International

The climate crisis threatens the lives of 41 million people in Latin America, according to the UN

The climate crisis threatens the livelihoods and health care of 41 million people in low-altitude coastal areas in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to a new study by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) published on Tuesday.

The report, for which satellite images, geospatial data and population estimates were used, establishes that these low coastal communities in the region are more exposed to risks such as drought, desertification, hurricanes or storms.

“The extreme weather events usually result in widespread floods that destroy homes, companies and essential services, in addition to health care,” the document adds.

The data were presented at the fourth Conference of Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), which is held in Antigua and Barbuda until Thursday, where UNFPA is mainly asking the participating countries for greater investments to reduce the inequalities of their population and better management of water resources.

According to this UN agency specialized in demographic policy, the population most affected by these conditions are women and girls who, “fruit of inequalities,” suffer “disproportionately” from the lack of access to safe childbirth or protection against gender violence.

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“Millions of vulnerable women and girls, who are the least responsible for the climate crisis, pay a high price when climate-related catastrophes occur and basic health and protection services are altered, as well as livelihoods,” said UNFPA executive director, Dr. Natalia Kanem, in the study.

The analysis also shows that 1,448 hospitals vital for maternal health and family planning are located in low-altitude coastal areas more prone to natural risks.

In territories such as Aruba, Cayman Islands, Suriname, Bahamas and Guyana, more than 80% of hospitals are located in these low coastal areas, while in the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean, the countries with the highest number of medical centers in these latitudes are Ecuador (11.9%), Haiti (10%) and Brazil (7.2%), according to UNFPA.

PEID4, which pays special attention to the “existential threat” of the climate crisis, is celebrated before the start of the hurricane season in the Atlantic and that could have a “brutal” impact on the region this year, according to the organization.

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International

Trump signs order to end federal funding for NPR and PBS

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to halt federal funding for two public media outlets, PBS television and NPR radio, accusing them of being biased.

NPR and PBS are partially funded by American taxpayers but rely heavily on private donations.

Trump has long maintained a hostile relationship with most media outlets, which he has referred to as the “enemy of the people.”

An exception is the conservative Fox News channel, some of whose hosts have played important roles in the administration of the Republican magnate.

“National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) receive taxpayer funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB),” Trump said.

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“Therefore, I direct the CPB board and all executive departments and agencies to cease federal funding for NPR and PBS,” he added.

The Republican leader argued that “neither of these entities provides a fair, accurate, or impartial portrayal of current events to the taxpayer citizens.”

At the end of March, Donald Trump called on Congress to end public funding for these two “horrible and completely biased networks.”

International

Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka

Japanese police arrested a man on Thursday after he rammed his car into a group of seven schoolchildren in an apparent deliberate attack in the city of Osaka.

The children, who were on their way home from school, sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. All seven remained conscious, according to local authorities.

An Osaka police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect is a 28-year-old man from Tokyo. The officer shared statements the man made after his arrest: “I was fed up with everything, so I decided to kill people by driving into several elementary school children,” the suspect reportedly said.

The man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

The injured children, aged between seven and eight, included a seven-year-old girl who suffered a fractured jaw. The six other children—all boys—suffered minor injuries such as bruises and scratches and were undergoing medical evaluation.

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Witnesses described the car as “zigzagging” before hitting the children. One witness told Nippon TV that a girl was “covered in blood” and the others appeared to have scratches.

Another witness said the driver, who was wearing a face mask, looked to be in shock when school staff pulled him from the vehicle.

Violent crimes are rare in Japan, though serious incidents do occur from time to time. In 2008, Tomohiro Kato drove a two-ton truck into pedestrians in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, then fatally stabbed several victims. Seven people were killed in that attack.

Internacionales

Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages

May Day protests in France were marked by a heavy police presence and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in several cities.

In Paris, Lyon, and Nantes, thousands took to the streets to demand better wages, fairer working conditions, and to voice their dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.

While the majority of the demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated confrontations broke out in some areas. Protesters threw objects at the police, prompting the use of tear gas and resulting in several arrests.

Videos showing police crackdowns circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from labor unions and human rights advocates, who denounced the authorities’ response to the protests.