Myanmar’s economic woes may help persuade ruling military to end crisis
PUBLISHED 30 APRIL 2021
THE JAKARTA POST / ANN
Three months on from the Feb. 1 military coup in Myanmar, Japan's diplomatic efforts to persuade the Southeast Asian country's junta to reverse course have yet to bear fruit.
Myanmar security forces have killed some 750 peaceful protestors and other citizens, according to an activist monitoring group, a sign that Japan's suspension of new aid projects, alongside sanctions by the United States and other Western powers on senior generals and the companies they control, have not been effective in addressing the crisis.
Referring to his meeting April 24 with Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders in Jakarta, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said he would carefully consider suggestions from ASEAN on steps to end the turmoil, but only after the situation stabilizes -- signaling the junta is unlikely to stop using force, receive an ASEAN envoy or hold dialogue with rival groups anytime soon. Myanmar is a member of 10-member ASEAN.
Citing the general's thinking, some scholars say the Myanmar military has been so preoccupied with beating its political enemy, detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, that it has no intention -- at least for now -- of listening to what foreign governments and the United Nations have to say.
"At this stage, there is a limit to what diplomatic efforts Japan and other countries can make to get the military to change course, as its immediate priority is not to lend an ear to what they say but to consolidate its grip on power by getting rid of NLD forces," said Yoshihiro Nakanishi, a Myanmar expert at Kyoto University.
Min Aung Hlaing seized power after detaining Suu Kyi and senior NLD members, alleging fraud in a November election that gave the NLD a landslide victory. The election commission, however, said the vote was fair.
On Feb. 1, the Tatmadaw, as the military is known, declared a yearlong state of emergency and said a "free and fair" general election will eventually be held.
This has led analysts to suspect the junta may call an election without Suu Kyi and the NLD and that it believes that once a government that includes generals is elected, the international community would have no choice but to recognize it as a "democratic" entity.
Nakanishi, an associate professor of the university's Center for Southeast Asian Studies, said in an interview that the standoff between the junta and the National Unity Government, set up in opposition to military rule and led by Suu Kyi associates, may last for a year or longer.
Launched April 16 by NLD parliamentarians, anti-coup protest leaders and representatives of ethnic minority groups, the NUG is demanding that the junta immediately cease its violent crackdowns on demonstrators, release Suu Kyi and other detainees, and restore the democratically elected government.
Nevertheless, Nakanishi argues, factors such as economic paralysis and a full conflict with ethnic minority insurgents in border areas may propel the generals to change their mind.
In fact, the sharp contraction in the Myanmar economy -- triggered by strikes by workers and civil servants, as well as the halt of aid by foreign donors and the suspension of trade and investment by foreign businesses -- could create such a possibility.
Some analysts even say the crisis-hit country stands on the verge of becoming a failed state.
Before the military takeover, the World Bank had forecast Myanmar's economy would expand 5.9 percent in 2021, but it now estimates the economy will shrink 10 percent. Similarly, the UN World Food Program estimates up to 3.4 million more people will go hungry in the next six months.
Citing recent remarks by Min Aung Hlaing, Nakanishi said, "The commander-in-chief appears concerned about economic development."
"The military is now preoccupied with domestic affairs, but I suspect there will be a time when the international community can play a role in ending the crisis in Myanmar," he said.
Under such circumstances, Japan, while keeping channels of communication open to the Tatmadaw, is considering halting ongoing official development assistance projects as part of international pressure on the generals.
According to the Foreign Ministry, Japan extended ODA totaling about 190 billion yen ($1.7 billion) to Myanmar in the year to March 2020, by far the largest contributor other than China, which does not disclose corresponding data.
In parliament, a group of nonpartisan lawmakers, led by Gen Nakatani, a former defense minister, is seeking to enact a law enabling the government to impose sanctions on foreign individuals and entities over human rights violations.
Pro-NLD Myanmar residents in Japan are calling on parliament to pass the sanctions bill as soon as possible. They are also pushing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's government to immediately suspend all non-humanitarian aid projects that benefit the junta and lobby the United Nations to impose a global arms embargo on the Tatmadaw so as to block weapons supply from China and Russia.
Foreign policy experts say Japan should continue to engage with the junta while keeping the suspension of ongoing ODA projects and invocation of the envisaged sanctions law as policy options.
With the United States and European countries stepping up targeted sanctions on Myanmar, the experts suggest Japan, in partnership with ASEAN, broker talks between the junta and the NUG as the country, unlike Western powers, has ties with both sides.
"Japan should insist on dialogue but always with the goal being the restoration of democracy, with a price to be paid if the junta does not move substantively in that direction," said Brad Glosserman, deputy director of the Center for Rule-making Strategies at Tama University in Tokyo.
"Japan should apply pressure in concert with the West, but it can do so in a different mode and means," Glosserman said in an email, suggesting that Tokyo persuade the generals while avoiding publicly humiliating the Tatmadaw.
Along with such a division of labor with the Western powers, former diplomats recommend that Japan deal with the Myanmar crisis in coordination with ASEAN, China and South Korea in the so-called ASEAN-plus-three framework.
The recommendation is part of policy proposals over Myanmar a group of former Japanese diplomats including Yasushi Akashi, a former UN undersecretary general, filed with the Foreign Ministry on April 23.
But skeptics warn that under the shadow of a great power rivalry between the United States and China, Japan must conduct careful diplomacy with China over Myanmar because of Beijing's desire to boost its clout and gain access to the Indian Ocean via its strategically important neighbor as a major arms supplier, aid donor and trading partner.
Saturday, May 01, 2021
Half of Myanmar's population risks falling into poverty by 2022: UN
This handout photo taken and released by Dawei Watch on April 6, 2021 shows a protester holding a sign during a rally against the military coup in Launglone township in Myanmar's Dawei district. (Dawei Watch via AFP/Handout)
PUBLISHED 1 MAY 2021
THE JAKARTA POST / ANN
The dual impacts of the pandemic and Myanmar's political crisis triggered by a military coup could result in nearly half the population, or as many as 25 million people, dropping into poverty by 2022, the United Nations Development Programme warns.
In a report released on Friday, UNDP said the effect of the crises could push millions more people into poverty.
"COVID-19 and the ongoing political crisis are compounding shocks which are pushing the most vulnerable back and more deeply into poverty," UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Kanni Wignaraja, told Reuters.
"The development gains made during a decade of democratic transition, however imperfect it may have been, is being erased in a matter of months," she said, adding the country's progress may be set back to 2005, when it was also under military rule and half of the population was poor.
The study showed that by the end of last year, on average, 83 percent of households had reported their incomes had been cut almost in half due to the pandemic.
The number of people living below the poverty line is estimated to have increased by 11 percentage points due to the socio-economic effects of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the report says a deteriorating security situation, as well as threats to human rights and development, in Myanmar since the Feb. 1 coup could drive the poverty rate up by a further 12 percentage points by early next year.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military overthrew the elected government of Aug San Suu Kyi, detained her and other civilian politicians, then cracked down with lethal force on anti-coup protesters.
