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A new American proposal aimed at ending the war in Ukraine has placed Kyiv in a highly sensitive diplomatic situation — torn between maintaining support from its most critical ally, the United States, and avoiding concessions to Russia, the country that invaded it nearly four years ago. The 28-point plan was drafted jointly by the Trump administration and the Kremlin, without Ukraine’s participation. It incorporates several Russian demands that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has explicitly rejected many times, including surrendering large portions of Ukrainian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the proposal on Friday, saying it “could serve as the foundation of a final peace agreement,” provided the U.S. persuades Ukraine and its European partners to accept it. In his nightly address on Thursday, Zelenskyy adopted a diplomatic tone, saying Ukraine needs a peace that prevents Russia from attacking again. He said Kyiv would consult with both the EU and the U.S. Below are the plan’s major components and the context around them. Territorial concessions THE PROPOSAL:The document claims to affirm Ukraine’s sovereignty but simultaneously calls for Crimea and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions to be recognized — even by the United States — as effectively Russian territory. It also states that the front lines in the partially occupied Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions would become fixed borders. Since Russia does not fully control Donetsk and Luhansk, Ukraine would effectively be expected to withdraw from areas where Russian forces haven’t managed to advance. This pullback zone would become a demilitarized buffer internationally recognized as belonging to Russia. The plan also says Russia would give up other occupied areas outside the five regions, possibly referring to parts of Sumy and Kharkiv, though specifics remain unclear. THE CONTEXT:Zelenskyy has repeatedly insisted that Ukraine will never accept the loss of any territory. Oleksandr Merezhko, head of Ukraine’s parliamentary foreign affairs committee, noted that the plan contradicts itself — claiming to respect Ukrainian sovereignty while proposing measures that undermine it.He suggested the proposal might be part of Trump’s negotiating style: “Start with something outrageous, then move to something more moderate.” Security guarantees THE PROPOSAL:Ukraine would be required to amend its constitution to permanently renounce NATO membership. NATO, in turn, would formally agree not to admit Ukraine. Ukraine’s armed forces would be capped at 600,000 troops, and NATO countries would be barred from stationing forces in Ukraine — limiting Kyiv’s right to choose its security partners. On the European Union, the plan offers Ukraine temporary preferential access to EU markets while it works to meet reform benchmarks, including anti-corruption measures. The document mentions security guarantees from Western partners but does not specify what form these would take or how the U.S. would ensure Russia would not invade again. THE CONTEXT:Zelenskyy has consistently argued that full NATO membership is the most effective and least costly way to guarantee Ukraine’s safety. Trump has made clear that NATO membership for Ukraine is no longer an option. NATO’s 32 members said last year that Ukraine’s path to joining the alliance is “irreversible,” but some countries — led by the U.S. — have hesitated to move forward during an active war. NATO expansion THE PROPOSAL:Russia would pledge not to attack neighboring countries, while NATO would commit to halting further enlargement. THE CONTEXT:NATO operates by consensus, and the U.S. — while the most influential member — has pulled back under Trump. The alliance is one of the only places where U.S. military policy is subject to negotiation with other states. Accountability for Russian actions THE PROPOSAL:Ukraine would drop all attempts to hold Russia legally responsible for its actions during the war. THE CONTEXT:This would prevent thousands of Ukrainians from pursuing justice or compensation. U.N. experts have determined that Russia’s torture of civilians and prisoners constitutes crimes against humanity. Analyst Volodymyr Fesenko warned that agreeing to the plan would be “disastrous” for Zelenskyy but acknowledged that Kyiv may face intense pressure from Washington. He added that some demands — such as neutrality or granting Russian official-language status — would require constitutional amendments, which only parliament, not Zelenskyy alone, can enact. Fesenko suggested a referendum could be one possible compromise. Russia’s frozen assets THE PROPOSAL:Russia would allow $100 billion of its frozen assets to be used for Ukraine’s reconstruction. THE CONTEXT:Moscow has harshly denounced any attempt to use its frozen assets. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned last month that anyone who tries to take or use Russian funds “will be prosecuted” and “held accountable.”

