At a football stadium in Syria's Idlib, re-purposed to shelter Syrians displaced by war, children are being offered a service that has become a sought-after commodity the world over since the coronavirus pandemic set in: a haircut.

In Syria's Idlib, traveling barbers bring children relief

Children have always had a unique way of expressing themselves and UNICEF Brazil came up with the "Feelings on Paper" program to get children to use their creativity to help them deal with the stress and worry over lockdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Happiness, sadness, boredom: Brazilian children channel emotions through art during lockdown

The Egyptian police force, in tandem with the National Security Agency has been accused of forced disappearances, torture of children. Human Rights Watch and Belady: An Island for Humanity in report which was released today claim that the legal system ignored the abuse.

The report titled “No one cared he was a child: Egyptian Security Forces’ Abuse of Children in Detention” claims 20 children aged 12-17 were arrested and abused by forces.

“The harrowing accounts of these children and their families reveal how Egypt’s machinery of repression has subjected children to grave abuses,” said Aya Hijazi, co-director of Belady.&nbsp;

“Egyptian authorities act as though they are above all laws when it comes to children in detention”, Hijazi added.

Based on the account mentioned on the Human Rights Watch website, 15 out of 20 children claim to have been tortured during interrogation. A child was also badly assaulted during the process.

<h6><img alt="pp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a46e3b-cfeb-42c6-9627-f4e2fbce268c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%285%29_28.jpg" /> 
A picture taken during a guided tour organised by Egypt's State Information Service on February 11, 2020, shows Egyptian policemen at the entrance of the Tora prison in the Egyptian capital Cairo | AFP 
 
&nbsp;</h6>

As many as seven children claim that they were tortured using sophisticated electricity driven tools like stun guns.

“Egyptian authorities act as though they are above all laws when it comes to children in detention”, Hijazi added.

Many children were tied with arms behind their backs which led to the dislocation of their shoulders. A 14-year-old boy claimed that his joints had be put back into place with manipulation from another prison, who is allegedly a doctor.

Many human rights abuses have been reported under the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Even though most abuse was allegedly committed by the National Security Agency’s officers, the police and army have also been complicit.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://wionews.com/world/egypt-extends-state-of-emergency-to-three-years-275532" hreflang="en">Egypt extends state of emergency to three years</a>

“Children are describing being waterboarded and electrocuted on their tongues and genitals, and yet Egypt’s security forces are facing no consequences,” said Bill Van Esveld, associate children’s rights director at Human Rights Watch.&nbsp;

Many human rights abuses have been reported under the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Even though most abuse was allegedly committed by the National Security Agency’s officers, the police and army have also been complicit.

“Governments that want to end these horrors should end support to Egyptian security services and condition any future agreements on there being real reforms”, Esveld added.

Even though children were put into detention, their families were not informed. Many of them were missing in action for over 13 months.&nbsp;

A child was given the death sentence, which is in direct violation of international human rights protocols in place. Additionally, three were indefinitely put in solitary confinement. When families tried to reach out to their kids, their requests were denied.

<img alt="p" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7671e0c9-e525-4f66-a949-68248371e340" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%286%29_30.jpg" />

Many narratives claim that there was not enough room for everybody to sleep, owing to which most kids slept in shifts.

A harrowing account released by Human Rights Watch suggests that kids were threatened were re-detention if they didn’t confess to the crime they were being held for.

According to Egyptian law, all detainees have to be presented in front of a prosecutor within 24 hours of taking them into custody. However, the authorities circumvented this law by claiming that the kids were “arrested”.

The law states that children cannot be tried before criminal courts, however, two kids were tried in military courts, which clearly disregards the law in place.

Under the 1996 Child Law and the subsequent amendments, special protection is accorded to children, and they cannot be detained and penalised along the same lines as adults.

A loophole in the Child Law enables officers to send children to criminal courts if their accomplices were adults, which is abused to prosecute children.

According to the human rights group, the allies of Egypt, including the US and many European countries need to end their support to the country in order for them to be held accountable for their trespassing.

(With inputs from the report released by Human Rights Watch)

The Egyptian police force, in tandem with the National Security Agency has been accused of forced disappearances, torture of children. Human Rights Watch and Belady: An Island for Humanity in report which was released today claim that the legal system ignored the abuse.