Security forces have killed more than 750 civilians in the demonstrations, an activist group says.
The report says women and children are set to bear the heaviest burden of the crises.
"Half of all children in Myanmar could be living in poverty within a year," said Wignaraja, adding already vulnerable internally displaced people also faced more pressure.
The report said urban poverty is expected to triple, while the security situation was fracturing supply chains and hindering the movement of people, services, and commodities, including agricultural goods.
Pressure on Myanmar's currency, the Kyat, has also increased the price of imports and energy, the report said, while the banking system remains paralysed.
"As stated by the UN secretary-general, the scale of the crisis requires an urgent and unified international response," said Wignaraja.
This handout photo taken and released by Dawei Watch on April 6, 2021 shows a protester holding a sign during a rally against the military coup in Launglone township in Myanmar's Dawei district. (Dawei Watch via AFP/Handout)
PUBLISHED 1 MAY 2021
THE JAKARTA POST / ANN
The dual impacts of the pandemic and Myanmar's political crisis triggered by a military coup could result in nearly half the population, or as many as 25 million people, dropping into poverty by 2022, the United Nations Development Programme warns.
In a report released on Friday, UNDP said the effect of the crises could push millions more people into poverty.
"COVID-19 and the ongoing political crisis are compounding shocks which are pushing the most vulnerable back and more deeply into poverty," UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Kanni Wignaraja, told Reuters.
"The development gains made during a decade of democratic transition, however imperfect it may have been, is being erased in a matter of months," she said, adding the country's progress may be set back to 2005, when it was also under military rule and half of the population was poor.
The study showed that by the end of last year, on average, 83 percent of households had reported their incomes had been cut almost in half due to the pandemic.
The number of people living below the poverty line is estimated to have increased by 11 percentage points due to the socio-economic effects of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the report says a deteriorating security situation, as well as threats to human rights and development, in Myanmar since the Feb. 1 coup could drive the poverty rate up by a further 12 percentage points by early next year.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military overthrew the elected government of Aug San Suu Kyi, detained her and other civilian politicians, then cracked down with lethal force on anti-coup protesters.
Security forces have killed more than 750 civilians in the demonstrations, an activist group says.
The report says women and children are set to bear the heaviest burden of the crises.
"Half of all children in Myanmar could be living in poverty within a year," said Wignaraja, adding already vulnerable internally displaced people also faced more pressure.
The report said urban poverty is expected to triple, while the security situation was fracturing supply chains and hindering the movement of people, services, and commodities, including agricultural goods.
Pressure on Myanmar's currency, the Kyat, has also increased the price of imports and energy, the report said, while the banking system remains paralysed.
"As stated by the UN secretary-general, the scale of the crisis requires an urgent and unified international response," said Wignaraja.
Burma
Illegal Rare Earth Mines on China Border Multiply Since Myanmar’s Coup
Illegal Rare Earth Mines on China Border Multiply Since Myanmar’s Coup
A convoy of trucks loaded with Ammonium Sulphate.
Photo-Mines Department in Kachin State
Rare earth mining in Pangwa Township, Kachin State, in 2019. / Myitkyina Journal
By THE IRRAWADDY 26 April 2021
Illegal rare earth mining has surged in northern Kachin State on the Chinese border following Myanmar’s Feb. 1 coup in areas controlled by a junta-sponsored militia.
Environmental groups say mining has increased at least five times in Pangwa and Chipwi townships amid Myanmar’s political turmoil, with a rapid influx of Chinese workers.
“Before the coup, we only saw one or two trucks per day. Now there is no proper inspection we are seeing 10 to 15,” an activist in Chipwi told The Irrawaddy.
He said the trucks are loaded with ammonium sulphate fertilizer bags filled at illegal mines.
“The Chinese authorities have tightened border security for imports from Myanmar due to COVID-19. But materials for the mining move across the border easily,” he added.
Myanmar is China’s largest rare earth source, accounting for over half of its supplies. In 2016, Chinese mining companies entered Pangwa looking for rare earth as Beijing cracked down on illegal mining within China.
According to Chinese customs data, China is heavily dependent on medium and heavy rare earth from Myanmar. Myanmar became China’s largest importer in 2018. In 2020, rare earth imports from Myanmar rose by 23 percent year on year to around 35,500 tons, accounting for 74 percent of imports, according to the Global Times government mouthpiece.
Ja Hkaw Lu of the Transparency and Accountability Network Kachin (TANK) told The Irrawaddy: “Under the civilian government, if we complained about illegal rare earth mining, officials immediately visited and investigated. [Illegal miners] stayed away but now it is totally out of control.”
She added: “Currently, vehicles carrying heavy rare earth leave day and night. The situation is getting worse. There has been an influx of Chinese miners.”
Heavy rare earth from Kachin State is exported to China for refining and processing and then sold around the globe, according to environmental protection groups.
According to TANK, around 10 rare earth mines have opened near the border in Zam Nau, which is controlled by the military-affiliated New Democratic Army Kachin (NDAK).
Kachin environmental groups estimate that there are over 100 rare earth mines in Pangwa and Chipwe townships controlled by the militia and Chinese investors.
The Chinese media has reported that some Chinese companies are facing rising logistical costs exporting rare earth from Myanmar since the military takeover.
But Chinese buyers have not seen any significant decline in imports since the coup, the Chinese media reported.
According to the Kachin State Mining Department, only the union administration can give permission for rare earth mining in Pangwa and Chipwi. The department said it found several illegal mines and Chinese workers in 2019 and 2020 after a series of inspections. The department has said the involvement of armed groups makes regulating the industry challenging.
Brang Awng of the Kachin State Working Conservation Group told The Irrawaddy that the mines cause environmental destruction, polluting waterways and groundwater.
“Illegal digging is on the rampage since there are no checks by government officials since the military coup. More digging will further damage the environment,” he said.
The group said more than 20 villages were suffering from polluted soil and water from rare earth mining. In 2020 and 2019, the Chipwe river twice turned red due to mining waste, according to environmental groups.
By THE IRRAWADDY 26 April 2021
Illegal rare earth mining has surged in northern Kachin State on the Chinese border following Myanmar’s Feb. 1 coup in areas controlled by a junta-sponsored militia.
Environmental groups say mining has increased at least five times in Pangwa and Chipwi townships amid Myanmar’s political turmoil, with a rapid influx of Chinese workers.
“Before the coup, we only saw one or two trucks per day. Now there is no proper inspection we are seeing 10 to 15,” an activist in Chipwi told The Irrawaddy.
He said the trucks are loaded with ammonium sulphate fertilizer bags filled at illegal mines.
“The Chinese authorities have tightened border security for imports from Myanmar due to COVID-19. But materials for the mining move across the border easily,” he added.
Myanmar is China’s largest rare earth source, accounting for over half of its supplies. In 2016, Chinese mining companies entered Pangwa looking for rare earth as Beijing cracked down on illegal mining within China.
