Climate Change and global warming are daunting realities we all face. Even if you are someone who doesn't really believe in these, the reality is hard to deny. Draughts, floods, wildfires, and heatwaves are all proof it is happening. So what can we do to delay the inevitable?

Is being child-free how you save the planet?

On Thursday, a Nigerian politician and his wife were charged in London for plotting to have a 15-year-old boy brought into the United Kingdom to harvest his organs, The Guardian reported.&nbsp;

According to the police, 60-year-old Ike Ekweremadu along with his wife, Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55 were both brought into Uxbridge magistrates court in west London on Thursday after being charged with conspiracy to arrange the travel of another person with a view to harvest organs.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/17-year-old-mother-arrested-for-throwing-one-day-old-baby-out-of-fifth-floor-window-487085">17-year-old mother arrested for throwing one-day-old baby out of fifth floor window</a>

The couple will be kept in custody until their next court appearance on 7 July.&nbsp;

Ike Ekweremadu is the former deputy senate president and is currently the opposition senator in the southern state of Enugu.&nbsp;

Following reports made of possible offences which come under the modern slavery legislation, the police were alerted regarding the couple's alleged plan.&nbsp;

The couple was arrested at Heathrow airport before they flew to Turkey on Tuesday and they have denied all allegations against them.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Brazil: Progress in Amazon missing case, second suspect arrested by police

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/brazil-progress-in-amazon-missing-case-second-suspect-arrested-by-police-488513/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The child that was involved has been taken to safety and work is underway to provide the child with additional support.

"It is a conspiracy in relation to human trafficking offences for the purposes of organ harvesting," The Guardian quoted prosecutor, Damla Ayas.

According to the prosecution, the attorney general’s consent was needed for the case proceedings to begin due to some jurisdictional issues.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/this-saudi-prisoner-was-arrested-at-13-and-faced-execution-he-is-now-freed-491645">This Saudi prisoner was arrested at 13 and faced execution. He is now freed</a>

Prosecutor Ayas also added, "They were interviewed at the police station. Both of the defendants have provided a prepared statement. Mr. Ekweremadu in his prepared statement denied allegations of human trafficking. He said at no stage has he arranged transport for anyone with the intention to exploit them."

The chief executive of the London-based charity Africans Unite Against Child Abuse (Afruca), Debbie Ariyo told The Guardian, "Organ harvesting is a massive problem in Nigeria itself. This is the first prosecution in the UK that I’m aware of."

(with inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

On Thursday, a Nigerian politician and his wife were charged in London for plotting to have a 15-year-old boy brought into the United Kingdom to harvest his organs, The Guardian reported.

On Thursday, a Nigerian politician and his wife were charged in London for plotting to have a 15-year-old boy brought into the United Kingdom to harvest his organs, The Guardian reported. According to the police, 60-year-old Ike Ekweremadu along with his wife, Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55 were both brought into Uxbridge magistrates court in west London on Thursday after being charged with conspiracy to arrange the travel of another person with a view to harvest organs. Also read | 17-year-old mother arrested for throwing one-day-old baby out of fifth floor window The couple will be kept in custody until their next court appearance on 7 July. Ike Ekweremadu is the former deputy senate president and is currently the opposition senator in the southern state of Enugu. Following reports made of possible offences which come under the modern slavery legislation, the police were alerted regarding the couple's alleged plan. The couple was arrested at Heathrow airport before they flew to Turkey on Tuesday and they have denied all allegations against them. Watch | Brazil: Progress in Amazon missing case, second suspect arrested by police The child that was involved has been taken to safety and work is underway to provide the child with additional support. "It is a conspiracy in relation to human trafficking offences for the purposes of organ harvesting," The Guardian quoted prosecutor, Damla Ayas. According to the prosecution, the attorney general’s consent was needed for the case proceedings to begin due to some jurisdictional issues. Also read | This Saudi prisoner was arrested at 13 and faced execution. He is now freed Prosecutor Ayas also added, "They were interviewed at the police station. Both of the defendants have provided a prepared statement. Mr. Ekweremadu in his prepared statement denied allegations of human trafficking. He said at no stage has he arranged transport for anyone with the intention to exploit them." The chief executive of the London-based charity Africans Unite Against Child Abuse (Afruca), Debbie Ariyo told The Guardian, "Organ harvesting is a massive problem in Nigeria itself. This is the first prosecution in the UK that I’m aware of." (with inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Nigerian couple charged with plotting to get child to UK to harvest organs