The Egyptian police force, in tandem with the National Security Agency has been accused of forced disappearances, torture of children. Human Rights Watch and Belady: An Island for Humanity in report which was released today claim that the legal system ignored the abuse. The report titled “No one cared he was a child: Egyptian Security Forces’ Abuse of Children in Detention” claims 20 children aged 12-17 were arrested and abused by forces. “The harrowing accounts of these children and their families reveal how Egypt’s machinery of repression has subjected children to grave abuses,” said Aya Hijazi, co-director of Belady. “Egyptian authorities act as though they are above all laws when it comes to children in detention”, Hijazi added. Based on the account mentioned on the Human Rights Watch website, 15 out of 20 children claim to have been tortured during interrogation. A child was also badly assaulted during the process. A picture taken during a guided tour organised by Egypt's State Information Service on February 11, 2020, shows Egyptian policemen at the entrance of the Tora prison in the Egyptian capital Cairo | AFP As many as seven children claim that they were tortured using sophisticated electricity driven tools like stun guns. “Egyptian authorities act as though they are above all laws when it comes to children in detention”, Hijazi added. Many children were tied with arms behind their backs which led to the dislocation of their shoulders. A 14-year-old boy claimed that his joints had be put back into place with manipulation from another prison, who is allegedly a doctor. Many human rights abuses have been reported under the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Even though most abuse was allegedly committed by the National Security Agency’s officers, the police and army have also been complicit. Also read: Egypt extends state of emergency to three years “Children are describing being waterboarded and electrocuted on their tongues and genitals, and yet Egypt’s security forces are facing no consequences,” said Bill Van Esveld, associate children’s rights director at Human Rights Watch. Many human rights abuses have been reported under the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Even though most abuse was allegedly committed by the National Security Agency’s officers, the police and army have also been complicit. “Governments that want to end these horrors should end support to Egyptian security services and condition any future agreements on there being real reforms”, Esveld added. Even though children were put into detention, their families were not informed. Many of them were missing in action for over 13 months. A child was given the death sentence, which is in direct violation of international human rights protocols in place. Additionally, three were indefinitely put in solitary confinement. When families tried to reach out to their kids, their requests were denied. Many narratives claim that there was not enough room for everybody to sleep, owing to which most kids slept in shifts. A harrowing account released by Human Rights Watch suggests that kids were threatened were re-detention if they didn’t confess to the crime they were being held for. According to Egyptian law, all detainees have to be presented in front of a prosecutor within 24 hours of taking them into custody. However, the authorities circumvented this law by claiming that the kids were “arrested”. The law states that children cannot be tried before criminal courts, however, two kids were tried in military courts, which clearly disregards the law in place. Under the 1996 Child Law and the subsequent amendments, special protection is accorded to children, and they cannot be detained and penalised along the same lines as adults. A loophole in the Child Law enables officers to send children to criminal courts if their accomplices were adults, which is abused to prosecute children. According to the human rights group, the allies of Egypt, including the US and many European countries need to end their support to the country in order for them to be held accountable for their trespassing. (With inputs from the report released by Human Rights Watch)

Egyptian security forces allegedly torture, detain children in direct violation of law

A study undertaken by Chinese researchers claims that kids who contract COVID-19 might display mild symptoms, recover, but still carry the virus. This implies that kids remain active carriers of coronavirus even if their symptoms have subsided or even if they're simply asymptomatic.

The study was published in Nature Medicine on March 13&nbsp;and further reaffirmed the need to shut down schools globally in order to limit the contact of infected children with others.

In the United States, local school districts have suspended all classroom activity. This has been replaced by the online model of schooling.

According to this study, shutting down schools is in the best interests of the society for there's no clarity on whether children could pass the virus to others in the community.

The study was led by Huimin Xia, of Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, in Guangzhou, China. All 745 subjects were babies and children.

The age-range stood between two months to 15 years, and the children were selected based on their "close contact with diagnosed [COVID-19] patients or were members of families with reported familial outbreaks".

