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Volume 10 Issue 275 Safar 9, 1432 AH / January 14, 2011 - $1

Tucson suspect's troubles didn't keep him from gun

Leadership candidates from both BC Liberals and NDP are busy in campaigning across the province and making promises about a range of issues including HST, Carbon Tax, holiday in February and legalization of marijuana. The Liberals will elect their new leader on February 26 while NDP is set to have new leadership on April 17. Meanwhile, BC Conservatives have also scheduled its leadership convention for May 28.

people die each year of gunshot wounds — about one-third of the 98,000 who are shot. The most recent violence has turned the spotlight once again on a system that fuels gun crime and, say some, is giving in to an “extremist” minority of gun advocates at the expense of national safety. “We need more sensible laws, and we need a change in social norms,” says David Hemenway, a Harvard professor of health policy and expert in gun violence. “But the sad thing is that too many people are cowed by the gun lobby. And on a typical day in the U.S. there are 80 deaths from firearms.” Arizona’s laws allow lethal weapons to be concealed as well as easily purchased. And, says the Washington-based Violence Policy Center, there is a strong link between lax laws and shooting deaths. “Laws keep down the gun population,” says the centre’s execu-

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Haitians yearn for change after year in ‘hell’ As Haitians mark the anniversary on Wednesday of the earthquake that flattened much of the capital Port-au-Prince, hopes that a better nation could rise from the rubble have given way to a crushing sense of bitterness and despair.

Reconstruction work has barely begun despite billions of dollars in pledged aid, profiteering by Haiti’s tiny and notoriously corrupt elite has reached epic proportions, and a national cholera epidemic has added to the misery of a country where the quake killed about 250,000 people and left more than a million homeless.

Haiti, the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country, was in bad shape before the quake. But promises from the international community to “build Haiti back better” now ring hollow to many of the country’s most vulnerable.

Banks, schools and government offices were ordered closed for the anniversary and a national day of mourning was to kick off with a service offered by the papal envoy to Haiti at the quake-shattered remains of the National Cathedral in downtown Port-au-Prince.

Former US President Bill Clinton, the special UN envoy for Haiti who heads its main disaster management body, was due to attend the service along with a host of officials including outgoing Haitian President Rene Preval. But in Champs Mars, Port-auPrince’s central plaza where thousands of families made homeless by the quake live in a sweltering tent city, residents said the official ceremonies and renewed pledges of aid and progress for Haiti from foreign officials, were like something taking place in another

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Issue 275 - Safar 9, 1432 / January 14, 2011 THE

Khosa’s appointment as governor challenged in LHC The appointment of Sardar Latif Khosa as the new governor of Punjab was challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC).

The petition, filed by a local lawyer against the appointment, stated that Khosas selection despite the corruption allegations against him, was a violation of the Constitutions Article 62 and Article 63. Khosa had been removed, reportedly over corruption charges, from important offices on the directives of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani: first as the attorney general in October 2009 and later as adviser to the prime

minister in July 2010. The petition filed further stated that a corruption case against Latif Khosa had not yet been decided. The Lahore High Court has now summoned the president of the Lahore Bar Association for assistance on January 19. President Asif Ali Zardari on the advise of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani had signed the governor Punjab Sardar Latif Khosa’s appointment summary. The post had become vacant with the murder of Governor Punjab Salman Taseer by his own security guard. Latif Khosa would be 35th Governor of Punjab.

Biden says US ‘not the enemy of Islam’ US Vice President Joe Biden delivered a bold message of support for key anti-terror ally Pakistan during a trip to Islamabad yesterday, telling the country that America is “not the enemy of Islam”.

After talks with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani he described as “extremely useful”, Biden addressed antiAmerican sentiment in Pakistan, fanned by the ongoing war in Afghanistan and a covert US drone campaign on its border.

“There are even some sections in Pakistani society and elsewhere that suggest American disrespects Islam and its followers,” Biden told a joint press conference at the prime minister’s residence in Islamabad.

“We are not the enemies of Islam and we embrace those who practise that great religion in all our country,” he added. Biden said that Taliban and Al Qaeda elements living in the remote lawless areas of the country’s northwest were a threat to Pakistan.

“A close partnership between Pakistan and its people is in the vital self interest of the United States of American and, I would argue... in the vital self interest of Pakistan as well,” he told reporters.

The United States wants Pakistan’s military to do more to combat extremist on its border and to launch a ground offensive in the border region of North Waziristan, where it says key Taliban leaders reside.

Biden delivered his message before leaving for a key meeting with army chief General Ashfaq Kayani. “My hope is God willing, if I’m able to stand here next year with you that we’re able to point to greater progress and greater resolve and greater prosperity for your people and mine,” Biden said, concluding

his speech.

Gilani gave a brief statement ahead of Biden’s speech, applauding “very fruitful discussions” with the US vice president.

The US Vice President was in Islamabad for counterterrorism talks with Pakistan’s top leaders and senior military officials, a US official said.

Biden arrived at the US embassy in Islamabad just after midday under heavy security from Pakistan’s Air Force base, with a helicopter circling overhead and police stationed at regular intervals along roads free of cars.Huge crowds gathered along the route to watch Biden’s motorcade pass.Pakistan’s state-run news agency APP reported that Biden was likely to present an economic, military and intelligence package for Pakistan, to help it cope with the financial burden of its counterterrorism measures.

The government in part blames the diversion of national resources to fight militancy for its raft of economic woes, which include a huge fiscal deficit and crippling fuel and energy shortages.US officials have announced they will fast-track part of a 7.5-billion-dollar five-year assistance package to help with flood recovery.

Biden arrived hours after a US drone strike in Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal district struck a compound near the base of a Taliban commander, killing three suspected foreign militants, according to security officials.

Biden arrived in Pakistan from Kabul, where he met President Hamid Karzai for talks that included discussing the presence of US troops serving in Afghanistan as part of an international force of some 140,000.

Suicide bomber hits Pakistan town At least 17 people killed in attack on police station in the northwest of the country.

The Taliban claimed that they struck the police station in response to US drone strikes.

A suicide bomber has killed at least 17 people, including security officers, in northwest Pakistan in an attack on a police station and an adjacent mosque. The bombing on Wednesday at Miryan town police station in Bannu district also wounded at least 13 other people, according to medical staff. The bomber

drove a car carrying explosives into the building killing police officers and paramilitary fighters. The Taliban immidiately claimed responsibility for the attack.

They said that the bombing was in response to US drone attacks in the coutnry's northwest, where the Taliban launch strikes within Pakistan and in Afghanistan.

"We claim responsibility for this attack. We will continue such attacks unless the drone attacks are stopped," Azam Tariq, a Taliban spokesman speaking from an undisclosed location, said. Security officials said on Wednesday that an unmanned drone aircraft fired missiles at an opposition location in the North Waziristan region at dawn, killing five armed men.

The US refuses to confirm missions it undertakes in the Pakistan-Afghan border region, which take place with Pakistan's tacit approval. Washington is aiming to crush the Taliban and al-Qaeda there.

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Tunisia unrest spreads to capital Police have fired into the air to disperse rioters ransacking buildings in a suburb of Tunisia's capital. The violence in the predominantly working class neighbourhood of Ettadem late on Tuesday was the first in Tunis since a wave of unrest that has killed at least 23 people, according to officials. A reporter for the Reuters news agency said that hundreds of youths threw stones at police before smashing shops and setting fire to a bank. He said the crowd had blocked the roads with burning tyres, set fire to a bus and two cars and also set fire to a local government office. "We are not afraid, we are not afraid, we are afraid only of God," the crowds chanted. As well as warning shots, the police fired tear gas grenades to try to force people back.

Tunisia has been hit by a series of riots by protesters saying they want action to create more jobs and better living conditions.

The army had been deployed in the most

restive towns on Tuesday and schools and universities closed after a weekend of violence. The Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) said that at least 35 people were killed in violence over the weekend after security forces shot at demonstrators, prompting international calls for restraint. "We have a list of the names of the 35," Souhayr Belhassen, FIDH president, told the AFP news agency.

"The total figure is higher. It's somewhere around 50, but that's an estimate."

However, authorities have rejected the human rights group's allegations, adding that security forces acted in self-defence.

"All other figures given by television and agencies which talk about 40 or 50 [dead] are totally false," Samir Labidi, the communications minister, said. "Religious extremist movements and extremist movements from the left have infiltrated these protests and pushed for violence. "Our response to

the demands of the young people is economic and social reforms and more opening up towards liberty." Belhassen said the toll had "increased tragically" after the protests at the weekend in Regueb, Thala and Kasserine - remote, agricultural areas with high rates of youth unemployment - and that so many had been wounded that "they can't be counted". The organisation follows events in tightly controlled Tunisia, criticised for its rights record, through a network of local monitors. Another international watchdog, Amnesty International, has estimated that 23 people were "killed by security forces" during the protests against the government on Saturday and Sunday. Protests traditionally have been rare in Tunisia, which has had only two presidents since independence from France 55 years ago. The European Union, France,

the United Nations and the United States have expressed alarm and called on President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's government to show restraint. The unrest prompted Ben Ali to announce the creation of 300,000 jobs in a televised address on Monday, on top of 50,000 already pledged for the regions. He also called a national conference on employment for February.

Tunisia's unemployment rate is officially 14 per cent, but the percentage of graduates without work is reported to be double that.

Source: Al-Jazeera

B.C. Libs push anti-crime platform B.C. Liberal leadership candidate Kevin Falcon is pledging to get tough on crime, just as Solicitor-General Rich Coleman is trumpeting the B.C. government’s crime platform. Coleman, who is supporting Falcon’s leadership bid, appeared with Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu Tuesday to announce that an expensive home had been confiscated as part of the province’s proceeds-of-crime legislation. Almost simultaneously, Falcon took the wraps off his public safety platform, pledging to enhance the exact same proceeds-of-crime legislation by providing municipalities with a financial incentive — offering communities 50 per cent of all assets seized under proceeds-of-crime legislation. “We want to make criminals prove that they purchased their assets with legal money,” said Falcon. “If they can’t, they should lose those assets and the funds should go toward helping honest taxpayers pay for policing in their communities.” Falcon made no apologies for timing his announcement in lockstep with Coleman’s news conference. “We’re in a leadership race — obviously we’re going to capitalize on announcements,” Falcon told reporters in Gastown. “Oh, my, the coincidence. “Yes, of course we’re going to capitalize on the opportunity.” Falcon hopes that offering 50 per cent of the proceeds-of-crime money will give municipalities a push to step up anti-crime initiatives. “I want to make sure that municipalities are really energized,” he said. Meanwhile, B.C. Liberal leadership candidate George Abbott’s camp decided that quoting an NDP insider was Tuesday’s best opening for his leadership campaign.

Abbott quoted David Schreck, who was on radio touting Abbott as the potential B.C. Liberal leader that the NDP fears most. “From the NDP’s point of view, George Abbott would be the hardest guy to beat,” the NDP strategist said on CKNW radio. “George Abbott, I think, would erode part of the NDP’s political universe in that he comes across more moderately and advanced some policies that would appear to appeal to some New Democrats.” Abbott is considered by pundits to be arguably the most leftleaning of the would-be B.C. Liberal leaders, and Schreck said he is more dangerous to the NDP than the two candidates considered to be the frontrunners — Falcon and Christy Clark. “Christy Clark or Kevin Falcon would be a gift from the gods for New Democrats because they polarize, they turn off some of the Liberal universe, and they would really activate NDP supporters to get over our internal divisions and turn out to stop those people from continuing as premier,” Schreck continued in his radio interview Tuesday. Falcon, Abbott, and Clark are joined by MLAs Mike de Jong and Moira Stilwell as well as Parksville Mayor Ed Mayne in the race to be named B.C. Liberal leader, replacing outgoing Premier Gordon Campbell in the process. The Liberals face twin challenges — picking the best candidate for premier, and the best candidate to win the next provincial election.

Source: The Province

USA : Continued from pg 1 tive director Josh Sugarmann. “But states with the most lax laws and the highest gun density tend to have the highest overall deaths.” Arizona is ninth in state firearm deaths. Its rate for 2007 was about 15 per 100,000, exceeding the national average of 10. Louisiana, where 46 per cent of households have guns, has highest figure, of 20 per 100,000. In the lowest ranking state, Hawaii, with a gun death rate of 3 per 100,000, only 10 per cent of households have guns, according to U.S. statistics. “When you look at the rates of homicide without guns in the U.S. it’s only slightly higher than in Canada,” says Ryerson University professor Wendy Cukier, author of The

Plane Crash Kills 77 Iran Air Flight 277 crashed on January 9 killing 77 of the 93 people on board. The aircraft had missed its first attempt at landing, it either crashed during a go-around,[7] or while attempting to return to Tehran

South Sudan vote 'passes threshold' Officials say the 60 per cent benchmark needed to validate secession referendum has been met by fourth day of voting.

