Canada has highest household debt of G7 countries, report warns


May 24 (UPI) -- Canada has the highest levels of household debt among the Group of Seven countries, the government said in its latest economic forecast issued Wednesday.

About three quarters of all household debt in Canada is attributed to housing mortgages, making the country particularly vulnerable to any future global economic crisis, according to the report by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Household debt among Canadians has been soaring for years, and in 2021 eclipsed the size of the economy.

"While U.S. households reduced debt, Canadians increased theirs and this will likely continue to increase unless we address affordability in the housing market," CMHC deputy chief economist Aled ab Iorwerth said in the report

During the 2008 financial crisis, the debt level of Canadian households stood at around 80%, rising to 95% by 2010. In 2021, the level of household debt reached 107%.

Household debt is made up of all liabilities requiring interest payments to creditors at fixed dates and is measured as a percentage of a household's net disposable income.

The agency points to the COVID-19 pandemic, rising interest rates to combat inflation, disruption of global supply chains and Russia's invasion of Ukraine as reasons behind the economic instability.

By comparison, the United States is managing to reduce its household debt levels, decreasing from 100% in 2008 to 92% in 2010 and 78% in 2021.

Britain has the second-highest level of household debt among the G7 countries at 87%, while Italy's 44% is the lowest.

Among the countries profiled by CMHC, only Australia at 119% has a higher household debt rate than Canada.

"In the event of a severe global economic downturn, Canada's high household debt will be a vulnerability. And the need to repay this debt will damage Canada's long-term growth prospects," the report reads.

Saudi Arabia, Canada agree to restore full diplomatic ties




Riyadh and Ottawa said the decision to restore "full" diplomatic ties came after high-level talks in November last year. Ties were severed in 2018 after Canada called on Saudi Arabia to release arrested activists.

Saudi Arabia and Canada announced on Wednesday the restoration of diplomatic relations "on the basis of mutual respect and common interests," following a five-year rift over Riyadh's jailing of activists.

The decision to restore ties followed discussions between Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman last November, on the sidelines of the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum in Bangkok, according to a statement.

Saudi Arabia announced severing diplomatic ties with Canada in August 2018, after Ottawa called on the kingdom to release arrested civil rights activists.

CANADIAN STILL IN JAIL IN KSA

What did the two sides agree on?

Both countries' foreign ministries released almost identical statements, announcing they were restoring diplomatic relations to the "previous level."

Canada added that it appointed Jean-Philippe Linteau as its ambassador to Riyadh.

A Canadian government source familiar with the agreement told the Reuters news agency that punitive trade measures would be lifted as a consequence of the agreement.

"Empty chairs at the end of the day don't push our interests forward, and they don't push things like human rights forward," the source added.

The source also referred to Saudi Arabia as an "important global player" in recent years. They referred to the kingdom's role in evacuating Canadian nationals from Sudan last month, as countries struggled to get their citizens out of the war torn country.

The source also cited Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly as saying: "We need to have conversations with people we don't always agree with on everything in order to find global solutions to global problems," Reuters reported.

What prompted the rift?

In August 2018, Saudi Arabia took offense at a Canadian Foreign Ministry and embassy tweet urging for the release of women's rights activists. It expelled the Canadian ambassador and froze new trade.

The kingdom, which only allowed women to drive in the same year, described the Canadian statement at the time as "blatant interference" in its internal affairs.

Later the same year, Saudi Arabia became the center of Western condemnation after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey.

Five of the alleged killers were convicted in 2020, but the Saudi crown prince has also been accused of involvement, which he consistently denies.

rmt/rs (Reuters, AFP)

How a temperature rise of 2 degrees Celsius impacts billions

Under current climate change policies, billions will face life-threatening heat. But a global network of heat officers are tackling the problem in their own cities.


Alistair Walsh

DW

May 22, 2023

About 2 billion people will live in hazardous heat conditions by the end of the century if climate policies continue on their current trajectory, according to new research published in the Nature Sustainability journal. That represents 23% of the projected global population.

If the climate warms more drastically — a potential scenario under current policies — about 3.3 billion people could face extreme temperatures by the end of the century.

The study, led by scientists at the UK's University of Exeter and Nanjing University in China, found that 60 million people are already exposed to dangerous heat levels, characterized by an average temperature of 29 degrees Celsius (84.2 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher.

