International

Escorpion attacks multiply in São Paulo due to climate change

Brazil’s wealthiest and most populous state, São Paulo, faced an alarming record of 43,817 scorpion attacks last year, highlighting a growing problem that has found urban environments to be conducive to their reproduction.

According to biologists, this increase in attacks, which also extends to other venomous animals, is closely linked to climate change, which has altered weather patterns and the availability of food for these arachnids.

“It’s the ‘plague of the future,’” warns Gladyston Costa, a biologist from the Division of Zoonosis Surveillance, pointing to the rise in yellow scorpion attacks, the most common species in the region. The ability of these scorpions to reproduce without the need for mates makes them an escalating threat.

In response, the Municipal Health Department of São Paulo has intensified actions such as inspection and capture of these animals in high-risk areas, as well as promoting awareness campaigns among residents.

Teams of technicians equipped with special tools conduct thorough inspections in affected areas, such as sewers and local businesses, where scorpions have been detected on multiple occasions. The presence of these unwanted intruders poses a significant challenge to public health and community safety.

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Climate change has also contributed to the problem by increasing temperatures and, as a result, the availability of food for these animals. This complicates the management of this public health emergency even further.

Despite efforts to contain the situation, the lethality of scorpion attacks, especially in children under the age of ten, remains a concern. Therefore, the prompt administration of scorpion antivenom is crucial in such cases.

In order to facilitate access to the antidote, the São Paulo Health Department has implemented online tools to locate the nearest points where the serum is available, thus streamlining the treatment process in emergency situations.

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.

International

Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.

During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.

“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.

“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”

Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.

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On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.