A landmine explosion killed seven children and wounded two others in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, officials said, as war ordnance again claimed civilian lives.

The blast occurred in Ghazni province, south of the capital Kabul when the children stepped on a landmine while playing near the main road, provincial spokesman Aref Noori told AFP.

"The mine was planted by the Taliban on the main road to inflict casualties on security forces," he said.

The Taliban did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The insurgents often use roadside bombs and landmines to target <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/10-civilians-rescued-from-taliban-prison-in-afghanistan-217803">Afghan security forces</a>, but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians.

Amanullah Kamrani, a member of Ghazni provincial council, said the children were aged between seven and nine and at least four of them belonged to one family.&nbsp;

Years of conflict have left Afghanistan strewn with landmines, unexploded mortars, rockets and homemade bombs -- and many are picked up by curious children.

Last month, seven children were killed and 10 more wounded in the eastern province of Laghman when a mortar shell exploded while they were playing with it.&nbsp;

According to the United Nations, 3,804 civilians -- including more than 900 children-- were killed in Afghanistan in 2018, with another 7,000 wounded. It was the deadliest year to date for civilians in Afghanistan's conflict.

A landmine explosion killed seven children and wounded two others in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, officials said, as war ordnance again claimed civilian lives.

A landmine explosion killed seven children and wounded two others in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, officials said, as war ordnance again claimed civilian lives. The blast occurred in Ghazni province, south of the capital Kabul when the children stepped on a landmine while playing near the main road, provincial spokesman Aref Noori told AFP. "The mine was planted by the Taliban on the main road to inflict casualties on security forces," he said. The Taliban did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The insurgents often use roadside bombs and landmines to target Afghan security forces, but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians. Amanullah Kamrani, a member of Ghazni provincial council, said the children were aged between seven and nine and at least four of them belonged to one family. Years of conflict have left Afghanistan strewn with landmines, unexploded mortars, rockets and homemade bombs -- and many are picked up by curious children. Last month, seven children were killed and 10 more wounded in the eastern province of Laghman when a mortar shell exploded while they were playing with it. According to the United Nations, 3,804 civilians -- including more than 900 children-- were killed in Afghanistan in 2018, with another 7,000 wounded. It was the deadliest year to date for civilians in Afghanistan's conflict.

Landmine explosion kills seven children in Afghanistan

A 24-year-old Indian man has been charged with kidnapping, assault and theft after he drove off in an elderly woman's car from outside a medical centre in the US with her grandchildren inside the vehicle.

Dalvir Singh, a heroin addict, was taken into custody and charged with two counts of kidnapping, felonious assault for dragging Nita Coburn, 69 and grand theft, Middletown Division of Police said in a statement.

Coburn was injured when as she tried to stop Singh as the kids jumped out of the car.

The police is also hailing Coburn's 8-year old grandson Chance as a hero for saving his 10-year old sister's life by pulling her out of the car as Singh took off in it.

The Middletown Police said that on the evening of April 25, it received a call that a car with children inside had been stolen at a medical centre in Middletown, Ohio and that an elderly lady was injured.&nbsp;

Coburn had taken another woman to the hospital and her two grandchildren were with her in the back seat. When they got to the emergency room, she pulled up close to the door and was helping the other woman into the emergency room.

About 10 seconds after she got out of the car, Singh jumped into the driver's seat and took off with the children still in the back.&nbsp;

The little boy opened the door to escape and his sister Skylar started to jump out also but Singh grabbed the hoodie of the little girl not allowing her to leave. As she tried to get away, Chance grabbed hold of her and pulled her away from Singh and they both tumbled out of the vehicle as it was moving.

Police said Coburn did not realise that the children were able to escape because they flew out of the passenger side and by that time she was chasing the car on the driver's side.&nbsp;

She opened the driver's door to regain control of the vehicle she thought her grandchildren were in, but Singh slammed the door shut again and locked the door.&nbsp;

She hung onto the vehicle panicking because she thought the children were still inside. The vehicle dragged her until it accelerated at a high rate of speed and she was forced to let go.

Two police officers observed the stolen vehicle fleeing the scene and chased Singh, who was then taken into custody and charged.

Middletown Police Chief Rodney Muterspaw lauded the heroic attempt by Chance to save himself and his sister from the kidnapping attempt.

"This little guy is a hero. No question. He pulled his sister out of the car&nbsp;with no concern for his own safety. That is incredible at his age," he said.

The Middletown Division of Police said it will be recognising the little boy's quick action to not only get out of the vehicle but also making sure that his sister got out with him.&nbsp;

A 24-year-old Indian man has been charged with kidnapping, assault and theft after he drove off in an elderly woman's car from outside a medical centre in the US with her grandchildren inside the vehicle.

A 24-year-old Indian man has been charged with kidnapping, assault and theft after he drove off in an elderly woman's car from outside a medical centre in the US with her grandchildren inside the vehicle. Dalvir Singh, a heroin addict, was taken into custody and charged with two counts of kidnapping, felonious assault for dragging Nita Coburn, 69 and grand theft, Middletown Division of Police said in a statement. Coburn was injured when as she tried to stop Singh as the kids jumped out of the car. The police is also hailing Coburn's 8-year old grandson Chance as a hero for saving his 10-year old sister's life by pulling her out of the car as Singh took off in it. The Middletown Police said that on the evening of April 25, it received a call that a car with children inside had been stolen at a medical centre in Middletown, Ohio and that an elderly lady was injured. Coburn had taken another woman to the hospital and her two grandchildren were with her in the back seat. When they got to the emergency room, she pulled up close to the door and was helping the other woman into the emergency room. About 10 seconds after she got out of the car, Singh jumped into the driver's seat and took off with the children still in the back. The little boy opened the door to escape and his sister Skylar started to jump out also but Singh grabbed the hoodie of the little girl not allowing her to leave. As she tried to get away, Chance grabbed hold of her and pulled her away from Singh and they both tumbled out of the vehicle as it was moving. Police said Coburn did not realise that the children were able to escape because they flew out of the passenger side and by that time she was chasing the car on the driver's side. She opened the driver's door to regain control of the vehicle she thought her grandchildren were in, but Singh slammed the door shut again and locked the door. She hung onto the vehicle panicking because she thought the children were still inside. The vehicle dragged her until it accelerated at a high rate of speed and she was forced to let go. Two police officers observed the stolen vehicle fleeing the scene and chased Singh, who was then taken into custody and charged. Middletown Police Chief Rodney Muterspaw lauded the heroic attempt by Chance to save himself and his sister from the kidnapping attempt. "This little guy is a hero. No question. He pulled his sister out of the car with no concern for his own safety. That is incredible at his age," he said. The Middletown Division of Police said it will be recognising the little boy's quick action to not only get out of the vehicle but also making sure that his sister got out with him.

Indian charged with kidnapping after driving away two children in car in US

A Bangladeshi mother has stunned doctors by giving birth to healthy twins 26 days after a first child was born prematurely.

Arifa Sultana, 20, gave birth to a baby boy last month through normal delivery, but doctors missed the presence of a second uterus.

"She didn't realise she was still pregnant with the twins. Her waters broke again 26 days after the first baby was born and she rushed to us," Sheila Poddar, a gynaecologist who treated the woman, told AFP.

Podder carried out an emergency caesarean section to deliver the twins -- one boy and one girl -- last Friday.

The young woman from Jessore district in southwest Bangladesh was allowed to go home with her three healthy babies on Tuesday. Podder said there were no complications.

"I haven't seen any case like this in my 30-year plus medical career," Dilip Roy, chief government doctor in Jessore, told AFP.

Roy questioned the actions of Khulna Medical College Hospital doctors for not detecting the second pregnancy.

Hailing from a poor family, Sultana said she was happy with the three children but felt concerned how she would bring them up.

She told AFP her husband earns barely 6,000 taka ($70) a month as a labourer. "I don't know how we will manage such a huge responsibility with this little amount."

Her husband Sumon Biswas put on a brave face. "It was a miracle from Allah that all of my children are healthy. I will try my best to keep them happy," he said.

A Bangladeshi mother has stunned doctors by giving birth to healthy twins 26 days after a first child was born prematurely. Arifa Sultana, 20, gave birth to a baby boy last month through normal delivery, but doctors missed the presence of a second uterus.

A Bangladeshi mother has stunned doctors by giving birth to healthy twins 26 days after a first child was born prematurely. Arifa Sultana, 20, gave birth to a baby boy last month through normal delivery, but doctors missed the presence of a second uterus. "She didn't realise she was still pregnant with the twins. Her waters broke again 26 days after the first baby was born and she rushed to us," Sheila Poddar, a gynaecologist who treated the woman, told AFP. Podder carried out an emergency caesarean section to deliver the twins -- one boy and one girl -- last Friday. The young woman from Jessore district in southwest Bangladesh was allowed to go home with her three healthy babies on Tuesday. Podder said there were no complications. "I haven't seen any case like this in my 30-year plus medical career," Dilip Roy, chief government doctor in Jessore, told AFP. Roy questioned the actions of Khulna Medical College Hospital doctors for not detecting the second pregnancy. Hailing from a poor family, Sultana said she was happy with the three children but felt concerned how she would bring them up. She told AFP her husband earns barely 6,000 taka ($70) a month as a labourer. "I don't know how we will manage such a huge responsibility with this little amount." Her husband Sumon Biswas put on a brave face. "It was a miracle from Allah that all of my children are healthy. I will try my best to keep them happy," he said.

Bangladesh mother gives birth to twins one month after first birth

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the central government is committed to ensuring quality food to children while highlighting that well-nourished children are a key asset for a country`s strength.

Speaking at the 'Akshaya Patra'&nbsp;mid-day meal programme, where Prime Minister Modi served the third billionth meal to the children, he said that the Centre stressed on the health of the mother and child in the last five years, adding that vaccination has been a priority for his government for eradicating diseases.

&nbsp;"I am fortunate that I am serving the 300th crore thali. We are committed to ensuring quality food to our children. The first thali was served during Atal Bihari Vajpayee`s regime.&nbsp;

For a strong nation, we need well-nourished children," the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Modi underlined that the Centre is committed to ensuring a healthy childhood, adding that quality food, vaccination and cleanliness are the aspects for a child to be well-nourished.

Noting that the Centre`s flagship initiative — Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was receiving global attention, the Prime Minister informed that under the programme, the lives of about three lakh people could be saved according to an international report.

Talking about the ongoing <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/14-crore-people-take-dip-as-kumbh-mela-begins-in-prayagraj-190554">Kumbh Mela</a>, Prime Minister Modi underlined that for the first time, the New York Times newspaper had made a report on the mela`s cleanliness and lauded the administration for the same."This time, the Kumbh Mela has succeeded in giving the message of cleanliness to the country. Normally, this mela is about sadhus. But for the first time, the New York Times made a report on cleanliness in Kumbh," he added.

Heaping praises on `Mission Indradhanush`, a programme aimed at immunising children under two years and pregnant women, Prime Minister Modi said that 3.40 lakh children and 90 lakh pregnant women have received vaccination till date.

"The way that the workers are racing against time to ensure immunisation to all women and children, the day is not far when we achieve total immunisation in our country," he added.

Acknowledging that the immunisation programme is receiving worldwide attention, Prime Minister Modi said that the same has been listed under the list of `12 best practices` according to a renowned medical journal.

Stressing that banks are now accessible for all cattle owners, the Prime Minister further said, "Now, banks are offering loans up to Rs 3 lakhs. This move is going to benefit all our livestock farmers."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the central government is committed to ensuring quality food to children while highlighting that well-nourished children are a key asset for a country`s strength.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the central government is committed to ensuring quality food to children while highlighting that well-nourished children are a key asset for a country`s strength. Speaking at the 'Akshaya Patra' mid-day meal programme, where Prime Minister Modi served the third billionth meal to the children, he said that the Centre stressed on the health of the mother and child in the last five years, adding that vaccination has been a priority for his government for eradicating diseases. "I am fortunate that I am serving the 300th crore thali. We are committed to ensuring quality food to our children. The first thali was served during Atal Bihari Vajpayee`s regime. For a strong nation, we need well-nourished children," the Prime Minister said. Prime Minister Modi underlined that the Centre is committed to ensuring a healthy childhood, adding that quality food, vaccination and cleanliness are the aspects for a child to be well-nourished. Noting that the Centre`s flagship initiative — Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was receiving global attention, the Prime Minister informed that under the programme, the lives of about three lakh people could be saved according to an international report. Talking about the ongoing Kumbh Mela, Prime Minister Modi underlined that for the first time, the New York Times newspaper had made a report on the mela`s cleanliness and lauded the administration for the same."This time, the Kumbh Mela has succeeded in giving the message of cleanliness to the country. Normally, this mela is about sadhus. But for the first time, the New York Times made a report on cleanliness in Kumbh," he added. Heaping praises on `Mission Indradhanush`, a programme aimed at immunising children under two years and pregnant women, Prime Minister Modi said that 3.40 lakh children and 90 lakh pregnant women have received vaccination till date. "The way that the workers are racing against time to ensure immunisation to all women and children, the day is not far when we achieve total immunisation in our country," he added. Acknowledging that the immunisation programme is receiving worldwide attention, Prime Minister Modi said that the same has been listed under the list of `12 best practices` according to a renowned medical journal. Stressing that banks are now accessible for all cattle owners, the Prime Minister further said, "Now, banks are offering loans up to Rs 3 lakhs. This move is going to benefit all our livestock farmers."

Well-nourished children a key asset for strong nation, says PM Modi

One year on, the legacy of the Parkland shooting

A variety of potentially toxic substances, including glyphosate, has been found in babies' nappies in France, according to a study published on Wednesday by the French environment agency ANSES.

"Following studies carried out on nappies and how they are used, the watchdog has found evidence of several chemical substances at dangerously high levels," the agency said.

According to the study, the substances include butylphenyl methylpropional used in beauty products, certain aromatic hydrocarbons, and glyphosate, a widely-used weed-killer - all of which pose potential risks.

The French government said manufacturers and retailers should ensure the substances are removed from nappies.

"We call on manufacturers and retailers to take measures within the next 15 days to eliminate these substances from babies' nappies," said a statement issued jointly by the health, environment and finance ministries.

Glyphosate, which is off-patent and marketed worldwide by dozens of chemical groups, is due to be phased out in France within three years although farmers are exempt from the ban where there is no credible alternative to the pesticide.

A variety of potentially toxic substances, including glyphosate, has been found in babies' nappies in France, according to a study published on Wednesday by the French environment agency ANSES.

A variety of potentially toxic substances, including glyphosate, has been found in babies' nappies in France, according to a study published on Wednesday by the French environment agency ANSES. "Following studies carried out on nappies and how they are used, the watchdog has found evidence of several chemical substances at dangerously high levels," the agency said. According to the study, the substances include butylphenyl methylpropional used in beauty products, certain aromatic hydrocarbons, and glyphosate, a widely-used weed-killer - all of which pose potential risks. The French government said manufacturers and retailers should ensure the substances are removed from nappies. "We call on manufacturers and retailers to take measures within the next 15 days to eliminate these substances from babies' nappies," said a statement issued jointly by the health, environment and finance ministries. Glyphosate, which is off-patent and marketed worldwide by dozens of chemical groups, is due to be phased out in France within three years although farmers are exempt from the ban where there is no credible alternative to the pesticide.

