Growing up in Minnesota, Tyler Graf knew almost nothing about his birth mother. And what little he knew, he said, stung.

His adoption papers listed her name, Hilda del Carmen Quezada; her age, 26; the date, March 2, 1983; and the hospital where she gave birth to him in central Chile. The documents also included a judge’s note saying Quezada gave him up because she had little money and “other children to support.”

“I never thought that any excuse would be good enough,” said Graf, who is now a firefighter in Houston. “I carried that animosity, that chip on my shoulder, my whole life.”

The claim that his mother willingly gave him up hurt, Graf said, until he learned this year that he is one of hundreds — possibly thousands — of Chilean adoptees taken from their parents without their consent during the country’s military dictatorship.

Quezada, it turned out, had not surrendered her son; she was told the baby, born three months premature, had died.

“Two weeks after the birth, they told me he had died,” Quezada said. “I asked for the body and they refused, saying it was too small.”

Investigators looking into coercive adoptions in Chile since the first cases came to light in 2014 have come to a stunning conclusion: The practice was widespread during the rule of Gen. Augusto Pinochet, who actively encouraged overseas adoptions to reduce poverty in the 1970s and 1980s. The process was abetted by a vast network of officials — including judges, social workers, health professionals and adoption brokers — who forged documents and are widely assumed to have taken bribes.

More than 550 adoptees have reconnected with their birth families in recent years. But investigators say the scheme, which is still being uncovered, most likely involved many more children.

Judicial officials in Chile are investigating roughly 650 cases of irregular adoptions, a phenomenon the Ministry of Justice called in a statement “extremely serious.”

Mario Carroza, a Chilean judge who opened a criminal inquiry into the adoptions in 2018, said investigators were looking into the circumstances of about 8,000 overseas adoptions that took place from 1970 to 1999. Carroza said the number of cases under scrutiny could reach 20,000.

In October, Sweden began an investigation into the irregular adoptions, responding to pressure from Chilean adoptees raised in the country who have used DNA testing to establish their connections to birth parents in Chile who have been missing a child.

Pinochet seized power in 1973, in a bloody coup that toppled Chile’s left-wing president. He then led a brutal regime in which the country’s economy grew as thousands of opponents were executed, disappeared, detained, tortured and exiled.

Years after the general’s death in 2006, Chileans have been horrified to learn how pervasive coercive adoptions became on his watch.

“The history of human rights violations during the dictatorship is known: the torture, political prisoners, repression, but this one has been largely invisible,” said Boris Barrera, a member of Congress who led a legislative investigation into the matter in 2018.

Reports of coercive adoptions in Chile predate the dictatorship. But the practice became chillingly common starting in the late 1970s, as the Pinochet government explicitly began promoting adoptions during a period of economic crisis, said Karen Alfaro Monsalve, a professor at Chile’s Austral University who has researched the history of the coercive adoptions.

“What we ultimately had was an outflow of poor children who were seen as a stumbling block to achieve the country’s economic development,” Alfaro Monsalve said. “Pinochet had a type of forced migration that helped control population growth and enable the country’s neoliberal shift.”

The abusive practice came under scrutiny in 2014 after the Chilean investigative news agency CIPER published an article on a handful of coercive adoptions, documenting the roles played by a priest and a doctor. In the years that followed, as scores of adoptees raised in Chile and abroad set out to trace their roots, many using DNA ancestry tests, a disturbing pattern came into sharper focus.

Hundreds of women came forward with similar accounts of unexpectedly losing their babies soon after giving birth. Some were told they were stillborn, while others said government officials took custody of them.

The congressional committee led by Barrera culminated in a call for the Chilean government to establish a truth and reparations commission and to build a DNA database to enable adoptees and biological families to connect. But so far no one has been charged in connection with the abductions.

Judicial officials have tempered expectations by noting that statutes of limitations will make it hard to bring individuals to justice.

Constanza del Río, one of the founders of Nos Buscamos, an organization that helps adoptees who were trafficked, said the government’s failure to investigate the crimes more diligently was inexcusable.

“We don’t have the next 25 years for them to investigate at turtle pace because we have mothers who are dying,” she said. “Justice may come, but it will be too late.”

Quezada, 65, who has three daughters, never made peace with the loss of her son. She mourned him every year on his birthday, she said. Decades later, she could still picture the prominent black eyes that stared back at her from an incubator the last time she saw him.

When news articles about illegal adoptions began circulating, Quezada was horrified, she said, but she never allowed herself a glimmer of hope — until her phone rang one day last May.

The caller was Marisol Rodríguez, the founder of Hijos y Madres del Silencio — Children and Mothers of Silence — a volunteer organization that has facilitated the reconnection of more than 250 families severed by coerced adoptions.

Rodríguez explained to Quezada the unlikely chain of events that led to the call. Years ago, Rodríguez said, her son, who was a firefighter, had gone to Houston for a training exercise. There he struck a friendship with an American firefighter who said he had been adopted from Chile.

The son offered to try to track down his new friend’s birth parents, and returned to Chile with copies of his adoption file. Once he was home, he turned the documents over to Rodríguez’s group, which saw in the file telltale signs of a coerced adoption.

Quezada was dumbfounded.

“I couldn’t digest the information,” she said. “I couldn’t grasp what was happening.”

But shock gave way to a burning desire to make up for lost time. Days after learning the news, Quezada made a video call, and laid eyes on her son as an adult for the first time.

“Every muscle in my body tightened up and squeezed the tears in my eyes,” Graf recalled. “I felt like I had been hit by a bat and was seeing stars.”

Within weeks, Quezada boarded an airplane for the first time in her life and flew to Houston. In a reunion arranged by a local journalist, Quezada surprised her son, who crumpled into his mother’s arms.

“It was the closest hug,” Graf recalled. “They just left us alone in each other’s arms and we hugged and she kissed me and we just stood there crying.”

Some Chilean adoptees have found a very different response after tracking down a birth parent. Maria Diemar, who was raised in Sweden after being flown from Chile as a baby in 1975, spent years hunting down clues that eventually led her to track down her birth family in southern Chile.

She learned that her mother, who had worked as a live-in maid when she was born, had been forced to give up the baby by her employer at the time. News that her missing daughter was trying to make contact was unwelcome because, Diemar was told, her mother was in an abusive relationship with a man who did not know about the birth.

That did not deter Diemar from digging into the case of her younger brother, Daniel, who was also adopted from Chile. The boy’s mother, too, had been told he died during birth. The two have grown close in recent years, which Diemar counts as a victory.

“It has meant so much to travel to Chile with Daniel, to share the story of our upbringing, our childhood, and just to be in the country where we were supposed to be,” she said. “It’s very healing to do this together.”

Diemar said she had little faith that the investigations underway in Chile and Sweden would lead to prosecutions.

“But I think it’s important that the history books say that this happened,” she said. “These were crimes.”

Since reconnecting with his mother, Graf has experienced emotional whiplash. There have been flashes of anger, moments of gratitude and feelings of indignation.

But ultimately, reconnecting with his birth mother was so healing and clarifying that he created an organization to supply free kits from the company MyHeritage DNA to adoptees and families who believe they may have had a stolen baby.

“We’re making up for 38 years of lost time,” he said. “Time we can’t get back.”

Growing up in Minnesota, Tyler Graf knew almost nothing about his birth mother. And what little he knew, he said, stung. His adoption papers listed her name, Hilda del Carmen Quezada; her age, 26; the date, March 2, 1983; and the hospital where she gave birth to him in central Chile.

