IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Yemen

Efforts urged to protect children

More than 3 million children have been born in Yemen since conflict escalated in 2015, and they've since faced violence, displacement, disease, poverty, under-nutrition not to mention lack of access to water, healthcare and education, a UNICEF report said on Tuesday. The report also said more than 5,000 children have been killed or injured in the violence and an estimated 1.8 million children are acutely malnourished. The agency thus calls on all parties and the global community to prioritize the protection of children in the country.

France

Searches at baby milk maker

Authorities are searching five sites run by dairy giant Lactalis in an investigation into the botched mass recall of baby milk products after a salmonella scare. The Paris prosecutor's office said sites being searched on Wednesday include Lactalis headquarters in Laval in western France and the factory in Craon, where salmonella bacteria was found last year. The factory has been shut.

India

Govt to deregister 100,000 firms

The government will soon deregister more than 100,000 private companies for failing to comply with various statutory compliances. The latest decision is actually part of the government's ongoing crackdown on corruption and black money since November 2016. "For various noncompliances, around 120,000 more companies have been identified for striking-off," the Corporate Affairs Ministry said.

European Union

Ban over electric pulse fishing

The trading bloc's legislature is calling for a ban on electric pulse fishing, seen by some as a cruel way to kill fish. Some fear pulse fishing, which works by startling fish from the seabed so they can be easily scooped up in nets, could be destructive for the seabed and stocks. The Netherlands, which has several boats fishing for flatfish with the practice, said it was "incomprehensible" that the EU parliament would ban it.

Afp - Xinhua - Ap - Reuters

(China Daily 01/18/2018 page12)