To perform any type of contest you need to be well informed. However, with so many subjects to study, you don't always find time to follow the news.
For this reason, we have selected the current affairs of Brazil and the world that can be collected in any question of the Enem or the entrance exam, or even as an essay topic.
News in Brazil
1. Bolsonaro government
President Jair Bolsonaro was sworn in on January 1, 2019, after a major electoral dispute.
The term began with the reduction of ministries, uncomfortable statements by Minister Damares and former Minister of Education, Ricardo Vélez, who was fired.
Likewise, the president was heavily criticized when he ordered the military to "celebrate" the 1964 coup, which established the military dictatorship in Brazil.
The president has been collecting controversies at the international level, such as the opening of a Brazilian office in Jerusalem and the concession of the Alcântara base to the Americans. In 2022, in the face of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Bolsonaro assumed a position of neutrality, claiming to defend Brazilian economic interests.
Internally, Bolsonaro faces some of his most delicate issues in the pension reform and in the approval of the weapons statute, in addition to his role in the fight against Covid-19.
2. Ministry of Education
The Ministry of Education appeared involved in a scandal.
Milton Ribeiro, the minister who had taken over the education portfolio in July 2020 - after the departure of Abraham Weintraub - was accused of involvement in the "Bolsolão do MEC" corruption scheme.
After complaints, Milton Ribeiro asked to be dismissed from his position in March 2022, and was arrested in June. Since then, Victor Godoy Veiga has taken over the portfolio.
Brazilian education has gained prominence since 2019, when the government began announcing changes to this portfolio.
One of the first acts was the establishment of an undersecretariat to promote the creation of military schools throughout the country. Then the government stated that it intended to end courses in human sciences such as Philosophy and Sociology.
In April 2019, a bill was announced that would regulate homeschooling. This provoked the reaction of several educators, claiming that it would harm the socialization of those children who would not attend school.
Likewise, in May 2019, the then Minister of Education, Abraham Weintraub, announced the contingency of 30% of funds for public universities. This measure triggered a series of criticisms and protests not only from university students, but from public and private schools.
The Bolsonaro government has already had several education minister changes:Ricardo Vélez Rodríguez (about 3 months), Abraham Weintraub (about 2 and a half months), Milton Ribeiro (almost 2 years), Victor Godoy (since March 2022) .
Faced with the Covid-19 pandemic, the last few years have been challenging for the area, adding to the lowest budget for basic education in recent times.
Announced in 2019, the first version of Enem Digital was applied on January 31st and February 7th, 2021. The goal is for the test to be carried out only in digital format, ending astronomical expenses with printing.
3. Covid-19
In June 2022, entering the 4th wave of Covid, Brazil had more than 670 thousand deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. Since March, it is possible to buy tests at the pharmacy and take them at home.
With regard to vaccines, ButanVac, developed by the Butantan Institute, is in the testing phase, and its application is expected to be available in 2023.
Brazil's role in combating the pandemic was heavily criticized from the beginning, taking into account the measures adopted by the government.
The lockdown measures adopted by governors of some states were also criticized by the president. Bolsonaro claimed that by staying at home, many Brazilians would not be able to survive due to hunger.
4. Squid
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was president of Brazil for 8 years, from January 1, 2003 to January 1, 2011.
After being sentenced to 9 years in prison for passive corruption and money laundering, Lula was arrested on April 7, 2018, where he remained for 580 days. However, the STF considered his arrest in the second instance unconstitutional, so Lula was released on November 8, 2019.
In March 2021, the convictions were overturned and, with that, Lula regained his political rights. In this way, the former president presented himself again as a candidate for the Presidency of the Republic.
Elections will be held in October 2022.
5. Labor Reform
On November 11, 2017, the labor reform came into force, the bill of which had been sanctioned in July by President Temer.
The main changes consider that:
- Holidays:can be split up to 3 times (before there was the possibility of being split up to 2 times);
- Working hours:up to 12 hours a day (previously 8);
- Commuting time:The time taken to get to work by those who have difficulties with means of transport due to lack of access is not counted as working hours (it used to be).
- Contribution time and age are two minimum requirements to retire:women, 15 years of contribution and 62 years; men, 20 years of contribution and 65 years old (pension "for contribution time" has been discontinued).
After the 2017 Labor Reform, several changes were made to the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT) and still generate many doubts in people.
With the pandemic, and the consequent increase in adherence to telework and home office, some rules were defined for this type of work.
6. Pix
In November 2020, a new payment method created by the Central Bank of Brazil, Pix, came into operation. It allows you to make transfers and pay bills instantly through your cell phone, which is done in a simple way, like sending a message.
