International
Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue celebrates 90th birthday
AFP
The iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer that towers over Rio de Janeiro celebrated its 90th birthday on Tuesday, with a Mass, a new song and a Brazilian brandy label dedicated to it.
The religious ceremony was initially slated to take place at the foot of the giant statue, but because of bad weather it was performed at the Metropolitan Cathedral in central Rio.
“We Cariocas are used to looking to Christ who is often hidden in the clouds, but we know he is there,” city archbishop Orani Tempesta said during the Mass, referring to Rio de Janeiro residents.
“We are still going through the pandemic, but with an optimistic outlook thanks to vaccination. The dark clouds of last year are dissipating,” he added.
Brazil has the second worst death toll in the world from Covid-19, with over 600,000 people killed.
Before the outbreak, the 38-meter (125-foot) statue located at the top of Corcovado hill and known as one of the Seven Wonders of the modern world, attracted nearly two million visitors per year.
It was closed for several months last year due the pandemic and visitors must now present a vaccination certificate to access it.
Last month, Brazilian composer Moacyr Luz released a song, titled “Alma carioca, Cristo redentor” (Rio Soul, Christ the Redeemer), that he dedicated to the statue’s anniversary.
Another gift was the launch of the Redeemer cachaca, a line of the famous Brazilian drink with the image of Christ on the bottle. The idea belongs to Omar Raposo, the charismatic priest in charge of the Sanctuary of Christ the Redeemer.
“It’s a way of giving value to national products,” Raposo told AFP.
In 1921, the Catholic Church sponsored a contest for the construction of a religious monument to mark the centenary of Brazil’s independence from Portugal.
Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa and French sculptor Paul Landowski designed and built the statue that was inaugurated on October 12, 1931.
In 1973, it was declared a Historic Monument and in 2007 it was classified among the New Seven Wonders of the World.
International
Brazil’s Bolsonaro Returns to Prison After Supreme Court Denies House Arrest
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro left a hospital in Brasília on Thursday after spending more than a week admitted and returned to prison, after the Supreme Court denied his request for house arrest, an AFP journalist reported.
Bolsonaro, 70, departed the DF Star Hospital under a police motorcycle escort and was transferred back to a small room at a police facility, where he is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting to stage a coup to remain in power after losing the 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The nine-day hospitalization marked Bolsonaro’s first time outside custody since his imprisonment. His legal team had requested house arrest on health grounds following surgery last week for an inguinal hernia, arguing there was a “concrete risk of sudden deterioration” in his condition. He was also treated for recurring bouts of hiccups.
However, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes rejected the request, stating that, contrary to the defense’s claims, there had been no worsening of Bolsonaro’s health condition. The former right-wing leader was admitted to the hospital on December 24 and underwent surgery the following day.
International
Regional mexican music mourns the death of Banda Gota de Oro singer Giovanni Vera
Regional Mexican music is mourning the death of Giovanni Vera, lead vocalist of the band Banda Gota de Oro, who was among the victims of an armed attack that occurred on Sunday, December 28, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato.
The incident took place inside a residence located in the Los Presidentes neighborhood, in the municipality of Irapuato.
According to preliminary reports, several people were gathered at the house when armed men burst in and opened fire on those present. The attack left five people dead, including the singer.
Hours after the shooting, Banda Gota de Oro confirmed Vera’s death through its official Instagram account. In one of the posts, the group expressed its grief with an emotional message: “Today, the sky is dressed for a celebration because you are singing up there. Your voice and your joy will live on forever within us.”
Messages of support and condolences from fans and fellow musicians quickly flooded social media, paying tribute to the artist and expressing solidarity with his family and bandmates.
International
One Dead, Three Injured in Shooting at Cree Nation in Saskatchewan
One person was killed and three others were injured in a shooting reported early Tuesday in the Big Island Lake Cree Nation, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, according to local media.
Police said they were alerted to the incident in a remote area located approximately 392 kilometers northwest of the city of Saskatoon. Authorities issued a dangerous persons alert for two suspects, who were described as armed.
Saskatchewan police urged residents to seek shelter immediately, lock their doors, and avoid the area while the situation remains under investigation. Officers are working to determine whether the shooting was a targeted attack or a random act of violence.
As a precautionary measure, seven health-care facilities in the surrounding area were placed under lockdown, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said in a post on X.
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