According to Chinese customs data, China is heavily dependent on medium and heavy rare earth from Myanmar. Myanmar became China’s largest importer in 2018. In 2020, rare earth imports from Myanmar rose by 23 percent year on year to around 35,500 tons, accounting for 74 percent of imports, according to the Global Times government mouthpiece.
Ja Hkaw Lu of the Transparency and Accountability Network Kachin (TANK) told The Irrawaddy: “Under the civilian government, if we complained about illegal rare earth mining, officials immediately visited and investigated. [Illegal miners] stayed away but now it is totally out of control.”
She added: “Currently, vehicles carrying heavy rare earth leave day and night. The situation is getting worse. There has been an influx of Chinese miners.”
Heavy rare earth from Kachin State is exported to China for refining and processing and then sold around the globe, according to environmental protection groups.
According to TANK, around 10 rare earth mines have opened near the border in Zam Nau, which is controlled by the military-affiliated New Democratic Army Kachin (NDAK).
Kachin environmental groups estimate that there are over 100 rare earth mines in Pangwa and Chipwe townships controlled by the militia and Chinese investors.
The Chinese media has reported that some Chinese companies are facing rising logistical costs exporting rare earth from Myanmar since the military takeover.
But Chinese buyers have not seen any significant decline in imports since the coup, the Chinese media reported.
According to the Kachin State Mining Department, only the union administration can give permission for rare earth mining in Pangwa and Chipwi. The department said it found several illegal mines and Chinese workers in 2019 and 2020 after a series of inspections. The department has said the involvement of armed groups makes regulating the industry challenging.
Brang Awng of the Kachin State Working Conservation Group told The Irrawaddy that the mines cause environmental destruction, polluting waterways and groundwater.
“Illegal digging is on the rampage since there are no checks by government officials since the military coup. More digging will further damage the environment,” he said.
The group said more than 20 villages were suffering from polluted soil and water from rare earth mining. In 2020 and 2019, the Chipwe river twice turned red due to mining waste, according to environmental groups.
Troops pullout marks failure of U.S.-led war on terror in Afghanistan, say analysts
PEOPLES DAILY, CHINA
(Web editor: Wu Chaolan, Bianji
PEOPLES DAILY, CHINA
(Xinhua) 09:02, May 02, 2021
KABUL, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Local observers describe the U.S.-led war on terror in Afghanistan as a "failure", and they say the upcoming troops withdrawal marks a "clear defeat" of the United States and the U.S.-led coalition forces in the Afghan war.
"No doubt, it is clear defeat of the U.S.-led coalition forces in the Afghan war as both the Taliban and al-Qaida network and like-minded militant groups are still active and operational in Afghanistan," political analyst Nazari Pariani told Xinhua on Saturday.
U.S. President Joe Biden announced in April that the U.S. and NATO troops will begin to pull out from Afghanistan from May 1, and that the withdrawal will be completed by September 11, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.
There are roughly 3,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and about 7,000 NATO troops in the country relying on U.S. logistics and security support.
The United States invaded Afghanistan and dethroned the Taliban regime which is accused of providing shelter to former al-Qaida network chief Osama Bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks on New York and Washington in 2001.
Thousands of members of the U.S.-led forces and countless Afghans including civilians, security personnel and the Taliban militants have been killed in the so-called war on terror but the outcome, Pariani said, is zero as the brutal fighting has been continuing, claiming lives every day.
"The U.S. has labeled both the Taliban and al-Qaida as terrorist groups 20 years ago and invaded Afghanistan to destroy the terrorists' havens but after 20 years, the U.S. has taken a U turn and given recognition to the Taliban outfit as a political force and inked a peace agreement with the group in order to pull out its troops from Afghanistan," Pariani observed.
The renowned political analyst, who is also editor-in-chief of the popular daily newspaper Mandegar, said he believes that the United States will have to do its best to keep a minimum military and intelligence presence in Afghanistan or its neighboring countries in Central Asia.
"The failure of the U.S. in the war on terror can be gauged from that in 2001 there were only the Taliban and al-Qaida network in Afghanistan but presently (there are) more than 20 terrorist groups," Pariani said.
Retired army general Atequllah Amarkhil, who is a political and military analyst, also observed that the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan has led to the emergence of more terrorist groups and the continuation of war in the Asian country.
"Before the U.S. invasion of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, there were al-Qaida and the host Taliban hierarchy, but currently several terrorist groups such as Islamic State, Jandullah, Al-Jihad, Lashkar-e-Tyeba and a few more are fighting in Afghanistan which clearly speaks of the U.S. failure in the war against radical groups," he said.
KABUL, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Local observers describe the U.S.-led war on terror in Afghanistan as a "failure", and they say the upcoming troops withdrawal marks a "clear defeat" of the United States and the U.S.-led coalition forces in the Afghan war.
"No doubt, it is clear defeat of the U.S.-led coalition forces in the Afghan war as both the Taliban and al-Qaida network and like-minded militant groups are still active and operational in Afghanistan," political analyst Nazari Pariani told Xinhua on Saturday.
U.S. President Joe Biden announced in April that the U.S. and NATO troops will begin to pull out from Afghanistan from May 1, and that the withdrawal will be completed by September 11, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.
There are roughly 3,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and about 7,000 NATO troops in the country relying on U.S. logistics and security support.
The United States invaded Afghanistan and dethroned the Taliban regime which is accused of providing shelter to former al-Qaida network chief Osama Bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks on New York and Washington in 2001.
Thousands of members of the U.S.-led forces and countless Afghans including civilians, security personnel and the Taliban militants have been killed in the so-called war on terror but the outcome, Pariani said, is zero as the brutal fighting has been continuing, claiming lives every day.
"The U.S. has labeled both the Taliban and al-Qaida as terrorist groups 20 years ago and invaded Afghanistan to destroy the terrorists' havens but after 20 years, the U.S. has taken a U turn and given recognition to the Taliban outfit as a political force and inked a peace agreement with the group in order to pull out its troops from Afghanistan," Pariani observed.
The renowned political analyst, who is also editor-in-chief of the popular daily newspaper Mandegar, said he believes that the United States will have to do its best to keep a minimum military and intelligence presence in Afghanistan or its neighboring countries in Central Asia.
"The failure of the U.S. in the war on terror can be gauged from that in 2001 there were only the Taliban and al-Qaida network in Afghanistan but presently (there are) more than 20 terrorist groups," Pariani said.
Retired army general Atequllah Amarkhil, who is a political and military analyst, also observed that the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan has led to the emergence of more terrorist groups and the continuation of war in the Asian country.
"Before the U.S. invasion of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, there were al-Qaida and the host Taliban hierarchy, but currently several terrorist groups such as Islamic State, Jandullah, Al-Jihad, Lashkar-e-Tyeba and a few more are fighting in Afghanistan which clearly speaks of the U.S. failure in the war against radical groups," he said.
