Carnival costume factory in Rio de Janeiro hospitalized 10 workers, including eight in serious condition after inhaling toxic smoke. Firefighters rescued 21 people from the building, which was later closed because of structural damage and potential collapse. The blaze disrupted preparations for Rio’s Carnival and affected samba schools including Imperio Serrano. The Rio Labor Prosecutor’s Office opened an inquiry into working conditions after reports that workers, including teenagers, had been sleeping at the factory and faced degrading labor practices.

Rio de Janeiro’s BioParque zoo is giving ice pops flavored with blood, fruit or vegetables to bears, jaguars, wolves and monkeys during a period of extreme heat in Brazil, where temperatures have exceeded 40°C. The treats, along with pools, water tanks and air-conditioning, are intended to provide thermal comfort and prevent heat from reducing the animals’ activity and stimulation. Cooler temperatures and rain were forecast in the southeast later in the week.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a law restricting smartphone use in elementary and high schools nationwide from February. Students may use devices only in emergencies, for teacher-guided educational purposes, or when required because of a disability. The measure has broad political and public support, driven by concerns about distraction, bullying, anxiety and other risks associated with children’s online activity. Several Brazilian states already have similar rules, but enforcement has been difficult. The law follows comparable restrictions in countries including France, China and the United States, while parents and students note that smartphone limits alone will not resolve bullying, harassment or poor adult modeling of device use.

A young male fur seal appeared unexpectedly on Rio de Janeiro’s Ipanema Beach shortly before the Southern Hemisphere summer, attracting locals and tourists. Biologist Suelen Santiago said seals are commonly seen along Brazil’s coast in winter and spring but rarely at this time of year. The animal was cordoned off for safety and appeared active, with Santiago saying it was resting and expected to return to the sea.

Brazil opened the first G20 social summit, bringing together civil-society participants to develop proposals on poverty, inequality, sustainable development and green energy for presentation to the leaders’ meeting. Brazilian favela representatives separately highlighted climate justice, sanitation and digital and financial inclusion, while Rocinha residents questioned whether the G20 would address their immediate infrastructure and economic challenges.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is expected to urge stronger global action on climate change at the U.N. General Assembly, but record-setting fires in the Amazon and smoke affecting cities such as São Paulo have weakened his environmental message. The administration reduced illegal Amazon deforestation in its first year, yet enforcement was hampered by a six-month Ibama strike, while officials have sent conflicting signals by supporting offshore oil exploration near the Amazon and a road experts say could increase deforestation. Lula has blamed criminal fire-setters, announced larger fines and up to 500 million reais in additional firefighting funds, but environmentalists and political analysts argue that the government must take greater responsibility and align its energy and development policies with its climate commitments.

Hundreds of people from more than a dozen faiths marched along Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach to defend religious freedom amid a sharp rise in intolerance complaints in Brazil. Afro-Brazilian religious communities, including Candomblé practitioners, have faced verbal abuse, discrimination, temple destruction and forced displacement, particularly amid the growth of neo-Pentecostal churches. Human Rights Minister Macaé Evaristo joined the 17th annual march and linked religious freedom with broader struggles against inequality, hunger and insecure work. Government data shows complaints of religious intolerance increased 140% between 2018 and 2023, although Brazilian law protects religious practice and provides penalties of up to five years in prison for offenders.

Niterói, across Guanabara Bay from Rio de Janeiro, has launched a whale-watching program running from June to November, when roughly 25,000 humpback whales migrate from Antarctic feeding grounds to Brazilian waters. The joint initiative with Amigos da Jubarte combines tourism with scientific research, with researchers typically spotting about five whales per cruise alongside dolphins, turtles and seabirds. Six-hour trips cost 550 Brazilian reais on weekdays and 600 reais on weekends. Operators must follow federal rules requiring vessels to remain at least 100 meters from whales and limit encounters to 30 minutes, or 15 minutes when a calf is present, to protect the animals and ensure passenger safety.

A long-promised effort to restore Rio de Janeiro’s polluted Barra and Jacarepaguá lagoons is finally underway eight years after the 2016 Olympics. Igua, the private water and sewage concessionaire for western Rio, has begun a three-year dredging project expected to remove sediment equivalent to 920 Olympic-size swimming pools and is investing 250 million Brazilian reais in the lagoon complex. The work also includes reconnecting lagoons to the Atlantic Ocean, installing sewage collectors and restoring mangroves. Decades of unchecked real estate development, untreated sewage and bureaucratic disputes prevented the cleanup from occurring before the Games. Experts report early signs of improvement but caution that meaningful gains in water quality will not be measurable until the broader restoration program is completed.

A four-year project by Instituto Mar Urbano has restored 30,000 mangroves in Rio de Janeiro’s Guapimirim environmental protection area, improving water quality, bringing back crabs and helping protect nearby communities from flooding and storm surges. Mangroves absorb water, stabilize soil and store carbon, although the article notes they were not the primary cause of the deadly flooding in Rio Grande do Sul. Climate projections indicate rising risks for both Rio’s bay and Porto Alegre, while vegetation loss from agriculture and cattle ranching may have worsened flooding in the south. Brazilian authorities agree that large-scale reforestation is needed, but have not yet announced the investment or specific plans.

