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Israel-Gaza war live: Children and elderly dying from starvation, minister warns, as 16 people killed in overnight strikes

Israel-Gaza war live: Children and elderly dying from starvation, minister warns, as 16 people killed in overnight strikes

The Guardian23-05-2025

Update:
Date:
Title: Children and elderly dying from starvation, minister says, as trickle of aid allowed into Gaza after Israeli blockade
Content: We are continuing our live coverage of the latest developments in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Israel's war on Gaza.
UN teams have reportedly collected over 90 lorry loads of aid inside Gaza, containing flour, baby food and medical equipment. Some bakeries started making bread with the flour on Thursday.
Other aid has started reaching some of Gaza's most vulnerable areas, but the level is totally inadequate for the needs of Gaza's 2.1 million population.
Charities have warned that much of the population have been brought to the brink of famine due to the effects of the total Israeli blockade on aid, imposed in early March, which was only eased earlier this week amid mounting international pressure.
The blockade, which Israel says was to pressure Hamas into releasing more hostages, is widely seen as the collective punishment of the civilian population and a breach of international law.
Palestinian Red Crescent President Younis Al-Khatib said yesterday that many trucks were still at the border at the Karem Shalom crossing.
About 500 lorries entered Gaza on average every day before the war, and there continues to be significant shortages of basic foods and inflated prices, with medics warning that malnutrition is spreading across the territory.
Palestinian Authority health minister Majed Abu Ramadan said yesterday that 29 children and elderly people had died from 'starvation-related' causes in the last couple of days.
Asked to react to comments made by the UN's humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, on Tuesday that 14,000 babies could die without aid, he said: 'The number 14,000 is very realistic may be even underestimating (the scale)'.
Gaza's civil defence agency, meanwhile, said Israeli airstrikes have killed 16 people across the territory since midnight, as the Israeli military's renewed assault continues despite western allies' denouncements.
Update:
Date: 2025-05-23T07:05:47.000Z
Title: Cindy McCain
Content: , the executive director of the UN's World Food Programme, has expressed a cautious sense of 'hope' as she confirmed that a 'handful' of bakeries are back in operation after the Israeli aid blockade on Gaza was eased to a bare minimum level.
'We need more wheat flour, more fuel, more safe access—so more ovens can fire back up to feed families desperately in need,' McCain wrote in a post on X.
This is what hope looks like in Gaza.A handful of @WFP-supported bakeries are back in operation.But we need more wheat flour, more fuel, more safe access—so more ovens can fire back up to feed families desperately in need. pic.twitter.com/FvfkBO6kb2
Update:
Date: 2025-05-23T07:00:15.000Z
Title: Children and elderly dying from starvation, minister says, as trickle of aid allowed into Gaza after Israeli blockade
Content: We are continuing our live coverage of the latest developments in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Israel's war on Gaza.
UN teams have reportedly collected over 90 lorry loads of aid inside Gaza, containing flour, baby food and medical equipment. Some bakeries started making bread with the flour on Thursday.
Other aid has started reaching some of Gaza's most vulnerable areas, but the level is totally inadequate for the needs of Gaza's 2.1 million population.
Charities have warned that much of the population have been brought to the brink of famine due to the effects of the total Israeli blockade on aid, imposed in early March, which was only eased earlier this week amid mounting international pressure.
The blockade, which Israel says was to pressure Hamas into releasing more hostages, is widely seen as the collective punishment of the civilian population and a breach of international law.
Palestinian Red Crescent President Younis Al-Khatib said yesterday that many trucks were still at the border at the Karem Shalom crossing.
About 500 lorries entered Gaza on average every day before the war, and there continues to be significant shortages of basic foods and inflated prices, with medics warning that malnutrition is spreading across the territory.
Palestinian Authority health minister Majed Abu Ramadan said yesterday that 29 children and elderly people had died from 'starvation-related' causes in the last couple of days.
Asked to react to comments made by the UN's humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, on Tuesday that 14,000 babies could die without aid, he said: 'The number 14,000 is very realistic may be even underestimating (the scale)'.
Gaza's civil defence agency, meanwhile, said Israeli airstrikes have killed 16 people across the territory since midnight, as the Israeli military's renewed assault continues despite western allies' denouncements.

