BUDAPEST, April 2, 2016 (Xinhua) -- The Statue of Liberty lights up in blue to mark the World Autism Awareness Day in Budapest, Hungary, April 2, 2016. (Xinhua/Csaba Domotor)

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Top UN officials call for inclusive societies to help people with autism

UNITED NATIONS, April 1 (Xinhua) -- On the eve of the World Autism Awareness Day, top UN officials on Friday highlighted the contributions to humanity by people with autism, noting that shunning them is a "violation of human rights" and a "waste of human potential."

Addressing a commemorative event Friday morning, UN General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft stressed that "autism and other forms of disability are part of the human experience that contributes to human diversity."  Full story

Premature babies run greater risk of developing autism: research

STOCKHOLM, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Babies born very prematurely run a significantly higher risk of developing autism than those who are born after a full pregnancy, Swedish researchers said on Monday.

Babies who exit the womb 13 weeks or more ahead of schedule are more likely to have developed signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by the time they reach six years of age, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm said in a statement.  Full story