Syrian refugee's Ramadan campaign: schoolboy protests outside UK Parliament to highlight plight of victims


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Every day during Ramadan, a teenage Syrian schoolboy is protesting outside the Houses of Parliament in London to shed light on the plight of refugees from his country.

Dressed in his purple school blazer, Abdullah Najjar, 13, says he wants to do what he can to help the millions afflicted by the decade-long Syrian civil war.

While Abdullah and his parents fled Syria when he was three, many of his family members are still in the country.

"When you are fasting and you have school on top of that, you don't really have that much energy to spare. I guess that's kind of the point really, because ironically you're campaigning for people that have even less than what we have right now," he told The National outside Parliament in Westminster.

Abdullah said it took him an hour to travel from his home to central London and two hours for the return journey.

He said he did "get very tired" but it was "all worth it".

“My mum, she seems lonely at times with her family. It’s been 10 years, and I really empathise with her,” he said.

Abdullah’s father Mohammed said some relatives, including aunties and uncles, were still in Syria – particularly Aleppo.

“He talks to them from time to time. He keeps asking ‘are you safe, are you OK? Do you need any help? I just want to help you in any way’,” said Mohammed, who is a doctor with the UK’s National Health Service.

“He’s one of the stars of this family and I am very proud, I am very happy, I am very blessed.”

Abdullah is raising money for the Orphans Shelter Foundation and said he was inspired by the campaigners Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai.

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Long read

Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response

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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

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Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY

Starting at 10am:

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  • Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
  • Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help. 
  • Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
  • Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
  • Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported. 

Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

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Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.

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One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.

That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.

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The low down on MPS

What is myofascial pain syndrome?

Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (­connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).

What are trigger points?

Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft ­tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and ­sustained posture are the main culprits in developing ­trigger points.

What is myofascial or trigger-point release?

Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle ­sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in ­connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. ­Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.

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MATCH INFO

Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')

Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')

Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

RESULT

Huddersfield Town 2 Manchester United 1
Huddersfield: Mooy (28'), Depoitre (33')
Manchester United: Rashford (78')

 

Man of the Match: Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)