International

In Colombia, 745 femicides have been recorded this year and 333 cases of human trafficking

So far this year in Colombia, 745 femicides have been recorded, 44 of girls and 11 of trans women, and until September more than 26,000 cases of intimate partner violence and 333 acts related to human trafficking were reported, according to the Ombudsman’s Office reported on Tuesday.

“In Colombia, the armed conflict continues to be a critical challenge in human rights, especially for women,” said the ombudsman, Iris Marín Ortiz.

The ombudsman highlighted on International Human Rights Day the impacts against women of human rights violations and conflict, ensuring that of the 325 early warnings issued since 2017 by this state agency, 205 identify “significant risks for women in contexts of armed conflict.”

“Women in conditions of socioeconomic vulnerability, social leaders, Afro-descendants, indigenous people and migrants face the most serious risks due to the dynamics of the conflict,” the Ombudsman’s Office said in a statement.

Children and adolescents victims of sexual violence

Minors are also constant victims of human rights violations, and in that sense, the Ombudsman’s Office recalled that between January and November 2024, 1,381 children and adolescents were victims of commercial sexual exploitation, with girls being the most affected (84%).

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And that there were, according to data from the National Institute of Health between January 1 and November 6, more than 1,000 suicide attempts of children and children under 19 years of age.

On the other hand, on this international day, the Ombudsman’s Office also wanted to recall that in 2023 23 events of forced displacement were recorded, affecting 58,937 people. “So far in 2024, 100 events have been recorded and 40,499 people have been affected,” the organization said, warning of a notable increase.

“For a good future, we must work tirelessly and together for an egalitarian, friendly and peaceful Colombia, which promotes real transformations in the territories,” Marín Ortiz said.

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.