Latest news with #FirstWorld
Toronto Star
7 days ago
- Toronto Star
I'm a single mom to a wonderful kid and I could not be more exhausted. Do I need a vacation? Ask Lisi
I need a holiday. I know, First World problems right? But I'm exhausted. I'm a single parent with one child and no partner. I have a sister who is helpful when she's around, but her family just moved away for her husband's work. Our parents live here, but they're getting on and have never been interested in my child. I work long hours in a stressful job to make money to give my child everything possible. It's now summer and I've organized a few weeks of camp, plus a two-week holiday together. We have loads of fun together, but my child is still young and fully dependent on me, therefore a holiday together is not a holiday for me.
Economic Times
08-07-2025
- Climate
- Economic Times
1st or 3rd world, no discrimination here
You'd think natural calamities like floods won't leave death and destruction in their wake in the First World. Well, as the flash floods that have devastated Texas, killing more than 100 and leaving dozens, including children, missing, climate-induced natural disasters are a great leveller. More used to such tragedies occurring in our part of the world, the flash floods and landslides claiming almost 80 lives, with dozens missing, in Himachal Pradesh have been no less tragic. But the two disaster zones separated by thousands of miles have the same problems: geography, 'unnatural' rainfall, and unhelpful human intervention and lack of preparedness. And, yet, many governments like the US are deprioritising climate change, heralding what the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change calls the 'Apathy Era'. The Trump regime has drastically reduced funding for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and wants to 'eliminate' the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema). While nature's fury does not discriminate between rich, not-so-rich and poor nations, costs are far higher for developing countries. Even so, building resilience and minimising losses from climate-induced extreme weather events has now become a concern for the developed world as well. The sequence of events leading to the Texas floods is eerily familiar - a slow-moving storm bringing intense rainfall, overwhelming riverbanks, and inundating small towns with water that rose faster than many could escape. No country can afford to disregard climate risk in its economic and policy calculus. Strengthening infra and integrating climate risk into planning and construction, improving weather forecasting, and investing in robust early warning systems are critical.
The Star
08-07-2025
- General
- The Star
We can't afford a fatherless nation
Zamayirha Peter | Published 4 hours ago If families truly thrived and functioned well outside the presence and participation of men in the family structure, would creation and evolution have designed reproduction differently? From the genesis and formation of life and a biological standpoint, women need to procreate with men to form a foetus. Men can continue to father children throughout their lives, unlike women, who have a limited fertile window.. Biology may make fathers indispensable for conception, but what about upbringing? Contemporary data suggests their ongoing presence matters just as much. While children may come into the world through the procreation of two, they ultimately are born into and for a community. The quality of the father is not absent from the contributions and the environment in which the father finds themselves or chooses. According to the 3rd State of South Africa's Fathers Report (SOSAF 2024), launched in February 2025, in 2023, only 35.6% of South African children lived with their biological fathers in the same household, and 40.3% lived with men who were not their biological fathers (Ratele et al., 2024, released February 2025). The question begs, when not in their homes raising their kids, where are the men, and what of culture and society has condoned this from inside the families of the fathers, their social circles and even places of work and socialisation. The evolving state of fatherhood in South Africa can leave us grappling to understand the broader shifts affecting the family structure today (Ratele et al., 2024, released February 2025). Particularly challenging is the growing detachment of biological fathers from their children. Link between adolescent moral decay and fatherlessness in First World countries Although South Africa's labour migration history differs from the United States suburban flight story, both contexts show the dire consequences of raising children when fathers are not in the home, highlighting what can only be the inevitable in a third world country that often derives its context from the lens of first world countries who are a significant influence in the understanding of culture and socialisation especially in the family structure. The America First Policy Institute's Fatherlessness ( AFPI) 2024 report indicates that the United States has the highest rate of children in single-parent households of any nation in the world. There are over 18 million Fatherless children in the US. Fathers are absent from approximately 80% of single-parent homes. Fatherless families are four times more likely to live in poverty than married-couple families. The AFPI report indicates that fatherless children are more likely to abuse drugs and show signs of delinquent behaviour. Children who are from single-parent families are twice as likely to suffer from mental health problems as those living with married parents. In the US, 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes. More than 85% of children who exhibit behaviour disorders are from fatherless homes (America First Policy Institute [AFPI], 2024). Additionally, the report outlines that children living absent