As the Taliban government struggles to seek international recognition to allow them to receive foreign aid to stave off the economic crisis, the World Health Organisation has warned that around one million children in Afghanistan are at risk of dying due to acute malnutrition.

According to news agency Reuters, 3.2 million children in Afghanistan are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition in Afghanistan by the end of this year, with the condition likely to worsen further as temperatures begin to drop.

Aid agencies have warned of famine as a drought coincides with a failing economy following the withdrawal of Western financial support in the aftermath of a Taliban takeover in August.

The health sector has been hit especially hard, with many healthcare workers fleeing due to unpaid salaries.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-on-brink-of-complete-economy-fall-and-extreme-poverty-un-envoy-412105">Afghanistan on brink of complete economy fall and extreme poverty: UN Envoy</a>

“It's an uphill battle as starvation grips the country. The world must not and cannot afford to turn its back on Afghanistan,” WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris told Geneva-based journalists by telephone from the capital Kabul.

Harris said that nighttime temperatures are falling below zero degrees Celsius and colder temperatures are expected to make the old and the young more susceptible to other diseases.

“In some places, people are chopping down trees to provide fuel for the hospitals amid widespread shortages, she added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/engage-with-taliban-to-avert-total-collapse-of-afghan-economy-un-chief-antonio-guterres-412850">Engage with Taliban to avert total collapse of Afghan economy: UN chief Antonio Guterres</a>

Measles cases are rising in the country and WHO data shows 24,000 clinical cases had so far been reported.

“For malnourished children, measles is a death sentence. We will see so many more deaths if we don't move on this quickly,” Harris said.

After the Taliban came to power in August, foreign funding was stopped. Moreover, most of Afghanistan's foreign currency reserves abroad were frozen.

According to the International Monetary Fund, Afghanistan's economy will shrink by up to 30 per cent this year.

Afghanistan's GDP in 2020 was only around $20 billion. And according to the World Bank, 43 per cent of that was based on aid money from abroad. Before the Taliban takeover, 75 per cent of public spending came from foreign aid grants.

(With inputs from agencies)

As the Taliban government struggles to seek international recognition to allow them to receive foreign aid to stave off the economic crisis, the World Health Organisation has warned that around one million children in Afghanistan are at risk of dying due to acute malnutrition.

As the Taliban government struggles to seek international recognition to allow them to receive foreign aid to stave off the economic crisis, the World Health Organisation has warned that around one million children in Afghanistan are at risk of dying due to acute malnutrition. According to news agency Reuters, 3.2 million children in Afghanistan are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition in Afghanistan by the end of this year, with the condition likely to worsen further as temperatures begin to drop. Aid agencies have warned of famine as a drought coincides with a failing economy following the withdrawal of Western financial support in the aftermath of a Taliban takeover in August. The health sector has been hit especially hard, with many healthcare workers fleeing due to unpaid salaries. Also read | Afghanistan on brink of complete economy fall and extreme poverty: UN Envoy “It's an uphill battle as starvation grips the country. The world must not and cannot afford to turn its back on Afghanistan,” WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris told Geneva-based journalists by telephone from the capital Kabul. Harris said that nighttime temperatures are falling below zero degrees Celsius and colder temperatures are expected to make the old and the young more susceptible to other diseases. “In some places, people are chopping down trees to provide fuel for the hospitals amid widespread shortages, she added. Also read | Engage with Taliban to avert total collapse of Afghan economy: UN chief Antonio Guterres Measles cases are rising in the country and WHO data shows 24,000 clinical cases had so far been reported. “For malnourished children, measles is a death sentence. We will see so many more deaths if we don't move on this quickly,” Harris said. After the Taliban came to power in August, foreign funding was stopped. Moreover, most of Afghanistan's foreign currency reserves abroad were frozen. According to the International Monetary Fund, Afghanistan's economy will shrink by up to 30 per cent this year. Afghanistan's GDP in 2020 was only around $20 billion. And according to the World Bank, 43 per cent of that was based on aid money from abroad. Before the Taliban takeover, 75 per cent of public spending came from foreign aid grants. (With inputs from agencies)

One million Afghan children at risk of dying due to acute malnutrition: WHO

Israel has approved Covid-19 vaccines for children from the age of five, the country's 9.4 million population is relatively young with around 1.2 million children in the age bracket of 5-11 years. Meanwhile, health officials have sounded an alarm and expressed concern as countries could reach the third wave without kids being vaccinated.

Israel approves covid shot for children, paves way for new inoculation drive

The Food and Drug Administration’s authorisation of a COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 on Friday makes 28 million unvaccinated children in the United States suddenly eligible for the shot and offers the country an opportunity to make big inroads in its efforts to achieve broad immunity against the coronavirus.

But in a nation that has already struggled with COVID vaccine hesitancy, getting shots into those little arms may present health authorities with the toughest vaccination challenge yet.

Even many parents who are themselves vaccinated and approved the shot for their teenagers are churning over whether to give consent for their younger children, questioning if the risk of the unknowns of a new vaccine is worth it when most coronavirus cases in youngsters are mild.

In announcing its authorization of a lower-dose shot made by Pfizer and BioNTech for the age group, the FDA said clinical trial data showed the shot was safe and prompted strong immune responses in children. The most common side effects were fatigue, fever and headache.

Infectious disease experts say that with approaching holiday travel and family gatherings, widespread vaccination of younger children could help keep classes in person, reduce the likelihood of quarantines and lessen the risk of transmission to older, vulnerable adults, as well as protect the children from what has become the eighth-biggest killer in their age group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To date, nearly 2 million children ages 5-11 have been infected with the virus, and 8,300 have been hospitalised. One-third of those hospitalised were admitted to intensive care units, and at least 170 have died.

But a report this month from researchers at Northeastern, Harvard, Rutgers and Northwestern universities found that parental concerns around the COVID vaccination had increased “significantly” from June through September. Chief among them, researchers said, were the newness of the vaccine, whether it has been sufficiently tested, efficacy, side effects and long-term health consequences.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/when-you-are-eligible-kamala-harris-gets-covid-19-booster-shot-urging-people-to-do-the-same-425404">Also read |&nbsp;'When you are eligible': Kamala Harris gets COVID-19 booster shot urging people to do the same</a>

According to a survey released Thursday by Kaiser Family Foundation, scarcely 1 in 3 parents will permit their children in this newly eligible age group to be vaccinated immediately. Two-thirds were either reluctant or adamantly opposed. An Axios-Ipsos poll found that 42% of parents of these children said they were unlikely to have their children vaccinated.

Erin Gauch, of Middletown, Rhode Island, got herself and her two older children, ages 14 and 12, vaccinated this summer. But she is worried about the potential side effects of the shots for her son. One of those side effects is myocarditis, a weakening of the heart muscle, that has been reported in a very small number of teenage boys and young men after getting a COVID shot.

“I’m looking at a 9-year-old, and if I make a bad decision and he ends up with some debilitating side effects or lifelong adverse reaction, I don’t think I could live with that,” she said.

This vaccine dilemma occurs at a turbulent cultural moment for parents of young children, who are often judged harshly on social media for their decisions. The choice can appear freighted with political affiliation. A decision can signify, intentionally or not, compassion or disregard for others and a willingness to follow or ignore advice from their pediatrician.

“If we ultimately decide not to get my youngest vaccinated right now, I guess I’ll be subjected to mommy shaming, but I’ll just have to deal with it,” Gauch said.

Many parents, like Gauch, are focusing on some research that suggests the rare possibility that young men and boys will develop pericarditis, a weakening of the lining around the heart, and myocarditis, but the clinical trial data the FDA reviewed showed no cases in the 5-11 age group. Many experts say that the conditions usually improve quickly and that COVID presents far greater risk of severe myocarditis.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-challenges-indigenous-children-compensation-in-favour-of-negotiating-425351">Also read |&nbsp;Canada challenges indigenous children compensation; in favour of negotiating</a>

The Biden administration recently announced that the shots would be given predominantly by pediatricians, community health centers and children’s hospitals, plus pharmacies and schools, which will carry the burden of persuading parents.

But a Kaiser policy brief noted that schools and pharmacists in regions where COVID vaccination rates are low may be reluctant to participate. Access in rural areas and for working parents will be considerable challenges, the authors said, and they noted that achieving equity will also be a concern; more than half of those newly eligible are children of color.

After what is expected to be an initial rush of eager parents (as happened with adults and teenagers), pediatricians say they are bracing for conversations they anticipate to be among the thorniest they have ever had.

“I know parents are probably bombarded with misinformation about vaccines, even within their social circles: ‘My friend said this. My mother-in-law said that,’” said Dr. Katherine Williamson, a pediatrician in Orange County, California. “I’m hoping I can make a difference.”

The decision is particularly hard for parents to make on behalf of their first child, said Emily Brunson, a medical anthropologist at Texas State University who researches parent vaccination choices. Because vaccine decision-making is so personal and complicated, she said, many parents are likely to put it off.

Vic Sandrin, who works for a bicycle company in Vancouver, Washington, supports vaccines but cautiously. He, his wife and their 18-year-old got the COVID vaccine grudgingly, to travel for work and family visits.

For his 11-year-old twins, however, he is content to wait.

“I’m willing to take a chance on myself, and that made sense; I’m an adult,” Sandrin said. “But for kids who already have strong immune systems, I don’t know if there’s a reason to get them vaccinated, or at least not just quite yet.”

At heart, the decision is about which unknown COVID or the vaccine&nbsp;parents fear more. They may stack factors such as social routines, older relatives, school protocols and the likelihood of severe illness to confirm their intuitive bias about whether to allow their child to get the shot.

Gauch, a mechanical engineer, calculated each family member’s risk individually. She has asthma, so for her, the vaccine was a no-brainer. Her 14-year-old daughter got her first job this summer; getting vaccinated meant she would not have to wear a face mask at work. And her 12-year-old daughter saw that getting vaccinated could open up possibilities of being maskless in public. Done and done.

But not only does Gauch worry about side effects in her 9-year-old son, she said that getting vaccinated will not release him from following other COVID rules because his school insists on masks and social distancing.

“He is much less likely to get COVID if they’re taking all these precautions,” she said. “So I just don’t see the risk payoff of the vaccine.”

Parents who were predisposed not to vaccinate their child tended to dismiss the threat of serious illness from COVID as minuscule, saying that children who became seriously ill most likely had underlying conditions.

The argument that vaccinating children contributes to the community’s overall health does not get much traction, either. Parents’ paramount focus is the well-being of their own child. Although health officials contend an important reason to vaccinate is to protect the child, some parents said they believed that their healthy children would be injected with a novel vaccine largely to safeguard older adults, who had already lived full lives.

In interviews, some parents said that if the vaccine gained full approval for children (as the adult dose has) and schools required it, they would consider withdrawing their students. Dr. Cynthia Bader, a pediatrician in the Seattle area with an 8-year-old son, said that if her school district issued a vaccine mandate, she would clap her hands with joy but “then cringe at the idea of all the parents who will be coming to me seeking counseling for vaccine exemption forms.”

Parents are siloing themselves with like-minded friends, which reinforces their thinking.

“It used to be that more people with different opinions would mesh, but now I don’t think that is the case,” said Abby Cooper of Bergen County, New Jersey, who is eager to get her five children vaccinated.

But she has friends who refuse.

“Their kids are going to school with my kids and putting them at risk for no reason. It’s very upsetting," Cooper said. "So, sadly, I’ve lost friends over this.”

Many parents worry that the tension will impact the children themselves. Some foresee having to set boundaries about unvaccinated playmates, especially if exposure to the virus could jeopardise someone else in the home.

Many parents will be difficult to persuade. The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics have published talking points for pediatricians and other proponents of the COVID vaccine for children.

Consensus: First, address the parents’ questions. But if they do not want to hear The Talk, do not force it.

Consensus: Fear tactics&nbsp;generalised descriptions of children suffering in COVID wards do not work.

Consensus: Emphasise the benefits of the COVID vaccine to the child in terms of emotional and physical well-being, including some semblance of pre-COVID social life. Invoke quarantines, remote learning.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/g20-summit-putin-fires-first-shots-calls-for-greater-recognition-to-sputnik-jab-425358">Also read |&nbsp;G20 Summit: Putin fires first shots, calls for greater recognition to Sputnik jab</a>

Kim Cobb hopes that her family’s COVID ordeals will show others the benefits of vaccinating all eligible family members. She, her husband and their two older daughters, 14 and 12, got vaccinated quickly. But in August, her unvaccinated 10-year-old twins came down with COVID. Soon after, Cobb, a climate scientist at Georgia Tech, and her husband tested positive for breakthrough infections. Their two vaccinated children remained healthy.

The parents became miserably ill but did not require hospitalisation, which they believe is because they were vaccinated.

All recovered, but Cobb and one twin have lingering respiratory distress.

“We’re in the third month post-infection, and we have to see pulmonologists, we have inhalers, we’re on medication, and we’re still having breathing difficulties,” Cobb said. “And this is not a kid who ever had respiratory symptoms.

“It was not foreseeable,” she continued. “If you could avoid it, you would.”

The Food and Drug Administration’s authorisation of a COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 on Friday makes 28 million unvaccinated children in the United States suddenly eligible for the shot and offers the country an opportunity to make big inroads in its efforts to achieve broad immunity against the coronavirus.

