According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), over 650 million children are living in conditions of extreme poverty. Releasing the report, UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy said: "Contrary to what the world might expect, the poor are getting poorer, the number of poor is increasing, and the disparity between rich and poor has never been greater." The estimate is based on statistics released by the World Bank in its latest report on World Development Indicators which show that more than 1.3 billion people currently live on less than $1 a day, and a further 2 billion are only marginally better off. UNICEF says children account for at least 50 per cent of the total number of poor people. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]