Brazilians quickly adopted Pix, which has become one of the main means of payment, thanks to its efficiency.
Pix can be used at any time of day and money is received as soon as the transfer is made. In addition to being available 24/7, it is open every day - including holidays.
Pix is free to use and, with it, people no longer need to provide their bank account number. Anyone who has to send you money, for example, only needs your cell phone number, email, or CPF (depends on the code you used to register with Pix). So if you change banks, you no longer need to tell people your new account number.
7. Amazon 1
On February 28, 2021, the first Earth observation satellite fully developed by Brazil, Amazonia 1, designed, integrated, tested and operated by the country, was launched into space. This is a successful milestone for the science and technology community for space missions.
The Amazonia mission, of which Amazonia 1 is a part, is to monitor deforestation in the Amazon and also in other Brazilian biomes. For this, the satellite is capable of going around the Earth in 100 minutes and generating images every 5 days.
The launch took place from the Satish Dhawan Space Center Launch Center, India, at 01:54 (Brasilia time) on February 28, 2021 (Sunday).
8. Aid Brazil
In November 2021, the government instituted Auxílio Brasil, a benefit for low-income families.
Auxílio Brasil replaced Bolsa Família, created in 2003, and Auxílio Emergencial, created in the context of the pandemic, in 2020.
To receive the benefit, families need to register and, if selected, start receiving monthly payments, according to the official calendar.
In June 2022, President Bolsonaro announced his intention to increase the amount of the benefit in the second half of the year, from R$400 to R$600.
9. Elections 2022
In 2022, Brazil chooses its new president. Despite the long list of candidates, the dispute is reduced to two main rivals:current president Jair Bolsonaro (Liberal Party) and Lula (Workers Party).
If he wins, Bolsonaro will serve his second term, as he has been president since January 1, 2019. As for Lula, he has been president for two terms, from January 1, 2003 to January 1, 2011.
In these elections, in addition to the president, Brazilians will also choose governor, federal and state deputies, and senator.
The first shift takes place on the 2nd of October, while the second takes place on the 30th of the same month. In Brazil, voting is mandatory for citizens between 18 and 70 years old and optional for those between 16 and 17 years old.
10. Tragedy in Petrópolis
In early 2022, heavy rains hit Petrópolis, in Rio de Janeiro. This would have been the worst storm in the city since 1932, when measurements began to be carried out by the Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia.
Floods, landslides and swept away cars caused around 240 deaths and hundreds of homeless.
It rained 250 mm between 4:20 pm and 7:20 pm, and the average rainfall for the month of February is 185 mm. This means that, in 3 hours, it will have rained more than expected for 30 days.
11. Indigenous protests
In April 2022, around 6,000 indigenous people went to the National Congress to protest against the “anti-indigenous agenda”, which includes a series of threats to indigenous peoples.
Among them is the project on mining in indigenous lands, PL 191/2020, which establishes the conditions for carrying out research and mining of mineral resources in these lands.
PL 490/2007 is also at issue. Known as the “timeframe”, this project defends the change in the policy of demarcation of indigenous lands.
12. Unemployment
In June 2022, the reduction in the unemployment rate in the first quarter of the year was reported.
After Covid-19 triggered an increase in the economic crisis, according to a study by the Institute of Applied Economic Research (Ipea), this would be the lowest unemployment rate in the last 7 years.
The regions of the country where there was a reduction in the unemployment rate were the Midwest and Southeast.
As a result, the number of unemployed in Brazil corresponds to 11 million people, a scenario that remains very challenging.
13. Fuel prices
Fuel prices have reached very high levels, which is influenced by a number of factors.
Despite much talk about the consequences of the War in Ukraine, before it, the Covid-19 pandemic was already influencing this increase.
What happens is that production has not yet returned to normal and, therefore, it is not possible to keep up with demand.
In addition, the supply has become even smaller as a result of the sanctions on Russia, which results in more inflation.
World News
1. Coronavirus
In June 2022, about two years after the beginning of the pandemic, the world had the following numbers:about 546 million confirmed cases and more than 6.3 million deaths.
In November 2019, an unknown virus emerged in the Wuhan region of China. The symptoms were similar to a common flu, but the contagion was much faster and fatal for those who already had a previous respiratory illness.
The Chinese government's response to the growth in cases was to quarantine the entire city. The world quickly found itself grappling with an unknown disease that originated from a wild animal market.
From there, the virus spread to neighboring countries and Europe; and in March, it reached the American continent. In order to prevent the disease from spreading, several governments have suspended classes and meetings in crowded places.
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the disease as a global pandemic due to its worldwide reach.