An 11-year-old child, who was rescued on falling into a borewell after over 100 hours, has garnered praise from the chief minister of Chhattisgarh state in India. The child, Rahul Sahu, had got stuck in the borewell with a snake and a frog, media reports said citing chief minister Bhupesh Baghel. Several people heaved a sigh of relief after the rescue. The child had fallen into the borewell on Friday. Since then, Baghel had been tracking updates. He praised the boy on Tuesday night and said in Hindi, "Humara baccha Bahadur hai (Our boy is brave). A snake and a frog were his companions for 104 hours. Today, the whole of Chhattisgarh is celebrating... we all wish for his return from hospital soon. Congratulations and thanks again to all the team involved in this operation." &nbsp;&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
हमारा बच्चा बहुत बहादुर है। 
 
उसके साथ गढ्ढे में 104 घंटे तक एक सांप और मेढक उसके साथी थे। 
 
आज पूरा छत्तीसगढ़ उत्सव मना रहा है, जल्द अस्पताल से पूरी तरह ठीक होकर लौटे, हम सब कामना करते हैं। 
 
इस ऑपरेशन में शामिल सभी टीम को पुनः बधाई एवं धन्यवाद। <a href="https://t.co/JejmhL7PBj">pic.twitter.com/JejmhL7PBj</a>
— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) <a href="https://twitter.com/bhupeshbaghel/status/1536787438688825344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
माना कि चुनौती बड़ी थी 
हमारी टीम भी कहाँ शांत खड़ी थी 
 
रास्ते अगर चट्टानी थे 
तो इरादे हमारे फौलादी थे 
 
सभी की दुआओं और रेस्क्यू टीम के अथक, समर्पित प्रयासों से राहुल साहू को सकुशल बाहर निकाल लिया गया है। 
 
वह जल्द से जल्द पूर्ण रूप से स्वस्थ हो, ऐसी हमारी कामना है। <a href="https://t.co/auL9ZMoBP7">pic.twitter.com/auL9ZMoBP7</a>
— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) <a href="https://twitter.com/bhupeshbaghel/status/1536777266197168128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

A video where he was briefed with the details of the updates was also posted by Baghel on Twitter. When the boy was brought out, the CM, in another post, said, "Understandably, the challenge was huge. But our team stands calm in the face of adversity. If the path is tricky, our will is strong. With blessings and dedicated efforts of the rescue team, Rahul Sahu has been brought out. We hope and pray he gets better soon." &nbsp;

Watch WION's live TV here:

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1%3C/div"></iframe>

In the rescue operation, around 500 personnel, including the army, the local police and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), were involved. On Friday evening, a 70-feet-deep pit was dug up reportedly parallel to the borewell. &nbsp;A 15-feet tunnel was also made to connect the two. For the operation, robot operator Mahesh Ahir was also called from Amreli in Gujarat. After the rescue, the boy was sent to hospital. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

An 11-year-old child, who was rescued on falling into a borewell after over 100 hours, has garnered praise from the chief minister of Chhattisgarh state in India.

