International
Every four minutes a boy or girl dies in the world from an act of violence, says Unicef
At least one boy or girl dies in the world every four minutes from an act of violence, revealed the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) at the World Ministerial Conference to end violence against children, which will culminate this Friday in Bogotá.
“Every year, violence claims the lives of an average of 130,000 children and adolescents under the age of 20,” Unicef said in a statement.
According to figures from this organization, at least 90 million children alive have suffered sexual violence, while 650 million women were victims of abuse in their childhood, of which more than 370 million suffered rape or sexual assault.
Unicef also warned that almost 50 million teenage women (between 15 and 19 years old) have been victims of physical or sexual violence by their spouses or romantic partners in the last year.
Children, victims of episodes of violence
“Between 410 and 530 million male and male children (approximately 1 in 7) suffered episodes of sexual violence in childhood, including between 240 and 310 million (about 1 in 11) who were sexually raped or assaulted,” the organization added.
Likewise, about 1.6 billion boys and girls suffer violent punishments at home on a regular basis and two out of three of them suffer physical and psychological aggressions.
“We are the first generation fully aware of the incidence, causes and costs of violence against children, and the first to know the solutions that give results,” said Unicef’s director of Child Protection, Sheema SenGupta.
Prevention measures
He added that if the world invests “in prevention measures, education and support services,” it can “break the cycle of violence and build a world in which children are safe.”
That is why UNICEF believes that this ministerial conference is an opportunity to intensify efforts to end violence against children.
From Thursday until this Friday, a hundred ministers and representatives from around the world are meeting in Bogotá to talk about topics such as bullying, digital violence, corporal punishment, recruitment or abuse.
This conference is organized by the governments of Colombia and Sweden; the World Health Organization (WHO); the Special Representative on Violence against Children, and Unicef and it is the first time that so many countries meet to talk about this topic.
International
Dominican court postpones hearing in deadly nightclub collapse case
A Dominican court on Monday postponed until March a preliminary hearing against the owners of a nightclub that collapsed last year, killing more than 200 people.
The roof of the Jet Set nightclub collapsed in the early hours of April 8, 2025, during a concert by popular merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who died along with 235 other people.
Jet Set owner and manager Antonio Espaillat and his sister Maribel, who served as the club’s administrator, were arrested on charges of involuntary manslaughter but were later released on bail after posting approximately $842,500.
Both appeared at the Palace of Justice, where they were met by a small protest from relatives and friends of the victims.
“Thirty years in prison is not enough” and “President, we want JUSTICE,” read signs held by demonstrators.
The preliminary hearing determines whether there is sufficient evidence to send the case to trial. The court decided to reschedule the hearing for March 16.
“We don’t want money and we’re not demanding anything else, only justice for those who died,” said Secundino Pérez, a 75-year-old shopkeeper who lost 12 friends in the Jet Set tragedy.
“Antonio and his family celebrated Christmas sitting at a table, celebrating their freedom,” said Edgar Gómez, who lost his daughter in the collapse.
The Dominican Republic’s Public Prosecutor’s Office maintains that the defendants “significantly altered” the structure of the nightclub. Prosecutors filed formal charges in November and requested that the case proceed to trial.
The charge of involuntary manslaughter carries a sentence of three months to two years in prison.
“May your conscience never let you sleep. I lost my son,” a woman shouted through tears before the hearing, while others chanted, “Murderers, murderers, murderers.”
International
Venezuelan opposition leader dedicates Nobel Prize to Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that he was “eager” to welcome the opposition leader, who left Venezuela clandestinely with U.S. assistance, to receive her Nobel Prize in Oslo.
Machado dedicated her Nobel Prize to Trump, who nevertheless showed a very cautious attitude toward including her in any potential political transition in Venezuela.
The opposition leader said on Monday, after an audience with Pope Leo XIV, that “the defeat of evil is closer” in Venezuela following the U.S. military operation that overthrew and removed President Nicolás Maduro and his wife from the country.
Trump has claimed that he is now in control of the South American nation, stating that the primary objective at this stage is to stabilize the country before considering elections.
Venezuelan oil is Washington’s main objective, Trump added after Maduro’s overthrow.
International
Police hunt gunmen after fatal shooting in Corsica
A man was shot dead on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, local media reported. The victim was identified as Alain Orsoni, former president of local football club AC Ajaccio, according to sources close to the investigation cited by French news channel BFMTV.
Orsoni, 71, was killed in the town of Vero, near Ajaccio, the island’s capital, while attending his mother’s funeral.
He was also a former member of the National Liberation Front of Corsica (FLNC), a nationalist organization that has long sought independence for the island, reports said.
BFMTV reported that the gunmen fled the scene and remain at large. Local police have opened an investigation into the shooting.
Dominican court postpones hearing in deadly nightclub collapse case
Venezuelan opposition leader dedicates Nobel Prize to Trump
Police hunt gunmen after fatal shooting in Corsica
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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