South Sudan's referendum, to determine whether the region splits from the rest of the country, has on Wednesday passed the 60 percent threshold for the poll results to be valid, marking a crucial step in the separation process. A senior official in southern Sudan has confirmed that more than 60 percent of registered voters have already cast their ballots as the fourth day of independence referendum gets underway Officials in the Khartoumbased government have yet to respond to this claim.The result of the voting, widely expected to go in favour of a north-south separation, can now be considered valid once the they are counted. The predominantly animist and Christian southerners have long blamed the mostly Arab and Muslim

Global Gun Epidemic. “But rates of homicide with guns are much higher. It shows that the availability of guns is very important.” Both state and national laws have been crucially weakened over the past decade — including a Supreme Court ruling that makes home ownership of guns a right, and the expiry of a federal ban on extended ammunition clips for automatic weapons, which police say permitted Jared Lee Loughner to attach a clip that could fire up to 33 bullets without reloading. Critics say even the laws that exist are poorly enforced and monitored. On Tuesday, gun-control advocates called for reforms of the federal background check system that allowed Loughner to buy two weapons in the past two years: a shotgun and a semi-automatic pistol that attracts

north of exploiting the South's oil without investing revenue in its development. Southerners were also angered by the north's attempts to impose Islamic law across the country. The votes for independence will not be finalised until July ,and Sudan has much to figure out in the meantime.

Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir has said he would let the South secede peacefully, but the split of Africa's largest country would deprive the north of most of its oil fields, which means north-South oil rights will have to be renegotiated.Other issues include water rights to the White Nile, border demarcation and the status of Abyei, a disputed north-South border region with the most imminent threat of a return to conflict. Although voting has largely been peaceful and even jubilant, officials have said that violence in Abyei has killed at least 30 people in recent days.

gun lovers with its “fantastic firepower.” In spite of Loughner’s encounters with police over alleged drug use, he purchased the weapons from a sporting goods shop that apparently found no record of his dismissed drug charge, or run-ins with community college police. Gun control advocates say that the complaint is nothing new, and in spite of spectacular shooting attacks little has been done to improve the U.S.’s gun violence record, which is the worst of all the industrial countries. Nor has it changed under President Barack Obama, an avowed supporter of firearm control when he ran for election.

Source: The Star

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Issue 275 - Safar 9, 1432 / January 14, 2011 THE

Ex-US House leader gets jail term Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay vowed Monday to fight a three-year prison sentence for money laundering, calling himself the victim of "mali-

cious prosecution" by Democrats. "I can't be remorseful for something I don't think I did," DeLay said, standing before the Texas judge who sentenced him.

DeLay was led out of the courtroom by marshals and taken to the county jail, where he posted bond. He will remain free pending appeal of his conviction related to a 2002 scheme to illegally funnel corporate money into Texas political races. The money helped Republicans take control of the Texas House and redraw congressional districts to enhance DeLay's influence in Washington. DeLay, once one of the nation's most powerful political figures, was sentenced to three years in state prison and several more years of probation.

"Justice was served," said assistant Travis County District Attorney Gary Cobb, the lead prosecutor.

DeLay's lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, predicted that the verdict would be overturned on appeal. "This will not stand," he said. The sentencing capped a daylong hearing in Travis County district court in which DeGuerin pleaded for lenient treatment, saying his client's precipitous fall from the No. 2 job in Congress had left him "a man who is unemployed and is unemployable." DeLay, whose hardball political style earned him the nickname "The Hammer," was unrepentant as he addressed the judge before sentencing. He declared he had done nothing wrong and was being persecuted for his conservative views. "They don't agree with my politics," he said. Sitting nearby was his wife,

Christine, and his daughter, Danielle, who dabbed tears from her eyes as her father addressed the court.

Judge Pat Priest rejected DeLay's claims of a partisan prosecution. He said the former Republican leader had abused the public trust. "Before there were Republicans and Democrats there was America," the judge said. "And what America is about is the rule of law." A jury convicted DeLay in November of conspiring with two associates to use his Texas-based political action committee to send $190,000 in corporate money to an arm of the Washington-based Republican National Committee. The RNC then sent the same amount to seven Texas House candidates. Under Texas law, corporate money may not go directly to political candidates. The judge imposed a three-year sentence on a conspiracy conviction. On a separate moneylaundering charge, he sentenced DeLay to five years in prison, but that was probated for 10 years. That means that if DeLay loses his appeals, he would serve three years in prison and seven years on probation.

The appeals process could take years. Since his indictment, DeLay has remained largely out of public view with the exception of a stint on the television show "Dancing With the Stars" and a round of TV appearances supporting a book in which he defends himself as a conservative Christian and denounces the prosecution that ended his political career. During Monday's hearing, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert took the stand as a character witness for DeLay. Hastert, an Illinois Republican who was speaker from 1999 to 2006, said the former Texas congressman had a deep religious faith and had supported programs for foster children and championed a familylaw court in the District of Columbia. He said DeLay worked hard to boost funding for NASA, which was in his district, and to increase the amount of gas-tax money returned to the state from the federal government, he said. "Tom, whenever he did anything, he jumped into it full-bore with a lot of passion," Hastert said. Cobb, the prosecutor, pressed Hastert repeatedly over whether DeLay has taken responsibility or expressed remorse. Hastert said hadn't heard DeLay do so. "Is it a conservative value that you obey the laws of the state of Texas?" Cobb asked. Hastert sidestepped the question, saying that obeying the law is a value for everyone, conservative or liberal.

Source: Vancouver Sun

MIR A LE

Clash in Bangladesh as stocks dive Trading has been halted at Bangladesh's main stock exchange amid protests over the largest single day loss in the bourse's 55year history. The exchange halted trading on Monday as per orders from the Securities and Exchange Commission after the benchmark index plunged 9.25 per cent within the first hour of trading. Buses of riot police were deployed to the stock exchange building in the capital Dhaka where protesters chanted slogans against the government and market regulators. Some protesters burned vehicles as riot police struggled to keep control, firing tear gas and charging the crowd with batons. Monirul Islam, an investor attending the protests, told the AFP news agency: "I lost $70,000 dollars. This is insane - my whole savings are gone." "I poured all my money into the Dhaka stock exchange," Humayum Kabir, another Bangladeshi investor, said. "The finance minister lured us into the stock market, he told us it was safe, but now we have lost everything. They artificially jacked up the prices of junk shares and now our savings have vanished," Kabir said. The country's stock exchange hit a record high of 8,918.51 on December 5, but it has so far lost 27.4 per cent, which many experts have called a necessary correction. Tanvir Chowdhury, the editor of the online journal News from Bangladesh, told Al Jazeera: "One of the factors that could explain these dramatic losses is how the market has widened but the number of the shares does not match the expectations of the people waiting to buy. There is also a lot of speculation from investors who do not understand the stock market. "Small time entrepreneurs who have little money to invest think they'll get a quick return out of the market by buying stocks without realising the real face value of the stock versus the performance of the companies they are buying from, but it doesn't work like that," Chowdhury said. Prices of shares have suffered a series of slides since early December after the stock regulator and the central bank took measures to cool the market, prompting some street protests. The central bank had raised banks' cash requirement ratio from 5.5 per cent to 6 per cent, effective December 15, to rein in on inflation and to curb runaway credit flow, especially to the volatile capital markets. Call money market rates also hit a record high last month. Some banks have invested 75 per cent of their deposits in the stock market against a ceiling of 10 per cent and had been told to get back under the limit by December 30.

This deadline has now been extended to January 15.

Source: Al-Jazeera

Lebanese government collapses Lebanon's unity government has collapsed after the Hezbollah movement and its political allies resigned from the cabinet over arguments stemming from a UN probe into the assassination of Rafiq al-Hariri, the former Lebanese prime minister, in 2005. There has been growing political tension in Lebanon amid signs that Hezbollah members could be indicted by the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL).

Ten ministers tendered their resignations on Wednesday after reports that al-Hariri's son Saad, the prime minister, had refused their call to convene a cabinet meeting to discuss controversial issues including the investigation by the STL. An eleventh member, Adnan Sayyed Hussein, later stood down from the 30-member cabinet, automatically bringing down al-Hariri's government.

The request to convene a cabinet meeting came on Tuesday after Syria and Saudi Arabia, who have for months been attempting to act as mediators in Lebanon's political crisis, announced their efforts had failed. The resignations, which were announced by Jubran Bassil, the energy minister, came as al-Hariri was in Washington meeting Barack Obama, the US president. Bassil called on Michel Suleiman, the Lebanese president, to form a new government.

Immediately after his government was brought down, alHariri cut short his visit to the US to fly home. He was driven to Dulles international airport after talks with Obama at the White House and will meet Suleiman on his return. He will be stopping in Paris on his way back to meet Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president. In a statement, a spokesperson for Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general,

said: "The secretary general is monitoring closely developments in Lebanon, where the situation is fast evolving. He emphasises the importance that calm be preserved.

"The secretary-general further calls for continuing dialogue among all parties and respect for the constitution and the laws of Lebanon. "He reiterates his full support for the independent work of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon."

Hezbollah, which has denied any role in the assassination, has denounced the tribunal as an "Israeli project'' and urged al-Hariri to reject any findings by the court, which has not yet announced its decisions. But al-Hariri has refused to break co-operation with the tribunal.

"Saad Hariri was on the brink of making a major concession as concerns the tribunal but occult forces prevented him from doing so," Walid Jumblatt, the Druze leader, told the AFP news agency without elaborating.

Al Jazeera's Rula Amin, in Beirut, said that the opposition ministers said that they resigned because the prime minister will not engage them and respond to efforts to reach an understanding on a number of issues. "What the ministers are saying is that they resigned to protest Saad Hariri's stand not to find a settlement on how to deal with the ramifications of the tribunal.

"Hezbollah are saying that this tribunal has been politicised and used by the US and Isreal to descredit Hezbollah, that they have nothing to do with the death of Rafiq Hariri and they want Saad Hariri to come out and delegitimise its findings and end Lebanon's co-operation with the tribunal."

Saad Hariri's associates have said that he would not succumb to pressure and will call for a cabinet meeting when he finds it appropriate.

Reacting to the Hezbollah withdrawal, Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, said the tribunal must continue with its work so that justice can be served.

"We view what happened today as a transparent effort by those forces inside Lebanon, as well as interests outside Lebanon, to subvert justice and undermine Lebanon's stability and progress," Clinton told a news conference in Doha, Qatar, where she was attending a meeting of regional leaders.

"This is a matter that should be allowed to proceed as previously agreed to. This is not only about the tragic assassination of former Prime Minister Hariri, but many other people died and were injured as well," Clinton said. The standoff between al-Hariri's camp and Hezbollah over the UN tribunal has paralysed the government for months and sparked concerns of sectarian violence similar to the one that brought the country close to civil war in May 2008.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

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Issue 275 - Safar 9, 1432 / January 14, 2011 THE

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CANADA’S RISING DOLLAR AMID GLOBAL CURRENCY CHAOS Quite a lot is going on in the global arena of economic politics. Obviously, many countries are in a state of flexing muscles to deal with a mix of currency wars, currency collapses or currency chaos in the days ahead. Some of the Asian countries are genuinely worried about gradually losing in this battlefield unless they allow their currencies to appreciate specifically in the light of the ongoing inflationary pressures and threats of trade retaliation.

Fortunately, Canada’s dollar is recognized and considered as a benchmark currency, therefore, a number of central banks around the world keep it as a reserve currency.

Although, the Canadians feel very comfortable with powerful money and do enjoy higher value loonie due to its purchasing capacity when visiting south of the border or overseas, yet in fact, a large majority among us is too naive to fully appreciate the repercussions of such a boost up in currency value. Even the Bank of Canada has already expressed concerns about the strength of loonie and what it might do to the ‘fragile economic recovery.’