(Web editor: Wu Chaolan, Bianji
THIRD WORLD USA
How 'good news' stories hide healthcare woes
By Max Matza
BBC News, Washington
Cutting back his dosage to life-threatening levels was an illustration of how the teen "wanted to help out any way he could," said the article's introduction.
"My son really didn't like the CNN story and how he was portrayed," says his mother, Mindie Hooley, who saved his life by waking him up and bringing him to hospital after he almost slipped into a coma due to a lack of insulin in his blood.
"The story made him seem like a 'hero' who rationed his insulin to save his family and this wasn't the case at all. He felt he had no other choice other than to ration," she says, describing how the family had suffered financially.
"Our family wishes that the article would have emphasised more about why he felt he had to ration. We wish that the emphasis was on why so many are to blame for why insulin is so expensive," Mrs Hooley told the BBC.
Manufacturers have raised costs sky high in order to give steep discounts to middlemen acting on behalf of insurance companies, says Mrs Hooley, who now advocates for affordable insulin access with the group T1 International.
The family's insurance company does not pay for Dillon's continuous glucose monitor, test strips, or other supplies, also costing him thousands of dollars each month. To save money, he orders insulin through an online pharmacist, leading to batches that sometimes arrive late or spoiled.
Now 20, Dillon has gone to work at the same company as his father, doing 12-hour graveyard shifts to earn enough money to fill in the gaps that health insurance will not cover.
Dillon's story of medical financial struggle being painted as a positive is not unique. Critics say it misses the point - but some say it can be life-saving if the appeal resonates.
The lengths Americans go to for cheap medicine
Ramos identifies as two-spirited, a third gender in Native American tradition, and uses they/them pronouns.
They have around 60,000 followers under the name @quiibunnie, and says that being a "failure of the foster system" is the most recent reason that they lost their healthcare coverage.
Ramos' non-biological parents, who raised them since 17-months-old, did not ever legally adopt them despite being their legal guardians.
For that reason, the family's insurance company decided that Ramos is not considered a dependent - not actually their child - and must purchase a separate coverage plan.
Ramos, who uses a wheelchair, now pays about $375 per month to the insurance company, and still has to pay another $700 per month for medications. That is still cheaper than buying the insulin without any insurance.
After their most recent fundraising campaign, the third they've been forced to do, Ramos felt pressured to lie and tell their followers: "It's okay, guys. I'm fine."
"My story got shared around on TikTok and people had been asking for a positive update on the story, and I wish I could give them a positive update on the story, but I really can't," Ramos says.
"Because I'm still definitely struggling incredibly financially," they continue, adding that diabetes will probably cause further health problems in their future.
"I don't know if I'm going to be able to tell my platform, like, 'Oh this will never happen again. I'll never need your help again'."
"But the reality of the situation is I will. I will always need help again," Ramos says, adding that "the reality of medical care in America is you have money or you die."
"I am exhausted from trying to get people on the internet to care enough about my life to donate five dollars," says Ramos.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter
The image of young Logan was widely shared online, but many found the story to be heartbreaking and "dystopian".
"This is awesome!" tweeted a Fox TV affiliate in Washington DC, alongside a picture of the smiling boy.
"This is horrific," one person responded.
"This isn't heart-warming. It's an indictment of the US healthcare system," replied another.
"Regular people being lovely, generous, and creative is good. Making marginalised people depend on them for basic survival is not," tweeted another user.
How 'good news' stories hide healthcare woes
By Max Matza
BBC News, Washington
Mindie Hoolie and her son DillonMAY DAY 2021
A doctor in San Francisco speaks to homeless people about their health
US headlines abound of average Americans crowd sourcing funds for their medical treatment, or selflessly forgoing necessary medicine in order to save money for their families. Why are these stories so popular?
Dillon Hooley was a 17-year-old high school senior when he began cutting back on insulin, a life-saving drug necessary to manage his diabetes. The decision nearly caused him to die in his sleep.
"I wasn't thinking right, but my parents work so hard to give me what I need, and I didn't want to put more financial stress on them," he told CNN in a 2019 article about the skyrocketing costs of insulin.
The family's insurance deductible required them to spend $5,500 (£4,000) before receiving any benefits, forcing them to pay $800 per month for Dillon's insulin. The coverage was provided by his father's job at a steel mill in Utah.
US headlines abound of average Americans crowd sourcing funds for their medical treatment, or selflessly forgoing necessary medicine in order to save money for their families. Why are these stories so popular?
Dillon Hooley was a 17-year-old high school senior when he began cutting back on insulin, a life-saving drug necessary to manage his diabetes. The decision nearly caused him to die in his sleep.
"I wasn't thinking right, but my parents work so hard to give me what I need, and I didn't want to put more financial stress on them," he told CNN in a 2019 article about the skyrocketing costs of insulin.
The family's insurance deductible required them to spend $5,500 (£4,000) before receiving any benefits, forcing them to pay $800 per month for Dillon's insulin. The coverage was provided by his father's job at a steel mill in Utah.
Cutting back his dosage to life-threatening levels was an illustration of how the teen "wanted to help out any way he could," said the article's introduction.
"My son really didn't like the CNN story and how he was portrayed," says his mother, Mindie Hooley, who saved his life by waking him up and bringing him to hospital after he almost slipped into a coma due to a lack of insulin in his blood.
"The story made him seem like a 'hero' who rationed his insulin to save his family and this wasn't the case at all. He felt he had no other choice other than to ration," she says, describing how the family had suffered financially.
"Our family wishes that the article would have emphasised more about why he felt he had to ration. We wish that the emphasis was on why so many are to blame for why insulin is so expensive," Mrs Hooley told the BBC.
Manufacturers have raised costs sky high in order to give steep discounts to middlemen acting on behalf of insurance companies, says Mrs Hooley, who now advocates for affordable insulin access with the group T1 International.
The family's insurance company does not pay for Dillon's continuous glucose monitor, test strips, or other supplies, also costing him thousands of dollars each month. To save money, he orders insulin through an online pharmacist, leading to batches that sometimes arrive late or spoiled.
Now 20, Dillon has gone to work at the same company as his father, doing 12-hour graveyard shifts to earn enough money to fill in the gaps that health insurance will not cover.
Dillon's story of medical financial struggle being painted as a positive is not unique. Critics say it misses the point - but some say it can be life-saving if the appeal resonates.
Diabetic Americans sometimes turn to the black market for insulin
Researcher Alan MacLeod refers to these types of stories, depicting triumph over adversity, as "perseverance porn".
MacLeod, who is based in Scotland and represents the group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, says stories of working-class people persevering against all odds have been told throughout history, and speak to the public's desire for human interest stories that put their own lives into perspective.
"These sorts of stories about persevering through tough times are really sort of relevant to pretty much anyone," he says, adding that they are growing in popularity as people struggle amid the global pandemic.
'I hope I make it'
The story of a seven-year-old girl from Birmingham, Alabama, selling lemonade to fund her brain surgeries went viral earlier this year.