Toxic substances found in nappies in France: Government agency

Neurotoxins in Delhi, Gurugram air can cause brain damage: Study

The Niti Aayog’s recent report on ‘Strategy for New India @ 75’ rightly recognises that the multidimensional determinants of undernutrition are inadequately reflected in policymaking. It argues that there must be convergent action with annual health, nutrition and sanitation plans being made in an integrated manner for all districts. In the case of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which is the main programmatic platform through which nutrition outcomes are to be achieved, the report finds that its focus on the first 1000 days of the child’s life is inadequate.&nbsp;

It argues that while children under 2-3 years of age must be given highest priority in nutrition interventions, much of the ICDS interventions are focussed on the delivery of services to children in the age group of 3 to 6 years. While the diagnosis is not entirely wrong, the recommendations at the end of the chapter do not show an adequate understanding of what needs to be done to correct this situation.

Researchers and activists have been making the same point for many years now. There is a consensus that there is a need to better reach the younger child. In the current model of the ICDS, where it is largely centre-based with part-time workers, this is not possible. The FOCUS report, 2006, recommended that every anganwadi centre must have two workers, with the primary responsibility of the second worker being the care of children under three years of age and pregnant and lactating women. In a number of subsequent reports, not just the Right to Food campaign but even UN bodies and the Planning Commission have made similar recommendations.

There has been a tremendous expansion in the ICDS following Supreme Court orders in 2006 directing that anganwadi services be universalised. The number of anganwadi centres in the country grew from about 6.5 lakhs in 2006 to almost 14 lakhs currently. The coverage of children under six receiving any ICDS services increased from 28 per cent children in 2005-06 (NFHS-3) to 54 per cent in 2015-16 (NFHS-4). However, although there has been this quantitative expansion in the programme as much attention has not been paid to improving the quality as well as addressing the design gaps.

One of the design issues, as discussed above, is enhancing the outreach to children under three. The Niti Aayog report suggests that this must be done through home visits to be conducted by accredited social health activists, a second auxiliary nurse midwife or community infant and young child feeding counsellors. This means the requirement for additional human resources is being recognised and needs to be provided for in the budgets for the ICDS.

While there was an increase in ICDS budgets commensurate to the higher number of anganwadi centres, throughout the last five years the central government’s allocations for ICDS has been stagnant around Rs.16,000 crores a year in nominal terms and declining in real terms.

The NFHS-4 finds that only about 10 per cent of children in the age group of 6 to 24 months in the country currently receive an adequate diet. While this requires counselling on infant and young child feeding, for the children in this age group it is also equally important to ensure the presence of an adult caregiver as well as the availability of energy-dense diverse foods. A number of NGO experiences across the country have shown that community-run daycare/crèche services can play a significant role in reaching out to children under two years of age and this has an impact not health and nutrition outcomes as well. One of the reforms in ICDS must, therefore, be to convert anganwadis into anganwadi-cum-crèches so that they can be accessible to younger children as well. Different models of crèches will have to be thought of depending on local contexts.

The problem with the ICDS is not that it is food-centric to the neglect of everything else rather than it is under-resourced and lacking investments – financial as well as technical and political. The ICDS is meant to provide pre-school education as well as health and nutrition services and without adequate infrastructure and human resources, achieving these twin objectives is impossible.&nbsp;

Therefore, while on the one side when nutrition is on the agenda, the ICDS is blamed for its excessive focus on older children and preschool; when preschool is the issue being discussed, the problem with ICDS is that it is preoccupied with nutrition! This can be avoided if we keep the child in the centre and not the scheme.

 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-tradition-turns-fatal-nepali-woman-two-sons-die-in-outlawed-menstruation-hut-2706410">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

The Niti Aayog’s recent report on ‘Strategy for New India @ 75’ rightly recognises that the multidimensional determinants of undernutrition are inadequately reflected in policymaking.

The Niti Aayog’s recent report on ‘Strategy for New India @ 75’ rightly recognises that the multidimensional determinants of undernutrition are inadequately reflected in policymaking. It argues that there must be convergent action with annual health, nutrition and sanitation plans being made in an integrated manner for all districts. In the case of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which is the main programmatic platform through which nutrition outcomes are to be achieved, the report finds that its focus on the first 1000 days of the child’s life is inadequate. It argues that while children under 2-3 years of age must be given highest priority in nutrition interventions, much of the ICDS interventions are focussed on the delivery of services to children in the age group of 3 to 6 years. While the diagnosis is not entirely wrong, the recommendations at the end of the chapter do not show an adequate understanding of what needs to be done to correct this situation. Researchers and activists have been making the same point for many years now. There is a consensus that there is a need to better reach the younger child. In the current model of the ICDS, where it is largely centre-based with part-time workers, this is not possible. The FOCUS report, 2006, recommended that every anganwadi centre must have two workers, with the primary responsibility of the second worker being the care of children under three years of age and pregnant and lactating women. In a number of subsequent reports, not just the Right to Food campaign but even UN bodies and the Planning Commission have made similar recommendations. There has been a tremendous expansion in the ICDS following Supreme Court orders in 2006 directing that anganwadi services be universalised. The number of anganwadi centres in the country grew from about 6.5 lakhs in 2006 to almost 14 lakhs currently. The coverage of children under six receiving any ICDS services increased from 28 per cent children in 2005-06 (NFHS-3) to 54 per cent in 2015-16 (NFHS-4). However, although there has been this quantitative expansion in the programme as much attention has not been paid to improving the quality as well as addressing the design gaps. One of the design issues, as discussed above, is enhancing the outreach to children under three. The Niti Aayog report suggests that this must be done through home visits to be conducted by accredited social health activists, a second auxiliary nurse midwife or community infant and young child feeding counsellors. This means the requirement for additional human resources is being recognised and needs to be provided for in the budgets for the ICDS. While there was an increase in ICDS budgets commensurate to the higher number of anganwadi centres, throughout the last five years the central government’s allocations for ICDS has been stagnant around Rs.16,000 crores a year in nominal terms and declining in real terms. The NFHS-4 finds that only about 10 per cent of children in the age group of 6 to 24 months in the country currently receive an adequate diet. While this requires counselling on infant and young child feeding, for the children in this age group it is also equally important to ensure the presence of an adult caregiver as well as the availability of energy-dense diverse foods. A number of NGO experiences across the country have shown that community-run daycare/crèche services can play a significant role in reaching out to children under two years of age and this has an impact not health and nutrition outcomes as well. One of the reforms in ICDS must, therefore, be to convert anganwadis into anganwadi-cum-crèches so that they can be accessible to younger children as well. Different models of crèches will have to be thought of depending on local contexts. The problem with the ICDS is not that it is food-centric to the neglect of everything else rather than it is under-resourced and lacking investments – financial as well as technical and political. The ICDS is meant to provide pre-school education as well as health and nutrition services and without adequate infrastructure and human resources, achieving these twin objectives is impossible. Therefore, while on the one side when nutrition is on the agenda, the ICDS is blamed for its excessive focus on older children and preschool; when preschool is the issue being discussed, the problem with ICDS is that it is preoccupied with nutrition! This can be avoided if we keep the child in the centre and not the scheme. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Children under age of 3 must be given highest priority in nutrition interventions

The French National Assembly voted Friday in favour of a largely symbolic ban on parents smacking their children, a practice which though condemned by the UN still enjoys widespread support in the country.

The bill on "corporal punishment or humiliation" seeks to ensure that parental authority is exercised "without violence" of any sort, including "physical, verbal or psychological" violence.

MPs voted it through 51-1 early Friday morning, after a late-night debate, and it will now pass to the Senate.&nbsp;

Attempts by previous governments to ban the practise have run afoul of conservatives.

A 2016 bill condemning the smacking of children was later struck down by the Constitutional Council, which vets legislation, because it was adopted in the form of an amendment to an unrelated piece of legislation.

According to the non-governmental Childhood Foundation, 85 percent of French parents resort to corporal punishment, to the dismay of many European neighbours, including Sweden and Germany.

Schools have long been banned from physically punishing children, but not parents.

Crucially, the bill would not sanction parents who continue to "discipline" their children as its main goal is "educational" -- a way to encourage society to mend its views, according to Maud Petit, the MP who sponsored the measure.

But it will slap down a 19th-century addendum to the Civil Code's definition of parental authority, which is read out to couples taking their wedding vows and which specifically allows for "disciplining" children.

It will also bring France into line with international legislation.

In March 2015, human rights organisation the Council of Europe singled out France for failing to ban smacking, unlike most other European countries.

A year later, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child took up the issue, calling on France to "explicitly prohibit" all forms of corporal punishment of children.&nbsp;

Those in favour of the ban say scientific studies prove that children suffer both mental and physical consequences when smacked.

If the bill is adopted, France will become the 55th state to ban corporal punishment of children, a move started by Sweden in 1979.

The French National Assembly voted Friday in favour of a largely symbolic ban on parents smacking their children, a practice which though condemned by the UN still enjoys widespread support in the country.

The French National Assembly voted Friday in favour of a largely symbolic ban on parents smacking their children, a practice which though condemned by the UN still enjoys widespread support in the country. The bill on "corporal punishment or humiliation" seeks to ensure that parental authority is exercised "without violence" of any sort, including "physical, verbal or psychological" violence. MPs voted it through 51-1 early Friday morning, after a late-night debate, and it will now pass to the Senate. Attempts by previous governments to ban the practise have run afoul of conservatives. A 2016 bill condemning the smacking of children was later struck down by the Constitutional Council, which vets legislation, because it was adopted in the form of an amendment to an unrelated piece of legislation. According to the non-governmental Childhood Foundation, 85 percent of French parents resort to corporal punishment, to the dismay of many European neighbours, including Sweden and Germany. Schools have long been banned from physically punishing children, but not parents. Crucially, the bill would not sanction parents who continue to "discipline" their children as its main goal is "educational" -- a way to encourage society to mend its views, according to Maud Petit, the MP who sponsored the measure. But it will slap down a 19th-century addendum to the Civil Code's definition of parental authority, which is read out to couples taking their wedding vows and which specifically allows for "disciplining" children. It will also bring France into line with international legislation. In March 2015, human rights organisation the Council of Europe singled out France for failing to ban smacking, unlike most other European countries. A year later, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child took up the issue, calling on France to "explicitly prohibit" all forms of corporal punishment of children. Those in favour of the ban say scientific studies prove that children suffer both mental and physical consequences when smacked. If the bill is adopted, France will become the 55th state to ban corporal punishment of children, a move started by Sweden in 1979.

France moves closer to ban on smacking children

The battle for a crucial Yemeni port has placed the lives of dozens of children in danger at a hospital perilously close to the fighting, the United Nations' children's agency said Tuesday.

"Intense fighting in the Yemeni port city of Hodeida is now dangerously close to Al-Thawra hospital -- putting the lives of 59 children, including 25 in the intensive care unit, at imminent risk of death," UNICEF said in a statement.

Government troops and rebels have been clashing for five days near the Red Sea port city, which is crucial for humanitarian aid and where hundreds of thousands of civilians could be trapped as war closes in.

The fighting between Iran-linked Huthi rebels and the army, allied with a regional military coalition led by Saudi Arabia, has killed more than 150 combatants.

UNICEF reported that medical staff and patients in the hospital in southern Hodeida city, just 500 metres from the port, heard heavy bombing and gunfire. "Access to and from the hospital, the only functioning one in the area, is now imperilled," it said.

Hodeida is one of the last Huthi strongholds on Yemen's western coastline. The rebels seized the port, along with the capital Sanaa, in 2014.

The Saudi-led alliance, which includes the United Arab Emirates, intervened in 2015 on the side of the government and has since retaken most of the country's ports.

But Hodeida is particularly sensitive as it is the conduit for the vast majority of imports to Yemen, where famine looms over 14 million people and a child dies every 10 minutes, according to the UN.

"The toll in lives could be catastrophic if the port is damaged, destroyed or blocked," UNICEF said Tuesday.&nbsp;

The battle for a crucial Yemeni port has placed the lives of dozens of children in danger at a hospital perilously close to the fighting, the United Nations' children's agency said Tuesday.

The battle for a crucial Yemeni port has placed the lives of dozens of children in danger at a hospital perilously close to the fighting, the United Nations' children's agency said Tuesday. "Intense fighting in the Yemeni port city of Hodeida is now dangerously close to Al-Thawra hospital -- putting the lives of 59 children, including 25 in the intensive care unit, at imminent risk of death," UNICEF said in a statement. Government troops and rebels have been clashing for five days near the Red Sea port city, which is crucial for humanitarian aid and where hundreds of thousands of civilians could be trapped as war closes in. The fighting between Iran-linked Huthi rebels and the army, allied with a regional military coalition led by Saudi Arabia, has killed more than 150 combatants. UNICEF reported that medical staff and patients in the hospital in southern Hodeida city, just 500 metres from the port, heard heavy bombing and gunfire. "Access to and from the hospital, the only functioning one in the area, is now imperilled," it said. Hodeida is one of the last Huthi strongholds on Yemen's western coastline. The rebels seized the port, along with the capital Sanaa, in 2014. The Saudi-led alliance, which includes the United Arab Emirates, intervened in 2015 on the side of the government and has since retaken most of the country's ports. But Hodeida is particularly sensitive as it is the conduit for the vast majority of imports to Yemen, where famine looms over 14 million people and a child dies every 10 minutes, according to the UN. "The toll in lives could be catastrophic if the port is damaged, destroyed or blocked," UNICEF said Tuesday.

Yemen port battle threatens 59 children in hospital: UN

Over one lakh children under five years of age died in India in 2016 due to exposure to toxic air, according to a new WHO study which noted that about 98 per cent of children in the same age group in low- and middle-income countries were exposed to air pollution.

In the report, titled 'Air Pollution and Child Health: Prescribing Clean Air', deaths of about 600,000 children under 15 years of age in 2016 were attributed to the joint effects of ambient and household air pollution.

"Globally, 93 per cent of the world's children under 18 years of age are exposed to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels above WHO air quality guidelines, which include the 630 million of children under 5 years of age, and 1.8 billion of children under 15 years," the World Health Organisation (WHO) study released on Monday said.

Another report by Greenpeace presented a grim picture of India's pollution level.

The green body's report said three of the world's largest nitrogen oxide air pollution emission hotspots that contribute to formation of PM2.5 and ozone are in India with one in the Delhi-NCR.

Delhi-NCR, Sonbhadra in Uttar Pradesh, Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh and Talcher-Angul in Odisha are the hotspots identified. Sonbhadra and Singrauli combined have one hotspot.

The study said a total of 101,788 deaths under the age of five -- 54,893 were girls and 46,895 were boys -- were reported due to joint effects of exposure of children to ambient and household PM 2.5 and burden of disease by the country in 2016.

Out of the over 1 lakh deaths in the country in 2016, 60,987 were due to ambient air pollution (32,889 were girls and 28,097 boys), it said.

Industries, households, cars and trucks emit complex mixtures of air pollutants and form ambient air pollution.