Growing up in Minnesota, Tyler Graf knew almost nothing about his birth mother. And what little he knew, he said, stung. His adoption papers listed her name, Hilda del Carmen Quezada; her age, 26; the date, March 2, 1983; and the hospital where she gave birth to him in central Chile. The documents also included a judge’s note saying Quezada gave him up because she had little money and “other children to support.” “I never thought that any excuse would be good enough,” said Graf, who is now a firefighter in Houston. “I carried that animosity, that chip on my shoulder, my whole life.” The claim that his mother willingly gave him up hurt, Graf said, until he learned this year that he is one of hundreds — possibly thousands — of Chilean adoptees taken from their parents without their consent during the country’s military dictatorship. Quezada, it turned out, had not surrendered her son; she was told the baby, born three months premature, had died. “Two weeks after the birth, they told me he had died,” Quezada said. “I asked for the body and they refused, saying it was too small.” Investigators looking into coercive adoptions in Chile since the first cases came to light in 2014 have come to a stunning conclusion: The practice was widespread during the rule of Gen. Augusto Pinochet, who actively encouraged overseas adoptions to reduce poverty in the 1970s and 1980s. The process was abetted by a vast network of officials — including judges, social workers, health professionals and adoption brokers — who forged documents and are widely assumed to have taken bribes. More than 550 adoptees have reconnected with their birth families in recent years. But investigators say the scheme, which is still being uncovered, most likely involved many more children. Judicial officials in Chile are investigating roughly 650 cases of irregular adoptions, a phenomenon the Ministry of Justice called in a statement “extremely serious.” Mario Carroza, a Chilean judge who opened a criminal inquiry into the adoptions in 2018, said investigators were looking into the circumstances of about 8,000 overseas adoptions that took place from 1970 to 1999. Carroza said the number of cases under scrutiny could reach 20,000. In October, Sweden began an investigation into the irregular adoptions, responding to pressure from Chilean adoptees raised in the country who have used DNA testing to establish their connections to birth parents in Chile who have been missing a child. Pinochet seized power in 1973, in a bloody coup that toppled Chile’s left-wing president. He then led a brutal regime in which the country’s economy grew as thousands of opponents were executed, disappeared, detained, tortured and exiled. Years after the general’s death in 2006, Chileans have been horrified to learn how pervasive coercive adoptions became on his watch. “The history of human rights violations during the dictatorship is known: the torture, political prisoners, repression, but this one has been largely invisible,” said Boris Barrera, a member of Congress who led a legislative investigation into the matter in 2018. Reports of coercive adoptions in Chile predate the dictatorship. But the practice became chillingly common starting in the late 1970s, as the Pinochet government explicitly began promoting adoptions during a period of economic crisis, said Karen Alfaro Monsalve, a professor at Chile’s Austral University who has researched the history of the coercive adoptions. “What we ultimately had was an outflow of poor children who were seen as a stumbling block to achieve the country’s economic development,” Alfaro Monsalve said. “Pinochet had a type of forced migration that helped control population growth and enable the country’s neoliberal shift.” The abusive practice came under scrutiny in 2014 after the Chilean investigative news agency CIPER published an article on a handful of coercive adoptions, documenting the roles played by a priest and a doctor. In the years that followed, as scores of adoptees raised in Chile and abroad set out to trace their roots, many using DNA ancestry tests, a disturbing pattern came into sharper focus. Hundreds of women came forward with similar accounts of unexpectedly losing their babies soon after giving birth. Some were told they were stillborn, while others said government officials took custody of them. The congressional committee led by Barrera culminated in a call for the Chilean government to establish a truth and reparations commission and to build a DNA database to enable adoptees and biological families to connect. But so far no one has been charged in connection with the abductions. Judicial officials have tempered expectations by noting that statutes of limitations will make it hard to bring individuals to justice. Constanza del Río, one of the founders of Nos Buscamos, an organization that helps adoptees who were trafficked, said the government’s failure to investigate the crimes more diligently was inexcusable. “We don’t have the next 25 years for them to investigate at turtle pace because we have mothers who are dying,” she said. “Justice may come, but it will be too late.” Quezada, 65, who has three daughters, never made peace with the loss of her son. She mourned him every year on his birthday, she said. Decades later, she could still picture the prominent black eyes that stared back at her from an incubator the last time she saw him. When news articles about illegal adoptions began circulating, Quezada was horrified, she said, but she never allowed herself a glimmer of hope — until her phone rang one day last May. The caller was Marisol Rodríguez, the founder of Hijos y Madres del Silencio — Children and Mothers of Silence — a volunteer organization that has facilitated the reconnection of more than 250 families severed by coerced adoptions. Rodríguez explained to Quezada the unlikely chain of events that led to the call. Years ago, Rodríguez said, her son, who was a firefighter, had gone to Houston for a training exercise. There he struck a friendship with an American firefighter who said he had been adopted from Chile. The son offered to try to track down his new friend’s birth parents, and returned to Chile with copies of his adoption file. Once he was home, he turned the documents over to Rodríguez’s group, which saw in the file telltale signs of a coerced adoption. Quezada was dumbfounded. “I couldn’t digest the information,” she said. “I couldn’t grasp what was happening.” But shock gave way to a burning desire to make up for lost time. Days after learning the news, Quezada made a video call, and laid eyes on her son as an adult for the first time. “Every muscle in my body tightened up and squeezed the tears in my eyes,” Graf recalled. “I felt like I had been hit by a bat and was seeing stars.” Within weeks, Quezada boarded an airplane for the first time in her life and flew to Houston. In a reunion arranged by a local journalist, Quezada surprised her son, who crumpled into his mother’s arms. “It was the closest hug,” Graf recalled. “They just left us alone in each other’s arms and we hugged and she kissed me and we just stood there crying.” Some Chilean adoptees have found a very different response after tracking down a birth parent. Maria Diemar, who was raised in Sweden after being flown from Chile as a baby in 1975, spent years hunting down clues that eventually led her to track down her birth family in southern Chile. She learned that her mother, who had worked as a live-in maid when she was born, had been forced to give up the baby by her employer at the time. News that her missing daughter was trying to make contact was unwelcome because, Diemar was told, her mother was in an abusive relationship with a man who did not know about the birth. That did not deter Diemar from digging into the case of her younger brother, Daniel, who was also adopted from Chile. The boy’s mother, too, had been told he died during birth. The two have grown close in recent years, which Diemar counts as a victory. “It has meant so much to travel to Chile with Daniel, to share the story of our upbringing, our childhood, and just to be in the country where we were supposed to be,” she said. “It’s very healing to do this together.” Diemar said she had little faith that the investigations underway in Chile and Sweden would lead to prosecutions. “But I think it’s important that the history books say that this happened,” she said. “These were crimes.” Since reconnecting with his mother, Graf has experienced emotional whiplash. There have been flashes of anger, moments of gratitude and feelings of indignation. But ultimately, reconnecting with his birth mother was so healing and clarifying that he created an organization to supply free kits from the company MyHeritage DNA to adoptees and families who believe they may have had a stolen baby. “We’re making up for 38 years of lost time,” he said. “Time we can’t get back.”

‘Time we can’t get back’: Stolen at birth, Chilean adoptees uncover their past

In a bizarre incident, New Zealand MP, Julie Anne Genter chose to pedal to the hospital in labour and then gave birth nearly an hour later. "Amazingly now we have a healthy, happy little one sleeping, as is her dad," she wrote on her Facebook post.&nbsp;

Julie, taking to her Facebook, wrote how she had no intentions of cycling in labour but it just happened. She told that her contractions "weren’t that bad," initially. However, the contractions picked up in intensity by the time she arrived 10 minutes later.&nbsp;

"Feeling blessed to have had excellent care and support from a great team, in what turned out to be a very fast (and happily uncomplicated) birth," Julie wrote.

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This is not the first time that she has done this. In August 2018, she took a similar trip and made global headlines.&nbsp;

Her action, then dubbed "the most onbrand thing ever" by colleagues, was featured in media outlets across the world.&nbsp;

She said that the car was too small to accommodate her "support crew" and the bike ride "put me in the best possible mood".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scottish-schoolgirls-boycott-gender-neutral-toilets-due-to-misbehaviour-by-boys-432493">Also read |&nbsp;Scottish schoolgirls boycott gender-neutral toilets due to misbehaviour by boys</a>

She has been an outspoken supporter of cycling. The Green party's spokesperson for transport has posted several pictures on her Facebook handle with her beloved cycle. Her bio says - "Green MP. I love my bicycle."

One of her recent posts describe a&nbsp;"stunning day to cycle in for the daycare drop".

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&nbsp;

In a bizarre incident, New Zealand MP, Julie Anne Genter chose to pedal to the hospital in labour and then gave birth nearly an hour later. "Amazingly now we have a healthy, happy little one sleeping, as is her dad," she wrote on her Facebook post.