Liza Scott's appeal raised nearly $400,000 (£290,000), allowing her to fly to Boston for a series of potentially life-saving operations.
Her mother, Elizabeth Scott told the BBC in an email that "it's amazing that [her story] has reached folks around the world".
MacLeod says that "kids selling lemonade are a classic example" of the "perseverance porn" that he has documented.
He has seen several cases of children setting up lemonade stands to pay for their parents' or their own medical treatment.
"It's never truly acknowledged that if these children lived in a more humane society, their perseverance would not even be necessary."
"If that girl lived in Nova Scotia, Norway or New Zealand she wouldn't have to desperately try to sell lemonade on the street to afford her medical bills."
Crowd-sourcing website GoFundMe says that at least one third of its fundraisers are for medical treatments. Healthcare costs are also the leading cause of bankruptcy in the US.
'My TikTok fans saved my life'
Jescenia Ramos is a type-one diabetic with multiple chronic illnesses who uses TikTok to spread awareness about disabilities - and stay alive.
Whenever Ramos been kicked off private insurance, which has happened repeatedly and for varied reasons, the 21-year-old jewellery designer has relied on TikTok followers to help pay for insulin.
"If it wasn't for the fact that I had a really large TikTok following, I would have been dead. Because nobody would have seen that GoFundMe," Ramos tells BBC News.
The human cost of insulin in America
Researcher Alan MacLeod refers to these types of stories, depicting triumph over adversity, as "perseverance porn".
MacLeod, who is based in Scotland and represents the group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, says stories of working-class people persevering against all odds have been told throughout history, and speak to the public's desire for human interest stories that put their own lives into perspective.
"These sorts of stories about persevering through tough times are really sort of relevant to pretty much anyone," he says, adding that they are growing in popularity as people struggle amid the global pandemic.
'I hope I make it'
The story of a seven-year-old girl from Birmingham, Alabama, selling lemonade to fund her brain surgeries went viral earlier this year.
Liza Scott's appeal raised nearly $400,000 (£290,000), allowing her to fly to Boston for a series of potentially life-saving operations.
Her mother, Elizabeth Scott told the BBC in an email that "it's amazing that [her story] has reached folks around the world".
MacLeod says that "kids selling lemonade are a classic example" of the "perseverance porn" that he has documented.
He has seen several cases of children setting up lemonade stands to pay for their parents' or their own medical treatment.
"It's never truly acknowledged that if these children lived in a more humane society, their perseverance would not even be necessary."
"If that girl lived in Nova Scotia, Norway or New Zealand she wouldn't have to desperately try to sell lemonade on the street to afford her medical bills."
Crowd-sourcing website GoFundMe says that at least one third of its fundraisers are for medical treatments. Healthcare costs are also the leading cause of bankruptcy in the US.
'My TikTok fans saved my life'
Jescenia Ramos is a type-one diabetic with multiple chronic illnesses who uses TikTok to spread awareness about disabilities - and stay alive.
Whenever Ramos been kicked off private insurance, which has happened repeatedly and for varied reasons, the 21-year-old jewellery designer has relied on TikTok followers to help pay for insulin.
"If it wasn't for the fact that I had a really large TikTok following, I would have been dead. Because nobody would have seen that GoFundMe," Ramos tells BBC News.
The human cost of insulin in America
The lengths Americans go to for cheap medicine
Ramos identifies as two-spirited, a third gender in Native American tradition, and uses they/them pronouns.
They have around 60,000 followers under the name @quiibunnie, and says that being a "failure of the foster system" is the most recent reason that they lost their healthcare coverage.
Jescenia Ramos relies on GoFundMe for her medications
Ramos' non-biological parents, who raised them since 17-months-old, did not ever legally adopt them despite being their legal guardians.
For that reason, the family's insurance company decided that Ramos is not considered a dependent - not actually their child - and must purchase a separate coverage plan.
Ramos, who uses a wheelchair, now pays about $375 per month to the insurance company, and still has to pay another $700 per month for medications. That is still cheaper than buying the insulin without any insurance.
After their most recent fundraising campaign, the third they've been forced to do, Ramos felt pressured to lie and tell their followers: "It's okay, guys. I'm fine."
"My story got shared around on TikTok and people had been asking for a positive update on the story, and I wish I could give them a positive update on the story, but I really can't," Ramos says.
"Because I'm still definitely struggling incredibly financially," they continue, adding that diabetes will probably cause further health problems in their future.
"I don't know if I'm going to be able to tell my platform, like, 'Oh this will never happen again. I'll never need your help again'."
"But the reality of the situation is I will. I will always need help again," Ramos says, adding that "the reality of medical care in America is you have money or you die."
"I am exhausted from trying to get people on the internet to care enough about my life to donate five dollars," says Ramos.
Laura Marston shows the insulin she needs to live
Laura Marston says that stories of diabetic Americans losing their insulin access or being forced to ration the life-saving medicine are extremely common across the country.
"If you really think down to the bare bones of the concept of paying for insulin, its very akin to this: If three companies own all of the world's oxygen and every breath you needed you had to pay for," says Marston, who is also diabetic.
The 38-year-old IT lawyer lost her own health insurance after her employer died expectantly and the law firm where she started her career was dissolved.
"It always kind of baffles me that people who are dealt a genetic hand - in this country at least - are told to work harder and make more money to pay not just the cost of our medical care but to prop up the industries like pharma," she says.
'This is awesome!'
Even for families with employer-provided health insurance, the benefits may not sufficiently provide for the medical need, and the system often seems designed to be as confusing as possible.
When two-year-old Logan Moore's medical condition made it impossible for him to walk, his family decided that the boy couldn't wait for a needed medical device to be approved by the family's insurance provider.
So they did it themselves.
One afternoon in 2019, Logan and his mum went to Home Depot hardware store in Georgia and asked where to find the parts they would need to build a walker, which they had researched how to make themselves on YouTube.
Instead, the employees told the family to get some ice cream while they assembled a personalised walker for Logan on the company's dime.
Laura Marston says that stories of diabetic Americans losing their insulin access or being forced to ration the life-saving medicine are extremely common across the country.
"If you really think down to the bare bones of the concept of paying for insulin, its very akin to this: If three companies own all of the world's oxygen and every breath you needed you had to pay for," says Marston, who is also diabetic.
The 38-year-old IT lawyer lost her own health insurance after her employer died expectantly and the law firm where she started her career was dissolved.
"It always kind of baffles me that people who are dealt a genetic hand - in this country at least - are told to work harder and make more money to pay not just the cost of our medical care but to prop up the industries like pharma," she says.
'This is awesome!'
Even for families with employer-provided health insurance, the benefits may not sufficiently provide for the medical need, and the system often seems designed to be as confusing as possible.
When two-year-old Logan Moore's medical condition made it impossible for him to walk, his family decided that the boy couldn't wait for a needed medical device to be approved by the family's insurance provider.
So they did it themselves.