President Donald Trump met Friday with the man who once boasted he would be “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare,” but the encounter turned out to be far more amicable than anticipated. Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani appeared warm and cooperative, repeatedly highlighting their shared interest in improving New York City rather than dwelling on their fiery political clashes. Trump — who previously labeled Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic” and a “total nut job” — spoke admiringly of the mayor-elect, who had once described Trump’s administration as “authoritarian.” “I think he’s going to surprise some conservative people,” Trump said of the democratic socialist as they stood together in the Oval Office. For both men, the meeting offered political advantages: Mamdani, a relatively little-known state lawmaker until recently, got the chance to meet publicly with the president, while Trump was able to focus attention on affordability issues amid growing pressure to show he’s responding to rising costs. Until now, the two had energized their supporters by attacking each other, and it remains unclear how those backers will respond to the cordial tone of the meeting. “We’re going to be helping him create a strong and very safe New York,” Trump said. “What I appreciated about the president today is that we focused not on our many disagreements but on the mission we share in serving New Yorkers,” Mamdani said. ‘I’ll defend you’ Both men said their conversation centered on housing costs, grocery prices, and utility bills. Each used public frustration with inflation to win office — Mamdani in New York’s mayoral race and Trump in the 2024 presidential election. “Some of his ideas are really the same as mine,” Trump said of Mamdani’s proposals to ease inflation. Trump brushed aside Mamdani’s past criticisms regarding deportation raids and claims that he was governing like a despot. The president said leadership changes people — including himself. At several moments, Trump even stepped in to protect Mamdani. When reporters asked the mayor-elect if he still believed Trump behaved like a fascist, Trump cut in before Mamdani could answer. “That’s OK, you can just say yes,” Trump said. “It’s easier. I don’t mind.” When a reporter asked why Mamdani flew to Washington instead of taking a more climate-friendly mode of travel, Trump again interjected: “I’ll stick up for you.” A meeting centered on affordability Mamdani, who assumes office in January, said he requested the White House meeting to discuss solutions to New York’s affordability crisis. While Trump has previously — and falsely — branded Mamdani a communist and threatened to block federal money from the city, he did not repeat those attacks on Friday. Trump admitted he had considered withholding federal funds if the two failed to “get along,” but said those threats faded during their discussion. “We don’t want that to happen. I don’t think it’s going to happen,” he said. Mamdani’s incoming chief of staff, Elle Bisgaard-Church, later told NY1 that while the two leaders clearly disagree on several issues, they found shared ground on matters like public safety. “We talked about our mutual goal of a safe city where everyone can move around comfortably,” she said. “There have been unfair labels thrown around, but we focused on areas where we can cooperate to make the city more affordable.” Trump overshadowed the mayoral race this year. On the night before the election, he endorsed independent candidate and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and predicted New York had “ZERO chance” of succeeding if Mamdani won. Trump also questioned Mamdani’s citizenship — he was born in Uganda and later became a naturalized American — and threatened to have him arrested if he refused to work with immigration agents. Mamdani defeated Cuomo by portraying him as Trump’s “puppet” and campaigned on being “a mayor who can stand up to Donald Trump and deliver for New Yorkers.” During the primary, he declared, “I am Donald Trump’s worst nightmare.” Yet on Friday, Trump claimed Mamdani “will prove to be one of the best things ever to happen to our great Republican Party.” Trump has repeatedly cast Mamdani as emblematic of the Democratic Party’s direction, especially after Mamdani defeated Cuomo and stirred conflict within the party’s progressive wing. Expected fireworks never materialized Trump has had contentious Oval Office moments in the past — including a heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in March and another meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in which he played a controversial video portraying Afrikaners as victims of violent persecution. According to a senior administration official, Trump did not devote much planning to the meeting with Mamdani, though threats of blocking federal funds to New York remain in play. Mamdani said Thursday he wasn’t worried about being publicly embarrassed, calling the meeting an opportunity to make his case despite “many disagreements with the president.” Instead, the two presented a subdued, unusually friendly front. Mamdani, a Queens resident — like Trump — has shown a sharp political edge of his own. In a debate with Cuomo, he called attention to the presence of one of Cuomo’s sexual harassment accusers — a move reminiscent of Trump’s own confrontational campaign tactics. Cuomo denies the allegations. Still, tensions were noticeably absent Friday, and Trump even expressed support for Mamdani’s desire to expand housing. “People would be shocked, but I want the same thing,” Trump said.

Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis killed five people, according to hospital officials, bringing the number of fatalities over a roughly 12-hour span to 33. Most of those killed were women and children. These strikes are among the most lethal since the U.S.-mediated ceasefire went into effect on Oct. 10. Israel said the latest wave of attacks followed gunfire directed at its forces in Khan Younis on Wednesday. No Israeli troops were killed, and the military said it responded with airstrikes. Four strikes on tents housing displaced Palestinians in Khan Younis on Wednesday night and Thursday morning killed 17 people, including five children and five women, officials at Nasser Hospital reported. In Gaza City, two airstrikes destroyed a building and left 16 people dead—among them seven children and three women—hospital officials at Al-Shifa said. Israeli strikes in Lebanon and Gaza leave dozens dead Hamas condemned the attacks, calling them a “horrific massacre,” and denied firing at Israeli soldiers. Grief across Gaza At Nasser Hospital, large crowds gathered to perform funeral prayers for the victims. Women cried over bodies wrapped in white shrouds. Abir Abu Moustapha lost her three children—ages 1, 11 and 12—and her husband when their tent was struck on Wednesday. She knelt beside their bodies as they were prepared for burial. “My children are gone. What can I possibly say? And my husband, the dearest to me. May God have mercy on them,” she said. “What did my children ever do? Why did they have to die in front of me?” The Israeli military said the strikes were aimed at two Hamas members: a commander in the group’s naval forces and another responsible for overseeing tunnels in the Khan Younis area. Ceasefire under strain Hospital officials said victims came from both sides of the division created by last month’s ceasefire, which split Gaza and placed roughly half of the territory under military control. The escalation followed the U.N. Security Council’s endorsement of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza’s governance and security. The proposal includes an international security force, a transitional governing body, and a pathway toward potential Palestinian statehood. Hamas rejected the plan, arguing that the mandate—particularly the requirement of disarmament—undermines the force’s neutrality and aligns it with Israel. Although Israeli strikes have decreased since the ceasefire began, they have not fully stopped. Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not separate civilian from combatant deaths, reports more than 300 fatalities since the truce started. Both Israel and Hamas accuse each other of violating the agreement, which includes increasing humanitarian aid deliveries and returning hostages—living or dead—to Israel. Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 69,000 Palestinians since it began more than two years ago in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 assault on southern Israel, which left about 1,200 people dead and 251 kidnapped. The ministry’s casualty figures are considered credible by the U.N. and many independent experts. Under the Oct. 10 ceasefire, Hamas released the remaining 20 living hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees. It has also returned the bodies of 25 deceased hostages and is expected to hand over three more. Released Israeli hostage alleges sexual abuse An Israeli hostage freed in the ceasefire deal said he was sexually assaulted while being held by Hamas. Guy Gilboa-Dalal told Israel’s Channel 12 that after being allowed to shower, a captor forced him into a room, threw him onto a chair while he was naked, and molested him. “I froze,” he said. “I told him, ‘This is forbidden in Islam.’ But he put a rifle to my head and a knife to my throat and warned me not to tell anyone.” Channel 12 will broadcast the full interview on Saturday. Hamas officials have not yet responded to the allegation. Another released hostage, Rom Braslavski, also reported sexual abuse. Palestinians freed from Israeli prisons after being taken from Gaza during the war have described being stripped to their underwear, beaten by guards, subjected to sexual abuse, restrained for days—sometimes leading to infections and amputations—and denied adequate food and medical treatment.