2. Biden government
At the beginning of the Biden administration, the new president reversed policies implemented by Donald Trump. Among the most controversial, we can mention the return to the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as the stoppage of the construction of the wall on the border with Mexico.
Through the Paris Agreement - which deals with climate change due to atmospheric pollution - the US had made a commitment to make a gradual reduction in the emission of pollutants by 2025 when, alleging damage to the US economy, Donald Trump decided to withdraw the Agreement country, which now returns with Joe Biden.
In May 2020, Trump announced the end of the relationship with the WHO. Alleging pressure from China on the organization in the face of Covid-19, Trump decided to suspend US funding, in the order of hundreds of millions of dollars a year. In January 2021, under Biden's leadership, the US returned to support the WHO.
On his first day in office, Biden ordered the construction of the wall on the US-Mexico border to stop. Former President Trump had promised to build this wall, which was supposed to be about 700 km after completion. At the time of the work stoppage, the wall was about 400 km long.
After the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion, Joe Biden is evaluating alternatives for women who intend to terminate a pregnancy voluntarily.
3. North Korea
In 2016, North Korea again threatened the US with its nuclear program.
This would be the North Korean response to the sanctions imposed by the Security Council of the United Nations (UN) against the country led by Kim Jong-un.
In addition to the US, the country also manifests itself against Japan, an American ally.
North Korea carried out its sixth nuclear test on September 3, 2017. The most powerful test carried out, its force is equivalent to 16 times that of the first atomic bomb in history, which destroyed the city of Hiroshima.
On the first day of the year 2018, the Korean leader threatens the US by announcing that the nuclear button is on his desk.
Faced with this war rhetoric, the world rejoiced at the meeting between the president of South Korea and North Korea, on April 27, 2018. Held in the demilitarized zone between the two countries, the meeting also featured the symbolic gesture of the South Korean president stepping on North Korean soil.
Later, President Donald Trump met in Singapore with Kim Jong-un on June 12, 2018. Although nothing concrete was decided at this event, the meeting paved the way for diplomatic talks between the countries.
Likewise, both representatives had a meeting for February 28, 2019, in Hanoi (Vietnam). Despite the friendly atmosphere, the meeting ended ahead of schedule and without any agreement between the two presidents.
In December 2019, Kim Jong-un declared that he would resume launching medium-range missiles. In March 2020, North Korea conducted a test of two projectiles with a range of 240 kilometers. In March 2021, two new tactical ballistic missiles were tested.
In 2022, the country continues to conduct nuclear tests. The Hwasong-17, considered one of its largest ballistic missiles, was launched a few days after Joe Biden visited South Korea to meet the newly elected president.
4. War in Syria
The War in Syria began in 2011 within the context of the "Arab Spring", whose objective was to overthrow undemocratic governments in the region. Since then, government forces have been fighting the "rebels". Taking advantage of the instability, the Islamic State took the opportunity to occupy some areas of the country, but was rejected.
The international community observes and interferes with caution, because unlike other countries in the region, Syria has a strong ally:Russia.
In 2017, the US attacked Syria, acting contrary to what Trump had promised. In the month of April, the American air strike left 15 dead in Syria after the launch of 59 missiles on the Syrian air base.
According to the American government, this act would have been carried out in response to the attack promoted by Syria with chemical weapons, which left dozens of dead.
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad denies this action. However, according to UN war crimes investigators, Syrian forces have used such weapons more than twenty times.
It is estimated that, in that year alone, the Syrian conflict caused the flight of 30,000 people. In 2018, there was an increase in bombing by Russia, allied with the government of Bashar Al-Assad.
In 2019, countries fighting the Islamic State declared that it had been defeated in Syria.
In 2022, the War in Syria completes 11 years and accounts for almost 500,000 deaths.
5. Brexit
Brexit, joining the words Britain (Brittany) and exit (exit), is the name used to indicate the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union (EU).
The process began in June 2016, after the referendum that expressed the will of the majority of Britons to leave the economic and political bloc.
The process was completed on 31 January 2020, so all treaties made with the UK were renegotiated throughout the year.
The agreement was reached on December 24, 2020. With the effective departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union, in January 2021, trade between the two registered a sharp drop.
In 2022, there are low growth expectations in the United Kingdom, which, in June, proposed new Brexit rules.
6. Refugee Crisis
The persecution and terror experienced in situations of extreme intolerance lead the world to experience the worst humanitarian crisis of the century, according to the UN. Refugees come mainly from African and Middle Eastern countries.
The War in Syria is one of the biggest motivators for the attempt to enter European countries, often done by sea in precarious conditions.
Despite much talk about the refugee crisis in Europe, the vast majority of Syrian refugees left for nearby countries such as Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.
