Latest news with #Najjar
Int'l Business Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Palestinian Mother 'Destroyed' After Image Used To Deny Gaza Starvation
Palestinian-Canadian Faiza Najjar was able to leave Gaza last year, but could not bring her four adult daughters with her. She watched from a distance as food shortages in the territory worsened. From Canada, where she lives with her six other children, Najjar pursued a months-long effort to get those she had left out of Gaza. She finally embraced her daughters and seven grandchildren when they arrived at Toronto's airport last month. But when clips of the emotional reunion were posted on social media, pro-Israeli accounts mocked her physical appearance saying it disproved claims of starvation in Gaza. "As a mother it just destroyed me," Najjar, 50, told AFP. Najjar did not claim that she went hungry while in Gaza. But as recently as this past weekend a post viewed more than 300,000 times across multiple platforms ridiculed her, erroneously implying she had just left Gaza. "Did you see what that woman looked like?" the poster said, pointing out Najjar does not look undernourished. United Nations agencies have warned that famine was unfolding in Gaza, with Israel severely restricting the entry of aid. Images of sick and emaciated Palestinian children have drawn international outrage. The allegation has been denied by Israel. "There is no starvation in Gaza," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last month. The ridicule Najjar faced is part of a broader trend. Israeli anchors on the country's right-wing Channel 14 -- sometimes described as the Hebrew Fox News -- have laughed at "obese" mothers, alleging they steal their children's food. For Najjar, the fact that her family's reunion got caught up in a misinformation campaign was devastating. "After all the suffering, and losing everything, and nearly dying, some people still had the heart to mock them," she said, referring to her family. "My daughters lived there and their children went to sleep bombs outside their tents," Najjar said. Pro-Israeli commentators online also focused on her grandchildren's apparently healthy appearance. Najjar told AFP they received medical treatment, including renourishment, at a hospital in Jordan before flying to Canada. Mert Can Bayar, a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for an Informed Public at the University of Washington, said the posts targeting Najjar are "just one little piece" of a misleading online narrative. Toronto's Mayor Olivia Chow removed a video she had posted on Instagram in which she welcomed arriving Palestinians because of abusive comments directed at the family. Comments on Chow's video also cited the family's physical appearance to broadly dismiss claims of starvation in Gaza. X's chatbot Grok also misidentified a 2025 AFP photo of an emaciated child in Gaza, incorrectly saying it was taken in Yemen seven years ago, fuelling further claims that reports of starvation in Gaza have been fabricated. Valerie Wirtschafter, a fellow at the Brookings Institution think-tank, said the claims were reminiscent of falsehoods that emerged weeks into the war alleging Palestinians had posed as so-called crisis actors and staged their injuries. Wirtschafter said the hoax narrative "deflects from the real humanitarian harms that are happening right now." Israel's offensive has killed at least 61,430 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, figures the United Nations deems reliable. Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the war, resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Forty-nine of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. When Najjar left Gaza last year, her daughters -- all in their 20s -- did not have Canadian citizenship. With the family separated, she lived with crippling fear at the prospect of receiving word that they had been killed. While her daughters now have citizenship and are in Canada with their children, her sons-in-law remain in Gaza, where the UN's Integrated Food Security Phase Classification says "widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths." "I just want the world to know the crisis is real," Najjar told AFP. "Denial is deadly." People make their way along al-Rashid street in western Jabalia on July 22, 2025, after receiving humanitarian aid from an aid distribution point in the northern Gaza Strip AFP
France 24
6 days ago
- Health
- France 24
Palestinian mother 'destroyed' after image used to deny Gaza starvation
From Canada, where she lives with her six other children, Najjar pursued a months-long effort to get those she had left out of Gaza. She finally embraced her daughters and seven grandchildren when they arrived at Toronto's airport last month. But when clips of the emotional reunion were posted on social media, pro-Israeli accounts mocked her physical appearance saying it disproved claims of starvation in Gaza. "As a mother it just destroyed me," Najjar, 50, told AFP. Najjar did not claim that she went hungry while in Gaza. But as recently as this past weekend a post viewed more than 300,000 times across multiple platforms ridiculed her, erroneously implying she had just left Gaza. "Did you see what that woman looked like?" the poster said, pointing out Najjar does not look undernourished. United Nations agencies have warned that famine was unfolding in Gaza, with Israel severely restricting the entry of aid. Images of sick and emaciated Palestinian children have drawn international outrage. The allegation has been denied by Israel. "There is no starvation in Gaza," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last month. The ridicule Najjar faced is part of a broader trend. Israeli anchors on the country's right-wing Channel 14 -- sometimes described as the Hebrew Fox News -- have laughed at "obese" mothers, alleging they steal their children's food. For Najjar, the fact that her family's reunion got caught up in a misinformation campaign was devastating. "After all the suffering, and losing everything, and nearly dying, some people still had the heart to mock them," she said, referring to her family. "My daughters lived there and their children went to sleep bombs outside their tents," Najjar said. Pro-Israeli