An 11-year-old child, who was rescued on falling into a borewell after over 100 hours, has garnered praise from the chief minister of Chhattisgarh state in India. The child, Rahul Sahu, had got stuck in the borewell with a snake and a frog, media reports said citing chief minister Bhupesh Baghel. Several people heaved a sigh of relief after the rescue. The child had fallen into the borewell on Friday. Since then, Baghel had been tracking updates. He praised the boy on Tuesday night and said in Hindi, "Humara baccha Bahadur hai (Our boy is brave). A snake and a frog were his companions for 104 hours. Today, the whole of Chhattisgarh is celebrating... we all wish for his return from hospital soon. Congratulations and thanks again to all the team involved in this operation." हमारा बच्चा बहुत बहादुर है। उसके साथ गढ्ढे में 104 घंटे तक एक सांप और मेढक उसके साथी थे। आज पूरा छत्तीसगढ़ उत्सव मना रहा है, जल्द अस्पताल से पूरी तरह ठीक होकर लौटे, हम सब कामना करते हैं। इस ऑपरेशन में शामिल सभी टीम को पुनः बधाई एवं धन्यवाद। pic.twitter.com/JejmhL7PBj — Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) June 14, 2022 × माना कि चुनौती बड़ी थी हमारी टीम भी कहाँ शांत खड़ी थी रास्ते अगर चट्टानी थे तो इरादे हमारे फौलादी थे सभी की दुआओं और रेस्क्यू टीम के अथक, समर्पित प्रयासों से राहुल साहू को सकुशल बाहर निकाल लिया गया है। वह जल्द से जल्द पूर्ण रूप से स्वस्थ हो, ऐसी हमारी कामना है। pic.twitter.com/auL9ZMoBP7 — Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) June 14, 2022 × A video where he was briefed with the details of the updates was also posted by Baghel on Twitter. When the boy was brought out, the CM, in another post, said, "Understandably, the challenge was huge. But our team stands calm in the face of adversity. If the path is tricky, our will is strong. With blessings and dedicated efforts of the rescue team, Rahul Sahu has been brought out. We hope and pray he gets better soon." Watch WION's live TV here: In the rescue operation, around 500 personnel, including the army, the local police and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), were involved. On Friday evening, a 70-feet-deep pit was dug up reportedly parallel to the borewell. A 15-feet tunnel was also made to connect the two. For the operation, robot operator Mahesh Ahir was also called from Amreli in Gujarat. After the rescue, the boy was sent to hospital. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

11-year-old child gets rescued after spending over 100 hours in borewell with snake in India, say reports

In a rare medical anomaly, a foetus has been found inside the stomach of a 40-day-old child&nbsp;in Motihari in Indian state of Bihar, media reports said. The baby was recently brought to the Rahmania Medical Center in Motihari for treatment as the child was not able to urinate properly. The child seems to have an inflation near stomach, the doctor was told by the family.&nbsp;The doctor, Dr Tabrez Aziz of Rahmania Medical Center, asked for a CT scan of the patient to examine the cause of bloating near the stomach. When the result came in, the doctor was shocked to find the unusual medical anomaly where a foetus was getting developed inside his stomach. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/believe-it-or-not-male-mice-hate-bananas-find-out-why-483365" hreflang="en">Believe it or not: Male mice hate bananas. Find out why</a>

"A rare medical anomaly has come to light where a foetus was seen developing inside the stomach of a 40-day-old infant. It is called ‘Foetus in Foetu’. The infant has undergone surgery and his condition is stable," Dr Aziz told ANI, while talking about this rare phenomenon. The child has also been discharged from the hospital.&nbsp;

In medical language, 'Foetus in Foetu' means the presence of a foetus in the stomach of a child. It is highly rare and happens only in one out of 500,000 patients. &nbsp; &nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

In a rare medical anomaly, a foetus has been found inside the stomach of a 40-day-old child in Motihari in Indian state of Bihar, media reports said. The baby was recently brought to the Rahmania Medical Center in Motihari for treatment as the child was not able to urinate properly.

In a rare medical anomaly, a foetus has been found inside the stomach of a 40-day-old child in Motihari in Indian state of Bihar, media reports said. The baby was recently brought to the Rahmania Medical Center in Motihari for treatment as the child was not able to urinate properly. The child seems to have an inflation near stomach, the doctor was told by the family. The doctor, Dr Tabrez Aziz of Rahmania Medical Center, asked for a CT scan of the patient to examine the cause of bloating near the stomach. When the result came in, the doctor was shocked to find the unusual medical anomaly where a foetus was getting developed inside his stomach. Also Read | Believe it or not: Male mice hate bananas. Find out why "A rare medical anomaly has come to light where a foetus was seen developing inside the stomach of a 40-day-old infant. It is called ‘Foetus in Foetu’. The infant has undergone surgery and his condition is stable," Dr Aziz told ANI, while talking about this rare phenomenon. The child has also been discharged from the hospital. In medical language, 'Foetus in Foetu' means the presence of a foetus in the stomach of a child. It is highly rare and happens only in one out of 500,000 patients. WATCH WION LIVE HERE (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

40-day-old child develops 'Foetus in Foetu' in India. Find out what it is  

Are you familiar with the movie Home Alone?

In the film, a child is left alone at home for a few days without any adult supervision. But what if it was more...say 66 days?

Doesn't it seem impossible? A child left alone for over two months. How would he or she manage?&nbsp;Children can be incredibly resilient, as a thirteen-year-old Chinese boy has demonstrated.