The Food and Drug Administration’s authorisation of a COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 on Friday makes 28 million unvaccinated children in the United States suddenly eligible for the shot and offers the country an opportunity to make big inroads in its efforts to achieve broad immunity against the coronavirus. But in a nation that has already struggled with COVID vaccine hesitancy, getting shots into those little arms may present health authorities with the toughest vaccination challenge yet. Even many parents who are themselves vaccinated and approved the shot for their teenagers are churning over whether to give consent for their younger children, questioning if the risk of the unknowns of a new vaccine is worth it when most coronavirus cases in youngsters are mild. In announcing its authorization of a lower-dose shot made by Pfizer and BioNTech for the age group, the FDA said clinical trial data showed the shot was safe and prompted strong immune responses in children. The most common side effects were fatigue, fever and headache. Infectious disease experts say that with approaching holiday travel and family gatherings, widespread vaccination of younger children could help keep classes in person, reduce the likelihood of quarantines and lessen the risk of transmission to older, vulnerable adults, as well as protect the children from what has become the eighth-biggest killer in their age group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To date, nearly 2 million children ages 5-11 have been infected with the virus, and 8,300 have been hospitalised. One-third of those hospitalised were admitted to intensive care units, and at least 170 have died. But a report this month from researchers at Northeastern, Harvard, Rutgers and Northwestern universities found that parental concerns around the COVID vaccination had increased “significantly” from June through September. Chief among them, researchers said, were the newness of the vaccine, whether it has been sufficiently tested, efficacy, side effects and long-term health consequences. Also read | 'When you are eligible': Kamala Harris gets COVID-19 booster shot urging people to do the same According to a survey released Thursday by Kaiser Family Foundation, scarcely 1 in 3 parents will permit their children in this newly eligible age group to be vaccinated immediately. Two-thirds were either reluctant or adamantly opposed. An Axios-Ipsos poll found that 42% of parents of these children said they were unlikely to have their children vaccinated. Erin Gauch, of Middletown, Rhode Island, got herself and her two older children, ages 14 and 12, vaccinated this summer. But she is worried about the potential side effects of the shots for her son. One of those side effects is myocarditis, a weakening of the heart muscle, that has been reported in a very small number of teenage boys and young men after getting a COVID shot. “I’m looking at a 9-year-old, and if I make a bad decision and he ends up with some debilitating side effects or lifelong adverse reaction, I don’t think I could live with that,” she said. This vaccine dilemma occurs at a turbulent cultural moment for parents of young children, who are often judged harshly on social media for their decisions. The choice can appear freighted with political affiliation. A decision can signify, intentionally or not, compassion or disregard for others and a willingness to follow or ignore advice from their pediatrician. “If we ultimately decide not to get my youngest vaccinated right now, I guess I’ll be subjected to mommy shaming, but I’ll just have to deal with it,” Gauch said. Many parents, like Gauch, are focusing on some research that suggests the rare possibility that young men and boys will develop pericarditis, a weakening of the lining around the heart, and myocarditis, but the clinical trial data the FDA reviewed showed no cases in the 5-11 age group. Many experts say that the conditions usually improve quickly and that COVID presents far greater risk of severe myocarditis. Also read | Canada challenges indigenous children compensation; in favour of negotiating The Biden administration recently announced that the shots would be given predominantly by pediatricians, community health centers and children’s hospitals, plus pharmacies and schools, which will carry the burden of persuading parents. But a Kaiser policy brief noted that schools and pharmacists in regions where COVID vaccination rates are low may be reluctant to participate. Access in rural areas and for working parents will be considerable challenges, the authors said, and they noted that achieving equity will also be a concern; more than half of those newly eligible are children of color. After what is expected to be an initial rush of eager parents (as happened with adults and teenagers), pediatricians say they are bracing for conversations they anticipate to be among the thorniest they have ever had. “I know parents are probably bombarded with misinformation about vaccines, even within their social circles: ‘My friend said this. My mother-in-law said that,’” said Dr. Katherine Williamson, a pediatrician in Orange County, California. “I’m hoping I can make a difference.” The decision is particularly hard for parents to make on behalf of their first child, said Emily Brunson, a medical anthropologist at Texas State University who researches parent vaccination choices. Because vaccine decision-making is so personal and complicated, she said, many parents are likely to put it off. Vic Sandrin, who works for a bicycle company in Vancouver, Washington, supports vaccines but cautiously. He, his wife and their 18-year-old got the COVID vaccine grudgingly, to travel for work and family visits. For his 11-year-old twins, however, he is content to wait. “I’m willing to take a chance on myself, and that made sense; I’m an adult,” Sandrin said. “But for kids who already have strong immune systems, I don’t know if there’s a reason to get them vaccinated, or at least not just quite yet.” At heart, the decision is about which unknown COVID or the vaccine parents fear more. They may stack factors such as social routines, older relatives, school protocols and the likelihood of severe illness to confirm their intuitive bias about whether to allow their child to get the shot. Gauch, a mechanical engineer, calculated each family member’s risk individually. She has asthma, so for her, the vaccine was a no-brainer. Her 14-year-old daughter got her first job this summer; getting vaccinated meant she would not have to wear a face mask at work. And her 12-year-old daughter saw that getting vaccinated could open up possibilities of being maskless in public. Done and done. But not only does Gauch worry about side effects in her 9-year-old son, she said that getting vaccinated will not release him from following other COVID rules because his school insists on masks and social distancing. “He is much less likely to get COVID if they’re taking all these precautions,” she said. “So I just don’t see the risk payoff of the vaccine.” Parents who were predisposed not to vaccinate their child tended to dismiss the threat of serious illness from COVID as minuscule, saying that children who became seriously ill most likely had underlying conditions. The argument that vaccinating children contributes to the community’s overall health does not get much traction, either. Parents’ paramount focus is the well-being of their own child. Although health officials contend an important reason to vaccinate is to protect the child, some parents said they believed that their healthy children would be injected with a novel vaccine largely to safeguard older adults, who had already lived full lives. In interviews, some parents said that if the vaccine gained full approval for children (as the adult dose has) and schools required it, they would consider withdrawing their students. Dr. Cynthia Bader, a pediatrician in the Seattle area with an 8-year-old son, said that if her school district issued a vaccine mandate, she would clap her hands with joy but “then cringe at the idea of all the parents who will be coming to me seeking counseling for vaccine exemption forms.” Parents are siloing themselves with like-minded friends, which reinforces their thinking. “It used to be that more people with different opinions would mesh, but now I don’t think that is the case,” said Abby Cooper of Bergen County, New Jersey, who is eager to get her five children vaccinated. But she has friends who refuse. “Their kids are going to school with my kids and putting them at risk for no reason. It’s very upsetting," Cooper said. "So, sadly, I’ve lost friends over this.” Many parents worry that the tension will impact the children themselves. Some foresee having to set boundaries about unvaccinated playmates, especially if exposure to the virus could jeopardise someone else in the home. Many parents will be difficult to persuade. The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics have published talking points for pediatricians and other proponents of the COVID vaccine for children. Consensus: First, address the parents’ questions. But if they do not want to hear The Talk, do not force it. Consensus: Fear tactics generalised descriptions of children suffering in COVID wards do not work. Consensus: Emphasise the benefits of the COVID vaccine to the child in terms of emotional and physical well-being, including some semblance of pre-COVID social life. Invoke quarantines, remote learning. Also read | G20 Summit: Putin fires first shots, calls for greater recognition to Sputnik jab Kim Cobb hopes that her family’s COVID ordeals will show others the benefits of vaccinating all eligible family members. She, her husband and their two older daughters, 14 and 12, got vaccinated quickly. But in August, her unvaccinated 10-year-old twins came down with COVID. Soon after, Cobb, a climate scientist at Georgia Tech, and her husband tested positive for breakthrough infections. Their two vaccinated children remained healthy. The parents became miserably ill but did not require hospitalisation, which they believe is because they were vaccinated. All recovered, but Cobb and one twin have lingering respiratory distress. “We’re in the third month post-infection, and we have to see pulmonologists, we have inhalers, we’re on medication, and we’re still having breathing difficulties,” Cobb said. “And this is not a kid who ever had respiratory symptoms. “It was not foreseeable,” she continued. “If you could avoid it, you would.”

Covid-19 shots are a go for children, but parents are reluctant to consent

Canada has asked the federal court to overturn a decision that asks for awarding billions in compensation to indigenous children as it said that it would seek to negotiate a deal. This comes after last month a top court ordered C$40,000 payouts to each child who was a part of the on-reserve welfare system after 2006.

This is the maximum allowed compensation under Canadian Human Rights Act. With some exceptions, parents and grandparents of the children were also eligible for compensation.

Canada said that it believes the payments are necessary, but would rather iron out the details in talks.&nbsp;

In its notice, Ottawa said it "acknowledges the finding of systemic discrimination and does not oppose the general principle that compensation to First Nations individuals who experienced pain and suffering as a result of government misconduct should be provided."

Advocates for indigenous children expressed disappointment over the government's appeal.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/compensation-to-indigenous-children-may-cost-canada-billions-417139">Also read |&nbsp;Compensation to indigenous children may cost Canada billions</a>

At a news conference, Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu said that two advocacy groups, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society and the Assembly of First Nations, have agreed to sit down with officials and try to hammer out a negotiated deal by the end of December.

She said that Ottawa "will compensate those harmed by discriminatory underfunding (of services) so that we can mend these past wrongs."&nbsp;

This case has always been a bone of tension between tribes and the government.&nbsp;

In 2016, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled that less funds had been allocated for child and family services of indigenous people than for non-indigenous people. The tribunal observed that this pushed more indigenous children into foster care.

Canada has asked the federal court to overturn a decision that asks for awarding billions in compensation to indigenous children as it said that it would seek to negotiate a deal.

Canada has asked the federal court to overturn a decision that asks for awarding billions in compensation to indigenous children as it said that it would seek to negotiate a deal. This comes after last month a top court ordered C$40,000 payouts to each child who was a part of the on-reserve welfare system after 2006. This is the maximum allowed compensation under Canadian Human Rights Act. With some exceptions, parents and grandparents of the children were also eligible for compensation. Canada said that it believes the payments are necessary, but would rather iron out the details in talks. In its notice, Ottawa said it "acknowledges the finding of systemic discrimination and does not oppose the general principle that compensation to First Nations individuals who experienced pain and suffering as a result of government misconduct should be provided." Advocates for indigenous children expressed disappointment over the government's appeal. Also read | Compensation to indigenous children may cost Canada billions At a news conference, Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu said that two advocacy groups, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society and the Assembly of First Nations, have agreed to sit down with officials and try to hammer out a negotiated deal by the end of December. She said that Ottawa "will compensate those harmed by discriminatory underfunding (of services) so that we can mend these past wrongs." This case has always been a bone of tension between tribes and the government. In 2016, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled that less funds had been allocated for child and family services of indigenous people than for non-indigenous people. The tribunal observed that this pushed more indigenous children into foster care.

Canada challenges indigenous children compensation; in favour of negotiating

A Belgian couple has grabbed headlines after they named their 11 children based on different variations of the same four English alphabets – A, E, L, and X.

Gwenny Blanckaert and Marino Vaneeno named their children— Alex (13), Axel (12), Xela (11), Lexa (10), Xael (9), Xeal (8), Exla (5), Leax (4), Xale (2), Elax (1) and Alxe (6 months).

The family of seven girls and four boys is also expecting baby number 12 – a boy – in April next year.

Gwenny, 32, revealed that the tradition began with the birth of their second child.

“My elder eldest son’s name is Alex, after Marino's stepfather because it was a beautiful name,” she told HLN, a Dutch news portal.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/from-faang-to-manga-twitter-users-speculate-future-of-tech-companies-424901">From FAANG to MANGA: Twitter users speculate future of tech companies</a>

“The name of our second son became Axel and after that, we started puzzling. We realised that they were the same letters, so we decided to continue like this,” she was quoted as saying.

In 2019, Gwenny and Marino said they planned to have more kids after giving birth to their ninth, who they named Xale, according to&nbsp;HLN.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/this-taiwanese-teacher-uses-porn-site-to-teach-calculus-earns-250000-per-year-424108">This Taiwanese teacher uses porn site to teach calculus, earns $250,000 per year</a>

The couple said they were “over the moon” about the birth of their new son.

&nbsp;“It will be a boy. That will bring the final score to 7-5. Seven girls and five boys,” Gwynne said.

The four letters reportedly allow for 24 more different names, but Gwenny Blanckaert and Marino said they have no intention&nbsp;of having more than 12 children.

&nbsp;“Right from the start, we had set the bar at twelve. And we will stick to that. The day that we sit around the table with twelve children, our family is complete,” she said.

(With inputs from agencies)

A Belgian couple has grabbed headlines after they named their 11 children based on different variations of the same four English alphabets – A, E, L, and X. Gwenny Blanckaert and Marino Vaneeno named their children— Alex (13), Axel (12), Xela (11), Lexa (10), Xael (9), Xeal (8), Exla (5), Leax (4), Xale (2), Elax (1) and Alxe (6 months).

A Belgian couple has grabbed headlines after they named their 11 children based on different variations of the same four English alphabets – A, E, L, and X. Gwenny Blanckaert and Marino Vaneeno named their children— Alex (13), Axel (12), Xela (11), Lexa (10), Xael (9), Xeal (8), Exla (5), Leax (4), Xale (2), Elax (1) and Alxe (6 months). The family of seven girls and four boys is also expecting baby number 12 – a boy – in April next year. Gwenny, 32, revealed that the tradition began with the birth of their second child. “My elder eldest son’s name is Alex, after Marino's stepfather because it was a beautiful name,” she told HLN, a Dutch news portal. Also read | From FAANG to MANGA: Twitter users speculate future of tech companies “The name of our second son became Axel and after that, we started puzzling. We realised that they were the same letters, so we decided to continue like this,” she was quoted as saying. In 2019, Gwenny and Marino said they planned to have more kids after giving birth to their ninth, who they named Xale, according to HLN. Also read | This Taiwanese teacher uses porn site to teach calculus, earns $250,000 per year The couple said they were “over the moon” about the birth of their new son. “It will be a boy. That will bring the final score to 7-5. Seven girls and five boys,” Gwynne said. The four letters reportedly allow for 24 more different names, but Gwenny Blanckaert and Marino said they have no intention of having more than 12 children. “Right from the start, we had set the bar at twelve. And we will stick to that. The day that we sit around the table with twelve children, our family is complete,” she said. (With inputs from agencies)

A, E, L, X: A Belgian couple named their 11 kids using variations of these four letters

The coronavirus vaccine made by Moderna is safe and produces a powerful immune response in children ages 6 through 11, the company said Monday.

One month after immunisation was complete, the children in Moderna’s trial had antibody levels that were 1.5 times higher than those seen in young adults, the company said.

