海角大神

With no bomb shelters and little in the way of civil defense, Gaza鈥檚 residents have to fend for themselves when Israeli missiles start falling. A go-bag is essential. A comforting cat can help.

As the climate warms, more people are seeking air conditioning to stay cool. But air conditioning itself can exacerbate global warming.听 Is there a way to balance the need for cooling with the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

Balancing school schedules and student needs takes cooperation. California is mandating start times as a way to help teens get more sleep. What is involved in that change?

Our 10 picks for this month include books that deal honestly with the human condition, from the toll of war to the as-yet unfulfilled hopes for racial equity in South Africa. The protagonists offer powerful examples of people seeking truth, pursuing justice, and insisting on the dignity of each individual.听 听

For societies fed up with living under military control, the most difficult question is judging when conditions are ripe to develop trust with a ruler and negotiate for democracy.

In some places, the top brass frequently claim they prefer a return to civilian rule but, either by force or by guile, cling to power. In Sudan, for example, the main pro-democracy movement have refused to negotiate with a junta that reneged last year on a power-sharing pact and has killed at least 116 in crackdowns against protesters.

In contrast, Sudan鈥檚 neighbor Chad offers a different example and, potentially, a model.

Pro-democracy activists in the central African country could be on the verge of ending 32 years of military dictatorship. Formal transition talks between the government and more than 40 political groups and armed factions are set to open on Saturday.

That milestone is the result of many factors, from war fatigue to economic crisis. Yet humility and a recognition of shared interests have played a part. 鈥淚 asked [the military and the opposition] to think about the youth [and] the country鈥檚 economic, cultural, and social development,鈥� said Saleh Kebzabo, a former opposition leader in charge of the national reconciliation talks, in an interview with Deutsche Welle.

Chad鈥檚 pursuit of democratic transition started with a succession in April last year. Idriss D茅by, the country鈥檚 longtime dictator who took power in a 1990 military coup, was killed in battle against the main opposition. The military tapped his son, Lt. Gen. Mahamat Idriss D茅by, to take over. The younger promised a negotiated transition to civilian rule and elections in 18 months.

Most Chadians were skeptical. In March, however, government officials and representatives from 52 opposition groups gathered in Qatar for a 鈥減re-dialogue.鈥�

Weeks of exquisite captivity in Doha鈥檚 plush hotels turned into months of consensus-making. Friendships were forged in elevator rides. 鈥淲e were crabs in a bucket,鈥� one rebel joked.

The talks were supposed to jump-start constitutional reforms and set plans in motion for elections in October. Instead they achieved something that, in the long run, may be more important. They gave 鈥渃redibility to the national government鈥檚 safety guarantees that the main groups 鈥� those with a history of violence or just opposition parties 鈥� will be able to come back to N鈥橠jamena [the capital] and be reintegrated into the Chadian political game without risk [to] life or detention,鈥� Benjamin Aug茅 of the French Institute of International Relations told Al Jazeera.

Last week the junta and 43 of its adversaries signed a peace accord establishing a cease-fire and setting the stage for formal negotiations. A few key armed groups remain outside the agreement, but they are still welcomed to join, Foreign Minister Cherif Mahamat Zene told Deutche Welle. 鈥淧eace is priceless,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ar never solved anything.鈥�

When Chad鈥檚 rival factions gather around the table this weekend, thorny issues await them. Yet the pro-democracy side has taken the hard step of building up mutual trust after years of conflict. At the negotiating table, the military will now be just one of many equals. That could ripen the moment for restoring Chad鈥檚 democracy.