Due to household air pollution in 2016, about 66,890 deaths of children below five years were reported out of which 36,073 were girls and 30,817 were boys, the WHO report said.

It said about 98 per cent of children under the age of five years in low- and middle-income countries, which include nations like India, were exposed to air pollution caused by finer particulate matters in 2016.

Household air pollution from cooking and ambient air pollution caused more than 50 per cent of acute lower respiratory infections in children under five years of age in low- and middle-income countries, it said.

The WHO report examines the heavy toll of both ambient (outside) and household air pollution on the health of the children across world, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, like India.

"In low- and middle-income countries around the world, 98% of all children under 5 are exposed to PM2.5 levels above WHO air quality guidelines. In comparison, in high-income countries, 52% of children under 5 are exposed to levels above WHO air quality guidelines," the study says.

<iframe data-google-container-id="6" data-load-complete="true" frameborder="0" height="1" id="google_ads_iframe_/1068322/NDTV_News_ROS_Native_Outstream_0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/1068322/NDTV_News_ROS_Native_Outstream_0" scrolling="no" srcdoc="" title="3rd party ad content" width="1"></iframe>The PM2.5 (or particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres present in the air), also called "fine particulates", can be a matter of more serious health concern than PM10 (those with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres).

PM2.5 poses greater harm as being finer, it can easily be inhaled into the respiratory tract.

The PM2.5 has reached dangerous levels in New Delhi in the last two weeks. On Monday, a thick blanket of haze engulfed the city, and an overall air quality index of 348 was recorded, which falls in the very poor category, according to data of the Central Pollution Control Board.

The report noted that air pollution is one of the leading threats to child health, accounting for almost one in 10 deaths in children under five years of age.

"Polluted air is poisoning millions of children and ruining their lives," WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

"This is inexcusable. Every child should be able to breathe clean air so they can grow and fulfil their full potential," the official said.

Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, WHO, said, "Air Pollution is stunting our children's brains, affecting their health in more ways than we suspected."

"But there are many straight-forward ways to reduce emissions of dangerous pollutants," Neira said.

The WHO report cited a case study that investigated whether exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy was associated with low birth weight in an integrated rural-urban, mother-child cohort in Tamil Nadu.

"The researchers recruited 1,285 women in the first trimester of pregnancy in primary health care centres and urban health posts and followed them until the birth of their child to collect data on maternal health, prenatal care, exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and the birthweight of the child," the study said.

D Saha, an environmentalist, said India is a tropical country and the influence of natural dust is much higher as compared with developed countries.

"The self neutralization of natural dust is much higher as compared to the emitted pollutants," he said.

The report, launched ahead of the WHO's first ever Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, revealed that when pregnant women are exposed to polluted air, they are more likely to give birth prematurely and have small, low birthweight children.

Over one lakh children under five years of age died in India in 2016 due to exposure to toxic air, according to a new WHO study which noted that about 98 per cent of children in the same age group in low- and middle-income countries were exposed to air pollution.

Over one lakh children under five years of age died in India in 2016 due to exposure to toxic air, according to a new WHO study which noted that about 98 per cent of children in the same age group in low- and middle-income countries were exposed to air pollution. In the report, titled 'Air Pollution and Child Health: Prescribing Clean Air', deaths of about 600,000 children under 15 years of age in 2016 were attributed to the joint effects of ambient and household air pollution. "Globally, 93 per cent of the world's children under 18 years of age are exposed to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels above WHO air quality guidelines, which include the 630 million of children under 5 years of age, and 1.8 billion of children under 15 years," the World Health Organisation (WHO) study released on Monday said. Another report by Greenpeace presented a grim picture of India's pollution level. The green body's report said three of the world's largest nitrogen oxide air pollution emission hotspots that contribute to formation of PM2.5 and ozone are in India with one in the Delhi-NCR. Delhi-NCR, Sonbhadra in Uttar Pradesh, Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh and Talcher-Angul in Odisha are the hotspots identified. Sonbhadra and Singrauli combined have one hotspot. The study said a total of 101,788 deaths under the age of five -- 54,893 were girls and 46,895 were boys -- were reported due to joint effects of exposure of children to ambient and household PM 2.5 and burden of disease by the country in 2016. Out of the over 1 lakh deaths in the country in 2016, 60,987 were due to ambient air pollution (32,889 were girls and 28,097 boys), it said. Industries, households, cars and trucks emit complex mixtures of air pollutants and form ambient air pollution. Due to household air pollution in 2016, about 66,890 deaths of children below five years were reported out of which 36,073 were girls and 30,817 were boys, the WHO report said. It said about 98 per cent of children under the age of five years in low- and middle-income countries, which include nations like India, were exposed to air pollution caused by finer particulate matters in 2016. Household air pollution from cooking and ambient air pollution caused more than 50 per cent of acute lower respiratory infections in children under five years of age in low- and middle-income countries, it said. The WHO report examines the heavy toll of both ambient (outside) and household air pollution on the health of the children across world, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, like India. "In low- and middle-income countries around the world, 98% of all children under 5 are exposed to PM2.5 levels above WHO air quality guidelines. In comparison, in high-income countries, 52% of children under 5 are exposed to levels above WHO air quality guidelines," the study says. The PM2.5 (or particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres present in the air), also called "fine particulates", can be a matter of more serious health concern than PM10 (those with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres). PM2.5 poses greater harm as being finer, it can easily be inhaled into the respiratory tract. The PM2.5 has reached dangerous levels in New Delhi in the last two weeks. On Monday, a thick blanket of haze engulfed the city, and an overall air quality index of 348 was recorded, which falls in the very poor category, according to data of the Central Pollution Control Board. The report noted that air pollution is one of the leading threats to child health, accounting for almost one in 10 deaths in children under five years of age. "Polluted air is poisoning millions of children and ruining their lives," WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. "This is inexcusable. Every child should be able to breathe clean air so they can grow and fulfil their full potential," the official said. Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, WHO, said, "Air Pollution is stunting our children's brains, affecting their health in more ways than we suspected." "But there are many straight-forward ways to reduce emissions of dangerous pollutants," Neira said. The WHO report cited a case study that investigated whether exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy was associated with low birth weight in an integrated rural-urban, mother-child cohort in Tamil Nadu. "The researchers recruited 1,285 women in the first trimester of pregnancy in primary health care centres and urban health posts and followed them until the birth of their child to collect data on maternal health, prenatal care, exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and the birthweight of the child," the study said. D Saha, an environmentalist, said India is a tropical country and the influence of natural dust is much higher as compared with developed countries. "The self neutralization of natural dust is much higher as compared to the emitted pollutants," he said. The report, launched ahead of the WHO's first ever Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, revealed that when pregnant women are exposed to polluted air, they are more likely to give birth prematurely and have small, low birthweight children.

Over 100,000 Indian children under 5 died from air pollution in 2016: WHO

Why preventing child abuse in schools needs change in approach

How children fall prey to cyber-bullying 

Eleven Florida men, including employees of Disney and Legoland and a volunteer for the Boy Scouts, have been arrested for possession and distribution of child pornography, police have said.

A total of 660 charges have so far been brought against the 11 suspects in the operation, dubbed "Guardians of Innocence II" by the police department of Polk County in central Florida and conducted across the month of May.

Sheriff Grady Judd said: "Once we serve search warrants and seize the devices that these suspects are using to download and distribute pornography, we will do a complete forensic analysis.

"In all likelihood we will be adding on more charges related to the felony possession and distribution of images and videos of children being sexually battered." Judd added that most of the evidence collected so far involved material previously known to police. It was not clear if there were any local victims, though that remained a part of the investigation.

The men arrested include Roger Catey, 53, who is employed as a project manager in the costumes department of Disney World, a theme park in Orlando which attracts millions of children and families every year.

Thirty-year-old Rickie Vargas-Garcia, who was a Lego builder for Merlin Entertainment which owns the Legoland theme parks, admitted to soliciting children for nude photos online.

Edward Zaborowski, 48, was caught in possession of pornographic photos of children aged between four- and six-years-old. A bartender, he was also a volunteer for the Boy Scouts, as his son was a member.

Judd said: "Parents, you've got to know where your children are going online, because wherever your children are, (predators) are."

Thirty-year-old Rickie Vargas-Garcia, who was a Lego builder for Merlin Entertainment which owns the Legoland theme parks, admitted to soliciting children for nude photos online

Eleven Florida men, including employees of Disney and Legoland and a volunteer for the Boy Scouts, have been arrested for possession and distribution of child pornography, police have said. A total of 660 charges have so far been brought against the 11 suspects in the operation, dubbed "Guardians of Innocence II" by the police department of Polk County in central Florida and conducted across the month of May. Sheriff Grady Judd said: "Once we serve search warrants and seize the devices that these suspects are using to download and distribute pornography, we will do a complete forensic analysis. "In all likelihood we will be adding on more charges related to the felony possession and distribution of images and videos of children being sexually battered." Judd added that most of the evidence collected so far involved material previously known to police. It was not clear if there were any local victims, though that remained a part of the investigation. The men arrested include Roger Catey, 53, who is employed as a project manager in the costumes department of Disney World, a theme park in Orlando which attracts millions of children and families every year. Thirty-year-old Rickie Vargas-Garcia, who was a Lego builder for Merlin Entertainment which owns the Legoland theme parks, admitted to soliciting children for nude photos online. Edward Zaborowski, 48, was caught in possession of pornographic photos of children aged between four- and six-years-old. A bartender, he was also a volunteer for the Boy Scouts, as his son was a member. Judd said: "Parents, you've got to know where your children are going online, because wherever your children are, (predators) are."

US police arrest 11 men on child pornography charges

The United Nations called on the United States on Tuesday to stop detaining irregular migrant families and separating children on its frontier with Mexico, saying this broke the law.

Several hundred children crossing the southern U.S. border have been held in custody since October 2017 following an executive order issued by President Donald Trump when he took office in January 2016, it said.

"The U.S. should immediately halt this practice of separating families and stop criminalising what should at most be an administrative offence – that of irregular entry or stay in the U.S.," U.N. human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told a briefing in Geneva.

"Entering a country without the relevant papers should not be a criminal offence...so these people should not be detained," she said, adding that some children were very young, including a one-year-old infant.

Poverty, as well as deepening violence from criminal gangs and drug traffickers has driven hundreds of thousands of Central Americans to try to cross the U.S. border illegally or seek asylum in the country.

The Trump administration will soon begin fingerprinting parents claiming custody of children who entered the United States illegally without an adult relative, officials said a week ago, prompting criticism that children may be abandoned by those who fear being identified and deported. [nL2N1T01BY]

Shamdasani, asked about comments by senior U.S. officials that it was normal to remove children from parents in custody, said: "There is nothing normal about detaining children.

"Detention is never in the best interests of the child and always constitutes a child rights violation," she said.

The United States - the only country in the world not to have ratified the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child - still has obligations as a signatory to that treaty and as a party that has ratified other rights treaties, Shamdasani said

"Our position is that preserving family unity is a fundamental tenet of refugee protection," U.N. refugee agency spokesman William Spindler said.

Most crossing the U.S. southern border are from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador where there is rampant violence and persecution targetting children and youth, he said.

"The fact that you have people coming from countries experiencing violence and might be subject to persecution by gangs and other criminal violence, would certainly ... give them the right to receive international protection," Spindler said.

Several hundred children crossing the southern U.S. border have been held in custody since October 2017 following an executive order issued by President Donald Trump when he took office in January 2016, it said

The United Nations called on the United States on Tuesday to stop detaining irregular migrant families and separating children on its frontier with Mexico, saying this broke the law. Several hundred children crossing the southern U.S. border have been held in custody since October 2017 following an executive order issued by President Donald Trump when he took office in January 2016, it said. "The U.S. should immediately halt this practice of separating families and stop criminalising what should at most be an administrative offence – that of irregular entry or stay in the U.S.," U.N. human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told a briefing in Geneva. "Entering a country without the relevant papers should not be a criminal offence...so these people should not be detained," she said, adding that some children were very young, including a one-year-old infant. Poverty, as well as deepening violence from criminal gangs and drug traffickers has driven hundreds of thousands of Central Americans to try to cross the U.S. border illegally or seek asylum in the country. The Trump administration will soon begin fingerprinting parents claiming custody of children who entered the United States illegally without an adult relative, officials said a week ago, prompting criticism that children may be abandoned by those who fear being identified and deported. [nL2N1T01BY] Shamdasani, asked about comments by senior U.S. officials that it was normal to remove children from parents in custody, said: "There is nothing normal about detaining children. "Detention is never in the best interests of the child and always constitutes a child rights violation," she said. The United States - the only country in the world not to have ratified the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child - still has obligations as a signatory to that treaty and as a party that has ratified other rights treaties, Shamdasani said "Our position is that preserving family unity is a fundamental tenet of refugee protection," U.N. refugee agency spokesman William Spindler said. Most crossing the U.S. southern border are from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador where there is rampant violence and persecution targetting children and youth, he said. "The fact that you have people coming from countries experiencing violence and might be subject to persecution by gangs and other criminal violence, would certainly ... give them the right to receive international protection," Spindler said.

US should stop detaining migrants, separating children: UN

An NGO in its report said India's infant mortality rate and child labour remained issues of grave concern even as it noted that India has improved its ranking in the world childhood index.

"Save the Children"&nbspin its report End of Childhood, ranked India 113 in the list of 175 countries in the world childhood index. India ranking has gone up just 3 places since last year.

The report said India's nutrition, infant mortality and child labour remained issues of grave concern in the country where under-five child mortality is 43 per 1,000 live births for 2016, even though Census of India had measured it to be 39 per 1,000 live births in the same year.

Another challenge the report mentioned is that of adolescent pregnancy. In India, the number of births per 1000 girls aged 15-19 is 23.3 per cent, which means one out of four girls are more likely to give birth before reaching 20.

"Many children in the country still start their lives disadvantaged just by virtue of being a girl or because they are poor. Early marriage, child labour and malnutrition are just some of the ways in which children are robbed of their childhood," said Bidisha Pillai, CEO, Save the Children, India.

The report said "certain forms of cultural violence &nbsp- such as dowry-related abuse and acid throwing in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, for example - only affect girls and women, and carry lifelong health consequences, or even result in death."

The report ranked Singapore and Slovenia as the top country in the childhood index. Norway and Sweden were ranked joint third with Finland ranked sixth with Ireland and Netherlands tied at number six. &nbspIceland, Italy and South Korea were ranked in eight position in the list.

"Adolescence is a period of pronounced vulnerability, especially for girls. In Bangladesh and Cameroon, more than 20 per cent of adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 report having experienced forced sex. 139 Rates above 10 per cent are reported in 11 other countries: Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Jordan, Liberia, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda," it said.

Niger at 175 was ranked at the bottom of the list with Mali at 174, the Central African Republic at 173, Chad at 172 and South Sudan at 171. Although it noted that in sub-Saharan Africa, 25 of 49 countries that is 51 per cent countries had improved their scores.

Uganda had achieved a 20-point score increase, with Somalia improving its score by 13 points.&nbsp

In East Asia and Pacific, 16 of 21 countries made progress with China and Thailand improving by 11 points.