Leaders from the Group of 20 countries will meet for a summit in South Africa this weekend without any U.S. representatives after President Donald Trump announced a boycott over his widely rejected claims that the host country is persecuting its Afrikaner white minority. Trump's decision to pull the United States — and himself — out of the talks in Johannesburg is likely to undermine the first G20 leaders' meeting in Africa, as well as South Africa's aim to push for progress on issues affecting poor countries, such as the impact of climate change, the cost of green energy transition and spiraling sovereign debt levels. Chinese leader Xi Jinping also won't attend as he cuts back on international travel, meaning the heads of the world's two biggest economies will skip a meeting meant to bring developed and developing countries together to tackle pressing global issues. A bridge between rich and developing nations The G20 is a group of 19 countries that includes the richest but also the top developing economies in the world. The European Union and the African Union, which joined in 2023, are also members, making it now a group of 21. It was formed in 1999 and unlike the Group of Seven, which only includes the richest democracies, it offers some developing countries a forum to raise their problems. Its focus is the global economy and international development, though it has no charter or permanent secretariat — unlike organizations such as the United Nations. It also doesn't issue binding decisions and critics say there's no meaningful mechanism for it to put words into action. The G20 often struggles to reach real consensus because of the different interests of the big powers like the U.S., China and Russia, as well as those of Western European nations. The leaders of the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund typically attend G20 summits as guests. The US boycott Trump has claimed that white Afrikaner farmers in South Africa are being killed and that their land is being seized, calling it a disgrace that South Africa is hosting the summit and saying it should be thrown out of the G20. The South African government and others, including some Afrikaners themselves, have rejected Trump's claims of racial persecution as misinformation. South Africa has been a target for Trump since he returned to office at the start of the year, with his administration casting the country as anti-American because of its diplomatic ties with China, Russia and Iran. The U.S. will take over the rotating presidency of the G20 from South Africa and while the world's biggest economy will boycott the talks, a representative from the U.S. Embassy in South Africa will attend a formal handover ceremony at the end of the summit, a White House official said. The main issues The country holding the G20 presidency gets to set the agenda for the annual summit. South Africa wants climate change and disaster relief, financing green energy transition, easing debt levels for poor countries and addressing global inequality to be priorities for the two-day meeting. It says climatic disasters such as drought, floods and cyclones are having a devastating effect on countries that cannot afford to rebuild and is calling for more help from the global community. South Africa has proposed that G20 leaders set up an independent international panel on global wealth inequality, similar to the U.N.-appointed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. That followed a report commissioned by South Africa for the summit and led by Nobel Prize-winning American economist Joseph Stiglitz that concluded the world is facing an "inequality emergency." G20 summits have traditionally attracted protests, and a counter summit was organized this week in another part of Johannesburg by groups critical of the G20 and what they called “a global economic system rigged in favor of elites and billionaires.” The summit also is an opportunity for closed-door bilateral meetings. New trade deals are likely to figure in the discussions in the wake of the Trump administration's tariffs that have impacted the global economy. Absent leaders Trump and Xi are the highest profile absentees, although China has sent a government delegation led by Premier Li Qiang. Russian President Vladimir Putin also is not attending but Russia will be represented by a low-level delegation led by Maxim Oreshkin, deputy chief of staff of the Russian presidential executive office. Putin faces an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court over Russia’s war in Ukraine that obliges South Africa, a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the court, to arrest him if he sets foot on its territory. Argentina's President Javier Milei is also to skip the summit in solidarity with his ally Trump. “If you boycott an event or a process, you are the greatest loser because the show will go on,” Ramaphosa said of Trump's decision not to attend. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer say they will attend the summit.

A fire briefly spread through pavilions being used for U.N. climate talks in Brazil and prompted evacuations Thursday on the next-to-last day of the conference, and officials said 13 people were treated for smoke inhalation. Organizers said the fire was controlled in about six minutes. Fire officials ordered the evacuation of the entire site for the conference, known as COP30, and it wasn't clear when the talks would resume. Brazil’s Tourism Minister Celso Sabino told journalists at the scene that the fire started near the China Pavilion, which was among several pavilions set up for events on the sidelines of the climate talks. The fire quickly spread to neighboring pavilions, said Samuel Rubin, one of the people in charge of an entertainment and culture pavilion. He said nearby pavilions include many of the Africa pavilions and one aimed at youth. Video showed huge flames in one of the pavilions, which are reinforced canvas or fabric structures that typically have three walls and a floor. Para state Gov. Helder Barbalho told local news outlet G1 that a generator failure or a short circuit in a booth may have started the fire.