Realistically speaking, when Canada sells more and more exports such as gold, oil, and other minerals to the foreign buyers, its currency will be in high demand. Thus, the more is sold to other countries - more Canadian funds are purchased by the foreign importers. However, there is another situation as well, where the rising Canadian dollar becomes attractive currency for the investors who start replacing

US dollars with Canadian dollars. Such behaviour doesn’t help Canada’s economy at all. This is in no way “a selling in global markets” because, there isn’t any economic activity to generate national income or provide employment to the jobless people.

Certainly, higher commodity prices and improving economic fundamentals are preferable over declining prices and deteriorating conditions. Stronger dollar is a reflection of commodity prices and global economic fundamentals. Regardless of the high value of Canadian currency, its strong fundamentals including an enviable fiscal position, a strong banking system, widening interest rate differentials and favourable commodity prices shall protect its value at least for a couple of years from excessive downside pressures.

Nevertheless, there is a floating exchange rate, where the markets dictate the movements of the exchange rate, a pegged float, where the central banks keep the rate from deviating too far from a target value, and the fixed exchange rate, which keeps the currency tied to another currency.

In fact, the Bank of Canada focuses on maintaining a low and stable inflation, safe and secure currency, financial stability, and importantly of course, an efficient management of government funds and public debt. Furthermore, the bank has been intervening in the foreign exchange market but only under exceptional circumstances.

However, the fiat Canadian dollar’s value is determined by the supply and demand in the market.

Moreover, “market psychology and trader

perceptions” influence the foreign exchange market in a variety of ways.

Thus, monetary policy is the process whereby the Monetary Authority of a country regulates the supply of money, often targeting the rate of interest in order to attain a set of objectives for growth and stability of the economy. These goals usually include relatively stable prices and low unemployment. Beyond a doubt, the exchange rate regime is the way a country manages its currency with respect to foreign currencies and the foreign exchange market.

Although, many investors are alerted to redirect or transfer their risk to safer haven, yet, sometimes currency speculation may be misleading and dangerously treacherous. Nevertheless, the manipulative speculation being one of the most effective elements does play a key role in influencing the currency valuation as well. It is perceived as an easier way of manipulating the currency markets and the national economies.

Certainly, the speculators do influence the central banks to raise interest rates and devalue the currency. However, the same speculators earn most of the credit for a prosperous economic condition, yet, on the contrary, they are blamed for the failure on account of their miscalculation. In other words, there is an ongoing gamble constantly interfering with economic policies around the world.

Inflation, being an increased price level, erodes the real value of money. It becomes “chronic inflation” when a country faces

Haiti : Continued from pg 1

Miracle Newspaper target of mischief again After using abusive language, the Miracle continues to be target of a certain community member’s mischief as he was seen hampering the newspaper’s distribution by removing the copies from the distribution spot in a mosque and dumping them in the garbage.

The concerned authorities of the mosque have been notified and asked to look into the matter seriously on an urgent basis. The Miracle has photographic proof of the act and a witness for the verbal abuse. We hope that the matter will be dealt in a civil manner by the concerned parties. Otherwise, the Miracle reserves the right to exercise its legal rights to discourage such damaging actions.

world.

Hundreds of thousands are still living in such camps and are falling victim to the cholera that has already taken some 3,750 lives since mid-October.

A political impasse since a disputed presidential election on Nov. 28 has fueled further instability in the Caribbean country.

“I hear about aid on TV but us in Champs Mars, we’ve never seen it. We have no way to get out,” said 55-yearold Ginelle Pierre Louis.

“The diplomats pass through in the air, in helicopters, but they never come through here on the ground,” said Hyacinthe Mintha, 56, a resident of Champs Mars, which overlooks the heavily damaged presidential palace.

Mintha’s daughter, Hyacinthe Benita, 39, lives in a metal and wood shack with a frayed tarp roof and a thin pallet as the only bed for herself and her four children.

“We are still here in misery,” she said of the quake anniversary. “I hope this year brings serious change because 2010 was hell for us,” she added.

“The president’s right over there,” said Benita, gesturing toward the annex where Preval, who is deeply unpopular, works behind the presidential palace. “He’s never done anything for us, he’s never come to see us at all. They look at us like animals,” she said.

Clinton, who co-chairs the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission with Haiti’s Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive, has faced pointed criticism for painfully slow

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Waan laysa lil insani illa ma’ sa’aa That man can have nothing but what he strives for.

progress in relief and rebuilding efforts so far. He acknowledged disappointment with the commission’s work in remarks to foreign reporters on Tuesday.

“Nobody’s been more frustrated than I am that we haven’t done more,” he said.

Denis O’Brien, a supporter of Clinton and chairman of the Irish-owned cell phone company Digicel that is Haiti’s biggest foreign investor, told Reuters in an interview this week that the former US leader had a solid understanding of what needs to be done to get Haiti back on its feet.

But one of his big problems, according to O’Brien, is that most members of Haiti’s ruling class have done little to help, seeking only to profit on the back of their nation’s catastrophe.

“There’s very few of the elite families that are actually doing a lot for Haiti,” O’Brien said. “They’re making massive profits on the importation of goods, products, services, everything ... Profiteering at a major scale is going on here,” he said. Jimmy Jean-Louis, a Haitianborn actor and performer who now lives in Los Angeles but has visited his homeland frequently since the quake, said the ruling class had always benefited from chaos and mayhem in Haiti.

“The more destabilization there is, unfortunately, the more money the elite makes,” he said.

“Not too much has changed,” said Louis, who said he rushed back to Haiti just days after the earthquake last year. “Everything went down on January 12th,” he added.

“It might stay down for years to come.”

Attention: The opinions expressed herein contain positions and viewpoints that are not necessarily those of ‘The Miracle’. These are offered as a means for ‘The Miracle’ to stimulate dialogue and discussion in our continuing mission of ‘Bringing Harmony To All The Communities.’

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the scenario for several years without a pause, and if that gets out of control it becomes “hyperinflation” followed by a vicious cycle in which more and more inflation is created with each iteration of the ever increasing money printing cycle.

Since, China has been under immense international pressure to increase its currency value, its “just in time” initiative is an excellent move to appreciate the Yuan by 5% or so in order to safeguard friendly relations at least for the time being.

Smartly, China has also hiked interest rates in an attempt to get inflation under control.

Sky-rocketing Canadian dollar already hammered the Canadian exports so badly.

Unfortunately, our manufacturing sector has felt the real pinch for quite a while, firstly due to outsourcing and secondly because of the rising currency. On the contrary, Venezuela is devaluing its currency again and setting a single exchange rate for the U.S. dollar in an effort to revive the sluggish economy.

It is evident that some countries including Canada may have to inject some bitter economic medicine in the form of devaluation and a massive wage reduction in order to regain export competitiveness.

For Canada, the floating exchange

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Issue 275 - Safar 9, 1432 / January 14, 2011 THE

MIR A LE

The Quran: From the Preface of a Quran Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the world, Who has said in His Noble Book: There has come to you from Allah Light and a Perspicuous Book.

And may peace and blessings be upon the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad, who has said that: The best among you is he who

learned the Quran and then taught it.

May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his family and all his Companions.

The Glorious Quran is the Book of Allah, the Wise and Worthy of all Praise, Who has promised to safeguard it from any violations in its purity. It becomes incumbent upon each and every person who seeks the dignity of this world and the bliss of the Hereafter to regulate his life according to it, to implement its commandments and to pay homage to the magnificence of the One Who revealed it. This can be an easy task for those favoured with guidance from Allah, especially those blessed by an understanding of Arabic, the language of the divine communication. But for those not acquainted with Arabic, their ignorance is a barrier between them and this source of guidance and illumination. A translation of the message of Allah is thus a task not to be take lightly or performed superficially.

Before the reader begins to study the Quran, he must realise that unlike all other writings, this is a unique book with a supreme author, an eternal message and a universal relevance. Its contents are not confined to a particular theme or style, but contain the foundations for an entire system of life, covering a whole spectrum of

issues, which range from specific articles of has challenged the most articulate Arabs to faith and commandments to general moral produce a whole book, ten chapters or even teachings, rights, and obligations, crime and one solitary chapter which can be remotely punishment, personal and public law, and a comparable to the Quran. But to this day, host of other private and social concerns. no one has succeeded in meeting the chalVolume 3, Book 31, Number These issues are discussed in a variety of lenge of the Almighty. The critics of the ways, such as direct stipulations, reminders Quran have been struck dumb by its ineffa117: Narrated 'Aisha: of Allah's favours on His creation, admonible eloquence and surpassing beauty. tions and rebukes. Stories of past communi- Say, if the whole of mankind and jinns (The tribe of) Quraish used to fast ties are narrated, followed by the lessons to Were to gather together to produce the be learned from their actions and subseLike of this Quran, they could not on the day of Ashura' in the Prequent fates.

Produce the like thereof; even if they lslamic period, and then Allah's The Quran enjoys a number of characterisBacked up each other with help and support.

Apostle ordered (Muslims) to fast tics unique to it alone, some of which are as The Almighty also says: on it till the fasting in the month follows: Or they may say: he forged it.

1. It is the actual Word of Allah; not created Say: Bring ye then ten chapters of Ramadan was prescribed; but revealed for the benefit of all mankind.

Forged, like unto it and call whereupon the Prophet said, "He Blessed is He Who sent down the Criterion (To your aid) whomsoever ye can who wants to fast (on 'Ashura') To His servant, that it may be Other than Allah, if ye speak An admonition to all creatures.

The truth. may fast, and he who does not 2. It is complete and comprehensive. The And again: want to fast may not fast."

Almighty says: Or do they say: he forged it?

Nothing have We omitted from the Book.

Say: Bring then a chapter like is a code which has no boundaries of time, In another place we read, Unto it and call (to your aid) place, or nation.

And We have sent down to thee Anyone ye can besides Allah, Verily this Quran doth guide The Book explaining all things.

If it be ye speak the truth.

To that which is most right.

3. It is a theoretical and practical Book, not 6. It has been revealed to revealed to reonly moralizing but also defining specifical- establish the sincere worship of Allah alone, 8. Allah Almighty has taken upon Himself the duty of preserving the Quran for ever in ly the permissible and the forbidden. The without association of any partners with its entirety, as He says: importance of understanding the message Him. We have without doubt sent down of the Quran is undeniable, but simply This is a Book with verses basic or The Message, and We will assuredly reciting it with the intention of seeking Fundamental (of established meaning), Guard it (from corruption).

Allah's pleasure and reward is also an act of Further explained in detail-So well has it been preserved, both in memworship and meritorious in itself. Allah From One who is Wise and Well-Aware. ory and in writing, that the Arabic text we Almighty says: (It teaches) that you should worship have today is identical to the text as it was So take what the Prophet gives you None but Allah. reveal to the Prophet. Not even a single letAnd refrain from what he prohibits you.

And they have been commanded no more ter has yielded to corruption during the 4. Allah has perfected His religion for all Than this: to worship Allah, passage of the centuries. And so it will mankind with the revelation of this Book.

Offering Him sincere devotion, being true remain for ever, by the consent of Allah.

He says: In faith, to establish regular prayer Sources: The above text is from The Presidency of This day have I perfected your religion for And to give Zakat, and that is Islamic Researches, IFTA, Call and Guidance, The Holy you, The religion Right and Straight.

Quran, English Translation of the Meanings and Completed my favour upon you and 7. It contains a complete code which proCommentary. Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia: King Fahd have chosen vides for all areas of life, whether spiritual, Holy Quran Printing Complex, 1410 AH. For you Islam as your religion. intellectual, political, social or economic. It 5. It is Allah's eternal miracle revealed to the Prophet Muhammad for all sucDr. Mohammad Saleh, former principal of BC Muslim School passed away on December 30th in Surrey. ceeding generations. In ------------------------response to those who Mother of Mr. Akram Sattar (Moazzan of Surrey Jameh Masjid) passed away on Jan 2nd in Surrey. doubt the authorship of the Quran, Allah Almighty ---------------------------------------------Mohammad Farhan (Son-in-law of Mr.Ghulm Mohammad & brother-in-law of Hafiz Mohammad Sarwar & Mohammad Nazir) passed away in Surrey Memorial Hospital on January 8th.