Watch |&nbsp;Covid Update: China's capital Beijing witnesses surge in covid cases

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/covid-update-chinas-capital-beijing-witnesses-surge-in-covid-cases-477442/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

When his parents were stranded in another city owing to a coronavirus lockdown, the teenager in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, China, was forced to fend for himself for 66 days.

According to the South China Morning Post, the boy's parents travelled to Shanghai on February 28 for medical treatment. They were stuck there when a lockdown was declared, preventing them from seeing their child until the end of April.

What's even more remarkable about this story is that the youngster not only endured by himself, but also cared for two pets, a dog and a cat, while simultaneously attending online classes.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-city-of-zhoushan-experiences-blood-red-sky-due-to-light-refraction-watch-477594" hreflang="en">Chinese city of Zhoushan experiences blood red sky due to light refraction - WATCH</a>

Recalling the whole incident, the boy's mother told the press that even when she was concerned about the child's safety, he would reassure her.&nbsp;

She had planned food deliveries in March to help her son get through the ordeal, but these were halted after Kunshan was placed under lockdown. The youngster then learned to cook over the phone from his mother.

When they were able to return in April, the anxious mother discovered that her child and two pets had actually grown fatter during their separation.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-vignettes-chinas-dynamic-zero-covid-policy-do-not-distort-doubt-or-deny-it-warns-xi-477552" hreflang="en">Chinese vignettes | China’s ‘dynamic zero-COVID policy’: Do not&nbsp;distort, doubt, or deny it, warns Xi</a>

However, while the animals and youngster had grown fatter, the status of the house was a different story.&nbsp;"There was no place for us to even put our foot down," the mother stated, describing the situation as "messy."

However, the grateful mother had few complaints; she was simply grateful for her son's bravery and optimism.

An estimated 340 million individuals in at least 46 cities across China are still under lockdown.&nbsp;China recorded over 45,000 new cases and over 150 deaths this week.&nbsp;According to Bloomberg, Shanghai authorities have stated that the lockdown will be removed only after community transmission hits zero.

Watch WION LIVE HERE:

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

(With inputs from agencies)

Are you familiar with the movie Home Alone? In the film, a child is left alone at home for a few days without any adult supervision. But what if it was more...say 66 days?

Are you familiar with the movie Home Alone? In the film, a child is left alone at home for a few days without any adult supervision. But what if it was more...say 66 days? Doesn't it seem impossible? A child left alone for over two months. How would he or she manage? Children can be incredibly resilient, as a thirteen-year-old Chinese boy has demonstrated. Watch | Covid Update: China's capital Beijing witnesses surge in covid cases When his parents were stranded in another city owing to a coronavirus lockdown, the teenager in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, China, was forced to fend for himself for 66 days. According to the South China Morning Post, the boy's parents travelled to Shanghai on February 28 for medical treatment. They were stuck there when a lockdown was declared, preventing them from seeing their child until the end of April. What's even more remarkable about this story is that the youngster not only endured by himself, but also cared for two pets, a dog and a cat, while simultaneously attending online classes. Also read | Chinese city of Zhoushan experiences blood red sky due to light refraction - WATCH Recalling the whole incident, the boy's mother told the press that even when she was concerned about the child's safety, he would reassure her. She had planned food deliveries in March to help her son get through the ordeal, but these were halted after Kunshan was placed under lockdown. The youngster then learned to cook over the phone from his mother. When they were able to return in April, the anxious mother discovered that her child and two pets had actually grown fatter during their separation. Also read | Chinese vignettes | China’s ‘dynamic zero-COVID policy’: Do not distort, doubt, or deny it, warns Xi However, while the animals and youngster had grown fatter, the status of the house was a different story. "There was no place for us to even put our foot down," the mother stated, describing the situation as "messy." However, the grateful mother had few complaints; she was simply grateful for her son's bravery and optimism. An estimated 340 million individuals in at least 46 cities across China are still under lockdown. China recorded over 45,000 new cases and over 150 deaths this week. According to Bloomberg, Shanghai authorities have stated that the lockdown will be removed only after community transmission hits zero. Watch WION LIVE HERE: (With inputs from agencies)

Child in China survives 66 days 'home alone' amid strict coronavirus lockdowns

Jorge Alejo, a child with cerebral palsy, who earlier used to be confined to a wheelchair, has been able to play with his friends nowadays, courtesy of a state-of-the-art exoskeleton. &nbsp;

