Latest news with #WorldPressPhotooftheYear
Toronto Star
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
‘Napalm Girl' says she has ‘no doubt' who took famous photo amid controversy
It is one of history's most famous photos, an indelible image of fear and helplessness in a long, brutal war. At its centre is a naked nine-year-old-girl, her clothes and skin burned by napalm, her arms outstretched. Her name is Kim Phuc. She is better known as the 'Napalm Girl.' The photo, officially 'The Terror of War,' won a Pulitzer Prize, was named the World Press Photo of the Year in 1973 and is seen as galvanizing anti-war protests that led to the end of the Vietnam War. Nearly 53 years later, it is under fire as a new documentary alleges the photo was not taken by Associated Press photographer Nick Ut, but a Vietnamese freelancer.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
World Press Photo suspends credit for ‘Napalm Girl' image
[Source] World Press Photo has suspended the credit of Associated Press photographer Nick Ut for the iconic Vietnam War photograph commonly known as 'Napalm Girl,' citing unresolved questions about its authorship. The decision follows renewed scrutiny raised by a recent documentary that challenges Ut's long-standing attribution. The 1972 image, officially titled 'The Terror of War,' shows 9-year-old Phan Thi Kim Phuc running naked on a road after a napalm bombing. It won the Pulitzer Prize and World Press Photo of the Year in 1973 and became one of the most searing symbols of the Vietnam War. Authorship in doubt The controversy stems from 'The Stringer,' a 2025 documentary directed by Bao Nguyen. The film presents testimonies and visual analysis suggesting that freelance photographers Nguyen Thanh Nghe or Huynh Cong Phuc may have captured the image, not Ut. Nghe claims he sold the photo to the AP for $20 but never received formal credit. Trending on NextShark: In response, World Press Photo launched an internal investigation and reviewed archival materials, camera angles and witness statements. The organization concluded that the doubts were substantial enough to suspend Ut's credit, though it has not reassigned authorship due to lack of definitive evidence. AP stands by Ut Ut has denied the claims, saying he remembers taking the photo and helping Phan Thi Kim Phuc get medical care. His attorney, James Hornstein, criticized World Press Photo's decision, telling The Art Newspaper that Ut 'cannot fathom why the World Press Photo Foundation would rescind his rightful award 52 years after making it.' In a statement to the Associated Press, Hornstein added, 'It seems they had already made up their mind to punish Nick Ut from the start.' Trending on NextShark: The AP has conducted two reviews of its own, reaffirming Ut's credit. In a statement, the AP said it found no compelling evidence to override decades of attribution, but acknowledged that the passage of time limits further verification. Phan Thi Kim Phuc has also spoken in support of Ut. 'He took the picture, and he saved my life,' she told The Guardian. 'Without him, I would have died.' Historical stakes Trending on NextShark: While the image's historical significance remains uncontested, the suspension reflects ongoing debates about ownership, credit and accuracy in journalism. World Press Photo said it will maintain the suspended status until new evidence clearly confirms or refutes Ut's authorship. This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
A moment of joy for a boy who lost both arms in an Israeli airstrike
In a video, Mahmoud Ajjour is beaming as he skips into the breeze. He breaks into laughter as he watches his kite flutter in the sky, pulling it along with a string tied around his waist, in a moment that captured the irrepressible joy of childhood. At 9 years old, Mahmoud has known more trauma than most will see in a lifetime. On Dec. 6, 2023, the fourth grader was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, a blast that severed one of his arms and left the other so badly damaged it had to be amputated. On Thursday, an image of Mahmoud, taken by Palestinian photographer Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times, was named World Press Photo of the Year, a haunting portrait of the impact of the war on children. Mahmoud now lives in Doha, Qatar, with his family, after becoming one of a very small number of Palestinians to be evacuated from Gaza for urgent medical treatment. When Mahmoud smiles, his happiness seems infectious, but some days are harder than others. 'There are bad moments for him,' his mother, Nour Ajjour, 36, told NBC News by phone from Doha, Qatar's capital. 'He doesn't want to play or go outside.' 'We keep him busy and have fun with him,' Ajjour said. She sent videos of him gleefully speeding down a hallway on an electric bike, steering with his feet on the handlebars, and using his feet to play with a lump of bright-green clay. For now, Ajjour said, there's not much Mahmoud can do on his own, and he's impatient for prostheses, asking when he can have them so he can drink water on his own or help his family. 'He likes to help a lot, and I let him help me and carry things on his shoulder,' Ajjour said. Doctors at Doha's Hamad Limb Hospital are currently fitting him for protheses, and in another video, he smiles brightly as he tries on a pair of prosthetic arms. In Gaza, such treatment isn't possible, and Mahmoud is one of at least 1,000 children in the enclave to have lost at least one limb during the war, according to UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund. Many of the children, like many adults, underwent surgery without anesthesia as the health care system buckled under Israel's siege. 'The first few days were very difficult,' Ajjour said. Both of his hands were gone, and without anesthetic, Mahmoud was in both physical and existential pain. 'He would look at his hands and not see them,' the boy's mother said. 'He would scream and say, 'Where are my hands,' and the first thing he said was, 'How will I hug you, how will I pray?'' These days, Mahmoud is learning how to type on a computer, write and use a phone with his feet. Ajjour said he dreams of going to university and becoming a journalist so he can tell the stories of Gaza's children. This article was originally published on
NBC News
19-04-2025
- General
