International

A Colombian woman researches the benefits of being bilingual

Vanessa Diaz is a Colombian woman who migrated to Miami when she was 12 years old. She is now a psychologist, with a PhD in Developmental Psychology, and who works at Virginia Tech. Vanessa studies and researches language development. And she focuses on bilingual children in the United States.

Diaz spent her childhood in Miami and was surrounded by the Latino community. So her transition was more smooth. However, she underwent a radical change when she moved to Gainesville to pursue her doctorate in child psychology and neuroscience at Virginia Tech. “This was the first time I experienced discrimination. Many people criticized my accent and thought I had not lived in the United States,” she said.

This experience prompted Vanessa to pursue a research on children and how being bilingual affects them. To her surprise, she discovered that there is actually a negative stereotype about children who speak two languages.

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“Many people assume that bilingual children are speech delayed, when they really need particular support. In language development, children have limited capacity. At one and a half years of age, they can speak 50 words. If you give this child an English language test, he will only know 25 words because he knows the other 25 words in Spanish. Then, someone will immediately say that he or she has a delay. But they don’t. And that shows that there is no understanding of what bilingualism is, and it has become a pathological condition,” she said.

There are cognitive benefits to being bilingual. It makes it much easier for a person to learn other languages. And it also makes you more open-minded. “The second language is the most difficult. Then learning another one becomes quite easy,” the scientist explained.

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She has also studied the concept of the mind and how bilingual children and adults develop it in a more advanced way compared to someone who speaks only one language. People who speak different languages have different cultures and depending on the culture, there is a different way of thinking. Therefore, they are more receptive to knowledge and learning.

Sources: Planet Boston Latino Daily and Connections.

International

Trump signals possible expansion of U.S. regional policy beyond Venezuela

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Cuba could become a subject of discussion as part of a broader regional policy, highlighting the possibility that Washington may expand its focus beyond Venezuela amid rising tensions in Latin America.

The remarks suggest that the White House is considering a recalibration of its strategy toward the region, in a context shaped by recent actions and warnings related to political stability and hemispheric security.

International

World leaders react to U.S. attacks on Venezuela, sparking global divide

The following are international reactions to the U.S. attacks carried out on Saturday against Venezuela:

Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs

China said it was “deeply shocked” and strongly condemned the use of force by the United States against a sovereign country, as well as the use of force against the president of that nation.

“China firmly opposes this hegemonic behavior by the United States, which seriously violates international law, infringes upon Venezuela’s sovereignty, and threatens peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean,” the ministry said. It urged Washington to comply with international law and the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, and to cease actions that violate the sovereignty and security of other countries.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot

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Barrot stated that the military operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro violates the principle of non-use of force, which underpins international law. He stressed that no lasting political solution can be imposed from outside and that only sovereign peoples can decide their own future.

Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Russia said the United States had committed an act of armed aggression against Venezuela, describing the move as deeply troubling and condemnable.

“The pretexts used to justify such actions are unfounded,” the ministry said, adding that ideological animosity had prevailed over pragmatism and the willingness to build relations based on trust and predictability.

Moscow emphasized the need to prevent further escalation and to focus on resolving the crisis through dialogue. It reiterated that Latin America should remain a zone of peace, as declared in 2014, and that Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without external — especially military — interference.

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Russia also said it supports calls by Venezuelan authorities and Latin American leaders for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

United Nations

UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said Secretary-General António Guterres continues to stress the importance of full respect for international law, including the UN Charter. He added that the secretary-general is deeply concerned that international legal norms were not respected.

Government of Argentina and President Javier Milei

Argentine President Javier Milei, a close regional ally of Donald Trump, posted on X: “FREEDOM MOVES FORWARD. LONG LIVE FREEDOM, DAMN IT,” alongside a video showing him at a summit describing Maduro as a threat to the region and supporting the pressure exerted by Trump on Caracas.

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In a statement, the Argentine government praised “the decision and determination shown by the President of the United States and his administration in the recent actions taken in Venezuela that led to the capture of the dictator Nicolás Maduro, leader of the Cartel of the Suns.”

Argentina said it hopes these developments represent a decisive step forward in the fight against narcoterrorism in the region.

Mexican Foreign Ministry

Mexico strongly condemned and rejected the unilateral military actions carried out in recent hours by U.S. armed forces against targets in Venezuelan territory, calling them a clear violation of Article 2 of the United Nations Charter.

The Mexican government reiterated that dialogue and negotiation are the only legitimate and effective means to resolve disputes and reaffirmed its willingness to support any effort aimed at facilitating dialogue, mediation, or accompaniment to preserve regional peace and prevent confrontation.

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International

Missile attack hits Kharkiv homes, leaving 13 wounded

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that a Russian missile attack on residential buildings in the eastern city of Kharkiv has left at least 13 people injured, according to local authorities.

“A horrific Russian attack on Kharkiv,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram, explaining that two missiles were fired, striking residential areas and causing “a number of casualties that is still being clarified.”

Local officials later confirmed that 13 people were injured in the attack, six of whom were hospitalized, including one woman in serious condition.