In a first, a same-sex couple in Taiwan adopted a child neither of them are related to after, after challenging local laws in court. Last week, Wang Chen-wei and Chen Chun-ju signed papers after a ruling that allowed both of them to register as parents.&nbsp;

In a report by The Guardian, Wang said, "I have everything now. I am married and just like heterosexual couples, we can have our own children. But we were born to have and enjoy all of this, we are not a charity case. We shouldn’t have had to fight for it.”

Taking to their Facebook handle, the couple wrote, "Gay adoptive families are forced to choose between children and spouses, and between adoption and marriage."

Both of them have been together for more than 16 years. The couple delayed their marriage to complete Wang’s adoption process. After this was done, the couple took the case to court so that Chen could be recognised as a parent.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-a-first-indian-couple-to-host-wedding-reception-in-metaverse-445432">Also read |&nbsp;In a first, Indian couple to host wedding reception in Metaverse</a>

Chu Chiajong, the director of the advocacy organisation Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy deemed the ruling as "brave."&nbsp;

“At the end of the day, someone finally acknowledged it’s all about a child’s best interests, not just about the rights of an LGBTI couple. Now their daughter’s ID shows both parents name on it. It means she finally is legally under the protection of both parents, of both dads," Chu said.&nbsp;

In 2019, Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage. Lawmakers from the majority Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) backed the bill. It was passed 66 to 27.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a first, a same-sex couple in Taiwan adopted a child neither of them are related to after, after challenging local laws in court. Last week, Wang Chen-wei and Chen Chun-ju signed papers after a ruling that allowed both of them to register as parents.

In a first, a same-sex couple in Taiwan adopted a child neither of them are related to after, after challenging local laws in court. Last week, Wang Chen-wei and Chen Chun-ju signed papers after a ruling that allowed both of them to register as parents. In a report by The Guardian, Wang said, "I have everything now. I am married and just like heterosexual couples, we can have our own children. But we were born to have and enjoy all of this, we are not a charity case. We shouldn’t have had to fight for it.” Taking to their Facebook handle, the couple wrote, "Gay adoptive families are forced to choose between children and spouses, and between adoption and marriage." Both of them have been together for more than 16 years. The couple delayed their marriage to complete Wang’s adoption process. After this was done, the couple took the case to court so that Chen could be recognised as a parent. Also read | In a first, Indian couple to host wedding reception in Metaverse Chu Chiajong, the director of the advocacy organisation Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy deemed the ruling as "brave." “At the end of the day, someone finally acknowledged it’s all about a child’s best interests, not just about the rights of an LGBTI couple. Now their daughter’s ID shows both parents name on it. It means she finally is legally under the protection of both parents, of both dads," Chu said. In 2019, Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage. Lawmakers from the majority Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) backed the bill. It was passed 66 to 27. (With inputs from agencies)

In a first, same sex couple in Taiwan legally adopts a child

Reports say 1 child was shot in America every hour in 2020. At least 2,200 children died. Numbers like these have not been seen in 20 years. Why is US doing nothing about it? Listen in to Palki Sharma.

Gravitas: 1 child is shot in America every hour

Since July, all but the most affluent families across the country have been receiving child tax credits as monthly cash payments — a first-of-its-kind policy jujitsu that converted a tax break, usually given out as a lump sum at the end of the financial year, into an additional income that expanded America’s safety net.

The program represented the first significant shift of US&nbsp;government support for families in decades. Since the 1990s, the child tax credit was available only to parents who were actively working or looking for work, making the United States an outlier among other developed countries where subsidies for children are common.

President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, in addition to refashioning the tax credit into monthly checks, expanded the total amount parents and other caregivers received and stripped it of any work-related conditions, making more money available to more households.

The initiative, which was initially set to run for six months, has now wound down with the last of the checks sent out Dec. 15.

Democrats had hoped to make the tax credits permanent as part of Biden’s Build Back Better plan. But this week, the administration’s vast domestic agenda was effectively blocked, at least for now, by centrist Sen. Joe Manchin D-W.Va., who voted for the child tax credit expansion when it was first introduced but did not support its extension.

“I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation,” Manchin said on “Fox News Sunday,” citing concerns that the Build Back Better plan would add to the national debt and rising inflation.

The argument echoed that of his Republican colleagues — Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. and the senior Senate Budget Committee Republican, described the administration’s plan as an “inflation bomb” — who were united in their opposition to the Build Back Better legislation.

Experts have noted that since the payments of up to $300 per child started landing in bank accounts, alongside other COVID-related relief, child poverty dropped to record lows.

In an October report by the Census Bureau, around half of the roughly 300,000 recipients surveyed reported using the money on food — an indication that the tax credit was also helping to bring down hunger and food insufficiency. Many recipients also reported spending the funds on child care and school supplies.

Interviews with four families revealed other day-to-day expenses they used the funds for — from doctor’s appointments to car repairs — and the joys of a little breathing room for households that may otherwise live paycheck to paycheck.

Las Vegas

Miaya and Thaddeus Bennett

Children:&nbsp;Thaddeus Jr., 4; and Bailey, 3

Monthly Credit: $600

In 2019, months before the pandemic took hold, Miaya and Thaddeus Bennett, who are both 31, decided to pack up their lives in Connecticut and move to Las Vegas to be closer to family. Thaddeus gave up his job as a supervisor in the call center of a bank where he had worked for more than a decade. Miaya continued working as a medical dispatcher from Las Vegas.

But in April 2020, Miaya Bennett was let go from her job, and the couple suddenly found themselves living off unemployment checks for the first time in their lives. Miaya Bennett started studying to get a real estate license, and her husband took part-time jobs to keep an income coming in.

When the child tax credits arrived this summer, it was “a blessing and a relief,” she said.

For their two children, they received a total of $600 per month. The money helped pay for preschool for Thaddeus Jr., which costs roughly $200 a week for full-time care. “We don’t receive enough to put two kids into pre-K, so right now it’s just my son,” his mother explained.

But being able to use the checks to pay for one child’s preschool allowed the couple to keep paying for their children’s extracurricular activities — karate for Thaddeus Jr., ballet for Bailey.

“We consider ourselves blessed to be in a position to not have to say ‘not today’ to our kids for the simple things,” said Thaddeus Sr., who in May landed a full-time job at a mortgage company.

______

Christiansburg, Virginia

Kelly Bonner

Children:&nbsp;Jaden, 18; Gavin, 15; Liam, 11; and Mason, 10

Monthly Credit: $750

Last December, Kelly Bonner, 46, was down to just $50 in her bank account after being let go that April from her waitressing job. She and her children could afford only unhealthy meals, like ramen or processed foods. Some nights she didn’t eat at all so that there was enough food for her sons.

“The amount of food stamps that we were getting, I could use that entire monthly allotment in one week,” she explained.

She did everything she could to stretch her unemployment checks and food stamps as far as possible, but she was always left with very little cash. She dreaded having to tell her sons that they might not be able to celebrate Christmas.

It was only because a generous friend gave her some extra money that she was able to pay rent that December and cobble together a Christmas dinner for her family.

“Every month, it’s just been like, How do we make it through?” she said. Then, this past summer, her car broke down. Doctors appointments and therapy for her youngest son, who has autism and mild attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, became impossible to access.

When the first child tax credit check arrived in July — a total of $750 for three of her four boys — the timing could not have been better, Bonner said. It went straight to repairing her car, which cost $550. The other checks have helped her buy healthier food, like fresh produce, for her sons. Over the summer, she took the boys swimming in an indoor pool, which costs roughly $25 for the five of them. She could even afford to take her 15-year-old, Gavin, to a Dropkick Murphys concert.

“That was a real luxury,” she said, “but then I built that memory with him, which is so special to me.”

And this year, she said, she’ll have the money to cook an even better Christmas dinner.

______

Eau Claire, Wisconsin 

Blayne and Kayla Midthun

Children:&nbsp;Jonah, 12; Stella and Nora, 10

Monthly Credit: $750

As owners of an ice-cream parlor, Blayne and Kayla Midthun, who are both 38, had come to expect seasonal ups and downs in their business, but not the kinds presented to them during the pandemic. Like most other small-business owners, they thought that shuttering their store, Ramone’s, during the early lockdown would be swift and temporary. “I remember thinking, OK, we’ll be back to business by our peak season in the summer,” Blayne Midthun said.

Instead, they had to apply for loans from the Paycheck Protection Program, adding to the debt that their 4-year-old business had already accumulated. They pivoted their business model from being primarily driven by in-store dining to relying more on takeout and delivery.

“We literally had never had an online store before,” Kayla Midthun said. “So I had to set that up, watching online tutorial videos, getting pictures of our products done, with the kids running around.”

By the end of 2020, the ice cream parlor made $100,000 less than it did in 2019. “That was a big hit for us,” Blayne Midthun said.

He took on a few side gigs, installing drywall and painting, to keep money coming in. In November, the couple took out another business loan. But because they also own a few properties around town that they rent out, they remained financially stable with a little belt-tightening. When they started receiving a child tax credit of $750 a month for their three children, they put the money straight back into their business — to keep their operating expenses in check.

______

Las Vegas

Maria Silva and Orlando Granillo

Children:&nbsp;Miguel, 15; Elysia, 11; Eileen, 9; Evelyn, 6; Orlando Jr., 3.5; Emelia, 1.5, and one more on the way

Monthly Credit: $1,650

A couple of months into the pandemic, Maria Silva’s car was repossessed.

Her partner, Orlando Granillo, a barber, had lost his job in April 2020, and the unemployment checks were barely enough to cover rent and food. They put electric and internet bills on four different credit cards, piling up debt. “Every day we lived in fear of our water being turned off or our gas,” she said, so they simply could not keep paying for the car.

It was the lowest point of the pandemic for them. “It’s one of those things where you just don’t realize how lucky you are to have certain things, like a vehicle, until it’s gone,” Silva said.

Granillo, 37, eventually went back to work in September 2020, which Silva, 40, said was scary because of the risk of COVID-19 exposure, but they needed the money. He would borrow his mother’s car to get around.

The child tax credit has helped the Granillos get back on their feet: It covers utilities, Silva said, and is helping them pay off some of their credit card debt. It has also enabled them to lease a used car.

Receiving the monthly payments has been “surreal and unbelievable,” she said.

Since July, all but the most affluent families across the country have been receiving child tax credits as monthly cash payments — a first-of-its-kind policy jujitsu that converted a tax break, usually given out as a lump sum at the end of the financial year, into an additional income that expanded America’s safety net.

