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<figure id="figure-nu8heiad3lm2lflalg" class=""><img id="nu8heiad3lm2lflalg" src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/27yoHFb1gRQMcPY8mQpiyNsQeIaK52EqRl1ikkSAO0WSVi8L7939ZyRUES6qjx0l.png" alt="Farmer, person hands and phone for agriculture communication, social media and sustainability networking. Worker on mobile or chat for gardening research, NGO contact or volunteering website for FAQ" title="Farmer, person hands and phone for agriculture communication, social media and sustainability networking. Worker on mobile or chat for gardening research, NGO contact or volunteering website for FAQ" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/27yoHFb1gRQMcPY8mQpiyNsQeIaK52EqRl1ikkSAO0WSVi8L7939ZyRUES6qjx0l.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>There is no conscience. There is no humanity. There are only leaders who watch and do not act. This is what Ahmed al-Dalou believes, as the images of his family burning replay in his mind. He says his life is gone. It died in the inferno of al-Aqsa compound with his boys and wife in the early hours of Monday 14 October. In front of him on the ground is a shroud, wrapped around the body of Abdulrahman,12, his youngest son.The child lingered in agony for four days after the fire, sparked by an Israeli strike. The day before he died Ahmed saw him in hospital and he was able to tell his father: “Don’t be worried, I am OK dad… I’m fine. Don’t be afraid.” Ahmed is half speaking, half crying, as he talks of what has been taken from him. “Three times I tried to pull him [Abdulrahman] out of the fire, but his body fell back into it.” His older brother, Sha'aban, 19, and his mother, Alaa, 37, both died on the night of the fire. Sha'aban became a new symbol of Gaza’s terrible suffering. Images of him writhing in agony as he burned to death in the family’s tent were shared around the world on social media. There are burns all over Ahmed’s face and hands. The tone of his voice is high, a keening sound. Of the anonymous pilot who sent the missile, and the leaders who gave him orders, Ahmed said: “They broke my heart, and they broke my spirit… I wish the fire had burned me.” The strike happened at about 01:15 local time last Monday (23:15 BST on Sunday). The Israeli military said it was targeting a Hamas "command and control" centre in the al-Aqsa hospital compound in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip. Hamas denies operating in hospitals.Four people were killed immediately and dozens more wounded, including many with severe burn injuries. The Israel Defense Forces said it was “reviewing the incident”. A spokesperson for the White House told CBS News, the BBC's US partner, that footage of the fire was “deeply disturbing” and called on Israel to do more to protect civilians. “Israel has a responsibility to do more to avoid civilian casualties - and what happened here is horrifying - even if Hamas was operating near the hospital in an attempt to use civilians as human shields.” The US and other powers, including Britain, have expressed concern about civilian casualties since the early stages of the war.<figure id="figure-2zetpd5ram2lfo0kk" class=""><img id="2zetpd5ram2lfo0kk" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/9idDOl4MxEkrn1A8RX9gtCkSagqRU5TqO9s0uweELF9TE4UkzZ8vbSIDN3M1eaOx.png" alt="Food from the Community Garden" title="Food from the Community Garden" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/9idDOl4MxEkrn1A8RX9gtCkSagqRU5TqO9s0uweELF9TE4UkzZ8vbSIDN3M1eaOx.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>People are burned to death, blown to pieces, and shot every day in this war. Most of the time the death agonies happen away from the cameras. It is the frantic search for survivors in the rubble, the dramatic scenes at hospitals, the endless stream of funerals, that are captured by cameras. But the death of Sha'aban al-Dalou was different. His hand can be seen, reaching out of the inferno, a figure wrapped in flame, writhing and beyond the reach of any help. In the days following his death Sha'aban’s own videos and photographs emerged. He was a typical teenager of his generation, aware of the power of social media, adept at recording his daily life. The burning figure from the night of fire appeared to the world as an articulate, intelligent teenager, a software engineering student, a young man who took care of his family planning for a new life outside Gaza. He filmed himself donating blood and encouraged others to do the same. “We saw so many injuries, many children are in dire need of blood… All we demand is for a ceasefire and this tragedy to end.” We are only able to tell the story of al-Dalou family because of our own local journalist who went to meet the survivors. International journalists from media organisations, including the BBC, are not given independent access to Gaza by Israel. Gazans describe fresh horror in north as Israel renews offensive Witnesses to Israeli strike on Gaza hospital compound saw 'so many people burning' UN accuses Israel of war crimes over attacks on Gaza hospitals In a video recorded in the tent where he died Sha'aban described how his family had been displaced five times since the war began a year ago. He had two sisters, and two younger brothers. “We live in very hard circumstances,” he said. “We suffer from various things such as homelessness, limited food, and extremely limited medicine.” In the background, as he speaks, there is the loud mechanical hum of an Israeli observation drone, a constant in the daily and nightly soundtrack of Gaza. The surviving brother of Sha'aban and Abdulrahman, Mohammed al-Dalou, told the BBC that he had tried to go into the flames to rescue his older brother. But other injured people had held him back, fearing he too would be killed. Mohammed did not sleep in the family tent, but outside on the street where he kept watch over their piled belongings. “I was screaming for someone to let me go, but in vain… My brother’s leg was trapped and he couldn’t free himself. I think you saw it in the video. He was raising his hand. "That was my brother. He was my support in this world.” Sha'aban would come and wake him for prayers in the morning with a bottle of water and he would tell him: “I’ll work for you.” Mohammed al-Dalou saw his loved ones die in the fire Mohammed recalled how the brothers set up a stall at the gates of the hospital selling food that the family made. “We managed everything with our hard work. Everything we had was from our effort. We would get food and drink… then everything was lost.” He saw the burned bodies, but could only identify his mother. Although her remains had been mutilated by fire, he recognised a distinctive bracelet. “Without it, I wouldn’t have known she was my mother. Her hand was detached from her body, but the bracelet was still on it. I took it off her hand.” This is his only memento of the woman who was “the kindness in our home". The al-Dalou family is in shock. The survivors mourn the dead. Our BBC colleague asked Mohammed about the psychological cost of seeing his loved ones die. “I can’t describe it. I can’t describe how I felt. I want to explain it to people, but I can’t. I can’t describe it. I saw my brother burning in front of me, and my mother too.” Then, as if he is posing a question on behalf of the dead, he asks: “What more do you need, and you stay silent? You see us burning, and you stay silent.” Sources:<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr54y0qplgvo" data-mce-href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr54y0qplgvo">https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr54y0qplgvo</a>