<img alt="pppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7a0e2e09-3bbc-4a30-9c85-56ca87fbe8ff" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%284%29_45.jpg" /> 
Image courtesy: AFP 
 
 
 
Out of the 745, only 10 tested positive for the virus and were admitted to a treatment facility, simply with the aim to protect others around them. It's imperative to note here that none of them showed any significant illness.

Additionally, none of the ten kids showed any severe symptoms. Even in the seven cases that developed fever, nobody exhibited a temperature of over 29 degrees Celsius.

"There were some instances of coughing, sore throat and nasal congestion," the journal news release noted, but "none of the other symptoms commonly seen in adult patients, such as muscle ache and headache."&nbsp;

Further tests like x-rays displayed no signs of pneumonia among the children.

However, children with mild symptoms or no symptoms may still be able to transfer the virus to vulnerable adults.

The worst part is that the kids may sustain the virus for way longer than expected, which makes them a harmful carrier group, especially towards the susceptible groups of populations.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/are-our-healthcare-workers-safe-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic-287036">Are our healthcare workers safe during the coronavirus pandemic?</a>

This was ascertained by the researchers based on the swab results of the kids, which had come out negative. However, their stool still tested positive for the virus, suggesting that a minimal amount of virus might be able to sustain itself for longer inside children.

A peculiar case involved a child's stool testing positive 13 days after they were discharged from the hospital. The kid had tested negative for throat/nose swabs twice.

This brings into question the protocols in place for isolation. Most institutions suggest 14 days of the quarantine period.&nbsp; 
 
"Quarantine timings are currently assessed through the use of nose or throat swabs; however, these results suggest that gastrointestinal-tract testing may help to provide more accurate assessments of treatment effectiveness and recovery", the news release said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/attempting-to-disinfect-south-korean-church-officials-mistakenly-infect-people-with-covid-19-287013">Attempting to disinfect, South Korean church officials mistakenly infect people with COVID-19</a>

"It's important to understand that viral shedding [in stool samples] seen in this small study does not equate with the transmission," Glatter said. "While children may still shed virus in their stool, we don't know whether they may still be infectious and serve as a reservoir of ongoing transmission."

Still, "the report suggests that rectal swab testing may be a more sensitive indicator compared to nasal sampling regarding the effectiveness of treatment and when to end quarantine," Glatter added.

A study undertaken by Chinese researchers claims that kids who contract COVID-19 might display mild symptoms, recover, but still carry the virus. This implies that kids remain active carriers of coronavirus even if their symptoms have subsided or even if they're simply asymptomatic.

A study undertaken by Chinese researchers claims that kids who contract COVID-19 might display mild symptoms, recover, but still carry the virus. This implies that kids remain active carriers of coronavirus even if their symptoms have subsided or even if they're simply asymptomatic. The study was published in Nature Medicine on March 13 and further reaffirmed the need to shut down schools globally in order to limit the contact of infected children with others. In the United States, local school districts have suspended all classroom activity. This has been replaced by the online model of schooling. According to this study, shutting down schools is in the best interests of the society for there's no clarity on whether children could pass the virus to others in the community. The study was led by Huimin Xia, of Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, in Guangzhou, China. All 745 subjects were babies and children. The age-range stood between two months to 15 years, and the children were selected based on their "close contact with diagnosed [COVID-19] patients or were members of families with reported familial outbreaks". Image courtesy: AFP Out of the 745, only 10 tested positive for the virus and were admitted to a treatment facility, simply with the aim to protect others around them. It's imperative to note here that none of them showed any significant illness. Additionally, none of the ten kids showed any severe symptoms. Even in the seven cases that developed fever, nobody exhibited a temperature of over 29 degrees Celsius. "There were some instances of coughing, sore throat and nasal congestion," the journal news release noted, but "none of the other symptoms commonly seen in adult patients, such as muscle ache and headache." Further tests like x-rays displayed no signs of pneumonia among the children. However, children with mild symptoms or no symptoms may still be able to transfer the virus to vulnerable adults. The worst part is that the kids may sustain the virus for way longer than expected, which makes them a harmful carrier group, especially towards the susceptible groups of populations. Also read: Are our healthcare workers safe during the coronavirus pandemic? This was ascertained by the researchers based on the swab results of the kids, which had come out negative. However, their stool still tested positive for the virus, suggesting that a minimal amount of virus might be able to sustain itself for longer inside children. A peculiar case involved a child's stool testing positive 13 days after they were discharged from the hospital. The kid had tested negative for throat/nose swabs twice. This brings into question the protocols in place for isolation. Most institutions suggest 14 days of the quarantine period. "Quarantine timings are currently assessed through the use of nose or throat swabs; however, these results suggest that gastrointestinal-tract testing may help to provide more accurate assessments of treatment effectiveness and recovery", the news release said. Also read: Attempting to disinfect, South Korean church officials mistakenly infect people with COVID-19 "It's important to understand that viral shedding [in stool samples] seen in this small study does not equate with the transmission," Glatter said. "While children may still shed virus in their stool, we don't know whether they may still be infectious and serve as a reservoir of ongoing transmission." Still, "the report suggests that rectal swab testing may be a more sensitive indicator compared to nasal sampling regarding the effectiveness of treatment and when to end quarantine," Glatter added.