How do hot temperatures harm human health?

Extreme heat can result in a range of illnesses and death, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). These include heatstroke and hyperthermia. Temperature extremes also worsen chronic conditions and have indirect effects on disease transmission, air quality and critical infrastructure.

The elderly, infants and children, pregnant women, outdoor and manual workers, athletes and the poor are particularly vulnerable to higher temperatures.

Urban forests are a breath a fresh air for steamy Karachi  04:25

Limiting warming to the lower Paris accord target of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels would still expose 400 million people to dangerous heat levels by the end of the century, the study found.

People living in India, Sudan and Niger will all be heavily affected by even 1.5 degrees warming, but 2.7 degrees will have enormous effects on countries like the Philippines, Pakistan and Nigeria.

Calculating the human cost of climate change

Researchers said their study breaks the trend of modeling climate impacts in economic rather than human terms.

"It invariably distorts value away from human lives and towards centers of wealth," Ashish Ghadiali, a climate activist and co-author of the paper, told DW, adding that modeling focused on economics "places more value on a life in New York State than in Bangladesh."

Most other models also prioritize current populations over future ones, with inequality in global warming being "both globally distributed, but also intergenerational," said Ghadiali.

"It fundamentally values my life more than my children's lives and certainly more than my grandchildren's lives," he said.

Looking at individual country impacts on dangerous heat levels, researchers found that current emissions from 1.2 average US citizens condemn a future human to live in extreme heat. Despite having disproportionate emissions, the US population faces a much lower threat from dangerous temperatures.

How can people be protected from extreme heat?

Previous studies have shown cities are particularly vulnerable to such dangerous temperature rises, due to the "heat island effect." Buildings, roads and infrastructure absorb and radiate the sun's heat more than natural environments like forests and water bodies, raising urban temperatures by as much 15 degrees Celsius in some cases, compared to rural areas.

Santiago is planting 30,000 trees across the city and plans to establish 'pocket forests' to act as cooling centers

Image: Government of Santiago

Cities around the world are introducing the new role of chief heat officer to deal with inevitable temperature increases. One of those is Cristina Huidobro, who took up the post for Chile's capital Santiago in March 2022.

"Many cities in the world face extreme heat, but the solutions and the way you approach it are very, very local," Huidobro told DW.

Still, Huidobro said, they all broadly follow a three pronged strategy — preparedness, awareness and adaptation.

Preparedness can include categorizing heat waves in the same way as other natural disasters, or setting up an alert threshold to trigger a certain city response.

Huidobro said raising awareness of the dangers of heat are an integral part of the role.

"Taking care of yourself in an extreme heat event is really simple — drink water, seek shade and rest," she said. "Nobody has to die from extreme heat."

The third prong is adapting the city to the new reality of high temperatures, largely by creating more green spaces in the city.

Santiago has just launched an urban reforestation project to plant 30,000 trees across the city and develop strategies that treat the trees as part of the urban infrastructure.

"Trees, trees, trees, trees everywhere. It's bringing more green into the city," Huidobro said.

But planting trees isn't as easy as people think.

"We're putting trees in really dense streets, like in the main avenues of the city, where you have a lot of cement. You need to dig a hole and really do some civil works."

It's also not an instant solution to urban heat as trees need time to grow.

"The whole idea is to try to plant the shade that we're going to have in the next 20 or 30 years," said Huidobro.

How to stay hydrated in the summer sun

If summer temperatures in the high 40s Celsius (115+ F) get common, we had better watch our fluid levels more than ever. Here's how to prevent dehydration.

If it's hot, keep your fluids up

We are 70% water. If our water drops to the point of dehydration, our bodies stop functioning. So, if you're out on a hot day, working, exercising or hiking, drink water before you get thirsty. How much you drink depends on what you're doing. But keep it regular, every 1-2 hours. Balance your fluids and food. Keep an eye on the kids.

Mind what you drink

The general idea is drink water. But it is more complicated than that. Stick to clear liquids like water or a broth. If you've got an oral rehydration solution, use that, but always read the packaging for guidance. And avoid diuretics — things that make you pee — like alcohol, coffee and tea, and sugary stuff like soft and sports drinks. They can cause diarrhea and make you lose even more fluids.