The COP30 UN climate talks in Belém were evacuated on Wednesday after a fire broke out inside the main venue, sending hundreds of delegates outdoors in intense heat and humidity. BBC reporters saw flames and smoke rising from a pavilion area before emergency teams moved people outside and fire engines rushed in. A section of the venue’s outer covering was burned through as orange flames spread, and video footage showed a man trying to put out the fire with an extinguisher before running away. The Brazilian government said the fire has been brought under control and no injuries have been reported so far. The cause is still unknown, though one eyewitness told the BBC he believed it started from an electrical fault. Delegates were seen sitting on the ground and on plastic chairs outside the former aerodrome that hosts the summit. A woman was taken away in a wheelchair, but it remains unclear if her condition was linked to the fire. Members of several country delegations had to take shelter under the roof of a nearby petrol station. A UK delegate told the BBC that the fire halted ongoing negotiations. The UN said firefighters are inspecting the venue to assess safety and that Brazilian authorities have temporarily taken charge of the site. Thousands of participants from nearly 200 countries are attending COP30 to negotiate progress on global climate action. The UN has been asked for more details about the cause of the fire and any possible impact on the summit’s schedule.   Source: BBC

European leaders on Thursday emphasized that Ukraine and European countries must be consulted on any efforts to end Russia’s invasion, amid reports of a proposed U.S.-Russia peace plan that could require major concessions from Kyiv. The plan, first reported by Axios, reportedly includes granting Russia control over parts of eastern Ukraine, rolling back some U.S. military assistance, and other territorial concessions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly rejected ceding territory. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said, “For any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans on board.” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul echoed the stance, stressing that all ceasefire and peace negotiations must involve Ukraine and Europe. U.S. officials, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, visited Kyiv Thursday to advance diplomatic efforts, while White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller highlighted President Trump’s goal to achieve peace in Europe. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no formal consultations with the U.S. are currently underway. European diplomats have expressed concern over being excluded from peace talks and criticized Russia for continuing attacks on civilian infrastructure. Kallas condemned the recent strike on Ternopil that killed 26 people, saying Moscow could have agreed to an unconditional ceasefire earlier. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski underscored Europe’s role, stating that as the main supporter of Ukraine, it expects to be fully consulted on any peace efforts.  

Pakistani troops stormed two Pakistani Taliban hideouts in the country’s northwest near the Afghan frontier, sparking heavy gun battles that resulted in the deaths of 23 militants, the military announced Thursday. The statement provided no information regarding any military casualties. The operations were carried out Wednesday in the Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and followed earlier raids this week across the northwest that the army says left 38 militants dead. The military referred to the militants killed as “Khawarij,” a term used by Pakistani authorities for fighters they claim receive support from Afghanistan and India — including members of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Kabul and New Delhi reject these allegations. The TTP, while distinct from Afghanistan’s Taliban, maintains close ties with the group and has grown more assertive since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021. Many of the group’s leaders and members are believed to be based in safe havens across the Afghan border, contributing to rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Islamabad has repeatedly called on Kabul to curb TTP activities. A ceasefire between the two countries has been mostly intact since October 19, when Qatar mediated a truce after both sides exchanged fire at border checkpoints. The flare-up began when Afghanistan accused Pakistan of launching drone strikes in Kabul on October 9 that killed several people. Border crossings between the two nations have remained closed since last month.  

Haiti spent nearly two tense hours in collective anticipation as the nation’s hardships momentarily slipped from view with the prospect of returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1974. For a brief moment, the ongoing violence, hunger, and displacement were overshadowed when Louicius Deedson struck in the ninth minute against Nicaragua on Tuesday, followed by a Ruben Providence header just before the break. The 2-0 victory secured Haiti only its second World Cup appearance in history. Shouts in Haitian Creole of “Grenadye, alaso!” filled the country's streets, homes and makeshift shelters as fans urged their team, the Grenadiers, to attack. Haiti didn’t just need a win over Nicaragua; it wanted to prove that despite the multiple crises weighing the country down, it could still pull through and hold its head high like it has throughout its troubled history. “It means more than just a win. It is hope, it is unity at a time when the country faces so many challenges,” said Pierre Jean-Jacques, a 25-year-old mechanic who watched the game at home. “I was fully focused. My heart was racing.” After the match, he joined thousands of fans who bounced late into the night through streets normally empty at that hour out of fear of being killed or kidnapped. “This victory brings a moment of joy,” he said. “I’m proud. I believe we can rise together.” Tuesday night's win coincided with the 222nd anniversary of the historic Battle of Vertières, which helped Haiti become the world’s first Black republic. “They couldn’t have chosen a better date for our warriors to go to the World Cup,” said Vladimir Dorvale, 18, who had a small Haitian flag tied around his neck and was walking briskly to a friend's house to talk about the game. But the odds were against Haiti, where euphoria remained high on Wednesday. The team played all their home games in the tiny Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao because it was too dangerous to do so in Haiti, where armed gangs control up to 90% of its capital, Port-au-Prince. Their coach, Sébastien Migné, told France Football magazine that he remotely managed certain players who were in Haiti. He couldn't fly to the country where gang violence has shut down the main international airport several times. When Deedson knocked the first ball in, gunfire erupted in André Michaud's neighborhood, startling the 23-year-old student who watched the game at a bar near his house because it had a generator and the power was out again. “I didn’t know if the gangs had invaded,” he said, adding that he settled down after realizing it was celebratory. “All my life, I’ve been supporting other teams in the World Cup: Brazil, Argentina,” he said. “Now, I can finally support my country. I'm hopeful that Haiti can go far." Shortly after the victory, a joyful crowd marched through the narrow streets of one neighborhood under the rain, playing music and chanting, “Haiti has qualified! We don’t have a state!” in reference to the deep political instability rocking Haiti. Thousands of other fans danced through the streets of Pétionville late into the night. When gunfire erupted briefly during the celebration, the crowd raised its hands and cheered. Such noise normally scatters people in a country where more than 4,300 were killed from January to September. “I hope you guys are going to enjoy it. It’s not finished. It’s just the start,” forward Duckens Nazon said after the game in a video posted online. “There are many people who didn’t believe in us, but us, we believe in us.”