In a bizarre incident, New Zealand MP, Julie Anne Genter chose to pedal to the hospital in labour and then gave birth nearly an hour later. "Amazingly now we have a healthy, happy little one sleeping, as is her dad," she wrote on her Facebook post. Julie, taking to her Facebook, wrote how she had no intentions of cycling in labour but it just happened. She told that her contractions "weren’t that bad," initially. However, the contractions picked up in intensity by the time she arrived 10 minutes later. "Feeling blessed to have had excellent care and support from a great team, in what turned out to be a very fast (and happily uncomplicated) birth," Julie wrote. × This is not the first time that she has done this. In August 2018, she took a similar trip and made global headlines. Her action, then dubbed "the most onbrand thing ever" by colleagues, was featured in media outlets across the world. She said that the car was too small to accommodate her "support crew" and the bike ride "put me in the best possible mood". Also read | Scottish schoolgirls boycott gender-neutral toilets due to misbehaviour by boys She has been an outspoken supporter of cycling. The Green party's spokesperson for transport has posted several pictures on her Facebook handle with her beloved cycle. Her bio says - "Green MP. I love my bicycle." One of her recent posts describe a "stunning day to cycle in for the daycare drop". ×

New Zealand MP, Julie Anne Genter, pedals to hospital in labour; gives birth after an hour

Since 1978, China’s birth rate has plunged to its lowest levels, according to the latest data released by the country’s national bureau of statistics. Only 8.5 births per 1,000 people were reported in 2020, highlighting that it was the first time in decades that the figure has fallen below 10.

China's birth rate plummets to its lowest level since 1978

On the occasion of the 152nd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, various leaders and ministers honoured the legacy of the pioneer of non-violence.&nbsp;

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who was born in 1869 in India, inspired millions of people with his philosophies and principles.

Gandhi followed the path of truth and non-violence and led the successful campaign for India's independence from the oppressive British rule.&nbsp;

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Raj Ghat to pay tributes to the ‘father of the nation’. The Prime Minister laid flowers at Raj Ghat, the memorial dedicated to Gandhi in India’s national capital city, New Delhi.

PM Modi said Mahatma Gandhi’s principle are still globally relevant and provides strength to follow the route of non-violence to millions of people around the world.&nbsp;

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राष्ट्रपिता महात्मा गांधी को उनकी जन्म-जयंती पर विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि। पूज्य बापू का जीवन और आदर्श देश की हर पीढ़ी को कर्तव्य पथ पर चलने के लिए प्रेरित करता रहेगा। 
 
I bow to respected Bapu on Gandhi Jayanti. His noble principles are globally relevant and give strength to millions.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1444103866107121665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh extends his tribute.

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I bow to Pujya Bapu on Gandhi Jayanti. A towering personality blessed with tremendous willpower and immense wisdom, he provided exemplary leadership to India’s freedom movement. Let us rededicate ourselves to ‘Swachchta and Atmanirbharbharta’ on his jayanti.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/rajnathsingh/status/1444108247179280386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Home Minister Amit Shah pays tribute.

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महात्मा गांधी जी का विराट जीवन एक सतत राष्ट्र यज्ञ के समान था जिसने सम्पूर्ण विश्व को शांति और अहिंसा के मार्ग पर चलने के लिए प्रेरित किया। गांधी जी के स्वदेशी, स्वभाषा व स्वराज के विचार चिरकाल तक देशवासियों को प्रेरित करते रहेंगे। 
 
गांधी जयंती पर उन्हें कोटिशः वंदन। <a href="https://t.co/bl9P7Qxu15">pic.twitter.com/bl9P7Qxu15</a>
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah/status/1444126493139877888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Rahul Gandhi pays tribute.

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“विजय के लिए केवल एक सत्याग्रही ही काफ़ी है।” 
 
महात्मा गाँधी को विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि। <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FarmersProtest?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FarmersProtest</a> <a href="https://t.co/Jv5xsFuxkr">pic.twitter.com/Jv5xsFuxkr</a>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1444141998450032646?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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UN Secretary General calls for peace as he urges the nations to usher in a new era of peace, trust and tolerance.

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Hatred, division and conflict have had their day. 
 
It is time to usher in a new era of peace, trust and tolerance. 
 
On this International Day of Non-Violence - Gandhi's birthday - let's heed his message of peace, and commit to building a better future for all.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) <a href="https://twitter.com/antonioguterres/status/1444106105093693440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

On the occasion of the 152nd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, various leaders and ministers honoured the legacy of the pioneer of non-violence. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who was born in 1869 in India, inspired millions of people with his philosophies and principles.

On the occasion of the 152nd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, various leaders and ministers honoured the legacy of the pioneer of non-violence. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who was born in 1869 in India, inspired millions of people with his philosophies and principles. Gandhi followed the path of truth and non-violence and led the successful campaign for India's independence from the oppressive British rule. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Raj Ghat to pay tributes to the ‘father of the nation’. The Prime Minister laid flowers at Raj Ghat, the memorial dedicated to Gandhi in India’s national capital city, New Delhi. PM Modi said Mahatma Gandhi’s principle are still globally relevant and provides strength to follow the route of non-violence to millions of people around the world. राष्ट्रपिता महात्मा गांधी को उनकी जन्म-जयंती पर विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि। पूज्य बापू का जीवन और आदर्श देश की हर पीढ़ी को कर्तव्य पथ पर चलने के लिए प्रेरित करता रहेगा। I bow to respected Bapu on Gandhi Jayanti. His noble principles are globally relevant and give strength to millions. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 2, 2021 × Defence Minister Rajnath Singh extends his tribute. I bow to Pujya Bapu on Gandhi Jayanti. A towering personality blessed with tremendous willpower and immense wisdom, he provided exemplary leadership to India’s freedom movement. Let us rededicate ourselves to ‘Swachchta and Atmanirbharbharta’ on his jayanti. — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 2, 2021 × Home Minister Amit Shah pays tribute. महात्मा गांधी जी का विराट जीवन एक सतत राष्ट्र यज्ञ के समान था जिसने सम्पूर्ण विश्व को शांति और अहिंसा के मार्ग पर चलने के लिए प्रेरित किया। गांधी जी के स्वदेशी, स्वभाषा व स्वराज के विचार चिरकाल तक देशवासियों को प्रेरित करते रहेंगे। गांधी जयंती पर उन्हें कोटिशः वंदन। pic.twitter.com/bl9P7Qxu15 — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) October 2, 2021 × Rahul Gandhi pays tribute. “विजय के लिए केवल एक सत्याग्रही ही काफ़ी है।” महात्मा गाँधी को विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि। #FarmersProtest pic.twitter.com/Jv5xsFuxkr — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 2, 2021 × UN Secretary General calls for peace as he urges the nations to usher in a new era of peace, trust and tolerance. Hatred, division and conflict have had their day. It is time to usher in a new era of peace, trust and tolerance. On this International Day of Non-Violence - Gandhi's birthday - let's heed his message of peace, and commit to building a better future for all. — António Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 2, 2021 ×

Leaders pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on 152nd birth anniversary

Amid chaos triggered by Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, evacuees finally got a reason to smile when an Afghan mother delivered a baby girl aboard a US military evacuation flight, moments after touching down at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Saturday, said the US Air Force on its social media account. &nbsp;

The US Air Mobility Command said in a tweet on Sunday, “The woman went into labour aboard a C-17 transport aircraft during the second leg of her journey fleeing the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The flight was from a staging base in the Middle East to the large US air base in Germany.” &nbsp;

When the aircraft was at its flight altitude, above 28,000 feet (8,534 meters), the mother began to have complications due to the lower air pressure in the plane, the US Air Force said. &nbsp;

On Twitter, US Air Mobility Command added, "The aircraft commander decided to descend in altitude to increase air pressure in the aircraft, which helped stabilise and save the mother's life." &nbsp;

After the plane was on the ground at Ramstein base, Air Force's 86th Medical Group personnel assisted in the delivery of the baby in the C-17's cargo bay. The mother and baby were then transported to a nearby medical facility. They are now in good condition.&nbsp;

Amid chaos triggered by Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, evacuees finally got a reason to smile when an Afghan mother delivered a baby girl aboard a US military evacuation flight, moments after touching down at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Saturday, said the US Air Force on its social media account.

