Stories and News

Stories and News No. 977 In Japan over three hundred whales were murdered during the yearly Antarctic hunt. The whaling fleet has returned to port Friday after the extermination of mammals, implementing its program despite criticism from much of the world. Once upon a time there was the courage . To be one versus three hundred. In a inevitably learn challenge. Where the most impressive and worthy of awe and reverence is among the many. And the most fragile and incomplete is alone. He is incurably unaided, even if he chooses to be so in the midst of a universe of colours and shapes. Yet an unexpected ending happens and he wins. He usually does on everyone. He triumphs, humiliating the opponent. Extinguishing breaths and prospects. However, the error lurks where you least expect it. The beginning is a liar. Because despite appearances, there is no trace of boldness in this story. Then, once upon a time there was the strength . To stand up and dive in the fight. One

Stories and News No. 976 Sinixt First Nation , indigenous people descendants of Canada, finally won, they obtained recognition . Perhaps “finally” is not a quite accurate word, since the last member of the Canadian Sinixt was Annie Joseph and died in 1950. In fact, from that moment the government declared extinct the native people. It therefore is yet another future’s victory... The picture is naked. I hope it is now clear. Unveiling the mystery, the phenomenon is today under the sunlight, clear in its tender melancholy, but don’t think we will stop. We won’t go back either. Nowadays persevering in our perpetually staring at the horizon it is understandable. Crossing it with sharp eyes and no more labored, no longer afraid, hungry breath too. Here and now you know why we wake up first, and never go to sleep. Present day it is obvious why we enlarge eyes before the normal things. Right now every apparently vain sacrifice compartment becomes meaninful. Every leap of f

Stories and News No. 975 India ’s Foreign Minister has publicly condemned racist aggressions towards African students near Delhi this week. A Kenyan girl told she had been dragged down by a rickshaw and beaten by a group of men. Once upon a time there were you , them and others . Where you is us , the many, sometimes too many. Where they seem always to be more, even in the case of just one. And where others are simply others . Everything but us , you and me . I said, there were once. We talked, wrote and, above all, we read about and we saw some bad news. Uniquely beautiful and profitable to legalized misfortunes’ eaters, who used to see raising high their murky trade actions if the latest creatures of this world sadly fall on the ladder of human understanding. The most common story is simple, though enlightened words, and suggestive images too, are often futile: you , we , are intolerant and brutal, insensitive and sometimes cruel towards strangers, but you , we , shou

Stories and News No. 974 The treaty that officially gave birth to the European Economic Community is an international agreement which established the EEC, the forerunner of today's European Union . It was signed on 25 March 1957 and tomorrow will turn sixty . It is yet another birthday for the old continent, which is a mosaic of words and more or less pronounced lines on the map, loved and idealized, as detested and even hated, especially in the last decade. A complicated design, so... Europe. Europe is like a drawing . And a drawing is like a child’s dream. Who dreams of a drawing himself playing a game. Serious and crucial hobbies are those lived by the beardless creatures of this world, despite the poor memory of the elderly ones. The kid is sitting with crossed legs on the ground, in his bedroom. The bowed head on the floor and the various forms called toys. In other words, as the so-called adults define them. You have noticed, right? The main characters of

Stories and News No. 973 Once upon a time there were two attacks . Both terrorist . In other words, potentially capable of terrorizing lives and looks, present and future. They equally occurred on March twenty-two, 2017 . However, as it often happens to what makes up our common history, there are more or less significant differences . In one five people died and there were at least forty injured. In the other there are thirty-three deaths , no one survived. In the first one it seems that the bomber is one. In the second, they are many more, although it seems that the finger on the damn button was only one. One have already got the usual claim, with all the usual guesswork out. In the other it is not necessary, because the culprit is clearly visible under the sun. Maybe too much. The first one is a horrible thing and it is natural to grieve, right to get angry and required to investigate the facts in the shadows. The second is just as horrendous and it would be natur