Since July, all but the most affluent families across the country have been receiving child tax credits as monthly cash payments — a first-of-its-kind policy jujitsu that converted a tax break, usually given out as a lump sum at the end of the financial year, into an additional income that expanded America’s safety net. The program represented the first significant shift of US government support for families in decades. Since the 1990s, the child tax credit was available only to parents who were actively working or looking for work, making the United States an outlier among other developed countries where subsidies for children are common. President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, in addition to refashioning the tax credit into monthly checks, expanded the total amount parents and other caregivers received and stripped it of any work-related conditions, making more money available to more households. The initiative, which was initially set to run for six months, has now wound down with the last of the checks sent out Dec. 15. Democrats had hoped to make the tax credits permanent as part of Biden’s Build Back Better plan. But this week, the administration’s vast domestic agenda was effectively blocked, at least for now, by centrist Sen. Joe Manchin D-W.Va., who voted for the child tax credit expansion when it was first introduced but did not support its extension. “I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation,” Manchin said on “Fox News Sunday,” citing concerns that the Build Back Better plan would add to the national debt and rising inflation. The argument echoed that of his Republican colleagues — Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. and the senior Senate Budget Committee Republican, described the administration’s plan as an “inflation bomb” — who were united in their opposition to the Build Back Better legislation. Experts have noted that since the payments of up to $300 per child started landing in bank accounts, alongside other COVID-related relief, child poverty dropped to record lows. In an October report by the Census Bureau, around half of the roughly 300,000 recipients surveyed reported using the money on food — an indication that the tax credit was also helping to bring down hunger and food insufficiency. Many recipients also reported spending the funds on child care and school supplies. Interviews with four families revealed other day-to-day expenses they used the funds for — from doctor’s appointments to car repairs — and the joys of a little breathing room for households that may otherwise live paycheck to paycheck. Las Vegas Miaya and Thaddeus Bennett Children: Thaddeus Jr., 4; and Bailey, 3 Monthly Credit: $600 In 2019, months before the pandemic took hold, Miaya and Thaddeus Bennett, who are both 31, decided to pack up their lives in Connecticut and move to Las Vegas to be closer to family. Thaddeus gave up his job as a supervisor in the call center of a bank where he had worked for more than a decade. Miaya continued working as a medical dispatcher from Las Vegas. But in April 2020, Miaya Bennett was let go from her job, and the couple suddenly found themselves living off unemployment checks for the first time in their lives. Miaya Bennett started studying to get a real estate license, and her husband took part-time jobs to keep an income coming in. When the child tax credits arrived this summer, it was “a blessing and a relief,” she said. For their two children, they received a total of $600 per month. The money helped pay for preschool for Thaddeus Jr., which costs roughly $200 a week for full-time care. “We don’t receive enough to put two kids into pre-K, so right now it’s just my son,” his mother explained. But being able to use the checks to pay for one child’s preschool allowed the couple to keep paying for their children’s extracurricular activities — karate for Thaddeus Jr., ballet for Bailey. “We consider ourselves blessed to be in a position to not have to say ‘not today’ to our kids for the simple things,” said Thaddeus Sr., who in May landed a full-time job at a mortgage company. ______ Christiansburg, Virginia Kelly Bonner Children: Jaden, 18; Gavin, 15; Liam, 11; and Mason, 10 Monthly Credit: $750 Last December, Kelly Bonner, 46, was down to just $50 in her bank account after being let go that April from her waitressing job. She and her children could afford only unhealthy meals, like ramen or processed foods. Some nights she didn’t eat at all so that there was enough food for her sons. “The amount of food stamps that we were getting, I could use that entire monthly allotment in one week,” she explained. She did everything she could to stretch her unemployment checks and food stamps as far as possible, but she was always left with very little cash. She dreaded having to tell her sons that they might not be able to celebrate Christmas. It was only because a generous friend gave her some extra money that she was able to pay rent that December and cobble together a Christmas dinner for her family. “Every month, it’s just been like, How do we make it through?” she said. Then, this past summer, her car broke down. Doctors appointments and therapy for her youngest son, who has autism and mild attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, became impossible to access. When the first child tax credit check arrived in July — a total of $750 for three of her four boys — the timing could not have been better, Bonner said. It went straight to repairing her car, which cost $550. The other checks have helped her buy healthier food, like fresh produce, for her sons. Over the summer, she took the boys swimming in an indoor pool, which costs roughly $25 for the five of them. She could even afford to take her 15-year-old, Gavin, to a Dropkick Murphys concert. “That was a real luxury,” she said, “but then I built that memory with him, which is so special to me.” And this year, she said, she’ll have the money to cook an even better Christmas dinner. ______ Eau Claire, Wisconsin Blayne and Kayla Midthun Children: Jonah, 12; Stella and Nora, 10 Monthly Credit: $750 As owners of an ice-cream parlor, Blayne and Kayla Midthun, who are both 38, had come to expect seasonal ups and downs in their business, but not the kinds presented to them during the pandemic. Like most other small-business owners, they thought that shuttering their store, Ramone’s, during the early lockdown would be swift and temporary. “I remember thinking, OK, we’ll be back to business by our peak season in the summer,” Blayne Midthun said. Instead, they had to apply for loans from the Paycheck Protection Program, adding to the debt that their 4-year-old business had already accumulated. They pivoted their business model from being primarily driven by in-store dining to relying more on takeout and delivery. “We literally had never had an online store before,” Kayla Midthun said. “So I had to set that up, watching online tutorial videos, getting pictures of our products done, with the kids running around.” By the end of 2020, the ice cream parlor made $100,000 less than it did in 2019. “That was a big hit for us,” Blayne Midthun said. He took on a few side gigs, installing drywall and painting, to keep money coming in. In November, the couple took out another business loan. But because they also own a few properties around town that they rent out, they remained financially stable with a little belt-tightening. When they started receiving a child tax credit of $750 a month for their three children, they put the money straight back into their business — to keep their operating expenses in check. ______ Las Vegas Maria Silva and Orlando Granillo Children: Miguel, 15; Elysia, 11; Eileen, 9; Evelyn, 6; Orlando Jr., 3.5; Emelia, 1.5, and one more on the way Monthly Credit: $1,650 A couple of months into the pandemic, Maria Silva’s car was repossessed. Her partner, Orlando Granillo, a barber, had lost his job in April 2020, and the unemployment checks were barely enough to cover rent and food. They put electric and internet bills on four different credit cards, piling up debt. “Every day we lived in fear of our water being turned off or our gas,” she said, so they simply could not keep paying for the car. It was the lowest point of the pandemic for them. “It’s one of those things where you just don’t realize how lucky you are to have certain things, like a vehicle, until it’s gone,” Silva said. Granillo, 37, eventually went back to work in September 2020, which Silva, 40, said was scary because of the risk of COVID-19 exposure, but they needed the money. He would borrow his mother’s car to get around. The child tax credit has helped the Granillos get back on their feet: It covers utilities, Silva said, and is helping them pay off some of their credit card debt. It has also enabled them to lease a used car. Receiving the monthly payments has been “surreal and unbelievable,” she said.

‘A blessing and a relief’: How four families used the child tax credit

In a bizarre incident, a 49-year-old man has been arrested by Italian police on Saturday for possession of over one million files of child pornography. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The man, who is a musician in the coastal city of Ancona in Italy's Marche region, had numerous photographs and videos, depicting children in objectionable acts with adults. &nbsp;

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In a statement, the police said that the man had been collecting the images for over 20 years. &nbsp;

"The man kept the files inside various hard disks, optical media and a smartphone, where they were meticulously divided into different folders sorted by type of photo or video and age of the victims," the police added. &nbsp;

Although the musician used to give lessons to minors, there was no evidence of any kind of abuse, cops said. &nbsp;

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Around the world, child pornography has been banned by several countries. Many people have been arrested for possessing such images and videos. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Last year, Italian police had busted a child pornography ring, which circulated illicit material through an instant messaging platform. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The Italian police had slammed opened dozens of doors with arrest warrants, after putting together intel received through various sources. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a bizarre incident, a 49-year-old man has been arrested by Italian police on Saturday for possession of over one million files of child pornography. The man, who is a musician in the coastal city of Ancona in Italy's Marche region, had numerous photographs and videos, depicting children in objectionable acts with adults.

In a bizarre incident, a 49-year-old man has been arrested by Italian police on Saturday for possession of over one million files of child pornography. The man, who is a musician in the coastal city of Ancona in Italy's Marche region, had numerous photographs and videos, depicting children in objectionable acts with adults. Also Read: Why apps suddenly want to protect kids In a statement, the police said that the man had been collecting the images for over 20 years. "The man kept the files inside various hard disks, optical media and a smartphone, where they were meticulously divided into different folders sorted by type of photo or video and age of the victims," the police added. Although the musician used to give lessons to minors, there was no evidence of any kind of abuse, cops said. Also Read: Portugal, France begin vaccinating younger children Around the world, child pornography has been banned by several countries. Many people have been arrested for possessing such images and videos. Last year, Italian police had busted a child pornography ring, which circulated illicit material through an instant messaging platform. The Italian police had slammed opened dozens of doors with arrest warrants, after putting together intel received through various sources. (With inputs from agencies)

49-year-old Italian man nabbed with 1 mn child pornography files

In a shocking incident, a two-year-old kid was found playing with an alligator near a creek outside the Cantina restaurant in Jacksonville. &nbsp;

The father, Joe Brenner, immediately took the child away from the drain after noticing&nbsp;that the animal he was playing with was an alligator. The animal, who was stuck in the drain, was trying to come out. &nbsp;

It was sheer luck that the child escaped unhurt. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/500-people-feel-sting-as-rare-storm-brings-scorpions-flood-in-egypt-429692" hreflang="en">500 people feel sting as rare storm brings scorpions’ flood in Egypt</a>

Earlier, the child had witnessed an animal in the drain and believed that it was a tortoise. &nbsp;

The father was in a state of shock at the time of the incident but it seems that his timely action saved an untoward incident. &nbsp;

The father got to know that the animal was an alligator when he went to check on his son, who was playing near the drain. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-three-snow-leopards-fall-prey-to-covid-at-childrens-zoo-in-us-429548" hreflang="en">Now, three snow leopards fall prey to Covid at children’s zoo in US</a>

Later, the Animal Rescue team was informed about the animal, who rescued it. The authorities are now looking to understand how the alligator reached the drain in the city. &nbsp;

In a similar incident, which happened in Yorkshire, England recently, a woman saw a four-feet-long crocodile roaming outside her house. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a shocking incident, a two-year-old kid was found playing with an alligator near a creek outside the Cantina restaurant in Jacksonville. The father, Joe Brenner, immediately took the child away from the drain after noticing that the animal he was playing with was an alligator.

