Latest news with #MinistryOfHealth
Al Jazeera
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Israel again included in UN blacklist for grave violations against children
The United Nations has kept Israel on its 'blacklist' of countries committing abuses against children in armed conflict for a second straight year, as its war on Gaza continues for nearly 20 months. The listing on Thursday came as the UN said in a new report that violence against children in conflict zones reached 'unprecedented levels' in 2024, with the highest number of violations committed in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank by the Israeli army. The annual report on Children in Armed Conflict detailed 'a staggering' 25 percent surge globally in grave violations against children below the age of 18 last year from 2023. It said it had verified 41,370 grave violations against children, including killing and maiming, sexual violence, and attacks on schools and hospitals. Among them were 8,554 grave violations against 2,959 children – 2,944 Palestinian, 15 Israeli – in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel. The figure includes confirmation of 1,259 Palestinian children killed and 941 wounded in Gaza, which has come under relentless Israeli bombardment following an attack led by the Palestinian group Hamas in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. The Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported much higher figures, and the UN said it is currently verifying information on an additional 4,470 children killed in 2024 in the besieged territory. The UN said it has also verified the killing of 97 Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, where a total of 3,688 violations were recorded. The report also called out Israel's military operations in Lebanon, where more than 500 children were killed or injured last year. UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was 'appalled by the intensity of grave violations against children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel', citing the widespread use of explosive weapons in populated areas. Guterres also reiterated his calls on Israel to abide by international law requiring special protections for children, protection for schools and hospitals, and compliance with the requirement that attacks distinguish between fighters and civilians and avoid excessive harm to innocent people. There was no immediate comment by Israel's UN mission. The armed wing of the Palestinian group Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, and the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, were also included in the blacklist for a second time. Following the Palestinian territory, the countries where the UN registered the most violence against children in 2024 were the Democratic Republic of the Congo (more than 4,000 grave violations); Somalia (more than 2,500); Nigeria (nearly 2,500); and Haiti (more than 2,200). The sharpest percentage increase in the number of violations was recorded in Lebanon (545 percent), followed by Mozambique (525 percent), Haiti (490 percent), Ethiopia (235 percent), and Ukraine (105 percent), it added.
The National
a day ago
- Health
- The National
Thousands of outdoor workers offered support to deal with soaring temperatures
After two months of record temperatures in the UAE, authorities in Sharjah are offering advice on how to stay safe in extreme heat. Summer has arrived early as the UAE experienced its hottest May on record, with peak daily temperatures averaging higher than 40°C, with the mercury rising to 51.6°C in the Sweihan area. It followed the hottest April since records began in the early 2000s. The Ministry of Health and Prevention has now stepped in with targeted health campaigns to protect those most at risk. Outdoor workers, the elderly and infirm are most likely to suffer from the effects of exposure to heat, and the ministry is working alongside the Sharjah Supreme Council for Family Affairs to launch the 14th Heat Exhaustion and Disease Prevention Campaign. It aims to coincide with the midday work ban period that comes into force throughout July and August, to reduce exposure of construction workers during the hottest time of day. 'Let me be clear, protecting workers from heat-related illnesses isn't just a health issue,' said Mohammed Al Zarooni, director of the ministry's Representative Office in Sharjah. 