Amid chaos triggered by Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, evacuees finally got a reason to smile when an Afghan mother delivered a baby girl aboard a US military evacuation flight, moments after touching down at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Saturday, said the US Air Force on its social media account. The US Air Mobility Command said in a tweet on Sunday, “The woman went into labour aboard a C-17 transport aircraft during the second leg of her journey fleeing the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The flight was from a staging base in the Middle East to the large US air base in Germany.” When the aircraft was at its flight altitude, above 28,000 feet (8,534 meters), the mother began to have complications due to the lower air pressure in the plane, the US Air Force said. On Twitter, US Air Mobility Command added, "The aircraft commander decided to descend in altitude to increase air pressure in the aircraft, which helped stabilise and save the mother's life." After the plane was on the ground at Ramstein base, Air Force's 86th Medical Group personnel assisted in the delivery of the baby in the C-17's cargo bay. The mother and baby were then transported to a nearby medical facility. They are now in good condition.

Afghan woman gives birth to baby girl on US aircraft at Germany air base

When a&nbsp;wildfire&nbsp;spread to his village, Turkish farmer Sercan Bayat shouted at his cows to run from the&nbsp;flames&nbsp;and prayed for his own death rather than witness his animals perish.

Seeing his animals threatened by the inferno -- a moment he captured on video - was the most difficult moment in 30-year-old Bayat's life.

But although he lost eight of his livestock in the blaze, he later found new life in the shape of a newborn&nbsp;goat&nbsp;kid lying helpless, but still breathing, after its mother had died in the fire.

"Two or three hours after the&nbsp;flames&nbsp;were put out, I saw this one on the ground. He is our baby&nbsp;goat&nbsp;now. We called him Miracle," Bayat said.

"We found another&nbsp;goat&nbsp;amidst the&nbsp;wildfire. She has a baby. There you go. Miracle number two," Bayat added, as he kissed the baby&nbsp;goats.

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He said that although his farm in Manavgat in southern&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;is severely damaged and he lost some of his animals, he is now "over the moon" at the kids' survival.

The massive forest fire was one of the approximately 100 fires that officials say broke out this week across southern and western&nbsp;Turkey. Sweltering heat and strong winds fanned the&nbsp;flames. The death toll from the fires rose to six on Saturday, as two firefighting personnel died during efforts to control the blaze in Manavgat. Thousands were evacuated from their homes.

Satellite imagery showed smoke from the fires in Antalya and Mersin was extending to the island of Cyprus, around 150 km&nbsp; away.

Wildfires are common in southern&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;in the hot summer months, but local authorities say the latest fires have covered a much bigger area.

When a wildfire spread to his village, Turkish farmer Sercan Bayat shouted at his cows to run from the flames and prayed for his own death rather than witness his animals perish.

When a wildfire spread to his village, Turkish farmer Sercan Bayat shouted at his cows to run from the flames and prayed for his own death rather than witness his animals perish. Seeing his animals threatened by the inferno -- a moment he captured on video - was the most difficult moment in 30-year-old Bayat's life. But although he lost eight of his livestock in the blaze, he later found new life in the shape of a newborn goat kid lying helpless, but still breathing, after its mother had died in the fire. "Two or three hours after the flames were put out, I saw this one on the ground. He is our baby goat now. We called him Miracle," Bayat said. "We found another goat amidst the wildfire. She has a baby. There you go. Miracle number two," Bayat added, as he kissed the baby goats. Also read | Watch: ‘Sir, there is something on your chin’ — Biden accidentally reveals staff note He said that although his farm in Manavgat in southern Turkey is severely damaged and he lost some of his animals, he is now "over the moon" at the kids' survival. The massive forest fire was one of the approximately 100 fires that officials say broke out this week across southern and western Turkey. Sweltering heat and strong winds fanned the flames. The death toll from the fires rose to six on Saturday, as two firefighting personnel died during efforts to control the blaze in Manavgat. Thousands were evacuated from their homes. Satellite imagery showed smoke from the fires in Antalya and Mersin was extending to the island of Cyprus, around 150 km away. Wildfires are common in southern Turkey in the hot summer months, but local authorities say the latest fires have covered a much bigger area.

In Turkey wildfire, birth of 'Miracle' goat defies deadly flames

A baby gorilla has been born in the wild in Gabon from two parents who grew up in captivity in Europe, in a world-first that was hailed by conservationists of the endangered species on Tuesday.

The baby gorilla is thought to have been delivered on the night of June 13 in the&nbsp;Bateke Plateau National&nbsp;Park in the southeast of Gabon in central Africa.

Its 13-year-old mother Mayombe was born in the ZooParc de Beauval in France, while its 15-year-old father Djongo was raised in the Port Lympne Safari Park in southeast England.&nbsp;

The pair of western lowland&nbsp;gorillas&nbsp;were introduced to the Gabon park in 2019 and 2013 respectively and their mating represents a breakthrough in the complicated process of re-wilding.

"It's extraordinary news, a very significant world-first for the conservation of this species which is in serious danger of becoming extinct," Delphine Delord, assistant director of Beauval zoo, told AFP.

The Aspinall Foundation, which runs the Port Lympne Safari Park, reported the infant gorilla to be in good health. &nbsp;

It released photos and a video of Mayombe cradling her newborn, adding that it was "delighted to announce the first-ever birth to re-wilded, captive-born&nbsp;gorillas."

"This is a pivotal moment for wildlife conservation and a hugely emotional day for our entire team," chairman Damian Aspinall said in a statement sent to AFP.

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Almost 80 per cent of Gabon is covered by forests, and primate habitation and protection programmes have been set up in its parks in recent years to boost tourism.

The number of western lowland&nbsp;gorillas&nbsp;has declined by 60 per cent in the past 20-25 years, according to the Aspinall Foundation, with poaching and habitat loss chiefly to blame.&nbsp;

'Cruel nature'

Delord from Beauval zoo warned that the weeks and months ahead would be critical for the baby.&nbsp;

"Nature is cruel, anything can happen," she said. "The baby is fragile but for the moment Mayombe is holding her newborn in the perfect position and is feeding well.&nbsp;

"Djongo is approaching them very gently. We even saw him touch the baby on the camera traps that turn on when an animal passes.&nbsp;

"Male&nbsp;gorillas&nbsp;have a role to play in the development of their offspring. We're looking at the creation of a new troop here which will be boosted by the reintroduction of another female who was born in England," she added.

The Aspinall Foundation says it has released eight black rhino, 135 primates, 11 European bison, and over 70 western lowland&nbsp;gorillas&nbsp;back to the wild.

Djongo was introduced to the Bateke Plateau National&nbsp;Park in 2013 along with his father, Djala, a wild-born orphan who was brought to Britain in 1986 after he was found tied to a post by a uranium prospector.

Gabon, which borders the Republic of Congo and Cameroon, stopped allowing tourists to see its great apes last year fearing that humans could give the novel coronavirus to the animals.

A baby gorilla has been born in the wild in Gabon from two parents who grew up in captivity in Europe, in a world-first that was hailed by conservationists of the endangered species on Tuesday.