"Almost all developed countries have little or no change in their scores – 25 of 30 countries moved 2 or fewer points in either direction," it said, adding,"the biggest movers are Malta (up 8 points from 953 to 961) and Latvia (up 7 points from 956 to 963)."&nbsp

 
&nbsp

In East Asia and Pacific, 16 of 21 countries made progress with China and Thailand improving by 11 points.

An NGO in its report said India's infant mortality rate and child labour remained issues of grave concern even as it noted that India has improved its ranking in the world childhood index. "Save the Children"&nbspin its report End of Childhood, ranked India 113 in the list of 175 countries in the world childhood index. India ranking has gone up just 3 places since last year. The report said India's nutrition, infant mortality and child labour remained issues of grave concern in the country where under-five child mortality is 43 per 1,000 live births for 2016, even though Census of India had measured it to be 39 per 1,000 live births in the same year. Another challenge the report mentioned is that of adolescent pregnancy. In India, the number of births per 1000 girls aged 15-19 is 23.3 per cent, which means one out of four girls are more likely to give birth before reaching 20. "Many children in the country still start their lives disadvantaged just by virtue of being a girl or because they are poor. Early marriage, child labour and malnutrition are just some of the ways in which children are robbed of their childhood," said Bidisha Pillai, CEO, Save the Children, India. The report said "certain forms of cultural violence - such as dowry-related abuse and acid throwing in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, for example - only affect girls and women, and carry lifelong health consequences, or even result in death." The report ranked Singapore and Slovenia as the top country in the childhood index. Norway and Sweden were ranked joint third with Finland ranked sixth with Ireland and Netherlands tied at number six. &nbspIceland, Italy and South Korea were ranked in eight position in the list. "Adolescence is a period of pronounced vulnerability, especially for girls. In Bangladesh and Cameroon, more than 20 per cent of adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 report having experienced forced sex. 139 Rates above 10 per cent are reported in 11 other countries: Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Jordan, Liberia, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda," it said. Niger at 175 was ranked at the bottom of the list with Mali at 174, the Central African Republic at 173, Chad at 172 and South Sudan at 171. Although it noted that in sub-Saharan Africa, 25 of 49 countries that is 51 per cent countries had improved their scores. Uganda had achieved a 20-point score increase, with Somalia improving its score by 13 points. In East Asia and Pacific, 16 of 21 countries made progress with China and Thailand improving by 11 points. "Almost all developed countries have little or no change in their scores – 25 of 30 countries moved 2 or fewer points in either direction," it said, adding,"the biggest movers are Malta (up 8 points from 953 to 961) and Latvia (up 7 points from 956 to 963)."

India improves ranking in world childhood index; infant mortality, child labour a concern: Report

The creators of 'Sesame Street' have filed a lawsuit against the distributor of an upcoming raunchy Hollywood film 'The Happytime Murders'&nbsp;to halt an advertising tagline that it claims falsely associates itself with the children`s television show.

An early trailer release for the film shows Muppet-like characters engaged in sex, coarse language, drugs, and violence.

Sesame Workshop alleges in the lawsuit, filed on Thursday in New York state court, that STX Productions has created confusion among the public into believing the film is connected to the show and infringed on the 'Sesame Street'&nbsp;trademark.

"As evidenced by a parade of social media posts, emails, and public comments, the `No Sesame. All Street` the tagline has confused and appalled viewers because of what they believe to be a serious breach of trust," the lawsuit alleges.

In response, STX issued a statement in the name of one of the film`s characters, the attorney Fred.

"STX loved the idea of working closely with Brian Henson and the Jim Henson Company to tell the untold story of the active lives of Henson puppets when they`re not performing in front of children," the statement said.

"While we`re disappointed that `Sesame Street` does not share in the fun, we are confident in our legal position," it added.

'The Happytime Murders,'&nbsp;scheduled for an Aug. 17 release, is directed by Brian Henson, the son of 'The Muppet Show'&nbsp;creator Jim Henson who also helped develop the puppet characters of 'Sesame Street' when it launched in 1969.

The film stars comedian Melissa McCarthy as a detective who is tasked with tracking down a serial killer in a world in which puppets and humans coexist.

The lawsuit also asks for punitive damages and a jury trial.

Sesame Workshop alleges in the lawsuit, filed on Thursday in New York state court

The creators of 'Sesame Street' have filed a lawsuit against the distributor of an upcoming raunchy Hollywood film 'The Happytime Murders' to halt an advertising tagline that it claims falsely associates itself with the children`s television show. An early trailer release for the film shows Muppet-like characters engaged in sex, coarse language, drugs, and violence. Sesame Workshop alleges in the lawsuit, filed on Thursday in New York state court, that STX Productions has created confusion among the public into believing the film is connected to the show and infringed on the 'Sesame Street' trademark. "As evidenced by a parade of social media posts, emails, and public comments, the `No Sesame. All Street` the tagline has confused and appalled viewers because of what they believe to be a serious breach of trust," the lawsuit alleges. In response, STX issued a statement in the name of one of the film`s characters, the attorney Fred. "STX loved the idea of working closely with Brian Henson and the Jim Henson Company to tell the untold story of the active lives of Henson puppets when they`re not performing in front of children," the statement said. "While we`re disappointed that `Sesame Street` does not share in the fun, we are confident in our legal position," it added. 'The Happytime Murders,' scheduled for an Aug. 17 release, is directed by Brian Henson, the son of 'The Muppet Show' creator Jim Henson who also helped develop the puppet characters of 'Sesame Street' when it launched in 1969. The film stars comedian Melissa McCarthy as a detective who is tasked with tracking down a serial killer in a world in which puppets and humans coexist. The lawsuit also asks for punitive damages and a jury trial.

'Sesame Street' creators sue backer of raunchy puppet film

Thirteen-year-old Shivpaul was playing with his younger brother Krishan Lal Sharma when a Pakistani mortar shell exploded inside their house in Samba sector of Jammu and Kashmir. 
Recuperating at the Government Medical College (GMC) hospital here Shivpaul asks only one question - about the well being of his brother. Ten-year-old Krishan Lal Sharma, however, was not as fortunate as his elder sibling. He died on the spot.

Their mother Champa was being treated at a local hospital.

In the GMC hospital emergency ward, close to where Shivpaul was recovering, 21-year-old Pooja, wife of an Army jawan, and her two-year-old son too were battling splinter injuries.

They were preparing to flee their home for safety when a shell tore through the roof and exploded in their bed room in the early hours, she said. Her daughter too was injured in the blast, Pooja added.

Eleven seriously injured patients were brought to the GMC hospital since this morning from different sectors as heavy shelling by Pakistani Rangers along the International Border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts entered the ninth day.

Five people including the 10-year-old Sharma were killed in the shelling today, raising the death toll in the ongoing skirmishes to twelve including two BSF jawans and an eight-month-old boy.

The state has witnessed a spurt in Pakistani shelling and firing along the IB and the Line of Control (LoC). Over 700 such incidents were reported this year, which have left more than 44 people, including 18 security personnel, dead and scores injured.&nbsp

In another special ward, 50-year-old Santosh Kumari, resident of Londi village of Hiranagar sector of Kathua district, was mourning the loss of her husband.

"It was around 5.30am when a shell landed at our house and exploded with a big bang, critically injuring Devi, her husband Rampaul Sharma and two others besides killing several bovines. We immediately shifted them to a local hospital and after first aid they were brought here. However, Rampaul was declared brought dead," Ashok Kumar Sharma, younger brother of the deceased, told PTI.

A retired Army jawan, Ashok Kumar Sharma, criticised the central government for its "failure to ensure peace on the borders" and said the much-publicised underground bunkers were nothing but an eye-wash.

"Where are the promised bunkers? Our village has not even a single community bunker leave aside the individual bunkers for each family," he said.

The body of his brother was still lying in the hospital as the family could not decide whether to carry it back home for cremation or wait as heavy shelling was still on.

Surinder Singh (45), a resident of Naibasti area of Suchetgarh, said he was moving his cattle out of the firing zone when a shell exploded killing a friend and injuring him.

Singh received multiple splinter injuries in the upper parts of the body and was being attended by his brother, a soldier, and uncle.

BJP MLA Kuldeep Raj who had come to see the injured had to face tough questions from the border residents.

"The education of our children is hit due to closure of schools owing to cross-border firing. We are unable to tend our land properly, attend our cattle and now even we are unable to get brides for our sons as people are reluctant to marry their daughters in our homes due to the fear of Pakistani firing," Darshan Lal, another border resident, said.

Politicians are only visible when they have to seek votes, he claimed adding "nobody cares whether we live or die".

Subhash Chander, who was attending Surinder Singh, said the frequent shelling had made their lives miserable.

"We have witnessed both sides observing the ceasefire in November 2003 and lived a peaceful life for many years before the situation turned ugly especially after 2014," he said.

He said the border residents were unable to perform day to day activities due to the lurking threat of Pakistan shelling.

"The government also backtracked from the promised piece of land at safer places for the border residents. They are responding to Pakistani shelling more fiercely but how is this an answer to our problems. Either they should go for ceasefire or launch an all out attack," Chander said.

Amid the surcharged atmosphere inside the emergency ward, 22-year-old Sunny of Satowali village, who had just been brought by friends, wept inconsolably.

"He has splinter injuries in the arms. But his real pain is that he lost his father Raghaveer Singh, an employee in public health engineering department, in the shelling," one of his friends said.&nbsp

Medical superintendent Dara Singh said over 50 shelling victims had arrived in the hospital over the past one week.&nbsp

"While four of them were declared brought dead, Raghaveer Singh succumbed to injuries today," he said adding half of the injured were discharged after treatment.

 
Among the injured, two persons including a woman were in intensive care unit for multiple splinter injuries in vital organs, he said.

 
Singh, who was himself attending to the shelling victims, said they were being provided all facilities including medicines free.&nbsp

Five people were killed in the shelling on Wednesday, raising the death toll in the ongoing skirmishes to twelve including two BSF jawans and an eight-month-old boy.

Thirteen-year-old Shivpaul was playing with his younger brother Krishan Lal Sharma when a Pakistani mortar shell exploded inside their house in Samba sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Recuperating at the Government Medical College (GMC) hospital here Shivpaul asks only one question - about the well being of his brother. Ten-year-old Krishan Lal Sharma, however, was not as fortunate as his elder sibling. He died on the spot. Their mother Champa was being treated at a local hospital. In the GMC hospital emergency ward, close to where Shivpaul was recovering, 21-year-old Pooja, wife of an Army jawan, and her two-year-old son too were battling splinter injuries. They were preparing to flee their home for safety when a shell tore through the roof and exploded in their bed room in the early hours, she said. Her daughter too was injured in the blast, Pooja added. Eleven seriously injured patients were brought to the GMC hospital since this morning from different sectors as heavy shelling by Pakistani Rangers along the International Border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts entered the ninth day. Five people including the 10-year-old Sharma were killed in the shelling today, raising the death toll in the ongoing skirmishes to twelve including two BSF jawans and an eight-month-old boy. The state has witnessed a spurt in Pakistani shelling and firing along the IB and the Line of Control (LoC). Over 700 such incidents were reported this year, which have left more than 44 people, including 18 security personnel, dead and scores injured. In another special ward, 50-year-old Santosh Kumari, resident of Londi village of Hiranagar sector of Kathua district, was mourning the loss of her husband. "It was around 5.30am when a shell landed at our house and exploded with a big bang, critically injuring Devi, her husband Rampaul Sharma and two others besides killing several bovines. We immediately shifted them to a local hospital and after first aid they were brought here. However, Rampaul was declared brought dead," Ashok Kumar Sharma, younger brother of the deceased, told PTI. A retired Army jawan, Ashok Kumar Sharma, criticised the central government for its "failure to ensure peace on the borders" and said the much-publicised underground bunkers were nothing but an eye-wash. "Where are the promised bunkers? Our village has not even a single community bunker leave aside the individual bunkers for each family," he said. The body of his brother was still lying in the hospital as the family could not decide whether to carry it back home for cremation or wait as heavy shelling was still on. Surinder Singh (45), a resident of Naibasti area of Suchetgarh, said he was moving his cattle out of the firing zone when a shell exploded killing a friend and injuring him. Singh received multiple splinter injuries in the upper parts of the body and was being attended by his brother, a soldier, and uncle. BJP MLA Kuldeep Raj who had come to see the injured had to face tough questions from the border residents. "The education of our children is hit due to closure of schools owing to cross-border firing. We are unable to tend our land properly, attend our cattle and now even we are unable to get brides for our sons as people are reluctant to marry their daughters in our homes due to the fear of Pakistani firing," Darshan Lal, another border resident, said. Politicians are only visible when they have to seek votes, he claimed adding "nobody cares whether we live or die". Subhash Chander, who was attending Surinder Singh, said the frequent shelling had made their lives miserable. "We have witnessed both sides observing the ceasefire in November 2003 and lived a peaceful life for many years before the situation turned ugly especially after 2014," he said. He said the border residents were unable to perform day to day activities due to the lurking threat of Pakistan shelling. "The government also backtracked from the promised piece of land at safer places for the border residents. They are responding to Pakistani shelling more fiercely but how is this an answer to our problems. Either they should go for ceasefire or launch an all out attack," Chander said. Amid the surcharged atmosphere inside the emergency ward, 22-year-old Sunny of Satowali village, who had just been brought by friends, wept inconsolably. "He has splinter injuries in the arms. But his real pain is that he lost his father Raghaveer Singh, an employee in public health engineering department, in the shelling," one of his friends said. Medical superintendent Dara Singh said over 50 shelling victims had arrived in the hospital over the past one week. "While four of them were declared brought dead, Raghaveer Singh succumbed to injuries today," he said adding half of the injured were discharged after treatment. Among the injured, two persons including a woman were in intensive care unit for multiple splinter injuries in vital organs, he said. Singh, who was himself attending to the shelling victims, said they were being provided all facilities including medicines free.

Children bear brunt of Pak hostility at J&K border: 10-year-old killed, 2-year-old battles splinter injuries

&nbsp;Britain`s Prince Harry and his U.S. fiancee Meghan Markle have chosen George and Charlotte, the children of the royal`s elder brother Prince William, to be among the bridesmaids and page boys for their wedding, his office said on Wednesday.

Also selected for the much-anticipated event at Windsor Castle on Saturday are the couple`s goddaughters and godson, and the children of one of her best friends.

Harry`s office said last week that all the bridesmaids would be children and that Markle had decided not to have a maid of honor because she could not choose between her friends.

Princess Charlotte, 3, will be joined as a bridesmaid by Florence van Cutsem, 3, and Zalie Warren, 2, Harry`s goddaughters Remi and Rylan Litt, 6 and 7, who are Markle`s goddaughters and Ivy Mulroney, the 4-year-old daughter of her friend Jessica Mulroney.

Mulroney`s sons Brian and John Mulroney, both 7, will also join Prince George as a page boy along with his godson Jasper Dyer, 6.