One afternoon in 2019, Logan and his mum went to Home Depot hardware store in Georgia and asked where to find the parts they would need to build a walker, which they had researched how to make themselves on YouTube.
Instead, the employees told the family to get some ice cream while they assembled a personalised walker for Logan on the company's dime.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter
The image of young Logan was widely shared online, but many found the story to be heartbreaking and "dystopian".
"This is awesome!" tweeted a Fox TV affiliate in Washington DC, alongside a picture of the smiling boy.
"This is horrific," one person responded.
"This isn't heart-warming. It's an indictment of the US healthcare system," replied another.
"Regular people being lovely, generous, and creative is good. Making marginalised people depend on them for basic survival is not," tweeted another user.
UK
Extinction Rebellion block Faslane nuclear base entrance
Extinction Rebellion block Faslane nuclear base entrance
BBC
Published1 day ago
Published1 day ago
IMAGE COPYRIGHTEXTINCTION REBELLION
Climate activists set up a blockade at the Faslane nuclear base by attaching themselves to plant pots.
Members of Extinction Rebellion Scotland staged the protest at the north gate of the base on the Gare Loch in Argyll and Bute.
The all-female group placed three planters painted with the words "Safe", "Green", and "Future" on the road.
Police Scotland said they were made aware of the incident at 06:20 and officers were at the scene.
HMNB Clyde - known as Faslane - is the Royal Navy's main presence in Scotland.
It is home to the core of the submarine service, including the UK's nuclear weapons, and the new generation of hunter-killer submarines.
The protest group said they were demanding a future "safe from the threat of nuclear weapons and environmental destruction".
Extinction Rebellion said the action was part of the Peace Lotus campaign, a global day of anti-war resistance celebrating the anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.
An HMNB spokesman confirmed police were in attendance and assisting Ministry of Defence officers in dealing with the protest.
He added: "Well-established, fully co-ordinated procedures are in place to ensure the effective operation of HMNB Clyde is not compromised because of protest action."
Climate activists set up a blockade at the Faslane nuclear base by attaching themselves to plant pots.
Members of Extinction Rebellion Scotland staged the protest at the north gate of the base on the Gare Loch in Argyll and Bute.
The all-female group placed three planters painted with the words "Safe", "Green", and "Future" on the road.
Police Scotland said they were made aware of the incident at 06:20 and officers were at the scene.
HMNB Clyde - known as Faslane - is the Royal Navy's main presence in Scotland.
It is home to the core of the submarine service, including the UK's nuclear weapons, and the new generation of hunter-killer submarines.
The protest group said they were demanding a future "safe from the threat of nuclear weapons and environmental destruction".
Extinction Rebellion said the action was part of the Peace Lotus campaign, a global day of anti-war resistance celebrating the anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.
An HMNB spokesman confirmed police were in attendance and assisting Ministry of Defence officers in dealing with the protest.
He added: "Well-established, fully co-ordinated procedures are in place to ensure the effective operation of HMNB Clyde is not compromised because of protest action."
Arrests in Paris as thousands join May Day protests across France
Dominique Vidalon
Sat., May 1, 2021
Traditional May Day march in Paris
By Dominique Vidalon
PARIS (Reuters) -Hooded, black-clad demonstrators clashed with police in Paris on Saturday as thousands of people joined traditional May Day protests across France to demand social and economic justice and voice their opposition to government plans to change unemployment benefits.
Police made 46 arrests in the capital, where garbage bins were set on fire and the windows of a bank branch were smashed, momentarily delaying the march.
More than 106,000 people marched throughout France, including 17,000 in Paris, according to the Interior Ministry.
Trade unionists were joined by members of the "Yellow Vest" movement, which triggered a wave of anti-government protests three years ago, and by workers from sectors hit hard by pandemic restrictions such as culture.
Marchers, most wearing masks in line with coronavirus rules, carried banners reading, "Dividends, not unemployment benefits are the income of lazy people," and, "We want to live, not survive".
The Prefecture de Police, which deployed 5,000 officers in Paris, said it had prevented 'Black Bloc' anarchists from forming a group. Three police officers were injured in Paris.
"Loads of money is going to those who have plenty and less for those who have nothing as reflected in the unemployment insurance reform plan that we want scrapped," Philippe Martinez, head of the CGT labour union said.
About 300 rallies were organised in cities including Lyon, Nantes, Lille and Toulouse.
Far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon and far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who both plan to challenge President Emmanuel Macron in next year's presidential election, attended May Day events.
"My wish for the working class is that it can be free of the fear of being unemployed," Melenchon told a march in Lille, adding he hoped to return to the northern city as president.
Le Pen, who had earlier laid a wreath in Paris at the statue of Joan of Arc, her party’s nationalist symbol, warned of "total chaos" if Macron is re-elected.
Macron, the former investment banker who won the presidency in 2017 promising a new way of doing politics, has seen his reform agenda become bogged down in fights with unions, while the pandemic has halted his planned pension system overhaul.
France, which has the world's eighth-highest tally of coronavirus deaths, will start unwinding its third pandemic lockdown restrictions from Monday after a fall in infection rates.
(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon, Manuel Ausloos and Yonathan Van der Voort, Elizabeth Pineau; Editing by Catherine Evans and Mike Harrison)
Dominique Vidalon
Sat., May 1, 2021
Traditional May Day march in Paris
By Dominique Vidalon
PARIS (Reuters) -Hooded, black-clad demonstrators clashed with police in Paris on Saturday as thousands of people joined traditional May Day protests across France to demand social and economic justice and voice their opposition to government plans to change unemployment benefits.
Police made 46 arrests in the capital, where garbage bins were set on fire and the windows of a bank branch were smashed, momentarily delaying the march.
More than 106,000 people marched throughout France, including 17,000 in Paris, according to the Interior Ministry.
Trade unionists were joined by members of the "Yellow Vest" movement, which triggered a wave of anti-government protests three years ago, and by workers from sectors hit hard by pandemic restrictions such as culture.
Marchers, most wearing masks in line with coronavirus rules, carried banners reading, "Dividends, not unemployment benefits are the income of lazy people," and, "We want to live, not survive".
The Prefecture de Police, which deployed 5,000 officers in Paris, said it had prevented 'Black Bloc' anarchists from forming a group. Three police officers were injured in Paris.
"Loads of money is going to those who have plenty and less for those who have nothing as reflected in the unemployment insurance reform plan that we want scrapped," Philippe Martinez, head of the CGT labour union said.
About 300 rallies were organised in cities including Lyon, Nantes, Lille and Toulouse.
Far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon and far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who both plan to challenge President Emmanuel Macron in next year's presidential election, attended May Day events.
"My wish for the working class is that it can be free of the fear of being unemployed," Melenchon told a march in Lille, adding he hoped to return to the northern city as president.
Le Pen, who had earlier laid a wreath in Paris at the statue of Joan of Arc, her party’s nationalist symbol, warned of "total chaos" if Macron is re-elected.
