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Long COVID is snuffing out some patients' dreams of having children, sharpening the pain of loss, grief and medical neglect. When Melanie Broadley and her husband started going out in 2019, like many couples their age they decided to put "starting a family" on the shelf for a few years so they could focus on their careers. A postdoctoral researcher who studies diabetes and psychology, Broadley was 28 and in good health — she had plenty of time, she reasoned. Then, in 2022, she caught SARS-CoV-2 and developed long COVID, blowing up her life as she knew it and, for now at least, her hopes of having a baby. "I became totally disabled by long COVID," says Broadley, 34, who lives at her parents' house in Brisbane. On a good day she struggles with debilitating fatigue that worsens after any kind of physical or mental activity, an autonomic nervous system disorder called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome ( ), which causes her heart rate to spike when she stands up, cognitive dysfunction that means she can't read or write for more than 10 minutes at a time, and an immune disorder, called , that triggers allergic reactions. Even though she's been doing everything she can to recover, she's still too unwell to cope with a potential pregnancy. And it hurts. "I wasn't ever going to be a young mum but for at least the last three or four years it's definitely been something I've wanted," Broadley says. "When I'm watching a TV show about pregnancy or birth or miscarriage I become emotionally affected — it feels like my drive to have a child is almost biological, it's something I need to do ... So I really worry that if I don't have a kid, it's something I will regret and feel pain about for the rest of my life." For millions of people with long COVID around the world, the pandemic is not just a minor nuisance or a bad memory but a daily waking nightmare. The disabling chronic illness is taking a devastating toll on patients' health, stopping many from working, exercising, socialising and living independently. But long COVID is also snuffing out some patients' dreams of having children, and complicating pregnancy and parenthood for those who choose to conceive despite their symptoms and doubts about when or if they will recover. Partly it's because they are simply too sick to have a baby; some can barely care for themselves, let alone a tiny human. Others worry that pregnancy could worsen their condition and are hoping they'll get better in time to consider conceiving while they still can. But for many, getting good advice about fertility and reproductive health is a stressful, confusing experience that is frequently complicated by a lack of research — and lack of awareness and education among medical practitioners. And it's creating a huge well of uncertainty and sadness, deepening feelings of loss and grief that patients and their families have been nursing privately for years. "So many patients talk about how they've lost the ability to do the things that make them them ... or to contribute to society in ways that feel meaningful, to create," says Beth Pollack, a research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies long COVID, myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS) and other infection-associated chronic illnesses. "And for some patients, having a child is another thing that they mourn. But until we sufficiently ... fund comprehensive research that looks at all of the different ways these illnesses impact the body, unfortunately this significant loss will continue." Melanie Broadley recently saw a fertility specialist to talk about her options. Perhaps egg freezing was a possibility — if she could "stop the clock", she thought, she could take some pressure off her long COVID recovery. But her doctor's advice — that she was not well enough to go through several cycles of hormone injections and egg retrieval — took her by surprise. "He said, 'Let's just try to improve your overall health so you can try to fall pregnant naturally'," she says the specialist told her. "I felt slightly annoyed by that. All I've been doing for the last two-and-a-half years is trying to improve my health. The fact is, with long COVID you can be doing everything 'right' and still be completely disabled." She left the appointment feeling numb. "I just felt like I had no good options. I'm aging, and everyone's telling me that's a problem, but I'm sick, and everyone's telling me that's a problem, and I can't control either of those things," Broadley says. "I'm feeling like my only hope to have a child is spontaneous recovery from long COVID but I don't have a lot of faith in that happening." Even though she has seen some improvement in her symptoms lately, she's still stuck in bed for 20 hours a day, still taking 20 pills a day. "So I'm feeling quite deflated, and I'm starting to try to imagine my life without children." Though , some researchers have calculated that are suffering from long COVID, with an Australian study this year finding were still experiencing persistent symptoms like fatigue, cognitive dysfunction and sleep problems three months after testing positive to the virus. As with other infection-associated chronic illnesses, women — especially pre-menopausal women — are to have long COVID than men, suggesting may play a role. Other risk factors include infection severity, pre-existing health problems, genetics, the and . There is no cure and no approved treatments for long COVID, which scientists believe has several : that lingers in certain tissues, inflammation and , autoimmunity, , , organ damage and . Instead, while they wait for the results of clinical trials, patients can only manage their symptoms with medication, supplements, rehabilitation therapies and their activities — often a frustrating, expensive process