A baby gorilla has been born in the wild in Gabon from two parents who grew up in captivity in Europe, in a world-first that was hailed by conservationists of the endangered species on Tuesday. The baby gorilla is thought to have been delivered on the night of June 13 in the Bateke Plateau National Park in the southeast of Gabon in central Africa. Its 13-year-old mother Mayombe was born in the ZooParc de Beauval in France, while its 15-year-old father Djongo was raised in the Port Lympne Safari Park in southeast England. The pair of western lowland gorillas were introduced to the Gabon park in 2019 and 2013 respectively and their mating represents a breakthrough in the complicated process of re-wilding. "It's extraordinary news, a very significant world-first for the conservation of this species which is in serious danger of becoming extinct," Delphine Delord, assistant director of Beauval zoo, told AFP. The Aspinall Foundation, which runs the Port Lympne Safari Park, reported the infant gorilla to be in good health. It released photos and a video of Mayombe cradling her newborn, adding that it was "delighted to announce the first-ever birth to re-wilded, captive-born gorillas." "This is a pivotal moment for wildlife conservation and a hugely emotional day for our entire team," chairman Damian Aspinall said in a statement sent to AFP. Also Read | A year of Hong Kong security law: Crackdown on people and the press Almost 80 per cent of Gabon is covered by forests, and primate habitation and protection programmes have been set up in its parks in recent years to boost tourism. The number of western lowland gorillas has declined by 60 per cent in the past 20-25 years, according to the Aspinall Foundation, with poaching and habitat loss chiefly to blame. 'Cruel nature' Delord from Beauval zoo warned that the weeks and months ahead would be critical for the baby. "Nature is cruel, anything can happen," she said. "The baby is fragile but for the moment Mayombe is holding her newborn in the perfect position and is feeding well. "Djongo is approaching them very gently. We even saw him touch the baby on the camera traps that turn on when an animal passes. "Male gorillas have a role to play in the development of their offspring. We're looking at the creation of a new troop here which will be boosted by the reintroduction of another female who was born in England," she added. The Aspinall Foundation says it has released eight black rhino, 135 primates, 11 European bison, and over 70 western lowland gorillas back to the wild. Djongo was introduced to the Bateke Plateau National Park in 2013 along with his father, Djala, a wild-born orphan who was brought to Britain in 1986 after he was found tied to a post by a uranium prospector. Gabon, which borders the Republic of Congo and Cameroon, stopped allowing tourists to see its great apes last year fearing that humans could give the novel coronavirus to the animals.

Captive-bred gorillas give birth in the wild, in a world first

A Chinese professor has urged the government to offer parents one million yuan ($156,000) for each newborn child in a bid to shore up the country's declining birth rate, sparking a debate on social media about the soaring costs of raising children.&nbsp;

China's population rose by its slowest rate in decades from 2010-2020, the country's latest census showed, raising fears that the country's dwindling workforce will be unable to support an increasingly elderly population. &nbsp;

Liang Jianzhang, professor at Peking University's School of Economics and also founder of travel service provider Ctrip, said in a video posted on his Weibo social media channel that it would cost 10% of China's GDP to raise birth rates from the current 1.3 to the replacement level of 2.1.&nbsp;

That amounts to one million yuan per child, and could be allocated in the form of cash, tax relief or housing subsidies, he said. &nbsp;

"I've spoken to a lot of young people ... if it's just a few tens of thousands of yuan, it basically wouldn't encourage people to have another child," he said. &nbsp;

The costs would be offset by future contributions made to the economy, said Liang.&nbsp;

"If a family gives birth to another child, that child's future contributions to social security, to tax revenues, will exceed one million yuan," he said. &nbsp;

The comments were trending on Weibo on Tuesday night, with users debating whether it was a reasonable use of China's tax revenues, and whether one million yuan was even enough to cover educational costs.&nbsp;

"Having a child and not making the most of their talents is considered a crime in today's society," said a user posting under the name Not Old and Confused.&nbsp;

"It should be done as early as possible - if you wait a couple of years no one will want to give birth even for two million yuan," said another user named Rainy Wind. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A Chinese professor has urged the government to offer parents one million yuan ($156,000) for each newborn child in a bid to shore up the country's declining birth rate, sparking a debate on social media about the soaring costs of raising children.

A Chinese professor has urged the government to offer parents one million yuan ($156,000) for each newborn child in a bid to shore up the country's declining birth rate, sparking a debate on social media about the soaring costs of raising children. China's population rose by its slowest rate in decades from 2010-2020, the country's latest census showed, raising fears that the country's dwindling workforce will be unable to support an increasingly elderly population. Liang Jianzhang, professor at Peking University's School of Economics and also founder of travel service provider Ctrip, said in a video posted on his Weibo social media channel that it would cost 10% of China's GDP to raise birth rates from the current 1.3 to the replacement level of 2.1. That amounts to one million yuan per child, and could be allocated in the form of cash, tax relief or housing subsidies, he said. "I've spoken to a lot of young people ... if it's just a few tens of thousands of yuan, it basically wouldn't encourage people to have another child," he said. The costs would be offset by future contributions made to the economy, said Liang. "If a family gives birth to another child, that child's future contributions to social security, to tax revenues, will exceed one million yuan," he said. The comments were trending on Weibo on Tuesday night, with users debating whether it was a reasonable use of China's tax revenues, and whether one million yuan was even enough to cover educational costs. "Having a child and not making the most of their talents is considered a crime in today's society," said a user posting under the name Not Old and Confused. "It should be done as early as possible - if you wait a couple of years no one will want to give birth even for two million yuan," said another user named Rainy Wind. (With inputs from agencies)

China professor calls for million-yuan reward to boost birth rates 

The US birth rate fell 4% last year, the largest single-year decrease in nearly 50 years, according to a government report being released on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The rate dropped for moms of every major race and ethnicity, and in nearly age group, falling to the lowest point since federal health officials started tracking it more than a century ago.&nbsp;

Births have been declining in younger women for years, as many postponed motherhood and had smaller families.&nbsp;

Birth rates for women in their late 30s and in their 40s have been inching up. But not last year.&nbsp;

"The fact that you saw declines in births even for older moms is quite striking," said Brady Hamilton, of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the lead author of the new report.&nbsp;

The CDC report is based on a review of more than 99% of birth certificates issued last year. The findings echo a recent Associated Press analysis of 2020 data from 25 states showing that births had fallen during the coronavirus outbreak.&nbsp;

The pandemic no doubt contributed to last year's big decline, experts say. Anxiety about COVID-19 and its impact on the economy likely caused many couples to think that having a baby right then was a bad idea.&nbsp;

But many of the 2020 pregnancies began well before the US epidemic. CDC researchers are working on a follow-up report to better parse out how the decline unfolded, Hamilton said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The US birth rate fell 4% last year, the largest single-year decrease in nearly 50 years, according to a government report being released on Wednesday. The rate dropped for moms of every major race and ethnicity, and in nearly age group, falling to the lowest point since federal health officials started tracking it more than a century ago.

The US birth rate fell 4% last year, the largest single-year decrease in nearly 50 years, according to a government report being released on Wednesday. The rate dropped for moms of every major race and ethnicity, and in nearly age group, falling to the lowest point since federal health officials started tracking it more than a century ago. Births have been declining in younger women for years, as many postponed motherhood and had smaller families. Birth rates for women in their late 30s and in their 40s have been inching up. But not last year. "The fact that you saw declines in births even for older moms is quite striking," said Brady Hamilton, of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the lead author of the new report. The CDC report is based on a review of more than 99% of birth certificates issued last year. The findings echo a recent Associated Press analysis of 2020 data from 25 states showing that births had fallen during the coronavirus outbreak. The pandemic no doubt contributed to last year's big decline, experts say. Anxiety about COVID-19 and its impact on the economy likely caused many couples to think that having a baby right then was a bad idea. But many of the 2020 pregnancies began well before the US epidemic. CDC researchers are working on a follow-up report to better parse out how the decline unfolded, Hamilton said.

US birth rate falls to lowest point in more than a century 

In a series of surprises unleashed by this year, a woman from Britain was recently able to hatch three ducklings from eggs bought at a supermarket.

CNN received a statement from Charli Lello, a 29-year-old woman who incubated duck eggs while being furloughed from work due to the coronavirus pandemic.

She got the idea from quail eggs, and had been planning to get ducks even before the lockdown had begun in the country.

<h6> 
<img alt="Ducklings are pictured on a duck raising farm in the southern town of Haskovo on November 8, 2016" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f629766e-a5be-49f5-a268-24df47af537e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-3_21.jpg" /> 
Ducklings are pictured on a duck raising farm in the southern town of Haskovo on November 8, 2016 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

She admitted to CNN, “Part of me thought this would never work”.

After six days of being in the incubator, the duck eggs started showing veins and an embryo.

The three ducklings that hatched from these eggs have been aptly named Beep, Peep, and Meep.