Macron, the former investment banker who won the presidency in 2017 promising a new way of doing politics, has seen his reform agenda become bogged down in fights with unions, while the pandemic has halted his planned pension system overhaul.
France, which has the world's eighth-highest tally of coronavirus deaths, will start unwinding its third pandemic lockdown restrictions from Monday after a fall in infection rates.
(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon, Manuel Ausloos and Yonathan Van der Voort, Elizabeth Pineau; Editing by Catherine Evans and Mike Harrison)
MAY DAY
Protesters gather in London in anger at proposed policing bill
PA REPORTERS
Protesters gather in London in anger at proposed policing bill
PA REPORTERS
1 May 2021, 11:11 am
Thousands of people have gathered in central London to demonstrate against a proposed bill which will hand greater power to police to shut down protests deemed overly noisy or disruptive.
It is the latest in a series of protests against the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.
Thousands of protesters congregated around Trafalgar Square and the Mall for the “Kill the Bill” demonstration from midday on Saturday.
Later in the afternoon, the demonstrators headed towards the Home Office.
The protest, which was spearheaded by anti-domestic violence charity Sisters Uncut, also featured many placards supporting environmental activists Extinction Rebellion (XR) and the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Bill was drafted partly in response to previous disruptive action by both groups.
Demonstrators gave speeches from a double decker bus in Trafalgar Square (Renee Bailey/PA)
The proposed legislation would give police in England and Wales more powers to impose conditions on non-violent protests – including those deemed too noisy or a nuisance, with those convicted liable to fines or jail terms.
Commander Simon Dobinson, of the Metropolitan Police, said ahead of the protests: “We have attempted to make contact with the organisers of Saturday’s demonstrations.
“It is their responsibility to comply with the regulations and ensure their gathering is safe.
“Officers will be present to try to engage with protestors, to explain the restrictions, encourage compliance and take steps to enforce the restrictions if it is necessary to do so.
“Anyone intending to engage in violence or disorder needs to understand that police we will take steps to prevent that behaviour. We will not tolerate attacks on our officers and staff.”
Similar protests were staged in Sheffield, Manchester and Newcastle.
In Newcastle, demonstrators faced off against officers who blocked them from accessing a police station.
One witness told the PA news agency: “Police closed the road and stopped access, there were a couple of scuffles and a few protestors were detained.
“After 30 minutes or so the protestors seemed to realise they wouldn’t get through so moved on.”
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In Sheffield, demonstrators took the knee and gave the black power salute in a park close to the city centre, before marching towards City Hall.
To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings.Please click here to do so.
Protestors in Manchester occupied Portland Street in the city centre.
Some of the most violent protests have been seen in Bristol – where the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was ripped down last summer – with 42 people arrested following a demonstration in March.
The city’s 11th protest was scheduled to commence at 5pm this May Day, beginning at College Green.
A Home Office spokesman said: “The right to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy, but over recent years we have seen an increase in the use of disruptive and dangerous tactics.
“It is totally unacceptable to smash up private property, block emergency vehicles and prevent the printing press from distributing newspapers.
“The Government will not stand by as the rights and freedoms of individuals, businesses and communities are trampled upon by a minority.
“These new measures will not stop people from carrying out their civic right to protest and be heard, but will prevent large scale disruption – enabling the silent majority to get on with their lives.”
The Kill the Bill demonstrations coincided with Extinction Rebellion’s “Protest of One” campaign, which saw hundreds of people up and down the country stage one-man road blocks in protest at the Government’s lack of action on climate change.
Thousands of people have gathered in central London to demonstrate against a proposed bill which will hand greater power to police to shut down protests deemed overly noisy or disruptive.
It is the latest in a series of protests against the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.
Thousands of protesters congregated around Trafalgar Square and the Mall for the “Kill the Bill” demonstration from midday on Saturday.
Later in the afternoon, the demonstrators headed towards the Home Office.
The protest, which was spearheaded by anti-domestic violence charity Sisters Uncut, also featured many placards supporting environmental activists Extinction Rebellion (XR) and the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Bill was drafted partly in response to previous disruptive action by both groups.
Demonstrators gave speeches from a double decker bus in Trafalgar Square (Renee Bailey/PA)
The proposed legislation would give police in England and Wales more powers to impose conditions on non-violent protests – including those deemed too noisy or a nuisance, with those convicted liable to fines or jail terms.
Commander Simon Dobinson, of the Metropolitan Police, said ahead of the protests: “We have attempted to make contact with the organisers of Saturday’s demonstrations.
“It is their responsibility to comply with the regulations and ensure their gathering is safe.
“Officers will be present to try to engage with protestors, to explain the restrictions, encourage compliance and take steps to enforce the restrictions if it is necessary to do so.
“Anyone intending to engage in violence or disorder needs to understand that police we will take steps to prevent that behaviour. We will not tolerate attacks on our officers and staff.”
Similar protests were staged in Sheffield, Manchester and Newcastle.
In Newcastle, demonstrators faced off against officers who blocked them from accessing a police station.
One witness told the PA news agency: “Police closed the road and stopped access, there were a couple of scuffles and a few protestors were detained.
“After 30 minutes or so the protestors seemed to realise they wouldn’t get through so moved on.”
To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings.Please click here to do so.
In Sheffield, demonstrators took the knee and gave the black power salute in a park close to the city centre, before marching towards City Hall.
To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings.Please click here to do so.
Protestors in Manchester occupied Portland Street in the city centre.
Some of the most violent protests have been seen in Bristol – where the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was ripped down last summer – with 42 people arrested following a demonstration in March.
The city’s 11th protest was scheduled to commence at 5pm this May Day, beginning at College Green.
A Home Office spokesman said: “The right to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy, but over recent years we have seen an increase in the use of disruptive and dangerous tactics.
“It is totally unacceptable to smash up private property, block emergency vehicles and prevent the printing press from distributing newspapers.
“The Government will not stand by as the rights and freedoms of individuals, businesses and communities are trampled upon by a minority.
“These new measures will not stop people from carrying out their civic right to protest and be heard, but will prevent large scale disruption – enabling the silent majority to get on with their lives.”
The Kill the Bill demonstrations coincided with Extinction Rebellion’s “Protest of One” campaign, which saw hundreds of people up and down the country stage one-man road blocks in protest at the Government’s lack of action on climate change.
Thousands march in Colombia in fourth day of protests against tax plan
Video: Police Deploy Water Cannon at Tax-Reform Protest in Colombia (Storyful)
Rights organization Human Rights Watch said it had received reports of possible police abuse in Cali, and local human rights groups alleged up to 14 deaths have occurred.
The national police said it has respected human rights and followed established protocols.
Late on Friday, a police officer stabbed earlier in the week amid looting in the city of Soacha, south of capital Bogota, died of his injuries.
Isolated looting, vandalism and clashes between police and protesters also took place in Bogota, Medellin and other cities.
Protests were continuing on Saturday despite an announcement by Duque late on Friday that the reform would be revised and would now not include sales tax on food, utilities or gasoline or an expansion of income tax.
