Humor4u

Rural depopulation is number one problem in Spain, according to this BBC Assignment report. This documentary explores the "Caravans of Love" that have succesfully matched couples in rural Spain for several decades; Marta Corella, the mayor of Orea, who tries to create meeting points like the church, the social bar, or the social bakery to promote human contact in villages under 500 people; "neorurales" who move back to the countryside and other initiatives to make villages in Spain more attractive to live. This report has extracts is Spanish and the topic is close to Spanish learners, but there is no script, so it is classified as C2.

U.S. International Transactions, 4th quarter and Year 2018 The U.S. current-account deficit increased to $134.4 billion (preliminary) in the fourth quarter of 2018 from $126.6 billion (revised) in the third quarter of 2018. As a percentage of U.S. GDP, the deficit increased to 2.6 percent from 2.5 percent. The previously published current-account deficit for the third quarter was $124.8 billion. Full Text Published March 27, 2019 at 07:00AM

By PETER BAKER from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2JVRZfZ

By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG and ROBERT PEAR from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2OtPkbD

U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, January 2019 The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $51.1 billion in January, down $8.8 billion from $59.9 billion in December, revised. January exports were $207.3 billion, $1.9 billion more than December exports. January imports were $258.5 billion, $6.8 billion less than December imports. Full Text Published March 27, 2019 at 05:30AM

Tara Westover started school at the age of 17.  She was brought up on a farm in Idaho, in a survivalist family who stocked food and weapons to defend themselves from the government and to prepare for some kind of war. She had no birth certificate, she never saw a doctor and she was home schooled until she felt she wanted to learn music and was admitted to college at 17.  She finally earned a PhD in History from Cambridge University and she has recently published the book " Educated ", about her personal journey to become an independent woman. This long NPR interview (38':21") can be used by C1 students with the support of the script.

By REED ABELSON, ABBY GOODNOUGH and ROBERT PEAR from NYT Health https://ift.tt/2JVsDij