Reuters’ Mohammed Salem’s photo from Gaza wins World Press Photo of the Year award 2024
Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem has been awarded the prestigious 2024 World Press Photo of the Year for his powerful image capturing the devastation of conflict in the Gaza Strip.
The winning photograph depicts a Palestinian woman, Inas Abu Maamar, cradling the lifeless body of her five-year-old niece, Saly, in the morgue of Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. The scene, captured on Oct. 17, 2023, amidst the Israeli bombing of the enclave, portrays the profound grief and anguish experienced by civilians caught in the midst of conflict.
Rickey Rogers, Reuters Global Editor for Pictures and Video, announced Salem's achievement at a ceremony in Amsterdam, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the human impact of war, especially on children. Salem, a seasoned photojournalist who has been with Reuters since 2003, responded to the news with humility, acknowledging the somber nature of the photograph while expressing gratitude for its recognition and the opportunity to raise awareness about the realities of war.
The World Press Photo Foundation, based in Amsterdam, underscored the dangers faced by journalists covering conflicts, particularly during the Israel-Hamas war. The organization noted that 99 journalists and media employees had lost their lives in the line of duty during the conflict, highlighting the risks inherent in documenting humanitarian crises.
Joumana El Zein Khoury, the executive director of the World Press Photo Foundation, emphasized the trauma experienced by journalists in conflict zones and emphasized the importance of shedding light on the humanitarian impact of war through visual storytelling.
Salem's award-winning photograph, described by the jury as "composed with care and respect," provides a poignant glimpse into the unimaginable loss experienced by Palestinian families amidst the violence in Gaza. The image captures the chaos and desperation of civilians seeking information about their loved ones, with Abu Maamar's refusal to let go of her niece's body serving as a poignant symbol of the broader human tragedy unfolding in the region.
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Thane court sentences two men to life imprisonment in 2017 gang-rape case
Thane: A court in Maharashtra's Thane district has sentenced two persons to life imprisonment for the rape of a 30-year-old woman in 2017.
Additional sessions judge Vasudha L Bhosale on Friday found the accused, Suresh Pandurang Gosavi (40) and Umesh alias Rakesh Zhala (39), guilty under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code.
The court sentenced them to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 55,000 each.
The accused were also convicted on the charges of kidnapping the victim and robbery and handed them different terms of imprisonment.
The judge, in her order, stated that all the sentences would run concurrently.
The court also ordered that the accused pay Rs 40,000 each to the victim as compensation and referred the case to the DLSA for compensation to the victim as per law.
Additional public prosecutors Varsha Chandane and Rajendra P Patil told the court that on the evening of December 19, 2017, the victim, who was employed as a store manager, was returning home from work when she took Gosavi's cab, and the other accused man was already in the front seat.
The accused drove some distance and halted, claiming the car had a flat tyre that needed to be fixed. The duo proceeded to rob the woman, snatched her jewellery and mobile phone and raped her in the car, the prosecution said.
The men then took her to a lodge, where she raised an alarm, and they abandoned her and fled, they said.
The judge, in her order, noted that the prosecution had successfully proved all charges against the accused, who needed to be convicted and sentenced.