Spot the early signs of dehydration

Whether it's just you, or a child or an older person you're with, check yourself and them. Are you irritable or restless? Do they have sunken eyes, a rapid pulse, or are they drinking really, really fast? Pinch the skin. Does it go back slowly? Is your pee dark? Does it have a bad odor? Or does your breath smell? Well, then, there may be some level of dehydration. It's time to get help.Image: Colourbox/Alexey Poprotskiy

The signs of severe dehydration

Now the real danger signs: Are you or the person you're with lethargic or unconscious? Is their pulse absent or weak? Can you sense any respiratory distress? Are they wheezing, grunting, breathing rapidly, sweating, flaring their nose? And think about those early signs: Sunken eyes and dry skin that doesn't spring back when you pinch it. When you're already dehydrated it gets difficult to drink.

At risk: Babies, young kids and the elderly

It can happen to any of us. But babies, children and elderly people have a higher risk of dehydration. Diuretic medicines for reducing fluids or blood pressure can make dehydration more likely, as can some diabetes drugs. Check with your doctor. And, if you're with kids, check for drowsiness, fever, a dry or sticky tongue or mouth, crying without tears, or a dry diaper over three or more hours.
Routes to rehydration

It takes more than water. You need to replenish fluids, sugars, electrolytes — minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, and phosphate that help the body and mind function. For mild cases, you may be able to take an oral rehydration solution. Other quick fixes: Fruits, vegetables, salty snacks and some say milk. In severe cases, you may need to be treated by a doctor or even in hospital.

The water's got to be clean

We still take water for granted in the richer nations. It's a luxury that people in poorer nations don't have — 1 in 3 people in the world lack access to clean water, and, in some of the least-developed countries, even health care facilities lack water service. Those are often the hottest places on Earth, making it tough for people to stay hydrated and healthy. Same for you if you're visiting

Don't overdo it

Drinking too much water can lead to overhydration, and that can be as bad as dehydration. It happens when your kidneys fail to process the fluid in your body. That can lead to low sodium levels, or hyponatremia. Sodium regulates the fluids in and around your cells. And if that fails, overhydration can cause fatal brain swelling. So, if your pee is always clear, hold back, you're drinking too much.Image: imago images/Panthermedia

The US cities fighting extreme heat

The United States — where previous studies have found 12,000 people die prematurely from heat each year — has appointed three chief heat officers so far, in Phoenix, Miami and Los Angeles.

The Californian city of Los Angeles, which is ranked as the most susceptible to natural disasters including heat waves, recently launched a campaign to build more "resilience hubs" with shade and cooling powered by renewables in high-risk communities. It already has a network of cooling centers mainly in libraries, where people can go to beat the heat.

They are also working on an early warning system for heat waves.

Phoenix, a city in the middle of the Sonoran Desert, is working on a number of adaptations, including building cooling pavements with a special sealant that reflects the sun. The sealant makes paths several degrees cooler to the touch and keeps the night air cooler.

US cities, such as Phoenix, have networks of cooling centers to help people recover from heat

Ross D. Franklin, File/AP/picture alliance

The city of Miami in Florida is planning major urban tree-planting campaigns, and has also spent millions of dollars on air-conditioning units for public housing residents while providing financial assistance to help cover the energy bills of low-income households.

But Santiago's Huidobro said air-conditioning is generally a last resort for adaptation because of its climate impacts.

Santiago wants to plant 33 "pocket forests" that would be used as climate shelters, especially near schools and health facilities. These are an alternative to the air-conditioned cooling centers being developed in the US and Europe.

"During a heat wave people can go inside these nature-based cooling centers and get their shade, and rest and drink water," said Huidobro.

Edited by: Jennifer Collins

Increasing heat likely a major factor in human migration

High temperatures also cause heat illnesses and death in migrants along their journey

Peer-Reviewed Publication

PLOS

Rising temperatures due to climate change are likely influencing human migration patterns, according to a new study by Rita Issa of University College London and colleagues, published May 24 in the open-access journal PLOS Climate.

In the last decade, heatwaves were frequent, and surface temperatures were the warmest on record. As the planet warms, many people are expected to leave their homes to escape extreme temperatures. However, the exact role of heat in human migration is not yet understood. To illuminate this relationship, Issa’s team conducted a review of research documents, annual reports, working papers, government documents and scientific literature that examined the impact of heat on human migration or the heat that migrants experience along their journey.