'It's a national duty, a moral responsibility and a shared commitment that calls for all of us to work together. Through this campaign, we're emphasising the importance of early preparation and timely action. "It shows how prevention is not just a policy goal; it's a shared national responsibility. And more importantly, it sends a clear message of support and solidarity to our labour communities, who are a vital part of our society.' Support on site Education will be delivered on site for workers, to focus on risks and symptoms of heat exhaustion. It will also offer advice on first-aid practices and prevention methods to avoid heat-related illness that range from a rash or cramps to exhaustion and heat stroke in extreme cases. Medically, hyperthermia is classified when someone's temperature rises above their baseline average, usually 37°C. The government campaign will target 10,000 workers with free medical check-ups, including blood pressure and glucose testing, eye exams and blood donation drives. Meanwhile, inspection campaigns by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation will be stepped up across work sites in Sharjah to ensure compliance with the midday work ban. Workers will also be offered protective equipment, food and drinking water. "This campaign reaffirms Sharjah's deep and ongoing commitment to public health, especially during the summer months, when high temperatures pose serious challenges to one of the most important segments of our society: our field workers,' said Mona Al Hawai, of the ministry's Health Promotion Department. 'Protecting the health of our community, especially those who may not always have direct access to services, is at the core of what we do. Through this campaign, we're going to deliver health lectures directly at work sites, offer basic medical check-ups and distribute protective supplies in multiple languages so that health information is not only available but accessible to everyone who needs it.' Data from the World Health Organisation showed that of about 489,000 heat-related deaths each year, most are in Asia and Europe. Last year, there were 269 deaths in India thought to be related to high temperatures. A further 161 recorded deaths were directly linked to heatstroke, as reported by India's National Centre for Disease Control. In Europe, the WHO estimates the current annual death toll of 175,000 related to extreme heat will climb in the years ahead. Vulnerable workers Delivery riders in the UAE are often exposed to extreme summer heat. Employers are stepping up support by increasing the number of shaded rest areas and introducing other packages to protect riders from heatstroke. Through its corporate responsibility programme, Careem is offering delivery captains flexible shifts to avoid peak heat hours and has introduced air-conditioned mobile rest areas, hydration kits and free health check-ups for those choosing to work during the hottest hours. "Summer in the UAE presents significant challenges for delivery work,' said Mudassir Sheikha, chief executive and co-founder of Careem. 'To ensure our captains feel supported during the hottest months of the year, we regularly host workshops to understand their needs and how we can help. This year we've extended these services to more than 60,000 delivery captains across the UAE – not just those working with Careem." Food delivery firm Deliveroo provides riders with cooling vests to help reduce body temperature and also has rest areas located in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The company also has what it calls a Roo Bus, which acts as a pitstop area. The firm says "cooled buses are accessible to riders throughout the week, allowing riders to take a break from the weather" in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Ajman, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. "Rider safety and wellbeing is a top priority for Deliveroo and we have been working and continue to work with the authorities, our rider agencies and partners on ways to support riders, especially over the summer season," said a Deliveroo spokesperson.
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Health
- Times of Oman
Murder toll from Israeli aggression on Gaza rises to 55,706
Gaza: The murder toll from the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023, has risen to 55,706 martyrs, in addition to 130,101 wounded. The Ministry of Health in Gaza said that 69 martyrs and 221 wounded arrived at hospitals in the Strip over the past 24 hours. The murder toll since the occupation violated the ceasefire agreement on 18 March 2025 has risen to 5,401 martyrs and 18,060 wounded. The ministry noted that the murder toll among those waiting for aid since this morning has reached 12, in addition to more than 172 injured, who were transported to hospitals by civil defense crews. The ministry said that the murder toll from the aggression reached 55,706 martyrs and 130,101 wounded, stressing that these figures remain unofficial due to the presence of thousands of other victims under the rubble of destroyed buildings, as rescue teams cannot reach them. The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is becoming increasingly complex due to the Israeli occupation's intransigence in preventing the entry of humanitarian aid to the population, and the continued bombing of all areas, including the remaining medical and service facilities, and the tents of the displaced.