Moderna did not release the full data, nor are the results published in a peer-reviewed journal. The results were announced one day before an advisory committee of the Food and Drug Administration is scheduled to review data for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in children 5 through 11.

Moderna tested two shots of the vaccine given 28 days apart in 4,753 children. They received 50 micrograms of vaccine, half the adult dose, in each shot. (Last week, based on data showing that the half dose is still highly effective, the FDA authorised a booster shot of the Moderna vaccine at this dose.)

Moderna submitted study results for the vaccine’s use for adolescents 12 through 17 in June, but the FDA has not yet announced a decision for that age group.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hundreds-of-emergency-workers-protest-against-vaccine-mandate-in-new-york-423979">Also read |&nbsp;Hundreds of emergency workers protest against vaccine mandate in New York</a>

Some research indicates that the Moderna vaccine may increase the risk of a rare side effect called myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, in boys and young men. In July, the FDA asked both Pfizer and Moderna to expand the size of their trials in order to detect less common side effects.

In children aged 6 through 11, most of the side events were mild or moderate; the most common were fatigue, headache, fever and pain at the injection site, Moderna said in its statement Monday. An independent committee will continue to review the vaccine’s safety in the trial participants for 12 months after the second dose.

Moderna is still recruiting children aged 2 through 5 and 6 months to under 2 years for trials of the vaccine in those age groups. The company has enrolled about 5,700 children in the United States and Canada in the trial.

Moderna plans to submit the results soon to the FDA and to regulatory agencies in Europe and elsewhere, the company said.

The coronavirus vaccine made by Moderna is safe and produces a powerful immune response in children ages 6 through 11, the company said Monday. One month after immunisation was complete, the children in Moderna’s trial had antibody levels that were 1.

The coronavirus vaccine made by Moderna is safe and produces a powerful immune response in children ages 6 through 11, the company said Monday. One month after immunisation was complete, the children in Moderna’s trial had antibody levels that were 1.5 times higher than those seen in young adults, the company said. Moderna did not release the full data, nor are the results published in a peer-reviewed journal. The results were announced one day before an advisory committee of the Food and Drug Administration is scheduled to review data for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in children 5 through 11. Moderna tested two shots of the vaccine given 28 days apart in 4,753 children. They received 50 micrograms of vaccine, half the adult dose, in each shot. (Last week, based on data showing that the half dose is still highly effective, the FDA authorised a booster shot of the Moderna vaccine at this dose.) Moderna submitted study results for the vaccine’s use for adolescents 12 through 17 in June, but the FDA has not yet announced a decision for that age group. Also read | Hundreds of emergency workers protest against vaccine mandate in New York Some research indicates that the Moderna vaccine may increase the risk of a rare side effect called myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, in boys and young men. In July, the FDA asked both Pfizer and Moderna to expand the size of their trials in order to detect less common side effects. In children aged 6 through 11, most of the side events were mild or moderate; the most common were fatigue, headache, fever and pain at the injection site, Moderna said in its statement Monday. An independent committee will continue to review the vaccine’s safety in the trial participants for 12 months after the second dose. Moderna is still recruiting children aged 2 through 5 and 6 months to under 2 years for trials of the vaccine in those age groups. The company has enrolled about 5,700 children in the United States and Canada in the trial. Moderna plans to submit the results soon to the FDA and to regulatory agencies in Europe and elsewhere, the company said.

Moderna’s COVID vaccine produces strong immune response in younger children

A former top Saudi intelligence official who is living in exile accused Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday of targeting him, and made an unprecedented public plea to the Biden administration to help obtain the release of his children jailed in Saudi Arabia.

Saad al-Jabri was long an aide to another Saudi royal, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, whom bin Salman, or MbS, ousted as heir to the throne in a 2017 palace coup. MbS is now de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, the world`s top oil exporter and a US&nbsp;ally.

In August 2019, Jabri, who now lives in Canada, filed a 107-page lawsuit in a US&nbsp;court alleging that the crown prince "dispatched a "hit squad" to kill him in October 2018 and that Canadian authorities foiled the attempt. 
&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-excessive-make-up-restricted-dressing-saudi-arabias-dress-code-for-formula-1-sparks-controversy-422060">No excessive make-up, restricted dressing: Saudi Arabia's dress code for Formula 1 sparks controversy</a>

Last year, a Saudi court jailed two of Saad al-Jabri's adult children for money laundering and conspiracy to escape the kingdom unlawfully, charges they deny.

In his first interview since leaving the kingdom, Jabri said MbS has "no empathy," and that the 36-year old leader is a threat to the people of Saudi Arabia, Americans and the rest of the world.

"I have to speak out. I am appealing to the American people and to the American administration to help me to release those children and to restore their life," a visibly emotional Jabri told CBS television's "60 Minutes" show.

The Saudi embassy in Washington and the Saudi government media office CIC did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

The "60 Minutes" Twitter account posted a statement from the Saudi embassy in Washington that said Jabri was a "discredited former government official with a long history of fabricating".

The crown prince's lawyers have rejected Jabri's allegations and said MbS has legal immunity in the United States as a foreign head of state.

Last year, MbS's lawyer, Michael Kellogg, dismissed the allegations, describing them as "steeped in drama."

Fear of being Killed

Jabri's allegations come more than three years after Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi-born US&nbsp;resident who wrote opinion columns for the Washington Post critical of MbS, was killed and dismembered by a team of operatives linked to the prince in the kingdom`s consulate in Istanbul.

The Saudi government has denied any involvement by the crown prince, but a US&nbsp;intelligence report concluded in February that he had approved of an operation to capture or kill Khashoggi, although the Biden administration did not directly penalise MbS.

US President Joe Biden has taken a tougher stand with Riyadh on its human rights record and the Yemen war than his predecessor Donald Trump, who had strong ties with MbS. 
Jabri spent many years as bin Nayef's closest aide at the Ministry of Interior, including helping to overhaul the kingdom's intelligence and counterterrorism operations.

In January, a group of Saudi state-owned firms alleged in a lawsuit in Canada that Jabri embezzled billions of dollars of state funds while working at the Ministry of Interior.

Jabri denied stealing any money, saying he had served Saudi royals for two decades and they had been "very generous" under a tradition whereby "they take care of people around them".

The Saudi embassy statement to "60 Minutes" said reforms led by Prince Mohammed have "put an end to this type of gross corruption".

In the interview, Jabri said he had recorded a video revealing more information that could be released should he be killed. "I expect to be killed one day because this guy will not rest off until he sees me dead," he said.

A former top Saudi intelligence official who is living in exile accused Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday of targeting him, and made an unprecedented public plea to the Biden administration to help obtain the release of his children jailed in Saudi Arabia.

A former top Saudi intelligence official who is living in exile accused Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday of targeting him, and made an unprecedented public plea to the Biden administration to help obtain the release of his children jailed in Saudi Arabia. Saad al-Jabri was long an aide to another Saudi royal, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, whom bin Salman, or MbS, ousted as heir to the throne in a 2017 palace coup. MbS is now de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, the world`s top oil exporter and a US ally. In August 2019, Jabri, who now lives in Canada, filed a 107-page lawsuit in a US court alleging that the crown prince "dispatched a "hit squad" to kill him in October 2018 and that Canadian authorities foiled the attempt. Also Read | No excessive make-up, restricted dressing: Saudi Arabia's dress code for Formula 1 sparks controversy Last year, a Saudi court jailed two of Saad al-Jabri's adult children for money laundering and conspiracy to escape the kingdom unlawfully, charges they deny. In his first interview since leaving the kingdom, Jabri said MbS has "no empathy," and that the 36-year old leader is a threat to the people of Saudi Arabia, Americans and the rest of the world. "I have to speak out. I am appealing to the American people and to the American administration to help me to release those children and to restore their life," a visibly emotional Jabri told CBS television's "60 Minutes" show. The Saudi embassy in Washington and the Saudi government media office CIC did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The "60 Minutes" Twitter account posted a statement from the Saudi embassy in Washington that said Jabri was a "discredited former government official with a long history of fabricating". The crown prince's lawyers have rejected Jabri's allegations and said MbS has legal immunity in the United States as a foreign head of state. Last year, MbS's lawyer, Michael Kellogg, dismissed the allegations, describing them as "steeped in drama." Fear of being Killed Jabri's allegations come more than three years after Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi-born US resident who wrote opinion columns for the Washington Post critical of MbS, was killed and dismembered by a team of operatives linked to the prince in the kingdom`s consulate in Istanbul. The Saudi government has denied any involvement by the crown prince, but a US intelligence report concluded in February that he had approved of an operation to capture or kill Khashoggi, although the Biden administration did not directly penalise MbS. US President Joe Biden has taken a tougher stand with Riyadh on its human rights record and the Yemen war than his predecessor Donald Trump, who had strong ties with MbS. Jabri spent many years as bin Nayef's closest aide at the Ministry of Interior, including helping to overhaul the kingdom's intelligence and counterterrorism operations. In January, a group of Saudi state-owned firms alleged in a lawsuit in Canada that Jabri embezzled billions of dollars of state funds while working at the Ministry of Interior. Jabri denied stealing any money, saying he had served Saudi royals for two decades and they had been "very generous" under a tradition whereby "they take care of people around them". The Saudi embassy statement to "60 Minutes" said reforms led by Prince Mohammed have "put an end to this type of gross corruption". In the interview, Jabri said he had recorded a video revealing more information that could be released should he be killed. "I expect to be killed one day because this guy will not rest off until he sees me dead," he said.

Former Saudi spymaster seeks US help for his jailed children

China's parliament will consider legislation to punish parents if their young children exhibit "very bad behaviour" or commit crimes.

In the draft of the family education promotion law, guardians will be reprimanded and ordered to go through family education guidance programmes if prosecutors find very bad or criminal behaviour in children under their care.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exhausted-chinese-employees-start-worker-lives-matter-campaign-over-grueling-work-hours-421420">Exhausted Chinese employees start 'worker lives matter' campaign over grueling work hours</a>

"There are many reasons for adolescents to misbehave, and the lack of or inappropriate family education is the major cause," said Zang Tiewei, spokesman of the Legislative Affairs Commission under the National People's Congress (NPC).

The draft family education promotion law, which will be reviewed at the NPC Standing Committee session this week, also urges parents to arrange time for their children to rest, play, and exercise.

Beijing has exercised a more assertive paternal hand this year, from tacking the addiction of youngsters to online games, deemed a form of "spiritual opium", to clamping down on "blind" worship of internet celebrities.

In recent months, the education ministry has limited gaming hours for minors, allowing them to play online games for one hour on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/with-new-hypersonic-missile-test-in-august-china-surprised-us-officials-421414">With new hypersonic missile test in August, China surprised US officials</a>

It has also cut back on homework and banned after-school tutoring for major subjects during the weekend and holidays, concerned about the heavy academic burden on overwhelmed children.

At the same time, China is urging young Chinese men to be less "feminine" and more "manly".

In its "Proposal to Prevent the Feminisation of Male Adolescents" issued in December, the education ministry urged schools to promote on-campus sports such as soccer.

China's parliament will consider legislation to punish parents if their young children exhibit "very bad behaviour" or commit crimes. In the draft of the family education promotion law, guardians will be reprimanded and ordered to go through family education guidance programmes if prosecutors find very bad or criminal behaviour in children under their care.

China's parliament will consider legislation to punish parents if their young children exhibit "very bad behaviour" or commit crimes. In the draft of the family education promotion law, guardians will be reprimanded and ordered to go through family education guidance programmes if prosecutors find very bad or criminal behaviour in children under their care. Also Read | Exhausted Chinese employees start 'worker lives matter' campaign over grueling work hours "There are many reasons for adolescents to misbehave, and the lack of or inappropriate family education is the major cause," said Zang Tiewei, spokesman of the Legislative Affairs Commission under the National People's Congress (NPC). The draft family education promotion law, which will be reviewed at the NPC Standing Committee session this week, also urges parents to arrange time for their children to rest, play, and exercise. Beijing has exercised a more assertive paternal hand this year, from tacking the addiction of youngsters to online games, deemed a form of "spiritual opium", to clamping down on "blind" worship of internet celebrities. In recent months, the education ministry has limited gaming hours for minors, allowing them to play online games for one hour on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only. Also Read | With new hypersonic missile test in August, China surprised US officials It has also cut back on homework and banned after-school tutoring for major subjects during the weekend and holidays, concerned about the heavy academic burden on overwhelmed children. At the same time, China is urging young Chinese men to be less "feminine" and more "manly". In its "Proposal to Prevent the Feminisation of Male Adolescents" issued in December, the education ministry urged schools to promote on-campus sports such as soccer.

China drafts law to punish parents for children's bad behaviour

According to the United Nations, more than 465,000 children under five are malnourished and it is the same story for over 93,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women. This is the second consecutive season in northern Kenya, a semi-arid part of the country in which there was not enough rainfall. Unlike the more fertile and greener south.

More than 465,000 children under five malnourished in North Kenya

&nbsp;Ahmad Khalil Mayan, programme director at a large Kabul orphanage, says he is cutting back on the amount of fruit and meat he gives the children each week because the home is running out of money.

For the last two months, since the Afghan Taliban seized control of the country and millions of dollars in aid suddenly dried up, he has been desperately calling and emailing donors, both foreign and local, who supported him before.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/thousands-of-afghans-receive-assistance-un-agency-419569">Thousands of Afghans receive assistance: UN agency</a>

"Unfortunately, most of them have left the country - Afghan donors, foreign donors, embassies. When I call them or email them, no one is answering me," Mayan, 40, told Reuters at the sprawling Shamsa Children's Village in the north of the capital.

"We are now trying to run the place with very little money and with little food," he added. 
(Open&nbsp;in an external browser to see a picture package on Kabul`s struggling orphanage.)

There are around 130 children at the orphanage aged from three years upwards. It has been operational for more than a decade, and provides shelter for those who have lost both parents or just one who cannot afford to keep them.

Among them is nine-year-old Samira, from northeastern Badakhshan province who has been at the orphanage for almost two years after her father died and her mother did not have the means to support her or her brothers.

In the playground outside on a cool day in Kabul she plays with as much intensity as she studies, grinning widely as she goes higher on the swing. Despite her young age, she is already taking extra classes and wants to be a doctor when she grows up.

