Canton

A champion of foster children in need of permanent families

When John Thomas and his wife, Jane, were looking to adopt, they initially were searching for a child between the ages of 3 and 5. “We learned about the unfortunate statistics of what happens to children who age out in the system: Homelessness, addiction, incarceration and mental health issues,” says Mr. Thomas in an email interview. After conducting many online searches and attending an adoption event, Thomas and his wife adopted three siblings who had, at various times, been separated while in the foster care system.

Can surfing lift all boats in one impoverished Salvadoran community?

Marcelo Castellanos was 15 years old when he first came up with an idea about how to help the impoverished communities on El Salvador’s Pacific coast, where he was spending all his free time surfing. El Salvador was already recognized for having some of the best “point breaks” in the world, to use a surfing term. The young Mr. Castellanos emailed an international surfing organization and asked if he could start a local chapter.

Readers write: Enriching poetry, insight into interpreters, following Mars news, straws and sea life, local impact of controversy

Danny Heitman’s review in the July 9 & 16 issue of Ted Kooser’s new book of poetry, “Kindest Regards,” was uplifting to read. Recommended: Could you pass a US citizenship test? How about a piece on the two interpreters who were in the room with President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un when they met in June?

As Imran Khan takes office, military looms over plan for 'New Pakistan'

When Pakistan installs Imran Khan as its new prime minister Saturday, the cricket star-turned-populist politician will be wearing an old sherwani, or traditional coat-length garment. As part of his bid to demonstrate frugality and a new path for Pakistan’s leadership, Mr. Khan plans to forego the crisp new sherwani traditionally crafted for the ceremonial swearing-in by one of Islamabad’s go-to tailors to the political elite. The gesture seems to fit a politician who ran on a slogan of “New Pakistan,” and attracted the support of down-on-politics millennials and a besieged middle class by promising an end to the country’s rife corruption, nepotism, and political-party patronage.