of trial and error. As for how long COVID affects reproductive health, by Beth Pollack and her colleagues last year found there was a severe lack of research. Emerging evidence suggests long COVID can affect women's menstrual cycles, ovarian health and fertility, while studies of related and overlapping conditions like ME/CFS, POTS and connective tissue disorders show female patients experience higher rates of menstrual cycle changes, ovarian dysfunction, uterine fibroids and other issues. SARS-CoV-2 may also affect male fertility, with finding men who were infected with the virus had temporarily lower sperm numbers and concentration and the of erectile dysfunction. There's also scant research on pregnancy and long COVID, ME/CFS and POTS, which can make family planning even harder for patients — or at least those who are in a position to consider having a baby. What if pregnancy reduces your already low baseline — not an unreasonable question given up to 10 per cent of patients report that . Could your illness affect your child's health? Will you fully recover from the stress and strain of labour? What about caring for a newborn, breastfeeding, sleep deprivation? In roughly equal numbers of ME/CFS patients reported that their symptoms improved, stayed the same or got worse during pregnancy, with no clear reasons as to why. But the means there are , leaving patients, their partners and healthcare providers unable to make informed decisions. "Reproductive health issues are a common and very impactful part of these illnesses," Pollack says. For instance, many women report a of their long COVID symptoms in the days before their period, and one small study found more than a third of female ME/CFS patients , which can affect fertility. "It is imperative that we study reproductive health, sex hormone fluctuations, menstrual cycles, reproductive phases and pregnancy within infection-associated chronic illnesses," Pollack says. "There are researchers in the field who very much want to study this and have submitted grant applications ... but it often comes down to who gets funding, what research is funded." In the interim, patients and their doctors are muddling through as best they can. "The question of 'what does long COVID mean for family planning?' has started coming through, especially from women in their 20s, 30s and 40s," says Naomi Whyler, a general medicine and infectious diseases physician at Clinic Nineteen, a long COVID clinic in Australia. She generally talks to patients who are considering having a baby about managing POTS, which can worsen during pregnancy, and sleep hygiene, and coming off contraindicated medications well in advance of conceiving. "It can be really hard, especially for first-timers who haven't been through a pregnancy before, to understand what they should expect from pregnancy and then relate that to long COVID," Whyler says. But people with long COVID aren't just stumbling around in the dark with pregnancy. Some patients are running into trouble with common fertility procedures — and the medical practitioners who provide them. For as long as she can remember, Amanda, a white-collar professional who lives in Sydney, has wanted to be a mother. "Every big decision I've made has been about what's going to be best for having kids in the future," she says — which neighbourhoods she moved to, the jobs she applied for, how she'd use her annual leave allowance. "It's always been in the back of my mind that if I don't have a partner by age 34, then I'm just going to go ahead and have a child on my own." Amanda was diagnosed with long COVID, POTS, mast cell activation syndrome and — a connective tissue disorder — after she caught the virus in 2022, when she was 32. By the end of the year she'd deteriorated so much that she made an appointment with a fertility specialist, hoping to start the process of conceiving with donor sperm before she got any worse. "I was quite concerned about how pregnancy might affect my health and whether I'd be well enough to look after a baby, especially as a single mother," says Amanda, a pseudonym to protect her privacy. "Ultimately I decided it wouldn't be feasible — by that stage I was housebound so things weren't looking promising, at least for the foreseeable future." Instead, Amanda decided to freeze her eggs — maybe she'd recover enough to use them down the line. She fully expected that the hormone injections would have side effects but they flipped her long COVID symptoms into "a different stratosphere", she says. The retrieval procedure was another challenge. Her medical team weren't familiar with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which makes her joints prone to dislocation, nor were they aware that in people with POTS. She put her requests for extra care in writing and went into surgery feeling optimistic. But she woke up in a chair, her head lolled to one side and her shoulder and several ribs partially dislocated, feeling cold, weak and dizzy. "I'm still in a neck brace, 24/7, all these months later." At least the surgery was a success; 16 eggs were collected, which was a huge relief. "But my health definitely took a big knock during that procedure and I've deteriorated quite a lot since then — I've been bed bound since May," Amanda says. Now 35, she's in a kind of limbo, wedged between the uncertainty of whether she'll recover from long COVID and the "ticking clock" of her fertility. "Hopefully there will be more research and eventually better treatments for long COVID and I just hope it will be at a time when it's still viable for me to have a child," she says. "But now I'm just hoping to recover enough that I can meet someone who maybe already has children. That feels like a more realistic goal." Laura Allen is familiar with stories like these — of people with long COVID struggling to find medical practitioners who are