In a shocking incident, a two-year-old kid was found playing with an alligator near a creek outside the Cantina restaurant in Jacksonville. The father, Joe Brenner, immediately took the child away from the drain after noticing that the animal he was playing with was an alligator. The animal, who was stuck in the drain, was trying to come out. It was sheer luck that the child escaped unhurt. Also Read: 500 people feel sting as rare storm brings scorpions’ flood in Egypt Earlier, the child had witnessed an animal in the drain and believed that it was a tortoise. The father was in a state of shock at the time of the incident but it seems that his timely action saved an untoward incident. The father got to know that the animal was an alligator when he went to check on his son, who was playing near the drain. Also Read: Now, three snow leopards fall prey to Covid at children’s zoo in US Later, the Animal Rescue team was informed about the animal, who rescued it. The authorities are now looking to understand how the alligator reached the drain in the city. In a similar incident, which happened in Yorkshire, England recently, a woman saw a four-feet-long crocodile roaming outside her house. (With inputs from agencies)

Close shave? Two-year-old safe after playing with alligator in US   

A new study has revealed that children's brain development can depend on their parents' knowledge and beliefs. Published in the journal 'Nature Communications', the study investigated one potential source of discrepancy in child skill level.&nbsp;

The study involved experimental studies involving hundreds of families across the Chicagoland area.&nbsp;

The researchers highlighted that parental knowledge and beliefs differ across socioeconomic statuses. However, these beliefs can be changed, with the right intervention.&nbsp;

Moreover, these changes can have measurable effects on child outcomes. The results may offer policymakers insights into addressing an important contributor to disparities in child skill development.

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Suskind, Professor of Surgery and Paediatrics and Co-Director of the TMW Centre for Early Learning and Public Health said, "Neuroscience clearly shows that building early brain connections in children relies on the nurturing 'serve and return,' meaning the interactions between adult and child."

"There are many deep, structural drivers of inequality that have enormous impacts on child development. At the same time, we know that parental input plays a major role in early foundational brain development."

Suskind added, "However, little research has been centred on understanding, number one, what parents know and believe in the first place, and, number two, whether or not changing what parents know and believe maps onto changes in child input and child outcomes."

Suskind and her collaborators decided to investigate what underlies parental beliefs about their role in their child's development.&nbsp;

This is when the team asked whether these beliefs could even be changed and what method of doing so might be most effective in doing so.

For this, the team conducted two field experiments, from 2016 to 2019, with families living in and around Chicago.&nbsp;

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The results were also correlated with improvements in child outcomes, such as vocabulary, math skills and social-emotional skills. "We were able to show robust impacts in what parents knew and believed as well as both a related shift in nurturing behaviour, more talking interaction and changes in child outcomes," said Suskind.

It was concluded that not only parental attitudes and beliefs are correlated with parental investment and child outcomes, but that these beliefs can be altered.&nbsp;

The experiments also provide examples of effective methods for changing parental beliefs.&nbsp;

A new study has revealed that children's brain development can depend on their parents' knowledge and beliefs. Published in the journal 'Nature Communications', the study investigated one potential source of discrepancy in child skill level.

A new study has revealed that children's brain development can depend on their parents' knowledge and beliefs. Published in the journal 'Nature Communications', the study investigated one potential source of discrepancy in child skill level. The study involved experimental studies involving hundreds of families across the Chicagoland area. The researchers highlighted that parental knowledge and beliefs differ across socioeconomic statuses. However, these beliefs can be changed, with the right intervention. Moreover, these changes can have measurable effects on child outcomes. The results may offer policymakers insights into addressing an important contributor to disparities in child skill development. Also read | Astronomers unearth secret of no star formation in some early galaxies Suskind, Professor of Surgery and Paediatrics and Co-Director of the TMW Centre for Early Learning and Public Health said, "Neuroscience clearly shows that building early brain connections in children relies on the nurturing 'serve and return,' meaning the interactions between adult and child." "There are many deep, structural drivers of inequality that have enormous impacts on child development. At the same time, we know that parental input plays a major role in early foundational brain development." Suskind added, "However, little research has been centred on understanding, number one, what parents know and believe in the first place, and, number two, whether or not changing what parents know and believe maps onto changes in child input and child outcomes." Suskind and her collaborators decided to investigate what underlies parental beliefs about their role in their child's development. This is when the team asked whether these beliefs could even be changed and what method of doing so might be most effective in doing so. For this, the team conducted two field experiments, from 2016 to 2019, with families living in and around Chicago. Also read | NYC: Security guard stabbed over mask dispute at Apple store The results were also correlated with improvements in child outcomes, such as vocabulary, math skills and social-emotional skills. "We were able to show robust impacts in what parents knew and believed as well as both a related shift in nurturing behaviour, more talking interaction and changes in child outcomes," said Suskind. It was concluded that not only parental attitudes and beliefs are correlated with parental investment and child outcomes, but that these beliefs can be altered. The experiments also provide examples of effective methods for changing parental beliefs.

Child's brain development impacted by beliefs of parents: Study

A kid died after acquiring a brain-eating amoeba from a public park's water feature.

During the summer, the youngster had been splashing about in Don Misenhimer Park in Arlington, Texas.

Sprinklers, fountains, nozzles, and other water-spray elements can be found on splash pads in public parks.

Officials were originally stumped as to who was to blame for the disaster, but now believe it was caused by human error.&nbsp;

The Tarrant County Public Health Department claimed in a statement that they have "identified two probable origins for the child's exposure" to water tainted with the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri.

The virus was found in water either at the family's Tarrant County home or at the Don Misenhimer Park splash pad in Arlington.&nbsp;

A primary amebic meningoencephalitis infection killed the youngster.

According to the CDC, only 34 such instances were reported in the United States between 2010 and 2019.

According to The Sun, infection generally arises when tainted water enters the body through the nose.

Last month, a seven-year-old boy died in a terrible accident after having the same uncommon illness.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A kid died after acquiring a brain-eating amoeba from a public park's water feature. During the summer, the youngster had been splashing about in Don Misenhimer Park in Arlington, Texas.

A kid died after acquiring a brain-eating amoeba from a public park's water feature. During the summer, the youngster had been splashing about in Don Misenhimer Park in Arlington, Texas. Sprinklers, fountains, nozzles, and other water-spray elements can be found on splash pads in public parks. Officials were originally stumped as to who was to blame for the disaster, but now believe it was caused by human error. The Tarrant County Public Health Department claimed in a statement that they have "identified two probable origins for the child's exposure" to water tainted with the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri. The virus was found in water either at the family's Tarrant County home or at the Don Misenhimer Park splash pad in Arlington. A primary amebic meningoencephalitis infection killed the youngster. According to the CDC, only 34 such instances were reported in the United States between 2010 and 2019. According to The Sun, infection generally arises when tainted water enters the body through the nose. Last month, a seven-year-old boy died in a terrible accident after having the same uncommon illness. (With inputs from agencies)

Child dies after 'brain-eating' amoeba gets into skull at water park

Six people, including the suspected gunman, died Thursday following a "serious firearms incident" in the southwestern English city of&nbsp;Plymouth, police said, with reports one victim was a child aged under 10.

Devon and Cornwall Police declared a "critical incident" in the Keyham area of&nbsp;Plymouth&nbsp;early Thursday evening after the shooting, but later said it was not being considered terrorism related.

Officers responded alongside other emergency services, including air ambulance staff, to reports of gunshots in the residential neighbourhood near some of the city's docks.&nbsp;

"Two females and two males were deceased at the scene," Devon and Cornwall Police said in an update early Friday after hours of uncertainty around the incident.

Police added another male, believed to be the gunman, was also found dead nearby while another female treated at the scene died a short time later in hospital.

"All are believed to have died from gunshot wounds," the force said.

Shortly after police confirmed the death toll, local lawmaker Luke Pollard reported one of those killed "was a child under ten years old".

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"More people are being treated for their injuries in hospital," the Labour MP tweeted.&nbsp;

"Just so unspeakably awful. My condolences and thoughts are with the families."

'Shocking'

It was unclear how the victims and suspected perpetrator were connected, with many details of what unfolded in the city of around 262,000 residents in the sleepy southwest English county Devon remaining unclear.

"Police would stress this is not a terrorism related incident," Devon and Cornwall Police said, noting officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with it.

"Investigations are continuing," the force added, urging people with mobile phone footage of the aftermath of the events not to share it online.&nbsp;

Interior Minister Priti Patel called the incident "shocking" and said her thoughts were "with those affected" but did not reveal further details of what had happened.&nbsp;

"I have spoken to the Chief Constable and offered my full support," she tweeted.&nbsp;

"I urge everyone to remain calm, follow police advice and allow our emergency services to get on with their jobs."

'Randomly started shooting'

British media said residents had reported hearing loud bangs and gunshots before police swarmed the area.&nbsp;

Witness Sharron, who did not want to give her full name, told the BBC she had heard shouting followed by several gunshots.

"This was when the shooter kicked in the door of a house and randomly started shooting," she said.

"He ran from the house shooting as he ran and proceeded to shoot at a few people".&nbsp;

Robert Pinkerton, a second witness, told the British broadcaster he "walked around the corner" and "bumped into a bloke with a shotgun" dressed all in black.

South Western Ambulance Service said it had responded with a significant number of resources, including Hazardous Area Response Teams, air and ground ambulances, multiple doctors and senior paramedics.

Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, said "tragedy has hit Keyham".

"I pay tribute to our emergency services who ran towards events we'd all run from," he added.

Mass casualty shootings are rare in Britain, where most police officers are unarmed, while southwest England -- a popular domestic holiday destination -- is typically known as a tranquil part of the country.

Plymouth, the region's biggest city, is home to the biggest naval base in western Europe, including nuclear submarines and large warships.

Six people, including the suspected gunman, died Thursday following a "serious firearms incident" in the southwestern English city of Plymouth, police said, with reports one victim was a child aged under 10.

