Left alone to cope with AIDS and heroine

http://sociedad.elpais.com/sociedad/2012/04/28/actualidad/1335641595_743309.html

A man is left with no medicaments against the HIV virus because he does not hold a permit to live in Spain.

A new way forward in politics?

http://www.lemonde.fr/election-presidentielle-2012/article/2012/04/29/intellectuels-et-politiques-une-planete-en-recomposition_1691888_1471069.html

Very interesting Le Monde article about opinions and ideas for 21st century politics.

Merkel's turn to socialism

http://economia.elpais.com/economia/2012/04/28/actualidad/1335598542_778995.html

Article about Merkel's proposals for the EU economy.

Hollande: a dangerous man?

http://www.economist.com/node/21553446

Interesting Economist article about the Socialist candidate to French presidency, Mr. François Hollande.

A world of jobless youths

http://www.economist.com/node/21548234

An article about the rise in youth unemployment, especially in Spain.

L'incorreggibile pruderie italiana

Link

Repubblica article about how the word "condom" magically disappeared from a Ministry of Health brochure in Italy

Help the world's youngest nation

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2012/apr/24/south-sudan-support-dfid-aid?intcmp=122

Very interesting Guardian article about the necessity of international aid in South Sudan.

Literacy - yes, but not only that.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2012/apr/23/children-school-learn-literacy-education

David Archer, head of programme development at ActionAid, discusses the problems of education in developing countries.

Poor? Not anymore

http://www.economist.com/node/21548963

According to the World Bank, the number of people living in absolute poverty (less than $1.25 a day) is on the decrease, largely thanks to the increasing affluence of China.

Jobs for all - including criminals

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/a-fair-shot-at-a-job.html?_r=1

Interesting New York Times article about how the USA law stating that past criminal convictions cannot be used as grounnds for personnel selection are systematically ignored.

A child with two sets of parents

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/apr/21/gave-my-baby-to-my-sister

Thoroughly heartbreaking story of children wanted and not had and children wanted but not affordable.

No pink, please

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/apr/21/girls-are-not-pretty-in-pink

Very interesting article about two mothers fighting against gender stereotypes and the sexualisation of children.

"My survival didn't bring me much happiness"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2012/apr/19/holocaust-survivor-memorial-day-video

Incredible, amazingly sad video of a survivor of the Holocaust, born in Bulgaria and now living in Israel, upon Memorial Day. "I left a country where I was prosecuted by a fascist regime but where a nation of people made me proud; I came to a country of my own that makes me feel like a stranger."

Is it right to compare Iran to the Shoah?

http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2012/04/19/actualidad/1334854905_412292.html

The Nobel prize winner and survivor of the Shoah Elie Wiesel contests Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's comparison of Iran's war threats to the Nazi genocide on Yom Hashoah, the official Remembrance Day of the state of Israel, which fell on Thursday 19th April this year.

Schengen debated

http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2012/04/19/actualidad/1334854425_577479.html

El País article about the debates on the Schengen Treaty.

Apologies from His Majesty

http://politica.elpais.com/politica/2012/04/18/actualidad/1334736994_093121.html

The King of Spain apologises for his hunting trip to Botswana.

Kill me or release me

www.lemonde.fr/europe/article/2012/04/18/proces-de-la-tuerie-d-oslo-breivik-va-s-expliquer-a-nouveau_1686893_3214.html

Another day of the Breivik process.

Rimpatriati imbavagliati

http://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2012/04/18/news/facebook_denuncia_trattamento_inumano_tunisino_rimpatriato-33518710/

Horrendous behaviour by the Italian police.

Per Lucia

http://www.ilquotidianodellacalabria.it/news/il-quotidiano-della-calabria/349994/-Lucia-voleva-solo-vivere--nella-sua-Calabria-.html

Senza parole.

The Norway trial

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/17/anders-behring-breivik-claims-victims-not-innocent

The killer of 77 stated that he acted "out of necessity" and compared the youths he killed to the Hitler Youth.

"Andatevene dall'Italia"

http://www.repubblica.it/scienze/2012/04/16/news/barca_fuga_di_cervelli_se_italia_non_migliora_giusta-33394354/

Interesting article about an Italian minister telling students to move abroad if the situation does not change. Yes, but perhaps a minister should do something so that the situation does change...

How to (not) write about Africa

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/apr/15/west-lazy-reporting-africa

Very interesting Guardian article about how Western media depict Africa.

What are the reasons for Monti's popularity?

http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2012/04/13/actualidad/1334350383_814158.html

El País article about the reasons for the popularity of Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti.

El viaje del Rey

http://politica.elpais.com/politica/2012/04/15/actualidad/1334497990_614726.html

Interesting El País article about the controversial journey of King of Spain don Juan Carlos to Botswana for a safari, in which the monarch was hurt.

"That's me thinking about my brain"

Interesting New York Times article about an innovative kindergarten that has neurology as part of its curriculum.

www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/nyregion/at-the-blue-school-kindergarten-curriculum-includes-neurology.html?pagewanted=2&hp

The price of Scotland's independence

Two very interesting Economist articles about the consequences of possible Scottish independence for the UK, England and Scotland itself.


http://www.economist.com/node/21552564

http://www.economist.com/node/21551544

Suicide crisis

New York Times article (by Elisabetta Povoledo and Doreen Carvajal) about the worrying increase in the number of suicides in the last few years in the European countries most suffering as a result of the economic crisis: Italy, Greece and Ireland.

Can the economic crisis really be the cause of so many suicides? While it probably is not the only cause, it is likely to be a contributing factor. Does this simply show how desperate the economic situation of some countries has become - or is it also telling us that perhaps we have made of money the centre of our lives?

No matter it failed, North Korean has to be punished. Or has it?

Sung-Yoon Lee, lecturer in International Politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts, writes on the New York Times calling for more severe bans on North Korea following its attempt, however unsuccessful, to launch a rocket.

Should the USA launch a ban on North Korea? The political system there is very different from those we enjoy and praise here in the West, that's for sure. But is it really down to us to interfere with the politics of other countries? And should we regard an attempt to launch a rocket as a challenge even when it fails?

The Catholic theologist that did not believe in miracles

Those who think that the Catholic Church's fight against blasphemous books had ended centuries ago will have to think again: the Episcopal Commission for the Doctrine of Faith, Spain, has condemned the work of theologist Andrés Torres Queiruga, a revolutionary thinker who claims that we need to re-think the Catholic faith in terms of the modern world. Article by Daniel Salgado on El País.

Spain: Izquierda Unida calls for the III Republic

In occasion of the 100th anniversary of the II Republic of Spain, the left-wing group Izquierda Unida is calling for the third one to start. The current political and economic system, they argue, "has sold our sovereignty to the markets". To this image of corruption they compare the achievements of the II Republic: divorce, women's right to vote and compulsory education among many others.

Are they right? Are current politicians, bankers, the Royal Family to blame for today's desperate economic situation? Or is this yet another attempt at simplyfying a matter that is far more complex?

American Nazi becomes a lobbyist

Le Monde article about a member of the American Nazi Party becoming a lobbyist. The claim is that he will adopt a "very careful and objective approach". Is that possible? Should a neo-Nazi party be allowed to exist at all?

Asian economic growth: is it really best to follow the Western model?

A very interesting Guardian article (by Heather Stewart) about Asian economic growth. In a time of crisis for Western capitalism, it comes natural to ask ourselves: should fast-developing countries such as China and India look at us as models of economic growth? Or had they better find an alternative way?