Of the 32 studies that considered how heat impacts migration, half found a correlation between exposure to heat and the likelihood that a person will migrate. The vast majority of the 18 studies that assessed the effects of heat on migrants as they travel reported negative health impacts, such as heat related illnesses, heat stress and early death. The research also reports that people suffered more greatly from the heat when they lived in regions with poor infrastructure, or had insufficient workplace adaptations, lower educational level and low socioeconomic status.

The new study’s findings suggest that heat likely influences human migration patterns, including the timing of when people move, the risks they face along the way and the heat they may experience once they settle. However, the fact that only half of the included studies found a correlation between heat and migration suggests that heat is not the only factor driving migration. The researchers point out that no literature has reported a “temperature threshold” above which people are certain to migrate. Instead, they propose the development of accepted ways to compare temperature measurements, heat impacts and environmental factors that cause migration, which they believe would support future efforts to study climate migrants and enact policies that protect them from harm.

The authors add: "Migration is a valid adaptive response to extreme heat. Part of the reason there is no certain temperature at which people will migrate is instituting adaptive measures that limit the consequences of extreme heat, as we see in places like the UEA where air conditioning is widely used. However, often the poorest and most marginalised remain vulnerable to temperature extremes, including migrants. These findings offer a dual opportunity for action: decisive policy to limit global heating upstream, through reducing carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions; and adaptive strategies that take into account human vulnerability - spanning urban planning, occupational adaptations, household modification and more - to assist in lessening the impacts of heat on human health, wellbeing and productivity."

#####

Press-only preview: https://plos.io/43i9SZT

In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS Climate: https://journals.plos.org/climate/article?id=10.1371/journal.pclm.0000214

Contact: Rita Issa, rita.issa@ucl.ac.uk

Citation: Issa R, Robin van Daalen K, Faddoul A, Collias L, James R, Chaudhry UAR, et al. (2023) Human migration on a heating planet: A scoping review. PLOS Clim 2(5): e0000214. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000214

Author Countries: France, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, UK

Funding: KRvD receives funding by the Gates Cambridge Scholarship (OPP1144) for her PhD research and for the publication fees from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This paper was completed as part of the Lancet Countdown project (Tracking the connections between public health and climate change) at www.lancetcountdown.org which is supported by an unrestricted grant from the Wellcome Trust (200890/Z/16/Z). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

---

JOURNAL

PLOS Climate

DOI

10.1371/journal.pclm.0000214 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Literature review

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Human migration on a heating planet: A scoping review

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

24-May-2023

Turkey’s runoff election: Nationalism, fake news, xenophobia


Elmas Topcu
DW
May 24,2023

Ahead of the runoff election for Turkey's next president, opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu has adopted nationalistic, anti-refugee rhetoric, while Erdogan’s supporters are relying on fake news to get votes.

The tone of the ongoing campaigns in Turkey is heating up ahead of the upcoming runoff vote between incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

While the government camp seems to be using all means necessary to defame the opposition and portray its presidential candidate as a traitor, Kilicdaroglu too is going on the offensive.

"Erdogan, you're the one who negotiated with terrorists behind closed doors," he said recently at a campaign event. "Who are you, and what gives you the right to question my patriotism?"
Manipulated campaign posters

Erdogan's supporters have chosen fake news to boost the campaign of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). There are countless fake posters regarding the Republican People's Party (CHP), Turkey's largest opposition party, circulating online. One features the CHP's logo and reads: "To us, the YPG is not a terrorist organization. Decide now!"

The People's Protection Units — the YPG — is a Kurdish militia in Syria that's closely associated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and other countries, including the US.

The fact-checking organization Teyit.org analyzed the authenticity of this poster, along with others, and confirmed they are not at all part of the CHP's official election campaign.

Prior to the first round of elections on May 14, fake news about the Turkish oppositionwas already widespread, but according to observers, the misinformation has become more extensive and systematic in the lead-up to the runoff.

Opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu has embraced a harsher tone in the lead-up to the runoff election

Image: Murad Sezer/REUTERS

Kilicdaroglu hopes to weaponize hostility against refugees

The opposition has also changed its strategy since the first round of elections. It seems that the party's internal strategists have assessed Kilicdaroglu's insistence on a conciliatory tone despite Erdogan's aggression as a sign of weakness. They've decided to try a new approach.