"I want to serve my homeland and save others from disease, and I also want other girls to study so that they become a doctor like me in the future," she told Reuters, with a sheepish grin.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/displaced-families-in-kabul-to-return-home-taliban-419096">Displaced families in Kabul to return home: Taliban</a>

Orphanages like this play an outsize role in Afghanistan, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in wars that have ravaged the country for more than 40 years.

The lack of funding, which has hit charities, non-governmental organisations and ordinary Afghans since the hardline Islamist Taliban movement took back control of the country, is forcing Mayan into tough choices.

The orphanage tried to send a few children back to relatives who were comparatively well off, but one by one they have returned.

Mayan said staff have had to reduce food portions and limit the types of food children eat. 
"Before we were providing them twice a week fruit and twice a week meat, but we cut those items to just once a week or maybe not even (that much)."

Cash Crunch

Facing an economic crisis as winter approaches, Taliban officials have urged Western governments to resume aid donations and called on the United States to lift a block on more than $9 billion of Afghan central bank reserves held overseas.

Many countries have refused to recognise the Taliban, who until recently were a jihadist insurgency fighting foreign troops and their Afghan allies.

Some governments are demanding that the group guarantees basic civil freedoms, including allowing girls to attend secondary school and women to work.

The Taliban, which banned all girls&nbsp;education when they ruled from 1996-2001, have said they are working on the issue.

Compounding the orphanage's problems is the weekly limit of $200 on bank withdrawals to avoid a run on hard currency, meaning access to funds is not enough to support the children and staff.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-say-islamic-state-cell-destroyed-after-mosque-attack-418068">&nbsp;Taliban say Islamic State cell destroyed after mosque attack</a>

Mayan fears that if the situation continues, the orphanage will not be able to function much longer.

That would be devastating for the children, who receive mathematics, English and computer lessons as well as physical education, not to mention food and shelter.

Samira, the aspiring doctor, is still able to go to school outside the orphanage premises because of her age, and she attends extra tuition classes in the afternoon to get ahead.

Hardship has not dented her ambition, but she also recognises that in order to achieve her goals, she may have to go abroad to study.

"I am not allowed to study here."

Ahmad Khalil Mayan, programme director at a large Kabul orphanage, says he is cutting back on the amount of fruit and meat he gives the children each week because the home is running out of money.

Ahmad Khalil Mayan, programme director at a large Kabul orphanage, says he is cutting back on the amount of fruit and meat he gives the children each week because the home is running out of money. For the last two months, since the Afghan Taliban seized control of the country and millions of dollars in aid suddenly dried up, he has been desperately calling and emailing donors, both foreign and local, who supported him before. Also Read | Thousands of Afghans receive assistance: UN agency "Unfortunately, most of them have left the country - Afghan donors, foreign donors, embassies. When I call them or email them, no one is answering me," Mayan, 40, told Reuters at the sprawling Shamsa Children's Village in the north of the capital. "We are now trying to run the place with very little money and with little food," he added. (Open in an external browser to see a picture package on Kabul`s struggling orphanage.) There are around 130 children at the orphanage aged from three years upwards. It has been operational for more than a decade, and provides shelter for those who have lost both parents or just one who cannot afford to keep them. Among them is nine-year-old Samira, from northeastern Badakhshan province who has been at the orphanage for almost two years after her father died and her mother did not have the means to support her or her brothers. In the playground outside on a cool day in Kabul she plays with as much intensity as she studies, grinning widely as she goes higher on the swing. Despite her young age, she is already taking extra classes and wants to be a doctor when she grows up. "I want to serve my homeland and save others from disease, and I also want other girls to study so that they become a doctor like me in the future," she told Reuters, with a sheepish grin. Also Read | Displaced families in Kabul to return home: Taliban Orphanages like this play an outsize role in Afghanistan, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in wars that have ravaged the country for more than 40 years. The lack of funding, which has hit charities, non-governmental organisations and ordinary Afghans since the hardline Islamist Taliban movement took back control of the country, is forcing Mayan into tough choices. The orphanage tried to send a few children back to relatives who were comparatively well off, but one by one they have returned. Mayan said staff have had to reduce food portions and limit the types of food children eat. "Before we were providing them twice a week fruit and twice a week meat, but we cut those items to just once a week or maybe not even (that much)." Cash Crunch Facing an economic crisis as winter approaches, Taliban officials have urged Western governments to resume aid donations and called on the United States to lift a block on more than $9 billion of Afghan central bank reserves held overseas. Many countries have refused to recognise the Taliban, who until recently were a jihadist insurgency fighting foreign troops and their Afghan allies. Some governments are demanding that the group guarantees basic civil freedoms, including allowing girls to attend secondary school and women to work. The Taliban, which banned all girls education when they ruled from 1996-2001, have said they are working on the issue. Compounding the orphanage's problems is the weekly limit of $200 on bank withdrawals to avoid a run on hard currency, meaning access to funds is not enough to support the children and staff. Also Read | Taliban say Islamic State cell destroyed after mosque attack Mayan fears that if the situation continues, the orphanage will not be able to function much longer. That would be devastating for the children, who receive mathematics, English and computer lessons as well as physical education, not to mention food and shelter. Samira, the aspiring doctor, is still able to go to school outside the orphanage premises because of her age, and she attends extra tuition classes in the afternoon to get ahead. Hardship has not dented her ambition, but she also recognises that in order to achieve her goals, she may have to go abroad to study. "I am not allowed to study here."

Kabul orphanage struggles to feed its children as cash runs low

New data shows that September was the worst month in the US for new cases and deaths. Data from the American Academy of Pediatrics reveals that cases among children peaked in September, as many schools opened for offline classes amid growing cases of delta variant.

More than 6 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, with more than 1.1 million new cases recorded from September 3 to September 30.

The data has been obtained from individual states, which have varying definitions of “child.”

While some include 19-year-olds, West Virginia includes people up to age 20.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizer-asks-us-government-to-allow-covid-vaccine-for-children-ages-5-11-418917">Also read |&nbsp;Pfizer asks US government to allow COVID vaccine for children ages 5-11</a>

A very small proportion of young children infected with COVID-19 get severely ill or die.&nbsp;

The weekly data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that COVID-19 deaths among children under age 15 also reached their highest level in September.&nbsp;

Recently, Pfizer has asked the US government to approve the use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children aged 5 to 11 years old, and if regulators agree, injections may start within weeks. In a trial of children, Pfizer had previously declared that a lower dose of their vaccine worked and looked to be safe.

Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech officially submitted their application to the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-stole-millions-of-covid-vaccines-from-uk-in-an-act-of-war-report-418646">Also read |&nbsp;France 'stole' millions of Covid vaccines from UK in an 'act of war': Report</a>

The data will be debated by FDA advisers later this month.

Last month, Pfizer submitted research to the US Food and Drug Administration on the effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine in children. Pfizer says it will also submit the data to the European Medicines Agency and other regulators.

New data shows that September was the worst month in the US for new cases and deaths. Data from the American Academy of Pediatrics reveals that cases among children peaked in September, as many schools opened for offline classes amid growing cases of delta variant.

New data shows that September was the worst month in the US for new cases and deaths. Data from the American Academy of Pediatrics reveals that cases among children peaked in September, as many schools opened for offline classes amid growing cases of delta variant. More than 6 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, with more than 1.1 million new cases recorded from September 3 to September 30. The data has been obtained from individual states, which have varying definitions of “child.” While some include 19-year-olds, West Virginia includes people up to age 20. Also read | Pfizer asks US government to allow COVID vaccine for children ages 5-11 A very small proportion of young children infected with COVID-19 get severely ill or die. The weekly data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that COVID-19 deaths among children under age 15 also reached their highest level in September. Recently, Pfizer has asked the US government to approve the use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children aged 5 to 11 years old, and if regulators agree, injections may start within weeks. In a trial of children, Pfizer had previously declared that a lower dose of their vaccine worked and looked to be safe. Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech officially submitted their application to the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday. Also read | France 'stole' millions of Covid vaccines from UK in an 'act of war': Report The data will be debated by FDA advisers later this month. Last month, Pfizer submitted research to the US Food and Drug Administration on the effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine in children. Pfizer says it will also submit the data to the European Medicines Agency and other regulators.

US: COVID-19 cases among children peaked in September, shows data

A global alliance of child protection campaigners and experts have warned Facebook founder and chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg that Facebook must take steps to restore faith in its platforms.&nbsp;

Zuckerberg is urged to publish its internal assessments of the risks young people face on its services in a letter with 59 signatories. This will include the UK’s National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the Child Rescue Coalition in the UK.&nbsp;

He is also urged to take a few steps to address concerns over its approach to protecting children on its social media platform, its Instagram photo and its WhatsApp messaging service.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hate-speech-for-profit-facebook-whistleblower-reveals-identity-418061">Also read |&nbsp;Hate speech for profit: Facebook whistleblower reveals identity</a>

The steps involve, sharing all its internal research on the impact its platforms have on children’s wellbeing, setting out what research has been conducted on how the company’s services contribute to child sexual abuse, publish risk assessments of how the platforms affect children, providing details of an internal reputation&nbsp;review of the products, and, reviewing the child protection implications of encrypted messaging.

“The company must do significantly better to regain the trust of parents and child protection professionals, and most importantly, to ensure its product decisions contribute to rather than compromise children’s safety and wellbeing,” read the letter.

The letter comes after a series of revelations from Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen. She has accused Facebook of promoting products that are responsible for fueling hate and harming children's mental health.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-weakens-our-democracy-harms-kids-top-quotes-from-whistleblower-frances-haugens-testimony-418489">Also read |&nbsp;'Facebook weakens our democracy, harms kids': Top quotes from whistleblower Frances Haugen’s testimony</a>

In an interview with the CBS news show "60 Minutes", she said that Facebook was "substantially worse" than anything she had seen before. "Facebook over and over again has shown it chooses profit over safety. It is subsidising, it is paying for its profits with our safety," Haugen said.

"The version of Facebook that exists today is tearing our societies apart and causing ethnic violence around the world," she added.

A global alliance of child protection campaigners and experts have warned Facebook founder and chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg that Facebook must take steps to restore faith in its platforms.

A global alliance of child protection campaigners and experts have warned Facebook founder and chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg that Facebook must take steps to restore faith in its platforms. Zuckerberg is urged to publish its internal assessments of the risks young people face on its services in a letter with 59 signatories. This will include the UK’s National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the Child Rescue Coalition in the UK. He is also urged to take a few steps to address concerns over its approach to protecting children on its social media platform, its Instagram photo and its WhatsApp messaging service. Also read | Hate speech for profit: Facebook whistleblower reveals identity The steps involve, sharing all its internal research on the impact its platforms have on children’s wellbeing, setting out what research has been conducted on how the company’s services contribute to child sexual abuse, publish risk assessments of how the platforms affect children, providing details of an internal reputation review of the products, and, reviewing the child protection implications of encrypted messaging. “The company must do significantly better to regain the trust of parents and child protection professionals, and most importantly, to ensure its product decisions contribute to rather than compromise children’s safety and wellbeing,” read the letter. The letter comes after a series of revelations from Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen. She has accused Facebook of promoting products that are responsible for fueling hate and harming children's mental health. Also read | 'Facebook weakens our democracy, harms kids': Top quotes from whistleblower Frances Haugen’s testimony In an interview with the CBS news show "60 Minutes", she said that Facebook was "substantially worse" than anything she had seen before. "Facebook over and over again has shown it chooses profit over safety. It is subsidising, it is paying for its profits with our safety," Haugen said. "The version of Facebook that exists today is tearing our societies apart and causing ethnic violence around the world," she added.

Facebook must prioritise children’s wellbeing, Zuckerberg has been warned

Billy Porter has dropped a new single, 'Children'. 
 
Porter has recently signed a new record deal with Island Records (U.K.) and Republic Records (U.S.) and is kicking off the celebration with a new single.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bts-army-gift-jimin-his-very-own-jiminland-on-birthday-watch-pics-videos-420927" hreflang="en">BTS ARMY gift Jimin his very own JIMINLAND on birthday; watch pics &amp; videos</a> 
 
The song is co-written by Little Mix’s Jade Thriwell and songwriter MNEK.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j7YJ7sQDjtU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

As per Variety, “It’s a song that is inspired by my life and everything I’ve gone through to get here,” Porter said in a statement.&nbsp; 
 
“Music is my first love,” he continued. “I grew up singing in the church. When I first put out commercial music in 1997, the industry was not ready for all this Black Boy Joy! But luckily the world has caught up. I could not be more thrilled to entrust this next chapter of my music career to the Island/Republic team. Make way children! Daddy’s back.” 
 
Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor-singer Billy began his music career in 1997 with the release of his self-titled debut album, which had singles 'Bubbling Under,' 'Show Me” and 'Love Is On The Way,'.&nbsp;

Billy Porter has dropped a new single, 'Children'. Porter has recently signed a new record deal with Island Records (U.K.) and Republic Records (U.S.) and is kicking off the celebration with a new single.

Billy Porter has dropped a new single, 'Children'. Porter has recently signed a new record deal with Island Records (U.K.) and Republic Records (U.S.) and is kicking off the celebration with a new single. BTS ARMY gift Jimin his very own JIMINLAND on birthday; watch pics & videos The song is co-written by Little Mix’s Jade Thriwell and songwriter MNEK. As per Variety, “It’s a song that is inspired by my life and everything I’ve gone through to get here,” Porter said in a statement. “Music is my first love,” he continued. “I grew up singing in the church. When I first put out commercial music in 1997, the industry was not ready for all this Black Boy Joy! But luckily the world has caught up. I could not be more thrilled to entrust this next chapter of my music career to the Island/Republic team. Make way children! Daddy’s back.” Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor-singer Billy began his music career in 1997 with the release of his self-titled debut album, which had singles 'Bubbling Under,' 'Show Me” and 'Love Is On The Way,'.

Billy Porter signs new record deal, releases new song ‘Children’

In Kabul's children hospital, infants are facing a shortage of basic supply of items like medical supplies and equipment. WION visited the Indira Gandhi child hospital in Kabul, watch this ground report.