their biological father are 2 to 3 times more likely to be expelled or suspended at some time during their schooling career. Girls who feel close to their fathers are 75% less likely to have a teen birth. One study showed girls whose fathers left the home before they were 5 years old were 8 times more likely to become pregnant as adolescents. When children have an actively involved father, they are 33% less likely to drop out of school and 43% more likely to get A's. Children in single-parent homes are more likely to have low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and attempts (America First Policy Institute [AFPI], 2024). The evolving role of the father in the home While father absence often co-occurs with economic hardship, multiple studies still find an independent effect even after controlling for income. Globally, the traditional role of the father as the 'family provider" has been fundamentally disrupted; despite this, no concurrent changes have resulted in gendered social norms (Ratele et al., 2024, released February 2025). In the State of the World's Fathers survey 2023, a higher percentage of women (85.1%) than men (79.8%) in South Africa reported that they provided financial support to their biological children. Yet, many fathers are not taking up a greater share of caregiving roles as a balanced response to this economic reality. In households where fathers are uninvolved or absent, mothers often carry the dual burden of caregiving and financial provision, which, in many cases, still strains the household resources and impacts children's access to opportunities. In South Africa, studies indicate that a father's poor involvement in care has profound implications for children. Children who grow up without a father's involvement in childcare and support to mothers are more likely to experience economic hardship, poorer educational outcomes, and mental health challenges (Ratele et al., 2024, released February 2025). Conclusion The role of fatherhood in early childhood development is both vital and complex beyond the biological reality. Children require the active presence of their parents in the early years of development. While traditional gender roles, economic constraints, and historical legacies are evident obstacles, there is increasing recognition of the critical role that fathers play in child development. Zamayirha Peter is an Advocacy Communications Specialist with over eight (8) years of experience in multimedia journalism and communications.
IOL News
08-07-2025
- General
- IOL News
We can't afford a fatherless nation
Zamayirha Peter is an Advocacy Communications Specialist with over eight (8) years of experience in multimedia journalism and communications. Image: Zamayirha If families truly thrived and functioned well outside the presence and participation of men in the family structure, would creation and evolution have designed reproduction differently? From the genesis and formation of life and a biological standpoint, women need to procreate with men to form a foetus. Men can continue to father children throughout their lives, unlike women, who have a limited fertile window.. Biology may make fathers indispensable for conception, but what about upbringing? Contemporary data suggests their ongoing presence matters just as much. While children may come into the world through the procreation of two, they ultimately are born into and for a community. The quality of the father is not absent from the contributions and the environment in which the father finds themselves or chooses. According to the 3rd State of South Africa's Fathers Report (SOSAF 2024), launched in February 2025, in 2023, only 35.6% of South African children lived with their biological fathers in the same household, and 40.3% lived with men who were not their biological fathers (Ratele et al., 2024, released February 2025). The question begs, when not in their homes raising their kids, where are the men, and what of culture and society has condoned this from inside the families of the fathers, their social circles and even places of work and socialisation. The evolving state of fatherhood in South Africa can leave us grappling to understand the broader shifts affecting the family structure today (Ratele et al., 2024, released February 2025). Particularly challenging is the growing detachment of biological fathers from their children. Link between adolescent moral decay and fatherlessness in First World countries Although South Africa's labour migration history differs from the United States suburban flight story, both contexts show the dire consequences of raising children when fathers are not in the home, highlighting what can only be the inevitable in a third world country that often derives its context from the lens of first world countries who are a significant influence in the understanding of culture and socialisation especially in the family structure. The America First Policy Institute's Fatherlessness ( AFPI) 2024 report indicates that the United States has the highest rate of children in single-parent households of any nation in the world. There are over 18 million Fatherless children in the US. Fathers are absent from approximately 80% of single-parent homes. Fatherless families are four times more likely to live in poverty than married-couple families. The AFPI report indicates that fatherless children are more likely to abuse drugs and show signs of delinquent behaviour. Children who are from single-parent families are twice as likely to suffer from mental health problems as those living with married parents. In the US, 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes. More than 85% of children who exhibit behaviour disorders are from fatherless homes (America First Policy Institute [AFPI], 2024). Additionally, the report outlines that children living absent their biological father are 2 to 3 times more likely to