The opposition not only wants to win over voters with patriotism now but also with hostility towards refugees. The aim is to convince the biggest portion of the electorate: nationalists who are critical of the government.

Kilicdaroglu has been confronting his opponent directly, claiming that Erdogan has already brought 10 million refugees to Turkey and if he stays in power the same number will come into the country again. He has also warned that Turkish cities will be taken over by refugees, mafiosi and drug barons.

Should he win, he has announced repeatedly, he will send all refugees back. According to the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR), there are approximately 4 million refugees currently living in Turkey.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu was more conciliatory ahead of the first round — this heart sign was his symbol

 Murad Sezer/REUTERS

Kemal Bozay, an expert from the Center for Radicalization Research and Prevention at the International University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, Germany, considers Kilicdaroglu's change in strategy "radical." Bozay said that until now the motto of the 74-year-old had essentially been "everything will be alright" but the tone of his campaign had become noticeably more aggressive. But he explained that the plan to appeal to the supporters of the ultra-right, nationalist candidate Sinan Ogan, who came third in the first round, was risky.

"Kilicdaroglu shouldn't forget that he was elected in big cities and metropolitan areas and in Kurdish strongholds by Kurdish people, leftists and progressive leaning voters," Bozay added. He said that these voters might not support Kilicdaroglu's hostile rhetoric and approach regarding refugees. They might even feel so frustrated that they may even abstain from voting as a result.

Sinan Ogan, who received a surprising 5.2% of the votes on May 14, has now endorsed incumbent President Erdogan, but whether or not his voters will follow his lead remains to be seen. Shortly before he announced his endorsement, the far-right Ata Alliance party for which he had run was dissolved.

Erdogan seems relaxed

While the opposition scrambles for new strategies, Erdogan seems content to count on stability and confidence. "My esteemed companions and comrades, we've now experienced the most critical election in our history. ... I trust you," the 69-year-old wrote on Twitter.

After more than 20 years, the opposition had hoped they would finally put an end to Erdogan's rule on May 14. Kilicdaroglu was ahead in the majority of the polls. That's why the disappointment has been so widespread among opposition supporters.

None of the candidates received an absolute majority of the votes in the first round. Kilicdaroglu received almost 45% of the votes, and his Nation Alliance received 35%. It now has 213 seats in parliament, far fewer than expected.

Erdogan fell just short of a majority in the presidential election

 ADEM ALTAN/AFP
President Erdogan received 49.5% of the votes, just shy of a majority. His alliance received 322 of the 600 seats in parliament, securing a majority for the next five years. So, the incumbent is in a strong position going into the runoff election.

Voting in foreign countries has begun

More than 3.4 million Turks living outside the country have the right to vote, and voting in the runoff has already begun for them.

According to the polls, Erdogan is doing better among this group of voters than at home: 57.5% of Turks living abroad voted for him in the first round and he has appealed to them once again to "defend Turkey's leadership."

"Turks living in other countries could play a major role in an Erdogan victory," said Bozay. "He definitely needs their votes during the runoff election."

This article was translated from German.

'Time is not on our side' — Pacific Islands urge climate action

Kieran Burke | Leonie von Hammerstein

DW
May 24,2023

Tuvalu, a small island state in the Pacific, is facing disaster due to rising sea levels. The island nation's special envoy told DW there could be "total inundation" of the island within the century.

The low-lying Pacific island nation of Tuvalu is among the world's most vulnerable countries when it comes to the impacts of climate change, especially rising sea levels.

A senior delegation headed by special envoy Samuelu Laloniu is visiting Geneva, Copenhagen, Paris and Berlin, to meet with senior government officials, UN representatives and civil society, and discuss the urgent need for climate action.

The top envoy said his home is facing the threat of completely disappearing.

"We are grappling with the questions of statelessness, sovereignty, the risk of losing our way of life, our rights. I think there's a need for people to understand the human aspects, the human face of the climate crisis," Laloniu told DW's Leonie von Hammerstein.

Tuvalu – living with the reality of climate change

14:27  Fears of inundation within the century

Pacific islands face some of the starkest and most immediate risks related to climate change. According to the US Geological Survey, many Pacific islands have a maximum elevation of 3-5 meters.

A 2012 US National Climate Assessment gave global sea level rise scenarios which ranged from 0.2 meters to 2.0 meters by 2100, putting islands like Tuvalu firmly at risk.