A 12-year-old diagnosed with lupus found himself soaring through the air on a high-ropes course at a New York sleepaway camp — something his family once thought he could never safely experience. Dylan Aristy Mota took part in the camp after doctors assured his mother that medical staff would be present throughout the program. The setup gave him a rare chance to enjoy a normal childhood experience without fear. “It’s really fun,” Dylan said. He added that knowing doctors were nearby gave him peace of mind: “If anything else pops up, they can catch it faster than if we had to wait til we got home.” Autoimmune diseases such as lupus, myositis and certain forms of arthritis — in which the immune system attacks the body instead of protecting it — are typically associated with adults. But specialists say children can develop them too, though cases are less common than Type 1 diabetes. “People often ask, ‘Can kids have arthritis? Can kids have lupus?’” said Dr Natalia Vasquez-Canizares, a pediatric rheumatologist at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, which partnered with Frost Valley YMCA to help young patients attend a traditional summer camp despite strict medication schedules and parents’ anxieties. “Imagine for an adult, it’s difficult. If you have that disease since you’re young, it’s very difficult to, you know, cope with,” she said. The illnesses can be especially severe when they strike before puberty, and strong genetic factors are often involved. While environmental stresses like infections can trigger autoimmune disorders at any age, genes play a larger role when the disease begins early in life, said Dr Laura Lewandowski of the National Institutes of Health. In children, symptoms can be subtle. Some may limp or return to crawling rather than complain about joint pain, Vasquez-Canizares said. Dylan said he had looked “normal” before his symptoms appeared. Then, “my face turned like the bright pink, and it started to like get more and more red,” he said. His family initially thought it was allergies, and he went through multiple appointments before being diagnosed with lupus in January. Treatment is complicated for young patients. Drugs that control inflammation weaken developing immune systems that are still learning to fight infections. Some medicines can also affect bone growth. Researchers are working on better options. Seattle Children’s Hospital recently launched the first clinical trial of CAR-T therapy for pediatric lupus. The treatment reprograms a patient’s own immune cells to destroy harmful B cells. Trials in adults with lupus and other autoimmune diseases have shown early signs of long-term, drug-free remission. Another promising area of study involves preventing a rare but serious fetal heart defect caused by specific antibodies found in lupus, Sjögren’s and other autoimmune diseases. Dr Jill Buyon at NYU Langone Health is testing whether a drug used for another condition can protect babies at risk. The antibody can cross the placenta at a critical stage of heart development and disrupt normal rhythm. Some existing treatments reduce the risk but cannot fully prevent it. Buyon’s team recently reported the healthy birth of a girl to a mother with mild lupus. “This is a rare example where we know the exact point in time at which this is going to happen,” said Dr Philip Carlucci, an NYU rheumatology fellow and study co-author. Kelsey Kim, who previously lost a baby to the condition and had another child who needed a pacemaker, chose the experimental treatment during her latest pregnancy. Her third daughter was born healthy in June after she made weekly trips from northern Virginia to NYU for about three months. Buyon’s team plans a clinical trial to expand access to other high-risk mothers. At the New York camp, the main goal for doctors was to help children feel like kids again after months or years of strict medication routines. “I do kind of get to forget about it,” said 11-year-old Ethan Blanchfield-Killeen, who lives with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, a childhood version of rheumatoid arthritis that causes stiff and painful joints. During camp, a doctor checked his hands one day. On another, he ran across the grass covered in paint during a spirited game of paint tag. “Just seeing them in a different perspective almost brings tears to my eyes,” said Vasquez-Canizares.