SOUTH KOREA: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates maintained a tough stand Wednesday against North Korea, calling its nuclear threat more lethal than ever. He said, “We do not today - nor will we ever - accept a North Korea with nuclear weapons.”

CHINA: The admiral in charge of the U.S. Pacific Command said Wednesday that U.S. intelligence estimates have underestimated China’s military abilities annually over the past decade. “They’ve grown at an unprecedented rate,” he said.

A UN investigator presented a report to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday outlining some of the worst prisons in the world. It included the West African nations of Nigeria and Togo, cited for gross human rights violations.

SOMALIA: The Somali militant group Al-Shabaab has silenced two independent radio stations in the town of Baidoa. There was no reason given for the decision.

Worldfocus special correspondent Lynn Sherr and producer Megan Thompson visited the southern Mexican state of Chiapas.

Venture to the first stop on the train line in Chiapas, and meet several Central American immigrants Waiting for northbound trains out of Mexico’s south (web original video).

But times change, and Nicaragua is now promoting itself as a business-friendly country, and more and more Americans are traveling — or even moving — there. Worldfocus special correspondent Lynn Sherr and producer Megan Thompson were a few that ventured to the Latin American country.

The Cold War ended and Nicaragua faded from public view. Worldfocus special correspondent Lynn Sherr and producer Megan Thompson recently traveled to the Central American country of 6 million people.

They talk baseball and politics and discover that Nicaraguans are hoping for closer ties with the new Obama administration after years of frosty relations during the Bush era.

A turtle making her way to shore to lay her eggs on the beach. Photo: Jonathan Perez

These turtle eggs are buried in the sand along a beach in Nicaragua. They will hatch in two months, provided poachers don’t get to them first. Photo: Megan Thompson

It’s 10 p.m. on Friday night in San Juan del Sur, a vacation town on the west coast of Nicaragua. While the rest of the city gathers in the streets to kick off a booze-fueled weekend, I’m in a hostel listening to a lecture on turtles.

We are about to climb into a van for an hour-long journey to look for tortugas, the huge sea turtles that arrive every year to lay their eggs along a stretch of silky Nicaraguan beach.

After an hour on a “road” –- more like a long clearing in the woods –- we arrive at Refugio de Vida Silvestre La Flor, where around 30,000 giant Olive Ridley turtles (and a few Leatherbacks) have climbed ashore in recent weeks.

Development and poaching are threatening sea turtles around the world, and La Flor is one of the few protected places on this stretch of the Pacific Coast. In an extraordinary feat of navigation and instinct, the turtles return to beach where they were born to lay the next generation.

If they find the beach filled with people, buildings or bright lights, they’ll just turn around and leave.  And if they do make it ashore, their nests are threatened by poachers who steal the eggs for food.

We climb out of the van and take the sandy path down to the beach, guided only by a red flashlight, which apparently does not bother the turtles.

Luckily, the white beach is gleaming in the light of a nearly-full moon. And there in the moonlight is what we’ve come for: A hunched, dark lump in the sand. This turtle has already dug her large hole and is poised to deliver.

A man at the scene explains that it appears she’s been injured. Part of her left back leg is missing; maybe an accident with a boat or a net. And then it begins –- dozens of perfectly round eggs descend to the sand.  We are each allowed one photo with flash, but must crouch down and stick the camera practically in the hole to contain the light.

We stand in a silent semi-circle for a good half-hour watching this lone turtle slowly but surely lay her eggs.  A woman comments on how it almost feels embarrassing –- a rather private moment invaded by strangers.

When she’s done, she slowly kicks the sand over her nest and packs it down to protect the nest. The eggs will stay here, alone, for the next two months until the babies hatch, fight their way out and then find the ocean.

The mother turtle turns to the ocean –- our guide says she can hear the low rumble of the waves –- and begins her slow return. Every ten steps, she pauses for a break.

Our circle turns with her and we mimic her journey: Ten steps, pause, then continuing on, until she reaches the edge of the sea, and we bid her farewell.

- Megan Thompson

While vaccines, early testing and treatment have reduced the effects of cervical cancer on women in the U.S., the disease is the number one killer of women in Latin America and kills over 33,000 women in Latin America and the Caribbean each year.

Though the disease can be prevented with a vaccine (for human papillomavirus or HPV, which causes cervical cancer) and is treatable if detected early, access and affordability are challenges to communities in Nicaragua.

Now, Nicaraguan women are finding hope in coffee — the country’s top export. The “Grounds for Health” program brings low-cost treatment to coffee-growing communities like Jinotega, one of the country’s top coffee producers. The nonprofit group is supported by international coffee companies and also works with Soppexcca, a cooperative of coffee producers in Nicaragua, to fund and execute testing.

Worldfocus special correspondent Lynn Sherr and producer Megan Thompson travel to Jinotega, Nicaragua, where coffee has truly become the nectar of life for some women.

A crowd mills around at the largest independence day festival in Guatemala, in the city of Quetzaltenango.

On this day in 1821, five countries — Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua — joined to declare independence from Spain. Led by Guatemala, the countries then briefly united with Mexico before again breaking off and forming the Central American Federation. The federation gradually dissolved after border disputes, and its member nations gained sovereignty.

Today, the five countries join together once more to celebrate the anniversary with festivals, parades, song and dance. A torch relay began on Sept. 14 in Guatemala, crossed the Pan American Highway and arrived in Costa Rica today.

“The Hansons in Guatemala” blog talks about the arrival of the torch yesterday and describes the celebrations in San Lucas.

“Inner Diablog” discusses the origins of the holiday and posts a video of Guatemalan fireworks.

“Gerry” links to a video of a parade and other festivities in San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala.

“Hobson’s Happening’s” posts about misconceptions of Nicaraguan independence and features a video of young Nicaraguans parading.

“Eruptions at the Foot of the Volcano” posts about the evolution of Nicaraguan independence day and the liberty torch, complete with pictures.

A Canadian teacher in Nicaragua writes about her school’s festivities, and “Laurie” writes about celebrations in Honduras.

In the United States, Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated annually beginning every September 15 to mark the anniversary of these countries’ independence.

A Hispanic Heritage Month event calendar also lists celebrations in the U.S.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user erik2481 under a Creative Commons license.

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