Afghanistan: Medicine, bed shortage for infants riddles Kabul hospital

As per the latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics, one in every 20 children of secondary school age in England is infected with the deadly coronavirus.

As per the latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics, one in every 20 children of secondary school age in England is infected with the deadly coronavirus. Also, this is the highest reported rate for this age group, or any other, since the pandemic began. Children's risk from the virus is very low, and serious illness is rare. A single vaccine dose is now being offered to all 12 to 17-year-olds in schools across the UK. The ONS data covers the week up to September 25 and estimates a steep rise in infections in children aged 11-15 over the last few weeks. Also, nearly 5 per cent are now testing positive, up from 2.8 per cent the week before. The infections in younger primary-age children have been increasing, but much less sharply, with 2.6 per cent testing positive. However, infections in young adults have now decreased to around 1 per cent affected, and in older adult groups infection levels remain even lower. Also read | US surpasses 700,000 Covid deaths as California schools make vaccines compulsory Professor Kevin McConway, emeritus professor of applied statistics, at The Open University, said that the infection rates in 11 to 15-year-olds were "extraordinarily high", adding that the fall in infections in young adults, who have now been vaccinated in large numbers, was "pleasing". These tests are completely based on tests carried out on a random sample of the population, irrespective of the symptoms. Britain has been hit hard due to the Delta variant. The UK is one of the worst-hit countries. Britain's economy had registered growth with the Gross domestic product growing by 0.8 per cent in May on easing of lockdown measures as the country emerged from months of stay-at-home order. Britain's unemployment rate also dipped in the three-month period to the end of April as the nation began opening up. The UK had reopened non-essential retail in April in an attempt to boost the economy which experienced severe strain last year amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

England: One in 20 secondary-age children infected by coronavirus

A recent research published this week in the journal Science has shown that people born today will have more climate disasters over their lifetimes than their grandparents. As per the research, a child born in 2020 will endure an average of 30 extreme heatwaves in their lifetime, even if countries fulfil their current pledges to cut future carbon emissions.&nbsp;

This is seven times more heatwaves than someone born in 1960.

Also, the babies of current times will grow up to experience twice as many droughts and wildfires and three times more river floods and crop failures than someone who is 60 years old today.

Professor Wim Thiery, at Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium and who led the research, was quoted by The Guardian as saying, "Our results highlight a severe threat to the safety of young generations and call for drastic emission reductions to safeguard their future."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-has-caused-the-biggest-decrease-in-life-expectancy-says-study-416261">Also read |&nbsp;COVID-19 has caused the biggest decrease in life expectancy, says study</a>

He further said that people under 40 today were set to live “unprecedented” lives, that is suffering heatwaves, droughts, floods and crop failures that would have been virtually impossible.

As a part of the research, drawing on multiple climates and demographic models, Thiery and 36 colleagues compared the risks faced by previous generations to the number of extreme events today’s children will have to witness.

Dr Katja Frieler, at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany and part of the study team said, "The good news is we can take much of the climate burden from our children’s shoulders if we limit warming to 1.5C by phasing out fossil fuel use. This is a huge opportunity.”

A recent research published this week in the journal Science has shown that people born today will have more climate disasters over their lifetimes than their grandparents.

A recent research published this week in the journal Science has shown that people born today will have more climate disasters over their lifetimes than their grandparents. As per the research, a child born in 2020 will endure an average of 30 extreme heatwaves in their lifetime, even if countries fulfil their current pledges to cut future carbon emissions. This is seven times more heatwaves than someone born in 1960. Also, the babies of current times will grow up to experience twice as many droughts and wildfires and three times more river floods and crop failures than someone who is 60 years old today. Professor Wim Thiery, at Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium and who led the research, was quoted by The Guardian as saying, "Our results highlight a severe threat to the safety of young generations and call for drastic emission reductions to safeguard their future." Also read | COVID-19 has caused the biggest decrease in life expectancy, says study He further said that people under 40 today were set to live “unprecedented” lives, that is suffering heatwaves, droughts, floods and crop failures that would have been virtually impossible. As a part of the research, drawing on multiple climates and demographic models, Thiery and 36 colleagues compared the risks faced by previous generations to the number of extreme events today’s children will have to witness. Dr Katja Frieler, at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany and part of the study team said, "The good news is we can take much of the climate burden from our children’s shoulders if we limit warming to 1.5C by phasing out fossil fuel use. This is a huge opportunity.”

Children will have to face more climate disasters than their grandparents, says study

A new report by Australian National University has revealed that many parents are struggling to find support for their children.&nbsp;

As a part of the study, the university surveyed 3,135 Australians age 18 and older in August. Out of this, 763 were parents with children age 18 and under living in their household from the time the pandemic hit. The samples had 1,368 children between them.

When parents were asked about the mental health of their children, it was concluded that they had seen the largest negative impact on the mental health of those aged five to 18 years.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/covid-has-decreased-life-expectancy-for-men-but-not-for-women-study-415365">Also read | Covid has decreased life expectancy for men, but not for women: Study</a>

Professor Nicholas Biddle, who happens to be one of the co-authors of the study said that 71% of parents of young people aged 15 to 18 reported worsening mental health conditions for their children.

He was quoted by The Guardian as saying, "A lot of this is due to the ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and in particular extended lockdowns".

“Compared to other surveys earlier in the pandemic, these negative mental health impacts have become a lot worse in their eyes. And it’s across the board for most children.”

The analysis further highlighted that &nbsp;61.8% of parents and carers with children aged five to nine think their kids had worsening mental health conditions, while 63.4% with children aged 10 to 14 said the same.

A new report by Australian National University has revealed that many parents are struggling to find support for their children. As a part of the study, the university surveyed 3,135 Australians age 18 and older in August.

A new report by Australian National University has revealed that many parents are struggling to find support for their children. As a part of the study, the university surveyed 3,135 Australians age 18 and older in August. Out of this, 763 were parents with children age 18 and under living in their household from the time the pandemic hit. The samples had 1,368 children between them. When parents were asked about the mental health of their children, it was concluded that they had seen the largest negative impact on the mental health of those aged five to 18 years. Also read | Covid has decreased life expectancy for men, but not for women: Study Professor Nicholas Biddle, who happens to be one of the co-authors of the study said that 71% of parents of young people aged 15 to 18 reported worsening mental health conditions for their children. He was quoted by The Guardian as saying, "A lot of this is due to the ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and in particular extended lockdowns". “Compared to other surveys earlier in the pandemic, these negative mental health impacts have become a lot worse in their eyes. And it’s across the board for most children.” The analysis further highlighted that 61.8% of parents and carers with children aged five to nine think their kids had worsening mental health conditions, while 63.4% with children aged 10 to 14 said the same.

Australian parents say mental health of their children is worsening in pandemic

In the latest expansion of the vaccination programme, the UK's health service has started to roll out Covid vaccines for schoolchildren aged between 12 years and 15 years on Monday. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In this age group, around&nbsp;three million children are eligible for one dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. This move has been taken after the government's acceptance of the UK Chief Medical Officers' recommendation last week. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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This week, England and Scotland will begin the vaccines rollout, while Wales and Northern Ireland are scheduled to do it by next week. &nbsp;&nbsp;

UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said, it's encouraging to see 12 to 15-year-olds are starting to get their vaccinations today reflecting our ongoing commitment to protect young people from COVID-19 and minimise any disruption to their education. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/do-your-own-research-four-words-hurting-us-response-to-covid-says-report-414459" hreflang="en">'Do your own research': Four words hurting US response to Covid, says report</a>

The vaccine has made a significant difference in saving lives and reducing transmissions, and has met the strict standards of safety and effectiveness of our renowned medicines regulator for those aged 12 and over, the health secretary said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The jabs will start in hundreds of schools across the country this week, said the National Health Service (NHS). It added that invitations for a Covid booster dose are also being sent to eligible over-50s this week. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In the latest expansion of the vaccination programme, the UK's health service has started to roll out Covid vaccines for schoolchildren aged between 12 years and 15 years on Monday.

In the latest expansion of the vaccination programme, the UK's health service has started to roll out Covid vaccines for schoolchildren aged between 12 years and 15 years on Monday. In this age group, around three million children are eligible for one dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. This move has been taken after the government's acceptance of the UK Chief Medical Officers' recommendation last week. Watch: × This week, England and Scotland will begin the vaccines rollout, while Wales and Northern Ireland are scheduled to do it by next week. UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said, it's encouraging to see 12 to 15-year-olds are starting to get their vaccinations today reflecting our ongoing commitment to protect young people from COVID-19 and minimise any disruption to their education. Also Read | 'Do your own research': Four words hurting US response to Covid, says report The vaccine has made a significant difference in saving lives and reducing transmissions, and has met the strict standards of safety and effectiveness of our renowned medicines regulator for those aged 12 and over, the health secretary said. The jabs will start in hundreds of schools across the country this week, said the National Health Service (NHS). It added that invitations for a Covid booster dose are also being sent to eligible over-50s this week. (With inputs from agencies)

Now, children aged between 12 and 15 get Covid vaccine shots in UK

Seven children have died due to viral fever in India's northern Agra district, Uttar Pradesh,&nbsp;so far in September, a senior officer said on Sunday.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Arun Kumar Srivastav also dismissed reports stating that two children succumbed to dengue in Fatehpur Sikri.

Talking to PTI, Srivastav said seven children have succumbed to viral fever in Agra so far this month.

While a 14-year-old boy died in Chachiha village on Sunday morning, two siblings died in Fatehpur Sikri's Rasoolpur village on Saturday evening, he said.

Two deaths were reported from Giriraj Dham Colony under Itimad-ud-Daulah police station area and one death was reported from Nunhai locality on Thursday. One child died in Khadia village of Khandoli, he added.

"The peculiar thing about this fever is that we are getting very little time for treatment and people are dying quickly," the CMO claimed.

Srivastav dismissed reports claiming that dengue was the cause of the two deaths reported from Rasoolpur and said that the children died due to viral fever.

The CMO said Agra has reported 61 dengue cases so far this year. While 41 patients have recovered, 20 are undergoing treatment at government hospitals.

He appealed to people to immediately visit a government hospital or a community health centre in case they experience symptoms like high fever, vomiting and dizziness.

On steps being taken by the administration for the prevention of dengue, Srivastav said the health department is organising awareness and medical camps in villages and cities and fogging is being carried out.

Stagnant water is being cleared in villages and other areas, he said.

The officer also urged people to not allow water to collect inside or around their homes and suggested that they cover themselves fully when they step out.&nbsp;

Seven children have died due to viral fever in India's northern Agra district, Uttar Pradesh, so far in September, a senior officer said on Sunday. Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Arun Kumar Srivastav also dismissed reports stating that two children succumbed to dengue in Fatehpur Sikri.

Seven children have died due to viral fever in India's northern Agra district, Uttar Pradesh, so far in September, a senior officer said on Sunday. Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Arun Kumar Srivastav also dismissed reports stating that two children succumbed to dengue in Fatehpur Sikri. Talking to PTI, Srivastav said seven children have succumbed to viral fever in Agra so far this month. While a 14-year-old boy died in Chachiha village on Sunday morning, two siblings died in Fatehpur Sikri's Rasoolpur village on Saturday evening, he said. Two deaths were reported from Giriraj Dham Colony under Itimad-ud-Daulah police station area and one death was reported from Nunhai locality on Thursday. One child died in Khadia village of Khandoli, he added. "The peculiar thing about this fever is that we are getting very little time for treatment and people are dying quickly," the CMO claimed. Srivastav dismissed reports claiming that dengue was the cause of the two deaths reported from Rasoolpur and said that the children died due to viral fever. The CMO said Agra has reported 61 dengue cases so far this year. While 41 patients have recovered, 20 are undergoing treatment at government hospitals. He appealed to people to immediately visit a government hospital or a community health centre in case they experience symptoms like high fever, vomiting and dizziness. On steps being taken by the administration for the prevention of dengue, Srivastav said the health department is organising awareness and medical camps in villages and cities and fogging is being carried out. Stagnant water is being cleared in villages and other areas, he said. The officer also urged people to not allow water to collect inside or around their homes and suggested that they cover themselves fully when they step out.

7 children have succumbed to viral fever in India's northern UP state so far in Sept: Official

A former principal accused of sexually abusing children at a Jewish ultra-Orthodox school in Australia appeared by video link on Monday on the opening day of pre-trial hearings.

Malka Leifer, a dual Israeli-Australian&nbsp;citizen who was extradited to Australia in January, was shown on video from prison wearing a blue top with her hair covered in a white headscarf.

She denies 74&nbsp;charges&nbsp;that include rape, indecent assault and&nbsp;child&nbsp;sexual&nbsp;abuse&nbsp;between 2004 and 2008 when she was a religious studies teacher and principal at the Adass Israel School in Melbourne.

The committal hearing in Melbourne, which is expected to last until September 20, will decide whether there is enough evidence for Leifer to stand trial.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vietnamese-fleeing-virus-found-in-refrigerated-truck-media-412752">Also read |&nbsp;Vietnamese fleeing virus found in refrigerated truck: Media</a>

Looking downwards and frequently resting her chin in her left hand, Leifer spoke only to confirm that she could hear and see the proceedings at the Melbourne&nbsp;court, held by video during a Covid-19 lockdown.

"Yes, yes," she replied when prompted by a prison guard, after failing to reply when first asked by the magistrate.

Journalists were removed from the video hearing during testimony by her alleged victims.

Leifer was excused by the magistrate from appearing on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, which falls on September 16, but the hearing is scheduled to continue on that day in her absence.

Her alleged victims are three sisters,&nbsp;Nicole Meyer, Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper who publicly identified themselves in their push for Leifer to face&nbsp;charges.

Leifer, now in her 50s, fled Australia for Israel after allegations against her surfaced in 2008, moving with her family to the Emmanuel settlement in the occupied West Bank.

Australian&nbsp;authorities laid&nbsp;charges&nbsp;in 2012 and requested her extradition two years later.

She arrived in Melbourne on a flight late January after six years of legal wrangling in Israel, including over whether she was feigning mental illness to avoid standing trial in Australia.