We pray to Al mighty Allah(SWT) for His mercy on the departed souls, to forgive all their sins and reward them with the best place in paradise and to give patience to the familes. (Ameen)

Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un

Quick facts about the Holy Quran

* There are 114 surahs (chapters) in the Quran. * There are 30 ajza' (volumes/parts) to the Quran. * There are 6236 verses in the Quran (7 verses in the first chapter with Bismillah included but with the initial Bismillah not included for other surahs, otherwise it is: 112 + 6236 = 6348). * The "Bismillah" opening phrase is mentioned at the beginning of 113 Surahs and once in the text of Surat al-Naml, so 114 times in total in the whole Quran. * The most common print of the Arabic Quran contains approximately 604 pages. * The longest chapter, Surat al-Baqarah, contains 286 verses. * The shortest chapter, Surat al-Kawthar, contains 3 verses. * The longest ayah (verse) is in Surat al-Baqarah, verse 2.282. * The shortest ayat (verses) are two letters long and are present in numerous surahs like Taha (20.1) * The shortest ayah (verse) with an actual word is in Surat al-Rahman, verse 55.1. * The first person who heard the Quran from the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, was his wife, Hazrat Khadija (RA). * The first person to order the Muslims to compile the Quran into one book was the rightly-guided caliph, Hazrat Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq (RA), after consultation with Hazrat Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, (RA). * The first one to make several copies of the Quran and send them to different Islamic regions was the rightly-guided caliph Hazrat `Uthmaan Ibn `Affaan (RA). * The first Muslim to recite the Quran in public after the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, in Makkah was the revered companion Hazrat Abdullaah Ibn Mas'ood (RA).

From January 14-28, 2011 (Safar 09 - 23, 1432H) Safar

09 29292210 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Jan8 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Day Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

Fajar Sunrise Zawal Dhuhr 6:13 8:01 12:22 12:29 8:00 12:22 6:12 12:29 6:12 7:59 12:22 12:29 12:22 6:12 7:59 12:30 6:11 7:58 12:23 12:30 6:11 7:57 12:23 12:30 7:56 12:23 6:10 12:30 7:55 12:24 6:09 12:31 12:24 6:09 7:54 12:31 7:53 12:24 6:08 12:31 6:07 7:52 12:25 12:32 7:51 12:25 6:06 12:32 6:05 7:49 12:25 12:32 12:25 6:04 7:48 12:32 6:03 7:47 12:25 12:32

Asr Maghrib 4:46 2:57 4:47 2:58 4:48 3:00 4:50 3:01 4:51 3:02 4:53 3:04 4:54 3:05 4:56 3:07 4:58 3:08 4:59 3:10 5:01 3:12 5:02 3:13 5:04 3:15 5:06 3:16 5:07 3:18

Isha 6:25 6:26 6:27 6:28 6:30 6:31 6:32 6:33 6:35 6:36 6:37 6:39 6:40 6:42 6:43

Source: Masjid Al Noor

AQEEM USS SALAAT(Establish Prayer)

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Issue 275 - Safar 9, 1432 / January 14, 2011 THE

MIR A LE

Surrey Masjid now liberated from debt On January 1, 2011 the Surrey Masjid finally came out victorious, the BMCA Surrey Branch Management, raised the final amount of $40K, owed to the BMCA in an emotional fundraising dinner at the mosque.

The Masjid was packed with brother and sisters who just wished to witness the event off being paid off. For many it was a realization of dreams, for others it was just a nostalgia part of their growing years, and for majority it will be growing their families in future. There are no words that can describe the feelings of joy and happiness which was in the air on January 1st , 2011- the Day Surrey Masjid was liberated from debt. In short, it was a memorial evening.

The evening started with a talk by mufti Aasim Rashid on the humble beginning of Masjid al Nawabi in Madina. A place of worship first established with a palm leaves for roof and mud for floor. Today it is a grand place where millions of worships first come to pay their respects and enjoy the experience of praying. He went on to discuss the importance of connecting our families and specially our children to the local Masjid.

Fundraising started with Qari Abdul Wahab and his discussion on the need to collect all the money required paying off the outstanding debts to free the Masjid.

The community heeded the call, the moneys started to pour in, both cash and pledges and within two hours the Branch Management Committee had reached their goal.

Qari Abdul Wahab on behalf of the management committee expressed his gratitude to all the brothers and sisters, who have contributed towards the building of the Masjid and helping to pay off all the debts on the 1st day of the New Year, Br. Musa Ismail, V. president of BMCA also spoke and reflected on the begin-

ning of the Surrey Masjid and as he was among the original brothers who were involved in converting an old church into a simple yet very functional Masjid.

Br. Musa who was the secretary of the original Masjid also reflected on many children who received their Islamic education in the basement of the Masjid.

They are all grown up and have become good Muslim parents because of that effort. It goes to show the value a Masjid brings to a community. Just like Masjid al Nabwi, Surrey Masjid also attracted hundreds of Muslim families to migrate to its neighborhood.

Thirty five years ago, exactly thirty five Muslim families, residing in the surrey decided to build a house of Allah. It was a first building purchased and reserved to be a Masjid for life. It has been a steady stormy ride for the congregation since then. Adjacent to the mosque, which is now the parking lot, a completely run down “Junk House” was converted into Qari Abdul Wahab’s house.

Then during the month of Ramadan, while people were performing Taraweeh Salah, their shoes outside were thrown at them by mischivieous Street children.

The local Sikh community rose to the occasion and offered to provide security during the prayers.

No one can ever forget the dreadful day in 2000, one night before Ramadan, making headlines across Canada, someone firebombed the surrey Masjid making it impossible to enter and pray.

Surrey RCMP has yet to bring the culprits to justice. The matter to this day remains unsolved.

We should all be thankful to Allah for his aid to the small Muslim community of Surrey. The work has just started. We remind the community members that this is not the end, it is just a beginning.

Sheikh Sahmuddeen Harun visits Richmond Jameh Masjid Renowned scholar Sheikh Harun especially visited British Columbia at the request of BCMA to fundraise for the Richmond Masjid. He is the Imam of East Planor Islamic Centre, in Texas. USA. Despite his busy schedule, he delivered Jummah Khutbah on Jan 7 in Richmond Masjid and then joined in Jummah Halaqa after Isha Prayer.

On January 8, Sheikh Harun was the keynote speaker at the BCMA Richmond Masjid Fundraising Dinner, where he delivered a spiritual speech and motivated the audience

to be a part of building Allah’s House (Masjid) on earth and get rewards from Allah (SWT) in paradise. In this fundraising the target was $80,000 for this Richmond Masjid, the BCMA management raised the amount of $31,000 on top of money from ticket sales.

On third day Jan 9th Sheikh Harun also attended a Youth workshop where he delivered lecture on “Facing the Challenge.” All events were well attended by kids, youth, men and women from many communities.

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Issue 275 - Safar 9, 1432 / January 14, 2011 THE

MIR A LE

Remembering Late Riasat Ali Khan, A legend of Miracle’s Tribute Pakistani Canadian Community January 7, 2011 marked the 8th anniversary of the late Riasat Ali Khan's assassination. Eight years have passed since this heinous crime was committed.

For some people these eight years have passed very quickly, but for the late Riasat Ali Khan's family, they have ben very long.

They have missed Riasat Ali Khan's presence in their lives.

Every year Khan’s family organizes his death anniversary. On Jan 8th, Mr. Haroon Khan and his brothers, sisters and the rest

of the family members invited many Pakistani community members and other friends at late Khan's Quran Khawani in Pakistan House, Surrey.

After the recitation of Holy Quran, Mr. Haroon thanked everyone on behalf of his family and Uncle Siraj Khan Family. He said, " My father was the legend of Pakistani community and he was the man of principle, dedicated to his work and love the community. He was the friend of members of other faiths". He requested everyone to make Duaa for his late father and remember the good deeds he had done in the community.

May Allah (SWT) bless his soul and give him a place in Janatul Firdos(Ameen).

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Mr. Haroon invited Brother Wali Mohammad to deliver some teachings of Islam and Duaa. Br, Wali said that life in this world is very temporary and nobody knows when his breath will stop. So understand the reality of this Dunia. Allah (SWT) gave us a lot of gifts and attractions in this temporary life, especially as humans. Every Prayer actually teaches us the life pattern in its every single action.

Imagine yourself that what good actions or deeds you have to show to Allah(SWT) on the day of judgment. He requested everyone to go to Masjid everyday. Even if you cannot pray 5 times with Jama'at, at least try to pray one or two times in the Mosque, which could be Fajr and Isha. He also requested everyone to sit with family daily or once a week and discuss a Hadith Mubarak with each other, InshAllah Allah(SWT) will reward you.

He also fondly remembered Riasat Ali Khan as a very nice, kind and humble man that he knew for almost 22 years and prayed for his forgiveness.

When I arrived in BC in 2000, I had the pleasure of meeting Riasat Ali Khan at a community event. I would then see him at numerous events, both main stream and community oriented. He was everywhere - gatherings, rallies, protests, conventions, meetings, Canada Urdu Association events and fundraising dinners.

He was always there to share joys and sorrows.

Just about week before his death, he came to the housewarming and Quran Khwani to congratulate me for buying a new house.

What impressed me about the Late Riasat Ali Khan was the he was fairly active not only in community politics but also in mainstream politics. I see that one of the best ways to pay tribute to him is what his son Br. Haroon is doing to continue the work he left incomplete by initiating and organizing outreach events. If Mr. Khan was with us today I am sure he would have liked us to be more involved in mainstream politics. Civic elections are due in November 2011 and his anniversary provides an opportunity to think about organizing and taking part in the politics, a legacy of Mr. Khan. We have got to organize ourselves and we have no other choice. People may have had differences of opinion with Riasat Ali Khan but regardless of that, he was a great man. May Allah (SWT) grant him a place in paradise and give patience to his entire family(Ameen).

BULLAY SHAH ACADEMY OF CANADA

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Issue 275 - Safar 9, 1432 / January 14, 2011 THE

MIR A LE

Martyrs of Karbala remembered at Crystal at York On January 5, World Islamic Mission (WIM), organized a program in the memory of Martyrs of Karbala Crystal Hall in Surrey. Peer Syed Muzammil Shah was especially invited by Mr. Salim Khan, while he was traveling from New York to Calgary.

During Syed Sahib’s short stay in Surrey, Mr. Salim gathered some community members to remember the Martyrs of Karbala by Syed Shah sahib.

Mr. Irshad Mohammad was the master of ceremony. He first invited Imam Fode Drame to deliver the lecture on Karbala. In his speech, Imam Drame focused on Imam Hussain (R.A.) and his sacrifice for Haq (truth). He also explained many incidents according to the topic of the evening with references.

After Imam Fode’s speech, Syed Muzamil Shah started with the recitation of Holy Quran and read some Haidths. He also recited poetry written about the personali-

ty of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) by different poets in Urdu and Persian. He expressed his thoughts on the topic of martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (R.A) and presented his spiritual speech in Urdu language.

He explained he love of our beloved Prophet Mohammad(pbuh) with his grandson Hussain (R.A), for example, how Hussain (R.A) used to ride on Mohammad (PBUH). He described the battle in which Hzt. Hussain(r.a) fought with 72 companions against 22 thousands soldiers of Yazid. He drew the map of Karbala, and how the innocent kids and women were killed. This is the date of the unbelievable sacrifice offered by the members of the family of Holy Prophet (Ahl-e-baat -e-Athaar) (RA). He defined the hardship and difficulties

by Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) during

his life time and hoe he faced them with the courage given by Allah SWT. He went through all difficult tests and received the blessing of shahadat as he sacrificed his life for Islam. His greatness was not only significant because of his parents, Hazrat Ali (RA) and Hazrat Fatima -Az -Zahara (RA).

He was great because of his sacrifice. He

offered his life for the sake of Allah without thinking twice.

At the end, Mr. Saleem Khan thanked all the guests and community members who joined this spiritual gathering and especially thanked Mr. Shahid Chaudhry of Crystal Hall. At the end Duaa made and then Darood-o-Salam was recited.

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Issue 275 - Safar 9, 1432 / January 14, 2011 THE

MIR A LE

The Bitter Fruits of Nationalism in the Muslim world By: Abdul-Majid Jaffry A nation is generally defined as a community of people who are joined together by the factor of political territory, language, culture, race, and shared history. The factors that brings people together as a nation give rise to a phenomenon called nationalism.

Nationalism is a difficult term to describe.

Graham Evans and Jeffrey Newnham in the Penguin Dictionary of International Relations give a benign description of nationalism in these words, "This term is used in two related senses. In the first usage, nationalism seeks to identify a behavioral entity - the nation - and thereafter to pursue certain political and cultural goals on behalf of it. In the second usage, nationalism is a sentiment of loyalty toward the nation which is shared by people."

