Scholastic Update articles from February 1993

Scholastic Update archives from February 1993

Can democracy survive? (economic conditions in South America threaten to reverse gains) (South America: The Challenge Ahead for Democracy)
February 12, 1993... Democratic change is sweeping across South America. But economic crises and growing poverty threaten to reverse the region's gains. The South American nation of Brazil had never semi anything like it. At noon last July 15, some 50,000 high...

Filled with hope, fraught with danger. (includes statistical data of 13 countries) (South America: The Challenge Ahead for Democracy) (Illustration)
February 12, 1993... Over the last 10 years, the South American continent has undergone a revolutionary political change. A decade ago, nearly every country was ruled by a military dictatorship, which suppressed political opposition and free speech, and routinely...

Storm clouds over Peru. (President Alberto K. Fujimori is still waging war with guerrillas in Peru's struggling democracy) (South America: The Challenge Ahead for Democracy)
February 12, 1993... Poverty, corruption, and a devastating guerrilla war had demoralized Peru. So the president took over the country. For the people of Peru, the scene looked eerily familiar. Last April, in the quiet of a Sunday evening, military troops and...

Empire of the sun. (Inca civilization remembered in Peru) (South America: The Challenge Ahead for Democracy)
February 12, 1993... The Incas were one of the greatest civilizations the world has ever known. Today, the memory of their brutal conquest by Spain lingers on. Every June 24, the Indians of Peru lay down their hoes and plows and put aside their modern-day woes...

Shattered on the streets. (street children in Brazil) (South America: The Challenge Ahead for Democracy)
February 12, 1993... For poor Brazilian children like Luciana, life is a game of survival on the city streets. Many never make it out of their teens. RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Luciana looks up at me and puts on a frown. She has been interrupted while playing...

The Colombia connection. (cocaine trade affects economy)(includes related information) (South America: The Challenge Ahead for Democracy)
February 12, 1993... Colombia is the cocaine capital of the world - a title that has brought widespread corruption, brutal violence, and billions of dollars. In June 1991, the nation of Colombia announced a major victory in the international national battle...

A journey back in time. (Arhuaco Indians, Colombia) (South America: The Challenge Ahead for Democracy)
February 12, 1993... Most South American Indians have been overwhelmed by European culture, but a handful of tribes have managed to survive with their traditions intact. Ever since Christopher Columbus arrived in the New World 500 years ago, the Indian tribes...

Paradise lost? (threat of destruction of South America's Amazon rain forest) (includes related article) (South America: The Challenge Ahead for Democracy)
February 12, 1993... South America's Amazon rain forest, home to half the living species on earth, is being systematically destroyed. Can this priceless resource be saved before it's too late? It winds for 1,000 miles through the Amazon jungle and some of the...

Currents: happy Valentine's Day!
February 12, 1993... Well, it's almost Valentine's Day and love is in the air. To help you got into the spirit of things, Currents conversed with some of your favorite star. We got them to open their hearts and share their most romantic notions with you. ...

Emergency. (America's health care program needs reform)
February 26, 1993... It has become a national travesty: The American system of health care--the one that's supposed to help the sick, heal the wounded, and keep the country strong--doesn't work anymore. Millions of Americans can't afford to pay their medical bills....

Spend more, get less? (America's Health Care System in Crisis)
February 26, 1993... Americans Pay the Most The United States spends more money on health care than any nation on earth. In 1992, health-care spending here topped $838 billion, or 14 percent of U.S. gross national product (GNP), the country's total economic...

The face of pain. (includes stories of people who need adequate health care)
February 26, 1993... By now you've heard all the statistics: How every year this nation spends billions of dollars on health care--more than any other nation in the world. And how doctors' fees, hospital costs, and health-insurance bills keep soaring, while...

What ails the system? (United States medical care programs)
February 26, 1993... America's health-care system is in crisis. Even though this country offers the best most advanced medical care money an buy, fewer and fewer people can afford to pay for it. Last year, Americans spent almost $839 billion on medical care. That's...

The front line. (Bellevue Hospital, New York, New York)
February 26, 1993... From the outside, Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City looks like a hulking factory. The oldest and one of the largest hospitals in the country, Bellevue is practically a city in itself. More than 10,000 people--including patients, staff,...

A model system? (Canada's health-care program)
February 26, 1993... With the U.S. health-care system in critical condition, many Americans are looking to Canada for a cure. Does Canada have the answer? Last November 7, Peter Raddison, a retired Canadian accountant, had an appointment with one of Toronto's...

Matters of life and death.
February 26, 1993... Throughout the years, the world of medicine has looked to continually advance, to learn new ways of healing, curing disease, and controlling pain. Along with the improvement in methods, though, have come a host of new ethical...

Watch your step. (young people must learn to take care of themselves)
February 26, 1993... Most young people don't think twice about their good health. But with AIDS and other health threats spreading, they may have to take better care of themselves. If you're an average teenager, you probably take your health for granted. For...