educated about their illness and willing to help. Patients in their 30s sometimes reach out for advice on conception and pregnancy and ask "questions we can't answer", says Allen, telehealth manager at Emerge Australia, a support and advocacy organisation for people with ME/CFS and long COVID. But there are few places to refer them to; she isn't aware of any "well informed" obstetric and gynaecology care in Australia. "It's usually the person who lives with the illness who's educating the doctors," she says. It doesn't have to be this way. For decades before long COVID became a serious global health issue people with ME/CFS suffered from a lack of research into their illness and a lack of awareness and education among clinicians — Emerge Australia has described it as " ", a disability access issue. Governments need to take the problem more seriously, Allen says: they need to allocate more funding for clinical guidelines and, crucially, research into effective treatments so that patients can claw back some quality of life, enough energy and support to study or work or raise a family. "I think everyone has the right to have a child," she says. "This is impacting people at age 35 but we've got children coming through who are really sick too. We're looking at a generation who are going to grow up disabled who will eventually hit that age where, potentially, they've lost the right to have kids because ... they've never been given the right research, the right treatments, the right management." There's lots of research starting to happen overseas, Allen adds: "Why isn't that happening in Australia? We aren't a third-world country. We have money. We have capacity. It should be put into health." For Beth Pollack, the long COVID "knowledge gap" is reflective of the research gap — it always takes a while for research to filter through to medical front lines. "But I think it's very important to do [medical education] while we wait for more answers, because there's a lot we do know," she says. For instance, clinicians need to know how to diagnose long COVID and ME/CFS in the first place, she says, how to help patients manage their symptoms and, crucially, to screen for other conditions that commonly co-occur — especially reproductive health conditions. "It's important to screen so we can try to reduce diagnostic delays," Pollack says. "For decades patients have seen specialist after specialist and collected new diagnoses one by one — almost like Pokemon — as they continue to get sicker and sicker." What to do with all this suffering, this grief? Because the mental health consequences of chronic illness — of prolonged sickness, medical neglect, — are serious. Australia's heard from dozens of patients, many of them parents, who were deeply frustrated that they were unable to live the life they wanted. "I am 36 and have two small children who I am barely able to parent any longer," said Angela O'Connor, a neuroscientist who couldn't work because of long COVID. "I feel like a crushed shell of a human being who will only become more of a burden to her family and the health system as I age." Father of two Daniel Moore's grief strikes in profound and quiet ways. "My biggest grief from ME is not being able to be the dad I want to be," Moore, 43, wrote on Twitter in 2022. A former social worker who lives in north-east England, Moore has struggled with unrelenting exhaustion, and cognitive dysfunction since he developed ME/CFS in 2018, two decades after he recovered from a seven-year bout of the illness as a teenager. His symptoms mean he must "micromanage" his energy and limit his activities; he misses going for walks and playing video games with his children and is constantly trying to find ways to relate to them that won't make him worse. "To lose that ability to go on adventures with them, that was the biggest thing," he says. "All of a sudden my world got smaller, but their world got smaller as well." Sometimes Facebook surfaces old photos of him and his family out and about in the world, before he got sick, catching him off guard. "It's quite painful, because I've had seven years out of my kids' life where I've not been able to do those things, and that also impacts my wife, because we've not been able to do things as a family together," says Moore, who co-hosts . But this grief, he adds — and the myriad ways long COVID and ME/CFS are splintering patients' lives — too often goes unacknowledged in the broader community. "There's so much focus on the medical side of things, the lack of treatment ... but I don't think there's a lot of conversation about the social side, the relational side — how we live our lives, basically, and people seeing the impact of that." Or the strategies patients are using to get by. Hayley Grant only realised that she might want children after she developed long COVID in 2022. A former primary school teacher who lives in Canberra, Grant, 33, knows she's not well enough right now — managing her heart issues and other symptoms is her priority. It's a major reason she isn't allowing her desire to grow. "I would love a family of my own one day but I don't want to hold onto that idea too tightly as there are a lot of 'ifs' and 'buts' in regards to my health and recovery," she says. "I don't want to have to grieve another thing that long COVID has taken." But this is not just a story of loss and despair. For all the lives up-ended by long COVID and ME/CFS, there are also glimmers of hope — of patients who have the means deciding that they're more comfortable taking a risk than giving up on their dreams. Some have been able to have children only because they have good support from friends, family and doctors who go the extra mile for them. That's not to say it's an easy ride. In the first few months after she developed long COVID in March 2020, Ashleigh Batchelor had serious doubts she was