However, there is no universally accepted definition of nationalism. For our purpose, we may define nationalism as a pseudo-religion and ideology based on ethnic land, language and cultural heritage. For an ardent nationalist, the land, language, and culture are sacred and holy, which in turn gives way to irrationality and fanaticism. He will not accept a person as equal, though born in the same land and share the same faith but of different language and cultural heritage. He feels that his language and culture are superior to all others.

The ideology of nationalism has acquired the status of pseudo-religious credo. The key tenets of this new conviction are allegiance and loyalty to fatherland, adoration and awe for national heroes, religious reverence for the national anthem, veneration for race and language, pride in national history and traditions, and feeling of national and racial superiority over others. This fierce feeling of nationalism can be described as a conversion from traditional religion to "civil religion" in Rousseau's term.

The seed of the modern nationalism was sowed in the Western Europe during the Napoleonic era (1799-1815). The feeling of nationalism sparked during this era gave rise to nation-states in Europe. It also gave impetus to the breakaway of the Balkan states from the Ottoman Empire. The effects of nationalism did not remain confined within the nonMuslim territory of the Ottoman Empire; it slipped past the borders of Balkan states into the Muslim population.

In the Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire the national feelings based on the ethnicity and language led to the formation of a nationalist movement during First World War against the Ottoman rule. Britain and France exploited the Arab disaffection and rallied them against the Turks in the Great War. The British promised Arabs a United Arab State comprising the Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire, including Palestine, if they revolt against the Turks and support Britain in the War. True to the nature of Imperialist powers, behind the door Britain and France were plotting something else. They signed an infamous secret agreement in 1916 (during the Great

War) to divide the Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire among themselves. The pact is known as Sykes-Picot Agreement, named after the British and French diplomats who negotiated the deal. The Imperial Russia also privy to the secret accord gave its consent to the agreement.

In divvying up the crumbling land of the Muslim Empire, Britain and France created artificial states from the former territories of the defeated Ottoman Empire. Modern Iraq was drawn from the Ottoman provinces of Mosul, Baghdad, and Basra. Kuwait was created from the district of Basra. Jordan was carved out of Palestine. The carving of the new nation-states from Arab land was to prevent the formation of a single and united Arab nation. From a single and united Muslim political regime across racial and national bonds emerged many small Muslim nationstates forged by arbitrary political boundaries.

Britain and France did what Imperial powers do - divide and rule. They craftily isolated Arabs into smaller countries so they may not ally together to pose any threat to their imperial interests. While it is easy to blame the Britain and France for the disintegration of the Muslim land in the aftermath of the First World War. However, at the end of the day, the burden for the dissension and division in the Muslim world rests squarely with the Muslims.

Muslims committed a cardinal sin, not only in the phraseology of political parlance but also in the Islamic faith. They shifted from "ideological group", one ummah united under the flag of Islam, to "ethnic groups", segregated based on national, regional, linguistic, and racial feelings - referred as asabiyyah in the Arabic language. Arab nationalists and anti Arab Turks gave away the ideological breadth and depth of Islam and adopted the narrow nationalistic view. They saw in the Arab and Turkish past, not in the Islamic past, a classical period that predated the advent of Islam.

Together, they dealt a crowning blow to Pan Islamism. Hence, for Muslims to gather on a single political platform has become a farfetched proposition, let alone to form a single political regime.

Among the ills afflicting the Muslim body today nothing is more debilitating than the disease of asabiyyah. The body that was once sound and strong, now a mere carcass, and "Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather". The Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi wassalam foresaw the situation and prophesied, "A time will come when the nations of the world will invite themselves towards you like a group of hungry people invite themselves to a plate of food placed in their midst." He further said, "you will be at that time, in the majority, you will be a great number." The Holy Messenger went on to tell why this condition would exist, he said, "Your enemies will have no respect and no fear of you". How true is the Prophet's prophecy made over 1400 years ago! True to the Prophet's saying, the nations of the world are

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preying today on the weak and divided Muslims for an easy feast; the Muslims are neither feared nor respected. Borrowed idea of nationalism based on region, language, and

racism by stating that all humans are descendants of the same parents and thus belong to one human family, the only thing that gives superiority over others is their righteousness.

culture is greatly responsible for the present sordid condition of the Muslims.

But while the Quran admonishes Muslims, "And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, (Islam) and do not be divided among yourselves" (3:103), the Muslims are divided today into fifty plus nation-states holding tight to the rope of their national flags, anthems, languages, and local heroes - golden calf idols. These idolatrous forms of nationalism whom all loyalty and homage is owed diverted Muslims from the demand of the Quran to be a single brotherhood, "The Mu'minoon are but a single Brotherhood."

(49:10), and one Ummah, "And verily this Ummah of yours is a single Ummah" (21:92).

The Holy Prophet calls the ideology grounded in the allegiance to one's national flag, anthem, and language "rotten", and instructed Muslims to leave them.

The Quran proclaims, O Mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well-acquainted (49:13). People are born in families of varied culture and races, and families lead to the formation of clans, tribes, and nations.

Therefore, assembling of human beings into tribes and nations is a natural occurrence.

Common place of birth, ethnic origin, language, and culture naturally bring people closer and give them a feeling of kinship. This feeling is expected, instinctive and quite legitimate; this is patriotism in its innocent form.

Nevertheless, these feelings should remain checked and should not be allowed to turn into bigotry and intolerance for people of different origins.

According to the Quran, grouping of men and women into nations and clans is only to facilitate identification and recognition, not to assume and assert superiority over others. The ayahs (49:13) cut the evil root of nationalism and

As the Holy Prophet said, "The most honorable among you in the sight of Allah is the one who is the most pious and righteous of you."

The intense feeling of nationalism based on the ethnic and linguistic lines has not only divided Muslims into many regional, tribal, and linguistic groups, but it has often pitted one against the other. Worse yet, too often we have seen a Muslim state seeking military help from non-Muslim powers in its conflict against a brother Muslim country. One Muslim country provides logistic support to a non-Muslim power to help attack and destroy another Muslim country. The vice of selfish nationalism also come to play when a Muslim minority national and linguistic group want to separate from an ethnic Muslim majority; in its pursuit for separation and independence it conspires with an enemy power to subvert and sabotage and destabilize the Muslim state it is a part of. On the other hand, a domineering Muslim majority ethnic group will exploit and oppress a minority Muslim ethnic community for its own false sense of national superiority and dominance. There is yet another very ugly aspect of agonizing attachment to nationalism, a flag-waving Muslim feels closer to a non-Muslim based on their common language, land, and ethnicity than to a fellow Muslim of distant land and different ethnic and linguistic heritage. In the Muslim world, the bitter fruits of nationalism are found in all the hideous forms.

The world is moving forward towards globalization. European Union is created with one currency, one central bank, free trade among its member, and with the Schengen visa, twenty-five European countries have become borderless. Chinese and Russians, two foes, are making alliances and working to lower regional trade and investment barriers between their two countries. The Muslim world is a different story.

While the European Union countries are actively demolishing the borders over which

Continued on pg 28

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Issue 275 - Safar 9, 1432 / January 14, 2011 THE

MIR A LE

New Vancouver book club invites Pervez Musharraf to town On January 19, a Conversation with President Pervez Musharraf will be held in The Vancouver Club, which is organised by New Vancouver book club.

He will be the first current or former President of Pakistan who will visit in British Columbia.

Musharraf held a four-hour live telethon for Pakistan flood relief efforts and collected some 260 million rupees.

67-year-old retired general promises that he “will be back” in his homeland to contest the 2013 elections, tackle “the political and economic turmoil” and fight the terrorism threat.

He was recently interviewed by Gulf news and a selection of the interview questions is being reprinted due to readers’ interest.

Why have you launched your own political party, the All Pakistan Muslim League? Have nine years in power not been enough?

Pervez Musharraf: Today, Pakistan is faced with political and economic crises and a lack of leadership. There is no political party now which can deliver.

The future of the PPP [Pakistan People's Party] is dark and the PML-N [Pakistan Muslim League — Nawaz] has almost got confined to regional party [status] in Punjab. We have created another political outlet by launching the APML, providing a political alternative to be seen by Pakistanis and the international community, to save Pakistan because the current turmoil in the country will not only affect the region but the whole world.

They should see this alternative as the viable option for their bright future and that is what I am trying to do.

Will you ever join hands with Nawaz Sharif?

Mushraf: I am not at all interested in Nawaz Sharif. He is a man who does not know what governance is. He has failed twice and he wants to come [to power] again — for what? To ruin the country again? What did he do for Pakistan before 1999 when he was in power for three years? If Pakistan gets him again, it will be the most unfortunate thing because besides his lack of government acumen, he is in league with Taliban and other extremists. But there are many people within his PML-N who are dissatisfied, disgruntled and I am very sure depending on our success they will be looking at other PML options.

What type of political system do you want to see in Pakistan — the existing parliamentary one or a presidential system?

Mushraf: If you ask my personal choice, there is certainly merit in the presidential system but it is the parliament that has to decide and it has to be brought through constitutional amendment, personally believe that the president should have the power to dissolve assemblies as it is a good check on parliament.

Will you like to be prime minister or president if you win the next elections?

Mushraf: That has to be seen. If there is a good prime minister available then I will opt for the president’s office. But I am

also not ruling out the office of the prime minister because in the parliamentary system, it is the prime minister who runs the government, not the president.

Are you ready for the next elections due in 2013?

My party is Mushraf: Just two months old but we have to be ready and we will be ready, Inshallah. That is exactly what I am doing now — organising the party at the national, provincial and grass roots levels. We have to decide who our leaders are and who will contest on our party ticket. We have been getting a good response.

Have you been promised any financial help by anyone?

Mushraf: I have not spoken to anyone yet. When I am in position to speak, I will speak to them.

What is your stance on the war against terrorism? Do you have a strategy if you come back to power?

Mushraf: My strategy is very clear — military action, political support and will, and social economic development.

We are against Al Qaida and the Taliban and also the third element that is extremism in society. There should be modifications in the military strategy now.

What about the increasing drone attacks in Pakistan?

Mushraf: Certainly, drone attacks cannot be allowed. They have created upheaval in Pakistani society and the issue needs to be looked into. Pakistan needs to be given all the resources to be able to handle or engage or neutralise the target.

Do you think Pakistan’s nuclear facilities are in danger?

Mushraf: There is no danger under the present circumstances. The danger is if, God forbid, Pakistan disintegrates. The danger is if the Taliban or religious extremists win political power and form the government, but there is no chance of that happening at all. Another danger is if a group of terrorists attack nuclear sites and take over, but there is absolutely no chance of that. These assets are protected by the 18,000-strong Army Strategic Force.

Given the political turmoil and economic conditions, is there any chance of another military coup in Pakistan?

Mushraf: I don’t think there will be another coup. I don’t think the army will interfere anymore. I also don’t see early elections unless something unusual happens.

When are you going back to Pakistan, will you also go back as part of a ‘deal’?

There are some cases against you as well.

Mushraf: I will go back before the next election. There is no case in Pakistani courts. But when I go there, people will initiate politically-inspired cases. Nawaz Sharif will get them initiated but they will have no legal standing.

Some people blame you for Baloch separatist leader Akbar Bugti’s murder.

Mushraf: A president cannot be blamed for any such actions or operations because he is not party to the parliament. It is the prime minister who runs the government. I as president cannot be

blamed for the killing of Bugti or Benazir Bhutto because the president has got nothing to do with security and any such action.

Do you see any end to terrorism?

Mushraf: Terrorism is a guerrilla war. It is war with IEDs [improvised explosive devices], and suicide bombings. It can continue for a long time.

How does a general make so much money to buy flats in London, Dubai and to launch a political party?

Mushraf: First of all, it is my own money.

I am being looked after by Harry Walker Agency, which looks after Bill Clinton as well. So I am not a useless man going around giving lectures, they pay me and I am paid very well. I have friends who are there to give me money and I know I can generate a lot of money. Leave it at that.

Are individuals or states financing you?

Mushraf: We will look into that — leave it for now.

Why were you denied an Indian visa?

Mushraf: [Laughs], They [the Indians] did not give me any reason. I am really upset, disappointed and annoyed. I think it shows, may I say very frankly, a lack of confidence in oneself. Other than that I don’t see any reason. I think the people of India do not dislike me. I am reason-

ably popular amongst the people of India. What I have unofficially been told is that they denied me a visa because they believe that I am going to say things about Kashmir, about Muslims of India or about India interfering in Pakistan [especially] Balochistan, during my visit.

