Stories from 16 June 2014
Let Colombia End Its Civil War
On May 16, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia signed a preliminary accord on the third of five negotiating points in their peace talks: illicit drugs.
This Experiment Tried To Test India's Rape Problem. The Results Might Startle You.
An entertainment group staged a rape in India to see how passersby would react. Their hidden camera captured many ignoring the woman's screams and doing nothing.
Chilean Football Fan Got Mixed Up and Missed His Team's First Match
A Chilean football fan who wanted to cheer his national team on at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil missed his team's first game with Australia because he mixed up the cities Curitiba and Cuiabá. During an interview with a reporter in Curitiba, the distracted fan said he was happy...
What to Do Before Pregnancy
[All links direct to pages in Spanish.] Zahir Aileen, author of the blog Las netas de mamá (Mom´s truths), lists a series of important recommendations to women who want to get pregnant in this article: Si ya tomaste la decisión de ser madre espera solo un poco (uno a tres meses)...
54 Days in Prison and Counting for Ethiopia's Zone 9 Bloggers
Six members of the Zone 9 blogging collective and three journalists have been in prison with no formal charges since April 25, 2014.
‘When I Educate You, You Reeducate Me’
Teacher Luis María Llena talks about about his years of experience in education and how the contact with his students has helped him with his professional and personal growth. He invites the readers to reflect on the importance of sharing knowledge to reinforce them: Mis alumnos de estos 25 años me...
The Appropriate Way to Talk to People With a Disability
Salvadoran Jaime Vázquez Villalta explains in this article the appropriate ways to talk to people who have a disability: Al dirigirse a un familiar, amigo o conocido que presenta algún tipo de discapacidad, en primera instancia debemos asumirlo como una persona, con virtudes, talentos, fortalezas y debilidades, pero ante todo, como una persona porque eso...
Afghans Survive Severed Fingers to Cast Second Round Votes
In April, Afghans participated in the first round of historic presidential elections. In the second round, Taliban militants sliced off Afghan fingers, but millions of votes were cast anyway.
‘How to Find Happiness at 2:30 in the Morning’
On the blogs section of Spanish-language virtual magazine OhLaLá!, 17-year-old Octavio reflects on the pursuit of happiness. Among other things, he notes: Y escuchar música en el colectivo entraría en esta categoría. Poner el celular en aleatorio y que las canciones vayan pasando, generándote distintos estados de ánimo, mientras mirás la...
VIDEO: Why Some Students Migrate to Beat China's ‘Unfair’ University Entrance Exam
A quota system favors students from certain areas of China over others, meaning moving to the right region can boost your chances of going to a good university.
Laos Development NGOs Silent on Human Rights
Writing for The New Mandala, Randall Arnst bemoaned the silence of Laos devleopment NGOs over the disappearance of prominent NGO worker Sombath Somphone: …while UN rights bodies have repeatedly raised concerns, their sister agencies working in development have said virtually nothing. At the bi-lateral level, while diplomats have spoken up,...
What the Thai Junta Should Learn from the Burmese Junta
Aung Zaw of The Irrawaddy compares and contrasts the Thai junta and the military-backed govenrment of Myanmar: The Thai army has carried out more than a dozen coups in past decades, but always relinquished power to a civilian government after a number of years. The Burma Army staged two coups,...
Between Ukraine and Russia, Kazakhstan's Chocolate Might Come Out a Winner
Kazakhstanis can be very, very patriotic about their national chocolate, Rakhat. With Ukrainian chocolate disappearing from the lucrative Russian market, some hope it is Rakhat's turn to shine.
Neighbor Bhutan Rolls Out the Welcome Mat for India's Prime Minister Modi
It is newly elected Narendra Modi's first foreign visit as India's prime minister. Some aren't convinced that it's the best choice.
Researchers in Peru Unearth a New Section of the Incan Trail Near Machu Picchu
The path, which is about a kilometer and a half long, went unnoticed for over 500 years.