commentators online also focused on her grandchildren's apparently healthy appearance. Najjar told AFP they received medical treatment, including renourishment, at a hospital in Jordan before flying to Canada. Deflecting attention Mert Can Bayar, a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for an Informed Public at the University of Washington, said the posts targeting Najjar are "just one little piece" of a misleading online narrative. Toronto's Mayor Olivia Chow removed a video she had posted on Instagram in which she welcomed arriving Palestinians because of abusive comments directed at the family. Comments on Chow's video also cited the family's physical appearance to broadly dismiss claims of starvation in Gaza. X's chatbot Grok also misidentified a 2025 AFP photo of an emaciated child in Gaza, incorrectly saying it was taken in Yemen seven years ago, fuelling further claims that reports of starvation in Gaza have been fabricated. Valerie Wirtschafter, a fellow at the Brookings Institution think-tank, said the claims were reminiscent of falsehoods that emerged weeks into the war alleging Palestinians had posed as so-called crisis actors and staged their injuries. Wirtschafter said the hoax narrative "deflects from the real humanitarian harms that are happening right now." 'Denial' Israel's offensive has killed at least 61,430 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, figures the United Nations deems reliable. Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the war, resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Forty-nine of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. When Najjar left Gaza last year, her daughters -- all in their 20s -- did not have Canadian citizenship. With the family separated, she lived with crippling fear at the prospect of receiving word that they had been killed. While her daughters now have citizenship and are in Canada with their children, her sons-in-law remain in Gaza, where the UN's Integrated Food Security Phase Classification says "widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths." "I just want the world to know the crisis is real," Najjar told AFP. "Denial is deadly."
The Irish Sun
10-07-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
The ‘quiet hero' 2p supplement that could help fight cancer and boost weight loss – plus 5 other health benefits
A SINGLE pill to fix all ailments sounds like the Holy Grail of medicine - and while it doesn't quite exist yet, the good news is one comes pretty close. The supplement, best known for its crucial role in bone health, has been linked to a wide variety of other health benefits - from hay fever to weight loss and boosting your mood. 5 Vitamin D, best known for its vital role in bone health, could also benefit mental health, weight loss, and stave off colds and flu Credit: Getty Often hailed as the 'sunshine vitamin', Dr Asia Ahmed, GP and "You could say it's a 'quiet hero'. "It supports everything from bone strength and immunity to muscle function and mood, yet many people just don't get enough. "Vitamin D is definitely one of the most important vitamins to take. Because we make vitamin D through sunlight exposure, and the sun isn't strong enough in the winter, deficiency is very common. "That's why it's one of the few supplements the NHS recommends everyone consider during the colder months." It costs as little as 2.2p per pill from high-street pharmacies. From boosting mental health to aiding weight loss and the immune system, our experts share all the health benefits of vitamin D you need to know about. Bone health Vitamin D is vital when it comes to maintaining healthy teeth, muscles and bones. It also helps our bodies absorb other nutrients - mainly increasing the amount of calcium and phosphate the gut can absorb from food into the bloodstream. To supplement or not- The top 10 vitamins and minerals that are vital for health - and the best sources for each one At the same time, it prevents calcium from being lost from the kidneys, which is why a vitamin D deficiency can impact bone health. Not getting enough vitamin D can lead to serious bone-related conditions, says Dr Mohammad, Najjar, Medical Director of He warned: "Not getting enough vitamin D can negatively impact bone health causing "In older people, a lack of vitamin D can contribute towards Infection resistance 5 Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to reduce the risk of acute respiratory infections Credit: Getty Vitamin D plays a crucial role in supporting immune function and potentially increases resistance to illness. Not getting enough can leave your immune system vulnerable and more at risk of attack and infection. In particular, it could reduce the risk of respiratory infections, said Dr Ajay Bagga, Senior General Practice Leader at Nuffield Health, helping to lower the likelihood of A major study carried out by Queen Mary University of London found vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of acute respiratory infections - with the effect being comparable to that of the flu vaccine. And research by Bangor University found vitamin D supplementation, especially for those with low levels of the vitamin, can shorten the duration of a cold and lessen the severity of symptoms. Hay fever While evidence is still emerging, vitamin D may modulate immune response, potentially reducing inflammatory allergic reactions like hay fever. Dr Najjar explained: "Because vitamin D plays an important role in maintaining a healthy immune system, people who are low in vitamin D could have a weakened immune system and may be more reactive to allergens and therefore experience stronger hay fever symptoms than if they had adequate levels of vitamin D." Specifically, a recent Mental health 5 Supplementing with vitamin D may improve mood and mental clarity Low vitamin D levels are linked to depression, So supplementing with the vitamin may improve mood and mental clarity, especially in those who are deficient. Dr Najjar explained: "Whilst vitamin D's role in bone health is widely known, more recent suggests it also plays an important role as a neuroprotective agent. "This means that is can help to reduce neuroinflammation and support serotonin synthesis, improving brain plasticity. "It's for