<h6><img alt="Ducklings swim in Echo Park Lake during the 36th annual Lotus Festival, which celebrates the annual lotus blooms and the contributions of Asian-Americans to Los Angeles, July 10, 2016, in Los Angeles, California" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="057a9acd-75a2-4dfe-a29b-52328ba51136" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-4_7.jpg" /> 
Ducklings swim in Echo Park Lake during the 36th annual Lotus Festival, which celebrates the annual lotus blooms and the contributions of Asian-Americans to Los Angeles, July 10, 2016, in Los Angeles, California | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Lello also keeps chickens and plans to keep the ducks with her at her home in Hertfordshire in London, with plans to eventually let them live with chickens.

However, this is a one-of-a-kind event. Usually, eggs bought at a supermarket will not hatch. In conversation with CNN, Lello called the event “rare”, and suggested others to exercise caution.

Laying ducks are white feathered and grow up to develop similar sizes. They possess a little curl in the tail feathers.

In a series of surprises unleashed by this year, a woman from Britain was recently able to hatch three ducklings from eggs bought at a supermarket. CNN received a statement from Charli Lello, a 29-year-old woman who incubated duck eggs while being furloughed from work due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In a series of surprises unleashed by this year, a woman from Britain was recently able to hatch three ducklings from eggs bought at a supermarket. CNN received a statement from Charli Lello, a 29-year-old woman who incubated duck eggs while being furloughed from work due to the coronavirus pandemic. She got the idea from quail eggs, and had been planning to get ducks even before the lockdown had begun in the country. Ducklings are pictured on a duck raising farm in the southern town of Haskovo on November 8, 2016 | AFP She admitted to CNN, “Part of me thought this would never work”. After six days of being in the incubator, the duck eggs started showing veins and an embryo. The three ducklings that hatched from these eggs have been aptly named Beep, Peep, and Meep. Ducklings swim in Echo Park Lake during the 36th annual Lotus Festival, which celebrates the annual lotus blooms and the contributions of Asian-Americans to Los Angeles, July 10, 2016, in Los Angeles, California | AFP Lello also keeps chickens and plans to keep the ducks with her at her home in Hertfordshire in London, with plans to eventually let them live with chickens. However, this is a one-of-a-kind event. Usually, eggs bought at a supermarket will not hatch. In conversation with CNN, Lello called the event “rare”, and suggested others to exercise caution. Laying ducks are white feathered and grow up to develop similar sizes. They possess a little curl in the tail feathers.

British woman hatches three ducklings from supermarket bought eggs in a rare event

A normal delivery was conducted at a COVID hospital for the first time in Ladakh, where three cases were reported on Sunday, taking the tally in the Union Territory to 80, an official bulletin said.

The normal delivery was conducted at the dedicated COVID-19 hospital in Kargil district on Saturday and the condition of both the mother and the baby is stable, a media bulletin issued by the Directorate of Health Services, Ladakh, read.

It said three people -- two from Leh and one from Kargil -- tested positive, while four patients of Kargil district were cured and discharged from the hospital.

Earlier, Ladakh had recorded 77 cases, of which 43 have already recovered from the disease and subsequently released from hospitals.

With this, Ladakh now has 30 active cases with 23 in Kargil and seven in Leh district.

Meanwhile, District Magistrate, Kargil, Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary visited different parts of the town on Saturday evening and found several shopkeepers violating the lockdown norms, besides a number of people were found not wearing masks.

Choudhary gave on the spot directions to the officers concerned to seal 10 shops for violating the standard operating procedure (SOPs) and guidelines while several youth were fined for not wearing masks, an official spokesperson said.

Later, the district magistrate, who is also chairman of the District Disaster Management authority (DDMA), issued an order for imposition of fine for not wearing masks in public and workplaces and also spitting in public.

According to the order, a penalty of Rs 500 would be imposed in both the cases.

All sub-divisional magistrates or executive magistrates and police personnel have been directed to ensure strict compliance of the order, he said, adding that revenue officials of the rank of patwari and above and police personnel of the rank of head constable and above are authorised to impose and collect fines as mentioned in the order.&nbsp;

A normal delivery was conducted at a COVID hospital for the first time in Ladakh, where three cases were reported on Sunday, taking the tally in the Union Territory to 80, an official bulletin said.

A normal delivery was conducted at a COVID hospital for the first time in Ladakh, where three cases were reported on Sunday, taking the tally in the Union Territory to 80, an official bulletin said. The normal delivery was conducted at the dedicated COVID-19 hospital in Kargil district on Saturday and the condition of both the mother and the baby is stable, a media bulletin issued by the Directorate of Health Services, Ladakh, read. It said three people -- two from Leh and one from Kargil -- tested positive, while four patients of Kargil district were cured and discharged from the hospital. Earlier, Ladakh had recorded 77 cases, of which 43 have already recovered from the disease and subsequently released from hospitals. With this, Ladakh now has 30 active cases with 23 in Kargil and seven in Leh district. Meanwhile, District Magistrate, Kargil, Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary visited different parts of the town on Saturday evening and found several shopkeepers violating the lockdown norms, besides a number of people were found not wearing masks. Choudhary gave on the spot directions to the officers concerned to seal 10 shops for violating the standard operating procedure (SOPs) and guidelines while several youth were fined for not wearing masks, an official spokesperson said. Later, the district magistrate, who is also chairman of the District Disaster Management authority (DDMA), issued an order for imposition of fine for not wearing masks in public and workplaces and also spitting in public. According to the order, a penalty of Rs 500 would be imposed in both the cases. All sub-divisional magistrates or executive magistrates and police personnel have been directed to ensure strict compliance of the order, he said, adding that revenue officials of the rank of patwari and above and police personnel of the rank of head constable and above are authorised to impose and collect fines as mentioned in the order.

First normal delivery conducted in COVID hospital in Ladakh; three test positive

An endangered black rhino gave birth to a calf in Michigan zoo on Christmas eve. Potter Park Zoo shared surveillance footage of adult female rhino named Doppsee giving birth in her enclosure in Lansing in the city's capital early morning of Tuesday (December 24).

Endangered black rhino gives birth in Michigan zoo

Prince Louis Arthur Charles, the couple's third child, who joins brother George, 4, and sister Charlotte, 2, and becomes fifth-in-line to the throne, was born on Monday last week, weighing in at 8 lbs 7oz.

On Tuesday, William and Kate, formally known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, signed the birth register at their Kensington Palace home in central London in front of an official from Westminster Register Office.

All newborns in Britain have to be registered, with details of the parents and their occupation. William and Kate duly listed their jobs as Prince and Princess of the United Kingdom.

On Tuesday, William and Kate, formally known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, signed the birth register at their Kensington Palace home in central London in front of an official from Westminster Register Office

Prince Louis Arthur Charles, the couple's third child, who joins brother George, 4, and sister Charlotte, 2, and becomes fifth-in-line to the throne, was born on Monday last week, weighing in at 8 lbs 7oz. On Tuesday, William and Kate, formally known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, signed the birth register at their Kensington Palace home in central London in front of an official from Westminster Register Office. All newborns in Britain have to be registered, with details of the parents and their occupation. William and Kate duly listed their jobs as Prince and Princess of the United Kingdom.

UK's Prince William and Kate register new son Louis's birth

Kate, wife of UK's Prince William, gave birth to a baby boy on Monday, the couple's third child, her husband's office said.

The boy, the couple's second son, weighed 8 lbs 7oz and William was present for the birth.

"The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news," Kensington Palace said.

"Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well."

The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton was admitted to a hospital in London on Monday after going into an early stage of labour.

Both the Duchess and her husband William the Duke of Cambridge had not&nbsp;asked about the sex of the baby in routine checkups as they wanted it to be a surprise.