The children of the royal`s elder brother Prince William, to be among the bridesmaids for their wedding

Britain`s Prince Harry and his U.S. fiancee Meghan Markle have chosen George and Charlotte, the children of the royal`s elder brother Prince William, to be among the bridesmaids and page boys for their wedding, his office said on Wednesday. Also selected for the much-anticipated event at Windsor Castle on Saturday are the couple`s goddaughters and godson, and the children of one of her best friends. Harry`s office said last week that all the bridesmaids would be children and that Markle had decided not to have a maid of honor because she could not choose between her friends. Princess Charlotte, 3, will be joined as a bridesmaid by Florence van Cutsem, 3, and Zalie Warren, 2, Harry`s goddaughters Remi and Rylan Litt, 6 and 7, who are Markle`s goddaughters and Ivy Mulroney, the 4-year-old daughter of her friend Jessica Mulroney. Mulroney`s sons Brian and John Mulroney, both 7, will also join Prince George as a page boy along with his godson Jasper Dyer, 6.

Prince William's children get starring roles at brother's wedding

A New York nanny convicted of fatally stabbing two young children in her care was sentenced on Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for a crime that has been described as every parent's nightmare.

In a case that drew national headlines, Yoselyn Ortega, 56, was found guilty by a jury in April of murdering both Lucia Krim, 6, nicknamed Lulu, and her 2-year-old brother, Leo, and leaving their bloody bodies in a bathtub in their luxury Manhattan apartment in October 2012.

Judge Gregory Carro on Monday called the case "pure evil" before issuing the sentence, the stiffest available.

Before hearing the sentence, Ortega addressed the court and apologized. She spoke in Spanish through a translator.

"I'm very sorry for everything that happened ... I ask for a great deal of forgiveness," she said in a shaky voice.

She said she was asking forgiveness from God and the children's parents, adding she had not been feeling well on the day of the murders.

The two-month trial at state Supreme Court in Manhattan featured testimony by the children's mother, Marina Krim.

Krim, 42, had for months sat through a trial that forced him again and again to relive that day in October 2012, when he turned on his phone after a flight to find a number of missed calls and voice mails, which filled him with the kind of dread fathers sometimes feel when they know something must be wrong with their children.

She recalled the shock of returning to the family's Upper West Side apartment to find her children slain and their nanny standing over them stabbing her own neck with a kitchen knife. Krim had come home with the children's 3-year-old sister, Nessie, after Ortega failed to show up with the children at Lulu's dance lesson.

On Monday, Krim asked the judge, Gregory Carro, to give Ortega, 55, a life sentence so that she "can never leave prison alive."

"I just wanted to wake up from this nightmare that I knew wasn't a nightmare. It was real," Krim told jurors. "It's like a total horror movie."

The motive, prosecutors said, was Ortega's overwhelming financial problems after bringing her 17-year-old son from the Dominican Republic and her resentment toward Marina Krim, married to then-CNBC executive Kevin Krim, for being the mother "she could never be."

In 2012, in the aftermath of the killings, the Krims founded the Lulu & Leo Fund, which supports creativity in schools. Their family now includes two more children: Felix, born in October 2013, and Linus, born in January 2016.

Marina and Kevin Krim left the courtroom before the sentence was read.

She said she was asking forgiveness from God and the children's parents, adding she had not been feeling well on the day of the murders

A New York nanny convicted of fatally stabbing two young children in her care was sentenced on Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for a crime that has been described as every parent's nightmare. In a case that drew national headlines, Yoselyn Ortega, 56, was found guilty by a jury in April of murdering both Lucia Krim, 6, nicknamed Lulu, and her 2-year-old brother, Leo, and leaving their bloody bodies in a bathtub in their luxury Manhattan apartment in October 2012. Judge Gregory Carro on Monday called the case "pure evil" before issuing the sentence, the stiffest available. Before hearing the sentence, Ortega addressed the court and apologized. She spoke in Spanish through a translator. "I'm very sorry for everything that happened ... I ask for a great deal of forgiveness," she said in a shaky voice. She said she was asking forgiveness from God and the children's parents, adding she had not been feeling well on the day of the murders. The two-month trial at state Supreme Court in Manhattan featured testimony by the children's mother, Marina Krim. Krim, 42, had for months sat through a trial that forced him again and again to relive that day in October 2012, when he turned on his phone after a flight to find a number of missed calls and voice mails, which filled him with the kind of dread fathers sometimes feel when they know something must be wrong with their children. She recalled the shock of returning to the family's Upper West Side apartment to find her children slain and their nanny standing over them stabbing her own neck with a kitchen knife. Krim had come home with the children's 3-year-old sister, Nessie, after Ortega failed to show up with the children at Lulu's dance lesson. On Monday, Krim asked the judge, Gregory Carro, to give Ortega, 55, a life sentence so that she "can never leave prison alive." "I just wanted to wake up from this nightmare that I knew wasn't a nightmare. It was real," Krim told jurors. "It's like a total horror movie." The motive, prosecutors said, was Ortega's overwhelming financial problems after bringing her 17-year-old son from the Dominican Republic and her resentment toward Marina Krim, married to then-CNBC executive Kevin Krim, for being the mother "she could never be." In 2012, in the aftermath of the killings, the Krims founded the Lulu & Leo Fund, which supports creativity in schools. Their family now includes two more children: Felix, born in October 2013, and Linus, born in January 2016. Marina and Kevin Krim left the courtroom before the sentence was read.

New York: Nanny sentenced to life imprisonment for killing children in her care

A British supporter of Islamic State who tried to recruit over 100 children into an "army" of jihadists to carry out a wave of attacks across London was jailed for a minimum of 25 years on Tuesday.

Umar Haque, 25, showed the children beheading videos and other violent militant propaganda, forced them to re-enact deadly attacks on the British capital and made them role-play attacking police officers.

"The children were paralysed by fear of Haque, who they understood to have connections to terrorists and who essentially told them that a violent fate would befall them if they told anyone what he was doing," said Dean Haydon, head of the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command.

"We recovered a number of exercise books from his home and it was evident from his notes that his plan was a long-term one," he added in a statement. "He intended to execute his plan years later, by which time he anticipated he would have trained and acquired an army of soldiers, including children."

Despite having no qualifications and being employed as an administrator, Haque used the guise of teaching Islamic studies to groom 110 children into becoming militants at the Lantern of Knowledge, a small private Islamic school, and at a madrassa connected to the Ripple Road Mosque in east London.

His intention was to use them to attack London targets such as Big Ben, soldiers from the Queen's Guards, a large shopping centre, banks, and media stations, prosecutors said at his trial.

Believed to have been self-radicalised online, Haque was inspired by an attack in March last year when Khalid Masood ploughed a rented car into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge, killing four, before stabbing to death a police officer in the grounds of parliament.

Haque was found guilty at London's Old Bailey Court earlier this month of several offences including preparing terrorist acts, having previously pleaded guilty to four charges.

Umar Haque, 25, showed the children beheading videos and other violent militant propaganda, forced them to re-enact deadly attacks on the British capital and made them role-play attacking police officers

A British supporter of Islamic State who tried to recruit over 100 children into an "army" of jihadists to carry out a wave of attacks across London was jailed for a minimum of 25 years on Tuesday. Umar Haque, 25, showed the children beheading videos and other violent militant propaganda, forced them to re-enact deadly attacks on the British capital and made them role-play attacking police officers. "The children were paralysed by fear of Haque, who they understood to have connections to terrorists and who essentially told them that a violent fate would befall them if they told anyone what he was doing," said Dean Haydon, head of the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command. "We recovered a number of exercise books from his home and it was evident from his notes that his plan was a long-term one," he added in a statement. "He intended to execute his plan years later, by which time he anticipated he would have trained and acquired an army of soldiers, including children." Despite having no qualifications and being employed as an administrator, Haque used the guise of teaching Islamic studies to groom 110 children into becoming militants at the Lantern of Knowledge, a small private Islamic school, and at a madrassa connected to the Ripple Road Mosque in east London. His intention was to use them to attack London targets such as Big Ben, soldiers from the Queen's Guards, a large shopping centre, banks, and media stations, prosecutors said at his trial. Believed to have been self-radicalised online, Haque was inspired by an attack in March last year when Khalid Masood ploughed a rented car into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge, killing four, before stabbing to death a police officer in the grounds of parliament. Haque was found guilty at London's Old Bailey Court earlier this month of several offences including preparing terrorist acts, having previously pleaded guilty to four charges.

UK teacher jailed for trying to recruit 'army of children' for attacks

By S. Suresh*

It is not easy to write about gun violence and gun-related deaths in America. Even before the ink is dry, more shootings will bring more deaths somewhere in the country. As I wrote this article, the nation had to contend with the heartbreaking loss of the lives of three women at the hands of a gunman in the small town of Yountville, California.

Presenting a frightful perspective on gun deaths in America, The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof asserted in 2015 that, “More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all the wars in American history.” &nbspThis statistic has been verified more than once by PolitiFact.

The Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit organization that keeps track of gun violence in America, not only provides a sad commentary on the senseless loss of lives from gun violence, but its records also demonstrate why Kristof’s astute observation will stay true for the foreseeable future in America. Studies show a direct correlation between gun ownership and gun-related injuries and deaths. In an analysis of gun ownership across 50 US states, those with more guns tend to have more gun-related deaths. In a similar study of developed countries, America, which has 42% of civilian-owned guns in the world, stands in a league of its own when it comes to gun-related deaths in comparison with countries like Japan, UK and the Netherlands, where gun ownership is low.

I have unequivocally stated that guns have no place in a civilized society, and that America has to engage in a debate on the relevance of the Second Amendment rather than gun control. In the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, it is alarming to see the dialogue shift toward the arming of teachers and school staff.

Armed Teachers? 

During the Republican primaries, President Donald Trump opined that the country’s response to gun violence ought to be more civilians with guns. “I am a Second Amendment person,” Trump said. “If we had guns in California on the other side where the bullets went in the different direction, you wouldn’t have 14 or 15 people dead right now. If even in Paris, if they had guns on the other side going in the opposite direction, you wouldn’t have 130 people plus dead.”

America’s delusional president wants to turn the entire country into a war zone, including schools, which are a gun-free zone today. Despite strong evidence that more guns would mean more gun-related deaths, Trump loves the idea of “bullets going in the other direction” and believes in the myth that more good guys with guns ought to be the nation’s answer to mass shootings. At a White House meeting on school safety, Trump stated that “certain highly adept people, people who understand weaponry and guns,” ought to be allowed to carry guns inside schools. He is not talking about soldiers or mercenaries, but about teachers. The president went as far as to suggest that teachers willing to carry guns should be paid bonuses.

Not surprisingly, Trump’s repeated call to arm teachers drew mixed reactions after the shooting in Parkland, Florida. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and some teachers are in favor of Trump’s call to arms, while many teachers’ unions, parents and educators have overwhelmingly rejected the idea. As with any aspect of the gun debate, the nation is polarized on the topic of arming schoolteachers. The strong divide was amply evident in Florida lawmakers’ knee-jerk response to the Parkland shooting.&nbsp

Reacting to the school shooting, Florida passed a bill on March 7 that has a provision for additional funding for arming school staff. While the bill has positive aspects, including raising the minimum age to purchase firearms, a three-day waiting period and restrictions on the sale of assault-style weapons, it also includes the provision to arm school teachers. Florida’s Senate narrowly passed a modified version of the bill to create a school marshal program with the additional funding earmarked for arming non-teaching school staff. Defying the NRA, Florida Governor Rick Scott, a self-professed proponent of common-sense gun laws, signed the bill into law on March 9. The final scene will play out in the federal court where the NRA has filed a lawsuit contesting that the new Florida law violates the Second Amendment constitutional rights of people under the age of 21 to bear arms.

Watershed Moment

Taking the step of arming school staff will, unfortunately, negate the benefits of other aspects of Florida’s rnew law. Schools are a place of learning. They are sacred institutions that impart knowledge to students. Nelson Mandela believed that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Teachers have the unenviable job of shaping the next generation of responsible citizens, creating in them a desire to learn and equipping them with the skills needed to change the world for the better.

Teachers are referred to in Sanskrit as gurus. A guru is a revered mentor who enlightens the minds of students and molds their values. A guru dispels the darkness that is ignorance by guiding students to the path of knowledge and wisdom. It is inconceivable that the very fabric of what a place of learning ought to be is getting ripped apart by the ill-conceived ideas of the most pedestrian president America has seen in recent times. With school marshals, armed school staff and teachers, America will create an indelible image in the impressionable minds of its young learners that guns and violence they bring are a normal way of life. In the process of making violence the norm in society, America is failing in its duties as a nation to nurture its next generation.

The year 2018 has the potential to be a watershed moment in the war against guns in America. Drawing the wrath of the NRA, retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart and Kroger have taken a stand and stoped selling assault-style rifles and guns to anyone under the age of 21, federal and state laws notwithstanding. Students are taking to the streets and staging protests against gun violence. Even a Republican governor with an A+ rating in the NRA’s grading system took the unexpected step of signing into law a gun-control bill that might improve Florida’s standing with the Giffords Law Center.