It is true that I will say all that because it is a reality and I believe in speaking the truth. But I don’t understand that when I go alone and I am alone in front of thousands of people who can question me with all the media there, why they are scared of me. You can tear me apart; I am giving you a chance. If I say something, counter it with logic but unfortunately there is no logic. It is all on my side.

Will you try to go to India in future?

Mushraf: I was never trying to go there, rather I was invited. If someone invites me again, I will look into that.

Timeline of Pervez Musharraf ’s Political Career October 7, 1998: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appoints Pervez Musharraf chief of army staff.

October 12, 1999: Musharraf ousts Sharif and seizes power in a coup.

June 20, 2001: Musharraf appoints himself president of Pakistan while remaining army chief.

September 11, 2001: Musharraf pledges Pakistan’s support to America after 9/11 attacks, abandoning the Taliban April 30, 2002: Holds referendum to secure support to continue as president for a five-year term.

October 10, 2002: Elections that observer consider flawed install a pro-Musharraf parliament.

December 30, 2004: Reneges on promise to resign as army chief, gains support of parliament to stay on until 2007.

September 2006: Launches his autobiography “In the Line of Fire” in New York.

November 3, 2007: Declares a state of emergency, suspends the constitution and dismisses Supreme Court judges as the court was set to rule on the legality of his election.

November 28, 2007: Steps down as army chief, becomes a civilian president.

December 15, 2007: Lifts the state of emergency.

February 18, 2008: Musharraf ’s opponents win parliamentary elections.

August 8, 2008: Ruling coalition leaders announce they will seek Musharraf ’s impeachment.

August 18, 2008: Musharraf announces his resignation.

November 23, 2008: Goes into self-exile in London (Source: Gulf News)

Press Release Due to contractual conflict, logistic issues and time constraint, program of Surrey on 20th January, 2011, for former President of Pakistan, General (R) Pervez Musharraf has been postponed. New date of his visit will be announced at a later stage.

• Nusrat Hussain

Sqn. Ldr. (R)

(Media Advisor for the event)

• Liaqat Bajwa (Regional Coordinator)

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Issue 275 - Safar 9, 1432 / January 14, 2011 THE

MIR A LE

China: A force for peace in Sudan?

Beijing has invested billions in the oil-rich country and may now have to step up to ensure stability prevails.

As the world anxiously watches the southern Sudanese vote on whether to secede, one country has more to lose than most if civil war returns to Sudan.With an estimated 24,000 of its citizens living there and billions of dollars worth of investments in the country, China is the key foreign player in Khartoum.

When the US oil giant Chevron pulled out of Sudan - beginning in 1984 when three of its employees were killed and culminating in 1992 when it finally sold all of its Sudanese interests - the state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) stepped in. It now has controlling stakes in the biggest energy consortiums operating in Sudan, giving China an estimated 60 per cent share of the 490,000 barrels of crude oil produced daily.

It also constructed the 1,500km pipeline that connects the oil fields of the south with Port Sudan in the north - from where the oil is exported. But with oil accounting for more than 90 per cent of government revenues in the south, compared to just over 40 per cent in the north, there is a possibility that Khartoum could close the pipeline should the south vote for independence.

This decision would not only be devastating for the underdeveloped and oil revenue-dependent south, but would also disrupt China's oil supply.

Friends in the south To counter this and to secure access to the south's resources after secession, China has started to build closer ties with the south.

Beijing, to the chagrin of the West, has supported the right of African nations to run their domestic affairs without outside interference, which partly explains the booming trade between the continent and the Asian power.

But by communicating with the government of South Sudan while it is not an official sovereign entity, it is partially abandoning its 'non-interference policy' and its traditional reluctance to engage with separatist movements - motivated in part by its own experiences in Tibet and Taiwan.

Richard Dowden, the director of the Royal African Society, says this is because the "Chinese priority is oil".

"They openly opposed the independence option to start with, but then realised that it would happen and now say they are neutral," Dowden explains.

"They are beginning to realise that a strict 'non-interference' policy is political and diplomatic nonsense. The very relationship between China and an African state is a political act that has implications. The relationship creates a political dynamic that implies support for the ruling group.

"The Chinese are beginning to realise that since so much of African politics is driven by groups or individuals below the official state level they will have to understand and engage with these dynamics. That means meeting leaders of the opposition, negotiating with local chiefs and kings in areas where the Chinese operate even though they have no status at official national level."A Chinese consulate was established in Juba, the southern capital, in September 2008. In November 2010, it was upgraded to ambassadorial level, and Li Zhiguo, China's former envoy to Bahrain, was appointed consul general in Juba. In October 2010, a delegation of Chinese government leaders visited Juba, where they met with the secretariat of the south's ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement

(SPLM). Salva Kiir, the leader of the SPLM, and other southern Sudanese government ministers, have also visited Beijing and multiple projects have progressed in the region.

Chasing Chinese investment Ian Taylor, a professor of international relations at the University of St. Andrews' School of International relations and author of China's New Role in Africa, says: "China has implemented various projects in the south and plans more, like building universities, hospitals ... and water projects."

After years of neglect, the underdeveloped south is in desperate need of investment and, according to He Wenping, the director of the African Studies section at the Institute of West Asian & African Studies (IWAAS) at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, understands that "oil cooperation between the north and south is the key for their future development".

"China's involvement in the field, including post-referendum economic construction in many other fields, is also important," He added.

But many southerners have complained about the refineries that have been built on their land and the resulting environmental problems, like water contamination and sprawling lakes of toxic waste, and say that they have seen little of the wealth generated by oil production.

The Chinese are allegedly involved in negotiations over a new 1,400km pipeline, which would link South Sudan to the Kenyan port of Lamu, where it also intends to develop infrastructure. Once completed, the pipeline could serve as an alternative route for the land-locked south.

This development would see about 80 per cent of oil revenue shift from Khartoum to Juba. And despite the assurances of Liu Guijin, China's special envoy to Darfur, that "China wishes to cooperate with the north and the south," some suspect that Chinese investments will shift along with the revenue.

But while Beijing's approach towards Juba is pragmatic, with securing the oil flow the central goal, China has invested an estimated $15bn in the north and is likely to want to maintain its relationship with Khartoum.

Furthermore, Khartoum has proved itself to be a reliable trade partner and ally, while a new government in the south will be an unknown figure in China's calculations.

So, while CNPC is setting up a branch in Juba, the company remains headquartered in Khartoum.

"It [the secession of the south] wouldn't have [a] big influence on the current China-Sudan relations," He says. "While maintaining the traditional good relations with the north, China will also establish good relations with the south."

From bilateral to trilateral But with both the north and south rearming, Beijing is keen to ensure that the referendum does not result in renewed instability, which could threaten its multi-billion dollar investments and potentially impact its growing interests in neighbouring countries like Ethiopia, Chad and Libya."Beijing is a supremely pragmatic actor. It is in China's best interests that the vote goes smoothly and the probable secession by South Sudan is permitted to go ahead peacefully," Taylor says.

China has sent a delegation to the south to observe the referendum and a foreign min-

istry spokesman has stressed Beijing's hopes that the vote will be held in a "fair, free, transparent and peaceful atmosphere and that all parties involved should be committed to peace and stability".

In turn, the government of South Sudan has assured China that its investments will be protected if the south secedes from the north."We have given assurances to the Chinese leadership delegation to protect the Chinese investments in southern Sudan, and are desirous to see more investment in the future," Pagan Amum, the secretary general of the SPLM, reportedly said.

But despite China's growing ties with the south and the south's need for investment, southerners may not have entirely forgot-

ten Beijing's traditional support for Khartoum. And as US sanctions will only apply to the north should the south secede, the new country could potentially be open to new investors from the West.Beijing's efforts to turn its bilateral ties into trilateral relations may just pay off, however, and the repercussions of this could stretch far beyond oil production. He says China has already played a key role in "consolidating the smooth implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement [the 2005 agreement that brought the civil war to an end and which included the provision of a referendum on independence for the south]".

Dowden suggests that China could be just as critical to ensuring that peace is maintained after the referendum as, should the south vote to secede, the two sides enter a six-month transition period during which thorny issues such as border demarcation and oil revenue sharing will be negotiated.

"They could be a force for peace if they play their cards right and understand what is going on," Dowden says. "One of their most important pools of oil lies under the border so they will be desperate to make sure a war does not break out."

Century 21 Coastal Realty Awards Gala 2010 By: Jasbir Sandhu The Century 21 Coastal Realty Awards was held at the Bombay Banquet Hall in December. Over 300 realtors and their guests attended this function to celebrate success, awards and achievements in the real estate business. Masters of Ceremony for the evening were Jasbir Sandhu and Indu Sarpal.

Mr. Brian Rushton Vice President of Century 21 Canada along with Sam Thind and Harpreet Purba Presented awards to the winners. Also in attendance were invited guests Fraser Valley Real Estate Board President Deanna Horn, President-Elect Sukh Sidhu, Manager Professional Standards - Dennis Wilson, and board staff. Surrey-Newton MP Sukh Dhaliwal was also an honorary guest who mentioned the involvement of Century

21 Coastal Realty Professionals with respect to their contributions and participation as business members of the community. Amongst the exemplary Awards recipients were; Professional Excellence Award presented to Ishaq Ismail also a Director of FVREB, Sales Performance Awards to Junaid Iqbal and Saqib Sheikh.

The awards highlight was followed by speeches, entertainment and dinner.

Door Prizes were drawn and part of the money raised at this well organized and well attended event was donated to the BC Children Hospital Foundation and to the Surrey Food Bank. Management, staff, and sales team of Century 21 Coastal Realty. Thank to everyone for attending and making this event a success.

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Issue 275 - Safar 9, 1432 / January 14, 2011 THE

MIR A LE

Miracle’s Leaders Series Miracle is starting a monthly series focusing on the careers of some of the key political figures in Canadian History.

The goal is to raise awareness about the importance of leadership. We began our series with Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Tommy Douglus and now P. Manning

Preston Manning and Reform Party of Canada In the late 1980s and 1990s, federal conservative politics became split by the creation of a new western-based protest party, the populist and social conservative Reform Party of Canada created by Preston Manning, son of Alberta Social Credit Premier Ernest Manning. It advocated deep decentralization of government power, abolishment of official bilingualism and multiculturalism, democratization of the Canadian Senate, opposed abortion, opposed extending rights to homosexuals and suggested a potential return to capital punishment, and advocated significant privatization of public services. Westerners felt betrayed by the federal Conservative Party, seeing it as catering to Quebec and urban Ontario interests over theirs. In 1989, Reform made headlines in the political scene when its first MP, Deborah Grey, was elected in a by-election in Alberta, which was a shock to the PCs which had almost complete electoral dominance over the province for years. Another defining event for western conservatives was when Mulroney accepted the results of an unofficial Senate "election" held in Alberta, which resulted in the appointment of a Reformer, Stanley Waters, to the Senate.

By the 1990s, Mulroney had failed to bring about Senate reform as he had promised (appointing a number of Senators in 1990). As well, social conservatives were dissatisfied with Mulroney's social progressivism. Canadians in general were furious with high unemployment, high debt and deficit, unpopular implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 1991, and the failed constitutional reforms of the Meech Lake and Charlottetown accords. In 1993, support for the Progressive Conservative Party collapsed, and the party's representation in the House of Commons dropped from an absolute majority of seats to only two seats. The 1993 results were the worst electoral disaster in Canadian history, and the Progressive Conservatives never fully recovered.

In 1993, federal politics became divided regionally. The Liberal Party took Ontario, the Maritimes and the territories, the separatist Bloc Québécois took Quebec, while the Reform Party took Western Canada and became the dominant conservative party in Canada. The problem of the split on the right was accentuated by Canada's single member plurality electoral system, which resulted in numerous seats being won by the Liberal Party, even when the total number of votes cast for P.C. and Reform Party candidates was substantially in excess of the total number of votes cast for the Liberal candidate. Although this was a constant problem on the political left as well with the Liberals and NDP.

