Latest news with #gangs
Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Haiti's gangs have 'near-total control' of the capital as violence escalates, UN says
UNITED NATIONS — Haiti's gangs have gained 'near-total control' of the capital and authorities are unable to stop escalating violence across the impoverished Caribbean nation, senior U.N. officials warned Wednesday. An estimated 90% of the capital Port-au-Prince is now under control of criminal groups who are expanding attacks not only into surrounding areas but beyond into previously peaceful areas, Ghada Fathy Waly, executive director of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, told the U.N. Security Council.
Fast Company
2 days ago
- Politics
- Fast Company
Colombian gangs are using social media to recruit children, the UN warns
Colombian gangs are using social media to reach and recruit children, the United Nations has warned. Gangs and rebel groups are enticing children to enlist by posting videos on platforms like TikTok and Facebook that showcase the 'perks' of the lifestyle. Some clips promise money, mobile phones, and, in some cases, cosmetic surgery, according to Scott Campbell, Colombia's representative for the UN high commissioner for human rights. 'It's horrific, toxic and ugly. Illegal groups are using social media to lure girls and boys into their ranks, which is increasing violence across the country and strengthening narco-trafficking,' Campbell told The Guardian. Other posts featured 'parties in clubs, designer clothes and heavy weapons', added Elizabeth Dickinson, an analyst at the International Crisis Group. Although the recruitment of children into gangs is not new, the expansive reach of social media is intensifying the issue. In the first quarter of 2025, UN Human Rights reported 118 allegations of recruitment or use of children, verifying 51 of them. The International Crisis Group recently warned that the rate of child recruitment has reached its highest level in over a decade. Experts have called for greater investment in both automated tools and human moderators to remove these videos from social media and protect children targeted online, especially those from marginalized communities. 'We ban dangerous organizations tied to terrorism and criminal organizations while supporting law enforcement efforts globally to combat them, including in their efforts to recruit children,' a Meta spokesperson tells Fast Company. 'This is an adversarial space, which is why we also collaborate with other companies to share information and take action against these evolving threats across the internet.' TikTok has also been working to identify and remove content and accounts that violate its community guidelines on this issue. The platform says it is collaborating closely with authorities and local entities, including the National Police, National Army of Colombia, and CIPRUNNA. The UN has described the situation as a matter of 'grave concern'. Experts warn that more action is still needed. Campbell told the Guardian: 'If children were being recruited into illegal groups in London or Silicon Valley, social media companies would be putting huge resources into this.'
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
The kindness of strangers: stranded on a deserted back road, three bikies swapped my busted tyre
It was late, dark and a storm was brewing. I'd been helping a friend do some work at a property in the Colo valley, north-west of Sydney, and was heading home at about 11pm. As I was driving across the Colo River Bridge, there was a sudden, loud bang. I'd hit a pothole and my front driver's side tyre had blown, just about swallowing my hatchback with it. It was 1988 and, in those days, the area around Colo was pretty rough. It was full of bikies – proper bikies, not the drug-running kind that don't even have bikes nowadays. The back roads around there are mainly deserted and can be eerie at the best of times. Pulled over on the side of the bridge, I saw a pack of bikies approaching through the rain, which was now pouring down. Just like in a movie, they pulled up around me, engines bubbling along ominously, all leather and gang colours. I thought: 'This is it – they're gonna kill me. They'll take everything I have, beat me up and chuck me over the bridge.' In those days, you didn't look at those guys twice. But just as I was contemplating how I could persuade them to spare my life, the head guy yelled out: 'Need a hand?' I said, 'Err, yes,' telling him it would be great if they could leave their lights on – I already had the jack out with the new tyre beside me, but it was too dark to see what I was doing. With the speed of a Formula One crew, three of the bikies took over, swapped the tyre, let down the jack and then tore off over the hill. I've never thought badly about bikies since – those guys were so friendly and nice. I now try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Their appearance was perfect timing. If they hadn't shown up, I would have been stuck there until morning. I'm not sure if they were Hells Angels, but to this day, I believe they were heaven sent. From making your day to changing your life, we want to hear about chance encounters that have stuck with you. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. If you're having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here
Arab News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
El Salvador says Paris fashion show ‘glorifies' criminals
SAN SALVADOR: El Salvador's government on Saturday criticized a Paris Fashion Week show that made references to inmates at the country's CECOT mega-prison, with President Nayib Bukele joking that he could send prisoners to France. At Mexican American designer Willy Chavarria's show in Paris on Friday, the white T-shirts and shorts worn by his models invoked the uniforms worn by inmates at the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT). Bukele had the maximum-security prison built to hold gang members nabbed in his war against organized crime. Also imprisoned at CECOT are 252 Venezuelans deported from the United States and accused of being members of the Tren de Aragua criminal gang. 'We're ready to ship them all to Paris whenever we get the green light from the French government,' Bukele wrote in response to an X post that said Chavarria was paying tribute to CECOT prisoners. The president's press secretariat said Bukele's post showed his 'firm stance against the attempt to glorify criminality.' Since March 2022, Bukele has run an offensive against gangs under a state of emergency that allows arrests without a warrant. The Trump administration has paid Bukele's government millions of dollars to lock up migrants it says are criminals and gang members. US President Donald Trump invoked a rarely used wartime legislation in March to fly migrants to El Salvador without any court hearing. Lawyers for the Venezuelans deported to CECOT say the charges are without basis and the inmates are victims of physical and emotional torture.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