Six people, including the suspected gunman, died Thursday following a "serious firearms incident" in the southwestern English city of Plymouth, police said, with reports one victim was a child aged under 10. Devon and Cornwall Police declared a "critical incident" in the Keyham area of Plymouth early Thursday evening after the shooting, but later said it was not being considered terrorism related. Officers responded alongside other emergency services, including air ambulance staff, to reports of gunshots in the residential neighbourhood near some of the city's docks. "Two females and two males were deceased at the scene," Devon and Cornwall Police said in an update early Friday after hours of uncertainty around the incident. Police added another male, believed to be the gunman, was also found dead nearby while another female treated at the scene died a short time later in hospital. "All are believed to have died from gunshot wounds," the force said. Shortly after police confirmed the death toll, local lawmaker Luke Pollard reported one of those killed "was a child under ten years old". Also read | WHO forms new expert group to continue research into origins of Covid in Wuhan "More people are being treated for their injuries in hospital," the Labour MP tweeted. "Just so unspeakably awful. My condolences and thoughts are with the families." 'Shocking' It was unclear how the victims and suspected perpetrator were connected, with many details of what unfolded in the city of around 262,000 residents in the sleepy southwest English county Devon remaining unclear. "Police would stress this is not a terrorism related incident," Devon and Cornwall Police said, noting officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with it. "Investigations are continuing," the force added, urging people with mobile phone footage of the aftermath of the events not to share it online. Interior Minister Priti Patel called the incident "shocking" and said her thoughts were "with those affected" but did not reveal further details of what had happened. "I have spoken to the Chief Constable and offered my full support," she tweeted. "I urge everyone to remain calm, follow police advice and allow our emergency services to get on with their jobs." 'Randomly started shooting' British media said residents had reported hearing loud bangs and gunshots before police swarmed the area. Witness Sharron, who did not want to give her full name, told the BBC she had heard shouting followed by several gunshots. "This was when the shooter kicked in the door of a house and randomly started shooting," she said. "He ran from the house shooting as he ran and proceeded to shoot at a few people". Robert Pinkerton, a second witness, told the British broadcaster he "walked around the corner" and "bumped into a bloke with a shotgun" dressed all in black. South Western Ambulance Service said it had responded with a significant number of resources, including Hazardous Area Response Teams, air and ground ambulances, multiple doctors and senior paramedics. Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, said "tragedy has hit Keyham". "I pay tribute to our emergency services who ran towards events we'd all run from," he added. Mass casualty shootings are rare in Britain, where most police officers are unarmed, while southwest England -- a popular domestic holiday destination -- is typically known as a tranquil part of the country. Plymouth, the region's biggest city, is home to the biggest naval base in western Europe, including nuclear submarines and large warships.

Plymouth shooting: Six dead including a child and suspected gunman

Authorities confirmed Monday that more than 300 people died in recent floods in central China, three times the number previously reported.

According to the province administration of Henan, 302 people died and 50 are still missing.

The majority of the casualties were in Zhengzhou, the province capital, where 292 people died and 47 were missing.

Officials announced during a press conference in Zhengzhou that ten other people perished in three other cities.

In Xinxiang city, seven people were killed, with three more still missing, while two people were killed in Pingdingshan and one in Luohe.

Hou Hong, the mayor of Zhengzhou, claimed 39 people had been found dead in basement car parks, and six more had drowned in the cross-city tunnel, bringing the total number of persons killed in the tube to six. 
 
<img alt="China-floods" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6e4192b6-85d9-465c-be9a-76941b06428a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29_138.jpg" /> 
 
(AFP Photo)

In late July, record-breaking rainstorms wreaked havoc on Henan Province in central China, overflowing reservoirs, spilling riverbanks, and wreaking havoc on public transportation and roadways in key towns.

In only three days, more than 600mm of rain poured in Zhengzhou, about an average year's worth. 
 
Watch | Gravitas: Heaviest rain in 1,000 years leads to devastation

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-china-floods-heaviest-rain-in-1000-years-leads-to-devastation-399561/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Authorities said that about 625,000 acres of crops were destroyed and have estimated losses at more than 90 billion yuan ($14 billion). About 1.5 million people were evacuated because of the rains and flooding.

The central government has set up an investigation team to evaluate the disaster response, summarize the lessons from it and hold accountable anyone guilty of dereliction of duty, Chinese media said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Authorities confirmed Monday that more than 300 people died in recent floods in central China, three times the number previously reported. According to the province administration of Henan, 302 people died and 50 are still missing.

Authorities confirmed Monday that more than 300 people died in recent floods in central China, three times the number previously reported. According to the province administration of Henan, 302 people died and 50 are still missing. The majority of the casualties were in Zhengzhou, the province capital, where 292 people died and 47 were missing. Officials announced during a press conference in Zhengzhou that ten other people perished in three other cities. In Xinxiang city, seven people were killed, with three more still missing, while two people were killed in Pingdingshan and one in Luohe. Hou Hong, the mayor of Zhengzhou, claimed 39 people had been found dead in basement car parks, and six more had drowned in the cross-city tunnel, bringing the total number of persons killed in the tube to six. (AFP Photo) In late July, record-breaking rainstorms wreaked havoc on Henan Province in central China, overflowing reservoirs, spilling riverbanks, and wreaking havoc on public transportation and roadways in key towns. In only three days, more than 600mm of rain poured in Zhengzhou, about an average year's worth. Watch | Gravitas: Heaviest rain in 1,000 years leads to devastation Authorities said that about 625,000 acres of crops were destroyed and have estimated losses at more than 90 billion yuan ($14 billion). About 1.5 million people were evacuated because of the rains and flooding. The central government has set up an investigation team to evaluate the disaster response, summarize the lessons from it and hold accountable anyone guilty of dereliction of duty, Chinese media said. (With inputs from agencies)

Corpses afloat in car parks, tunnel: China floods death toll rises to 302

The United States is "deeply concerned with the increasingly harsh surveillance, harassment, and intimidation of US and other foreign journalists" covering recent floods in China's Henan province, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Thursday (July 29).&nbsp;

China's harsh rhetoric toward news it perceives as critical "has provoked negative public sentiment leading to tense, in-person confrontations and harassment" of journalists, Price said in a statement.

China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China said on Tuesday that journalists from several media outlets covering recent floods in China were harassed online and by local residents, with staff from the BBC and Los Angeles Times receiving death threats.

"We call on the PRC to act as a responsible nation hoping to welcome foreign media and the world for the upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games," Price said.

The United States is "deeply concerned with the increasingly harsh surveillance, harassment, and intimidation of US and other foreign journalists" covering recent floods in China's Henan province, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Thursday (July 29).

The United States is "deeply concerned with the increasingly harsh surveillance, harassment, and intimidation of US and other foreign journalists" covering recent floods in China's Henan province, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Thursday (July 29). China's harsh rhetoric toward news it perceives as critical "has provoked negative public sentiment leading to tense, in-person confrontations and harassment" of journalists, Price said in a statement. China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China said on Tuesday that journalists from several media outlets covering recent floods in China were harassed online and by local residents, with staff from the BBC and Los Angeles Times receiving death threats. "We call on the PRC to act as a responsible nation hoping to welcome foreign media and the world for the upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games," Price said.

US says it is concerned over harassment of media covering China floods

Undoubdetly, a&nbsp;mother's love is the greatest force in the world. A&nbsp;woman in China died&nbsp;while saving her&nbsp;baby from a mudslide as her home was flooded.

The child was flung by her mother to a higher level, a family member identified as Mr Zhao told Southern Metropolis Daily. Rescuers arrived at the spot and managed to save the child.

After being buried under rubble for more than 24 hours, the baby girl was rescued on Wednesday.

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Chinese internet users went crazy over a video showing rescue workers saving the baby. The baby is believed to be between three and four months old.

Wangzongdian village in Henan province was devastated by a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall, according to some reports.

A record amount of rainfall has led to massive floods in the region, which have resulted in at least 51 deaths and nearly 400,000 evacuees.

The last week has seen flooding and heavy rain in all parts of the province. As a result, major roads are turning into rivers, sweeping cars, debris and people along with them.

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On Thursday, the body of the baby's mother was discovered. Her body was&nbsp;frozen in place as if she had been lifting something up when rescuers reported to Beijing Youth Daily.

When the baby was taken to the hospital she was found to be without any injuries.

One rescue worker called Mr Yang said the baby girl lived because the woman lifted her child just at that crucial moment.

In the provincial capital of Zhengzhou, at least 12 people died when floodwaters inundated an underground subway line on Tuesday night.

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Mr Zhao said rescue work had been difficult as the remote village's main access bridge had been swept away by floods. Many homes were destroyed by the floods and rain, leaving villagers vulnerable.

Rescuers have been working to find survivors throughout the region, which boasts more than 90 million inhabitants.

Undoubdetly, a mother's love is the greatest force in the world. A woman in China died while saving her baby from a mudslide as her home was flooded. The child was flung by her mother to a higher level, a family member identified as Mr Zhao told Southern Metropolis Daily.

Undoubdetly, a mother's love is the greatest force in the world. A woman in China died while saving her baby from a mudslide as her home was flooded. The child was flung by her mother to a higher level, a family member identified as Mr Zhao told Southern Metropolis Daily. Rescuers arrived at the spot and managed to save the child. After being buried under rubble for more than 24 hours, the baby girl was rescued on Wednesday. Also read | Why are climate 'mysteries' puzzling world's leading scientists? Chinese internet users went crazy over a video showing rescue workers saving the baby. The baby is believed to be between three and four months old. Wangzongdian village in Henan province was devastated by a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall, according to some reports. A record amount of rainfall has led to massive floods in the region, which have resulted in at least 51 deaths and nearly 400,000 evacuees. The last week has seen flooding and heavy rain in all parts of the province. As a result, major roads are turning into rivers, sweeping cars, debris and people along with them. Also read | Watch: Real life Jerry mouse interrupts Spanish parliament session On Thursday, the body of the baby's mother was discovered. Her body was frozen in place as if she had been lifting something up when rescuers reported to Beijing Youth Daily. When the baby was taken to the hospital she was found to be without any injuries. One rescue worker called Mr Yang said the baby girl lived because the woman lifted her child just at that crucial moment. In the provincial capital of Zhengzhou, at least 12 people died when floodwaters inundated an underground subway line on Tuesday night. Also read | Beyond cisgender: Argentina introduces Latin America's first non-binary ID options Mr Zhao said rescue work had been difficult as the remote village's main access bridge had been swept away by floods. Many homes were destroyed by the floods and rain, leaving villagers vulnerable. Rescuers have been working to find survivors throughout the region, which boasts more than 90 million inhabitants.