this reason it's believed that healthy vitamin D levels can be important for mental health and deficiencies could be linked to depression as well as Throughout autumn and winter, days are shorter and the cold weather prompts people to spend more time indoors. Therefore, a drop in vitamin D compared to summer is likely. October through to March is when levels reach their lowest- and when it may be felt most in your mood. So if you're a bit hit-and-miss with your supplements, this is the time to make sure you take them. Dr Ahmed said: "Collective data from our customers over three years showed that vitamin D levels were lowest in January and highest in August and September. "Levels fluctuate by over 15 per cent throughout the year — this is one of the many reasons why in winter, many people may develop symptoms, such as low mood." Weight management Vitamin D isn't a weight loss supplement, but it may support weight loss indirectly when paired with diet and exercise - especially if a person has vitamin D deficiency, which is more common in people with obesity. Dr Najjar added: "It's believed vitamin D could help to reduce the formation of new fat cells in the body and also suppress storage of fat cells. "It can also increase serotonin levels, which can help you to feel more full after eating." Some Biological ageing 5 Vitamin D could stave off ageing with its ability to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress Credit: Getty Vitamin D plays a role in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, which are key factors in ageing. In this way, adequate levels may support healthy ageing, maintain muscle function, and protect against age-related diseases. A new study also suggests vitamin D supplements may help preserve the lengths of the protective caps at the ends of telomeres, and it's believed that maintaining their length may help to slow down some aspects of biological ageing. Dr Ahmed explained: "We have certain molecules (7-dehydrocholestrol, or 7DHC) in our skin. "When sunshine hits our skin, the 7DHC molecules absrob the sunlight and become energised. "They need to rearrange themselves to suit their new energy , and the first thing they rearrange into is pre-vitamin D3. "The heat from our bodies transforms pre-vitamin D3 into vitamin D3, a form which can leave the skin and enter the bloodstream. There, it circulates to the liver and kidneys, where it is metabolised into usable forms." Levels of 7DHC in our skin are thought to decrease by up to 50 per cent as we age. One Also, metabolic changes within the body reduce the capacity to process vitamin D and calcium, including changes in the liver and kidneys. Fight cancer Vitamin D may help regulate cell growth and prevent the formation of cancerous cells. Dr Bagga said: "Some studies suggest that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of certain prostate, but findings are mixed. "It's considered supportive but not curative." Cancer Research UK does note there isn't enough convincing evidence to link low levels of vitamin D to cancer. Should you take a vitamin D supplement? Vitamin D is available from sunlight, food, such as fatty fish, egg yolks, and fortified milk and cereal. Supplements are often needed if you have limited sun exposure, dark skin, or absorption issues. Dr Bagga advised: "They're the most reliable way to ensure consistent intake." In the UK, it's generally recommended to take a supplement containing 10 micrograms (10 μg, equivalent to 400 IU) of vitamin D daily in autumn and winter. Dr Bagga adds before buying a vitamin D supplement, you should look for the following: Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) – more effective than D2 Third-party testing (for purity and dose accuracy) Oil-based softgels or drops – better absorption TRY: OR: OR: Dr Najjar added: "It's important to speak to your medical practitioner before embarking on any new course of supplements and always ensure that the supplements you're buying are from a trusted source, and in the correct dosage." How much vitamin D do you need? FROM about late March or early April to the end of September, most people should be able to make all the vitamin D they need from sunlight on their skin. Children from the age of one year and adults need 10 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D a day. This includes pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people at risk of vitamin D deficiency. Babies up to the age of one year need 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day. A microgram (mcg) is 1,000 times smaller than a milligram (mg). The word microgram is sometimes written with the Greek symbol μ followed by the letter g (μg). Sometimes the amount of vitamin D is expressed as International Units (IU). One microgram of vitamin D is equal to 40 IU, so 10 micrograms of vitamin D is equal to 400 IU. Source: NHS How do you know if you're lacking vitamin D? 5 Fatigue may be one of the first signs you're lacking vitamin D Credit: Getty Do you often feel tired, rundown, or struggle with muscle aches and pains? It could be a sign that you have vitamin D deficiency, especially if you spend little time outdoors, have darker skin, or are over 65 — all factors that can affect your ability to produce vitamin D. Signs of vitamin D deficiency can be very different from one person to the next , but can include: Fatigue Bone or muscle pain Frequent infections Depression or mood changes Slow wound healing A blood test measuring vitamin D levels can also be confirm deficiency. What happens if you take too much vitamin D? In rare cases if you take too much vitamin D it can result in a buildup of calcium in the blood, a condition known as hypercalcemia. Some of the first symptoms that your blood calcium level might be higher than normal include: Feeling more tired than usual Feeling weak Not wanting to eat much Constipation Loss of concentration and interest in doing things Mild confusion Low mood Irritability If hypercalcemia is left untreated, it can lead to a range of serious health issues, from kidney problems and osteoporosis to neurological and cardiovascular complications, and in severe cases, it can even be fatal. Dr Bagga urged: "You should always check with a healthcare provider before high-dose use."