going to survive, let alone that she'd be able to conceive and give birth to a second child. Then 33, Batchelor, who lives in Scotland, struggled with crushing fatigue, POTS, nerve pain that felt like electricity running through her body, breathlessness, muscle tremors and eyesight changes. Unable to work, she lost her job training healthcare workers how to use surgical devices, her car, her health insurance, her fitness, her social life and her sense of self. But she was determined to have another baby, to give her young daughter a sibling. "I think I just got really stubborn," Batchelor, now 37, says. "I was like, long COVID has taken too much, you're not taking this — I do this." She knew she was rolling the dice, in a way; she was aware her symptoms might improve or get worse with pregnancy. But her GP was supportive of her plans and her family promised to rally for her if she and her husband couldn't cope. "Also, being a mum has always been written into my identity," she says. "I always just knew I wanted a family." Things did get rough. Her pregnancy followed a similar trajectory to her first but all her symptoms were "amplified" and at times her pain and fatigue were overwhelming. And although she received excellent care from some healthcare workers, there were also stressful interactions with others: the obstetrician who tried to derail her plan to have an elective c-section, the midwife who made "dismissive" and "belittling" remarks about long COVID and Batchelor's concerns for her unborn baby's health. But finally, in August 2022, her son arrived — a little miracle. On Instagram she posted a photo of him on her chest, moments after he was delivered, with a triumphant caption: "UP YOURS LONG COVID." Along the way Batchelor to help other women with long COVID navigate pregnancy and ask questions that often get lost in mainstream patient communities. "Because there are no textbook answers, and doctors don't always have the answers, the only option we have at the moment is to hear from people with lived experience who are happy to share," she says. It would make a big difference, she adds, if long COVID advocacy organisations included basic information about pregnancy in their educational resources: "Even if it's just case studies, ultimately with the line, 'It's a gamble — you just have to weigh up whether that gamble is right for you'." Still today Batchelor struggles with her long COVID symptoms — a weight she says she's better able to carry because she has the "patience and support" of her husband, Graham, who reassures her constantly that they're a team. She can do more than she could when she first got sick but her life is much smaller, much less active. Long COVID also affects her parenting. She can't just walk her kids to the park, for instance, because it drains her energy. "I'm actually even reluctant to take them to the park, or to soft plays, because there's lots of running around and they might fall off this or that," she says. "Even just the sensory overload of soft plays with kids screaming... it's a lot." But she has no regrets. "If anything, my kids have been my purpose, they've been the reason I keep going," she says. "Not to get too deep, but there have been points during long COVID where I've felt suicidal and ... you absolutely do not give that even a moment's thought because you have these two amazing children." Those nine months carrying her son, she adds, are her proudest achievement. "Screw sporting accomplishments, degrees, education, jobs, money earned, climbs to the top of Kilimanjaro — none of that. It's getting through pregnancy with long COVID. It was the most difficult and most rewarding thing I've ever done." Credits Related topics Babies COVID-19 Epidemics and Pandemics Family and Relationships Fertility and Infertility Parenting Pregnancy and Childbirth Reproduction and Contraception Women's Health

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Exploring Eco-Tourism: How sustainable travel practices are shaping the futureQuantum-Si (NASDAQ:QSI) Given New $5.50 Price Target at HC WainwrightIsraeli airstrikes killed a hospital director at his home in northeastern Lebanon and six others, while at least five paramedics were killed by Israeli strikes in the country's south on Friday, Lebanon's Health Ministry said. The United Nations reported heavy clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon. Four Italian peacekeepers were lightly wounded when a rocket, likely fired by Hezbollah, hit their base, the U.N. said. A full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah erupted in September after nearly a year of lower-intensity conflict. More than 3,640 people have been killed in Lebanon and 15,350 wounded, the majority following Israel’s escalation and ground invasion, the Health Ministry said Friday. In Gaza, Israeli strikes hit Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of the few hospitals still partially operating in the northernmost part of the territory, wounding six medical staff and damaging its generator and oxygen systems, the hospital director said Friday. More than 44,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip, the Health Ministry said. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, but it has said that more than half of the fatalities are women and children. Israel launched the war in Gaza after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250 . Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Here’s the Latest: Israeli airstrikes kill a hospital director and 5 paramedics in Lebanon BEIRUT — An Israeli airstrike killed the director of a university hospital and six others at his home in northeastern Lebanon, state media said. The strike targeted Dr. Ali Allam’s house near Dar Al-Amal Hospital, the largest health center in Baalbek-Hermel province, which has provided vital health services amid Israel's campaign of airstrikes, the Health Ministry said. State-run media reported that the strike came without warning. The ministry described his death as a “great loss,” and provincial governor Bachir Khodr said in a post on X that, “Mr. Allam was one of the best citizens of Baalbek.” In two separate episodes on Friday, Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed five paramedics with Hezbollah's medical arm, the Health Ministry said, describing it as “war crime.” The militant group provides extensive social services, including running schools and health clinics. In a report published Friday, the World Health Organization said nearly half of all attacks on health care in Lebanon since Oct. 7, 2023, have resulted in fatalities. “This is a higher percentage than in any active conflict today across the globe,” WHO said. In Lebanon, 226 health workers and patients were killed and 199 were injured between Oct. 7, 2023, and Nov. 18, 2024, the report said. The Health Ministry said Friday that 3,645 people have been killed in nearly 14 months of war between Hezbollah and Israel, while 15,356 were wounded, the majority following Israel’s escalation in late September. The death count includes 692 women and 231 children. Israeli strike on besieged hospital in northern Gaza wounds 6 medics DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli strikes hit Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of the few hospitals still partially operating in the northernmost part of Gaza, wounding six medical staff and damaging its generator and oxygen systems, its director said Friday. Hossam Abu Safiya said the strikes before dawn Friday hit the entrance of the emergency unit as well as in the hospital courtyard. He said two members of the nursing staff suffered critical injuries. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Abu Safiya said the strikes caused damage to the functioning of the generator and disrupted oxygen supplies. The hospital is currently treating 85 wounded, 14 children in the pediatric ward and four newborns in the neonatal unit, he said. During the past month, Kamal Adwan Hospital has been hit several times, was put under siege and was raided by Israeli troops, who are waging a heavy offensive in the nearby Jabaliya refugee camp and towns of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya. The Israeli military says it detained Hamas fighters hiding in the hospital, a claim its staff denies. UN offers details on rocket fire that wounded 4 Italian peacekeepers in Lebanon UNITED NATIONS – Two rockets hit a headquarters of the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, injuring four Italian peacekeepers, the United Nations says. U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the rockets were likely launched by Hezbollah militants or by affiliated groups Friday, impacting a bunker and a logistics area in the southwest headquarters at Chamaa. One of the structures that was hit caught fire, and the blaze was swiftly put out by U.N. staff, he said. According to Italy’s Defense Ministry, some glass shattered due to the explosion, hitting the four soldiers. Dujarric said the four injured peacekeepers were receiving treatment at the medical facility of the mission, known as UNIFIL. “Thankfully, none of the injuries are life-threatening,” he said. Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto called the attack on the UNIFIL base “intolerable.” He reiterated that the Italian contingent remains in southern Lebanon “to offer a window of opportunity for peace, and cannot become hostage to militia attacks.” Dujarric said Friday’s attack was the third on Chamaa in a week and came amid heavy shelling and ground skirmishes in the Chamaa and Naqoura areas in recent days. UNIFIL’s main headquarters is in Naqoura. Friday’s attack follows a rocket attack on a UNIFIL base east of the village of Ramyah on Tuesday that injured four peacekeepers from Ghana. Dujarric said UNIFIL strongly urges Hezbollah and its affiliates and Israel to avoid fighting near its positions, which are supposed to be protected. “We remind all parties that any attack against peacekeepers constitutes a serious violation of international law” and the U.N. Security Council resolution that ended the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, he said. Israeli airstrikes pound southern Beirut and Tyre BEIRUT — Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs and the southern port city of Tyre on Friday, after the Israeli army issued several evacuation warnings saying it is targeting Hezbollah sites. The strikes in Beirut came dangerously close to central Beirut and Christian neighborhoods. One strike hit a building housing a gym and medical and beauty clinics, located just meters (yards) from a Lebanese army base. “What is there in the building to target? This attack they carried out on us in this building is a criminal and vile act,” resident Hassan Najdi told The Associated Press. “Because if their intention is targeting Hezbollah, this building has nothing to do with Hezbollah.” Najdi said he purchased an apartment in the building last year but had not yet moved in. He allowed a displaced family to move in and urgently asked them to evacuate after receiving the Israeli warning. The blasts sent plumes of smoke into the air and shattered glass in the vicinity. No casualties have been reported, but the strikes caused damage to nearby infrastructure and a key road connecting central Beirut to its southern suburbs. “We remain steadfast,” said Ali Daher, an employee at a mall facing the targeted building. “Everything that is lost can be replaced, and whatever is destroyed can be rebuilt in (no time).” In Tyre city, the Israeli military conducted multiple airstrikes after a series of warnings, claiming the targets belonged to Hezbollah’s Aziz unit, accusing it of firing