Teenage footballers from Rio de Janeiro’s Complexo do Alemão hope Brazil’s hosting of the 2027 Women’s World Cup will create a path to the national team. Kaylane and Kamilly Alves dos Santos train with about 70 other girls through the donation-funded Bola de Ouro project, but face limited facilities, poor nutrition, sexism and frequent violence that can prevent them from leaving home. Coaches Diogo Chaves and Webert Machado aim to develop the players while keeping them in school, recognizing that professional careers will be rare. Brazil’s tournament win has nevertheless increased the girls’ confidence and offered a powerful source of inspiration.

Passinho, a dance style created by young people in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas in the 2000s, has been declared an intangible cultural heritage of Rio state. Blending Brazilian funk with breakdancing, samba, capoeira and other influences, the style spread through Orkut and YouTube before reaching battles, mainstream television and the Rio 2016 Olympics. Dancers and organizers say passinho has provided income, self-expression and an alternative to crime, while the heritage designation is intended to legitimize funk and the artistic culture of favela youth.

Children and teenagers in Rio de Janeiro’s Mare favela contributed drawings and testimonies to the book “I Was Supposed to be at School,” documenting how police raids and clashes with drug traffickers force them to miss classes and hide at home. Residents accuse police of abuses, including the 2018 killing of 14-year-old Marcus Vinícius da Silva, while the case remains sealed and unresolved. Police operations and related deaths declined from 2019 to 2023, but violence continues to disrupt education and endanger residents. The book also conveys the children’s hope for peaceful days when they can safely attend school.

Niterói, across Guanabara Bay from dengue-stricken Rio de Janeiro, has recorded far fewer cases after introducing mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia bacteria in 2015. The program, developed with Fiocruz, the World Mosquito Program and Brazil’s Health Ministry, interrupts dengue transmission and is being expanded as outbreaks worsen globally. Despite low case numbers, Niterói continues intensive inspections to eliminate standing water, while officials face access and security challenges in favelas and areas controlled by criminal groups. Brazil plans to build a factory capable of producing 100 million Wolbachia-carrying mosquito eggs per week.

Torrential rain in Rio de Janeiro state caused widespread flooding, landslides and infrastructure damage, killing at least 11 people, including several by drowning, landslides and electrocution. Duque de Caxias and other communities remained severely affected, while rescue teams searched for a missing woman and assisted residents trapped by rising water. Authorities deployed around 2,400 fire brigade personnel and declared an emergency, but residents accused officials of neglect. Flooding disrupted a municipal hospital and delayed appointments, while meteorologists said the rainfall was linked to heat, humidity and low atmospheric pressure. The disaster is part of a broader pattern of increasingly frequent extreme weather associated with human-caused climate change.

Three doctors were killed and a fourth wounded in a shooting at a beachside restaurant in Rio de Janeiro’s Barra da Tijuca neighborhood. The victims were visiting from São Paulo for an orthopedic conference, and one of those killed was the brother of federal lawmaker Sâmia Bomfim, raising suspicions that the attack may have been politically motivated. Rio’s civil police opened a homicide investigation, while Justice Minister Flávio Dino ordered the Federal Police to assist. The incident has drawn comparisons with the still-unsolved 2018 killing of former Rio councillor Marielle Franco, which authorities have linked to militias and organized crime.

Five-year-old Eloáh Passos was buried in Rio de Janeiro after being fatally shot at her home in the Morro do Dende shantytown during unrest over the police killing of 17-year-old Wendell Eduardo de Almeida. Residents alleged that a police officer fired the shot, while Rio police said they would investigate. Passos’s father called for justice, and human-rights advocate Antônio Carlos Costa cited 14 children killed by stray bullets in Rio state over the previous period and sought a meeting with Governor Claudio Castro about policing strategies.

American primatologist Karen Strier has spent four decades studying and protecting the critically endangered northern muriqui in Brazil's Atlantic Forest. Her long-term research documented the species' unusually peaceful social behavior, distinctive gender roles and ecological importance, while helping the population at the Feliciano Miguel Abdala reserve grow from about 50 to 232 monkeys. Drought and a yellow fever outbreak later killed roughly 100 animals, prompting Strier and her colleagues to advocate for forest corridors and reintroduction programs. A captive breeding and reintroduction experiment near Ibitipoca produced its first infant in 2020, with plans to release the group into the wild once it reaches at least a dozen members. At a 40th-anniversary gathering, Strier urged authorities to create a corridor linking the reserve to another forest area, warning that the species remains highly vulnerable to disease, habitat fragmentation and environmental change.

About 100 dogs and 300 people attended Blocao, a long-running Rio de Janeiro Carnival street party featuring a canine costume competition. Dogs appeared as fairies, superheroes, clowns and cartoon characters, while organizers and participants emphasized socialization, owner-pet bonding and precautions such as providing water and protecting dogs from hot pavement. The event continued despite a city ban on street parties during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rio de Janeiro Zoo is giving carnivores frozen treats made with chicken, minced meat and bovine blood to help them cope with extreme summer heat reaching 50°C. The activity forms part of the zoo’s animal-well-being program, providing cooling relief and behavioral enrichment while attracting visitors. Primates receive fruit-based ice, while herbivores are offered frozen kale, pumpkin and carrot.

Tens of thousands of Bolsonaro supporters protested across Brazil against his defeat by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, calling for the armed forces to intervene and alleging electoral fraud. Bolsonaro has not conceded, and supporters have blocked roads, challenged the Supreme Court and electoral authorities, and criticized restrictions on pro-Bolsonaro social-media accounts. However, election auditors, the Ministry of Defense and the Attorney General’s Office found no evidence supporting fraud claims. The protests continued in major cities as Brazil’s transition of power proceeded.