New York Times
a day ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Live Updates: Israel Vows to Intensify Attacks After Iranian Missile Hits Hospital
An 8-year-old girl who loved dancing in a red dress at her dentist's office. A 28-year-old national equestrian champion. A poet one week away from her 24th birthday. A graphic designer who worked at National Geographic. Grandparents in their 80s. All are among the civilians killed during Israeli airstrikes on Iran. Israel has said it does not target Iranian civilians, but hundreds have died in the violence. Every day since the war began, a new face, a new name, a new story of a life that ended violently and abruptly has emerged. The Ministry of Health has not updated casualty numbers since Sunday, when it said at least 224 people had been killed and nearly 2,000 injured, including women and children. Those figures are expected to grow in the coming days. In interviews with more than 50 residents of Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, Ahvaz, Mashhad, Sanandaj, Amol, Ghazvin, Semnan, Karaj, Neishabour, and Tabriz, doctors, families and friends described the toll of the strikes. The New York Times also reviewed scores of videos, photos and testimonies documenting civilian casualties, injuries and the destruction of residential buildings. The Israel Defense Forces have said the attacks on Iran are targeted assassinations of military commanders, government officials and nuclear scientists. But missiles and drones have also hit high-rise buildings and multistory apartment complexes where civilians also reside. Dr. Hossein Kermanpour, the spokesman for the Ministry of Health, said 90 percent of casualties were civilians, not military. Image Parnia Abbasi, a poet one week away from her 24th birthday, was killed in an Israeli strike. Credit... Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times In Tehran, the frequency of the Israeli strikes has completely upended daily life. The constant thud of air defense systems, the loud boom of explosions and the wailing sirens of ambulances and fire trucks have replaced the sounds of a metropolis typically buzzing with traffic, street music and the Muslim call to prayer. Photos and videos show rescue crews rummaging through piles of debris. A father clutches his small baby in a white onesie drenched in blood. A man bleeding from the head leans against a motorcycle as a passerby tends his wound. The body of a small child, covered in gray dust, peeks out from the rubble. 'There's a lot of focus on the military targets but not much is being said about the many civilian casualties, in fact nothing is being said about them, which are much higher than the targeted killings,' said Jila Baniyagoub, a prominent journalist and women's rights activist in Tehran. Four physicians, including the director of a major hospital in Tehran, said that emergency rooms were overwhelmed. The Ministry of Health announced on Monday that all medical staff members around the country were required to remain in their posts because of the acute need. 'This is unlike anything we've experienced before,' said Ali, a 43-year-old engineer in Tehran and father of two small children who asked that his last name not be published for fear of retribution from Iranian officials for speaking publicly. He said deaths and casualties were hitting closer to home everyday and that a friend's sister had been killed when a building collapsed on her after a targeted strike. Parnia Abbasi, the poet, graduated from college with a degree in English and landed a coveted job at the National Bank of Iran, where her mother had spent her career as a bank clerk until retirement. Her father was a public-school teacher. Ms. Abbasi once spoke at a panel for young poets and told the audience that she looked 'at all my life events as stories I could write.' About six months ago, her parents realized a lifelong dream of purchasing a three-bedroom apartment in the Orkideh Complex, a compound of high-rise apartment buildings on Sattarkhan Street in central Tehran. On Friday morning, the building collapsed after it was hit by an Israeli missile. Image The apartment building where the Abbasi family lived was struck by an Israeli missile. Image Parnia Abbasi, her parents and brother were killed in a strike on their building. The Abbasi family, including Parham, Ms. Abbasi's younger brother, were killed. 'They had bought this house six or seven months ago under great financial pressure so that the children could have their own rooms. The love between this family was the envy of everyone. They were always together,' said Hassan, a relative of the Abbasis' in Tehran, who asked that his last name not be published because of fears for his safety. Tara Hajimiri, 8, loved folk dance and gymnastics. A video of her wearing a red dress as she danced her way into the chair at her dentist's office went viral on social media. She and 60 residents were killed in a massive strike on an apartment building on Patrice Lumumba Street on Saturday. Image Tara Hajimiri Reza, a 59-year-old computer engineer, said that his aunt and uncle, a couple in their 80s, were killed in an airstrike while they were sleeping on Saturday night. The force of the explosion toppled the building, he said. The man had Parkinson's disease, said Reza. 