This is going to be a third child after Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

The boy, the couple's second son, weighed 8 lbs 7oz and William was present for the birth

Kate, wife of UK's Prince William, gave birth to a baby boy on Monday, the couple's third child, her husband's office said. The boy, the couple's second son, weighed 8 lbs 7oz and William was present for the birth. "The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news," Kensington Palace said. "Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well." The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton was admitted to a hospital in London on Monday after going into an early stage of labour. Both the Duchess and her husband William the Duke of Cambridge had not asked about the sex of the baby in routine checkups as they wanted it to be a surprise. This is going to be a third child after Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

Watch: Kate Middleton,wife of UK's Prince William, gives birth to baby boy

Tammy Duckworth has become the first female US senator to give birth while in office, reports said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Duckworth, 50, gave birth to daughter, Maile Pearl Bowlsbey on Monday. Duckworth said she and her husband, Bryan Bowlsbey, and their other daughter, Abigail, “couldn’t be happier to welcome little Maile Pearl as the newest addition to our family.”

In a series of tweets, she also thanked her family and medical team. "Bryan, Abigail and I couldn’t be happier to welcome little Maile Pearl as the newest addition to our family and we’re deeply honored that our good friend Senator Akaka was able to bless her name for us—his help in naming both of our daughters means he will always be with us," she said.&nbsp;

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Bryan, Abigail and I couldn’t be happier to welcome little Maile Pearl as the newest addition to our family and we’re deeply honored that our good friend Senator Akaka was able to bless her name for us—his help in naming both of our daughters means he will always be with us. <a href="https://t.co/KXyNf65KxA">https://t.co/KXyNf65KxA</a>
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenDuckworth/status/983398297904787456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"We’re also so grateful for the love and support of our friends and family, as well as our wonderful medical teams for everything they’ve done to help us in our decades-long journey to complete our family," she further wrote.

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Pearl Bowlsbey Johnson was Bryan’s great Aunt, an Army Officer & a nurse who served during the Second World War. He spent many summer months with her while growing up, we feel her presence still and are grateful for her service to our nation during the most challenging of times.
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenDuckworth/status/983398793759600641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The milestone by the Illinois Democrat makes her the 10th member of Congress to give birth while in office. The other nine women were members of the House of Representatives when they had their babies.

Duckworth was a House member when she had her first child, in 2014.&nbsp;

The Iraq War veteran had previously made history when she became the first disabled woman elected to the US Senate. The senator lost both of her legs in the Iraq War in 2004 when the helicopter that she was co-piloting was shot down by insurgents over Iraq.

She entered the House in 2012 and then the Senate in 2016, where she is one of the 100-strong chamber’s 23 women.

Duckworth has made advocating for working-class families a key focal point of her service in Congress.

In her statement, she described parenthood as an economic issue affecting women and men alike.

“As tough as juggling the demands of motherhood and being a senator can be, I’m hardly alone or unique as a working parent, and my children only make me more committed to doing my job and standing up for hardworking families everywhere,” she said.

Congratulations poured in from fellow lawmakers, including from top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi.

“I’m sure she will grow up to be just as strong as her mother!” Pelosi tweeted.

 
&nbsp;

Duckworth, 50, gave birth to a daughter, Maile Pearl Bowlsbey on Monday

Tammy Duckworth has become the first female US senator to give birth while in office, reports said on Wednesday. Duckworth, 50, gave birth to daughter, Maile Pearl Bowlsbey on Monday. Duckworth said she and her husband, Bryan Bowlsbey, and their other daughter, Abigail, “couldn’t be happier to welcome little Maile Pearl as the newest addition to our family.” In a series of tweets, she also thanked her family and medical team. "Bryan, Abigail and I couldn’t be happier to welcome little Maile Pearl as the newest addition to our family and we’re deeply honored that our good friend Senator Akaka was able to bless her name for us—his help in naming both of our daughters means he will always be with us," she said. Bryan, Abigail and I couldn’t be happier to welcome little Maile Pearl as the newest addition to our family and we’re deeply honored that our good friend Senator Akaka was able to bless her name for us—his help in naming both of our daughters means he will always be with us. https://t.co/KXyNf65KxA — Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) April 9, 2018 × "We’re also so grateful for the love and support of our friends and family, as well as our wonderful medical teams for everything they’ve done to help us in our decades-long journey to complete our family," she further wrote. Pearl Bowlsbey Johnson was Bryan’s great Aunt, an Army Officer & a nurse who served during the Second World War. He spent many summer months with her while growing up, we feel her presence still and are grateful for her service to our nation during the most challenging of times. — Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) April 9, 2018 × The milestone by the Illinois Democrat makes her the 10th member of Congress to give birth while in office. The other nine women were members of the House of Representatives when they had their babies. Duckworth was a House member when she had her first child, in 2014. The Iraq War veteran had previously made history when she became the first disabled woman elected to the US Senate. The senator lost both of her legs in the Iraq War in 2004 when the helicopter that she was co-piloting was shot down by insurgents over Iraq. She entered the House in 2012 and then the Senate in 2016, where she is one of the 100-strong chamber’s 23 women. Duckworth has made advocating for working-class families a key focal point of her service in Congress. In her statement, she described parenthood as an economic issue affecting women and men alike. “As tough as juggling the demands of motherhood and being a senator can be, I’m hardly alone or unique as a working parent, and my children only make me more committed to doing my job and standing up for hardworking families everywhere,” she said. Congratulations poured in from fellow lawmakers, including from top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi. “I’m sure she will grow up to be just as strong as her mother!” Pelosi tweeted.

Tammy Duckworth, 50, becomes first US senator to give birth in office

A Finnish woman who underwent hormonal therapy to become the nation's first transgender man has given birth, local media said Wednesday, triggering controversy as laws require infertility to change gender.

"The baby weighed nearly four kilogrammes and was 53 centimetres in length (at birth)," the transgender man, whose name was not revealed to protect the family's privacy, told Finnish news outlet Lannen Media a fortnight after the birth.

The man, who's in his 30s, legally changed his gender from a woman in 2015 after years of testosterone therapy.

But he decided to cancel sex change surgery, to complete his male physical transition, before trying to get pregnant with his husband.

Under Finnish law for hormonal therapy, a person is required to prove they are "infertile" in order to change legal gender from female to male.&nbsp

In practice, Finnish medical units deem their transgender patients infertile when testosterone therapy has continued for a prolonged period.

But fertility can sometimes return if hormonal therapy is put on hold.

This case is exceptional because the couple, living in the Helsinki region, decided to suspend hormonal treatment and the man's period returned.

"Do I want the society to dictate what I can do with my body and my life? Nothing can stop me. I'm a free man," the man recalled in an earlier interview with Finland's largest daily Helsingin Sanomat while still pregnant.

Finland is the only remaining Nordic country to require infertility from its citizens who want to change their legal gender, prompting sharp criticism from human rights organisations in recent years.

The man was granted paternal leave.

The man, who's in his 30s, legally changed his gender from a woman in 2015 after years of testosterone therapy.

A Finnish woman who underwent hormonal therapy to become the nation's first transgender man has given birth, local media said Wednesday, triggering controversy as laws require infertility to change gender. "The baby weighed nearly four kilogrammes and was 53 centimetres in length (at birth)," the transgender man, whose name was not revealed to protect the family's privacy, told Finnish news outlet Lannen Media a fortnight after the birth. The man, who's in his 30s, legally changed his gender from a woman in 2015 after years of testosterone therapy. But he decided to cancel sex change surgery, to complete his male physical transition, before trying to get pregnant with his husband. Under Finnish law for hormonal therapy, a person is required to prove they are "infertile" in order to change legal gender from female to male. In practice, Finnish medical units deem their transgender patients infertile when testosterone therapy has continued for a prolonged period. But fertility can sometimes return if hormonal therapy is put on hold. This case is exceptional because the couple, living in the Helsinki region, decided to suspend hormonal treatment and the man's period returned. "Do I want the society to dictate what I can do with my body and my life? Nothing can stop me. I'm a free man," the man recalled in an earlier interview with Finland's largest daily Helsingin Sanomat while still pregnant. Finland is the only remaining Nordic country to require infertility from its citizens who want to change their legal gender, prompting sharp criticism from human rights organisations in recent years. The man was granted paternal leave.