be expelled or suspended at some time during their schooling career. Girls who feel close to their fathers are 75% less likely to have a teen birth. One study showed girls whose fathers left the home before they were 5 years old were 8 times more likely to become pregnant as adolescents. When children have an actively involved father, they are 33% less likely to drop out of school and 43% more likely to get A's. Children in single-parent homes are more likely to have low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and attempts (America First Policy Institute [AFPI], 2024). The evolving role of the father in the home While father absence often co-occurs with economic hardship, multiple studies still find an independent effect even after controlling for income. Globally, the traditional role of the father as the 'family provider" has been fundamentally disrupted; despite this, no concurrent changes have resulted in gendered social norms (Ratele et al., 2024, released February 2025). In the State of the World's Fathers survey 2023, a higher percentage of women (85.1%) than men (79.8%) in South Africa reported that they provided financial support to their biological children. Yet, many fathers are not taking up a greater share of caregiving roles as a balanced response to this economic reality. In households where fathers are uninvolved or absent, mothers often carry the dual burden of caregiving and financial provision, which, in many cases, still strains the household resources and impacts children's access to opportunities. The consequences of fatherlessness In South Africa, studies indicate that a father's poor involvement in care has profound implications for children. Children who grow up without a father's involvement in childcare and support to mothers are more likely to experience economic hardship, poorer educational outcomes, and mental health challenges (Ratele et al., 2024, released February 2025). Conclusion The role of fatherhood in early childhood development is both vital and complex beyond the biological reality. Children require the active presence of their parents in the early years of development. While traditional gender roles, economic constraints, and historical legacies are evident obstacles, there is increasing recognition of the critical role that fathers play in child development. Zamayirha Peter is an Advocacy Communications Specialist with over eight (8) years of experience in multimedia journalism and communications.
Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
WWI: The war that changed the world
The WWI was perhaps the world's first truly global event, with far-reaching ramifications across the world. It ended on November 11, 1918, with the declaration of the armistice at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month and led to a change in the world order. One of the most immediate and obvious changes that the First World War brought about was the collapse of longstanding empires most notably the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Russian Romanov Empire. The outbreak of the First World brought an end to the 'Hundred Years' Peace' (1815-1914) that had endured since the Congress of Vienna in 1815. This is not to say that no war happened during this period – wars such as the Crimean War between 1853-56 did occur – but they were limited in scale in comparison to wars such as the First World War. The first shot that precipitated the First World War was fired on June 28, 1914, when Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated by a Serb nationalist, Gavrilo Princip, in the Bosnian city of Sarajevo. In the years preceding these events, particularly between 1912-13, the Balkan Wars had resulted in the territorial expansion of Serbia, which posed a threat to Austria-Hungary. Exactly a month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Austria-Hungary with the help of Germany declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914. Serbia was in turn backed by Russia. The Balkan region was dominated by the Ottoman Empire, which extended from its Muslim Anatolian heartlands into Christian-dominated areas that abutted the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Balkan region gave rise to the political term 'balkanisation', which implies a breakup of a larger entity into smaller fragments. As mentioned earlier, the end of the First World War signified the 'balkanisation' or break up of larger entities like empires into smaller fragments. This is especially true with reference to the vast territorial swathe of the Ottoman Empire as smaller nation-states emerged from the rubble created by its collapse. Although called a world war, the First World War predominantly involved the continent of Europe and was driven by the shifting balance of power among major European states, such as Great Britain, which was at that time the foremost power in the world, France, with its extensive colonial holdings, Austria-Hungary, the irrepressible power of Germany, and Russia. As a predominantly European war with global ramifications, it ironically led to the beginning of Europe's decline. In the aftermath, two non-European powers emerged – the US on the other side of the Atlantic to the West and the Soviet Union, which had taken over the territories of the collapsed Russian-Romanov Empire, to the East. These two would go on to become the rival super-powers of the Cold War era, which began with the end of the Second World War. This was a mere three decades after the end of the First World War. The theatres of the war were predominantly in Europe. The now-legendary battlefields of Ypres, Somme and Verdun were located on the Western Front that stretched from the Belgian coast in the North, through France, down to the border of Switzerland. The Western Front refers to the western extremity of Germany's advance that constituted part of the Central powers, which included Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Ottoman Turkey. On this front, the German advance was met with and checked by the Allied powers – primarily Great Britain and France. Russia was also an allied power that pressed upon the eastern flank of the Germans and the Central Powers. The battlefields of the Western front were to provide the most important attribute of the First World War – primarily through the fixed and grueling nature of trench warfare. Opposing sides faced each other off in trenches that had been dug into the ground and any military advance was thwarted by the very entrenched nature of the battle. It is important to remember that technologically, the First World War was not characterised by major advances in the methods of warfare. Air power had made a very limited appearance and had not become a major component of modern warfare. Tanks had just about made their appearance to overcome the limitations of trench warfare, with the British using them for the first time in 1916. The limited influence of the battle tank can be seen in the fact that the Western Front largely remained a fixed line, showing how much the First World War was fought in the trenches. While the Allied Powers – Britain and France – were to ultimately prevail in the First World War over the Central powers – Germany, Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Turkey – the Gallipoli campaign (between February 1915 and January 1916) was to end in defeat for the Allies as they attempted to take control of the Dardanelles straits from Ottoman Turkey. The lack of scientific advances during the war meant that a large number of young men died on the battlefields, often because of untreated wounds that turned septic. Penicillin, for instance, was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928 after the First World War. The effects of young men dying or being maimed on these bloody battlefields gave rise to some very famous war poets such as Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon and Rupert Brooke. Their poetry captures the immense psychological and emotional scars on the minds of young men – what we now call post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). India also contributed men in large numbers to the war effort, with over a million Indian soldiers fighting in Europe and other theatres in the Middle East and Africa. The India Gate is a war memorial to the Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting these predominantly European wars. A year before the end of the First World War in November 1917, two major events within days of each other occurred which would have a huge impact on the emerging world order after the war ended in November 1918. The Bolshevik Revolution of November 7 brought an end to the rule of the Romanov dynasty over the vast territory of the Russian Empire to create the Soviet Union. Some days prior to this on November 2, the Balfour Declaration was issued that committed Britain to the creation of a Jewish homeland in Palestine that would become the state of Israel in May 1948 after the end of the Second World War. Intriguingly, one of the first countries to recognize the Jewish state of Israel was the Soviet Union. A consequence of the Bolshevik takeover of power in November 1917 was the Russian decision to leave the war in March 1918 through the signing of the treaty of Brest-Litovsk. The US entered the war at a relatively late stage in 1917, but in keeping with its rising global stature, it was able to influence events that heralded the end of the First World War. One of the most important of these was the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 where President Woodrow Wilson with his idealism and famed 'fourteen points' were to figure very prominently. The 'War Guilt' clause number 231 of the Versailles Treaty put the blame for the war on the Central powers. One of the even more undesirable aspects of the various agreements reached was the war reparations that were put on Germany. Germany was not only defeated but made to bear the costs of the war and this led to a great deal of suffering of German pride. This laid the groundwork for the travails of the Weimar Republic that was established in Germany after the First World War and collapsed with the rise of Hitler in 1933 in the run up to the Second World War which began in 1939. The limitations of the Treaty of Versailles, meant to establish peace after the First World War, were captured by the famous British economist John Maynard Keynes, who was present at Versailles, in his book The Economic Consequences of the Peace. The end of the First World War created the League of Nations which established a system of mandates to oversee territories that belonged to Germany and the Ottoman Empire. In the Middle East, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine (territories belonging to the collapsed Ottoman Empire) were placed under the authority of two European mandatory powers. Syria and Lebanon went to France and Iraq and Palestine went to Great Britain. The political solutions devised after the First World War were tenuous and unstable. That explains why the Second World War was to begin just over two decades after the end of the First World War. How far is it correct to say that the First World War was fought essentially for the preservation of balance of power? What long-term impact did the 'balkanisation' of empires following WWI have on regional and global stability? How did the rise of the US and the Soviet Union after World War I set the stage for the Cold War? In what ways did the experiences of war influence the themes and tone of war poetry during WWI? In what way did India contribute to WWI? (Amir Ali is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi) Share your thoughts and ideas on UPSC Special articles with Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
