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New York Post
28 minutes ago
- Politics
- New York Post
NYC's free summer meal program offers halal food, without listing kosher options
The city Department of Education's summer meal program for NYC youths boasts a variety of halal options at more than 25 locations citywide, but kosher food 'must be specially ordered,' officials told The Post. Free breakfasts and lunches will be served at hundreds of locations – schools, pools, libraries and parks – for anyone up to 18 years old, including all students from both public and private schools. 'You don't need to sign up, show any papers, or have an ID to get these meals,' the DOE says. 'Just head to one of our spots and enjoy a delicious breakfast and lunch.' Halal food – permissible for Muslims to eat under Islamic law – is available for the taking by anyone who shows up at the listed locations. Kosher food, for observant Jewish kids, is not mentioned on the DOE website. 4 DOE food worker Maria Gonzalez said she gave out 100 meals from a food truck in Haffen Park in the Bronx on the first day of the free summer meal program Friday. J.C. Rice Only when asked by The Post, the DOE said kosher meals 'must be specially ordered, and they are only available upon request. However we do not currently have any applications for kosher meals.' The glaring omission angered some Jewish advocates. 'The DOE's clear promotion of halal options alongside silence on kosher meals highlights a gap that needs urgent attention,'' said Karen Feldman, a DOE teacher and co-founder of the NYCPS Alliance, which fights antisemitism in the city public schools. 'Jewish families who keep kosher deserve the same outreach to feel fully included in this important program.' 4 A DOE food truck gave out free summer breakfasts and lunches to youths in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. J.C. Rice A similar controversy erupted in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when the City Council's Jewish Caucus demanded that Mayor De Blasio's DOE include kosher meals along with vegetarian and halal food for Muslims in its free meal program. The DOE does not track students by religion, but an estimated 10 percent of NYC public-school students, roughly 100,000, are Muslim. The number of Jewish kids in NYC public schools is unclear, but 105,776 K-12 students enrolled in private Jewish schools in 2024-2025, said Gabriel Aaronson, director of policy and research for the non-profit advocacy group Teach Coalition. Poverty and hunger plague many NYC Jews, among other groups. The Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, which serves more than 325,000 clients, says it provides emergency food that meets the cultural and religious dietary needs of both kosher and halal-observant households. 4 Karen Feldman, a DOE teacher and co-founder of a group fighting antisemitism in public schools, faulted the city's free summer meal program's failure to list kosher meals for Jewish kids. Gregory P. Mango The DOE's summer menus offer a variety of halal options it says meet Islamic guidelines. For instance, a breakfast of egg and cheese on a buttermilk biscuit, home fries, and fresh fruit; and a lunch of chicken tenders with dipping sauce, garlic knot and corn. Other halal breakfasts include waffles, zucchini and banana bread, whole-grain bagels and buttermilk pancakes. Lunches feature pizza, mozzarella sticks, beef patties, falafel, chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers and empanadas. Kosher foods meet Jewish dietary laws, including restrictions on certain animals like pork and shellfish, separation of meat and dairy, and specific slaughtering and preparation methods. If ordered, the DOE said, a kosher breakfast would include a muffin, granola or cereal, plus yogurt, an apple, and milk. A lunch would consist of hummus, tuna or egg salad, whole wheat bread, grape tomatoes, apple and milk. 4 The DOE posted July summer meals with multiple halal options, but none for kosher food, angering some Jewish advocates. DOE Last week, the DOE would not detail its preparation or purchase of halal and kosher foods. 'We are thrilled that our summer meals program is returning this year, making sure that our youngest New Yorkers are fed and nourished,'said DOE spokeswoman Jenna Lyle. Funding for the summer meal program comes out of the DOE's yearly $600 million budget for all school food.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Dog's 'Pure Joy' as Owner Sets Up Splash Pad in Yard Wins Pet of the Week
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A week filled with fun videos of puppies trying to master the stairs and a friendly doggy neighbor making his rounds brightened our social media timelines, but a few of our readers' pet videos and pictures stood out. Check out our latest winner and finalists for this week's Pet of the Week line-up. Be sure to follow the instructions at the end of the story to submit your pet to be in the running. Winner Photos of Camden, the rescue dog who is obsessed with playing in water toys, won Newsweek's Pet of the Week. Photos of Camden, the rescue dog who is obsessed with playing in water toys, won Newsweek's Pet of the Week. Courtesy of Debi Kleiman This week's Pet of the Week winner is Camden, a "supermutt" dog obsessed with playing in the water. Camden's owner, Debi Kleiman, will place a splash pad out for him with water shooting out like a fountain all around the perimeter. He'll jump through the water, back-and-forth, again and again, showing nothing but "pure joy." He'll play until it turns off, Kleiman told Newsweek via email. "During this escapade, he played for 20 minutes straight until he busted it," she said. "We were able to repair it." Camden will trade in a chewing toy or stuffed animal for any game that spouts out water, such as hoses, gutters, faucets or sprinklers. But the one in the video is by far his favorite, Kleiman said. "Camden is 100% fun and love, he is always happy," Kleiman said. "...We were so lucky to find him, he always makes us laugh." Finalists Thelma and George, two rescue Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz mixes from Spain. Thelma and