Finland's first transgender man gives birth

In a shocking incident, a woman in Odisha delivered a baby girl in an unused drain after being denied entry in a hospital, reports said on Saturday.&nbsp;

The 30-year-old woman had to resort to giving birth in the hospital&#39;s drain after being denied assistance for not having the right documents.&nbsp;

The women had gone to the hospital to visit her ailing husband and started having labour pains and asked the nurse there for a check-up, she was asked to furnish her Mamata Yojana beneficiary card and other documents, which she was not carrying at the time.&nbsp;

The hospital, Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital, later admitted the mother after she lay unattended for almost an hour, reports said.&nbsp;

When contacted, Koraput chief district medical officer Lalit Mohan Rath denied the allegations, terming them &#39;baseless&#39;. 
&nbsp;

On Friday morning, the women had felt labour pains and visited the gynaecology ward but the staff allegedly refused to admit her

In a shocking incident, a woman in Odisha delivered a baby girl in an unused drain after being denied entry in a hospital, reports said on Saturday. The 30-year-old woman had to resort to giving birth in the hospital's drain after being denied assistance for not having the right documents. The women had gone to the hospital to visit her ailing husband and started having labour pains and asked the nurse there for a check-up, she was asked to furnish her Mamata Yojana beneficiary card and other documents, which she was not carrying at the time. The hospital, Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital, later admitted the mother after she lay unattended for almost an hour, reports said. When contacted, Koraput chief district medical officer Lalit Mohan Rath denied the allegations, terming them 'baseless'.

Denied hospital admission, Odisha woman gives birth in drain

A baby suffering from a birth defect caused by the Zika virus was born on Tuesday in New Jersey to a woman visiting from Honduras who is infected with virus after she was bitten by a mosquito early on in her pregnancy, media reported.

The baby girl is suffering from severe microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems, after she was delivered through cesarean section at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, New Jersey, the news website NorthJersey.com reported.

U.S.&nbsp;health&nbsp;officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly. The World&nbsp;Health&nbsp;Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults.

The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed more than 1,300 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in the mothers.

The unidentified premature newborn also suffers from intestinal and visual issues, Manny Alvarez, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Hackensack, told NorthJersey.com.

&quot;You could see the pain in her heart,&quot; Alvarez said of the mother, the website reported.

Hospital officials were not available for comment.

The unidentified 31-year-old mother was staying with relatives after she arrived in the United States more than a month ago from Honduras, where she was bitten by a mosquito, Alvarez said.

Zika is carried by mosquitoes, which transmit the virus to humans. A small number of cases of sexual transmission have been reported in the United States and elsewhere. A case of suspected transmission through a blood transfusion in Brazil has raised questions about other ways that Zika may spread.

In January, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that a U.S. woman who had lived in Brazil gave birth to a microcephalic baby in Hawaii.

The Zika outbreak is affecting large parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, with Brazil the hardest hit.

Honduras is the Central American country with the highest number of Zika cases, with 19,000 infections, and at least 238 pregnant women infected. It has also detected at least 78 Guillain-Barre cases.

There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, which is a close cousin of dengue and chikungunya and causes mild fever, rash and red eyes. An estimated 80 percent of people infected have no symptoms, making it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected.

A baby suffering from a birth defect caused by the Zika virus was born on Tuesday in New Jersey to a woman visiting from Honduras who is infected with virus after she was bitten by a mosquito early on in her pregnancy, media reported.

A baby suffering from a birth defect caused by the Zika virus was born on Tuesday in New Jersey to a woman visiting from Honduras who is infected with virus after she was bitten by a mosquito early on in her pregnancy, media reported. The baby girl is suffering from severe microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems, after she was delivered through cesarean section at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, New Jersey, the news website NorthJersey.com reported. U.S. health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly. The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed more than 1,300 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. The unidentified premature newborn also suffers from intestinal and visual issues, Manny Alvarez, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Hackensack, told NorthJersey.com. "You could see the pain in her heart," Alvarez said of the mother, the website reported. Hospital officials were not available for comment. The unidentified 31-year-old mother was staying with relatives after she arrived in the United States more than a month ago from Honduras, where she was bitten by a mosquito, Alvarez said. Zika is carried by mosquitoes, which transmit the virus to humans. A small number of cases of sexual transmission have been reported in the United States and elsewhere. A case of suspected transmission through a blood transfusion in Brazil has raised questions about other ways that Zika may spread. In January, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that a U.S. woman who had lived in Brazil gave birth to a microcephalic baby in Hawaii. The Zika outbreak is affecting large parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, with Brazil the hardest hit. Honduras is the Central American country with the highest number of Zika cases, with 19,000 infections, and at least 238 pregnant women infected. It has also detected at least 78 Guillain-Barre cases. There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, which is a close cousin of dengue and chikungunya and causes mild fever, rash and red eyes. An estimated 80 percent of people infected have no symptoms, making it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected.

Baby born with birth defect in New Jersey to mother infected by Zika

Babies born prematurely may grow up to have weaker bones, according to a new study which also found that low birth weight plays a big role in developing osteoporosis. 
 
&quot;Our study shows that both those born prematurely with a very low birth weight and those who were born full term, but small for their gestational age, had lower bone mass than the control group, who were born full term with normal weights,&quot; said Chandima Balasuriya, a specialist in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology from the&nbsp;Norwegian University of Science and Technology. 
 
Researchers found that adults who were born full term but were small for their gestational age also had lower bone mass. 
 
These findings are important since peak bone mass is a major determinant of future osteoporosis, the researchers&nbsp;said. 
Researchers looked at 186 adults who were 26-28 years old.&nbsp;They found that 52 of the participants were very low birth weight babies, with a mean birth weight of 1.2 kilogrammes, and a mean gestational age of 29 weeks. 
 
Another 59 participants had been born to term, but were considered &quot;small for gestational age&quot;, with a mean birth weight of just under 3 kilogrammes. 
 
Researchers also had a control group of 77 adults who were born at term with normal weight. 
 
For all three groups, researchers measured bone mineral content and density in the spine, neck, hip and the whole body, and looked at current height and weight, smoking, level of physical activity and a variety of other measures. 
 
When they looked at the data from adults who were born small for their gestational age at term, they found that this group had lower bone mass than adults who were born with normal weight at term. 
 
When researchers corrected the bone mass measurement for the heights of this group, who tended to be shorter, they found that the low bone mass was partly due to their smaller body size. 
 
In contrast, body size alone did not account for the lower bone mass researchers found in adults who had been pre-term babies. 
 
&quot;Ensuring that children with low birth weights have a diet rich in calcium, vitamin D and protein, in combination with exercise that involves weight-bearing physical activities may help reduce risk of bone fractures later in life,&quot; Balasuriya said.

Babies born prematurely may grow up to have weaker bones, according to a new study which also found that low birth weight plays a big role in developing osteoporosis.

Babies born prematurely may grow up to have weaker bones, according to a new study which also found that low birth weight plays a big role in developing osteoporosis. "Our study shows that both those born prematurely with a very low birth weight and those who were born full term, but small for their gestational age, had lower bone mass than the control group, who were born full term with normal weights," said Chandima Balasuriya, a specialist in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Researchers found that adults who were born full term but were small for their gestational age also had lower bone mass. These findings are important since peak bone mass is a major determinant of future osteoporosis, the researchers said. Researchers looked at 186 adults who were 26-28 years old. They found that 52 of the participants were very low birth weight babies, with a mean birth weight of 1.2 kilogrammes, and a mean gestational age of 29 weeks. Another 59 participants had been born to term, but were considered "small for gestational age", with a mean birth weight of just under 3 kilogrammes. Researchers also had a control group of 77 adults who were born at term with normal weight. For all three groups, researchers measured bone mineral content and density in the spine, neck, hip and the whole body, and looked at current height and weight, smoking, level of physical activity and a variety of other measures. When they looked at the data from adults who were born small for their gestational age at term, they found that this group had lower bone mass than adults who were born with normal weight at term. When researchers corrected the bone mass measurement for the heights of this group, who tended to be shorter, they found that the low bone mass was partly due to their smaller body size. In contrast, body size alone did not account for the lower bone mass researchers found in adults who had been pre-term babies. "Ensuring that children with low birth weights have a diet rich in calcium, vitamin D and protein, in combination with exercise that involves weight-bearing physical activities may help reduce risk of bone fractures later in life," Balasuriya said.

Premature babies may grow up to have weaker bones: study

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