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The deforestation--exposed by Brazilian media over the weekend--stirred outrage among Brazilian authorities and environmentalists, who believe World Youth Day would be better celebrated by showing a commitment to the earth's future.
Axel Grael, deputy mayor of Niteroi--near the site of the deforestation--blasted the mass tree felling to the media. "The incident is lamentable," Grael told O Globo Newspaper. "An event for youth should be educational and demonstrate a commitment to the environment and the future. This removal is a criminal act."
The tree cutting scandal comes on the heels of controversy over the soaring costs of the pope's visit. The pope had planned to fund his visit by charging pilgrims a hefty price to attend World Youth Day events. However, when fewer pilgrims registered than expected, the Catholic Church asked Brazil to make up the difference by chipping in $39 million.
So far, the state has said no to these requests.
The exorbitant costs of the pope's visits come as Brazil faces sustained and mass protests against state funding of public spectacles like the World Cup and Olympics, while public services face devastating cuts.
_____________________
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |

The deforestation--exposed by Brazilian media over the weekend--stirred outrage among Brazilian authorities and environmentalists, who believe World Youth Day would be better celebrated by showing a commitment to the earth's future.
Axel Grael, deputy mayor of Niteroi--near the site of the deforestation--blasted the mass tree felling to the media. "The incident is lamentable," Grael told O Globo Newspaper. "An event for youth should be educational and demonstrate a commitment to the environment and the future. This removal is a criminal act."
The tree cutting scandal comes on the heels of controversy over the soaring costs of the pope's visit. The pope had planned to fund his visit by charging pilgrims a hefty price to attend World Youth Day events. However, when fewer pilgrims registered than expected, the Catholic Church asked Brazil to make up the difference by chipping in $39 million.
So far, the state has said no to these requests.
The exorbitant costs of the pope's visits come as Brazil faces sustained and mass protests against state funding of public spectacles like the World Cup and Olympics, while public services face devastating cuts.
_____________________

The deforestation--exposed by Brazilian media over the weekend--stirred outrage among Brazilian authorities and environmentalists, who believe World Youth Day would be better celebrated by showing a commitment to the earth's future.
Axel Grael, deputy mayor of Niteroi--near the site of the deforestation--blasted the mass tree felling to the media. "The incident is lamentable," Grael told O Globo Newspaper. "An event for youth should be educational and demonstrate a commitment to the environment and the future. This removal is a criminal act."
The tree cutting scandal comes on the heels of controversy over the soaring costs of the pope's visit. The pope had planned to fund his visit by charging pilgrims a hefty price to attend World Youth Day events. However, when fewer pilgrims registered than expected, the Catholic Church asked Brazil to make up the difference by chipping in $39 million.
So far, the state has said no to these requests.
The exorbitant costs of the pope's visits come as Brazil faces sustained and mass protests against state funding of public spectacles like the World Cup and Olympics, while public services face devastating cuts.
_____________________