Stories and News No. 972 A recent UNICEF report states that climate change and conflicts are increasing risks for children living without enough water, and that the poorest among them will suffer more and more. The NGO WaterAid asks international and national leaders to keep their promises of reaching the objectives of sustainable development, including ensuring free access to safe drinking water and sanitation . Once upon a time there was the Water’s Day . I am talking her party, her birthday and name-day at the very same time. Now the room is packed, everybody is there. Or almost, as it often happens. This is a particular lounge for special celebrations, as there are no walls and ceilings, electrical wiring and air spaces, various fixtures and other human devilries. Because at the end of it, all would be a waste of time and time is not money, here. It is much more, it is water . Indeed, this is Water’s time. It is now and perhaps it always has been, on the planet by

Stories and News No. 971 The xenophobic populism’s defeat came in the recent elections in the Netherlands. Dutch voters have turned their backs on extremism, perhaps demonstrating the beaver’s lesson... "How strong should be the dam?" Asks the younger brother. "As much and stronger than the river," the older replies. "How strong is the river?" "An old mountaineer proverb says..." "Another maxim, bro?" "Yes, another one, until they are valid." "Go on, then, shoot, I'm all teeth." "Ears, you mean." "Forgive me, I’m tired of gnawing, complete your motto." "I said, as an old proverb says, don’t ask how strong the river is, but rather ..." "Rather?" "I don’t remember the rest, sorry, blame the age." "What age? You are just one year older than me. " "Well, you are no longer a youngster too. In fact, is that molar on the lawn one of yo

Stories and News No. 970 New Zealand has decided to grant a river the same legal rights attributed to a human being . After 140 years of negotiations, a Maori tribe gets the recognition for the Whanganui River . This implies, from now on, that the latter must be treated as a person . The day of the river . We want to call it so. So we want to remember it. Today is an historic day, the most important in its story, the very first, the one that gives life to all others. It took forty years after a hundred more to get it. The exceptional, unexpected and painful, normalcy . The River’s Day is our day. The reasons are many, your honor or dishonor, that is the same. Since the party has now begun and we are already in the streets to celebrate. We are children of the river, we are composed of water and hope almost in totality, because the flesh is thin and the bones are brittle, but a raging torrent impels us, in spite of appearances. We look for the sea from the top of a mou

Stories and News No. 969 A young couple from Yemen, about to finally meet in the United States, risk to be divided because of Trump’s travel ban on immigration. They fear to have only twenty four hours. Nagi Ali e Arwa al-Abili have been separated by 9,000 miles and now are waiting for Thursday, when the ban will come into effect . Till death do us part , the verse says. Yet it does not say it all. Arwa says that forever is never promised by chance. No, it is not, she explains with her unfailing patience. It may be so for inanimate things, since they depend on use’s fickleness and time’s caprice. It could also be the same for animals, where natural selection will facilitate the existence and above all undervalued mutations will guarantee their survival. Because - repeating never hurts, equality facilitates the journey, but only diversity save your life. So, one of you could argue: as long as the fate do us part . Nevertheless, this is an incomplete statement too. B

Stories and News No. 968 Archaeologists from Egypt and Germany have discovered a statue of 26ft (eight meters) immersed into groundwater of a slum in Cairo. They assert that it probably depicts the pharaoh Ramses II, who ruled Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. At the same time and in the near future, in my naive head, a little boy and his dad are playing together on the beach of an island north of the world’s misfortunes... "Dad," the child asks. "Can we make a hole?" "Sure," the man says, trying to doze off lying on the beach towel, tired of the strenuous working week and hoping to use the end of the latter to regain strength. "You first." Well, where a game is satisfying and full of surprises, it is rare that a child refuses to start the dances. Time passes, and he digs, first with the paddle and then with bare hands. He uses especially latter, because - luckily for him, he still trusts them. Meanwhile, the sea seems to slow down

