Afghanistan’s Health Ministry says widespread malnutrition is leading to a surge of premature births and infant deaths. The ministry estimates that, since January, more than 13,000 newborn babies have died from malnutrition and hunger-related diseases. That’s more than six infant deaths per hour. Some 3.5 million children need nutritional support, and 95% of Afghanistan’s population does not have enough to eat. Human Rights Watch says U.S.-led sanctions are impairing Afghans’ basic human rights to life, food, healthcare and jobs. The group says Afghanistan urgently needs a functioning banking system to address its hunger crisis, with U.S. sanctions on Afghanistan’s central bank making large transactions impossible.