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Thought couscous was healthy? It's not much better than pasta – here's what to have instead
Thought couscous was healthy? It's not much better than pasta – here's what to have instead

Telegraph

time5 hours ago

  • Telegraph

Thought couscous was healthy? It's not much better than pasta – here's what to have instead

The easy cooking method of couscous, and its small size, also means that it's much easier to control the portion and avoid overeating. An 80g serving is about right, and fairly generous when mixed into a salad or served as a side to lean protein, says Hope. Fresh pasta has some benefits that you won't find in couscous, however. 'Fresh pasta contains egg, so there are some extra nutrients there, like B12 and choline,' says Hope. Couscous will still be 'slightly higher in fibre and protein', however, making it 'a really great choice for people who are trying to get their protein from a mostly plant-based diet'. You might also have couscous as a stand-in for rice, particularly if you're a fan of African foods or middle-eastern dishes. ' Whole rice (also known as brown rice) is much better than couscous, as it's less refined and higher in fibre,' Hope says, 'but I would recommend couscous as a substitute for white rice,' she adds. What are the different kinds of couscous – and which is healthiest? Just as you'll find wholewheat and white pasta on supermarket shelves, there exists wholewheat couscous too. 'Wholewheat couscous is less processed and contains more micronutrients, so I'd recommend that people have it instead of white couscous if they can find it,' Hope says. It can be cooked and used in exactly the same way as normal couscous and tastes much the same too, as well as having the same texture. Giant pearl couscous is likely worse for your health, however. It's 'somewhere between really big couscous and really small pasta,' says Hope. For the health benefits 'I'd recommend you just stick with standard couscous, if you're looking to have one or the other'. The nutritional breakdown of standard couscous White couscous Per 100g serving: 112 calories 4g protein 1g fibre It's not all that bad for us – 'and variety is important too, for your gut and for the sake of making sure that you're satisfied with your diet,' says Trotman. 'But couscous is just not as healthy as real grains.' What to have instead of couscous Nutritionists like Hope and Trotman love real whole grains because they are high in fibre, high in protein, and minimally processed, making them brilliant for our guts and energy levels. The micronutrients in the many different kinds of whole grain also make them great for our health overall. All nutritional information is per 100g cooked. Amaranth 102 calories, 3.8g of protein, 2.1g of fibre Amaranth is the grain that's most visually similar to couscous. It's rich in an amino acid called lysine, 'which is good for your immune system,' says Trotman. It is slightly lower in protein than couscous, but is higher in fibre 'and is gluten-free too'. Soak and cook and add to soups, stews or salads. Quinoa 120 calories, 4.4g of protein, 2.8g of fibre It might be notoriously trickier to cook well than couscous, but quinoa has a higher payoff when it comes to protein, packing twice the punch for the same cooked weight in grams. What's more, 'quinoa is a complete source of protein, meaning that it contains all of the essential amino acids that you need to be healthy, whereas couscous doesn't,' says Trotman – which is rare for plant-based foods, making it all the more worth eating. Cook it, let it cool and serve with salad or roasted colourful veg. Buckwheat 118kcal, 4.3g protein, 2.1g fibre Like quinoa, buckwheat is rich in fibre, and it also contains flavonoids such as rutin, which 'has been shown to support heart health and circulation', says Trotman. Aside from that, it's also a rich source of fibre and protein. Add to soups or stews to pump up the nutrition or wash and simmer and add to salads. Bulgur wheat 151 calories, 5.6g of protein, 8.2g fibre Best known to us in the form of tabbouleh, bulgur wheat is easily cooked and as versatile as couscous, too. 'It's much more rich in both fibre and protein,' Trotman adds. Brown couscous 170 calories, 6g protein, 2g fibre Brown couscous is the one to have if you still need a couscous fix. It contains more protein and fibre per serving than white couscous, but also slightly more calories. Still, Trotman would recommend it over the white kind. Brown rice 133 calories, 3.3g of protein, 1.8g fibre Though brown rice 'doesn't have as much protein or as much fibre as other grains, it's very nutritionally dense,' Trotman says, containing 'a good amount of magnesium and some plant-based iron too'. She recommends it over couscous and certainly over white rice. Brown pasta 124 calories, 5g protein, 3g fibre Brown pasta is better than white, because it contains more fibre and more micronutrients than white, says Trotman. White pasta 158 calories, 5.8g protein, 2.2g fibre 'There isn't really much difference between white pasta and couscous nutritionally,' says Trotman. Pasta may be more satiating but is also easy to wolf down in large quantities when covered in a delicious sauce. 'It might not be the most nutritious, but it is also important not to deprive yourself of the foods you enjoy and eat a varied diet in general.' Healthy ways to eat couscous Couscous can still be a really healthy food to include in your diet, says Hope, though she recommends that you 'avoid cooking it in high-salt stock'. It's not something to be eaten every day, she believes, 'but there's no problem with having it regularly, especially in place of pasta or white rice, and variety is also really important when it comes to eating well'. Serve with a variety of vegetables to ramp up the fibre content (kale, broccoli and cauliflower are great sources) and try adding spices like paprika or cumin, and plenty of herbs or citrus zest in place of too much salt. Recipes