With the midterm elections looming in November 2018 can and should become a referendum on where America stands on guns today and how much power the NRA wields in American politics.&nbsp

*S. Suresh is a product executive with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software.&nbsp

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By arming teachers, America will cause lasting damage in a society already rife with gun violence

By S. Suresh* It is not easy to write about gun violence and gun-related deaths in America. Even before the ink is dry, more shootings will bring more deaths somewhere in the country. As I wrote this article, the nation had to contend with the heartbreaking loss of the lives of three women at the hands of a gunman in the small town of Yountville, California. Presenting a frightful perspective on gun deaths in America, The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof asserted in 2015 that, “More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all the wars in American history.” &nbspThis statistic has been verified more than once by PolitiFact. The Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit organization that keeps track of gun violence in America, not only provides a sad commentary on the senseless loss of lives from gun violence, but its records also demonstrate why Kristof’s astute observation will stay true for the foreseeable future in America. Studies show a direct correlation between gun ownership and gun-related injuries and deaths. In an analysis of gun ownership across 50 US states, those with more guns tend to have more gun-related deaths. In a similar study of developed countries, America, which has 42% of civilian-owned guns in the world, stands in a league of its own when it comes to gun-related deaths in comparison with countries like Japan, UK and the Netherlands, where gun ownership is low. I have unequivocally stated that guns have no place in a civilized society, and that America has to engage in a debate on the relevance of the Second Amendment rather than gun control. In the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, it is alarming to see the dialogue shift toward the arming of teachers and school staff. Armed Teachers? During the Republican primaries, President Donald Trump opined that the country’s response to gun violence ought to be more civilians with guns. “I am a Second Amendment person,” Trump said. “If we had guns in California on the other side where the bullets went in the different direction, you wouldn’t have 14 or 15 people dead right now. If even in Paris, if they had guns on the other side going in the opposite direction, you wouldn’t have 130 people plus dead.” America’s delusional president wants to turn the entire country into a war zone, including schools, which are a gun-free zone today. Despite strong evidence that more guns would mean more gun-related deaths, Trump loves the idea of “bullets going in the other direction” and believes in the myth that more good guys with guns ought to be the nation’s answer to mass shootings. At a White House meeting on school safety, Trump stated that “certain highly adept people, people who understand weaponry and guns,” ought to be allowed to carry guns inside schools. He is not talking about soldiers or mercenaries, but about teachers. The president went as far as to suggest that teachers willing to carry guns should be paid bonuses. Not surprisingly, Trump’s repeated call to arm teachers drew mixed reactions after the shooting in Parkland, Florida. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and some teachers are in favor of Trump’s call to arms, while many teachers’ unions, parents and educators have overwhelmingly rejected the idea. As with any aspect of the gun debate, the nation is polarized on the topic of arming schoolteachers. The strong divide was amply evident in Florida lawmakers’ knee-jerk response to the Parkland shooting. Reacting to the school shooting, Florida passed a bill on March 7 that has a provision for additional funding for arming school staff. While the bill has positive aspects, including raising the minimum age to purchase firearms, a three-day waiting period and restrictions on the sale of assault-style weapons, it also includes the provision to arm school teachers. Florida’s Senate narrowly passed a modified version of the bill to create a school marshal program with the additional funding earmarked for arming non-teaching school staff. Defying the NRA, Florida Governor Rick Scott, a self-professed proponent of common-sense gun laws, signed the bill into law on March 9. The final scene will play out in the federal court where the NRA has filed a lawsuit contesting that the new Florida law violates the Second Amendment constitutional rights of people under the age of 21 to bear arms. Watershed Moment Taking the step of arming school staff will, unfortunately, negate the benefits of other aspects of Florida’s rnew law. Schools are a place of learning. They are sacred institutions that impart knowledge to students. Nelson Mandela believed that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Teachers have the unenviable job of shaping the next generation of responsible citizens, creating in them a desire to learn and equipping them with the skills needed to change the world for the better. Teachers are referred to in Sanskrit as gurus. A guru is a revered mentor who enlightens the minds of students and molds their values. A guru dispels the darkness that is ignorance by guiding students to the path of knowledge and wisdom. It is inconceivable that the very fabric of what a place of learning ought to be is getting ripped apart by the ill-conceived ideas of the most pedestrian president America has seen in recent times. With school marshals, armed school staff and teachers, America will create an indelible image in the impressionable minds of its young learners that guns and violence they bring are a normal way of life. In the process of making violence the norm in society, America is failing in its duties as a nation to nurture its next generation. The year 2018 has the potential to be a watershed moment in the war against guns in America. Drawing the wrath of the NRA, retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart and Kroger have taken a stand and stoped selling assault-style rifles and guns to anyone under the age of 21, federal and state laws notwithstanding. Students are taking to the streets and staging protests against gun violence. Even a Republican governor with an A+ rating in the NRA’s grading system took the unexpected step of signing into law a gun-control bill that might improve Florida’s standing with the Giffords Law Center. With the midterm elections looming in November 2018 can and should become a referendum on where America stands on guns today and how much power the NRA wields in American politics. *S. Suresh is a product executive with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Teachers are educators, not mercenaries

By S. Suresh*

It is not easy to write about gun violence and gun-related deaths in America. Even before the ink is dry, more shootings will bring more deaths somewhere in the country. As I wrote this article, the nation had to contend with the heartbreaking loss of the lives of three women at the hands of a gunman in the small town of Yountville, California.

Presenting a frightful perspective on gun deaths in America, The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof asserted in 2015 that, &ldquo;More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all the wars in American history.&rdquo; &nbsp;This statistic has been verified more than once by PolitiFact.

The Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit organization that keeps track of gun violence in America, not only provides a sad commentary on the senseless loss of lives from gun violence, but its records also demonstrate why Kristof&rsquo;s astute observation will stay true for the foreseeable future in America. Studies show a direct correlation between gun ownership and gun-related injuries and deaths. In an analysis of gun ownership across 50 US states, those with more guns tend to have more gun-related deaths. In a similar study of developed countries, America, which has 42% of civilian-owned guns in the world, stands in a league of its own when it comes to gun-related deaths in comparison with countries like Japan, UK and the Netherlands, where gun ownership is low.

I have unequivocally stated that guns have no place in a civilized society, and that America has to engage in a debate on the relevance of the Second Amendment rather than gun control. In the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, it is alarming to see the dialogue shift toward the arming of teachers and school staff.

Armed Teachers? 

During the Republican primaries, President Donald Trump opined that the country&rsquo;s response to gun violence ought to be more civilians with guns. &ldquo;I am a Second Amendment person,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;If we had guns in California on the other side where the bullets went in the different direction, you wouldn&rsquo;t have 14 or 15 people dead right now. If even in Paris, if they had guns on the other side going in the opposite direction, you wouldn&rsquo;t have 130 people plus dead.&rdquo;

America&rsquo;s delusional president wants to turn the entire country into a war zone, including schools, which are a gun-free zone today. Despite strong evidence that more guns would mean more gun-related deaths, Trump loves the idea of &ldquo;bullets going in the other direction&rdquo; and believes in the myth that more good guys with guns ought to be the nation&rsquo;s answer to mass shootings. At a White House meeting on school safety, Trump stated that &ldquo;certain highly adept people, people who understand weaponry and guns,&rdquo; ought to be allowed to carry guns inside schools. He is not talking about soldiers or mercenaries, but about teachers. The president went as far as to suggest that teachers willing to carry guns should be paid bonuses.

Not surprisingly, Trump&rsquo;s repeated call to arm teachers drew mixed reactions after the shooting in Parkland, Florida. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and some teachers are in favor of Trump&rsquo;s call to arms, while many teachers&rsquo; unions, parents and educators have overwhelmingly rejected the idea. As with any aspect of the gun debate, the nation is polarized on the topic of arming schoolteachers. The strong divide was amply evident in Florida lawmakers&rsquo; knee-jerk response to the Parkland shooting.&nbsp;

Reacting to the school shooting, Florida passed a bill on March 7 that has a provision for additional funding for arming school staff. While the bill has positive aspects, including raising the minimum age to purchase firearms, a three-day waiting period and restrictions on the sale of assault-style weapons, it also includes the provision to arm school teachers. Florida&rsquo;s Senate narrowly passed a modified version of the bill to create a school marshal program with the additional funding earmarked for arming non-teaching school staff. Defying the NRA, Florida Governor Rick Scott, a self-professed proponent of common-sense gun laws, signed the bill into law on March 9. The final scene will play out in the federal court where the NRA has filed a lawsuit contesting that the new Florida law violates the Second Amendment constitutional rights of people under the age of 21 to bear arms.

Watershed Moment

Taking the step of arming school staff will, unfortunately, negate the benefits of other aspects of Florida&rsquo;s rnew law. Schools are a place of learning. They are sacred institutions that impart knowledge to students. Nelson Mandela believed that &ldquo;Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.&rdquo; Teachers have the unenviable job of shaping the next generation of responsible citizens, creating in them a desire to learn and equipping them with the skills needed to change the world for the better.

Teachers are referred to in Sanskrit as gurus. A guru is a revered mentor who enlightens the minds of students and molds their values. A guru dispels the darkness that is ignorance by guiding students to the path of knowledge and wisdom. It is inconceivable that the very fabric of what a place of learning ought to be is getting ripped apart by the ill-conceived ideas of the most pedestrian president America has seen in recent times. With school marshals, armed school staff and teachers, America will create an indelible image in the impressionable minds of its young learners that guns and violence they bring are a normal way of life. In the process of making violence the norm in society, America is failing in its duties as a nation to nurture its next generation.

The year 2018 has the potential to be a watershed moment in the war against guns in America. Drawing the wrath of the NRA, retailers like Dick&rsquo;s Sporting Goods, Walmart and Kroger have taken a stand and stoped selling assault-style rifles and guns to anyone under the age of 21, federal and state laws notwithstanding. Students are taking to the streets and staging protests against gun violence. Even a Republican governor with an A+ rating in the NRA&rsquo;s grading system took the unexpected step of signing into law a gun-control bill that might improve Florida&rsquo;s standing with the Giffords Law Center.

With the midterm elections looming in November, 2018 can and should become a referendum on where America stands on guns today and how much power the NRA wields in American politics.&nbsp;

*S. Suresh is a product executive with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By arming teachers, America will cause lasting damage in a society already rife with gun violence.

By S. Suresh* It is not easy to write about gun violence and gun-related deaths in America. Even before the ink is dry, more shootings will bring more deaths somewhere in the country. As I wrote this article, the nation had to contend with the heartbreaking loss of the lives of three women at the hands of a gunman in the small town of Yountville, California. Presenting a frightful perspective on gun deaths in America, The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof asserted in 2015 that, “More Americans have died from guns in the United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all the wars in American history.” This statistic has been verified more than once by PolitiFact. The Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit organization that keeps track of gun violence in America, not only provides a sad commentary on the senseless loss of lives from gun violence, but its records also demonstrate why Kristof’s astute observation will stay true for the foreseeable future in America. Studies show a direct correlation between gun ownership and gun-related injuries and deaths. In an analysis of gun ownership across 50 US states, those with more guns tend to have more gun-related deaths. In a similar study of developed countries, America, which has 42% of civilian-owned guns in the world, stands in a league of its own when it comes to gun-related deaths in comparison with countries like Japan, UK and the Netherlands, where gun ownership is low. I have unequivocally stated that guns have no place in a civilized society, and that America has to engage in a debate on the relevance of the Second Amendment rather than gun control. In the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, it is alarming to see the dialogue shift toward the arming of teachers and school staff. Armed Teachers? During the Republican primaries, President Donald Trump opined that the country’s response to gun violence ought to be more civilians with guns. “I am a Second Amendment person,” Trump said. “If we had guns in California on the other side where the bullets went in the different direction, you wouldn’t have 14 or 15 people dead right now. If even in Paris, if they had guns on the other side going in the opposite direction, you wouldn’t have 130 people plus dead.” America’s delusional president wants to turn the entire country into a war zone, including schools, which are a gun-free zone today. Despite strong evidence that more guns would mean more gun-related deaths, Trump loves the idea of “bullets going in the other direction” and believes in the myth that more good guys with guns ought to be the nation’s answer to mass shootings. At a White House meeting on school safety, Trump stated that “certain highly adept people, people who understand weaponry and guns,” ought to be allowed to carry guns inside schools. He is not talking about soldiers or mercenaries, but about teachers. The president went as far as to suggest that teachers willing to carry guns should be paid bonuses. Not surprisingly, Trump’s repeated call to arm teachers drew mixed reactions after the shooting in Parkland, Florida. The National Rifle Association (NRA) and some teachers are in favor of Trump’s call to arms, while many teachers’ unions, parents and educators have overwhelmingly rejected the idea. As with any aspect of the gun debate, the nation is polarized on the topic of arming schoolteachers. The strong divide was amply evident in Florida lawmakers’ knee-jerk response to the Parkland shooting. Reacting to the school shooting, Florida passed a bill on March 7 that has a provision for additional funding for arming school staff. While the bill has positive aspects, including raising the minimum age to purchase firearms, a three-day waiting period and restrictions on the sale of assault-style weapons, it also includes the provision to arm school teachers. Florida’s Senate narrowly passed a modified version of the bill to create a school marshal program with the additional funding earmarked for arming non-teaching school staff. Defying the NRA, Florida Governor Rick Scott, a self-professed proponent of common-sense gun laws, signed the bill into law on March 9. The final scene will play out in the federal court where the NRA has filed a lawsuit contesting that the new Florida law violates the Second Amendment constitutional rights of people under the age of 21 to bear arms. Watershed Moment Taking the step of arming school staff will, unfortunately, negate the benefits of other aspects of Florida’s rnew law. Schools are a place of learning. They are sacred institutions that impart knowledge to students. Nelson Mandela believed that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Teachers have the unenviable job of shaping the next generation of responsible citizens, creating in them a desire to learn and equipping them with the skills needed to change the world for the better. Teachers are referred to in Sanskrit as gurus. A guru is a revered mentor who enlightens the minds of students and molds their values. A guru dispels the darkness that is ignorance by guiding students to the path of knowledge and wisdom. It is inconceivable that the very fabric of what a place of learning ought to be is getting ripped apart by the ill-conceived ideas of the most pedestrian president America has seen in recent times. With school marshals, armed school staff and teachers, America will create an indelible image in the impressionable minds of its young learners that guns and violence they bring are a normal way of life. In the process of making violence the norm in society, America is failing in its duties as a nation to nurture its next generation. The year 2018 has the potential to be a watershed moment in the war against guns in America. Drawing the wrath of the NRA, retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart and Kroger have taken a stand and stoped selling assault-style rifles and guns to anyone under the age of 21, federal and state laws notwithstanding. Students are taking to the streets and staging protests against gun violence. Even a Republican governor with an A+ rating in the NRA’s grading system took the unexpected step of signing into law a gun-control bill that might improve Florida’s standing with the Giffords Law Center. With the midterm elections looming in November, 2018 can and should become a referendum on where America stands on guns today and how much power the NRA wields in American politics. *S. Suresh is a product executive with more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The direct and indirect costs of having children can be high and, in many societies, women most often shoulder these costs.

In a recent research study, we measured the gender-specific economic impact of parenthood in Germany. Our finding: mothers may end up with less accrued wealth than women without children.

German men, who are comparable in other characteristics such as education and age, on the other hand, show similar amounts of personal wealth regardless of whether they have children.

Mothers accrue less wealth

The research, which was conducted in Germany, looked at 28,650 individuals to assess women&rsquo;s personal wealth over the course of a decade, from 2002 to 2012. For the purposes of our study, personal wealth refers to all economic assets that subjects own solely as well as their individual share of assets jointly owned with somebody else.

We found that each year after a woman&rsquo;s first child is born, she accrues only about 98 cents for each &euro;1 of wealth that childless women gain. This small difference adds up over time. After being a mother for 50 years, a mother&rsquo;s personal wealth is roughly 60% lower than for a German woman who does not have children, everything else remaining equal.&nbsp;

This gap in capital is largely related to employment. German mothers accumulate less wealth because they are likely to stop paid work to care for their young children and, as children get older, return to work part-time.

Without full-time employment, women have less income to put into savings. Employment gaps may also reduce long-term earning potential because career advancement becomes less likely.

According to our study, women&rsquo;s male partners do not appear to fully compensate for these losses in wealth by sharing financial resources within the couple.&nbsp;

The loss in personal wealth is greater the younger a woman is when she becomes a mother. The difference may be due to the fact that career interruptions early in one&rsquo;s working life are especially harmful.

Mothers additionally accrue less wealth if they are unmarried when they give birth; a difference that holds for both single mothers and those living with their partners. This finding suggests that married fathers may be more willing to compensate for their spouses&rsquo; income losses, and that married mothers and fathers are more likely to share their incomes.

By middle life (ages 40 to 60), mothers and fathers show the greatest discrepancy in wealth (see above graph). By older age, these inequalities decrease.&nbsp;

Why wealth differences matter

The reduced wealth of mothers as compared to fathers and to women without children has many important implications.

Financial assets and savings are resources that can be tapped to weather rainy days, independent of current income. Wealth can also be passed on to the next generation or invested in education and, thereby, affect the well-being of children.