In recent years, Covid-19 has further aggravated the situation of refugees, given the restrictions on movement.
According to the UN Refugee Agency, nearly 90 million people had been forcibly displaced by the end of 2021.
Adding to the crisis is the War in Ukraine, from which thousands of people are trying to flee.
7. War in Ukraine
On February 24, 2022, the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. The tension between the countries has been going on for years.
Ukraine became independent before the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. And in 2005, Ukraine's president already mentioned his interest in joining NATO, which bothered Putin.
Another strong reason for this tension is Crimea, a peninsula located in southern Ukraine that was annexed to Russia in 2014. Years before, Crimea had already been annexed to Russia, but later passed to Ukraine.
Countries have joined Ukraine in providing humanitarian support and sending weapons. Sanctions were imposed against Russia, which had assets frozen and the exclusion of banks from the payment system.
8. NATO
The War in Ukraine has led countries to reflect on joining NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), an alliance created during the Cold War. The Cold War marked the world by the tension between the US and the Soviet Union.
This is the case of Finland, which borders Russia, and Sweden. The two countries have always taken a neutral position, avoiding provoking tension with Russia.
But, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the countries fear the beginning of conflicts and, therefore, intend to take precautions. Russia has promised retaliation if the intention is carried out.
On June 29, NATO formalized an invitation for both countries to join the alliance.
9. Cryptocurrency Fall
Cryptocurrencies, which are digital currencies, are speculative assets and offer a high risk.
They have suffered a great devaluation. In the first quarter of 2022, bitcoin, which is the leading cryptocurrency, has seen the biggest devaluation since its launch in 2009, and is trading at much lower prices, which worries investors.
Believing in the benefits that digital currency can bring, there is a lot of discussion about its regulation, and some countries, such as Germany, encourage its use.
10. World Cup 2022
The 2022 World Cup takes place in Qatar, a Muslim country that borders Saudi Arabia.
The country has strict laws, including, it is not allowed to drink in public, but, in the World Cup, the restrictions must be different.
The event usually takes place in the middle of the year, but in this edition, the Cup starts on November 21st and ends on December 18th.
This was a decision by FIFA, to avoid exposing athletes, the public and the organization, considering that it is very hot in the country. Even in winter, the temperature can be high.
To host the event, thousands of people went to Qatar to work on building the infrastructure, especially the stadiums. There are complaints about the precarious conditions of these workers, and many deaths have been recorded.
11. British royal family
The British royal family is involved in a series of controversies. The most recent are starring Harry and Meghan.
Married since May 2018, in January 2020 the couple announced their retirement from their duties as part of the royal family.
The idea of both was to balance their lives between the United Kingdom and North America, keep the title of His Royal Highness and continue to receive some benefits, such as a security structure. However, things didn't go according to plan.
In March 2021, an interview given by the couple to Oprah Winfrey further heightened the controversy surrounding their departure from the royal family. In that interview, Meghan spoke about the racism she was a victim of, the psychological pressure, her asking for help and his absence, and the thoughts she had about committing suicide.
In 2022, the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II was celebrated, marking 70 years of the monarch in power. She ascended the throne in 1952 - aged 25 - after the death of her father.
On September 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96.
12. Capitol Invasion
On January 6, 2021, the invasion of the United States Capitol - the place where the US Congress meetings are held - surprised the world.
Unhappy with the electoral defeat of Donald Trump - who in a speech said he did not admit the result of the election - hundreds of his supporters invaded the Capitol on the day that Congress would confirm the victory of his competitor, Republican Joe Biden, in the presidential election that took place. in November 2020.
The invasion resulted in 5 deaths and several injuries, in addition to extensive damage to the building - which had broken windows, damaged furniture and computers.
On January 7, Congress confirmed the victory of Joe Biden - the 46th president of the United States of America -, who took office on the 20th of the same month.
In 2022, investigations continue and the testimony of a former White House aide raises the stakes against former President Donald Trump.
13. Tension between China and Taiwan
China upholds the “One China” principle, so its desire is to reunify Taiwan. The mainland part of China is the People's Republic of China, while the island part is Nationalist China or Taiwan.
China usually threatens Taiwan, but the tension between the two intensified in 2016, when the PDP (Progressive Democratic Party) won the elections in Taiwan.
As the PDP is pro-independence, Chinese discontent began. The Chinese Nationalist Party defends the union of China, while the other wants its separation.
With the war in Ukraine, fears grew that China - which is an ally of Russia - would invade Taiwan.
See also :
- Subjects that fall most in Enem
- Possible essay topics for Enem
- General knowledge and current affairs questions