Critically ill patients with sepsis more likely to survive when given statins
Critically ill patients with sepsis more likely to survive when given statins

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timea day ago

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Critically ill patients with sepsis more likely to survive when given statins

Research indicates that critically ill sepsis patients who receive statins may have a higher chance of survival. A study of 6,000 sepsis patients given statins showed 14.3 per cent died within 28 days, compared to 23.4 per cent of 6,000 patients who did not receive statins, equating to a 39% reduced risk of death. The study, conducted using data from a hospital in Israel between 2008 and 2019, also found lower mortality rates in intensive care and overall hospital stays for statin users. Dr. Caifeng Li, the study's corresponding author, suggested that statins may offer a protective effect and improve outcomes for sepsis patients. Dr. Ron Daniels, founder and chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust, supports calls for larger trials to confirm the findings, noting the potential survival benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties of statins.

This common prescription drug could reduce deaths by sepsis, study finds
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Critically ill patients with sepsis who are given statins may be more likely to survive, new research suggests. Researchers set out to explore whether the cholesterol-busting drugs may bring additional benefits for patients. The new study examined information on sepsis patients who received statins during a stint in intensive care and compared it with patients in a similar situation who did not receive statins. Some 14.3 per cent of 6,000 sepsis patients who were given statins died within 28 days. This is compared with 23.4 per cent of 6,000 patients who did not receive statin therapy. The research team from China said that this equates to a 39 per cent reduced risk of death within a month. The research, based on data from thousands of patients at a hospital in Israel between 2008 and 2019, also found that 7.4 per cent of statin patients died while in the intensive care unit compared with 13.6 per cent of those who did not receive statins. And during their overall hospital stay, some 11.5 per cent of sepsis patients who were given statins died, compared with 19.1 per cent of sepsis patients who did not take statins. However, it appeared that those who were not prescribed statins had a slightly shorter hospital stay compared with those who did receive them – an average of eight days compared with almost 10 days. 'We found that statin users exhibited decreased 28-day all-cause mortality,' the authors wrote in the journal Frontiers in Immunology. Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection that occurs when the immune system overreacts and starts to damage the body's tissues and organs. In the UK, 245,000 people are affected by sepsis every year. UK sepsis experts said that 'anything which might reduce the burden of a condition which claims one in five lives worldwide needs to be rigorously explored' as they called for larger trials to confirm the findings. Statins are known as cholesterol-busting drugs because they can help lower the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood. But experts said that they also have other benefits, including reducing inflammation and antibacterial effects. The research team called for larger trials to confirm their findings. 'Our large, matched cohort study found that treatment with statins was associated with a 39 per cent lower death rate for critically ill patients with sepsis, when measured over 28 days after hospital admission,' said Dr Caifeng Li, the study's corresponding author and an associate professor at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital in China. 'These results strongly suggest that statins may provide a protective effect and improve clinical outcomes for patients with sepsis.' Commenting on the study, Dr Ron Daniels, founder and chief executive of the UK Sepsis Trust, said: 'It has been known for some time that the anti-inflammatory properties of statins confer a survival benefit on those who take them if they develop sepsis. 'Whilst previous studies have failed to show a similar survival benefit in treating people with sepsis with statins, this new study supports calls for a large, multi-country, randomised control trial. 'Anything which might reduce the burden of a condition which claims one in five lives worldwide needs to be rigorously explored.'

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