'You see us burning, you stay silent': Family’s agony over mother and sons burned to death in Gaza tent

<figure id="figure-b19gnu78rm2mywqof" class=""><img id="b19gnu78rm2mywqof" src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/2eAsjX9QQTzIQrLIbx8H2FNxFt9IrBRQXjzeAeOJnoiagkPs3Hv5RrT4AnlTSU8G.jpg" alt="户外河边" title="户外河边" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/2eAsjX9QQTzIQrLIbx8H2FNxFt9IrBRQXjzeAeOJnoiagkPs3Hv5RrT4AnlTSU8G.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;"></figure>Claudia Mahler, UN independent expert on the enjoyment of all human rights of older persons, made the appeal in her annual report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.&nbsp; She said violence against older persons remains unaddressed despite being widespread, pervasive and putting millions of older persons at risk, amid a rapidly ageing world.“Combatting abuse in old age is not a priority at national, regional or global levels,” she added.&nbsp; Ms. Mahler cited information from the World Health Organization (WHO), which estimates that one is six older persons has experienced some form of violence.&nbsp;In her report, she noted that violence, neglect and abuse in old age has far-reaching consequences to both mental and physical well-being, underscoring the need for adequate interventions and solutions.&nbsp;“An increase in violence against older persons was noticed during ongoing crises such as the COVID-19pandemic, as well as in armed conflicts and the consequences of climate change,” she said.“Crises lead to economic setbacks, which put more strain on support structures worldwide, which in turn may put more older persons at risk of suffering from violent acts.”While there is currently no globally accepted definition of “elder abuse”, she said five forms of abuse can be identified: physical; psychological or emotional; sexual; financial or material; and neglect.Ms. Mahler also recognised hate speech as an additional form of abuse against older persons.“Ageism plays a significant role and risk factor in the prevalence of abuse on older persons,” she said.“Negative stereotypes and bias underlie the concept of ageism and can lead to harmful consequences, including violence against and abuse and neglect of older persons”.Ms. Mahler’s report identifies several actions to prevent and protect against abuse of older persons, including legislative and policy interventions, prevention programmes, provision of age-appropriate community services, law enforcement response and access to justice. &nbsp;She also encouraged the effective collection and analysis of data on the prevalence of violence, abuse and neglect cases.&nbsp;“Such data is crucial to provide a comprehensive understanding of the issue. The diversity of older persons should be integrated in data-collection methodologies and protocols,” she recommended.Independent experts are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor specific country situations and thematic issues.&nbsp;They work on a voluntary basis. serve in their individual capacity and are independent from any government or organization.&nbsp;The experts are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work.&nbsp;Sources：<a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/09/1140817" data-mce-href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/09/1140817">https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/09/1140817</a>