projectiles into Israel. The Israeli military carried out other airstrikes across Lebanon, many without warnings, as heavy fighting between Israeli troops and Hezbollah in villages along the Lebanon-Israel border intensified. Italy plans to discuss Netanyahu arrest warrants with G7 ministers ROME — Italy said Friday it plans to discuss the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court over the Israel-Hamas war when it hosts Group of Seven foreign ministers next week. Premier Giorgia Meloni insisted that one point remained clear for Italy: “There can be no equivalence between the responsibilities of the state of Israel and the terrorist organization of Hamas.” Italy is a founding member of the court and hosted the 1998 Rome conference that gave birth to it. But Meloni’s right-wing government has been a strong supporter of Israel after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, while also providing humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza. In a statement Friday, Meloni said Italy would study the reasonings behind the decision to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas’ military chief. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy respects the ICC and supports it. “But at the same time we are also convinced that the court must have a judicial role, and should not take up a political role.” Tajani will host G7 foreign ministers Monday and Tuesday outside Rome for the final meeting of the Italian G7 presidency. “As far as decisions are concerned, we will take them together with our allies,” Tajani said. During the G7 meetings, “we will talk about this with my allies there, and we will see what to do next.” Another member of the governing coalition, the outspoken Transport Minister Matteo Salvini was more defiant in supporting Israel. “If Netanyahu comes to Italy he will be welcomed,” Salvini was quoted by Italian media as saying. This item has been updated to correct that Salvini spoke of a potential Netanyahu visit to Italy, not Israel. 4 Italian soldiers injured after UN peacekeeping base in Lebanon was hit ROME — Four Italian soldiers were slightly injured after two exploding rockets hit the United Nations' peacekeeping mission base on Friday in Chamaa in southern Lebanon, Italy's defense ministry said. Initial information suggested that two rockets hit a bunker and a room of the mission base, damaging the surrounding infrastructure, the ministry said. Shattered glass hit the four soldiers. The incident was the latest in which UN peacekeeping posts have been hit since Israel began its ground invasion of Lebanon on Oct. 1, leaving a number of peacekeepers wounded. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto called Friday's attack “intolerable.” He said he will try to speak to the new Israeli Defense Minister to ask him “to avoid using the UNIFIL bases as a shield.” Crosetto said the conditions of the four Italian soldiers “did not cause concern.” He reiterated that the Italian contingent remains in southern Lebanon “to offer a window of opportunity for peace and cannot become hostage to militia attacks.” Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni on Friday said she learned about the new attack with “deep indignation and concern.” Meloni reiterated that “such attacks are unacceptable,” renewing her appeal for the parties on the ground “to guarantee, at all times, the safety of UNIFIL soldiers and to collaborate to quickly identify those responsible.” Almost half of attacks on health care in Lebanon have been deadly, WHO says GENEVA — The World Health Organization says nearly half of the attacks on health care in Lebanon have been deadly since the Middle East conflict erupted in October last year, the highest such rate anywhere in the world. The U.N. health agency says 65 out of 137, or 47%, of recorded “attacks on health care” in Lebanon over that time period have proven fatal to at least one person, and often many more. WHO’s running global tally counts attacks, whether deliberate or not, that affect places like hospitals, clinics, medical transport, and warehouses for medical supplies, as well as medics, doctors, nurses and the patients they treat. Nearly half of attacks on health care in Lebanon since last October and the majority of deaths occurred since an intensified Israeli military campaign began against Hezbollah militants in the country two months ago. The health agency said 226 health workers and patients have been killed and 199 injured in Lebanon between Oct. 7, 2023 and this Monday. Israeli defense minister says he will end detention without charge of Jewish settlers JERUSALEM — Israel’s new defense minister said Friday that he would stop issuing warrants to arrest West Bank settlers or hold them without charge or trial — a largely symbolic move that rights groups said risks emboldening settler violence in the Israeli-occupied territory. Israel Katz called the arrest warrants “severe” and said issuing them was “inappropriate” as Palestinian militant attacks on settlers in the territory grow more frequent. He said settlers could be “brought to justice” in other ways. The move protects Israeli settlers from being held in “administrative detention,” a shadowy form of incarceration where people are held without charge or trial. Settlers are rarely arrested in the West Bank, where settler violence against Palestinians has spiraled since the outbreak of the war Oct. 7. Katz’s decision was celebrated by far-right coalition allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. National Security Minister and settler firebrand Itamar Ben-Gvir applauded Katz and called the move a “correction of many years of mistreatment” and “justice for those who love the land.” Since Oct. 7, 2023, violence toward Palestinians by Israeli settlers has soared to new heights, displacing at least 19 entire Palestinian