Can asymptomatic kids sustain coronavirus for longer than adults?

Tech It Out Reviews A Toy That Aims To Boost Your Child's Mental Abilities.

Shifu Plugo: An AR-Based Educational Toy For Kids

Consumer and activist groups called Monday for an investigation into Google-owned YouTube for allowing advertising to be targeted at children in apparent violation of US law.

The organizations said that although YouTube claims that the site is only for users 13 and up, Google generates significant profits from kid-targeted advertising on the video-sharing service.

Twenty-three organizations signed a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), arguing that YouTube is among the most popular online platforms for children and offers many programs designed and promoted for children.

According to the complaint, Google collects personal information about minors on YouTube, including location, unique device identifiers and mobile telephone numbers, and uses that to target advertisements to kids across the internet, apparently without their parents' consent.

It noted that YouTube contains child-oriented channels such as ChuChu TV Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs, with millions of subscribers, and that advertisers pay Google a premium to place their ads on a "parenting and family" lineup including channels aimed at children.

"For years, Google has abdicated its responsibility to kids and families by disingenuously claiming YouTube -- a site rife with popular cartoons, nursery rhymes and toy ads -- is not for children under 13," said Josh Golin of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, one of the groups filing the complaint.

Golin added: "Google profits immensely by delivering ads to kids and must comply with COPPA," the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

Jeff Chester of the Center for Digital Democracy, another group signing the complaint, said that Google "has acted duplicitously by falsely claiming in its terms of service that YouTube is only for those who are age 13 or older, while it deliberately lured young people into an ad-filled digital playground."

Contacted by AFP, a Google spokesman said the company had not seen the complaint but that "protecting kids and families has always been a top priority for us."

The spokesman added in a statement, "Because YouTube is not for children, we've invested significantly in the creation of the YouTube Kids app to offer an alternative specifically designed for children."

Other groups signing the FTC complaint included Common Sense, Consumer Action, the Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union and the Electronic Privacy Information Center.

COPPA, passed by Congress in 1998, restricts websites' handling of data and advertising for children.&nbsp;

Several website operators have faced fines for violations, including Yelp and a unit of the Walt Disney Co.

The organizations said that although YouTube claims that the site is only for users 13 and up, Google generates significant profits from kid-targeted advertising on the video-sharing service

Consumer and activist groups called Monday for an investigation into Google-owned YouTube for allowing advertising to be targeted at children in apparent violation of US law. The organizations said that although YouTube claims that the site is only for users 13 and up, Google generates significant profits from kid-targeted advertising on the video-sharing service. Twenty-three organizations signed a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), arguing that YouTube is among the most popular online platforms for children and offers many programs designed and promoted for children. According to the complaint, Google collects personal information about minors on YouTube, including location, unique device identifiers and mobile telephone numbers, and uses that to target advertisements to kids across the internet, apparently without their parents' consent. It noted that YouTube contains child-oriented channels such as ChuChu TV Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs, with millions of subscribers, and that advertisers pay Google a premium to place their ads on a "parenting and family" lineup including channels aimed at children. "For years, Google has abdicated its responsibility to kids and families by disingenuously claiming YouTube -- a site rife with popular cartoons, nursery rhymes and toy ads -- is not for children under 13," said Josh Golin of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, one of the groups filing the complaint. Golin added: "Google profits immensely by delivering ads to kids and must comply with COPPA," the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. Jeff Chester of the Center for Digital Democracy, another group signing the complaint, said that Google "has acted duplicitously by falsely claiming in its terms of service that YouTube is only for those who are age 13 or older, while it deliberately lured young people into an ad-filled digital playground." Contacted by AFP, a Google spokesman said the company had not seen the complaint but that "protecting kids and families has always been a top priority for us." The spokesman added in a statement, "Because YouTube is not for children, we've invested significantly in the creation of the YouTube Kids app to offer an alternative specifically designed for children." Other groups signing the FTC complaint included Common Sense, Consumer Action, the Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union and the Electronic Privacy Information Center. COPPA, passed by Congress in 1998, restricts websites' handling of data and advertising for children. Several website operators have faced fines for violations, including Yelp and a unit of the Walt Disney Co.