China floods: Mother dies saving baby from mudslide in Henan

More than 8,500 children were used as soldiers last year in various conflicts across the world and nearly 2,700 others were killed, the United Nations said on Monday. 
 
UN&nbsp;chief Antonio Guterres` annual report to the Security Council on children and armed conflict covers the killing, maiming and sexual abuse of children, abduction or recruitment, denial of aid access and targeting of schools and hospitals. 
 
The report verified that violations had been committed against 19,379 children in 21 conflicts. The most violations in 2020 were committed in Somalia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen. 
 
It verified that 8,521 children were used as soldiers last year, while another 2,674 children were killed and 5,748 injured in various conflicts. 
 
The report also includes a blacklist intended to shame parties to conflicts in the hope of pushing them to implement measures to protect children. The list has long been controversial with diplomats saying Saudi Arabia and Israel both exerted pressure in recent years in a bid to stay off the list. 
 
Israel has never been listed, while a Saudi-led military coalition was removed from the list in 2020 several years after it was first named and shamed for killing and injuring children in Yemen. 
 
In an effort to dampen controversy surrounding the report, the blacklist released in 2017 by Guterres was split into two categories. One lists parties that have put in place measures to protect children and the other includes parties that have not. 
 
There were few significant changes to the lists released on Monday. The only state parties named on the list for not putting measures in place are Myanmar`s military - for killing, maiming and sexual violence against children - and Syrian government forces - for recruitment of children, killing, maiming and sexual violence against children and attacks on schools and hospitals.

More than 8,500 children were used as soldiers last year in various conflicts across the world and nearly 2,700 others were killed, the United Nations said on Monday.

More than 8,500 children were used as soldiers last year in various conflicts across the world and nearly 2,700 others were killed, the United Nations said on Monday. UN chief Antonio Guterres` annual report to the Security Council on children and armed conflict covers the killing, maiming and sexual abuse of children, abduction or recruitment, denial of aid access and targeting of schools and hospitals. The report verified that violations had been committed against 19,379 children in 21 conflicts. The most violations in 2020 were committed in Somalia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen. It verified that 8,521 children were used as soldiers last year, while another 2,674 children were killed and 5,748 injured in various conflicts. The report also includes a blacklist intended to shame parties to conflicts in the hope of pushing them to implement measures to protect children. The list has long been controversial with diplomats saying Saudi Arabia and Israel both exerted pressure in recent years in a bid to stay off the list. Israel has never been listed, while a Saudi-led military coalition was removed from the list in 2020 several years after it was first named and shamed for killing and injuring children in Yemen. In an effort to dampen controversy surrounding the report, the blacklist released in 2017 by Guterres was split into two categories. One lists parties that have put in place measures to protect children and the other includes parties that have not. There were few significant changes to the lists released on Monday. The only state parties named on the list for not putting measures in place are Myanmar`s military - for killing, maiming and sexual violence against children - and Syrian government forces - for recruitment of children, killing, maiming and sexual violence against children and attacks on schools and hospitals.

More than 8,500 children used as soldiers in 2020: UN

Two people including a child were shot dead in a grocery store in Florida on Thursday, the latest in a series of shootings in the southern US state. The shooting -- in which the gunman also killed himself -- occurred in a Publix grocery store in Royal Palm Beach, 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Miami, police said.

Two people including a child were shot dead in a grocery store in Florida on Thursday, the latest in a series of shootings in the southern US state. The shooting -- in which the gunman also killed himself -- occurred in a Publix grocery store in Royal Palm Beach, 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Miami, police said. "Upon arrival deputies located three individuals deceased from gunshot wounds, one adult male, one adult female, and one child," the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said. "The shooter is one of the deceased." Also Read | Trump hints at comeback in major speech, calls on nations to cancel their China debt The shooter turned his gun on himself, Teri Barbera, spokeswoman for the sheriff's office, told AFP. This was the latest shooting in south Florida in recent days. On Sunday, three people were killed and five wounded at a graduation party in Miami. Two people were killed and at least 20 wounded a week earlier when three shooters fired "indiscriminately" into a crowd outside a concert in the Miami area, police said. Mass shootings have taken place across the United States this year in a surge of violence that President Joe Biden has branded an "epidemic."

Shooting in grocery store in Florida, two killed, including one child

Safety regulators warned people with kids and pets on Saturday to immediately stop using a treadmill made by Peloton after one child died and others were injured. &nbsp;

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said children and at least one pet were pulled, pinned and entrapped under the rear roller of the Tread+ treadmill, leading to fractures, scrapes and the death of one child. &nbsp;

The safety commission said in a news release and in emails that it knows of 39 incidents with the treadmill, involving multiple or dozens of children, but it did not specify a number of children. It said the majority of the incidents resulted in injuries, including the one death. &nbsp;

The commission posted a video on its YouTube page of a child being pulled under the treadmill. &nbsp;

Of the 39 incidents, 23 involved children, according to New York-based Peloton Interactive Inc.; 15 included objects like medicine balls, and one included a pet, it said. &nbsp;

Peloton said in a news release that the warning from the safety commission was inaccurate and misleading. It said there's no reason to stop using the treadmill as long as children and pets are kept away from it at all times, it is turned off when not in use, and a safety key is removed. &nbsp;

But the safety commission said that in at least one episode, a child was pulled under the treadmill while a parent was running on it, suggesting it can be dangerous to children even while a parent is present. &nbsp;

If adults want to keep using the treadmill, the commission said, they should use it only in a locked room so children and pets can't come near it. When not in use, the treadmill should be unplugged and the safety key taken out and hidden away. The commission also said to keep exercise balls and other objects away from it, because those have been pulled under the treadmill, too. &nbsp;

Peloton is best known for its stationary bikes, but it introduced the treadmill about three years ago and now calls it the Tread+. It costs more than $4,000. &nbsp;

Sales of Peloton equipment have soared during the pandemic as virus-weary people avoid gyms and workout at home instead. The company brought in $1 billion in revenue in the last three months of 2020, more than double its revenue from the same period a year before. &nbsp;

The commission did not say how many of the Peloton treadmills have been sold.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Safety regulators warned people with kids and pets on Saturday to immediately stop using a treadmill made by Peloton after one child died and others were injured.

Safety regulators warned people with kids and pets on Saturday to immediately stop using a treadmill made by Peloton after one child died and others were injured. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said children and at least one pet were pulled, pinned and entrapped under the rear roller of the Tread+ treadmill, leading to fractures, scrapes and the death of one child. The safety commission said in a news release and in emails that it knows of 39 incidents with the treadmill, involving multiple or dozens of children, but it did not specify a number of children. It said the majority of the incidents resulted in injuries, including the one death. The commission posted a video on its YouTube page of a child being pulled under the treadmill. Of the 39 incidents, 23 involved children, according to New York-based Peloton Interactive Inc.; 15 included objects like medicine balls, and one included a pet, it said. Peloton said in a news release that the warning from the safety commission was inaccurate and misleading. It said there's no reason to stop using the treadmill as long as children and pets are kept away from it at all times, it is turned off when not in use, and a safety key is removed. But the safety commission said that in at least one episode, a child was pulled under the treadmill while a parent was running on it, suggesting it can be dangerous to children even while a parent is present. If adults want to keep using the treadmill, the commission said, they should use it only in a locked room so children and pets can't come near it. When not in use, the treadmill should be unplugged and the safety key taken out and hidden away. The commission also said to keep exercise balls and other objects away from it, because those have been pulled under the treadmill, too. Peloton is best known for its stationary bikes, but it introduced the treadmill about three years ago and now calls it the Tread+. It costs more than $4,000. Sales of Peloton equipment have soared during the pandemic as virus-weary people avoid gyms and workout at home instead. The company brought in $1 billion in revenue in the last three months of 2020, more than double its revenue from the same period a year before. The commission did not say how many of the Peloton treadmills have been sold. (With inputs from agencies)

After child dies, US regulator warns about Peloton treadmill  

Directorate of Family Welfare, MCH and Immunization on Wednesday said that the recent Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme has succeeded in achieving 100 per cent coverage of target population in Jammu and Kashmir as 19,85,021 children in the age bracket of 0-5 years were administered oral polio vaccine against the target of 19,85,021 children.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistan-to-import-polio-markers-from-india-price-of-89-medicines-reduced-by-15-270164/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to the figures compiled by Data and Media Cell, Directorate of Family Welfare, MCH and Immunization, in Kashmir division, against the total target of 10,69,470 children, 10,64,941 children were administered oral polio vaccine against the crippling disease.

Whereas, in the Jammu division, against the target of 9,15,551 children, 9,20,439 children were given polio drops amounting to 100 per cent of the total target children.

Respective divisional and district administrations had made elaborate arrangements to cover all the children in the age group of 0-5 years. Furthermore, health workers and volunteers carried door-to-door visits in their allotted areas to ensure no child is left out of the vaccination programme.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Directorate of Family Welfare, MCH and Immunization on Wednesday said that the recent Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme has succeeded in achieving 100 per cent coverage of target population in Jammu and Kashmir as 19,85,021 children in the age bracket of 0-5 years were administered oral polio vaccine against the target of 19,85,021 children.

Directorate of Family Welfare, MCH and Immunization on Wednesday said that the recent Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme has succeeded in achieving 100 per cent coverage of target population in Jammu and Kashmir as 19,85,021 children in the age bracket of 0-5 years were administered oral polio vaccine against the target of 19,85,021 children. According to the figures compiled by Data and Media Cell, Directorate of Family Welfare, MCH and Immunization, in Kashmir division, against the total target of 10,69,470 children, 10,64,941 children were administered oral polio vaccine against the crippling disease. Whereas, in the Jammu division, against the target of 9,15,551 children, 9,20,439 children were given polio drops amounting to 100 per cent of the total target children. Respective divisional and district administrations had made elaborate arrangements to cover all the children in the age group of 0-5 years. Furthermore, health workers and volunteers carried door-to-door visits in their allotted areas to ensure no child is left out of the vaccination programme.

Jammu and Kashmir: More than 19 lakh children registered for polio vaccination

Children running around railway tracks in scorching Delhi heat, chasing trains and collecting plastic bottles from bogies to sell as scrap is a common sight at the city's railway stations.

U.N. focus on India ahead of World Day Against Child Labour

Pope Francis on Friday enacted sweeping new legislation to protect children from sexual abuse within the Vatican and other Holy See institutions in Rome as well as by its diplomatic corps worldwide.