Life of Preston Manning Leader of the Opposition In office 1997 – March 26, 200 Leader of the Reform Party of Canada In office October 31, 1987 – March 25, 2000 Ernest Preston Manning, CC (born June 10, 1942) is a Canadian politician. He was the only leader of the Reform Party of Canada, a Canadian federal political party that evolved into the Canadian Alliance. He sat in Parliament for this party until his

retirement from federal politics in 2002, after which it in turn merged with the Progressive Conservative Party to form today's Conservative Party of Canada.

Early life and career Manning was born in Edmonton, Alberta.

He came from a political background: he was the son of Ernest Manning, Social Credit Party Premier of Alberta between 1943 and 1968. In 1964, Preston Manning graduated from the University of Alberta with a B.A. in Economics. He sought election to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1965 federal election as a candidate of the federal Social Credit Party, but was defeated. Manning identifies himself as an evangelical Christian and attends the First Alliance Church in Calgary.

Reform Party Manning formed the Reform Party in 1987. His chief policy adviser was Stephen Harper, a student at the University of Calgary and now the Prime Minister of Canada. Harper designed the Reform Party's 1988 campaign platform. The Reform Party was a combination of fiscal conservatism and populism, though aspects of social-conservatism grew, branding the party as "very right-wing." All of the Reform Party's candidates were defeated in the 1988 federal election. However, the first Reform Member of Parliament, Deborah Grey was elected in a federal byelection in 1989 at Beaver River, Alberta.

Manning's lack of fluency in French was very nearly a sticking point as attempts were made by the leaders of other parties to block his participation in the Leaders' Debate in 1993, demanding that the leaders should participate fully in both debates.

Manning called the move partisan, saying it interfered "with basic freedom of speech." The Reform leader gave an opening and closing statement in the French debate and answered a few (translated) questions. In 1997 Manning also participated in the French Debate with the aid of an earpiece interpreter and answered the questions in English.

Manning was elected to the House of Commons in the 1993 federal election as the MP for Calgary Southwest. Reform had a major breakthrough in this election, winning 52 seats. It did especially well in Western Canada, largely because the Progressive Conservatives' support in that region transferred almost en masse to Reform. Literally overnight, Manning found himself as the leader of the major right-wing party in Canada.

Despite finishing second in the popular

vote, however, Reform came up three seats short of becoming the Official Opposition (Canada), largely because the sovereigntist Bloc Quebecois' concentration of support in Quebec was slightly larger than Reform's concentration of support in the West.

However, the Liberal government under Jean Chrétien reckoned Manning and Reform as their main opponent on nonQuebec matters. In 1995 when Bloc leader Lucien Bouchard's position as Opposition Leader granted him a meeting with visiting US President Bill Clinton, Manning was also given a meeting with Clinton in order to diffuse Bouchard's separatist leverage.

In the 1997 election, the party won the second-most seats in the Commons, with Manning becoming the Leader of the Opposition.

Conservatives With Reform's emergence, however, Manning fragmented the conservative vote into two parts - Reform and the weakened PC Party. Additionally, Reform was seen as too extreme for the liking of many voters east of Manitoba. As it is nearly impossible to form a government without substantial support in both Ontario and Quebec, the result was political domination by the Liberal Party.

Manning knew there was little hope of dislodging the Liberals as long as the right remained divided. He turned his attention to reuniting the two conservative parties under his leadership, and he launched the United Alternative movement to examine ways for the parties to cooperate. The movement resulted in the formation of a new party, the Canadian Alliance, which as its full name (Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance) shows, was intended to supplant both parties. However, the new party was dominated by former Reform members; indeed, the Reform caucus essentially became the Alliance caucus.

Most of the Tories refused to cooperate, and critics claimed the new party was little

more than an image makeover for the Reform Party.

With the formation of the new party, Manning opened the door for rival leadership bids in the Canadian Alliance leadership election. After a fiercely close campaign, Manning was succeeded as leader by the younger and more flamboyant Stockwell Day in 2000. Manning remained as a Canadian Alliance backbencher until his retirement from politics in January, 2002.

Post federal politics In 2003, Manning published his memoirs of political life, Think Big: Adventures in Life and Democracy. Since this time Manning has continued to write on policy.

In particular he has sought to connect conservatism and conservation, and has advocated for a shift to green conservatism in Canada. On the regulation of natural resources, Manning suggested to environmentalist David Suzuki that "there’s a more powerful, far faster mechanism than government regulations: the market itself."

In 2005, Manning founded the Manning Centre for Building Democracy to train conservatives for active political life, as well as to provide a research and advocacy forum for conservative issues. Also in 2005, Manning received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Tyndale University College and Seminary.

Following the 2006 Alberta Progressive Conservative Party's leadership review vote in which Ralph Klein received the support of only 55% of delegates, Manning told Canadian Press that he was "leaving the door open" for a possible bid in the Progressive Conservative of Alberta leadership election being held to choose a successor to Klein. Manning announced on May 18, 2006 that he would not be a candidate in the leadership election, citing a desire to remain close to family and to influence politics by generating new policy ideas through The Manning Centre.

In 2007, Manning was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada. In that year, he also received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from York University, and was appointed to the Council of Canadian Academies.

Manning is also a senior fellow with the Fraser Institute and the Canada West Foundation.

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Issue 275 - Safar 9, 1432 / January 14, 2011 THE

Cashing In On Dead Ones By: Tariq Mian (Toronto) Certainly, the governor’s assassination was so tragic and an extremely sad moment not only for his immediate family; but also was a great loss for the ruling PPP and for the so called hidden hand allegedly responsible for the elevation/appointment of “Politician Salman Taseer” as Governor Punjab.

Nevertheless, when the highest provincial ‘non partisan’ position goes to one of the biased politicians, who keeps on playing unfair politics meddling in the affairs of Punjab Government just for creating 'road bumps,' there is a likelihood of something terribly wrong with “mala fide” intent in such appointment ab initio.

Having been overpowered by his own extremism, Mr. Taseer surprised the nation through sacking the provincial government and decimating the Punjab Assembly. That was the biggest blunder he ever made to satisfy the vested interests.

“The worst democracy is better than the best dictatorship” is the most misleading statement aimed at having the best strategy to gain political popularity.

The slain governor spent last three years of his life in the Provincial Metropolis (Lahore) as Constitutional Head of the Punjab province.

Ironically, being a chartered accountant himself, he ignored the tax payers’ money which was lavishly spent on his staff, security and the official residence. On the other hand, promoting Bilawal Zardari Bhutto from his day one in the office was a terrible mockery of rights of the Pakistanis. Such undemocratic attitude on the part of a high profile personality was nothing but an insult of the democratic norms. He kept on

violating the prestige of his “non political position” by indulging in politics unfairly and preaching 24/7 for the Pakistan People Party.

Indeed, the diseased country is so marred by extremism in all walks of life including socio-economic, political and morality domain that it seems almost impossible to regain the lost level of normalcy in the near future. Key factor seems to be the massive disunity among the Muslim ummah as that has maintained a fault line between the Muslims and the practical Islam. Beyond doubt, hypocritical attitude is the major cause of irresponsible, unethical, and immoral behaviour towards the populace of Pakistan.

Unfortunately, the cancer of extremism in the political arena presents nothing but a political wrangling among the national political parties. “Give and take policy” is letting the Rulers go off the hook easily, so that they continue in power unduly despite their minority and inefficiency. This signifies towards a stage which can go 'way beyond recovery or repairability' unless a major bypass surgery is performed urgently.

Furthermore, the ruling elite are busy doing politics on the dead bodies of the past slain leaders ignoring the present chaotic scenario in the country which is almost on the verge of disaster. Either the

confused federal government is too naive to appreciate the poor plight of the general public or it is too selfish to steer away from its selfish agenda. The innocent masses of Pakistan need help to wake up and stop listening to the sales tactics expertly used by the PPP politicians who remain ever-ready to cash in on someone’s death.

There is no example in the whole world of doing politics on dead bodies, but in Pakistan the emotional blackmail of the naive voters' sympathy is going on.

On the other hand, an ongoing gradual erosion of the middle class poses yet another serious threat nationally, which is also deeply frustrating for the general public.

An ever widening gap between “the haves and haves not” is now showing up, which again is a severe pain in the neck, however, the authorities are not bothered at all.

And, they are not even interested to address so many such issues. Since there is starvation and hunger throughout the country, some people compelled by the adverse circumstances go to the extreme step and attempt suicides, while some sell their kids.

There is a chain reaction to the 'official indifference' which is actually showing up in form of multiplying problems. The rulers are too lazy to deal with the mounting issues on daily basis. Definitely, the “Friendly Opposition” is equally responsible for current state of affairs in the country. In fact, the government is always successful to convert the 'Official Opposition' into 'Friendly Opposition.' (Pakistan Zinda Baad) Furthermore, there is a limited supply of gas and electricity all accross the country, but non supply of gas to Punjab consumers

is in the worst condition. Other scenario is that the whole country is going through very critical condition of hyperinflation stage, whereas the government is only worried about how to do the 'topping up' in the national exchequer with borrowed dollars or printing more currency excessively; hence crippling the country financially.

How would the present and future generations unload heavy national debt of this era? Such impossible repayment is an easy recipe for national bankruptcy? This is so pathetic and cruel.

Conclusion is simple: Apparently, Imran Khan is competent and sincere enough to look after the interests of Pakistan and the Pakistanis. In the next fair election, he should be a leading candidate to assume the mantle of the government to lead the people to their avowed aspirations, glory and goal. Thus, the circus of musical chairs of the dishonest, incompetent and non serious politicians should come to an end, sooner the better.

However, in the meantime, the government must be serious enough to eradicate exploitation, hunger, unemployment, massive corruption on urgent basis and the "official Opposition" must take a tough stand to correct the government’s wrongs.

It is strongly suggested that too much of precious time should not be allowed to be wasted on issues which are maliciously blamed on religiosity. Most importantly, creating confusion to camouflage the main national issues should be severely dealt with.

It is further strongly recommended that in the best interest of justice to the nation, all of the constitutional immunity available to the provincial Governors and the country President should be abolished immediately to pave the way for economic prosperity.

Gujurati Community, Sisters Unite!

By Saira Kothiwala The Patel Welfare Society's very first Ladies Gathering was held on Dec 26, 2010 at the Pakistani House. What a great accomplishment indeed! There was everything from prayers, guest speakers, food and complimentary activities for the children.

The two guest speakers, one of whom was Sister Jhuleka Hussain, from our Muslim Youth Centre spoke about all the activities available to our sisters and the other guest speaker, Usma Zia, who spoke about medication management on behalf of her husband Nadeem Zia. Mrs. Zia in addition went to great lengths to set up an information booth and give out pamphlets as well as diabetes information kits to help to educate and inform our sisters.

The children had an excellent time indulging in face painting, henna and decorating their very own gingerbread cookies. An enormous thank you is in order for all the youth girls that came together and donated their skills and time.

One of the highlights of the night was the bayan that was given by Ayesha Kandawala. She did an outstanding job in delivering an amazing heart touching bayan followed by a dua.

Not only were there mouth watering appetizers, delicious food but there was even desert, to compliment the evening.

Warranted recognition goes out to all of those that volunteered and a special appreciation to Nazma Umarji, Coordinator of the Patel Welfare Society, as this evening would not have been possible without her direction.

This great outcome has opened the door to the possibility of an annual Patel Welfare Society’s Ladies gathering within the Gujurati Community.

Please view the URL link below for a chance to view our photo album of the play by play events that outlined the evening.

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Dear Brothers and Sisters, Allhumdullillah,

The Miracle will soon be entering its second decade of publication.

We would like to request you to send us your suggestions for making our future issues better, including events coverage, contents of English and Urdu sections as well as the Artwork.

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Issue 275 - Safar 9, 1432 / January 14, 2011 THE

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The Islamification of Britain: record numbers embrace Muslim faith The number of Britons choosing to become Muslims has nearly doubled in the past decade, according to one of the most comprehensive attempts to estimate how many people have embraced Islam.

Following the global spread of violent Islamism, British Muslims have faced more scrutiny, criticism and analysis than any other religious community. Yet, despite the often negative portrayal of Islam, thousands of Britons are adopting the religion every year.

Estimating the number of converts living in Britain has always been difficult because census data does not differentiate between whether a religious person has adopted a new faith or was born into it. Previous estimates have placed the number of Muslim converts in the UK at between 14,000 and 25,000.

But a new study by the inter-faith thinktank Faith Matters suggests the real figure could be as high as 100,000, with as many as 5,000 new conversions nationwide each year.