- NBC News
A moment of joy for a boy who lost both arms in an Israeli airstrike
In a video, Mahmoud Ajjour is beaming as he skips into the breeze. He breaks into laughter as he watches his kite flutter in the sky, pulling it along with a string tied around his waist, in a moment that captured the irrepressible joy of childhood. At 9 years old, Mahmoud has known more trauma than most will see in a lifetime. On Dec. 6, 2023, the fourth grader was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, a blast that severed one of his arms and left the other so badly damaged it had to be amputated. On Thursday, an image of Mahmoud, taken by Palestinian photographer Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times, was named World Press Photo of the Year, a haunting portrait of the impact of the war on children. Mahmoud now lives in Doha, Qatar, with his family, after becoming one of a very small number of Palestinians to be evacuated from Gaza for urgent medical treatment. When Mahmoud smiles, his happiness seems infectious, but some days are harder than others. 'There are bad moments for him,' his mother, Nour Ajjour, 36, told NBC News by phone from Doha, Qatar's capital. 'He doesn't want to play or go outside.' 'We keep him busy and have fun with him,' Ajjour said. She sent videos of him gleefully speeding down a hallway on an electric bike, steering with his feet on the handlebars, and using his feet to play with a lump of bright-green clay. For now, Ajjour said, there's not much Mahmoud can do on his own, and he's impatient for prostheses, asking when he can have them so he can drink water on his own or help his family. 'He likes to help a lot, and I let him help me and carry things on his shoulder,' Ajjour said. Doctors at Doha's Hamad Limb Hospital are currently fitting him for protheses, and in another video, he smiles brightly as he tries on a pair of prosthetic arms. In Gaza, such treatment isn't possible, and Mahmoud is one of at least 1,000 children in the enclave to have lost at least one limb during the war, according to UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund. Many of the children, like many adults, underwent surgery without anesthesia as the health care system buckled under Israel's siege. 'The first few days were very difficult,' Ajjour said. Both of his hands were gone, and without anesthetic, Mahmoud was in both physical and existential pain. 'He would look at his hands and not see them,' the boy's mother said. 'He would scream and say, 'Where are my hands,' and the first thing he said was, 'How will I hug you, how will I pray?'' These days, Mahmoud is learning how to type on a computer, write and use a phone with his feet. Ajjour said he dreams of going to university and becoming a journalist so he can tell the stories of Gaza's children.
Al Jazeera
18-04-2025
- Health
- Al Jazeera
‘How do I live like this?' asks Gaza boy who lost arms in Israeli attack
A Palestinian child who was severely wounded in an Israeli drone attack on Gaza last year, and who was pictured in an image that won the 2025 World Press Photo of the Year award, says he has been struggling to adapt to life since losing both his arms in the explosion. Speaking to Al Jazeera from Doha, Qatar, where he has been receiving treatment, nine-year-old Mahmoud Ajjour recalled the moment the bomb exploded, targeting his home in March 2024. At first, Ajjour, who hails from Gaza City's old town, said he did not realise he was wounded. 'I thought I had simply fallen. But I found myself on the ground, exhausted, and wondering what had happened,' he told Al Jazeera. In reality, one arm 'flew off, and one flew and fell right beside me', he added. Still unaware that he had sustained serious wounds – wounds that mutilated his entire body – Ajjour said he looked around and saw his arms. Although they looked familiar, his brain still could not comprehend that they had been blown off. 'My mother then told me that I lost my arms,' Ajjour recalled. 'I started crying. I was very sad, and my mental state was very bad.' His mental health deteriorated further when he, like many others in Gaza, had to undergo surgery without anaesthetics due to a severe lack of medical supplies. Throughout the war, Israeli forces have largely kept vital border crossings shut, preventing the entry of much-needed medical supplies, as well as food and other aid, including fuel. 'They performed surgery on me while I was awake,' Ajjour said, the shock still evident in his voice. 'I couldn't bear the pain, I was screaming very loud. My voice filled the hallways.' Ajjour is one of thousands of children in Gaza who are suffering life-changing injuries due to relentless, indiscriminate Israeli bombardment. According to the United Nations Children's Fund, more than 10 children each day have lost one or both of their legs since October 7, 2023, when Israel launched its ongoing genocide in Gaza. That is more than 1,000 children. 'Gaza now has the highest number of children amputees per capita anywhere in the world – many losing limbs and undergoing surgeries without even anaesthesia,' UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in December. Ajjour is now learning to write, play games on his phone, and dress himself using his feet – but still needs special assistance for most daily activities. He now longs for the days when his arms were still intact. Before the attack, Ajjour said he used to go to the market and buy his mother vegetables and food she needed. 'Now, everything is difficult, including feeding myself, helping myself to the bathroom … but I try my best,' he said. 'I manage my life like this. I make it work.' Ajjour dreams of a future where he can return to Gaza and help rebuild the devastated enclave. He hopes the world can 'end the war on Gaza'. 'We want to live on our land. We don't want the Israelis to take it,' he said. 'People are dying there [in Gaza]. And my home was bombed. How could I live like this?' Israel's ongoing assault on the besieged and bombarded territory has so far killed more than 51,000 Palestinians and wounded at least 116,505 others, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health. It has also forcibly displaced most of its 2.3 million strong population, ravaged most of the land, damaged basic infrastructure and dismantled its already-struggling healthcare system.