For a woman living with a more wealthy partner, having little wealth may seem less important. But, as we know, couples do not always fully share their wealth.

And, in any case, inequalities in personal wealth within the same household also hurt women. German women reported lower subjective well-being if they had less wealth than their partners, and studies from Ecuador and Ghana have shown that the risk of intimate partner violence increases when women&rsquo;s personal capital is less than that of their partners. Although we do not know whether those findings would apply in Germany or other countries.

Finally, economic inequality between mothers and fathers can affect children. When mothers have relatively more resources, the well-being of children is improved. If couples separate, gender inequalities within couples may ultimately contribute to inequalities between ex-partners.&nbsp;

International differences

Our research examined the wealth consequences of parenthood in Germany, where women have achieved equal status compared to men in many respects. Nonetheless, a traditional division of labour, where men are the main breadwinners, still dominates here.

Other research, though based on less adequate data, has also found a wealth gap between genders in the United States. Complementary evidence on income inequalities between mothers and fathers have additionally been found in many countries around the world, including China, Japan, Nigeria and the United Kingdom.&nbsp;

Gender-based wealth inequality as a result of parenthood may be weaker in more egalitarian societies, such as Sweden.

Wealth inequalities between mothers and fathers &ndash; and, more generally, between women and men, even within married couples &ndash; are stronger in countries in which women and men do not have equal legal status.

In Ghana, for example, where women&rsquo;s contributions to marital assets are not recognised, married women own only about 20% of household assets. Similar inequality exists in some parts of India.

By contrast, in Ecuador, where women&rsquo;s legal status is more equal to men&rsquo;s, wealth inequalities within married couples are negligible.&nbsp;

Economic well-being of women and men

The finding that, in relatively gender-equal Germany, women end up with less personal wealth after becoming mothers as compared to both childless women and to men suggests the need for a proactive government response.

Currently, ambiguous policies continue to hinder female employment. One approach for tackling mothers&rsquo; economic disadvantages is to encourage maternal full-time employment, for instance, by providing better access to childcare.

Recent policy reforms in Germany toward this goal may decrease disadvantages in the future. But wealth accumulation is a slow process, and these changes will take time to have any effect.

In the meantime, mothers will continue to struggle to save up for that rainy day.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The economic costs of having children are more often shouldered by women, so mothers tend to accumulate less capital over time.

The direct and indirect costs of having children can be high and, in many societies, women most often shoulder these costs. In a recent research study, we measured the gender-specific economic impact of parenthood in Germany. Our finding: mothers may end up with less accrued wealth than women without children. German men, who are comparable in other characteristics such as education and age, on the other hand, show similar amounts of personal wealth regardless of whether they have children. Mothers accrue less wealth The research, which was conducted in Germany, looked at 28,650 individuals to assess women’s personal wealth over the course of a decade, from 2002 to 2012. For the purposes of our study, personal wealth refers to all economic assets that subjects own solely as well as their individual share of assets jointly owned with somebody else. We found that each year after a woman’s first child is born, she accrues only about 98 cents for each €1 of wealth that childless women gain. This small difference adds up over time. After being a mother for 50 years, a mother’s personal wealth is roughly 60% lower than for a German woman who does not have children, everything else remaining equal. This gap in capital is largely related to employment. German mothers accumulate less wealth because they are likely to stop paid work to care for their young children and, as children get older, return to work part-time. Without full-time employment, women have less income to put into savings. Employment gaps may also reduce long-term earning potential because career advancement becomes less likely. According to our study, women’s male partners do not appear to fully compensate for these losses in wealth by sharing financial resources within the couple. The loss in personal wealth is greater the younger a woman is when she becomes a mother. The difference may be due to the fact that career interruptions early in one’s working life are especially harmful. Mothers additionally accrue less wealth if they are unmarried when they give birth; a difference that holds for both single mothers and those living with their partners. This finding suggests that married fathers may be more willing to compensate for their spouses’ income losses, and that married mothers and fathers are more likely to share their incomes. By middle life (ages 40 to 60), mothers and fathers show the greatest discrepancy in wealth (see above graph). By older age, these inequalities decrease. Why wealth differences matter The reduced wealth of mothers as compared to fathers and to women without children has many important implications. Financial assets and savings are resources that can be tapped to weather rainy days, independent of current income. Wealth can also be passed on to the next generation or invested in education and, thereby, affect the well-being of children. For a woman living with a more wealthy partner, having little wealth may seem less important. But, as we know, couples do not always fully share their wealth. And, in any case, inequalities in personal wealth within the same household also hurt women. German women reported lower subjective well-being if they had less wealth than their partners, and studies from Ecuador and Ghana have shown that the risk of intimate partner violence increases when women’s personal capital is less than that of their partners. Although we do not know whether those findings would apply in Germany or other countries. Finally, economic inequality between mothers and fathers can affect children. When mothers have relatively more resources, the well-being of children is improved. If couples separate, gender inequalities within couples may ultimately contribute to inequalities between ex-partners. International differences Our research examined the wealth consequences of parenthood in Germany, where women have achieved equal status compared to men in many respects. Nonetheless, a traditional division of labour, where men are the main breadwinners, still dominates here. Other research, though based on less adequate data, has also found a wealth gap between genders in the United States. Complementary evidence on income inequalities between mothers and fathers have additionally been found in many countries around the world, including China, Japan, Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Gender-based wealth inequality as a result of parenthood may be weaker in more egalitarian societies, such as Sweden. Wealth inequalities between mothers and fathers – and, more generally, between women and men, even within married couples – are stronger in countries in which women and men do not have equal legal status. In Ghana, for example, where women’s contributions to marital assets are not recognised, married women own only about 20% of household assets. Similar inequality exists in some parts of India. By contrast, in Ecuador, where women’s legal status is more equal to men’s, wealth inequalities within married couples are negligible. Economic well-being of women and men The finding that, in relatively gender-equal Germany, women end up with less personal wealth after becoming mothers as compared to both childless women and to men suggests the need for a proactive government response. Currently, ambiguous policies continue to hinder female employment. One approach for tackling mothers’ economic disadvantages is to encourage maternal full-time employment, for instance, by providing better access to childcare. Recent policy reforms in Germany toward this goal may decrease disadvantages in the future. But wealth accumulation is a slow process, and these changes will take time to have any effect. In the meantime, mothers will continue to struggle to save up for that rainy day. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why mothers are less wealthy than women without children

Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo appealed for Rohingya refugee children and has shared two contrasting images one image of Rohingya man carrying a baby in his hand and the second image of him with his kids.

The image captioned &quot;One ???? where we all ❤ our children. Please help. #Rohingya #Refugee @SavetheChildren.&quot;

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One ???? where we all ❤ our children. Please help. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rohingya?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rohingya</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Refugee?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Refugee</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SavetheChildren?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SavetheChildren</a> <a href="https://t.co/t2eJN244Jl">https://t.co/t2eJN244Jl</a> <a href="https://t.co/9ZPwe5olJC">pic.twitter.com/9ZPwe5olJC</a>
&mdash; Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano/status/964093317997826048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/conditions-not-conducive-for-voluntary-repatriation-of-rohingyas-un-high-commissioner-for-refugees-32814">Recently, UN High Commissioner for Refugees</a> Filippo Grandi informed the Security Council on Tuesday that Myanmar has failed to put in place conditions for the safe return of Rohingyas.

&quot;Let me be clear: conditions are not yet conducive to the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees,&quot; the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said.

Real Madrid star Ronaldo is the brand ambassador of a world&#39;s leading NGO &#39;Save the Children&#39; which aims to provide a better life and creates hope for a brighter future to those children who are in utter need.

The UN predicts over 8,50,000 Rohingyas have crossed over to Bangladesh since August 25th last year ever since the Myanmar Army allegedly started persecuting them.

The Rohingya refugees are currently living in despair, especially the children, their basic needs are not fulfilled, every day they are facing new challenges, the supply of food and medicines are limited and they are dealing with political turmoil.

Bangladesh had reached a deal with Myanmar in December last year to repatriate nearly 700,000 Rohingyas but reports said several refugees did not wish to return without guarantees of safety.

Ronaldo has come up to lend his voice and visibility to spotlight issues faced by Rohingya children.

There are other celebrities also who volunteer&nbsp;for this great cause like Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Garner, Bridgit Mendler and Rachel Zoe.

The foundation is fighting for children&#39;s rights since 1919 and in 2016 they reached more than 157 million children through their global movement.

&nbsp;

Cristiano Ronaldo has come up to lend his voice and visibility to spotlight issues faced by Rohingya children

Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo appealed for Rohingya refugee children and has shared two contrasting images one image of Rohingya man carrying a baby in his hand and the second image of him with his kids. The image captioned "One ???? where we all ❤ our children. Please help. #Rohingya #Refugee @SavetheChildren." One ???? where we all ❤ our children. Please help. #Rohingya #Refugee @SavetheChildren https://t.co/t2eJN244Jl pic.twitter.com/9ZPwe5olJC — Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) February 15, 2018 × Recently, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi informed the Security Council on Tuesday that Myanmar has failed to put in place conditions for the safe return of Rohingyas. "Let me be clear: conditions are not yet conducive to the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees," the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said. Real Madrid star Ronaldo is the brand ambassador of a world's leading NGO 'Save the Children' which aims to provide a better life and creates hope for a brighter future to those children who are in utter need. The UN predicts over 8,50,000 Rohingyas have crossed over to Bangladesh since August 25th last year ever since the Myanmar Army allegedly started persecuting them. The Rohingya refugees are currently living in despair, especially the children, their basic needs are not fulfilled, every day they are facing new challenges, the supply of food and medicines are limited and they are dealing with political turmoil. Bangladesh had reached a deal with Myanmar in December last year to repatriate nearly 700,000 Rohingyas but reports said several refugees did not wish to return without guarantees of safety. Ronaldo has come up to lend his voice and visibility to spotlight issues faced by Rohingya children. There are other celebrities also who volunteer for this great cause like Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Garner, Bridgit Mendler and Rachel Zoe. The foundation is fighting for children's rights since 1919 and in 2016 they reached more than 157 million children through their global movement.

Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo appeals for Rohingya refugee children

India&#39;s status as a technological power house in the world would remain on paper if the state does not take advantage of its resources to benefit the children or track the missing ones, the Supreme Court has said.

The apex court, while stressing the need for use of technology in Juvenile Justice Boards (JJB) and Child Welfare Committees (CWC), said it was &quot;disheartened&quot; that there was an acute shortage of computers and peripherals in these bodies.

A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said the use of technology would help in dealing with crucial issues like tracing and tracking of missing children, rescuing those working in hazardous industries and victims of child sexual abuse.

&quot;It is well-known that our country is a technological power-house and if we are unable to take advantage of the resources available with us and fully utilise the benefits of technology through computers and the internet for the benefit of children, our status as a technological power house would be in jeopardy and would remain only on paper,&quot; the bench said.

It said the data regarding children could be easily collected by using computers and the internet.

&quot;This would be of great assistance in planning and management of resources and MWCD (Ministry of Women and Child Development) and others concerned with child rights must take full advantage of this,&quot; the bench said.

The apex court also said that the Centre and states needed to look into this aspect and provide necessary software and hardware to JJBs and CWCs for their functioning.

&quot;Similarly, the use of video conferencing could also be considered in appropriate cases where some inconvenience to the juvenile in conflict with law necessitates the use of video conferencing facilities,&quot; it said.

The top court complimented the MWCD for bringing out an online central monitoring system in this regard but said it was &quot;unfortunate&quot; that there was not much active cooperation of the states in updating the information on this system.

It asked the states to update the information on the online monitoring system &quot;once a quarter&quot;, adding &quot;surely that cannot be a difficult task&quot;.

&quot;Needless to say, updating information is extremely important so that there can be efficient planning which will ultimately lead to better management of issues concerning children,&quot; the bench said.

It directed the MWCD to continue to make creative use of information and communication technology not only for the purpose of collecting data but also for other issues connected with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.

&quot;With the utilisation of technology to the fullest extent, administrative efficiency will improve considerably, which in turn will have a positive impact on the lives of children,&quot; it said.

The court said this in a judgement in which it passed a slew of directions for implementation of provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.

The verdict came on a PIL seeking implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act and its rules. The petition has raised the issue of alleged apathy by the governments in implementing the welfare measure.&nbsp;

India's status as a technological powerhouse will remain on paper if the state does not take advantage of its resources to benefit children, the court said

India's status as a technological power house in the world would remain on paper if the state does not take advantage of its resources to benefit the children or track the missing ones, the Supreme Court has said. The apex court, while stressing the need for use of technology in Juvenile Justice Boards (JJB) and Child Welfare Committees (CWC), said it was "disheartened" that there was an acute shortage of computers and peripherals in these bodies. A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said the use of technology would help in dealing with crucial issues like tracing and tracking of missing children, rescuing those working in hazardous industries and victims of child sexual abuse. "It is well-known that our country is a technological power-house and if we are unable to take advantage of the resources available with us and fully utilise the benefits of technology through computers and the internet for the benefit of children, our status as a technological power house would be in jeopardy and would remain only on paper," the bench said. It said the data regarding children could be easily collected by using computers and the internet. "This would be of great assistance in planning and management of resources and MWCD (Ministry of Women and Child Development) and others concerned with child rights must take full advantage of this," the bench said. The apex court also said that the Centre and states needed to look into this aspect and provide necessary software and hardware to JJBs and CWCs for their functioning. "Similarly, the use of video conferencing could also be considered in appropriate cases where some inconvenience to the juvenile in conflict with law necessitates the use of video conferencing facilities," it said. The top court complimented the MWCD for bringing out an online central monitoring system in this regard but said it was "unfortunate" that there was not much active cooperation of the states in updating the information on this system. It asked the states to update the information on the online monitoring system "once a quarter", adding "surely that cannot be a difficult task". "Needless to say, updating information is extremely important so that there can be efficient planning which will ultimately lead to better management of issues concerning children," the bench said. It directed the MWCD to continue to make creative use of information and communication technology not only for the purpose of collecting data but also for other issues connected with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. "With the utilisation of technology to the fullest extent, administrative efficiency will improve considerably, which in turn will have a positive impact on the lives of children," it said. The court said this in a judgement in which it passed a slew of directions for implementation of provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. The verdict came on a PIL seeking implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act and its rules. The petition has raised the issue of alleged apathy by the governments in implementing the welfare measure.

Use technology for welfare of children, Supreme Court tells government

Puerto Rico passed a law that will now allow non-married couples to adopt children in the socially conservative US territory.

The governor signed a new law with a view to speed&nbsp;and encourage adoption in the country, reports said.&nbsp;

The law also permits biological mothers to give their newborns to the hospitals with any charges of child abandonment.&nbsp;

And the law signed will create a central registry of people seeking to adopt a child.

This decision also aims to create a smooth process for people as children can be sent to their adoptive parents in two months.&nbsp;

The measure was submitted by Puerto Rico House of Representatives President Carlos Mendez who was also adopted.&nbsp;

He said that his case took 19 years to resolve under old laws.

The governor signed a new law with a view to speed and encourage adoption in the country, reports said.

