IN BRIEF (Page 11)

United Nations

Rising newborn mortality in future

A latest report by UN agencies warned on Thursday that at current trends of child mortality, nearly 60 million children could die before their fifth birthday between 2017 and 2030, half being newborns. Its statistics show that for every day in last year, about 15,000 children died before their fifth birthday, including 7,000 babies who died in the first 28 days of life. Pneumonia and diarrhea top the list of infectious diseases claim the lives of millions of children under-five globally.

United States

Trump under fire over call to widow

President Donald Trump has come under fire after he reportedly told a widow of a fallen soldier that her husband "knew what he signed up for". Trump spoke on Tuesday to the families of four slain soldiers who were ambushed by Islamic State militants in Niger earlier this month. But he denied on Twitter on Wednesday that he had made such kind of remarks. White House said the call was completely appropriate and respectful.

New Zealand

Labour party to lead next govt

The country's next prime minister will be Jacinda Ardern, whose Labour party won the support of a small nationalist party to form the government. "It is an absolute honor and a privilege to have the ability to form a government for all New Zealanders," said Ardern, 37, who will be the youngest prime minister in more than 150 years, ending the conservative National Party's decade in power.

Japan

Moon cave may house astronauts

Scientists at Japan's space agency have discovered a huge moon cave that could one day house a base that would shelter astronauts from dangerous radiation and wild temperature swings, officials said on Thursday. Data taken from Japan's SELENE lunar orbiter has confirmed the existence of the 50 kilometer long and 100 meter wide cavern that is believed to be lava tube created by volcanic activity 3.5 billion years ago.

South Africa

New Mandela book to be published

The sequel to Nelson Mandela's celebrated autobiography Long Walk to Freedom was scheduled to be published on Thursday after his unfinished, handwritten draft was completed by a South African novelist. Titled Dare Not Linger, the book tells of Mandela's five years as president after the end of apartheid and the first multi-race elections in the country in 1994. Mandela wrote 10 chapters of his follow-up memoir on loose paper and in files between 1998 and 2002, when he stopped working on it due to his age and hectic schedule.

Australia

3D prints rib cage for cancer patient

A company has created the first 3D-printed rib cage to be implanted into a patient in the United States, according to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization on Thursday. Anatomies, the medical device company, created a titanium and polymer steel rib cage with its "PoreStar" technology which provides "bone-like" architecture to help the synthetic rib cage integrate with natural tissue.

(China Daily 10/20/2017 page11)