Here’s May’s reminder we all live in a news bubble
Welcome to Navigo’s fourth dispatch of News Without Borders! We’ve already sourced stories from Navigo friends in 20+ countries. Keep ’em coming! After all, our goal is to foster cross-cultural understanding and promote new perspectives from around the globe.
Do you have a story to share? Please let us know, and forward our email sign up to any friend who might!
— Nicholas Graham Platt, Justin Barry & Maud Mosterd
🇸🇦Saudi Arabia:
Starting June 24th, women will be allowed to drive on their own anywhere in the country. Under the new King, Mohammed bin Salman, reforms for women have been moving at a rapid pace.
📍Anonymous
🇩🇰Denmark:
Denmark became a world leader in renewable power. Denmark generated 74% of its energy from renewable resources in 2017. It’s part of the country’s plan to become entirely independent of fossil fuels by 2050. Let’s hope other countries follow suit!
📍Consulate General of Denmark
🇵🇪 PERU:
On the northern coast of Peru, archaeologists discovered what they believe to be evidence of the largest single incident of mass child sacrifice in the Americas. More than 140 children and 200 young llamas appear to have been ritually sacrificed in an event that took place some 550 years ago during the rule of the Chimú Empire.
📍Anonymous
🇲🇬Madagascar:
Did you know that over 80% of the world’s vanilla exports are produced in Madagascar? Neither did we, but in the small coastal city of Sambava, young men known as “vanilla hustlers” are cashing in on the gold rush.
More context:
Vanilla prices have steadily climbed for the past few years as consumer demand for more natural ingredients in candy bars, ice cream, and cakes has increased. It’s lead people throughout Madagascar to capitalize on the booming trade. Imagine Get Rich or Die Tryin, but with vanilla pods — currently valued at $500 to $950 per kilo. That’s more expensive than silver! As the price of pods continues to rise so has violence, crop theft, deforestation, corruption, and organized crime.
And you thought vanilla was the most boring flavor of ice cream…
📍Vaughn Lewis, 24, Biology Masters Student
Like this so far? Press the 👏 and recommend it.
🇩🇪Germany:
The Premier of Bavaria, Markus Söder, has sparked uproar after his cabinet ordered Christian crosses installed in the entrance halls of all public buildings.
Why are people angry?
After WWII, Germany was constitutionally re-founded as a secular nation that protects and values all religions. Many feel this was a violation of that constitution, other’s feel Söder is playing politics with a sacred symbol.
More context:
This news comes after recent increases in anti-Semitic incidents in Germany. Last year, authorities documented more than 1,400 cases, which comes out to nearly four each day. It’s part of a rising trend of anti-Semitism & anti-Muslim sentiment across Europe. Thousands of Jews have left the continent, and an anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic party was elected to German Parliament just last year.
📍Martina Brinkmann, 51, Project Manager
🇻🇦Vatican City:
In other religious news…did you hear there’s a global shortage of exorcists? Cases of demonic possession in Italy have tripled in recent years — averaging almost half a million calls per year — and the Vatican is in dire need of more priests to handle the demand.
The man with the plan:
Italian exorcist and priest Beningo Palilla announced a plan on Vatican Radio in February to combat the demon uptick with a new weeklong intensive training course for aspiring exorcists. He blames the recent uptick in reported possessions on the use of Tarot cards and fortune tellers.
📍Alessandro Tomasino, 27, Sales Area Manager
🇦🇹Austria:
In Fucking, Austria, the only reported crime has been the stealing of their road signs. In an effort to save money replacing road signs a vote to change the town’s name was proposed, but the citizens decided against it.
Mayor of Fucking, Siegfried Höppl, stated that it was decided to keep the name as it has existed for 800 years, and further stated that “Everyone here knows what [Fucking] means in English, but for us Fucking is Fucking — and it’s going to stay Fucking.”
📍Europa United, a Facebook Page
