children

The European Union has adopted sanctions in response to the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. The measures target those deemed responsible for the forced transfers, which have been widely condemned internationally, including by the International Criminal Court, which has issued arrest warrants over the practice. The move adds to the EU's ongoing sanctions regime against Moscow over its war in Ukraine.

Indonesia's government is pressing Meta to follow through on its child safety commitments while drafting regulations that would impose administrative fines on 'high-risk' platforms that fail to comply. The move signals tighter oversight of social media companies operating in Indonesia and comes amid growing global scrutiny of how platforms protect children online.

Democratic lawmakers are pressing the Department of Health and Human Services over its handling of legal representation for migrant children in US custody. The push focuses on whether the agency is ensuring detained minors have access to attorneys, amid ongoing scrutiny of immigration enforcement and care of unaccompanied children.

The Catholic Church in Kenya is calling for stronger protection of refugee and migrant children, urging authorities and communities to safeguard unaccompanied and vulnerable minors from exploitation and abuse. The appeal, reported by Vatican News, highlights the risks children face while displaced and pushes for policies that prioritise their safety, education and access to basic services.

Teresa Huizar, a leading voice on child protection, is calling on Congress to address online child exploitation as a public health crisis rather than a niche criminal issue. Writing in an opinion piece, she argues the scale of abuse now requires a coordinated public health response, and urges lawmakers to act on legislation tackling online harms to children.

Schools across London are facing a shortage of pupils as the number of children in the capital falls. Declining birth rates and families leaving the city are being cited as drivers, raising the prospect of school closures, merged classes and budget pressures, since funding in England is largely tied to pupil numbers. The issue has prompted debate about how the capital should adapt its education provision.

Nick Cannon has a new Netflix series detailing how he manages raising his 12 children with six different women. The show covers the logistics of his unconventional family life, including scheduling and co-parenting arrangements, and is drawing attention for its candid look at a high-profile celebrity parenting situation.

A new study warns that eliminating ultra-processed foods from school cafeterias in the United States would be costly and complicated to carry out. Schools would face higher ingredient and labor expenses, along with logistical hurdles in sourcing and preparing fresh meals. The findings highlight the practical barriers behind a policy goal that has drawn growing support from health advocates pushing to improve children's diets.

UNICEF is urging immediate measures to safeguard Iraq's rivers, linking the deteriorating state of the country's waterways to risks for children's health. The appeal highlights concerns over pollution and water scarcity affecting Iraqi communities, with the organization stressing that clean water is essential to protecting vulnerable children from disease.

A new Norwegian science study reports that young people aged 9 to 18 are increasingly turning to AI chatbots instead of Google for information and everyday questions. Researchers say the shift is happening quickly and its consequences for how children learn, judge sources and develop search skills are not yet understood, prompting calls for closer attention from educators and parents.

Parents are increasingly voicing fear that advanced artificial intelligence could pose an existential risk to humanity within their children's lifetimes. The concern has moved from academic and tech circles into mainstream parenting discussions, with families weighing normal worries about schooling and safety against the possibility of AI-driven catastrophe. Commenters are divided between those treating the fear as legitimate and those calling it overblown alarmism.

Children across Iran are going back to school as the country continues to grapple with the aftermath of its recent conflict with Israel. Coverage highlights the toll the fighting has taken on young students and the uncertainty surrounding their return to classrooms.

Reports say Eton College will impose a strict new rule affecting Prince George from October, a change that Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, reportedly support. The story has drawn attention in German-language media as the future king approaches the age when royal children traditionally attend the historic boarding school near Windsor.

India has proposed banning junk food sales in school canteens and within 50 meters of school premises, a measure aimed at curbing rising obesity and diabetes rates among children. The proposal is part of broader tightening of food rules in schools, and it is drawing attention to concerns over children's health and the food industry's role in school environments.

Jessica Biggs, a candidate for president of the Chicago school board, is calling for the district to put student success ahead of politics. She argues the board's focus should shift toward outcomes for children in Chicago's public schools. The stance comes as education remains a contested issue in the city.

Researchers at UT Health San Antonio report that primary teeth of children with autism show a broad range of chemical exposures, suggesting teeth can serve as a record of environmental exposures during early development. The findings add to ongoing research into environmental factors associated with autism, though the study does not establish that the chemicals caused the condition.

A Wall Street Journal feature examines the growing number of adult children who have gone no-contact with their parents, exploring the personal and cultural forces behind family estrangement. Readers are debating the piece, with discussion centering on therapy culture, boundaries, generational divides and whether cutting off family is a healthy act of self-protection or an overreaction.

Researchers are highlighting how learning music could influence brain development in children, beyond just hearing skills. The piece suggests regular music practice may affect areas tied to memory, coordination and language, offering potential benefits for young learners as scientists continue to study how training an instrument changes the growing brain.

Federal proposals to change the Head Start program could have consequences for children's nutrition in Colorado, according to reporting from Kiowa County Press. Head Start provides early childhood education along with meals and health services to low-income families, so adjustments to program requirements or funding could affect what and how young children in the state are fed. The item offers no further details on the scope of the proposed changes or reactions from families and officials.

Police in Oshkosh, Wisconsin are asking parents to stay actively involved in their children's online gaming habits as part of a public safety message. The department is highlighting the risks children can face while playing games online and encouraging parents to talk with their kids, monitor their activity, and know who they are interacting with on gaming platforms.

A young climate champion from Oxfordshire, England, is calling on children to take action on climate change, saying they can change the world. Explaining his focus, he said his target audience is young people because the world is going to be full of disasters when they are older. The remarks were reported by the Oxford Mail and have drawn attention to youth-led climate activism in the region.

The children's literacy series 'Super Why's Comic Book Adventures' is scheduled to premiere on October 5, as announced by WHRO, the public broadcaster behind the show. The announcement gives parents and educators a date for the new installment of the Super Why franchise, which has long been used to help young children build reading skills through comic book-style storytelling.