"As atoll nations, time is not on our side — Total inundation within the century. And if we are serious about sea level rise, we have to address the problem at the source," Laloniu said, stressing, "fossil fuel is the greatest source of the climate crisis and sea level rise."

Laloniu said one of the immediate consequences of the threats facing islanders was that people were ultimately making the decision to leave.

"People are migrating. It's a private decision, it's not a policy of the government to even consider relocation. But clearly there are people migrating for various reasons — looking for education for their children. But certainly there are people migrating because they lost land due to coastal erosion. And in general, the uncertainty because of the impacts of climate change."

The government of Tuvalu was helping people improve their skills so that they could seek opportunities elsewhere.

Reclaiming land 'only viable option'

Land reclamation is one of the strategies the island nation is using to deal with rising sea levels.

"Our priority now is to build resilience and enhance our capacity to adapt," Laloniu said. He also highlighted the work being done to reclaim the coastal area as part of a Green Climate Fund Project.

"That project will add about 10% of the existing habitable land area," Laloniu said adding that in his opinion it was the only "viable option" remain on the island.

Climate change – Fiji is running out of time  01:58

"There are some other options we are taking in terms of resilience, but the most important now is where we can to raise the land and reclaim it," Laloniu said.

The envoy said the international community needed to know that islands Tuvalu face the very real possibility of losing territory, and highlighted the role Germany plays in climate talks.

"You have to talk to people who can make a difference. And Germany is certainly an important partner in this. And with the assistance we can get from Germany... it would be something for others to follow," Laloniu said.

Another key issue that the delegation is seeking to address is securing an agreement on permanent maritime borders regardless of whether there were changes to sea level.

"We have made our case clear, not only Tuvalu, but as a region, where we would rather have permanent baselines, maritime baselines, regardless of sea level rise. So those are discussions in the international legal forums, including the UN. We have asked our development partners, our friends, like Germany, to help us in the discussion."

Laloniu said a concrete demand the island is making is that countries keep to the 1.5 target according to the Paris Agreement which seeks to limit Earth's warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Edited by: Rebecca Staudenmaier

Target pulls some gay pride items, citing threats to employees

Issued on: 24/05/2023



Target pulled some products commemorating Gay Pride following an uproar by conservatives 

© JOE RAEDLE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File


New York (AFP) – Big-box retailer Target said Wednesday it removed products to commemorate gay pride month, citing threats to employees in the wake of criticism by social conservatives.

The giant US chain, a smaller rival to Walmart, noted it has showcased rainbow-colored items and other fare celebrating Pride for more than a decade.

"Since introducing this year's collection, we've experienced threats impacting our team members' sense of safety and well-being while at work," Target said in a statement.

"Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior.

"Our focus now is on moving forward with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year."

Conservative activists have filmed themselves at stores expressing outrage at "tuck friendly" swimsuits designed for transgender consumers.

They have blasted the company over Pride-labelled products made by British brand Abprallen, which unveiled a "We Belong Everywhere" messenger bag earlier this month designed for the chain.

Abprallen viewed the Target collaboration as an "opportunity to create something huge," the brand said on Instagram on May 9. "I wanted to ensure that any young people who saw Abprallen in Target would know that who they are is beautiful, purposeful, and worth expressing."

But Abprallen became criticized as "Satanic" on right-wing media after its designer posted a picture of a horned devil-like figure with the inscription, "Satan respects pronouns."

On Wednesday, no Abprallen products were available on Target's website.

California Governor Gavin Newsom slammed Target on Twitter for "selling out the LGBTQ+ community to extremists."

"There is a systematic attack on the gay community happening across the country," Newsom added.

Conservative talk-show host Matt Walsh called for a boycott of the brand, saying he was speaking for millions of Americans "who don't want the rainbow stuff vomited on them the moment they go into a store."

Walsh had also been a leading critic of Anheuser-Busch brand Bud Light, which came under fire from conservatives after it produced a personalized can for trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

Florida school curbs access to poem read at Biden inauguration

Issued on: 24/05/2023 

Poet Amanda Gorman speaks during the inauguration of President Joe Biden on January 20, 2021 -- her poem has been moved out of one library section for young children

 © ALEX WONG / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Miami (AFP) – A Florida school has restricted access for students to the poem "The Hill We Climb," read at President Joe Biden's inauguration before a live audience of nearly 34 million people, the poet says.