Previously, the abuse of minors and vulnerable people came under various legal provisions, some of them instituted on an ad hoc basis.

The new provisions mark the first time a unified and rigorous policy for the protection of children, which the Vatican has been demanding from local churches, has been compiled for the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church.

The changes were issued under the form of an Apostolic Letter, a 12-article law, and a set of detailed guidelines affecting personnel in the Vatican and its related institutions such as pontifical institutes and embassies.

While there are few minors who live inside the Vatican, such as children of security officials, there is a "pre-seminary" on Vatican grounds that houses altar servers, and many children visit Vatican institutions such as the museums every day.

The "pre-seminary," from where some of the teenage boys who study there have gone on to become priests, was hit by a sexual abuse scandal in 2017. It involved one boy alleging that he had been abused by another minor. He said it was made possible by inadequate supervision on the part of adult priests.&nbsp; 
The pre-seminary was mentioned specifically in one of the articles of the new legislation.

The over-arching law, which the Vatican first promised to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2013, goes into effect on June 1.

It calls for a Vatican official or employee convicted of abusing a child to be dismissed, sets up procedures for reporting suspected abuse, and imposes more screening of prospective employees to prevent hiring potential abusers.&nbsp;

Pope Francis on Friday enacted sweeping new legislation to protect children from sexual abuse within the Vatican and other Holy See institutions in Rome as well as by its diplomatic corps worldwide.

Pope Francis on Friday enacted sweeping new legislation to protect children from sexual abuse within the Vatican and other Holy See institutions in Rome as well as by its diplomatic corps worldwide. Previously, the abuse of minors and vulnerable people came under various legal provisions, some of them instituted on an ad hoc basis. The new provisions mark the first time a unified and rigorous policy for the protection of children, which the Vatican has been demanding from local churches, has been compiled for the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. The changes were issued under the form of an Apostolic Letter, a 12-article law, and a set of detailed guidelines affecting personnel in the Vatican and its related institutions such as pontifical institutes and embassies. While there are few minors who live inside the Vatican, such as children of security officials, there is a "pre-seminary" on Vatican grounds that houses altar servers, and many children visit Vatican institutions such as the museums every day. The "pre-seminary," from where some of the teenage boys who study there have gone on to become priests, was hit by a sexual abuse scandal in 2017. It involved one boy alleging that he had been abused by another minor. He said it was made possible by inadequate supervision on the part of adult priests. The pre-seminary was mentioned specifically in one of the articles of the new legislation. The over-arching law, which the Vatican first promised to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2013, goes into effect on June 1. It calls for a Vatican official or employee convicted of abusing a child to be dismissed, sets up procedures for reporting suspected abuse, and imposes more screening of prospective employees to prevent hiring potential abusers.

Pope enacts new legislation to prevent child abuse in Vatican

An 18 month-old-boy who had fallen into a 60-feet deep borewell in Hisar's Balsamand village was rescued on Friday.

The boy, identified as Nadeem, was successfully rescued in a joint operation carried out by the Indian Army, civil administration and the local police. He was later handed over to his parents.

“The Army engineers prepared the heavy equipment of dozers and JCB. With the assistance of civilian excavators, the engineers had already started digging to construct a connecting tunnel 60 feet deep to avoid any harm to the child," Indian Army said.

Nadeem, who was playing outdoors, fell into the borewell on Wednesday.

District Magistrate of Hisar Ashok Kumar Meena said an investigation will be conducted into the matter and legal action will be taken against the person who dug the borewell without taking permission from the department concerned.&nbsp;

An 18 month-old-boy who had fallen into a 60-feet deep borewell in Hisar's Balsamand village was rescued on Friday. The boy, identified as Nadeem, was successfully rescued in a joint operation carried out by the Indian Army, civil administration and the local police.

An 18 month-old-boy who had fallen into a 60-feet deep borewell in Hisar's Balsamand village was rescued on Friday. The boy, identified as Nadeem, was successfully rescued in a joint operation carried out by the Indian Army, civil administration and the local police. He was later handed over to his parents. “The Army engineers prepared the heavy equipment of dozers and JCB. With the assistance of civilian excavators, the engineers had already started digging to construct a connecting tunnel 60 feet deep to avoid any harm to the child," Indian Army said. Nadeem, who was playing outdoors, fell into the borewell on Wednesday. District Magistrate of Hisar Ashok Kumar Meena said an investigation will be conducted into the matter and legal action will be taken against the person who dug the borewell without taking permission from the department concerned.

Toddler successfully rescued from 60-foot borewell in Haryana

A Pakistani cleric was arrested today for allegedly beating an eight-year-old student to death at a religious seminary here, police said.

Muhammad Hussain, who was caught by the cleric while trying to run away, had been given corporal punishments in the past as well after he managed to flee the seminary in Bin Qasim Town, a senior police officer said.

&quot;His parents brought him back to the seminary and Qari Najmuddin took out his anger on the boy,&quot; the officer said.

&quot;He was beaten with a blunt object and stick and there were visible marks of torture on his body,&quot; he said.

The parents have refused to allow a post-mortem examination of the body.

The police said that they would register a case against Najmuddin.

Religious seminaries have mushroomed all over Pakistan and many parents, who are poor and can&#39;t afford to educate their children in schools, opt to send them to these seminaries run by Islamic groups.

In the recent past, some seminaries have been closed due to their suspected involvement in brainwashing young children and pushing them towards extremism and terrorism.

In one incident, a TV channel had exposed a seminary in Sohrab Goth in which some of the students were found chained in a room as punishments.&nbsp;

The parents have refused to allow a post-mortem examination of the body.

A Pakistani cleric was arrested today for allegedly beating an eight-year-old student to death at a religious seminary here, police said. Muhammad Hussain, who was caught by the cleric while trying to run away, had been given corporal punishments in the past as well after he managed to flee the seminary in Bin Qasim Town, a senior police officer said. "His parents brought him back to the seminary and Qari Najmuddin took out his anger on the boy," the officer said. "He was beaten with a blunt object and stick and there were visible marks of torture on his body," he said. The parents have refused to allow a post-mortem examination of the body. The police said that they would register a case against Najmuddin. Religious seminaries have mushroomed all over Pakistan and many parents, who are poor and can't afford to educate their children in schools, opt to send them to these seminaries run by Islamic groups. In the recent past, some seminaries have been closed due to their suspected involvement in brainwashing young children and pushing them towards extremism and terrorism. In one incident, a TV channel had exposed a seminary in Sohrab Goth in which some of the students were found chained in a room as punishments.

Pakistan: Cleric batters child to death for fleeing seminary

The&nbsp;National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma on Sunday said that strict action must&nbsp;be initiated against the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/preview/article/24001">cop who towed away&nbsp;a car with the woman seated in the rear seat breastfeeding her seven-month-old-child</a>&nbsp;and added if the woman acted irresponsibly, a case should be registered against her as well.

T<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mumbai-car-towing-incident-new-video-adds-twist-to-the-tale-24042">he video fo the incident went viral involving&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/preview/article/24001" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">a Mumbai Traffic police&nbsp;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mumbai-car-towing-incident-new-video-adds-twist-to-the-tale-24042">went viral on Saturday evening.</a>

&nbsp;&quot;When I saw the video last night, my first reaction was that the police personnel should be suspended and an action should be taken against him. But I read in the morning that the mother kept sitting inside the moving car. Our first concern is that of the child. If the case goes against the lady, then a case should be booked against her,&quot; Rekha Sharma said.&nbsp;

&quot;In any case, the police personnel is responsible and he should be taken to task,&quot; she further added.

Sharma said that the commission would send a report to the director general of police to take immediate action against the concerned police personnel as well as a complete investigation into the matter.

The women, whose car was&nbsp;towed away, was Jyoti Male along&nbsp;with her seven-month-old child.

&quot;The policemen towing the car did not even for once ask me to get down, even when I told them that I am breastfeeding my baby they did not stop,&quot; Male said.&nbsp;

Male further claimed that she had presented her medical prescription to the policemen which stated that she was unwell during that incident. However, they still did not listen to me and towed the car away.

&quot;It has been prima facie noticed that the safety of the woman and the child was endangered in the said incident. Hence, a pending inquiry, the constable is being placed under suspension. The decision about departmental action shall be taken after the inquiry report is received&quot;, Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Amitesh Kumar had said on Saturday.&nbsp;

Sharma said that the commission would send a report to the director general of police to take immediate action against the concerned police personnel as well as a complete investigation into the matter.?

The National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma on Sunday said that strict action must be initiated against the cop who towed away a car with the woman seated in the rear seat breastfeeding her seven-month-old-child and added if the woman acted irresponsibly, a case should be registered against her as well. The video fo the incident went viral involving a Mumbai Traffic police went viral on Saturday evening. "When I saw the video last night, my first reaction was that the police personnel should be suspended and an action should be taken against him. But I read in the morning that the mother kept sitting inside the moving car. Our first concern is that of the child. If the case goes against the lady, then a case should be booked against her," Rekha Sharma said. "In any case, the police personnel is responsible and he should be taken to task," she further added. Sharma said that the commission would send a report to the director general of police to take immediate action against the concerned police personnel as well as a complete investigation into the matter. The women, whose car was towed away, was Jyoti Male along with her seven-month-old child. "The policemen towing the car did not even for once ask me to get down, even when I told them that I am breastfeeding my baby they did not stop," Male said. Male further claimed that she had presented her medical prescription to the policemen which stated that she was unwell during that incident. However, they still did not listen to me and towed the car away. "It has been prima facie noticed that the safety of the woman and the child was endangered in the said incident. Hence, a pending inquiry, the constable is being placed under suspension. The decision about departmental action shall be taken after the inquiry report is received", Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Amitesh Kumar had said on Saturday.

NCW demands action against guilty in Mumbai car towing incident

In a ghastly incident, a Mumbai Police constable towed away a car with a sick&nbsp;woman seated in the&nbsp;rear seat breastfeeding her&nbsp;seven-month-old child.

Reports say&nbsp;the policeman decided to tow away the car&nbsp;due to illegal parking.&nbsp;

A video of the incident, which took place in Malad West on Friday, has gone viral on social media.