The Israeli Supreme&nbsp;Court&nbsp;rejected her lawyers' final appeal against extradition last December.

A former principal accused of sexually abusing children at a Jewish ultra-Orthodox school in Australia appeared by video link on Monday on the opening day of pre-trial hearings.

A former principal accused of sexually abusing children at a Jewish ultra-Orthodox school in Australia appeared by video link on Monday on the opening day of pre-trial hearings. Malka Leifer, a dual Israeli-Australian citizen who was extradited to Australia in January, was shown on video from prison wearing a blue top with her hair covered in a white headscarf. She denies 74 charges that include rape, indecent assault and child sexual abuse between 2004 and 2008 when she was a religious studies teacher and principal at the Adass Israel School in Melbourne. The committal hearing in Melbourne, which is expected to last until September 20, will decide whether there is enough evidence for Leifer to stand trial. Also read | Vietnamese fleeing virus found in refrigerated truck: Media Looking downwards and frequently resting her chin in her left hand, Leifer spoke only to confirm that she could hear and see the proceedings at the Melbourne court, held by video during a Covid-19 lockdown. "Yes, yes," she replied when prompted by a prison guard, after failing to reply when first asked by the magistrate. Journalists were removed from the video hearing during testimony by her alleged victims. Leifer was excused by the magistrate from appearing on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, which falls on September 16, but the hearing is scheduled to continue on that day in her absence. Her alleged victims are three sisters, Nicole Meyer, Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper who publicly identified themselves in their push for Leifer to face charges. Leifer, now in her 50s, fled Australia for Israel after allegations against her surfaced in 2008, moving with her family to the Emmanuel settlement in the occupied West Bank. Australian authorities laid charges in 2012 and requested her extradition two years later. She arrived in Melbourne on a flight late January after six years of legal wrangling in Israel, including over whether she was feigning mental illness to avoid standing trial in Australia. The Israeli Supreme Court rejected her lawyers' final appeal against extradition last December.

Ex-principal faces Australia court on child sex abuse charges

A recent estimate of Awacak, a group that brings together bereaved families, has revealed that at least 200 indigenous children have disappeared or died after being admitted to a hospital in Quebec.

This has also been confirmed by the office of Ian Lafrenière, Quebec’s Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs.

The Star met Johanne Dubé, and her sisters Marguerite and Marceline, at a traditional site in the community of Manawan, in Lanaudière.

"She’s still here until we can see where she is buried," Johanne was quoted by The Star. She is their sister, Line.

Line was two months old when her parents, worried about eczema which caused her suffering, put her on a plane for treatment at Amos hospital.&nbsp;

They were not allowed to accompany her. Two months later, they learnt that their baby is dead. Line never came home. Neither did her small remains.

“That’s all the information they got,” says Johanne. “They never had a body or paper to suggest she was dead.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-pm-trudeau-accuses-main-rival-of-favouring-abortion-curbs-gun-owners-411758">Also read |&nbsp;Canada PM Trudeau accuses main rival of favouring abortion curbs, gun owners</a>

They finally went to Amos, in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.&nbsp;

At the hospital, they obtained their sister’s death certificate. This was more than 50 years after her death.&nbsp;

As per the documents, the infant, originally sent to treat eczema, also suffered from otitis, gastroenteritis and bronchopneumonia.

In the margin, it has been written that Line was declared “cured after 48 hours”, but the word “death” has been circled, without any explanation. Her small body was buried in Amos cemetery, the family was told.&nbsp;

They consulted the cemetery register. However, Line Dubé’s name does not appear anywhere.

“We want to find the truth,” said Johanne.

After their mother died, their ageing father asked his daughters to take up the torch and find Line.&nbsp;

The quest may come to an end with the coming into force on September 1 of Bill 79.&nbsp;

This is an act to authorise the communication of personal information to the families of Indigenous children who went missing or died after being admitted to an institution.

It allows personal information to be communicated to the families, and not only to the parents of Indigenous children who have disappeared or died following admission to a Quebec health establishment.&nbsp;

Alain Arsenault, Awacak’s legal advisor, was quoted by The Star as saying, "As we speak, we know this is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re talking about 200 children".

This number was established based on various investigative reports, including that of the National Inquiry into MMIWG, and with “direct contact with (Indigenous) families.” 
&nbsp;

A recent estimate of Awacak, a group that brings together bereaved families, has revealed that at least 200 indigenous children have disappeared or died after being admitted to a hospital in Quebec.

A recent estimate of Awacak, a group that brings together bereaved families, has revealed that at least 200 indigenous children have disappeared or died after being admitted to a hospital in Quebec. This has also been confirmed by the office of Ian Lafrenière, Quebec’s Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs. The Star met Johanne Dubé, and her sisters Marguerite and Marceline, at a traditional site in the community of Manawan, in Lanaudière. "She’s still here until we can see where she is buried," Johanne was quoted by The Star. She is their sister, Line. Line was two months old when her parents, worried about eczema which caused her suffering, put her on a plane for treatment at Amos hospital. They were not allowed to accompany her. Two months later, they learnt that their baby is dead. Line never came home. Neither did her small remains. “That’s all the information they got,” says Johanne. “They never had a body or paper to suggest she was dead.” Also read | Canada PM Trudeau accuses main rival of favouring abortion curbs, gun owners They finally went to Amos, in Abitibi-Témiscamingue. At the hospital, they obtained their sister’s death certificate. This was more than 50 years after her death. As per the documents, the infant, originally sent to treat eczema, also suffered from otitis, gastroenteritis and bronchopneumonia. In the margin, it has been written that Line was declared “cured after 48 hours”, but the word “death” has been circled, without any explanation. Her small body was buried in Amos cemetery, the family was told. They consulted the cemetery register. However, Line Dubé’s name does not appear anywhere. “We want to find the truth,” said Johanne. After their mother died, their ageing father asked his daughters to take up the torch and find Line. The quest may come to an end with the coming into force on September 1 of Bill 79. This is an act to authorise the communication of personal information to the families of Indigenous children who went missing or died after being admitted to an institution. It allows personal information to be communicated to the families, and not only to the parents of Indigenous children who have disappeared or died following admission to a Quebec health establishment. Alain Arsenault, Awacak’s legal advisor, was quoted by The Star as saying, "As we speak, we know this is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re talking about 200 children". This number was established based on various investigative reports, including that of the National Inquiry into MMIWG, and with “direct contact with (Indigenous) families.”

At least 200 indigenous children went missing or died after entering a hospital in Quebec

COVID-19 infection does not appear to impair the lung function of children and adolescents, according to a study presented at the virtual European Respiratory Society International Congress on Tuesday.

A team led by researchers at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, found that even patients with asthma did not show a statistically significant deterioration in lung function.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-mu-coronavirus-variant-spreads-to-49-us-states-411360">New ‘Mu’ coronavirus variant spreads to 49 US states</a>

However, such patients showed slightly lower measurements for the amount of air they could exhale forcibly in one second,&nbsp;known as forced expiratory air volume in one second (FEV1), which is one of the measures of lung function.

A second study presented at the conference on Sunday showed that the lung function in children and adolescents was also unimpaired after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> infection, apart from those who experienced a severe infection.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has raised questions about if and how the lung is affected after clearance of the coronavirus infection, especially in young people from the general population with less severe disease," said Ida Mogensen, a post-doctoral fellow at the Karolinska Institute.

The first study gathered information from 661 young people with an average age of 22 years who were part of a large research that enrolled children born between 1994 and 1996 in Stockholm, and who have been followed by researchers ever since.

Collected data included measurements of lung function, inflammation and white blood cells called eosinophils, which are part of the immune system.

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Of the 661 participants, 178 had antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, indicating they had been infected.

The researchers measured FEV1, forced vital capacity (FVC) which represents the volume of air in the lungs that can be exhaled after a taking the deepest breath possible, and FEV1/FVC ratio, which is an indicator of narrowed airways.

They calculated the changes in lung function between the period before the and during the pandemic.

The researchers then compared the percentage change with participants who had not been infected.

"Our analysis showed similar lung function irrespective of COVID-19 history," said Mogensen.

When the researchers included 123 participants with asthma in the analysis, the 24 per cent who had had COVID-19 showed a slightly lower lung function, but this was not statistically significant.

There was no difference in lung function among patients who had had COVID-19 with respect to eosinophils, indicators of inflammation, allergy responses or use of inhaled corticosteroids, they said.

The second study, presented by Anne Schlegtendal, from the University Children's Hospital in Germany, looked at the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection between August 2020 and March 21 in 73 children and adolescents aged between five and 18 years.

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Schlegtendal and colleagues carried out lung function tests between two weeks and six months following COVID-19 infection and compared the results with a control group of 45 children who had not been infected with the coronavirus but may have had some other infection.

The participants had different severity of the disease. An infection was considered severe if patients suffered breathlessness, a fever above 38.5 degrees Celsius for more than five days, bronchitis, pneumonia or stayed in hospital for more than a day.

Nineteen children and adolescents in the COVID-19 group had persistent or new symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection, the researchers found.

Eight reported at least one respiratory symptom, six of whom suffered ongoing breathing problems and two had a persistent cough.

Two of these eight patients showed abnormal lung function, they said. "When we compared the COVID-19 patients with the control group, we found no statistically significant differences in the frequency of abnormal lung function," Schlegtendal said.

The researchers acknowledged some limitations in their study, including the small number of participants.

The participants were recruited at a single hospital, patients reported their symptoms, and a lack of information on long-term outcomes in the control group, they said.

In addition, the COVID-19 group did not include those with severe breathing problems during the acute phase of the infection.

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"The findings from these two studies provides important reassurance about the impact of COVID infection on lung function in children and young adults," said Anita Simonds, a professor at Imperial College London, UK, who was not involved in the research.

"We know already that this group is less likely to suffer severe illness if they contract the virus, and these studies, which importantly include comparator groups without COVID-19, show that they are also less likely to suffer long-term consequences with respect to lung function," Simonds added.&nbsp;

COVID-19 infection does not appear to impair the lung function of children and adolescents, according to a study presented at the virtual European Respiratory Society International Congress on Tuesday.

COVID-19 infection does not appear to impair the lung function of children and adolescents, according to a study presented at the virtual European Respiratory Society International Congress on Tuesday. A team led by researchers at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, found that even patients with asthma did not show a statistically significant deterioration in lung function. Also read | New ‘Mu’ coronavirus variant spreads to 49 US states However, such patients showed slightly lower measurements for the amount of air they could exhale forcibly in one second, known as forced expiratory air volume in one second (FEV1), which is one of the measures of lung function. A second study presented at the conference on Sunday showed that the lung function in children and adolescents was also unimpaired after COVID-19 infection, apart from those who experienced a severe infection. "The COVID-19 pandemic has raised questions about if and how the lung is affected after clearance of the coronavirus infection, especially in young people from the general population with less severe disease," said Ida Mogensen, a post-doctoral fellow at the Karolinska Institute. The first study gathered information from 661 young people with an average age of 22 years who were part of a large research that enrolled children born between 1994 and 1996 in Stockholm, and who have been followed by researchers ever since. Collected data included measurements of lung function, inflammation and white blood cells called eosinophils, which are part of the immune system. Also read | In a first, Cuba begins COVID-19 vaccination for toddlers Of the 661 participants, 178 had antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, indicating they had been infected. The researchers measured FEV1, forced vital capacity (FVC) which represents the volume of air in the lungs that can be exhaled after a taking the deepest breath possible, and FEV1/FVC ratio, which is an indicator of narrowed airways. They calculated the changes in lung function between the period before the and during the pandemic. The researchers then compared the percentage change with participants who had not been infected. "Our analysis showed similar lung function irrespective of COVID-19 history," said Mogensen. When the researchers included 123 participants with asthma in the analysis, the 24 per cent who had had COVID-19 showed a slightly lower lung function, but this was not statistically significant. There was no difference in lung function among patients who had had COVID-19 with respect to eosinophils, indicators of inflammation, allergy responses or use of inhaled corticosteroids, they said. The second study, presented by Anne Schlegtendal, from the University Children's Hospital in Germany, looked at the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection between August 2020 and March 21 in 73 children and adolescents aged between five and 18 years. Also read | A guide to your healthy routine to beat the long-lasting Covid blues Schlegtendal and colleagues carried out lung function tests between two weeks and six months following COVID-19 infection and compared the results with a control group of 45 children who had not been infected with the coronavirus but may have had some other infection. The participants had different severity of the disease. An infection was considered severe if patients suffered breathlessness, a fever above 38.5 degrees Celsius for more than five days, bronchitis, pneumonia or stayed in hospital for more than a day. Nineteen children and adolescents in the COVID-19 group had persistent or new symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection, the researchers found. Eight reported at least one respiratory symptom, six of whom suffered ongoing breathing problems and two had a persistent cough. Two of these eight patients showed abnormal lung function, they said. "When we compared the COVID-19 patients with the control group, we found no statistically significant differences in the frequency of abnormal lung function," Schlegtendal said. The researchers acknowledged some limitations in their study, including the small number of participants. The participants were recruited at a single hospital, patients reported their symptoms, and a lack of information on long-term outcomes in the control group, they said. In addition, the COVID-19 group did not include those with severe breathing problems during the acute phase of the infection. "The findings from these two studies provides important reassurance about the impact of COVID infection on lung function in children and young adults," said Anita Simonds, a professor at Imperial College London, UK, who was not involved in the research. "We know already that this group is less likely to suffer severe illness if they contract the virus, and these studies, which importantly include comparator groups without COVID-19, show that they are also less likely to suffer long-term consequences with respect to lung function," Simonds added.

COVID-19 may not impair lung function in young adults, research shows

According to a new study, being overweight is caused not just by a lack of exercise or a poor diet, but also by being exposed to excessive amounts of air pollution.

Air pollution has been linked to obesity in studies all around the world, but this is the first time a new study in the country has proven how high levels of air pollution might contribute to weight gain.

This is also one of the first studies in India among teenage school children to reveal a strong correlation between obesity and asthma, as well as the possibility that air pollution plays a role in both.&nbsp;

Obese children had a 79 per cent higher likelihood of having asthma, according to the study.