Amanda Gorman, just 22 when she read her work to widespread acclaim from the Capitol steps on January 21, 2021, said in a statement late Tuesday that she was "gutted" by the move to curb her work.

"Because of one parent's complaint, my inaugural poem, 'The Hill We Climb,' has been banned from an elementary school in Miami-Dade County, Florida," she posted on Twitter.

"Robbing children of the chance to find their voices in literature is a violation of their right to free thought and free speech," she said.

Governor Ron DeSantis, a right-wing hardliner who launched his bid for the Republican presidential nomination on Wednesday, has made a name by attacking what he calls "woke" culture. Measures include laws passed to curtail instruction on sex education and gender identity in schools and to eradicate diversity programs in state-funded universities.

Scores of books have been removed from the state's school library shelves in recent months, deemed inappropriate for children by conservative parents and school boards.

Gorman's poem was targeted by the school, the Bob Graham Education Center, after the mother of two students complained. The institution banned the poem in its elementary school, moving it to the library for children over 11.

The poem was a call for unity and hope in divided America, and Gorman's reading during the live television event, watched by an estimated 33.8 million people, made her a literary star -- all the more so because she is Black and was speaking in the wake of Donald Trump's polarizing presidency.

A copy of what Gorman said was the parent's complaint showed the parent objecting because the poem is "not educational and have indirectly hate messages."

Answering a question on the official form if the complainant was aware of professional reviews, the parent wrote, "I don't need it." She also said the aim of the poem, in her view, was to "cause confusion and indoctrinate students."

Asked about the incident, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden "was very proud to have her (Gorman) at his inauguration. Banning books is censorship -- period."

Gorman was the youngest poet ever to perform at a US presidential inauguration and also the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate.

News of the library restriction came a week after publisher Penguin Random House and writers' group PEN America filed a lawsuit against a Florida school district over the removal of books from public school libraries that address race and LGBTQ issues.

Pre-Hispanic aquaducts irrigate modern Peruvian crops

Carlos MANDUJANO
Wed, May 24, 2023 

The aqueduct system provides water for some 900 subsistence farming families

Built some 1,700 years ago by the pre-Hispanic Nazca people of Peru, an ingenious aqueduct system of wood and stone still provides farmers with water to this day.

The complex labyrinth of channels and pits up to 15 meters (49 feet) deep brings critical drinking and irrigation water from faraway mountains and rivers to about 900 subsistence farming families in the Nazca desert in southern Peru.

In an otherwise arid landscape, they grow potatoes, cotton, vegetables and fruit trees.

"It helps us to irrigate," said farmer Nicolas Quispe, 39, who waters his potatoes from the Nazca aqueduct system "thanks to the ancient farmers who had this advanced technology."

Families like his pay a yearly fee equivalent to about $32 for the supply.

Often hailed as a marvel of ancient hydraulic engineering, the aqueducts have been submitted by Peru to UNESCO for listing as a cultural heritage.

According to the UN body, until the aqueducts were built, the shortage of water in the Peruvian desert hindered human settlement in an area where rivers are dry for most of the year.

"The inhabitants of the Nasca culture managed to use the water from the underground water table through a technological innovation, formed by underground aqueducts that operated through a system of filtering galleries," the UNESCO website explains.

"It is a simple system apparently, but at the same time it is sophisticated."

The system can transport some of 18 to 20 liters of water per second, according to Peruvian authorities.

The aqueducts, 42 in total, are believed to have been built by the same people responsible for Peru's famous Nazca lines -- a series of geometric and animal figures carved into the desert which can only be appreciated from the sky.

The function or meaning of the lines -- a World Heritage Site since 1994 -- remain unclear. Some believe they were for astronomical observation, others that they were part of a calendar.

As for the aqueducts, "we estimate that 29 are still in operation and thanks to this hydraulic system, as you can see, the entire valley is green," government archaeologist Abdul Yalli told AFP.

"This is a work of art, of architecture and of engineering," said Jorge Lopez-Doriga, a spokesman for the AJE Group multinational supporting local authorities in the upkeep of the aqueducts.