Puerto Rico passed a law that will now allow non-married couples to adopt children in the socially conservative US territory. The governor signed a new law with a view to speed and encourage adoption in the country, reports said. The law also permits biological mothers to give their newborns to the hospitals with any charges of child abandonment. And the law signed will create a central registry of people seeking to adopt a child. This decision also aims to create a smooth process for people as children can be sent to their adoptive parents in two months. The measure was submitted by Puerto Rico House of Representatives President Carlos Mendez who was also adopted. He said that his case took 19 years to resolve under old laws.

Puerto Rico to allow adoption for non-married couples

With the collapse of Islamic State&rsquo;s (IS) &ldquo;caliphate&rdquo; in Iraq and Syria, it is time to think about the next steps for those who have suffered under them. In particular, the children who have been born as a result of sexual violence perpetrated by IS fighters.

The precise number of children born within IS as a result of this violence is difficult to establish. But in March 2016 it was estimated that there were 31,000 pregnant women living within the caliphate. While the circumstances surrounding these pregnancies is unclear, a recent report on the use of sexual slavery within IS highlighted an economic dimension. This includes the payment of an additional US$35 for each child born to a woman held as a sex slave.

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<h5>Indoctrinated with extreme ideology from birth, current IS fighters consider these children to be potentially better and more lethal fighters due to the normalisation of violence.</h5>
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These children suffer unique challenges. They have issued birth certificates, but as Islamic State is a non-state actor, they are effectively stateless. Indoctrinated with extreme ideology from birth, current IS fighters consider these children to be potentially better and more lethal fighters due to the normalisation of violence.

These factors pose significant challenges for children who escape IS. These children lack a recognised nationality, bringing problems such as discrimination and lack of access to education and healthcare. They are also often viewed as a threat to security. Rather than being recognised as victims in need of support, children of IS are frequently seen as &ldquo;guilty by association&rdquo;. When entering a refugee camp north of Raqqa in May 2017, some of these children and their mothers were labelled &ldquo;the Daeshis&rdquo;, meaning Islamic State families, and shunned by others in the camp.

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<h5>Rather than being recognised as victims in need of support, children of IS are frequently seen as &ldquo;guilty by association&rdquo;.</h5>
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Further, children born of sexual violence in conflict, which includes children of IS, exist in what the Secretary-General on sexual violence in conflict has previously termed an &ldquo;accountability gap&rdquo;. While children born of sexual violence have been recognised as victims eligible for reparations as a result of truth commissions or national legislation in places such as Timor Leste, Chile, Peru and Sierra Leone, there are often strict criteria such as the mother being single. Further, these children have been neglected within the criminal justice processes developed in response to mass atrocities.

So, how should the international community respond? My tentative answer contains two elements. Firstly, the international community has a role to play in helping these children rebuild their lives. Secondly, consideration should be given to how the International Criminal Court (ICC), which integrates retributive and reparative justice mechanisms, can hold IS members responsible for sexual violence and recognise children born of this violence as victims entitled to reparations.

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Rebuilding lives

Firstly, these children will require legitimate documentation. Governments should, therefore, respond to calls by the United Nations to grant citizenship to children born under IS. Some cases may be complex. There may be cases where the child is born of one or two foreign parents; where the mother&rsquo;s home country enforces discriminatory laws denying women the right to transmit their nationality to their children; or where the child is orphaned. The international community must establish cooperation and coordination mechanisms to deal with such cases and ensure the best interests of the child are respected.

Support networks should also be established to coordinate integration into communities and entry into the education systems of national states.

Combating stigma of children born of war is key. Governments should adopt national stigma strategies with specific programmes to support mothers and children born from sexual violence, as recommended in the UK&rsquo;s new principles on this subject.

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<h5>It is imperative that IS members responsible for crimes of sexual violence are prosecuted and that children born of this violence are recognised as victims.</h5>
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Criminal prosecution

Then, in order to close the accountability gap, it is imperative that IS members responsible for crimes of sexual violence are prosecuted and that children born of this violence are recognised as victims. While it has been reported that some IS members have been tried in domestic courts, the ICC has yet to play a role.

The UN has recently called for the ICC to exercise its jurisdiction with respect to crimes committed by IS in Iraq. But of course, prosecuting IS for international crimes raises a host of challenges, including jurisdictional issues and lack of precedence.

Should members ever face prosecution at the ICC, children born of sexual violence may be captured within the definition of forced pregnancy, an international crime for which individuals can be held criminally responsible under the Rome Statute. But the main element of this crime is confinement of the mother, rather than the recognition of sexual violence that has resulted in the pregnancy and birth of a child.

Indeed, there is no specific crime of fathering a child through sexual violence. This gap in the legal framework has been identified by international criminal legal experts Patricia Seller and Maxine Marcus as something for future jurisprudence at international criminal tribunals.

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Developments at the ICC

Despite the lack of formal recognition of children born of sexual violence in current legal frameworks, such children have featured in cases at the ICC.

For instance, in the ongoing case against Dominic Ongwen, who was charged with forced pregnancy, amongst other crimes in March 2016, ICC chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, drew attention to &ldquo;a whole category of other victims: the children born in captivity resulting from these forced marriages, who sometimes face hostility and taunts as a result of their parentage&rdquo;.

Bensouda&rsquo;s statement suggests that attention will be paid to children born of sexual violence within this case, perhaps at the reparations stage, where the harms suffered by these children could be addressed.

There are of course limits to international criminal prosecutions. But it is encouraging to see that, should IS fighters ever face trial, jurisprudence is being developed which may allow children born under their reign to be recognised within the process.

Children born under IS raise a host legal and social issues that require a sensitive and coordinated response from the international community. Rather than being punished for the life they have been born into, the cloak of stigma and suspicion surrounding these children should be removed &ndash; and they should be supported in moving forward with their lives.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/children-born-of-sexual-violence-under-islamic-state-need-support-87147" rel="nofollow">original article</a>.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Image Credit: EPA

It is imperative that IS members responsible for crimes of sexual violence are prosecuted and that children born of this violence are recognised as victims.

With the collapse of Islamic State’s (IS) “caliphate” in Iraq and Syria, it is time to think about the next steps for those who have suffered under them. In particular, the children who have been born as a result of sexual violence perpetrated by IS fighters. The precise number of children born within IS as a result of this violence is difficult to establish. But in March 2016 it was estimated that there were 31,000 pregnant women living within the caliphate. While the circumstances surrounding these pregnancies is unclear, a recent report on the use of sexual slavery within IS highlighted an economic dimension. This includes the payment of an additional US$35 for each child born to a woman held as a sex slave. Indoctrinated with extreme ideology from birth, current IS fighters consider these children to be potentially better and more lethal fighters due to the normalisation of violence. × These children suffer unique challenges. They have issued birth certificates, but as Islamic State is a non-state actor, they are effectively stateless. Indoctrinated with extreme ideology from birth, current IS fighters consider these children to be potentially better and more lethal fighters due to the normalisation of violence. These factors pose significant challenges for children who escape IS. These children lack a recognised nationality, bringing problems such as discrimination and lack of access to education and healthcare. They are also often viewed as a threat to security. Rather than being recognised as victims in need of support, children of IS are frequently seen as “guilty by association”. When entering a refugee camp north of Raqqa in May 2017, some of these children and their mothers were labelled “the Daeshis”, meaning Islamic State families, and shunned by others in the camp. Rather than being recognised as victims in need of support, children of IS are frequently seen as “guilty by association”. × Further, children born of sexual violence in conflict, which includes children of IS, exist in what the Secretary-General on sexual violence in conflict has previously termed an “accountability gap”. While children born of sexual violence have been recognised as victims eligible for reparations as a result of truth commissions or national legislation in places such as Timor Leste, Chile, Peru and Sierra Leone, there are often strict criteria such as the mother being single. Further, these children have been neglected within the criminal justice processes developed in response to mass atrocities. So, how should the international community respond? My tentative answer contains two elements. Firstly, the international community has a role to play in helping these children rebuild their lives. Secondly, consideration should be given to how the International Criminal Court (ICC), which integrates retributive and reparative justice mechanisms, can hold IS members responsible for sexual violence and recognise children born of this violence as victims entitled to reparations. An unidentified child of a militant of Islamic State (IS) plays with an AK-47. (Others) × Rebuilding lives Firstly, these children will require legitimate documentation. Governments should, therefore, respond to calls by the United Nations to grant citizenship to children born under IS. Some cases may be complex. There may be cases where the child is born of one or two foreign parents; where the mother’s home country enforces discriminatory laws denying women the right to transmit their nationality to their children; or where the child is orphaned. The international community must establish cooperation and coordination mechanisms to deal with such cases and ensure the best interests of the child are respected. Support networks should also be established to coordinate integration into communities and entry into the education systems of national states. Combating stigma of children born of war is key. Governments should adopt national stigma strategies with specific programmes to support mothers and children born from sexual violence, as recommended in the UK’s new principles on this subject. It is imperative that IS members responsible for crimes of sexual violence are prosecuted and that children born of this violence are recognised as victims. × Criminal prosecution Then, in order to close the accountability gap, it is imperative that IS members responsible for crimes of sexual violence are prosecuted and that children born of this violence are recognised as victims. While it has been reported that some IS members have been tried in domestic courts, the ICC has yet to play a role. The UN has recently called for the ICC to exercise its jurisdiction with respect to crimes committed by IS in Iraq. But of course, prosecuting IS for international crimes raises a host of challenges, including jurisdictional issues and lack of precedence. Should members ever face prosecution at the ICC, children born of sexual violence may be captured within the definition of forced pregnancy, an international crime for which individuals can be held criminally responsible under the Rome Statute. But the main element of this crime is confinement of the mother, rather than the recognition of sexual violence that has resulted in the pregnancy and birth of a child. Indeed, there is no specific crime of fathering a child through sexual violence. This gap in the legal framework has been identified by international criminal legal experts Patricia Seller and Maxine Marcus as something for future jurisprudence at international criminal tribunals. There is no specific crime of fathering a child through sexual violence. × Developments at the ICC Despite the lack of formal recognition of children born of sexual violence in current legal frameworks, such children have featured in cases at the ICC. For instance, in the ongoing case against Dominic Ongwen, who was charged with forced pregnancy, amongst other crimes in March 2016, ICC chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, drew attention to “a whole category of other victims: the children born in captivity resulting from these forced marriages, who sometimes face hostility and taunts as a result of their parentage”. Bensouda’s statement suggests that attention will be paid to children born of sexual violence within this case, perhaps at the reparations stage, where the harms suffered by these children could be addressed. There are of course limits to international criminal prosecutions. But it is encouraging to see that, should IS fighters ever face trial, jurisprudence is being developed which may allow children born under their reign to be recognised within the process. Children born under IS raise a host legal and social issues that require a sensitive and coordinated response from the international community. Rather than being punished for the life they have been born into, the cloak of stigma and suspicion surrounding these children should be removed – and they should be supported in moving forward with their lives. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity). Image Credit: EPA

Opinion: Children born of sexual violence under Islamic State

A tiger escaped from its cage during a circus show in a village in north China&#39;s Shanxi Province Saturday afternoon, creating mass panic among crowds before the animal was captured.

Two children were scratched as the tiger ran riot but were later discharged from the hospital, according to local authorities.

The circus troupe was giving a performance at a temple fair in Shengwang Village of Hongtong County when the tiger suddenly broke out of the cage.

The local public security department together with the forestry department are now investigating the case.

Two children were scratched as the tiger ran riot but were later discharged from the hospital, according to local authorities

A tiger escaped from its cage during a circus show in a village in north China's Shanxi Province Saturday afternoon, creating mass panic among crowds before the animal was captured. Two children were scratched as the tiger ran riot but were later discharged from the hospital, according to local authorities. The circus troupe was giving a performance at a temple fair in Shengwang Village of Hongtong County when the tiger suddenly broke out of the cage. The local public security department together with the forestry department are now investigating the case.

Watch: Tiger escapes from circus show in China

Russian air strikes on Sunday killed 34 civilians, among them 15 children, in a village held by the Islamic State group in Syria&#39;s eastern Deir Ezzor province, a monitor said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit the village of Al-Shafah, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The Observatory relies on a network of sources inside Syria, and says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions used.

Russia is a close ally of Syria&#39;s President Bashar al-Assad, and in September 2015 began a military intervention in support of his government that has gradually helped Damascus regain territory.

Syria&#39;s Deir Ezzor is one of the last places Islamic State jihadists hold territory in the country, after being driven from their major strongholds including their one-time de facto Syrian capital Raqa city.

The oil-rich eastern province that borders Iraq was once almost completely under Islamic State control, but the jihadists now hold just nine percent of Deir Ezzor, according to the Observatory.

They have faced two separate offensives there, one led by the regime with Russian backing and the other by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters.

More than 340,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the strikes hit the village of Al-Shafah, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, in the early hours of Sunday morning

Russian air strikes on Sunday killed 34 civilians, among them 15 children, in a village held by the Islamic State group in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor province, a monitor said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit the village of Al-Shafah, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, in the early hours of Sunday morning. The Observatory relies on a network of sources inside Syria, and says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions used. Russia is a close ally of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, and in September 2015 began a military intervention in support of his government that has gradually helped Damascus regain territory. Syria's Deir Ezzor is one of the last places Islamic State jihadists hold territory in the country, after being driven from their major strongholds including their one-time de facto Syrian capital Raqa city. The oil-rich eastern province that borders Iraq was once almost completely under Islamic State control, but the jihadists now hold just nine percent of Deir Ezzor, according to the Observatory. They have faced two separate offensives there, one led by the regime with Russian backing and the other by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters. More than 340,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

Russian strikes kill 34 civilians in Syria's Deir Ezzor: Monitor

At least 20 people including women and children were killed on Monday when a lorry toppled over and shed its load of coal onto a passenger van in southern Pakistan, police said.

Five people were injured in the accident in Khairpur district in Sindh province.

A senior district police official said the truck was trying to overtake the van when it toppled and crushed the other vehicle.

&quot;The van (was) buried under the coal and at least 17 people including children and women died on the spot,&quot; Azfar Mahesar told AFP.

Eight injured people were rushed to hospital but three subsequently died, said hospital doctor Ghulam Jafar.

Several of the bodies were badly crushed by the coal and so far just 10 have been identified, he added.&nbsp;

Pakistan has one of the world&#39;s worst records for fatal traffic accidents, due to poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.

At least 20 people including women and children were killed on Monday when a lorry toppled over and shed its load of coal onto a passenger van in southern Pakistan, police said

At least 20 people including women and children were killed on Monday when a lorry toppled over and shed its load of coal onto a passenger van in southern Pakistan, police said. Five people were injured in the accident in Khairpur district in Sindh province. A senior district police official said the truck was trying to overtake the van when it toppled and crushed the other vehicle. "The van (was) buried under the coal and at least 17 people including children and women died on the spot," Azfar Mahesar told AFP. Eight injured people were rushed to hospital but three subsequently died, said hospital doctor Ghulam Jafar. Several of the bodies were badly crushed by the coal and so far just 10 have been identified, he added. Pakistan has one of the world's worst records for fatal traffic accidents, due to poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.

20 killed as truck topples onto van in Pakistan

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