LONDON: A British woman has been found guilty of taking her toddler son to join the Daesh group, becoming the first woman to be convicted of the offense after returning to the UK from the self-declared caliphate in Syria.
Tareena Shakil, 26, was convicted of being a member of the Daesh (Arabic acronym of Islamic State of Iran and the Levant) and encouraging acts of terrorism. She will be sentenced on Monday. Police said in October 2014 she and her one-year-old son boarded a plane to Turkey, where she crossed into Syria and spent three months there.
Counter-terrorism officers arrested Shakil on suspicion of Syria-related terrorism offenses and child neglect at London’s Heathrow Airport when she returned last February. Her son has since been taken into social care.
During her trial, Shakil denied the charges, claiming she only traveled to Syria because she wanted to live under strict Islamic law. But a photo on her phone showed her posing with a firearm and wearing an Islamic State balaclava, and another photo showed her posing in Syria under the group’s flag. Police also said she had sent a series of tweets before she left Britain, encouraging others to commit terror acts.
“Our assessment is that she was not naïve; she had absolutely clear intentions when she left the UK,” said Marcus Beale at West Midlands Police. He added that she “presented a real threat” to Britain upon her return.
Like many other European countries, Britain is increasingly concerned about residents — especially young people — traveling to Syria to fight or support militants. Figures released this month showed that the number of girls and women traveling from Britain to Syria is increasing, with 56 believed to have left for the conflict-torn country last year.
UK mom convicted of joining Daesh with child
UK mom convicted of joining Daesh with child
94 million need cataract surgery, but access lacking: WHO
- Of the 94 million affected, fewer than 20 percent are blind, while the rest suffer from impaired vision
GENEVA: More than 94 million people suffer from cataracts, but half of them do not have access to the surgery needed to fix it, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.
Cataracts — the clouding of the eye’s lens that causes blurred vision and can lead to blindness — are on the rise as populations get older, with age being the main risk factor.
“Cataract surgery — a simple, 15-minute procedure — is one of the most cost-effective medical procedures, providing immediate and lasting restoration of sight,” the WHO said.
It is one of the most frequently performed surgeries undertaken in high-income countries.
However, “half of the world’s population in need of cataract surgery don’t have access to it,” said Stuart Keel, the UN health agency’s technical lead for eye care.
The situation is worst in the WHO’s Africa region, where three in four people needing cataract surgery remain untreated.
In Kenya, at the current rate, 77 percent of people needing cataract surgery are likely to die with their cataract blindness or vision impairment, said Keel.
Across all regions, women consistently experience lower access to care than men.
Of the 94 million affected, fewer than 20 percent are blind, while the rest suffer from impaired vision.
- 2030 vision -
The WHO said that over the past two decades, global cataract surgery coverage had increased by 15 percent.
In 2021, WHO member states set a target of a 30-percent increase by 2030.
However, current modelling predicts that cataract surgery coverage will rise by only about 8.4 percent this decade.
To close the gap, the WHO urged countries to integrate eye examinations into primary health care and invest in the required surgical equipment.
States should also expand the eye-care workforce, training surgeons in a standardised manner and then distributing them throughout the country, notably outside major cities.
The WHO was on Wednesday launching new guidance for countries on how to provide quality cataract surgery services.
It will also issue guidance to help support workforce development.
Keel said the main issue was capacity and financing.
“We do need money invested to get rid of this backlog, which is nearly 100 million people,” he told a press conference.
While age is the primary risk factor for cataracts, others include prolonged UV-B light exposure, tobacco use, prolonged corticosteroid use and diabetes.
Keel urged people to keep up regular eye checks as they get older, with most problems able to be either prevented or diagnosed and treated.
The cost of the new lens that goes inside the eye can be under $100.
However, out-of-pocket costs can be higher when not covered by health insurance.
“Cataract surgery is one of the most powerful tools we have to restore vision and transform lives,” said Devora Kestel, head of the WHO’s noncommunicable diseases and mental health department.
“When people regain their sight, they regain independence, dignity, and opportunity.”