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The video&nbsp;shows the shocking incident where the mother, identified as Jyoti Male, can be seen screaming for help while her car was being towed away&nbsp;near SV Road in Malad area on November 10.&nbsp;

A passer-by also can be&nbsp;seen asking the cops to stop but the cop is seen speeding while talking on his mobile phone,&nbsp;completely ignoring the woman and passer-by&#39;s plea.&nbsp;

&quot;The policemen towing the car did not even once ask me to get down. Even when I told them that I am breastfeeding my baby they still did not stop,&quot; Male said.

The video has angered many&nbsp;viewers who took to Twitter and Facebook to express their anger at the insensitive cop.&nbsp;

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No the Policemen towing the car did not even once ask me to get down, even when I told them that I am breastfeeding my baby they still did not stop: Jyoti Male <a href="https://t.co/HpYEapJK4j">pic.twitter.com/HpYEapJK4j</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/929381302691815424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Taking note of the incident, Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Amitesh Kumar ordered an urgent investigation by the Deputy Commissioner of Police.

&quot;It has been prima facie noticed that the saftey of woman and the child was endangered in the said incident. Hence, pending enquiry, the constable is being placed under suspension. Decision about departmental action shall be taken after&nbsp;the enquiry report is received,&quot; Kumar said.

A probe has been initiated into the incident, and accused constable suspended, senior police official said.

In a ghastly incident, a Mumbai Police constable towed away a car with a sick woman seated in the rear seat breastfeeding her seven-month-old child. Reports say the policeman decided to tow away the car due to illegal parking. A video of the incident, which took place in Malad West on Friday, has gone viral on social media. × The video shows the shocking incident where the mother, identified as Jyoti Male, can be seen screaming for help while her car was being towed away near SV Road in Malad area on November 10. A passer-by also can be seen asking the cops to stop but the cop is seen speeding while talking on his mobile phone, completely ignoring the woman and passer-by's plea. "The policemen towing the car did not even once ask me to get down. Even when I told them that I am breastfeeding my baby they still did not stop," Male said. The video has angered many viewers who took to Twitter and Facebook to express their anger at the insensitive cop. No the Policemen towing the car did not even once ask me to get down, even when I told them that I am breastfeeding my baby they still did not stop: Jyoti Male pic.twitter.com/HpYEapJK4j — ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2017 × Taking note of the incident, Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Amitesh Kumar ordered an urgent investigation by the Deputy Commissioner of Police. "It has been prima facie noticed that the saftey of woman and the child was endangered in the said incident. Hence, pending enquiry, the constable is being placed under suspension. Decision about departmental action shall be taken after the enquiry report is received," Kumar said.

Watch: Mumbai cop tow car with sick woman breastfeeding baby

In recent weeks, packs of shoeless boys and girls have been coaxed off the streets where they have spent their childhoods, crying and frightened as they are loaded onto buses in Dakar, the capital of Senegal in West Africa. 
 
The crackdown on child begging comes after years of inaction and is praised by children&#39;s groups but greeted with anger by powerful Islamic figures in the west African nation. 
 
The children are from a mix of poor or homeless families and others known as &quot;talibes&quot; - boys sent out to beg by Islamic tutors to make money for their boarding schools. 
 
They are brought to Guinddi Children&#39;s Centre in the capital accompanied by social workers, where they are interviewed and checked for signs of maltreatment and disease. 
 
&quot;The children are generally unaccompanied. When they come here we ask them for the telephone number of their tutor or Koranic teacher and they give it to us,&quot; explained Maimouna Balde, director of the Guinddi centre. 
 
Parents, or Islamic teachers known as &quot;marabouts&quot;, will generally come and pick up the children themselves, Balde said, whereupon the centre&#39;s staff explain that if their charges are found on the streets again they will be prosecuted. 
 
The operation will continue &quot;for as long as there are children on the streets&quot;, she said. 
 
With 270 street kids picked up in the first two weeks of July in Dakar, according to the authorities, the initiative is a long way from dealing with the 30,000 talibes estimated to be begging daily. 
 
Often from poor rural families, the talibes are sent to Dakar and other Senegalese cities nominally to memorise the Koran, but are often left vulnerable to abuse and receiving little education. 
 
Sometimes the journey home is long: on July 11 nine children were repatriated to neighbouring Guinea after being collected from the streets, according to one Guinean charity. 
 
The current crackdown is the first time a decade-old law has been firmly applied, with parents or guardians of child beggars potentially facing two to five years in jail and fines of up to 2,000,000 CFA ($3,355). 
 
&quot;There are fattened calves hidden behind this education system to exploit children through begging, which is an easy and profitable business,&quot; Niokhobaye Diouf, national director of child protection services. 
 
Parents of street children should be assessed to see if they could benefit from state welfare and health programmes to deter them from relying on their children&#39;s labour, he said. 
 
Talibes are told to beg for food and money and not to return to their &quot;daara&quot; - Islamic school, until they have collected enough.&nbsp; 
 
Even late at night in Dakar children only visibly out of kindergarten can be seen shaking empty tins of food, trying to get enough to be allowed to finish up for the day. 
 
Dealing with the systematic slavery of children in Senegal in this way has been attempted and then abandoned by the state several times before. 
 
Until now, the power of tradition means few have been willing to challenge the marabouts, given their status and the respect they are afforded as Islamic scholars. 
 
Muslim elder Sidy Lamine Niasse told journalists the government &quot;doggedly pursued daaras&quot; to &quot;stigmatise and demonise&quot; them. 
 
But the schools have a long history of abuse: in February, the Senegalese authorities found 20 boys aged between six and 14 kept in chains by their marabout, resulting in a rare prosecution. 
 
Mustapha Lo, president of the national federation of Koranic schools, said the street sweep was taken without consulting Muslim educators and downplayed the concerns relayed by children&#39;s charities. 
 
&quot;The majority of us manage our Koranic schools without making the children beg on the streets. Some Koranic teachers do that because they lack any other financial means,&quot; Lo said. 
 
Countering their arguments, Diouf said the government hopes to reform the daaras curriculum while giving them a better level of financial support. 
 
More than their education is at stake: the authorities want to avoid children falling prey to jihadist recruiters in the region, who are luring young men away with promises of riches and glory. 
 
(AFP)

The kids are homeless or from poor families. 'Talibes' are boys made to beg by Islamic tutors to fund their boarding schools

In recent weeks, packs of shoeless boys and girls have been coaxed off the streets where they have spent their childhoods, crying and frightened as they are loaded onto buses in Dakar, the capital of Senegal in West Africa. The crackdown on child begging comes after years of inaction and is praised by children's groups but greeted with anger by powerful Islamic figures in the west African nation. The children are from a mix of poor or homeless families and others known as "talibes" - boys sent out to beg by Islamic tutors to make money for their boarding schools. They are brought to Guinddi Children's Centre in the capital accompanied by social workers, where they are interviewed and checked for signs of maltreatment and disease. "The children are generally unaccompanied. When they come here we ask them for the telephone number of their tutor or Koranic teacher and they give it to us," explained Maimouna Balde, director of the Guinddi centre. Parents, or Islamic teachers known as "marabouts", will generally come and pick up the children themselves, Balde said, whereupon the centre's staff explain that if their charges are found on the streets again they will be prosecuted. The operation will continue "for as long as there are children on the streets", she said. With 270 street kids picked up in the first two weeks of July in Dakar, according to the authorities, the initiative is a long way from dealing with the 30,000 talibes estimated to be begging daily. Often from poor rural families, the talibes are sent to Dakar and other Senegalese cities nominally to memorise the Koran, but are often left vulnerable to abuse and receiving little education. Sometimes the journey home is long: on July 11 nine children were repatriated to neighbouring Guinea after being collected from the streets, according to one Guinean charity. The current crackdown is the first time a decade-old law has been firmly applied, with parents or guardians of child beggars potentially facing two to five years in jail and fines of up to 2,000,000 CFA ($3,355). "There are fattened calves hidden behind this education system to exploit children through begging, which is an easy and profitable business," Niokhobaye Diouf, national director of child protection services. Parents of street children should be assessed to see if they could benefit from state welfare and health programmes to deter them from relying on their children's labour, he said. Talibes are told to beg for food and money and not to return to their "daara" - Islamic school, until they have collected enough. Even late at night in Dakar children only visibly out of kindergarten can be seen shaking empty tins of food, trying to get enough to be allowed to finish up for the day. Dealing with the systematic slavery of children in Senegal in this way has been attempted and then abandoned by the state several times before. Until now, the power of tradition means few have been willing to challenge the marabouts, given their status and the respect they are afforded as Islamic scholars. Muslim elder Sidy Lamine Niasse told journalists the government "doggedly pursued daaras" to "stigmatise and demonise" them. But the schools have a long history of abuse: in February, the Senegalese authorities found 20 boys aged between six and 14 kept in chains by their marabout, resulting in a rare prosecution. Mustapha Lo, president of the national federation of Koranic schools, said the street sweep was taken without consulting Muslim educators and downplayed the concerns relayed by children's charities. "The majority of us manage our Koranic schools without making the children beg on the streets. Some Koranic teachers do that because they lack any other financial means," Lo said. Countering their arguments, Diouf said the government hopes to reform the daaras curriculum while giving them a better level of financial support. More than their education is at stake: the authorities want to avoid children falling prey to jihadist recruiters in the region, who are luring young men away with promises of riches and glory. (AFP)

Senegal rescues 270 child beggars from the streets

Boys are slightly more likely to be sexually abused than girls in South&nbsp;Africa, where a third of all children have experienced some form of sexual abuse in their lifetime, according to the first-ever national study of child maltreatment.

Nearly 37 percent of boys and 34 percent of girls have been sexually abused by the age of 17, either physically or in non-physical ways - such as being forced to watch sexual acts, look at genitalia or explicit material.

Girls were more likely to have been sexually abused physically and boys more likely to have experienced non-contact sexual abuse, researchers said in the study published on Tuesday.

&quot;Even though the forms the abuse takes may differ it can nonetheless be equally harmful to the victim and should be treated just as seriously,&quot; Ian Welle-Skitt, spokesman for UBS Optimus Foundation which commissioned the research.

&quot;This study puts South&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;in line with the rest of the world, and challenges the myth that South&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;is a more violent society than others,&quot; Welle-Skitt&nbsp;told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

A similar study carried out in Switzerland by UBS Optimus Foundation found that abuse between peers and cyber-abuse was higher there than in South&nbsp;Africa.

There were more than 350,000 cases of sexual abuse among children in South&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;last year, according to researchers from the University of Cape Town, and the Cape Town-based Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, who carried out the study.

Only 31 percent of girls and no boys reported sexual abuse to the police. Young males were especially reluctant to report any form of abuse, the researchers found.

