When the world gets closer.

We help you see farther.

Sign up to our expressly international daily newsletter.

Already a subscriber? Log in .

You've reached your limit of one free article.

Get unlimited access to Worldcrunch

You can cancel anytime .

SUBSCRIBERS BENEFITS

Exclusive International news coverage

Ad-free experience NEW

Weekly digital Magazine NEW

9 daily & weekly Newsletters

Access to Worldcrunch archives

Free trial

30-days free access, then $2.90
per month.

Annual Access BEST VALUE

$19.90 per year, save $14.90 compared to monthly billing.save $14.90.

Subscribe to Worldcrunch
Sources

London Games Barely Over, Rio 2016 Already Facing First Scandal

The countdown is on...to the next scandal?
The countdown is on...to the next scandal?

RIO DE JANEIRO - 10 employees from the Rio 2016 Olympic Committee were fired for stealing confidential information from their counterparts at the London committee during the Games this past summer.

This is the first scandal involving the next Olympics, which is still three years and 11 months away. The two committees of the British and Brazilian games are scheduled to meet in Rio later this fall.

The contents extracted from the stolen files were not divulged. Blogger Juca Kfouri, on the UOL website, wrote that they included data on strategic action and documents about security. Members from both committees worked together on the Knowledge Transfer program from July 27 to August 12.

Kfouri reports that after finding out about the accessed data, Sebastian Coe, president of the London 2012 committee called Carlos Nuzman, president of the Brazilian committee, demanding actions and threatening to take the incident to the courts.

Under pressure from the British side, Rio 2016 announced that the 10 employees would be soon dismissed. They are not going to be sued or charged with crimes. The Brazilian organizers did not reveal names or job titles. It was reported that none of them occupied senior management positions. Although the problem was identified during the Olympic Games, the group concluded its tasks and was dismissed after coming back to Brazil.

According to the Rio committee, the documents were not classified, but the Knowledge Transfer program forbids copying without previous authorization. The British organizers said the information could be seized in the case of an official request by the Brazilian side.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) kept its distance from the issue. “This is a topic for Rio and London, they have to deal with it”, said Mark Adams, spokesperson for IOC. Brazilian Ministry of Sports refused to comment on the case.

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

Society

How WeChat Is Helping Bhutan's Disappearing Languages Find A New Voice

Phd candidate Tashi Dema, from the University of New England, discusses how social media apps, particularly WeChat, are helping to preserve local Bhutanese languages without a written alphabet. Dema argues that preservation of these languages has far-reaching benefits for the small Himalayan country's rich culture and tradition.

A monk in red performing while a sillouhet of a monk is being illuminated by their phone.

Monk performing while a sillouheted monk is on their phone

Source: Caterina Sanders/Unsplash
Tashi Dema

THIMPHU — Dechen, 40, grew up in Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan. Her native language was Mangdip, also known as Nyenkha, as her parents are originally from central Bhutan. She went to schools in the city, where the curriculum was predominantly taught in Dzongkha, the national language, and English.

In Dechen’s house, everyone spoke Dzongkha. She only spoke her mother tongue when she had guests from her village, who could not understand Dzongkha and during her occasional visits to her village nestled in the mountains. Her mother tongue knowledge was limited.

✉️ You can receive our Bon Vivant selection of fresh reads on international culture, food & travel directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.

However, things have now changed.

With 90% of Bhutanese people using social media and social media penetrating all remotes areas in Bhutan, Dechen’s relatives in remote villages are connected on WeChat.

Keep reading...Show less

The latest