On Tuesday, Jorge was surrounded by friends, teachers and Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez as he fulfilled the ambition of standing up and playing with classmates. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/robot-cum-artist-ai-da-uses-ai-algorithms-to-create-drawings-self-portraits-468877" hreflang="en">Robot-cum-artist Ai-Da uses AI algorithms to create drawings, self-portraits</a>

The exoskeleton seems to have changed his life over the past two years. It could also offer the same freedom to people facing the same issues. &nbsp;

Eva Muñoz-Torrero, Jorge’s mother, has told the Guardian that she can never forget the first time he had adorned the exoskeleton. “He said, ‘You can keep the wheelchair. I’m having this now and I’m taking it home’,” she added. &nbsp;

Since then, he has been begging to take the equipment out of the therapy room in his school where he used to visit&nbsp;twice a week. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/study-eating-more-avocados-improves-heart-health-468873" hreflang="en">Study: Eating more Avocados improves heart health</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/study-eating-more-avocados-improves-heart-health-468873/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Finally, Jorge could fulfill his wish on his 12th birthday. &nbsp;

Marsi Bionics has designed the exoskeleton. It describes the kit as “the only paediatric exoskeleton in the world that allows the child to move around freely”. The company has also said that it is unique because of the elastic technology, which adapts to the user’s body. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Jorge Alejo, a child with cerebral palsy, who earlier used to be confined to a wheelchair, has been able to play with his friends nowadays, courtesy of a state-of-the-art exoskeleton.

Jorge Alejo, a child with cerebral palsy, who earlier used to be confined to a wheelchair, has been able to play with his friends nowadays, courtesy of a state-of-the-art exoskeleton. On Tuesday, Jorge was surrounded by friends, teachers and Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez as he fulfilled the ambition of standing up and playing with classmates. Also Read: Robot-cum-artist Ai-Da uses AI algorithms to create drawings, self-portraits The exoskeleton seems to have changed his life over the past two years. It could also offer the same freedom to people facing the same issues. Eva Muñoz-Torrero, Jorge’s mother, has told the Guardian that she can never forget the first time he had adorned the exoskeleton. “He said, ‘You can keep the wheelchair. I’m having this now and I’m taking it home’,” she added. Since then, he has been begging to take the equipment out of the therapy room in his school where he used to visit twice a week. Watch | Study: Eating more Avocados improves heart health × Finally, Jorge could fulfill his wish on his 12th birthday. Marsi Bionics has designed the exoskeleton. It describes the kit as “the only paediatric exoskeleton in the world that allows the child to move around freely”. The company has also said that it is unique because of the elastic technology, which adapts to the user’s body. (With inputs from agencies)

Exoskeleton helps 12-year-old child with cerebral palsy to stand, walk, play in Spain

Pics: Rescue workers in Morocco move closer to save child trapped in well

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;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-apps-suddenly-want-to-protect-kids-437369" hreflang="en">Why apps suddenly want to protect kids</a>

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;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/portugal-france-begin-vaccinating-younger-children-437896" hreflang="en">Portugal, France begin vaccinating younger children</a>

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.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-unearth-secret-of-no-star-formation-in-some-early-galaxies-419676">Also read |&nbsp;Astronomers unearth secret of no star formation in some early galaxies</a>

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;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nyc-security-guard-stabbed-over-mask-dispute-at-apple-store-419632">Also read |&nbsp;NYC: Security guard stabbed over mask dispute at Apple store</a>

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".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-forms-new-expert-group-to-continue-research-into-origins-of-covid-in-wuhan-405076">Also read |&nbsp;WHO forms new expert group to continue research into origins of Covid in Wuhan</a>

"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.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/why-are-climate-mysteries-puzzling-worlds-leading-scientists-400037">Why are climate 'mysteries' puzzling world's leading scientists?</a>

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 |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-real-life-jerry-mouse-interrupts-spanish-parliament-session-399804">Watch: Real life Jerry mouse interrupts Spanish parliament session</a>

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.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beyond-cisgender-argentina-introduces-latin-americas-first-non-binary-id-options-399794">Beyond cisgender: Argentina introduces Latin America's first non-binary ID options</a>

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

child

Child, News on Child, stories on Child, articles on Child, Child stories at Wion, Child news, Child latest news