George, two rescue Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz mixes from Spain. Susanne Dickmann After seeing animal shelters desperate for adopters as the COVID-19 pandemic ramped up, Susanne Dickmann and her family stepped up to adopt George and Thelma, who earned a spot as one of our finalists for this week. George and Thelma are Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz canines, Dickmann told Newsweek via email. Also known as the Andalusian terrier, these dogs were bred to help protect vineyard wine cellars from potential rat infestations. "They have a lovely, calm, affectionate disposition and are the perfect family dogs," she said. A photo of Shaggy, the Schnauzer mix, who is a therapy dog in Florida. A photo of Shaggy, the Schnauzer mix, who is a therapy dog in Florida. Monica Terrazas A Schnauzer mix earned our next spot in our finalists section. Monica Terrazas adopted him from the Humane Society in Dania Beach, Florida, after he was dropped on her lap at work during an event that brought in shelter dogs. "As soon as I took a walk outside my office, the HR director placed a puppy in my arms," Terrazas said. "She basically told me that he was adorable and that if I didn't take him home, then she would." She welcomed Shaggy home where he's quickly adjusted with her other dog, a 9-year-old named Kiki. Kiki has been showing Shaggy the ropes of how to be a dog, while also easing his fears and anxieties. With endless training, Shaggy is now a therapy dog and has earned a Canine Good Citizen certification. Photos of the animals a woman in Arizona helps rescue and rehabilitate. Photos of the animals a woman in Arizona helps rescue and rehabilitate. Courtesy of Ellie Last but not least, we are highlighting the rescue cats one woman has saved through the years. Ellie of Arizona has spent years dedicating her time and energy to helping animals. She volunteered at a local no-kill cat shelter. Since 2000, she's been working with numerous cats, helping to feed and medicate them. She especially focuses on the sick and elderly felines that are often overlooked. If you think your pet could be next week's Newsweek "Pet of the Week," send us your funny and heartwarming videos and pictures of your pet, along with a bit about them to life@ and they could appear in our "Pet of the Week" lineup.
Saudi Gazette
an hour ago
- Health
- Saudi Gazette
WHO says COVID-19 origins remain inconclusive due to lack of data
GENEVA — A World Health Organization (WHO) expert group tasked with investigating the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic has released its final report, concluding that the origins of the virus remain inconclusive despite more than three years of scientific work. The group, chaired by Marietjie Venter, stated that most available data still points to a natural spillover of the virus from animals to humans, echoing conclusions from the WHO's earlier 2021 mission that suggested transmission from bats to humans via another animal host. However, the group said it was unable to access sufficient data from China to fully assess the possibility of a lab-related incident. 'Despite repeated requests, key genetic sequences and biosecurity details were not provided by Chinese authorities,' Venter said at a press briefing. 'Therefore, the hypothesis of a laboratory accident could neither be confirmed nor excluded. It remains speculative and unsupported by scientific evidence.' The group also found no indication that the virus had been circulating outside of China before December 2019, and there was no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 was deliberately manipulated in a lab. The report, which comes after years of geopolitical tension over the origins of the virus, highlighted internal disagreements within the expert group. One member resigned prior to publication and three others requested their names be removed from the final document. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reiterated that understanding the origins of the pandemic is a 'moral imperative,' citing the more than 20 million lives lost, the trillions of dollars in economic disruption, and the global upheaval caused by COVID-19. The findings also reflect longstanding challenges in international scientific cooperation. An earlier investigation by the Associated Press revealed that China halted key efforts to trace the virus' origin in early 2020, and that the WHO missed early chances to launch a comprehensive probe. While U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, have long promoted the lab-leak theory, a 2021 U.S. intelligence review concluded there was not enough evidence to support or dismiss it. Chinese officials continue to reject the notion of a lab origin and argue that origin-tracing efforts should be expanded to other countries. Scientists involved in the WHO-led investigation have also identified a list of animals that could have served as intermediate hosts, including raccoon dogs, civet cats, and bamboo rats. — Agencies
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Pandemic worsened childhood vaccination rates globally; India, 7 other nations had over half of unvaccinated kids in 2023: study
While there has been unprecedented progress in vaccinating children against life-threatening diseases since the World Health Organization (WHO) established the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1974, the last two decades have also been marked by stagnating childhood vaccination rates and a wide variation in vaccine coverage. These challenges have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving millions of children vulnerable to preventable diseases and death, according to a major new analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study Vaccine Coverage Collaborators, published in The Lancet. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges with global coverage rates of the original EPI-recommended vaccines declining sharply beginning in 2020—resulting in an estimated 15.6 million children missing the full three doses of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine or a measles vaccine between 2020 and 2023, as well as 15.9 million children not receiving any polio vaccine, and 9.18 million missing out on the tuberculosis vaccine. The study estimates that disruptions to immunisation services during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in around 12.8 million additional unvaccinated zero-dose children globally during the four pandemic years (2020-2023). Wide discrepancies remain, with markedly lower coverage and higher rates of under and unvaccinated children in low- and middle-income countries. In 2023, more than half of the world's 15.7 million unvaccinated children were living in just eight countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa (53%) and South Asia (13%)—Nigeria (2.48 million), India (1.44 million), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC, 882,000), Ethiopia (782,000), Somalia (710,000), Sudan (627,000), Indonesia (538,000), and Brazil (452,000). 'The challenge now is how to improve vaccine delivery and uptake in areas of low coverage,' said lead author Dr Emily Haeuser in the report. 'The diversity of challenges and barriers to immunisation vary widely between countries and within communities, with rising numbers of displaced people and growing disparities due to armed conflict, political volatility, economic uncertainty, climate crises, and vaccine misinformation and hesitancy, underscoring the need for new, tailored solutions,' she added. The success of the past 50 years is partly the result of a doubling of global coverage for the original vaccines against diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (first dose 49% to 89%; and all three doses 40% to 81%), measles (37% to 83%), polio (42% to 80%), and tuberculosis (38% to 83%) between 1980 and 2023. Additionally, there has been a 75% drop in the number of unvaccinated zero-dose children worldwide from 58.8 million in 1980 to 14.7 million in 2019, as well as the introduction and scale-up of critical new lifesaving vaccines against pneumococcal disease, rotavirus, and a second dose of the measles vaccine. The analysis indicates that accelerated progress will be necessary to achieve the 2030 target of halving the number of zero-dose children compared to 2019 levels, with only 18 of 204 countries and territories estimated to have already met this target as of 2023. Two-thirds (65%) of the zero-dose children that need to be reached by vaccination between 2023 and 2030 live in sub-Saharan Africa (4.28 million) and South Asia (1.33 million). To increase vaccine acceptance and uptake, the authors call for more concerted efforts to tackle vaccine misinformation and hesitancy. As Dr. Haeuser explained, 'Successful vaccination programmes are built on understanding and responding to people's beliefs, concerns, and expectations. Vaccination services must prioritise trust-building, engage community leaders, and tailor interventions with more culturally appropriate local strategies to improve vaccine confidence and uptake.' Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition. ... Read More
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Health Talk: India ranks 2nd in unvaccinated kids but comparison somewhat flawed
India has had the most number of unvaccinated children— 1.4 million— after Nigeria (2.5million), of the 15.7 million unvaccinated children globally in 2023, data published in The Lancet on Tuesday said. The world has made unprecedented progress in vaccinating children against life-threatening disease since WHO established the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1974 (HT Photo/ Representative photo) According to the paper, at least half of the world's 15.7 million unvaccinated children in the same year were living in just eight countries, with 53% in sub-Saharan Africa and 13% in south Asia. The Democratic Republic of Congo (882,000), Ethiopia (782,000), Somalia (710,000), Sudan (627,000), Indonesia (538,000), and Brazil (452,000) were the other countries with high unvaccinated children load globally. In the south Asian region, the countries with the highest number of zero-dose children in 2023 after India were Pakistan (419,000), Nepal (11,000), and Bangladesh (6,000). The paper also has new projections through 2030 on global childhood vaccine coverage that shows that the world will fail to meet the World Health Organisation's (WHO) immunisation goals unless substantial improvements are made in the next five years. 'The world has made unprecedented progress in vaccinating children against life-threatening disease since WHO established the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) in 1974. Despite the progress of the past 50 years, the last two decades have also been marked by stagnating childhood vaccination rates and wide variation in vaccine coverage. These challenges have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving millions of children vulnerable to preventable diseases and death…,' read the paper. Also Read: Health Talk | Need for quick vaccine development to save lives While India has been ranked as the country with the second highest number of zero-dose children, the comparison is somewhat flawed. As the ministry of health and family welfare, government of India, has been maintaining that India's vaccination coverage among children has been growing steadily but owing to the country's large population, their comparison with most other countries cannot be without error. Last year, officials aware of the matter in the government, responded to vaccination coverage estimates released by WHO and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) that showed at 1.6 million India had the second highest zero-dose children in the world after Nigeria with 2.1 million unvaccinated children. The officials said that the estimates were flawed as the country's base population had not been taken into consideration while calculating the numbers and if the population had been considered then the percentage would be much less. Also Read: Health Talk | The crucial role of effective vaccine coverage in tackling antimicrobial resistance It is a valid argument as any numbers coming from India— without considering its baseline population— would seem through the roof. The estimation has to grow more nuanced.