Stories and News No. 967 At least 22 girls have died in a government-run home for abused adolescents, because of a fire that broke out when residents staged a revolt, to protest overcrowding, burning some mattresses. Sadistic fate, as if for some fire never stopped raging... Once upon a time there was the first flame. That burns at the beginning. But still does, again and again. It never stops, it’s burning right now, and it will go on. It have to, damn it, but it must continue. To show transgressions and aberrations. The second time it burns inside and it hurts because all the unsuspecting world seems to stop exactly on the skin’s surface. A cry that lingers to come out. The tears and outbursts, which is understandable, do not show up. Maybe they could. The third time the eyes and throat start to burn, discovering how the tragedy is shared and devoid of joy. We are many, too many and too similar, but not identical, because the weight of a wound is one of the greates

Stories and News No. 966 Today is the International Women's Day 2017... See me. Although I am a lot more than what you see. Delete me. Or at least, forget me. If the use is unlawful or otherwise misleading. However, approach me, if you have to, but to really understand what is hidden behind shapes and colors. Admire me, I can’t certainly stop you. But do it discreetly. Dream of me, this is part of your freedom. But do not blame me for your nightmares or insomnia. Do not blame me at all, if you really want to do the right thing. Put me there too, where each eye sooner or later ends up falling, but do not hurt me, in thought too. Consider it just a beginning. The anteroom of a first date. And the morning that indicates the right path to a good day. In the meantime, find the courage to open your heart and especially your brain, in addition to the eyes and all the other, overvalued senses. Save me in your memory. But to take care of the remembrance, never to

Stories and News No. 965 Saleh Saeed , head of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), says that in 2010, only seven years ago, shortly before the Arab Spring, there was an atmosphere of optimism in Yemen . Although it is one of the poorest countries of the Middle East, the economy was developing and emerging tourism industry was emerging, taking advantage of golden beaches, turquoise sea, breathtaking mountains, the UNESCO heritage sites and fascinating history. Today the horror and uncertainty are part of life. Statistics tell us that 14 million people suffer from hunger , while nearly 19 million ( 70% of the population ) are in need of humanitarian assistance ( to donate : DEC website ). Meanwhile, they have to survive... Once upon a time there was a starving country. Made so by war and poverty which are always everybody’s fault. Unless the people of that country don’t aspire to become everybody’s people. You know what I mean, right? In the country that you already

Stories and News No. 964 After 40 years of winter below zero at the Edmonton Valley Zoo in Alberta, Canada, the elephant Lucy was recently at the focal point of the debate on animal captivity. Unfortunately, while debates are continuing in the world, the prisoners creatures of the latter trying to survive as they can... My name is Lucy and I have a friend. You know like the cold . But that is not just a nickname for a very detached guy. Indeed, he is too warm and affectionate. However, these are only superficial descriptions of aspects taken for granted. Consequences of a timely and tight hug as in a formal celebration between persons related only by name and by a paradoxical fondness. A kind of Stockholm’s syndrome that’s good in both directions. The Swedish friends , so they may call us, two foreigners in the north of the Americas, a tragic duo in an animal and inhuman show. Those could be treated like synonymous, however there is nothing more wrong in this world. I

Stories and News No. 963 I read that most of those who attempt to climb the wall between Mexico and the United States will be arrested and sent back. The wall is nearly 18ft high and is topped by a one-meter blade. However, that’s certain, if they’ll survive they will continue to try... Once upon a time there was a planet. A small one, great as a ground. A large ground if seen up close and almost invisible to the naked eye, unless with an exceptional and free kind of instrument, called fantasy. Two creatures lived on the ground of the little planet. Two aliens, we would say. Two friends, they used to say long ago, when both had a house and a garden to grow, animals to raise and water which to refresh the lips and life itself with. The two lived side by side and you would have found it hard to figure out where it the fortune of the former ended and the latter’s began. However, as it often happens, good luck proved to be less generous and, above all, less fair. So, Lady L