By Khaled Alashqar GAZA CITY (IPS) — “My child became blind and lost the ability to speak, his dad died and his three brothers are seriously wounded. He still has not been told about the loss of his dad,” says the mother of 7-year-old Mohamad Badran.Mohamad is in hospital for treatment after being seriously injured […]
Youth suicides sound alarm across the Pacific
By Catherine Wilson SYDNEY (IPS) — Suicide rates in the Pacific Islands are some of the highest in the world and have reached up to 30 per 100,000 in countries such as Samoa, Guam and Micronesia, double the global average, with youth rates even higher.On International Youth Day, which this year focuses on ‘Youth and […]
In turbulent Iraq, children bear the brunt of war
By Chau Ngo UNITED NATIONS (IPS) —As the ambulance stopped in Iraq’s northern city of Kirkuk, people rushed in to help. They unloaded six children, from several months to 11 years old, all injured allegedly by an air attack in the neighboring town of Tuz Khurmatu.“The situation in Iraq is grave,” said Tirana Hassan, senior […]
Why no vetoed resolution on civilian killings in Gaza?
By Analysis by Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS (IPS) — As the civil war in Syria continues into its fourth year, the Western nations sitting on the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) have unsuccessfully tried to condemn the killings of civilians, impose punitive sanctions and accuse the Syrian government of war crimes — in four vetoed and […]
Young Latin Americans face spiral of unemployment, poverty
By Marianela Jarroud SANTIAGO (IPS) —In Latin America, young people are the main link in the chain of poverty leading from one generation to the next. Civil society groups, academics and young people themselves say it is imperative to strengthen the connection between education today and decent employment tomorrow.“The region’s youth is a subject in […]
Looking to Africa’s LDCs to learn how to save the lives of millions of mothers and their babies
By Nqabomzi Bikitsha JOHANNESBURG (IPS) — Every year, three million newborn babies and almost 6.6 million children under five die globally, but if the rest of the world looked towards the examples of two of Africa’s least-developed countries (LDCs), Rwanda and Ethiopia, they would perhaps be able to save these children.At the 2014 Partners’ Forum […]
Red card for exploitation of children at Brazil’s World Cup
By Fabiola Ortiz RIO DE JANEIRO (IPS) — The FIFA World Cup being played in Brazil has sounded a warning for organizations fighting exploitation of children and adolescents, during an event that has attracted 3.7 million tourists to the 12 host cities.As well as revenue, business and employment opportunities, the football World Cup also increases […]
FIFA World Cup — where the spectacle is the champion
By Analysis by Mario Osava RIO DE JANEIRO (IPS) — The seven-year-old got bored after running here and there for five minutes, amidst a group of a dozen classmates. He eventually stomped off the field because he hadn’t managed to kick the ball even once.“Football is like that, you have to be patient,” he was […]
Brazil, football and protests
By Ignacio Ramonet PARIS (IPS) — It is unlikely that Brazilians will listen to the audacious call made by Michel Platini – a great player in his time and now the politicking president of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) – on Apr. 26: “Brazil, make an effort for a month, calm down!”The FIFA […]
China casts a long shadow over Latin America
By Jill Richardson BOSTON (IPS) — In the past 15 years, China has gone from being a relatively insignificant economic partner in Latin America to the number-one trading partner of some of the largest economies in the region.In many cases, China has unseated the United States in its own backyard. As a whole, Latin American […]