communities, according to Israeli rights group Peace Now. In that time, attacks by Palestinian militants on settlers and within Israel have also grown more common. An increasing number of Palestinians have been placed in administrative detention. Israel holds 3,443 administrative detainees in prison, according to data from the Israeli Prison Service, reported by rights group Hamoked. That figure stood around 1,200 just before the start of the war. The vast majority of them are Palestinian, with only a handful at any given time Israeli Jews, said Jessica Montell, the director of Hamoked. “All of these detentions without charge or trial are illegitimate, but to declare that this measure will only be used against Palestinians...is to explicitly entrench another form of ethnic discrimination,” said Montell. German official suggests Germany would be reluctant to arrest Netanyahu on ICC warrant BERLIN — A German official has suggested that his country would be reluctant to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. The ICC’s warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant put Germany, a staunch ally of Israel, in an awkward position. The government said in a statement Friday that it is one of the ICC’s biggest supporters, but “at the same time, it is a consequence of German history that unique relations and a great responsibility connect us with Israel.” The government said it takes note of the arrest warrants and that “we will examine conscientiously the domestic steps.” It said that any further steps would only be an issue if a visit by Netanyahu or Gallant were “foreseeable.” Government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit was pressed repeatedly at a regular news conference on whether it would be conceivable to arrest an Israeli prime minister. He replied: "It’s hard for me to imagine that we would carry out arrests in Germany on this basis.” Kremlin calls ICC warrant decision ‘insignificant’ for Russia Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Friday refused to comment on the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others, saying that the court's rulings are “insignificant” for Russia, which doesn’t recognizes the court’s jurisdiction. The ICC last year issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and a number of other top Russian officials, accusing them of war crimes in Ukraine. The Kremlin has brushed off the warrants, saying that in Moscow’s eyes they’re “null and void.” Asked if the ICC warrants for Netanyahu and others can help resolve the tensions in the Middle East, Peskov said: “Well, in general, the actions of the ICC are unlikely to help anything. That’s the first thing. And secondly, we don’t see any point in commenting on this in any way, because for us these rulings are insignificant.” Crowds in Gaza are desperate for bread amid food shortages and huge price hikes DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Large crowds of displaced people crammed themselves in front of a bakery in the Gaza Strip for the second day in a row, desperate to get their share of bread after bakeries closed for five days due to a flour shortage and the lack of aid. “I am a 61-year-old man. This is the third day that I have come to Zadna Bakery and I still cannot get bread ... I have children to feed,” said Majdi Yaghi, a displaced man from Gaza City. The price of a small bag of pita bread increased to $16 by Friday, a stark increase from about 80 cents last month. A bag of pasta now costs $4 and a small bag of sugar costs nearly $14. That has left many Palestinian families surviving on one meal a day and reliant on charitable kitchens to survive. In Khan Younis, women and children lined up at the al-Dalu charitable kitchen for bulgur, the only food available at the makeshift charity. One of the workers there, Anas al-Dalu, told the AP that they cook ten pots every day of either rice, beans, or bulgur. But that hardly fills the need for the thousands of people displaced in the area. “The charity here is in a difficult situation. It is a drop in the ocean, and there is no aid or charities. There is nothing," said Nour Kanani, a displaced man from Khan Younis. “It is a crisis in every sense of the word. There is no flour, no charities, and no food.” UN monitoring heavy clashes in south Lebanon locations BEIRUT — Israeli troops fought fierce battles with Hezbollah fighters on Friday in different areas in south Lebanon, including a coastal town that is home to the headquarters of U.N. peacekeepers. A spokesperson for the U.N. peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL told The Associated Press that they are monitoring “heavy clashes” in the coastal town of Naqoura and the village of Chamaa to the northeast. UNIFIL’s headquarters are located in Naqoura in Lebanon’s southern edge close to the border with Israel. “We are aware of heavy shelling in the vicinity of our bases,” UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said. Asked if the peacekeepers and staff at the headquarters are safe, Tenenti said: “Yes for the moment.” Several UNIFIL posts have been hit since Israel began its ground invasion of Lebanon on Oct. 1, leaving a number of peacekeepers wounded.