&quot;The sexual abuse and maltreatment of children is preventable, but until now, a lack of data has hindered the development of systems needed to protect and support children,&quot; researchers&nbsp;said.

The study found that when parents knew who their children spent time with and where, they were less likely to become victims of sexual abuse.&nbsp;A&nbsp;supportive relationship between parents and their daughters also significantly lowered the risk for girls.

The researchers&nbsp;recommended that teachers be trained in school safety and that children have classes on sex, gender and violence.&nbsp;They also found substance abuse played an important role.

&quot;Since parental substance misuse is associated with sexual abuse of children, one key preventive strategy is to make substance abuse treatment programmes far more widely available and accessible than they are at present,&quot; the researchers said.

A third of all children in the country have experienced some form of sexual abuse in their lifetime

Boys are slightly more likely to be sexually abused than girls in South Africa, where a third of all children have experienced some form of sexual abuse in their lifetime, according to the first-ever national study of child maltreatment. Nearly 37 percent of boys and 34 percent of girls have been sexually abused by the age of 17, either physically or in non-physical ways - such as being forced to watch sexual acts, look at genitalia or explicit material. Girls were more likely to have been sexually abused physically and boys more likely to have experienced non-contact sexual abuse, researchers said in the study published on Tuesday. "Even though the forms the abuse takes may differ it can nonetheless be equally harmful to the victim and should be treated just as seriously," Ian Welle-Skitt, spokesman for UBS Optimus Foundation which commissioned the research. "This study puts South Africa in line with the rest of the world, and challenges the myth that South Africa is a more violent society than others," Welle-Skitt told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. A similar study carried out in Switzerland by UBS Optimus Foundation found that abuse between peers and cyber-abuse was higher there than in South Africa. There were more than 350,000 cases of sexual abuse among children in South Africa last year, according to researchers from the University of Cape Town, and the Cape Town-based Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, who carried out the study. Only 31 percent of girls and no boys reported sexual abuse to the police. Young males were especially reluctant to report any form of abuse, the researchers found. "The sexual abuse and maltreatment of children is preventable, but until now, a lack of data has hindered the development of systems needed to protect and support children," researchers said. The study found that when parents knew who their children spent time with and where, they were less likely to become victims of sexual abuse. A supportive relationship between parents and their daughters also significantly lowered the risk for girls. The researchers recommended that teachers be trained in school safety and that children have classes on sex, gender and violence. They also found substance abuse played an important role. "Since parental substance misuse is associated with sexual abuse of children, one key preventive strategy is to make substance abuse treatment programmes far more widely available and accessible than they are at present," the researchers said.

In South Africa, boys more likely to be sexually abused than girls: researchers

Actor Mark Salling, who had a supporting role as a high school athlete-turned-singer in the TV series &quot;Glee,&quot; was indicted on Friday on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography, officials said.

The 33-year-old Salling agreed to turn himself in on June 3 to face the charges filed in federal court in Los Angeles, the U.S. Attorney&#39;s Office for the region said in a statement.

Representatives for Salling, a Los Angeles resident, and his attorney, did not immediately return calls.

The federal charges against the Texas-born Salling for receipt and possession of child pornography stem from his arrest by Los Angeles police and federal agents on Dec. 29, 2015. He was released on bail of $20,000 and was initially expected to be charged in Los Angeles County court.

But after investigators realized the &quot;scope of the collection&quot; of child porn they had uncovered, the case was handed over to federal prosecutors, the U.S. Attorney&#39;s Office said.

&quot;The traditional stereotype about the kinds of people who commit child sexual exploitation crimes simply doesn&#39;t dovetail with reality,&quot; Joseph Macias, a special agent in charge for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement on the filing of the charges.

Macias added that child pornography suspects can be of &quot;all ages and from all walks of life.&quot;

Salling&#39;s arrest came after investigators received a tip that he was in possession of child porn, Los Angeles police said in a statement at the time.

A laptop, a hard drive and a mobile flash drive from Salling&#39;s home contained thousands of images and videos of child pornography, and investigators continue to review the material, federal prosecutors said.

In the meantime, the charges against the actor center on a still image and three videos of child pornography depicting young girls, the statement said. The two charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

Salling on the Fox television show &quot;Glee,&quot; which ran from 2009 to 2015, played Puck, a bully and a football player who shows a softer side when he joins the glee club at his high school.

Before that show, Salling had a number of smaller roles, including a part in 1996 horror film &quot;Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering.&quot;

Actor Mark Salling, who had a supporting role as a high school athlete-turned-singer in the TV series "Glee," was indicted on Friday on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography, officials said. The 33-year-old Salling agreed to turn himself in on June 3 to face the charges filed in federal court in Los Angeles, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the region said in a statement.

Actor Mark Salling, who had a supporting role as a high school athlete-turned-singer in the TV series "Glee," was indicted on Friday on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography, officials said. The 33-year-old Salling agreed to turn himself in on June 3 to face the charges filed in federal court in Los Angeles, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the region said in a statement. Representatives for Salling, a Los Angeles resident, and his attorney, did not immediately return calls. The federal charges against the Texas-born Salling for receipt and possession of child pornography stem from his arrest by Los Angeles police and federal agents on Dec. 29, 2015. He was released on bail of $20,000 and was initially expected to be charged in Los Angeles County court. But after investigators realized the "scope of the collection" of child porn they had uncovered, the case was handed over to federal prosecutors, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. "The traditional stereotype about the kinds of people who commit child sexual exploitation crimes simply doesn't dovetail with reality," Joseph Macias, a special agent in charge for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement on the filing of the charges. Macias added that child pornography suspects can be of "all ages and from all walks of life." Salling's arrest came after investigators received a tip that he was in possession of child porn, Los Angeles police said in a statement at the time. A laptop, a hard drive and a mobile flash drive from Salling's home contained thousands of images and videos of child pornography, and investigators continue to review the material, federal prosecutors said. In the meantime, the charges against the actor center on a still image and three videos of child pornography depicting young girls, the statement said. The two charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Salling on the Fox television show "Glee," which ran from 2009 to 2015, played Puck, a bully and a football player who shows a softer side when he joins the glee club at his high school. Before that show, Salling had a number of smaller roles, including a part in 1996 horror film "Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering."

'Glee' star Mark Salling indicted on federal child porn charges

Actor Mark Salling, who had a supporting role as a high school athlete-turned-singer in the TV series &quot;Glee,&quot; was indicted on Friday on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography, officials said.

The 33-year-old Salling agreed to turn himself in on June 3 to face the charges filed in federal court in Los Angeles, the U.S. Attorney&#39;s Office for the region said in a statement.

Representatives for Salling, a Los Angeles resident, and his attorney, did not immediately return calls.

The federal charges against the Texas-born Salling for receipt and possession of child pornography stem from his arrest by Los Angeles police and federal agents on Dec. 29, 2015. He was released on bail of $20,000 and was initially expected to be charged in Los Angeles County court.

But after investigators realized the &quot;scope of the collection&quot; of child porn they had uncovered, the case was handed over to federal prosecutors, the U.S. Attorney&#39;s Office said.

&quot;The traditional stereotype about the kinds of people who commit child sexual exploitation crimes simply doesn&#39;t dovetail with reality,&quot; Joseph Macias, a special agent in charge for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement on the filing of the charges.

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<h5>In the meantime, the charges against the actor center on a still image and three videos of child pornography depicting young girls, the statement said. The two charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.</h5>
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Macias added that child pornography suspects can be of &quot;all ages and from all walks of life.&quot;

Salling&#39;s arrest came after investigators received a tip that he was in possession of child porn, Los Angeles police said in a statement at the time.

A laptop, a hard drive and a mobile flash drive from Salling&#39;s home contained thousands of images and videos of child pornography, and investigators continue to review the material, federal prosecutors said.

In the meantime, the charges against the actor center on a still image and three videos of child pornography depicting young girls, the statement said. The two charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. 
 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Mark Salling, best known for his role in the musical comedy series Glee, was indicted on child pornography charges <a href="https://t.co/cy6IUFUkQy">https://t.co/cy6IUFUkQy</a>
&mdash; Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/rapplerdotcom/status/736397144672854016">May 28, 2016</a></blockquote>

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Salling on the Fox television show &quot;Glee,&quot; which ran from 2009 to 2015, played Puck, a bully and a football player who shows a softer side when he joins the glee club at his high school.

Before that show, Salling had a number of smaller roles, including a part in 1996 horror film &quot;Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering.&quot;

A laptop, a hard drive and a mobile flash drive from actor's home contained thousands of images and videos of child pornography

Actor Mark Salling, who had a supporting role as a high school athlete-turned-singer in the TV series "Glee," was indicted on Friday on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography, officials said. The 33-year-old Salling agreed to turn himself in on June 3 to face the charges filed in federal court in Los Angeles, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the region said in a statement. Representatives for Salling, a Los Angeles resident, and his attorney, did not immediately return calls. The federal charges against the Texas-born Salling for receipt and possession of child pornography stem from his arrest by Los Angeles police and federal agents on Dec. 29, 2015. He was released on bail of $20,000 and was initially expected to be charged in Los Angeles County court. But after investigators realized the "scope of the collection" of child porn they had uncovered, the case was handed over to federal prosecutors, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. "The traditional stereotype about the kinds of people who commit child sexual exploitation crimes simply doesn't dovetail with reality," Joseph Macias, a special agent in charge for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement on the filing of the charges. In the meantime, the charges against the actor center on a still image and three videos of child pornography depicting young girls, the statement said. The two charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Macias added that child pornography suspects can be of "all ages and from all walks of life." Salling's arrest came after investigators received a tip that he was in possession of child porn, Los Angeles police said in a statement at the time. A laptop, a hard drive and a mobile flash drive from Salling's home contained thousands of images and videos of child pornography, and investigators continue to review the material, federal prosecutors said. In the meantime, the charges against the actor center on a still image and three videos of child pornography depicting young girls, the statement said. The two charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Mark Salling, best known for his role in the musical comedy series Glee, was indicted on child pornography charges https://t.co/cy6IUFUkQy — Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) May 28, 2016 Salling on the Fox television show "Glee," which ran from 2009 to 2015, played Puck, a bully and a football player who shows a softer side when he joins the glee club at his high school. Before that show, Salling had a number of smaller roles, including a part in 1996 horror film "Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering."

`Glee` actor Mark Salling indicted for child porn

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