Consumer groups seek probe of YouTube over ads for kids

Angelina Jolie was recently spotted in high spirits while walking down a road in Paris with her kids in tow.&nbsp;

Visiting Paris for shooting her Guerlain campaign and getting some face-time with France&#39;s First Lady Brigitte Macron, Angelina took out some personal time with her large family of kids.&nbsp;

Angelina was spotted with all her six children -- taking them to Louvre museum to appreciate some fine art, we suppose?&nbsp;

Her eldest son Maddox is 16,&nbsp;Pax is 14, Zahara is 13, Shiloh is 11 and the twins, Vivienne and Knox, are 9.

See the pictures here:&nbsp;

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Angelina Jolie spotted with kids (Twitter)
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Angelina clutching hands of her daughter. (Twitter)
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Angelina Jolie was all smiles for the camera. (Twitter)
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Angelina Jolie with kids (Twitter)
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Angelina Jolie filed for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/life-fun/angelina-jolie-files-for-divorce-from-brad-pitt-6584" target="_blank">divorce</a> from husband Brad Pitt in 2016.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

She was clicked taking them to visit the Louvre museum in Paris while on a work-related trip to the city

Angelina Jolie was recently spotted in high spirits while walking down a road in Paris with her kids in tow. Visiting Paris for shooting her Guerlain campaign and getting some face-time with France's First Lady Brigitte Macron, Angelina took out some personal time with her large family of kids. Angelina was spotted with all her six children -- taking them to Louvre museum to appreciate some fine art, we suppose? Her eldest son Maddox is 16, Pax is 14, Zahara is 13, Shiloh is 11 and the twins, Vivienne and Knox, are 9. See the pictures here: Angelina Jolie spotted with kids (Twitter) × Angelina clutching hands of her daughter. (Twitter) × Angelina Jolie was all smiles for the camera. (Twitter) × Angelina Jolie with kids (Twitter) × Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from husband Brad Pitt in 2016.

In Photos: Angelina Jolie steps out in city of love with kids

The recently published UNICEF press release emphasises the debilitating effects of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/topic/air-pollution#" target="_blank">air pollution</a> on human health. The official release opens by stating that &quot;17 million babies under the age of 1 breathe toxic air, the majority -- 12 million -- live in South Asia&quot;. &quot;UNICEF urges immediate action to reduce air pollution amid emerging evidence on how toxic air can affect brain development in young children,&quot; the release notes. The paper further explains how air pollution can harm kids exposing them to health hazards like cognitive impairment, brain-tissue damage among others.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Not only do pollutants harm babies&rsquo; developing lungs &ndash; they can permanently damage their developing brains &ndash; and, thus, their futures,&rdquo; said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. &nbsp;&ldquo;Protecting children from air pollution, not only benefits children. It also benefits their societies &ndash; realized in reduced health care costs, increased productivity and a safer, cleaner environment for everyone,&rdquo; Lake added.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bkp9k9F4aE8" width="560"></iframe>

South Asia is home to the largest number of babies -- 12.2 million -- living in the worst-affected areas where outdoor air pollution exceeds six times international limits set by the World Health Organization. The East Asia and Pacific region, on the other hand, has 4.3 million babies living in areas that exceed six times the standard pollution limit.

