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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 9 May 2017

Campaign to reduce killings in world homicide leader Brazil

leader in absolute number in part by making homicide
of annual killings. a campaign issue in the
In 2015, the last year for 2018 presidential election.
which comparative num- Other pieces of the plan
bers are available, 56,212 involve pressuring the gov-
people were killed in Brazil, ernment to implement poli-
according to the Igarape cies like therapy programs
Institute think tank, which for drug users and reform-
draws data from the Unit- ing an overcrowded prison
ed Nations and govern- system that often puts non-
ments around the world. violent offenders next to
That is more than countries convicted killers. It will also
like China and India, which push to reduce confronta-
have much larger popula- tions between military po-
tions. lice and residents in slums.
“For decades, Brazil has The campaign has also
had the No. 1 ranking of launched in six other Latin
total homicides,” Ilona American countries with
Szabo, Igarape’s executive high homicide rates: Co-
director, told reporters. “It’s lombia, El Salvador, Gua-
not OK to accept this level temala, Honduras, Mexico
of violence,” and Venezuela. More than
A police officer aims his weapon at people looting a truck allegedly set on fire by drug traffick- The campaign aims to re- 30 organizations across
ers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Several human rights groups and think tanks on Monday launched a
campaign to drastically reduce homicides in Brazil, the world leader in absolute number of an- duce homicides by 50 per- the seven countries are
nual killings. cent over the next 10 years, participating.q
(AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
By PETER PRENGAMAN and think tanks on Monday
Associated Press launched a campaign to
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Sev- drastically reduce homi-
eral human rights groups cides in Brazil, the world

Spare a dime? Puerto Rico seeks

change to help fund a university

Associated Press cost-slashing measures. The
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico school’s budget for the fis-
(AP) — The budget woes cal year ending June 30
at Puerto Rico’s largest was a little over $1 billion.
public university are so bad Rossello has proposed that
that the U.S. territory will the cut be reduced to $241
soon ask people for spare million, but the issue has not
change to support it. yet been resolved.
Gov. Ricardo Rossello in- Rossello’s measure would
troduced a bill Monday to create a registry of busi-
have commercial business- nesses authorized to col-
es ask if customers want lect change donated to
to donate part of their help the university, whose
change to the University of main campus and several
Puerto Rico, which faces others have been shut-
deep cuts after the island’s tered for a month by a
decade-long economic strike by tens of thousands
slump. The proposal comes of students protesting the
as a federal control board cuts. Another bill the gov-
overseeing the finances of ernor submitted would
Puerto Rico’s government create a commemorative
seeks to cut $450 million license plate to help raise
from the University of Puer- funds for the school, with
to Rico’s budget in upcom- the institution receiving $20
ing years as part of overall per purchase.q