Al Manar
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Manar
Palestinian Resistance Strikes Painfully: 17 Israeli Soldiers Dead or Injured in Khan Younis, Southern Gaza
A new powerful blow was dealt by the Palestinian resistance to the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza Strip when 17 soldiers were either killed or injured in an ambush in Khan Younis. In details, Israeli media outlets reported that 5 soldiers were dead and 12 others were wounded, including 2 in critical conditions, after the explosion of a booby-trapped building in which a force from the Maglan unit was located in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip. The Zionist media indicated that helicopters evacuated the 12 injured soldiers to the hospitals, noting that another serious incident was taking place in the Strip. An Israeli strike on Friday afternoon killed six Palestinians and injured others in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, according to WAFA news agency. They said that an Israeli fighter jet targeted a house belonging to the Najjar family in Jabalia Al-Balad, claiming the lives of six and injuring others. Earlier today, an Israeli combat drone targeted a charging point for cell phones between tents sheltering displaced people to the west of Khan Younis, claiming the lives of four and injuring others, at a time when Israeli occupation forces opened fire at an aid distribution center to the west of Rafah, claiming the lives of four. 'Israel' unilaterally ended the Gaza ceasefire agreement and resumed its aggression on the Strip on Tuesday, March 18, carrying out a wave of bloody airstrikes across the Strip and killing hundreds of Palestinians, including over 100 children. The death toll reached at least 4,402 with 13,489 others wounded, according to medical sources. Emergency teams are attempting to recover victims still trapped beneath the rubble. In the last 24 hours, the bodies of 70 dead Palestinians, including three bodies retrieved from the rubble, and 189 casualties were admitted to hospitals in the Strip, noting that these numbers exclude the fatalities and casualties in the northern Strip due to inaccessibility. The aggression was resumed amidst concerns over the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Strip given the ongoing siege and ban on the entry of medical and humanitarian aid. 'Israel' has waged a genocidal war on the Strip since October 2023, killing at least 54,677 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 125,530 others. Moreover, at least 10,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip. The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine's largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Shafaq News
01-06-2025
- Shafaq News
Trafficking ring dismantled: Kurdistan reveals 90+ fake firms
Shafaq News/ Kurdish authorities have shut down over 90 fake companies linked to human trafficking and illegal organ trade since 2018, Brigadier General Dara Faruk Najjar revealed on Sunday. Speaking at a seminar in Erbil's Palace of Culture and Arts, Najjar, head of the Interior Ministry's Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, explained that many of the dismantled companies posed as recruitment firms and deceived victims with fake job offers in Europe or the Gulf before exploiting them inside the Kurdistan Region, describing trafficking as a 'rapidly evolving threat' requiring constant vigilance. 'The KRG does not approve entry or work permits without verified employment or sponsorship,' Najjar emphasized, noting that trafficking networks have also infiltrated the medical sector, with several doctors arrested for conducting illegal kidney transplants disguised as legitimate donations. In one case, he added, a Sudanese woman was rescued after being trafficked under false pretenses and forced into domestic labor. 'Trafficking crimes in Iraq can carry up to 10 years in prison, and in fatal cases—such as illegal organ removals—the death penalty.' The Kurdish official also credited the KRG's proactive efforts for improving the Region's ranking on the global trafficking watchlist, upgrading from Tier 3 to Tier 2 by targeting criminal networks before they act.