The UNICEF release highlighted the significance of clean air stating it as an equally important factor in a child&#39;s overall development as proper nutrition, &quot;air pollution, like inadequate nutrition and stimulation, and exposure to violence is critical during the first 1,000 days of life, and can impact children&rsquo;s early childhood development by affecting their growing brains,&quot; noted the release.&nbsp;

With a series of reports emerging and establishing India&#39;s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhis-air-quality-back-to-hazardous-poor-especially-during-morning-hours-25511" target="_blank">capital city as one of the highly polluted in the world</a>, residents living here seem to get no respite from the worsening air quality. At the time of writing this story, air quality at various areas in the city swung between &#39;severe&#39; and &#39;hazardous&#39;.&nbsp;

The UNICEF release highlighted the significance of clean air stating it as an equally important factor in a child's overall development

The recently published UNICEF press release emphasises the debilitating effects of air pollution on human health. The official release opens by stating that "17 million babies under the age of 1 breathe toxic air, the majority -- 12 million -- live in South Asia". "UNICEF urges immediate action to reduce air pollution amid emerging evidence on how toxic air can affect brain development in young children," the release notes. The paper further explains how air pollution can harm kids exposing them to health hazards like cognitive impairment, brain-tissue damage among others. “Not only do pollutants harm babies’ developing lungs – they can permanently damage their developing brains – and, thus, their futures,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. “Protecting children from air pollution, not only benefits children. It also benefits their societies – realized in reduced health care costs, increased productivity and a safer, cleaner environment for everyone,” Lake added. South Asia is home to the largest number of babies -- 12.2 million -- living in the worst-affected areas where outdoor air pollution exceeds six times international limits set by the World Health Organization. The East Asia and Pacific region, on the other hand, has 4.3 million babies living in areas that exceed six times the standard pollution limit. The UNICEF release highlighted the significance of clean air stating it as an equally important factor in a child's overall development as proper nutrition, "air pollution, like inadequate nutrition and stimulation, and exposure to violence is critical during the first 1,000 days of life, and can impact children’s early childhood development by affecting their growing brains," noted the release. With a series of reports emerging and establishing India's capital city as one of the highly polluted in the world, residents living here seem to get no respite from the worsening air quality. At the time of writing this story, air quality at various areas in the city swung between 'severe' and 'hazardous'.

Parents, take note! Air pollution may permanently damage your kid's brain, says UNICEF

Facebook on Monday unveiled a version of its Messenger application for children, aimed at enabling kids under 12 to connect with others under parental supervision.

Messenger Kids is being rolled out for Apple iOS mobile devices in the United States on a test basis as a standalone video chat and messaging app.

Product manager Loren Cheng said the social network leader is offering Messenger Kids because &quot;there&#39;s a need for a messaging app that lets kids connect with people they love but also has the level&nbsp; of control parents want.&quot;

Facebook said that the new app, with no ads or in-app purchases, is aimed at 6- to 12-year-olds. It enables parents to control the contact list and does not allow children to connect with anyone their parent does not approve.

The social media giant added it designed the app because many children are going online without safeguards.

&quot;Many of us at Facebook are parents ourselves, and it seems we weren&#39;t alone when we realized that our kids were getting online earlier and earlier,&quot; a Facebook statement said.

It cited a study showing that 93 per cent of 6- to 12-year-olds in the US have access to tablets or smartphones, and two-thirds have a smartphone or tablet of their own.

&quot;We want to help ensure the experiences our kids have when using technology are positive, safer, and age-appropriate, and we believe teaching kids how to use technology in positive ways will bring better experiences later as they grow,&quot; the company said.

Facebook&#39;s rules require that children be at least 13 to create an account, but many are believed to get around the restrictions.

Cheng said Facebook conducted its own research and worked with &quot;over a dozen expert advisors&quot; in building the app.

She added that data from children would not be used for ad profiles and that the application would be compliant with the Children&#39;s Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA).

&quot;We&#39;ve worked extensively with parents and families to shape Messenger Kids and we&#39;re looking forward to learning and listening as more children and families start to use the iOS preview,&quot; Cheng said.