'It's so sad that innocent civilians are being impacted by this war. They were loving grandparents.' The damage to the building was so extensive that rescue workers have not yet retrieved the bodies. The family was informed to consider the couple dead. Reza said the couple's adult children go to the site every day, waiting for the bodies to be pulled from the rubble. Saleh Bayrami, a veteran graphic designer for magazines like National Geographic and media companies, was driving home from a meeting on Sunday. He stopped at a red light at Quds Square, near the bustling Tajrish market in the northern part of Tehran. An Israeli missile landed on a major sewage pipe in the square, exploded into a ball of fire and killed him, according to colleagues and news reports. Ava Meshkatian, a colleague who sat next to him at work, wrote a tribute to Mr. Bayrami on her Instagram page, describing him as kind, friendly and always smiling. 'We have to write these things for others to read. For others to know, God only knows how devastated I am,' she wrote. Mehdi Poladvand, a 27-year-old member of a youth equestrian club and a national champion, spent the last day of his life on Friday at a racetrack in Karaj competing in a race. Image Mehdi Poladvand Iranian news media described him as a rising talent who had won numerous championship titles in provincial competitions and national cups. He was killed along with his parents and sister when their apartment building was struck by an Israeli missile, his friend Arezou Malek, a fellow equestrian, told local Iranian media. Image Niloufar Ghalehvand At cemeteries across Iran, somber funeral services are being held daily, sometimes as missiles fly overhead. The coffin of Niloufar Ghalehvand, 32, a Pilates instructor, was covered with the flag of Iran, according to videos shared on social media by the sporting club where she worked. A small crowd wearing black can be seen standing around the coffin. 'We will always remember you,' read a message from the sports club. 'No to War.'
New York Times
a day ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Live Updates: Israel Vows to Intensify Attacks After Iranian Missile Strikes Hospital
An 8-year-old girl who loved dancing in a red dress at her dentist's office. A 28-year-old national equestrian champion. A poet one week away from her 24th birthday. A graphic designer who worked at National Geographic. Grandparents in their 80s. All are among the civilians killed during Israeli airstrikes on Iran. Israel has said it does not target Iranian civilians, but hundreds have died in the violence. Every day since the war began, a new face, a new name, a new story of a life that ended violently and abruptly has emerged. The Ministry of Health has not updated casualty numbers since Sunday, when it said at least 224 people had been killed and nearly 2,000 injured, including women and children. Those figures are expected to grow in the coming days. In interviews with more than 50 residents of Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, Ahvaz, Mashhad, Sanandaj, Amol, Ghazvin, Semnan, Karaj, Neishabour, and Tabriz, doctors, families and friends described the toll of the strikes. The New York Times also reviewed scores of videos, photos and testimonies documenting civilian casualties, injuries and the destruction of residential buildings. The Israel Defense Forces have said the attacks on Iran are targeted assassinations of military commanders, government officials and nuclear scientists. But missiles and drones have also hit high-rise buildings and multistory apartment complexes where civilians also reside. Dr. Hossein Kermanpour, the spokesman for the Ministry of Health, said 90 percent of casualties were civilians, not military. Image Parnia Abbasi, a poet one week away from her 24th birthday, was killed in an Israeli strike. Credit... Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times In Tehran, the frequency of the Israeli strikes has completely upended daily life. The constant thud of air defense systems, the loud boom of explosions and the wailing sirens of ambulances and fire trucks have replaced the sounds of a metropolis typically buzzing with traffic, street music and the Muslim call to prayer. Photos and videos show rescue crews rummaging through piles of debris. A father clutches his small baby in a white onesie drenched in blood. A man bleeding from the head leans against a motorcycle as a passerby tends his wound. The body of a small child, covered in gray dust, peeks out from the rubble. 