Rights expert appeals for action to tackle elder abuse

<figure id="figure-ul8fn1ye0km2lfs5rv"><img id="ul8fn1ye0km2lfs5rv" src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/37EQOqREZWWerHqFOa8mAJKZlmfDTAcLJ32YtWC5d1AbMmbjHUZ8pOkDylocdFRm.png" alt="Group of kids school volunteer charity environment" title="Group of kids school volunteer charity environment" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/37EQOqREZWWerHqFOa8mAJKZlmfDTAcLJ32YtWC5d1AbMmbjHUZ8pOkDylocdFRm.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>Almost 625,000 children in the enclave have already lost an entire school year following the 7 October 2023 terror attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on communities in southern Israel and the ensuing Israeli military operation in Gaza. They are now joined by more than 45,000 six-year-old children poised to enter first grade, elevating the risk of a second year without any classroom education, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said.“Children in the Gaza Strip have lost their homes, family members, friends, safety, and routine,” said Adele Khodr, the agency’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Director. “They have also lost the sanctuary and stimulation provided by school, putting their bright futures at risk of being dimmed by this terrible conflict.” The fighting has had a severe impact on education infrastructure. Many schools-turned-IDP shelters, including those run by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), have been damaged or destroyed.With every school shuttered since October last year, there was no graduating class in the Strip – the first such occurrence in decades, UNICEF noted. About 39,000 students missed their final year of school and could not take the Tawjihi exams. For older children, the disruption extends beyond missed education opportunity. Without schooling, young people are at an increased risk of exploitation, child labour, early marriage, and other forms of abuse. Most importantly they are at risk of dropping out of school permanently, the agency said. For younger children, the absence of schooling threatened their cognitive, social, and emotional development. Parents report significant mental health and psychosocial impacts among children, including feelings of increased frustration and isolation.To respond to this situation in the Gaza Strip, UNICEF and its partners set up 39 temporary learning spaces in the enclave, serving over 12,400 students. The ag also offers recreational activities, emergency learning kits, and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to children, youth, caregivers, and teachers in shelters. “We must find ways to restart learning and rebuild schools to uphold the right to education of the next generations in the State of Palestine,” Ms. Khodr said. “Children need stability to cope with the trauma they have experienced, and the opportunity to develop and reach their full potential.” Sources:<a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1154101" data-mce-href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1154101">https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1154101</a>

Gaza war continues to shut hundreds of thousands out of class

<figure id="figure-mrji1jp80vm2lff4qr"><img id="mrji1jp80vm2lff4qr" src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/2fUnxYwQJTbxxzuMO2cBl743O1SqLiVHT7ErA3U55M6OrRxhgOxFv938ljgdpVHG.png" alt="Group of kids school volunteer charity with garbage bags cleaning up on the beach." title="Group of kids school volunteer charity with garbage bags cleaning up on the beach." class="object-cover bg-gray-100" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/2fUnxYwQJTbxxzuMO2cBl743O1SqLiVHT7ErA3U55M6OrRxhgOxFv938ljgdpVHG.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure> An initiative that allows older people to speak face-to-face with their local MP has been launched. Age UK hopes its Tea with my MP scheme will provide a platform for constituents have their voices heard on the issues affecting them most. The charity said the Covid pandemic "hangover" and an "increasing digital divide" had made it harder for older people to reach out. Martin Creeth cares for his wife, who is living with dementia, and spoke with Bath MP Wera Hobhouse in the first session. He said: "It is a really good idea.""I think the chance to be able to have a face-to-face chat in a relaxed atmosphere is brilliant," he added. "I would be really thrilled if she could raise the topic of dementia in Parliament. It's a real problem of our age."Ms Hobhouse said: "It is often very easy to not see a particular section of your constituents and therefore that they actually reach out and make me come to them is really important. "Here, people are in a group where they can talk about their issues together and feel maybe less inhibited to talk about their financial and digital problems."Age UK's Bath and North East Somerset CEO, Simon Allen said it was "really clear" that the "digital divide is increasing". "Don't underestimate the hangover of the pandemic and the lockdowns," he said. "There's still a great many people who haven't fully regained the confidence to get back out in our community." He said the new scheme is a "great opportunity" for people to share their concerns. "Ultimately what we hope is that our local MP will be the champion for older people's voices in Parliament," he added. Sources：<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq8x32e0vd2o" data-mce-href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq8x32e0vd2o">https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq8x32e0vd2o</a>