Messenger Kids is being rolled out for Apple iOS mobile devices in the United States on a test basis as a standalone video chat and messaging app

Facebook on Monday unveiled a version of its Messenger application for children, aimed at enabling kids under 12 to connect with others under parental supervision. Messenger Kids is being rolled out for Apple iOS mobile devices in the United States on a test basis as a standalone video chat and messaging app. Product manager Loren Cheng said the social network leader is offering Messenger Kids because "there's a need for a messaging app that lets kids connect with people they love but also has the level of control parents want." Facebook said that the new app, with no ads or in-app purchases, is aimed at 6- to 12-year-olds. It enables parents to control the contact list and does not allow children to connect with anyone their parent does not approve. The social media giant added it designed the app because many children are going online without safeguards. "Many of us at Facebook are parents ourselves, and it seems we weren't alone when we realized that our kids were getting online earlier and earlier," a Facebook statement said. It cited a study showing that 93 per cent of 6- to 12-year-olds in the US have access to tablets or smartphones, and two-thirds have a smartphone or tablet of their own. "We want to help ensure the experiences our kids have when using technology are positive, safer, and age-appropriate, and we believe teaching kids how to use technology in positive ways will bring better experiences later as they grow," the company said. Facebook's rules require that children be at least 13 to create an account, but many are believed to get around the restrictions. Cheng said Facebook conducted its own research and worked with "over a dozen expert advisors" in building the app. She added that data from children would not be used for ad profiles and that the application would be compliant with the Children's Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA). "We've worked extensively with parents and families to shape Messenger Kids and we're looking forward to learning and listening as more children and families start to use the iOS preview," Cheng said.

Facebook to launch chat app for kids, with parental controls

Twenty-two tribal children in India&#39;s eastern Odisha state have died of malnutrition in the last two months.&nbsp;The children, all members of Juang tribe in Nagada village of Odisha&#39;s Jajpur district, died of acute malnutrition. 
 
With no access to immediate healthcare and social welfare benefits, situation remains grim in the village.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the Opposition lashed out at the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for not taking adequate steps to address the issue. 
 
&quot;Twenty two children have died due to malnutrition. This has happened because Odisha&#39;s chief minister is saying that he is doing development work, he is providing special schemes for villagers and tribal people, but no such scheme from federal or state government has reached the villagers and tribals yet,&quot; said a legislator of Bharatiya Janata Party, Rabinarayan Nayak. 
 
Despite India&#39;s economic boom over the last two decades, 46 per cent of its children under five years of age are underweight, and 48 per cent are stunted, according to the 2015 government figures. 
 
Child malnutrition is an underlying cause of death for three million children annually across the world - nearly half of all child deaths - with most dying from preventable illnesses like diarrhoea due to weak immune systems, according to the United Nations Children&#39;s Fund. 
 
Those lucky enough to survive, grow up without enough energy, protein, vitamins and minerals, causing their brains and bodies to be stunted, which means they cannot fulfill their physical, academic or economic potential. 
 
(Reuters)

Juang tribe in Nagada village of Odisha has no access to immediate healthcare and social welfare benefits

Twenty-two tribal children in India's eastern Odisha state have died of malnutrition in the last two months. The children, all members of Juang tribe in Nagada village of Odisha's Jajpur district, died of acute malnutrition. With no access to immediate healthcare and social welfare benefits, situation remains grim in the village. Meanwhile, the Opposition lashed out at the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for not taking adequate steps to address the issue. "Twenty two children have died due to malnutrition. This has happened because Odisha's chief minister is saying that he is doing development work, he is providing special schemes for villagers and tribal people, but no such scheme from federal or state government has reached the villagers and tribals yet," said a legislator of Bharatiya Janata Party, Rabinarayan Nayak. Despite India's economic boom over the last two decades, 46 per cent of its children under five years of age are underweight, and 48 per cent are stunted, according to the 2015 government figures. Child malnutrition is an underlying cause of death for three million children annually across the world - nearly half of all child deaths - with most dying from preventable illnesses like diarrhoea due to weak immune systems, according to the United Nations Children's Fund. Those lucky enough to survive, grow up without enough energy, protein, vitamins and minerals, causing their brains and bodies to be stunted, which means they cannot fulfill their physical, academic or economic potential. (Reuters)

22 tribal children die of malnutrition in eastern India village

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