This link was strongest in Delhi, which has hazardous air quality year after year.&nbsp;

The Lung Care Foundation studied 3,157 students from 12 schools in Delhi, as well as the southern Indian cities of Kottayam and Mysuru, which have better air than Delhi.

It was discovered that 39.8% of children in Delhi were overweight, compared to 16.4% in Kottayam and Mysuru.

According to the study, this aligns "extremely well" with the reported particulate matter (PM2.5) levels in these cities, which are harmful microscopic contaminants in the air.

Delhi is one of the world's most polluted cities.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

According to a new study, being overweight is caused not just by a lack of exercise or a poor diet, but also by being exposed to excessive amounts of air pollution.

According to a new study, being overweight is caused not just by a lack of exercise or a poor diet, but also by being exposed to excessive amounts of air pollution. Air pollution has been linked to obesity in studies all around the world, but this is the first time a new study in the country has proven how high levels of air pollution might contribute to weight gain. This is also one of the first studies in India among teenage school children to reveal a strong correlation between obesity and asthma, as well as the possibility that air pollution plays a role in both. Obese children had a 79 per cent higher likelihood of having asthma, according to the study. This link was strongest in Delhi, which has hazardous air quality year after year. The Lung Care Foundation studied 3,157 students from 12 schools in Delhi, as well as the southern Indian cities of Kottayam and Mysuru, which have better air than Delhi. It was discovered that 39.8% of children in Delhi were overweight, compared to 16.4% in Kottayam and Mysuru. According to the study, this aligns "extremely well" with the reported particulate matter (PM2.5) levels in these cities, which are harmful microscopic contaminants in the air. Delhi is one of the world's most polluted cities. (With inputs from agencies)

Air pollution can make children overweight, increase the risk of developing asthma

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved Biological E for two clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate Corbevax, according to an official notification from the ministry of science and technology on September 3.

After a subject expert committee reviewed Phase 1 and 2 clinical trial data, the Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company gained approval for a Phase 3 comparative safety and immunogenicity trial in adults.

The DBT and BIRAC, according to the ministry, have sponsored Corbevax, an RBD protein subunit vaccine, through preclinical to Phase 3 clinical trials.&nbsp;

Biological E's vaccine candidate has also received funding backing from the National Biopharma Mission, BIRAC, under the COVID-19 Research Consortia.

"This vaccine candidate has received financial support under COVID-19 Research Consortia through the National Biopharma Mission, BIRAC, in addition to getting financial help under Mission COVID Suraksha," according to the official statement.&nbsp;

Six vaccinations have been approved for use in the country, but only 11.28 percent of the population has been properly vaccinated, according to data from Johns Hopkins.

The Covid-19 shots for adults, created by Bharat Biotech and Zydus Cadila, are among them.

Late in August, India approved Cadila's Covid-19 vaccine, the world's first DNA coronavirus vaccine, for emergency use in children aged 12 and up.

A late-stage trial of Biological E's coronavirus vaccination in adults is currently underway.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved Biological E for two clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate Corbevax, according to an official notification from the ministry of science and technology on September 3.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved Biological E for two clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate Corbevax, according to an official notification from the ministry of science and technology on September 3. After a subject expert committee reviewed Phase 1 and 2 clinical trial data, the Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company gained approval for a Phase 3 comparative safety and immunogenicity trial in adults. The DBT and BIRAC, according to the ministry, have sponsored Corbevax, an RBD protein subunit vaccine, through preclinical to Phase 3 clinical trials. Biological E's vaccine candidate has also received funding backing from the National Biopharma Mission, BIRAC, under the COVID-19 Research Consortia. "This vaccine candidate has received financial support under COVID-19 Research Consortia through the National Biopharma Mission, BIRAC, in addition to getting financial help under Mission COVID Suraksha," according to the official statement. Six vaccinations have been approved for use in the country, but only 11.28 percent of the population has been properly vaccinated, according to data from Johns Hopkins. The Covid-19 shots for adults, created by Bharat Biotech and Zydus Cadila, are among them. Late in August, India approved Cadila's Covid-19 vaccine, the world's first DNA coronavirus vaccine, for emergency use in children aged 12 and up. A late-stage trial of Biological E's coronavirus vaccination in adults is currently underway. (With inputs from agencies)

Government gives Biological E nod to study its Covid vaccine Corbevax in children, teens

British doctors handed out 231,791 antidepressant prescriptions for kids aged 5 to 16. Why are so many kids suffering from mental health issues? Are antidepressants good for children? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Record number of children on antidepressants

After armed men snatched seven of Abubakar Adam`s 11 children in northwestern Nigeria, he sold his car and a parcel of land and cleaned out his savings to raise a ransom to free them.

He sent his 3 million naira ($7,300) into the bush, together with payments from other families in his town of Tegina. The kidnappers took the money, seized one of the men delivering it and sent back a new demand for more cash and six motorbikes.

"We are in agony," the 40-year-old tyre repairman told Reuters, still waiting for any sign of what happened to his children three months after the mass abduction. "Honestly I don`t have anything left."

Kidnappers have taken more than 1,000 students since December amid a rash of abductions across the impoverished northwest. Around 300 of the children have still not been returned, according to a Reuters tally of reports.

President Muhammadu Buhari has told states not to pay anything to kidnappers, saying it will only encourage more abductions. Security agencies say they are targeting the bandits with military action and other methods.

Meanwhile, hundreds of parents are facing the same quandary: do everything they can to raise the ransoms themselves, or risk never seeing their children again. 
"We are begging the government to help," said Aminu Salisu, whose eight-year-old son was taken in the same daylight raid on Tegina`s Salihu Tanko Islamic school in May, alongside more than 130 students.

Salisu cleared out his own savings and sold everything in his shop to raise his contribution. The owner of the school sold off half the grounds. Together, with the help of friends, relatives and strangers, the people of Tegina said they raised 30 million naira.

But that still wasn`t enough for the bandits.

Kidnappers collected more than $18 million in ransom from June 2011 to March 2020 in Nigeria, according to an estimate by Lagos-based analysts SBM Intelligence.

That flood of cash brought a flood of new kidnappers, said Bulama Bukarti, an analyst in the Extremism Policy Unit of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. He estimated there were currently around 30,000 bandits operating in the northwest.

"It`s the most thriving, the most lucrative industry in Nigeria," he told Reuters. Kidnapping has become a tempting career choice for young men at a time of economic slump, double-digit inflation and 33% unemployment.

"From December, we saw the Pandora`s box open. They saw it was possible. They saw that nothing happened to the attackers," Bukarti said.

In December, gunmen kidnapped 344 boys from the Government Science Secondary School in the northwestern state of Katsina during a night-time raid. The kidnappers released the boys a week later, but it set off a spate of similar kidnappings across the region.

The bandits took a page from the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which seized more than 200 schoolgirls from the northeastern town of Chibok in 2014. That group had ideological aims and forced some of the girls to marry fighters.

The armed kidnappers in the northwest are motivated by money, experts say.

"A LIFE-AND-DEATH MATTER"

The abductions have piled more pressure on President Buhari, who promised to tackle insecurity at his inauguration in 2019.

They have also tested the security services. The military - pitted against the kidnappers in the northwest, Islamist insurgents in the northeast, separatists in the southeast and piracy in the

Delta - is deployed to at least 30 of Nigeria`s 36 states.

Information Minister Lai Mohammed, in an interview with Reuters, defended the strategy not to pay ransoms.

Instead, he said, the government had destroyed multiple bandit camps and tried other approaches to tackle banditry.

He declined to give details, citing the need for secrecy around ongoing operations, but said all levels of government are working to free the children.

"We are winning the war against insurgency and we are winning the war against banditry," Mohammed said.

The government of Niger state, which includes Tegina, declined to comment. Officials working with the governor said they needed to keep their efforts secret.

Meanwhile, the challenges keep mounting.

The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), an NGO, tracked a 28% increase in violence nationwide in Nigeria in the first six months of 2021, compared with the previous six months.

Reported fatalities from violence nationwide rose 61% to 5,197, it said.

It all explains, Bukarti of the Extremism Policy Unit said, why Adam and other parents are willing to sell everything they have to pay ransoms themselves.

"They cannot afford (it) by any means. But it`s a life-and-death matter. And they know security agencies cannot free their loved ones."

After armed men snatched seven of Abubakar Adam`s 11 children in northwestern Nigeria, he sold his car and a parcel of land and cleaned out his savings to raise a ransom to free them.

After armed men snatched seven of Abubakar Adam`s 11 children in northwestern Nigeria, he sold his car and a parcel of land and cleaned out his savings to raise a ransom to free them. He sent his 3 million naira ($7,300) into the bush, together with payments from other families in his town of Tegina. The kidnappers took the money, seized one of the men delivering it and sent back a new demand for more cash and six motorbikes. "We are in agony," the 40-year-old tyre repairman told Reuters, still waiting for any sign of what happened to his children three months after the mass abduction. "Honestly I don`t have anything left." Kidnappers have taken more than 1,000 students since December amid a rash of abductions across the impoverished northwest. Around 300 of the children have still not been returned, according to a Reuters tally of reports. President Muhammadu Buhari has told states not to pay anything to kidnappers, saying it will only encourage more abductions. Security agencies say they are targeting the bandits with military action and other methods. Meanwhile, hundreds of parents are facing the same quandary: do everything they can to raise the ransoms themselves, or risk never seeing their children again. "We are begging the government to help," said Aminu Salisu, whose eight-year-old son was taken in the same daylight raid on Tegina`s Salihu Tanko Islamic school in May, alongside more than 130 students. Salisu cleared out his own savings and sold everything in his shop to raise his contribution. The owner of the school sold off half the grounds. Together, with the help of friends, relatives and strangers, the people of Tegina said they raised 30 million naira. But that still wasn`t enough for the bandits. Kidnappers collected more than $18 million in ransom from June 2011 to March 2020 in Nigeria, according to an estimate by Lagos-based analysts SBM Intelligence. That flood of cash brought a flood of new kidnappers, said Bulama Bukarti, an analyst in the Extremism Policy Unit of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. He estimated there were currently around 30,000 bandits operating in the northwest. "It`s the most thriving, the most lucrative industry in Nigeria," he told Reuters. Kidnapping has become a tempting career choice for young men at a time of economic slump, double-digit inflation and 33% unemployment. "From December, we saw the Pandora`s box open. They saw it was possible. They saw that nothing happened to the attackers," Bukarti said. In December, gunmen kidnapped 344 boys from the Government Science Secondary School in the northwestern state of Katsina during a night-time raid. The kidnappers released the boys a week later, but it set off a spate of similar kidnappings across the region. The bandits took a page from the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which seized more than 200 schoolgirls from the northeastern town of Chibok in 2014. That group had ideological aims and forced some of the girls to marry fighters. The armed kidnappers in the northwest are motivated by money, experts say. "A LIFE-AND-DEATH MATTER" The abductions have piled more pressure on President Buhari, who promised to tackle insecurity at his inauguration in 2019. They have also tested the security services. The military - pitted against the kidnappers in the northwest, Islamist insurgents in the northeast, separatists in the southeast and piracy in the Delta - is deployed to at least 30 of Nigeria`s 36 states. Information Minister Lai Mohammed, in an interview with Reuters, defended the strategy not to pay ransoms. Instead, he said, the government had destroyed multiple bandit camps and tried other approaches to tackle banditry. He declined to give details, citing the need for secrecy around ongoing operations, but said all levels of government are working to free the children. "We are winning the war against insurgency and we are winning the war against banditry," Mohammed said. The government of Niger state, which includes Tegina, declined to comment. Officials working with the governor said they needed to keep their efforts secret. Meanwhile, the challenges keep mounting. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), an NGO, tracked a 28% increase in violence nationwide in Nigeria in the first six months of 2021, compared with the previous six months. Reported fatalities from violence nationwide rose 61% to 5,197, it said. It all explains, Bukarti of the Extremism Policy Unit said, why Adam and other parents are willing to sell everything they have to pay ransoms themselves. "They cannot afford (it) by any means. But it`s a life-and-death matter. And they know security agencies cannot free their loved ones."

Desperate Nigerians sell homes and land to free kidnapped children

Many survivors of the earthquake that killed more than 2,200 people in southern Haiti are growing worried about how they will provide for their children, with more than half a million minors feared to be at risk from the fallout. 
 
The Aug. 14 quake hammered infrastructure, destroying or damaging some 130,000 homes, cutting off roads and pitching thousands of families in the Western Hemisphere`s poorest country into an uncertain future. 
 
When the magnitude 7.2 quake struck, homemaker Lovely Jean was resting inside the general hospital of the southern city of Les Cayes, while her three-day-old baby, Love Shaiska, was in the neonatal ward being treated for an infection. 
 
Les Cayes was one of the areas worst hit by the quake, and as the hospital walls trembled, Jean sent her husband, Pierre Alexandre, to grab the infant while she fled the building. 
 
"The earth was shaking and I was crying, so scared of what was happening," the 24-year-old said, cradling her child on the porch of their damaged home in a tiny village outside the town of Camp-Perrin, northwest of Les Cayes. 
 
The three survived, though the hospital suffered damage that forced some of its departments, including the neonatal ward, to operate outside for days after the disaster. 
 
But the problems are only beginning for Jean and her husband, a subsistence farmer. 
 
Alexandre`s fields were buried by landslides during the earthquake and rain unleashed by Tropical Storm Grace, which pummeled Haiti on Tuesday. His entire potato and yuca crop was unreachable, leaving the family with barely any food to eat. 
 
Meanwhile, Love Shaiska was struggling to suckle, forcing her parents to pull together cash to buy formula. 
 
"I don`t know what we`ll do," said Alexandre, 30. 
 
More than a dozen other parents Reuters spoke to in the quake zone expressed similar concerns about how they would cope. 
 
Over half a million children were affected by the earthquake, the U.N. children`s agency UNICEF said. 
 
The temblor claimed the lives of at least 2,207 people, injured 12,268 more and left 344 missing, according to Haitian authorities and followed an even more destructive earthquake in 2010 which killed tens of thousands of Haitians. 
 