Older people voice concerns in 'Tea with MP' scheme

<figure id="figure-lm1ot4smjm2lfi7wk" class=""><img id="lm1ot4smjm2lfi7wk" src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/35mQ0DmwqnVJOTmyyzSM4ntXmijeRYeZO8LXVtSHJ2aEhlFhK9GVdbyolpBRSVj6.png" alt="Set of dog toys isolated on white. Collage." title="Set of dog toys isolated on white. Collage." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/35mQ0DmwqnVJOTmyyzSM4ntXmijeRYeZO8LXVtSHJ2aEhlFhK9GVdbyolpBRSVj6.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure> The Taliban in Afghanistan published outrageous new laws on “vice and virtue” that require women to completely cover their bodies, including their faces, in public at all times. In issuing the law, the Taliban claimed that women's voices could lead to vice, referring to their voices as aurat (a term in Sharia, or Islamic law, that signifies a man or woman’s intimate parts, which must be covered). Reducing their voices and bodies to things and sources of sin is an egregious act of sexualizing and objectifying women. These laws attack women’s personhood and autonomy, contributing to their further erasure from society. The Taliban have also announced that women should not be heard speaking, singing, or reciting aloud in public. When the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan three years ago, some were optimistic that “version 2.0” would be different and more open to women’s rights and human rights, as if their initial rule from 1996 to 2001 was not already defined by oppression and misery for the people of Afghanistan, particularly women and girls. For much of the international community, it seemed the Taliban’s past record, marked by unrelenting repression, flogging, stoning, and public executions, was easily forgotten. Many diplomats seemed quick to overlook the civilian lives lost due to Taliban attacks throughout the previous republic era. Since 2021, the Taliban have persistently attacked women's autonomy, oppressing them from every angle. They have banned girls and women from education beyond sixth grade, many forms of employment, and from public life. Having reduced women and girls to the status of non-humans, they severely restrict their movement, denying them any sense of agency or autonomy. After the new laws were announced, many Afghan women bravely defied the ban. Some women inside Afghanistan posted videos of them singing. Others gathered in parks outside the country, singing about freedom and women’s resistance, chanting that no one and nothing can silence the women of Afghanistan. Sources：<a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/08/27/talibans-relentless-assault-afghan-womens-bodies-autonomy" data-mce-href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/08/27/talibans-relentless-assault-afghan-womens-bodies-autonomy">https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/08/27/talibans-relentless-assault-afghan-womens-bodies-autonomy</a>

Taliban’s Relentless Assault on Afghan Women’s Bodies, Autonomy

<figure id="figure-k8jq6hh3om2leaxnv"><img id="k8jq6hh3om2leaxnv" src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/23ZllC06BSlhJCnyaKZWrZlN7heIGrjC0g56lRi98LDTjDSeDfV5YxFJ9bcI9PXb.png" alt="A temporary yellow parkrun sign advising Caution Runners in an English park on a Saturday morning." title="A temporary yellow parkrun sign advising Caution Runners in an English park on a Saturday morning." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 " style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/covers/23ZllC06BSlhJCnyaKZWrZlN7heIGrjC0g56lRi98LDTjDSeDfV5YxFJ9bcI9PXb.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>A pensioner whose boiler was serviced for free by a local tradesman says she cannot believe there is someone willing to do "something for nothing". Gas engineer Tommy Tatton wanted to give back to older members of his community, and has offered free servicing to people about to lose their winter fuel payment. One, Val Merrill, 84, from Sandbach, Cheshire, said the payment cut remained a hot topic of conversation for people her age. "Everybody's on about it," she said. "You just stand in the bus queue and they say, 'How are we going to manage without this money?'."Mr Tatton described it as a "buzz" to give something back to those in need and hoped other gas engineers would also offer a helping hand. He said: "I can save a couple of hours a week, I can give that back to somebody. Why not help people who have just lost out?." Mrs Merrill is very grateful for what he is doing, especially because she is one of more than 10 million pensioners losing out on government support this winter. "I'll definitely be affected by it," she explained. "It means a lot. I mean £300 could pay your bill, couldn't it? And more." She said she was surprised by Labour's decision in early September to remove the payment. "I thought they we're going to do wonders for us when this new government came in but evidently not, and the pensioners are the first to lose something," she said. A spokesperson insisted the government was "committed to supporting pensioners". "Millions [are] set to see their state pension rise by £1,700 this parliament, through our commitment to the triple lock,” they said. “Over a million pensioners will still receive the winter fuel payment, and our drive to boost pension credit take-up has already seen a 152% increase in claims. “Many others will also benefit from the £150 warm home discount... while our extension of the household support fund will help with the cost of food, heating and bills.” Mrs Merrill's MP Sarah Russell said she applauded Mr Tatton's "kind offer", which is a "very civic-minded thing to do". "Although it's no longer financially feasible to award winter fuel payments to everyone over pension age regardless of need, I'm doing what I can to ensure support gets to the most vulnerable," she said. "I’ll be running events in the constituency to help people check their eligibility for and apply for pension credit, and other help such as the household support fund."Sources：<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c33v60zn8kko" data-mce-href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c33v60zn8kko">https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c33v60zn8kko</a>

Justice echoes

News

'You see us burning, you stay silent': Family’s agony ove...

Rights expert appeals for action to tackle elder abuse

Gaza war continues to shut hundreds of thousands out of c...

Older people voice concerns in 'Tea with MP' scheme

Taliban’s Relentless Assault on Afghan Women’s Bodies, Au...

Gas engineer offers pensioners free boiler service