"These stone channels, which had required the removal of millions of tons of sand to build, continue to function," he added.

cm/ljc/pb/ltl/mlr/dw

Deal with 'shadow side' of sports, UN rights chief says after Vinicius abuse

AFP
Wed, May 24, 2023

Vinicius Junior was racially abused during Real Madrid's match against Valencia at the weekend

The United Nations rights chief decried Wednesday the racist attacks on Brazilian footballer Vinicius Junior during a match in Spain, urging concerted efforts to root racism out of sports.

"We are calling on all those organised sport events everywhere in the world to counter and combat and prevent racism," Volker Turk told reporters in Geneva.

His comments came after 22-year-old Real Madrid forward Vinicius was targeted with shouts of "monkey" from the stands during a match in Valencia on Sunday -- the latest in a series of racist attacks against him.

Turk said it was "a stark reminder of the prevalence of racism in sport".

He hailed the "very strong reaction from the authorities", pointing out that "they started arresting people very quickly afterwards".

"An investigation has to happen. It's clear that it's an affair that will preoccupy the judiciary."

He stressed, though, that "those who organise sports events take that issue very seriously".

Turk highlighted the many positive aspects of sports, for instance in building communities.

But, he said, "we need to deal with the shadow side as well."

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said he had asked his office to prepare a policy brief looking into the issue of racism in sports.

"We need to have a hard look at human rights and sports from a wide range of perspectives," he said.

"We want to put forward a number of clear ideas of human rights standards in sport events," he said, pointing to issues around participation, inclusion and "fighting stigmatisation, racism".

"We have seen discrimination on a wide range of issues, including gender discrimination and discrimination against LGBTI people as well who participate in sports events," Turk said.

It must be made absolutely clear, he said, that "racism is totally unacceptable".

He said everyone in society should think about how they act.

"Do I have bias?... How do I react when I see someone else making a racist slur?... Do I deal with it, do I respond to it?"

"We need to find ways and means to eradicate it entirely in the 21st century. It requires everyone to be onboard."

nl/rjm/bsp

Madrid supports Vinicius after racist abuse, global outrage continues

Issued on: 24/05/2023 - 

Madrid (AFP) – Vinicius Junior's Real Madrid team-mates showed him support after he was racially abused by wearing his number 20 shirt before their La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old Brazilian winger was present at the Santiago Bernabeu although not part of the squad for the game because of a knee problem, and his colleagues applauded him as he watched from the side of the pitch.

Vinicius faced off with a supporter at Valencia's Mestalla stadium on Sunday after being abused during the match, and was later sent off for hitting Hugo Duro.

However the Spanish football federation's Competition Committee revoked his red card late Tuesday because some images from the VAR video were not shown to the referee who sent him off.

Valencia had the south stand of Mestalla shut for five matches as punishment for the racist abuse, which they said they will appeal against.

A banner in one stand read "We are all Vinicius, enough already!" while players held up another message reading "Racists, out of football", as part of a joint campaign from the federation and La Liga.

After 20 minutes supporters around the stadium chanted "Vini, Vini" and applauded, with Vinicius standing up and applauding them back, returning their support with a thumbs up.

The Brazilian winger watched the game from Madrid's presidential box, alongside chief Florentino Perez.

Vinicius may return to action for Madrid on Saturday when Los Blancos visit Europa League finalists Sevilla.

Condemnation

Sports personalities and government figures across the world continued to show their support to Vinicius.

The United States condemned the racists chants made against Vinicius, labelling them "horrific".

"I saw the chants directed at Vinicius Junior. They were obviously horrific," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.

"I know that Spanish authorities, I believe, have taken action against them," he said.

"We condemn racism around the world wherever it takes place, including in sports, and applaud any efforts to ferret it out and fight against it."

Three youths were arrested over the episode in Valencia and four men were arrested in Madrid both on Tuesday after an effigy of Vinicius was hung from a bridge in January.

Earlier on the United Nations rights chief criticised the attacks on the Brazilian star.

"We are calling on all those organised sport events everywhere in the world to counter and combat and prevent racism," Volker Turk told reporters in Geneva.

England national team manager Gareth Southgate said he thought the incident might finally force change.

"It's a disgusting situation, I think it's so bad that actually it is going to force change," the coach told a news conference.

"It has taken a central story, not only in Europe but around the world, and it will force change.

"It is another example of what we are dealing with and another example of people burying their heads in the