'There's a lot of focus on the military targets but not much is being said about the many civilian casualties, in fact nothing is being said about them, which are much higher than the targeted killings,' said Jila Baniyagoub, a prominent journalist and women's rights activist in Tehran. Four physicians, including the director of a major hospital in Tehran, said that emergency rooms were overwhelmed. The Ministry of Health announced on Monday that all medical staff members around the country were required to remain in their posts because of the acute need. 'This is unlike anything we've experienced before,' said Ali, a 43-year-old engineer in Tehran and father of two small children who asked that his last name not be published for fear of retribution from Iranian officials for speaking publicly. He said deaths and casualties were hitting closer to home everyday and that a friend's sister had been killed when a building collapsed on her after a targeted strike. Parnia Abbasi, the poet, graduated from college with a degree in English and landed a coveted job at the National Bank of Iran, where her mother had spent her career as a bank clerk until retirement. Her father was a public-school teacher. Ms. Abbasi once spoke at a panel for young poets and told the audience that she looked 'at all my life events as stories I could write.' About six months ago, her parents realized a lifelong dream of purchasing a three-bedroom apartment in the Orkideh Complex, a compound of high-rise apartment buildings on Sattarkhan Street in central Tehran. On Friday morning, the building collapsed after it was hit by an Israeli missile. Image The apartment building where the Abbasi family lived was struck by an Israeli missile. Image Parnia Abbasi, her parents and brother were killed in a strike on their building. The Abbasi family, including Parham, Ms. Abbasi's younger brother, were killed. 'They had bought this house six or seven months ago under great financial pressure so that the children could have their own rooms. The love between this family was the envy of everyone. They were always together,' said Hassan, a relative of the Abbasis' in Tehran, who asked that his last name not be published because of fears for his safety. Tara Hajimiri, 8, loved folk dance and gymnastics. A video of her wearing a red dress as she danced her way into the chair at her dentist's office went viral on social media. She and 60 residents were killed in a massive strike on an apartment building on Patrice Lumumba Street on Saturday. Image Tara Hajimiri Reza, a 59-year-old computer engineer, said that his aunt and uncle, a couple in their 80s, were killed in an airstrike while they were sleeping on Saturday night. The force of the explosion toppled the building, he said. The man had Parkinson's disease, said Reza. 'It's so sad that innocent civilians are being impacted by this war. They were loving grandparents.' The damage to the building was so extensive that rescue workers have not yet retrieved the bodies. The family was informed to consider the couple dead. Reza said the couple's adult children go to the site every day, waiting for the bodies to be pulled from the rubble. Saleh Bayrami, a veteran graphic designer for magazines like National Geographic and media companies, was driving home from a meeting on Sunday. He stopped at a red light at Quds Square, near the bustling Tajrish market in the northern part of Tehran. An Israeli missile landed on a major sewage pipe in the square, exploded into a ball of fire and killed him, according to colleagues and news reports. Ava Meshkatian, a colleague who sat next to him at work, wrote a tribute to Mr. Bayrami on her Instagram page, describing him as kind, friendly and always smiling. 'We have to write these things for others to read. For others to know, God only knows how devastated I am,' she wrote. Mehdi Poladvand, a 27-year-old member of a youth equestrian club and a national champion, spent the last day of his life on Friday at a racetrack in Karaj competing in a race. Image Mehdi Poladvand Iranian news media described him as a rising talent who had won numerous championship titles in provincial competitions and national cups. He was killed along with his parents and sister when their apartment building was struck by an Israeli missile, his friend Arezou Malek, a fellow equestrian, told local Iranian media. Image Niloufar Ghalehvand At cemeteries across Iran, somber funeral services are being held daily, sometimes as missiles fly overhead. The coffin of Niloufar Ghalehvand, 32, a Pilates instructor, was covered with the flag of Iran, according to videos shared on social media by the sporting club where she worked. A small crowd wearing black can be seen standing around the coffin. 'We will always remember you,' read a message from the sports club. 'No to War.'