Shine up your baubles, straighten the tree and put on your sparkliest jumper, because the most glamorous hour of the festive TV schedule is back! With six new celebrities entering the ballroom hoping to be crowned 2024’s yuletide champion here’s how to watch the 2024 "Strictly Come Dancing" Christmas Special from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for free. “Strictly” and Christmas just go hand in hand. The camp, the sparkles, the music. A lynchpin of the BBC’s Christmas schedule, the absolute mountain of TV gifts we have to unwrap this year means the ballroom competition airs earlier than usual, but it’s set to be no less of a televisual treat. Coming off Chris McCausland’s stunning victory in the regular season, six new celebrities hope to replicate the comedian's success in the one-off edition. This year we're going to be treated to the best efforts of fellow funnyman Josh Widdicombe, “Drag Race” star Tayce, fitness presenter and podcaster Vogue Williams, Olympian Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (aka Gladiator Nitro), former Eastender Tamzin Outhwaite and racing driver and “Celebrity Race Across the World” contestant Billy Monger. The usual judges are back with Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke, Shirley Ballas and Craig Revel Horwood all set for some seasonal scoring. Expect Craig to be on fine form – it is panto season after all. And if that’s not enough to stuff your stocking, there will also be a performance from Spice Girl Emma Bunton and two spectacular group routines. Ready for a festive foxtrot and a Santa samba? Read on to find out how to watch the "Strictly Come Dancing" 2024 Christmas Special online and from anywhere. Watch the 2024 'Strictly Come Dancing' Christmas Special for free in the U.K. Watch the 2024 'Strictly Come Dancing' Christmas Special from abroad Thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network), the "Strictly Come Dancing" 2024 Christmas Special should be available to Brits no matter where they are. The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you find yourself. Our favorite is NordVPN – and you can find out why in our NordVPN review . Using a VPN is incredibly simple, just follow these steps. 1. Install the VPN of your choice . As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite. 2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're away in the U.S., and want to view your usual U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list. 3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to BBC iPlayer and watch the 2024 "Strictly Come Dancing" Christmas Special. Watch around the world Can I watch the 2024 'Strictly Come Dancing' Christmas Special in the U.S.? "Strictly Come Dancing" doesn't air in the U.S., and as such, there will be no broadcast of the 2024 Christmas Special. The Stateside version of the show, " Dancing with the Stars " can, however, be streamed on Disney Plus . If you are a Brit travelling in the States, you can catch the show by using a VPN such as NordVPN , choosing U.K. from the list and heading to BBC iPlayer . Can I watch the 2024 'Strictly Come Dancing' Christmas Special in Canada? As with the U.S., there are currently no plans to air the "Strictly Come Dancing" 2024 Christmas Special in Canada. If you are a Brit in the Great White North on work or for vacation you can catch the show by using a VPN such as NordVPN . Can I watch the 2024 'Strictly Come Dancing' Christmas Special in Australia? "Strictly Come Dancing" isn't available to stream in Down Under, so you won;t be able to watch the 2024 Christmas Special. Aussies do have their own version of "Dancing with the Stars" which streams for free on 7Plus . If you are a Brit abroad in Oz, you can catch the show by using a VPN such as NordVPN . All you need to know about the 2024 'Strictly Come Dancing' Christmas Special 2024 'Strictly Come Dancing' Christmas Special trailer What is the 2024 'Strictly Come Dancing' Christmas Special release date? The festive edition of "Strictly Come Dancing" for 2024 will air on Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25 in the UK, going out on BBC One at 3:55 p.m. GMT. It will also be available to stream live and on-demand for free on BBC iPlayer. Who are the the 2024 'Strictly Come Dancing' Christmas Special contestants? Josh Widdicombe (comedian, podcaster and author) "I am utterly terrified this will end in humiliation and worried I’m going to be so bad I will ruin Christmas for the nation. Why have I done this?" Tayce (Drag artist, model and presenter) "I cannot wait to sleigh on the Strictly Ballroom floor. My partner and I are going to dance for our lives! In all seriousness, it’s an incredible honour to be the first Drag artist to be taking part in Strictly Come Dancing. I hope I do all of my Drag Race and Welsh fans proud! Sign me up for all the glitz, glam and discoballs." Vogue Williams (presenter, podcaster, DJ and fitness expert) "I’m so excited to join the Strictly family! Carlos would have more of a chance of winning a Nobel prize than turning me into a good dancer but I am determined to try my very best! I’m loving it so far, bring on the Ballroom floor." Harry Aikines-Aryeetey aka Nitro (Gladiator and Olympian) "STRICTLY... ARE YOU READY?! Nitro’s blasting onto the Ballroom floor this Christmas! I’m swapping my trainers for dancing shoes, and trust me, I’m bringing the power, the energy and the moves! This December I'm gonna light up that dancefloor and crank the Christmas spirit all the way UP. Let’s do this!" Tamzin Outhwaite (actress) "I've always wanted to do Strictly because I want to learn to Ballroom and Latin dance but I know that at my age, I don't think my body would be able to do the amount of weeks that is required. So I said yes to the Christmas Special because it feel like a little snippet, a Strictly hors d'oeuvre. Like I could just dip in for a couple of weeks." Billy Monger (racing driver and TV presenter) "I've spent the last 12 months training 20 hours a week for an Ironman world record attempt, but the thought of donning sequins in front of Craig Revel Horwood fills me with a fear I've never experienced before. This is about as far from my comfort zone as it can get! My family are big Strictly fans, so I'm doing it for them and to raise awareness for what I’m doing for Comic Relief next year. I'm just hoping my leg doesn't fall off mid-dance!" What are the 2024 'Strictly Come Dancing' Christmas Special pairings? 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