The story every mum and dad needs to hear as kids groomed and blackmailed on social media
Children across Birmingham are being groomed and exploited into gangs through social media. It's a frightening truth, but it's the reality here in 2025. Youths are approached online with offers of high-end trainers or 'fast cash', in return for running drugs or driving a car on behalf of a gang. Once they're involved in that lifestyle, they find themselves carrying knives, machetes and even guns. Whether its unfiltered videos of stabbings or gangs being glamourized in music videos, children are all being exposed to the same content on social media. Read more: Birmingham Children's Hospital offers 'harsh truth' as staff fight to save teenage stab victims We explored the dangers of social media influence on children as part of our Deep Cuts project - a three month investigation into the root causes and societal issues behind knife crime. As part of our five key asks, we're urging all parents to make sure parental controls are applied to their child's phone. Birmingham's gang police spoke of the cruel tactics used to groom kids online while an ex-gang member told us how social media posts can instigate violence in the real world. We also sought advice from NSPCC, who shared the grooming signs every parent should look out for in their teenagers. "There's predators that prey on kids that are just given an iPad, or given a phone and parents say 'here you go, leave me alone,'" Sgt Varley, of Operation Guardian, told us. "They're in their room and it's like kicking them outside and leaving them to fend for themselves - that's the equivalent of it, being a kid on social media, because they don't know what's right and what's wrong. 'They film them performing a sexual act and it will be posted on Snapchat or Instagram if you don't do this.' They are basically like prisoners." Worryingly, the online world also creates a platform where confrontations - which would otherwise stop at school - can escalate 24/7. One ex-gang member, who carried a knife and was involved in a street robbery, told BirminghamLive: "If social media wasn't around, a lot of things that happened to me wouldn't have happened. "Certain arguments that happen should not have gone that far. If group chat wasn't made to carry it on and certain posts weren't made to aggravate people, make people angry and embarrass people. "Social media is just that thing that puts the cherry on top for everything and just instigate so many things, that don't need to be instigated." His story is one of fear and hope - and one every parent should read. Though he grew up in Longbridge, he found himself influenced by excluded kids sent to his school. Mixing with gang-affiliated youths from Handsworth, he was slowly and gradually gripped into a life of crime. In his own words, he spoke of the changes As well as a youth worker, Ken is a 'peer researcher' currently exploring the link between social media and violence. "Lots of people are the same and they're having the same crisis because one of the top things is social media," he added. "Everyone is seeing the same content, everyone is seeing the same music. So everyone is listening and taking in the same information. "Everyone is naturally just talking the same, having the same mentality, having the same Issues, let's say because they're taken in the same things." As part of Deep Cuts, we also asked the NSPCC for their important advice on protecting children from grooming and exploitation. We were directed to view the signs parents should look out for in their kids - but also warned these could be masked as "normal teenage behaviour." A spokesman for the NSPCC told us: 'To determine whether a child is being exploited or groomed isn't easy as the signs can be subtle or even hidden. Older children may display what appears to be "normal" teenage behaviour that can otherwise mask more serious underlying problems. 'Children and young people can be groomed by a stranger or someone they know. This can happen either online, in person or both. When a child is groomed online, perpetrators may hide who they are by sending photos or videos of other people. They might target one child online or contact lots of children very quickly and wait for them to respond. 'Groomers will exploit any vulnerability they can to increase the likelihood of a child or young person becoming dependent on them and less likely to speak out. What is more, children may not realise that they are being been groomed. They may have complicated feelings of loyalty, admiration, love, as well as fear, distress and confusion. 'Potential signs of grooming may include whether a child is being very secretive about how and where they're spending their time. They may have an older boyfriend or girlfriend, unexplained amounts of money or new things given to them like clothes and mobile phones. They may also display sexualised behaviour that's not appropriate for their age. 'The impact of grooming can have a lasting impact on victims. It is important that parents speak to their children and address the consequences of violent or illegal behaviour. If parents or carers are concerned about the safety of a child, they should reach out to police or other agencies. There is also the NSPCC Helpline, where adults can receive free advice and information by calling 0808 800 5000 or emailing help@ Meta, which runs WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, highlighted that they had launched Teen Accounts - which "at least 54 million teens around the world" had been moved into. "This means that they now have enhanced protections, like automatically being placed into private accounts and the strictest setting of our Sensitive Content Control, limits on notifications over night and reminders to leave the app after 60 minutes, and they can only be messaged by people they follow or are already connected to," said a spokesperson for Meta.
