Afghanistan says children among four killed in latest attacks by Pakistan

                                                                            An overnight Pakistani shelling attack in eastern Afghanistan has tragically killed four people, including three children, marking a grim escalation in the ongoing cross-border conflict now entering its third consecutive week. Afghan officials reported separate incidents in Khost and Nuristan provinces, confirming a woman and three children died amidst the intensified fighting, which has claimed at least 18 civilian lives in the past week alone. The World Food Programme is mobilizing urgent aid for over 20,000 displaced families, with its country director warning that further instability could plunge millions deeper into hunger. Tensions, fueled by accusations of harboring militants and retaliatory strikes, prompted China to mediate between the two nations, urging an immediate ceasefire to de-escalate the volatile situation.