Still, there are a few encouraging developments. Late on Sunday, civil protection authorities said 24 people who had been reported missing, including four children, had been found and taken by helicopter to Camp-Perrin to be looked after. 
 
Recovery efforts have been impeded by the flooding and damage to roads, feeding tensions in hard-hit areas. In the past few days, residents have looted aid trucks in several towns across the south, stirring concerns about security.

Many survivors of the earthquake that killed more than 2,200 people in southern Haiti are growing worried about how they will provide for their children, with more than half a million minors feared to be at risk from the fallout.

Many survivors of the earthquake that killed more than 2,200 people in southern Haiti are growing worried about how they will provide for their children, with more than half a million minors feared to be at risk from the fallout. The Aug. 14 quake hammered infrastructure, destroying or damaging some 130,000 homes, cutting off roads and pitching thousands of families in the Western Hemisphere`s poorest country into an uncertain future. When the magnitude 7.2 quake struck, homemaker Lovely Jean was resting inside the general hospital of the southern city of Les Cayes, while her three-day-old baby, Love Shaiska, was in the neonatal ward being treated for an infection. Les Cayes was one of the areas worst hit by the quake, and as the hospital walls trembled, Jean sent her husband, Pierre Alexandre, to grab the infant while she fled the building. "The earth was shaking and I was crying, so scared of what was happening," the 24-year-old said, cradling her child on the porch of their damaged home in a tiny village outside the town of Camp-Perrin, northwest of Les Cayes. The three survived, though the hospital suffered damage that forced some of its departments, including the neonatal ward, to operate outside for days after the disaster. But the problems are only beginning for Jean and her husband, a subsistence farmer. Alexandre`s fields were buried by landslides during the earthquake and rain unleashed by Tropical Storm Grace, which pummeled Haiti on Tuesday. His entire potato and yuca crop was unreachable, leaving the family with barely any food to eat. Meanwhile, Love Shaiska was struggling to suckle, forcing her parents to pull together cash to buy formula. "I don`t know what we`ll do," said Alexandre, 30. More than a dozen other parents Reuters spoke to in the quake zone expressed similar concerns about how they would cope. Over half a million children were affected by the earthquake, the U.N. children`s agency UNICEF said. The temblor claimed the lives of at least 2,207 people, injured 12,268 more and left 344 missing, according to Haitian authorities and followed an even more destructive earthquake in 2010 which killed tens of thousands of Haitians. Still, there are a few encouraging developments. Late on Sunday, civil protection authorities said 24 people who had been reported missing, including four children, had been found and taken by helicopter to Camp-Perrin to be looked after. Recovery efforts have been impeded by the flooding and damage to roads, feeding tensions in hard-hit areas. In the past few days, residents have looted aid trucks in several towns across the south, stirring concerns about security.

'I don't know what we'll do': Haiti quake survivors fear for children's future

Shocking images of children trapped at Kabul airport amid evacuation

Local officials in Sudan's Kassala province have discovered approximately 50 dead bodies floating on the river between Ethiopia and Sudan during the last week, some with gunshot wounds or their hands bound, probably individuals escaping the violence in the neighbouring Tigray area.

A Sudanese official said that forensic investigation is needed to determine the causes of death.

Two Ethiopian health workers in Hamdayet, a Sudan border town, reported witnessing the remains discovered in the Setit River, also known as the Tekeze in Ethiopia. 
 
Watch | Tigray rebel forces seize major town in new offensive

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tigray-rebel-forces-seize-major-town-in-new-offensive-397847/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The river runs through some of the most problematic sections of Tigray's nine-month conflict, where ethnic Tigrayans accuse Ethiopian and coalition forces of crimes while fighting Tigray forces.

Setit River is the current de facto borderline between territory controlled by Tigrayan forces and those controlled by Amhara forces allied with Ethiopia's federal government.

Ethiopia's central government and Tigray's ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, went to war eight months ago.

Amhara troops linked to the central government have been accused of dumping dead in Tigray, which they deny.

(With inputs from agencies)

Local officials in Sudan's Kassala province have discovered approximately 50 dead bodies floating on the river between Ethiopia and Sudan during the last week, some with gunshot wounds or their hands bound, probably individuals escaping the violence in the neighbouring Tigray area.

Local officials in Sudan's Kassala province have discovered approximately 50 dead bodies floating on the river between Ethiopia and Sudan during the last week, some with gunshot wounds or their hands bound, probably individuals escaping the violence in the neighbouring Tigray area. A Sudanese official said that forensic investigation is needed to determine the causes of death. Two Ethiopian health workers in Hamdayet, a Sudan border town, reported witnessing the remains discovered in the Setit River, also known as the Tekeze in Ethiopia. Watch | Tigray rebel forces seize major town in new offensive The river runs through some of the most problematic sections of Tigray's nine-month conflict, where ethnic Tigrayans accuse Ethiopian and coalition forces of crimes while fighting Tigray forces. Setit River is the current de facto borderline between territory controlled by Tigrayan forces and those controlled by Amhara forces allied with Ethiopia's federal government. Ethiopia's central government and Tigray's ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, went to war eight months ago. Amhara troops linked to the central government have been accused of dumping dead in Tigray, which they deny. (With inputs from agencies)

Tigray conflict: 50 corpses, many with hands tied found floating in Setit river

The United Nations children's agency said on Friday that more than 100,000 children in Ethiopia's northern region of&nbsp;Tigray&nbsp;could suffer life-threatening malnutrition in the next 12 months, a 10-fold increase to normal numbers.

UNICEF spokesperson Marixie Mercado said that one-in-two pregnant and breastfeeding women screened in&nbsp;Tigray&nbsp;were acutely malnourished.

"Our worst fears about the health and well-being of children... are being confirmed," she told a briefing in Geneva.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/400000-people-facing-famine-in-war-torn-tigray-says-un-395470">400,000 people facing famine in war-torn Tigray, says UN</a>

Spokespeople for the prime minister and a government task force on&nbsp;Tigray&nbsp;- where fighting between rebellious regional and federal forces have continued since November - did not immediately respond to requests for comment on UNICEF's statement.

Babies like 20-month-old Aammanuel Merhawi are suffering the most. He is a third below normal weight for his age. His feverish eyes glisten and his ribs are visible as he heaves, vomiting supplementary food fed through a nasal tube. All are signs of severe malnutrition.

"My milk dried up," his mother, Brkti Gebrehiwot, told Reuters at Wukro General Hospital in northern&nbsp;Tigray&nbsp;on July 11.

Famine Conditions

Aid agencies say they are about to run out of the formula used to treat 4,000 severely malnourished children every month.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-offers-prayers-for-famine-hit-tigray-391172">Pope offers prayers for famine-hit Tigray</a>

At least three children have died in Wukro hospital since February, nurse Tsehaynesh Gebrehiwot said.

She provided their medical records: four-month-old Awet Gebreslassie weighed 2.6 kilogrammes (5.7 lb), a third of normal weight; one-year-old Robel Gebrezgiher weighed 2 kgs, less than a quarter of normal weight; and Kisanet Hogus, also a year old, weighed 5 kgs - just over half of normal weight.

All died within days of admission.

In Adigrat General Hospital further north, Reuters saw medical records confirming the death of three more malnourished children.

Doctors in both hospitals said they saw between four to 10 severely malnourished children monthly before the conflict erupted in November. Now numbers have more than doubled.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-analysis-about-350000-people-in-ethiopias-tigray-in-famine-390882">UN analysis: About 350,000 people in Ethiopia's Tigray in famine</a>

The UN&nbsp;says that around 400,000 people are living in famine conditions in&nbsp;Tigray, and more than 90 per cent&nbsp;of the population needs emergency food aid.

In a statement on Thursday evening, the Ethiopian government blamed&nbsp;Tigray&nbsp;regional forces for blocking aid and said it had stockpiled reserve wheat in the region. It gave no details on the stockpile's location or plans for distribution.

The TPLF was unavailable for comment but has previously said it welcomes aid.

The UN&nbsp;says&nbsp;Tigray&nbsp;needs 100 trucks of food daily to prevent mass starvation; only one 50-truck convoy has gotten through in the past month.

The United Nations children's agency said on Friday that more than 100,000 children in Ethiopia's northern region of Tigray could suffer life-threatening malnutrition in the next 12 months, a 10-fold increase to normal numbers.

The United Nations children's agency said on Friday that more than 100,000 children in Ethiopia's northern region of Tigray could suffer life-threatening malnutrition in the next 12 months, a 10-fold increase to normal numbers. UNICEF spokesperson Marixie Mercado said that one-in-two pregnant and breastfeeding women screened in Tigray were acutely malnourished. "Our worst fears about the health and well-being of children... are being confirmed," she told a briefing in Geneva. Also read | 400,000 people facing famine in war-torn Tigray, says UN Spokespeople for the prime minister and a government task force on Tigray - where fighting between rebellious regional and federal forces have continued since November - did not immediately respond to requests for comment on UNICEF's statement. Babies like 20-month-old Aammanuel Merhawi are suffering the most. He is a third below normal weight for his age. His feverish eyes glisten and his ribs are visible as he heaves, vomiting supplementary food fed through a nasal tube. All are signs of severe malnutrition. "My milk dried up," his mother, Brkti Gebrehiwot, told Reuters at Wukro General Hospital in northern Tigray on July 11. Famine Conditions Aid agencies say they are about to run out of the formula used to treat 4,000 severely malnourished children every month. Also read | Pope offers prayers for famine-hit Tigray At least three children have died in Wukro hospital since February, nurse Tsehaynesh Gebrehiwot said. She provided their medical records: four-month-old Awet Gebreslassie weighed 2.6 kilogrammes (5.7 lb), a third of normal weight; one-year-old Robel Gebrezgiher weighed 2 kgs, less than a quarter of normal weight; and Kisanet Hogus, also a year old, weighed 5 kgs - just over half of normal weight. All died within days of admission. In Adigrat General Hospital further north, Reuters saw medical records confirming the death of three more malnourished children. Doctors in both hospitals said they saw between four to 10 severely malnourished children monthly before the conflict erupted in November. Now numbers have more than doubled. Also read | UN analysis: About 350,000 people in Ethiopia's Tigray in famine The UN says that around 400,000 people are living in famine conditions in Tigray, and more than 90 per cent of the population needs emergency food aid. In a statement on Thursday evening, the Ethiopian government blamed Tigray regional forces for blocking aid and said it had stockpiled reserve wheat in the region. It gave no details on the stockpile's location or plans for distribution. The TPLF was unavailable for comment but has previously said it welcomes aid. The UN says Tigray needs 100 trucks of food daily to prevent mass starvation; only one 50-truck convoy has gotten through in the past month.

More than 100,000 children in Ethiopia's Tigray could die of hunger: UNICEF

To make the social media platform a friendlier yet safer place for children, Instagram has decided to launch some safety changes in the app.

To catch "suspicious behaviour", Instagram is rolling out software updates in Australia, Japan, France, the US and the UK. This update in the software will catch any adult trying to illegally connect with underage children through the platform.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/anti-terror-organisation-set-up-by-tech-firms-to-compile-database-of-right-wing-militias-400817" hreflang="en">Anti-terror organisation set up by tech firms to compile database of right-wing militias</a>

"Wherever we can, we want to stop young people from hearing from adults they don’t know, or that they don’t want to hear from,"&nbsp;Instagram said in a blog post.

This has come after the Facebook-owned platform decided to introduce a similar app tailored for children only.

Now, in the new safety features, all the accounts created for underage children will be set to "private" mode by default instead of being given the option to make it public or private. This will help limit the audience of underage children.

The underage children who already have public accounts will be alerted with notifications and tutorials of&nbsp;making their account private and also the importance of keeping a limited audience.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/what-is-facebooks-1-billion-gamble-to-regain-lost-users-400121" hreflang="en">What is Facebook's $1 billion gamble to regain lost users?</a>

"Encouraging young people to have private accounts is a big step in the right direction when it comes to stopping unwanted contact from adults," Instagram said. "But we're going even further to make young people's accounts difficult to find for certain adults."

In addition to this, Instagram will also keep a look out for all suspicious accounts, mainly those blocked or reported by children. "By 'potentially suspicious behavior,' we mean accounts belonging to adults that may have recently been blocked or reported by a young person for example," Instagram explained.

All the adult accounts that have been blocked or reported even once for such reasons will not be allowed to follow young people and will also not be able to view any content from the accounts of young people.

To make the social media platform a friendlier yet safer place for children, Instagram has decided to launch some safety changes in the app. To catch "suspicious behaviour", Instagram is rolling out software updates in Australia, Japan, France, the US and the UK.

To make the social media platform a friendlier yet safer place for children, Instagram has decided to launch some safety changes in the app. To catch "suspicious behaviour", Instagram is rolling out software updates in Australia, Japan, France, the US and the UK. This update in the software will catch any adult trying to illegally connect with underage children through the platform. Also read | Anti-terror organisation set up by tech firms to compile database of right-wing militias "Wherever we can, we want to stop young people from hearing from adults they don’t know, or that they don’t want to hear from," Instagram said in a blog post. This has come after the Facebook-owned platform decided to introduce a similar app tailored for children only. Now, in the new safety features, all the accounts created for underage children will be set to "private" mode by default instead of being given the option to make it public or private. This will help limit the audience of underage children. The underage children who already have public accounts will be alerted with notifications and tutorials of making their account private and also the importance of keeping a limited audience. Also read | What is Facebook's $1 billion gamble to regain lost users? "Encouraging young people to have private accounts is a big step in the right direction when it comes to stopping unwanted contact from adults," Instagram said. "But we're going even further to make young people's accounts difficult to find for certain adults." In addition to this, Instagram will also keep a look out for all suspicious accounts, mainly those blocked or reported by children. "By 'potentially suspicious behavior,' we mean accounts belonging to adults that may have recently been blocked or reported by a young person for example," Instagram explained. All the adult accounts that have been blocked or reported even once for such reasons will not be allowed to follow young people and will also not be able to view any content from the accounts of young people.

Instagram rolls out new security features for underage children

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