Despite calls for withdrawal and lawmaker opposition, the government insists the reform is vital to stabilizing the country's finances, maintaining its credit rating and funding social programs.
(Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
By Luis Jaime Acosta
REUTERS
MAY DAY 2021
© Reuters/LUISA GONZALEZ Protest against the tax reform in Bogota
BOGOTA (Reuters) - Thousands of Colombians took to the streets on Saturday for International Workers' Day marches and protests against a government tax reform proposal, in a fourth day of demonstrations that have resulted in at least four deaths.
Unions and other groups kicked off marches on Wednesday to demand the government of President Ivan Duque withdraw the reform proposal, which originally leveled sales tax on public services and some food.
Cali, the country's third-largest city, has seen the most vociferous marches, some looting and at least three deaths connected to the demonstrations.
"To lose lives is always a very painful situation and circumstance. During these riots three people have died," Cali Mayor Jorge Ivan Ospina said on social media, asking the attorney general's office to determine who fired the bullets responsible for the deaths.
BOGOTA (Reuters) - Thousands of Colombians took to the streets on Saturday for International Workers' Day marches and protests against a government tax reform proposal, in a fourth day of demonstrations that have resulted in at least four deaths.
Unions and other groups kicked off marches on Wednesday to demand the government of President Ivan Duque withdraw the reform proposal, which originally leveled sales tax on public services and some food.
Cali, the country's third-largest city, has seen the most vociferous marches, some looting and at least three deaths connected to the demonstrations.
"To lose lives is always a very painful situation and circumstance. During these riots three people have died," Cali Mayor Jorge Ivan Ospina said on social media, asking the attorney general's office to determine who fired the bullets responsible for the deaths.
Video: Police Deploy Water Cannon at Tax-Reform Protest in Colombia (Storyful)
Rights organization Human Rights Watch said it had received reports of possible police abuse in Cali, and local human rights groups alleged up to 14 deaths have occurred.
The national police said it has respected human rights and followed established protocols.
Late on Friday, a police officer stabbed earlier in the week amid looting in the city of Soacha, south of capital Bogota, died of his injuries.
Isolated looting, vandalism and clashes between police and protesters also took place in Bogota, Medellin and other cities.
Protests were continuing on Saturday despite an announcement by Duque late on Friday that the reform would be revised and would now not include sales tax on food, utilities or gasoline or an expansion of income tax.
Despite calls for withdrawal and lawmaker opposition, the government insists the reform is vital to stabilizing the country's finances, maintaining its credit rating and funding social programs.
(Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
ANIMALS BRING HUMANITY TO THE WH
First lady Jill Biden confirms the highly-anticipated White House cat is 'waiting in the wings'
Grace Panetta
Apr 30, 2021
"She's waiting in the wings," the First Lady said of the yet-to-be-identified feline.
The cat will join the Bidens' two German shepherds, Champ and Major, in the White House.
The highly-anticipated Biden White House cat is almost here, first lady Jill Biden confirmed in an interview on NBC's "Today Show" that aired Friday morning.
The Bidens announced plans to adopt a cat before moving into the White House, but didn't bring home their feline friend in Biden's first 100 days in office.
"She's waiting in the wings," Jill Biden said.
When asked by NBC News' Craig Melvin if the cat was his idea, President Joe Biden joked: "No, but it's easy."
The yet-to-be-identified cat will join the Bidens' two German shepherds: Champ, who is 12, and Major, who the Bidens adopted from the Delaware Humane Society in 2018.
Jill Biden said that Major, the younger of the Bidens' two dogs who has struggled with adjusting to life in the White House and received specialized training after being involved in two minor biting incidents, has already been acclimated to cats ahead of time.
"That was part of his training, they took him into a shelter with cats and he did fine," she said.
Former President Donald Trump was the first president in years to not have any White House pets. The Obamas had two Portuguese water dogs, Bo and Sunny, but no cats.
The last cat to occupy the White House, a black feline named India (also sometimes called Willie), belonged to George W. Bush and Laura Bush, who also had several dogs during their eight years in Washington, DC.
Before India, the Clintons' tuxedo cat Socks was a mainstay of the White House throughout the 1990s, dazzling White House staff and visitors in his role as first pet.
But Socks notoriously clashed and feuded with the Clintons' Labrador, Buddy, and was eventually sent to live with the Clintons' former personal secretary Betty Currie, with whom he resided until his death.
"You know, I did better with the Arabs, the Palestinians and the Israelis than I've done with Socks and Buddy," former President Bill Clinton said in an interview with CNN shortly before leaving office.
First lady Jill Biden confirms the highly-anticipated White House cat is 'waiting in the wings'
Grace Panetta
Apr 30, 2021
Socks, the Clintons' cat, peers over the podium in the White House briefing room Saturday March 19, 1994. A White House groundskeeper was walking Socks when he stopped and lifted Socks to the podium. Marcy Nighswander/AP
The White House cat is finally coming, First Lady Jill Biden confirmed on NBC's "Today Show."
The White House cat is finally coming, First Lady Jill Biden confirmed on NBC's "Today Show."
"She's waiting in the wings," the First Lady said of the yet-to-be-identified feline.
The cat will join the Bidens' two German shepherds, Champ and Major, in the White House.
The highly-anticipated Biden White House cat is almost here, first lady Jill Biden confirmed in an interview on NBC's "Today Show" that aired Friday morning.
The Bidens announced plans to adopt a cat before moving into the White House, but didn't bring home their feline friend in Biden's first 100 days in office.
"She's waiting in the wings," Jill Biden said.
When asked by NBC News' Craig Melvin if the cat was his idea, President Joe Biden joked: "No, but it's easy."
The yet-to-be-identified cat will join the Bidens' two German shepherds: Champ, who is 12, and Major, who the Bidens adopted from the Delaware Humane Society in 2018.
Jill Biden said that Major, the younger of the Bidens' two dogs who has struggled with adjusting to life in the White House and received specialized training after being involved in two minor biting incidents, has already been acclimated to cats ahead of time.
"That was part of his training, they took him into a shelter with cats and he did fine," she said.
Former President Donald Trump was the first president in years to not have any White House pets. The Obamas had two Portuguese water dogs, Bo and Sunny, but no cats.
The last cat to occupy the White House, a black feline named India (also sometimes called Willie), belonged to George W. Bush and Laura Bush, who also had several dogs during their eight years in Washington, DC.
Before India, the Clintons' tuxedo cat Socks was a mainstay of the White House throughout the 1990s, dazzling White House staff and visitors in his role as first pet.
But Socks notoriously clashed and feuded with the Clintons' Labrador, Buddy, and was eventually sent to live with the Clintons' former personal secretary Betty Currie, with whom he resided until his death.
"You know, I did better with the Arabs, the Palestinians and the Israelis than I've done with Socks and Buddy," former President Bill Clinton said in an interview with CNN shortly before leaving office.
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