By using data from the Scottish 2001 census - the only survey to ask respondents what their religion was at birth as well as at the time of the survey - researchers broke down what proportion of Muslim converts there were and then extrapolated the figures for Britain as a whole.

In all they estimated that there were 60,699 converts living in Britain in 2001. With no new census planned until next year, researchers polled mosques in London to try to calculate how many conversions take place a year. The results gave a figure of 1,400 conversions in the capital in the past 12 months which, when extrapolated nationwide, would mean approximately 5,200 people adopting Islam every year. The figures are comparable with studies in Germany and France which found that there were around 4,000 conversions a year.

Fiyaz Mughal, director of Faith Matters, admitted that coming up with a reliable estimate of the number of converts to Islam was notoriously difficult. "This report is the best intellectual 'guestimate' using census numbers, local authority data and polling from mosques," he said. "Either way few people doubt that the number adopting Islam in the UK has risen dramatically in the past 10 years."

Asked why people were converting in such large numbers he replied: "I think there is definitely a relationship between conversions being on the increase and the prominence of Islam in the public domain. People are interested in finding out what Islam is

all about and when they do that they go in different directions. Most shrug their shoulders and return to their lives but some will inevitably end up liking what they discover and will convert."

Batool al-Toma, an Irish born convert to Islam of 25 years who works at the Islamic Foundation and runs the New Muslims Project, one of the earliest groups set up specifically to help converts, said she believed the new figures were "a little on the high side".

"My guess would be the real figure is somewhere in between previous estimates, which were too low, and this latest one," she said.

"I definitely think there has been a noticeable increase in the number of converts in recent years.

The media often tries to pinpoint specifics but the reasons are as varied as the converts themselves."

Inayat Bunglawala, founder of Muslims4UK, which promotes active Muslim engagement in British society, said the figures were "not implausible".

"It would mean that around one in 600 Britons is a convert to the faith," he said. "Islam is a missionary religion and many Muslim organisations and particularly university students' Islamic societies have active outreach programmes designed to remove popular misconceptions about the faith."

The report by Faith Matters also studied the way converts were portrayed by the media and found that while 32 per cent of articles on Islam published since 2001 were linked to terrorism or extremism, the figure jumped to 62 per cent with converts.

Earlier this month, for example, it was reported that two converts to Islam who used the noms de guerre Abu Bakr and Mansoor Ahmed were killed in a CIA drone strike in an area of Pakistan with a strong al-Qa'ida presence.

"Converts who become extremists or terrorists are, of course, a legitimate story," said Mr Mughal. "But my worry is that the saturation of such stories risks equating all Muslim converts with being some sort of problem when the vast majority are not".

Catherine Heseltine, a 31-year-old convert to Islam, made history earlier this year when she became the first female convert to be elected the head of a British Muslim organisation - the Muslim Public Affairs Committee. "Among certain sections of society, there is a deep mistrust of converts," she said. "There's a feeling that the one thing worse than a Muslim is a convert because they're perceived as going over the other side. Overall, though, I think conversions arouse more curiosity than hostility."

How to become a Muslim Islam is one of the easiest religions to convert to. Technically, all a person needs to do is recite the Shahada, the formal declaration of faith, which states: "There is no God but Allah and Mohamed is his Prophet."A single honest recitation is all that is needed to become a Muslim, but most converts choose to do so in front of at least two witnesses, one being an imam.

Converts to Islam Hana Tajima, 23, fashion designer "I became friends with a few Muslims in college, and was slightly affronted and curious at their lack of wanting to go out to clubs or socialise.

"At about that time I started to study phi-

losophy, and I began to get confused about my life. I was pretty popular, had everything I was supposed to have, but still I felt like 'Is that it?' The issues of women's rights were shockingly contemporary. The more I read, the more I found myself agreeing with the ideas. I didn't and still don't want to be Muslim, but there came a point where I couldn't say that I wasn't one."

Denise Horsley, 26, dance teacher "I was introduced to Islam by my boyfriend. A lot of people ask whether I converted because of him but he had nothing to do with it; I went on my own journey to discover more about religion. I grew up Christian and Islam seemed to be a natural extension of Christianity.

"I now wear a headscarf but it wasn't something I adopted straightaway. Hijab is an important concept in Islam but it's not just about clothing. It's about being modest in everything you do. Ultimately I'm still the same person as before, except that I don't drink, don't eat pork and I pray five times a day."

Dawud Beale, 23 "I was ignorant about Islam and then I went on holiday to Morocco, which was the first time I'd been exposed to Muslims. I was a racist before Morocco and by the time I flew home a week later, I'd decided to become a Muslim. When I came back home to Somerset, I spent three months trying to find local Muslims, but there wasn't even a mosque in my town. I eventually met Sufi Muslims who took me to Cyprus

to convert. When I came back, I was finding that a lot of what they were saying contradicted what it said in the Koran. I became involved with Hizb ut-Tahrir, a political group which calls for the establishment of an Islamic state. But it was too into politics and not as concerned with practising the religion.

"There is something pure about Salafi Muslims. I have definitely found the right path. I met my wife through the community and we are expecting our first child next year."

Paul Martin, 27 "I liked the way the Muslim students I knew conducted themselves. It's nice to think about people having one partner for life and not doing anything harmful to their body. I just preferred the Islamic lifestyle and from there I looked into the Koran.

"Then I was introduced by a Muslim friend to a doctor who was a few years older than me. We went for a coffee and then a few weeks later for an ice cream. I made my shahadah [declaration of faith] right there.

I know some people like to do it in a mosque, but for me religion is not a physical thing - it is what is in your heart.

"I hadn't been to a mosque before I became a Muslim. Sometimes it can be bit daunting. I don't really fit into this criteria of a Muslim person. But there is nothing to say you can't be a British Muslim who wears jeans and a jacket. Now in my mosque many different languages are spoken and there are lots of converts."

Source: The Independent, UK

Islamic Activities at BC Muslim School It was a sea of bright pink this past October, as the BC Muslim School observed International Pink Hijab Day. The students wore pink hijabs to raise awareness of cancer foundations located across the globe. Pink Hijab Day began at a high school in Columbia, Missouri and is now celebrated in 11 countries around the world. By recognizing the seriousness of cancer, the BCMS students understood their role in social responsibility.

In December, the BC Muslim School celebrated Islamic History Month with. An exhibition showcasing a series of projects that were completed by K-7 students. As you entered the classroom adorned with exquisitely crafted projects, you truly appreciated how the Qur’an states many scientific references.

Many parents took the time to admire the work that was put into creating the impressive projects. The theme was Islam and the Environment and these projects were created to emphasize teachings of the Quran about

the environment. Alhamdullilah, the students learned how Allah (SWT) created water, animals, plants, habitats and space. The projects were jointly taught by the Islamic Studies and Academic teachers, as an example of the integration of Academic and Islamic Programs that takes place at the BC Muslim School.

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January is the month of Alzheimer's Disease Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear after age 60.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people.

Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, remembering, and reasoning—to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities.

Estimates vary, but experts suggest that as many as 5.1 million Americans may have Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. Her symptoms included memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behavior. After she died, he examined her brain and found many abnormal clumps (now called amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (now called neurofibrillary tangles). Plaques and tangles in the brain are two of the main features of Alzheimer’s disease. The third is the loss of connections between nerve cells (neurons) in the brain.

Very Early Signs and Symptoms Memory problems are one of the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Some people with memory problems have a condition called amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

People with this condition have more memory problems than normal for people their age, but their symptoms are not as severe as those with Alzheimer’s. More people with MCI, compared with those without MCI, go on to develop Alzheimer’s.Other changes may also signal the very early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. For example, brain imaging and biomarker studies of people with MCI and those with a family history of Alzheimer’s are beginning to detect early changes in the brain like those seen in Alzheimer’s. These findings will need to be confirmed by other studies but appear promising. Other recent research has found links between some movement difficulties and MCI. Researchers also have seen links between some problems with the sense of smell and cognitive problems. Such findings offer hope that some day we may have tools that could help detect Alzheimer’s early, track the course of the disease, and monitor response to treatments.

What Causes Alzheimer’s Scientists don’t yet fully understand what causes Alzheimer’s disease, but it is clear that it develops because of a complex series of events that take place in the brain over a long period of time. It is likely that the causes include genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Because people differ in their genetic make-up and lifestyle, the importance of these factors for preventing or delaying Alzheimer’s differs from person to person.

Genetics In a very few families, people develop Alzheimer’s disease in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. Many of these people have a mutation, or permanent change, in one of three genes that they inherited from a parent. We know that these gene mutations cause Alzheimer’s in these “early-onset” familial cases. Not all early-onset cases are caused by such mutations.

Most people with Alzheimer’s disease have “late-onset” Alzheimer’s, which usually develops after age 60. Many studies have linked a gene called APOE to late-onset Alzheimer’s. This gene has several forms.

One of them, APOE e4, increases a person’s risk of getting the disease. About 40 percent of all people who develop late-onset Alzheimer’s carry this gene. However, carry-

ing the APOE e4 form of the gene does not necessarily mean that a person will develop Alzheimer’s disease, and people carrying no APOE e4 forms can also develop the disease.

Lifestyle Factors A nutritious diet, physical activity, social engagement, and mentally stimulating pursuits can all help people stay healthy.

New research suggests the possibility that these factors also might help to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists are investigating associations between cognitive decline and vascular and metabolic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. Understanding these relationships and testing them in clinical trials will help us understand whether reducing risk factors for these diseases may help with Alzheimer’s as well.

How Alzheimer’s Disease Is Diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease can be definitively diagnosed only after death by linking clinical course with an examination of brain tissue and pathology in an autopsy. But doctors now have several methods and tools to help them determine fairly accurately whether a person who is having memory problems has “possible Alzheimer’s disease” (dementia may be due to another cause) or “probable Alzheimer’s disease” (no other cause for dementia can be found). To diagnose Alzheimer’s, doctors: •ask questions about the person’s overall health, past medical problems, ability to carry out daily activities, and changes in behavior and personality •conduct tests of memory, problem solving, attention, counting, and language •carry out medical tests, such as tests of blood, urine, or spinal fluid •perform brain scans, such as computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) These tests may be repeated to give doctors information about how the person’s memory is changing over time.

Early diagnosis is beneficial for several reasons. Having an early diagnosis and starting treatment in the early stages of the disease can help preserve function for months to years, even though the underlying disease process cannot be changed.

Having an early diagnosis also helps families plan for the future, make living arrangements, take care of financial and legal matters, and develop support networks.

In addition, an early diagnosis can provide greater opportunities for people to get involved in clinical trials. In a clinical trial, scientists test drugs or treatments to see which are most effective and for whom they work best. (See the box, below, for more information.)

How Alzheimer’s Is Treated Alzheimer’s disease is a complex disease, and no single “magic bullet” is likely to prevent or cure it. That’s why current treatments focus on several different aspects, including helping people maintain mental function; managing behavioral symptoms; and slowing, delaying, or preventing the disease.

Managing Behavioral Symptoms Common behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer’s include sleeplessness, agitation, wandering, anxiety, anger, and depression. Scientists are learning why these symptoms occur and are studying new treatments—drug and non-drug—to manage them. Treating behavioral symptoms often makes people with Alzheimer’s more comfortable and makes their care

easier for caregivers.

Slowing, Delaying, or Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s disease research has developed to a point where scientists can look beyond treating symptoms to think about addressing the underlying disease process. In ongoing clinical trials, scientists are looking at many possible interventions, such as cardiovascular and diabetes treatments, antioxidants, immunization therapy, cognitive training, and physical activity.

Supporting Families and Caregivers Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease can have high physical, emotional, and financial costs. The demands of day-to-day care, changing family roles, and difficult decisions about placement in a care facility can be hard to handle. Researchers are learning a lot about Alzheimer’s caregiving, and studies are helping experts develop new ways to support caregivers.

Becoming well-informed about the disease is one important long-term strategy.

Programs that teach families about the various stages of Alzheimer’s and about flexible and practical strategies for dealing with difficult caregiving situations provide vital

help to those who care for people with Alzheimer’s.

Developing good coping skills and a strong support network of family and friends also are important ways that caregivers can help themselves handle the stresses of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. For example, staying physically active provides physical and emotional benefits.

Advancing Our Understanding Thirty years ago, we knew very little about Alzheimer’s disease. Since then, scientists have made many important advances.

Research supported by NIA and other organizations has expanded knowledge of brain function in healthy older people, identified ways we might lessen normal age-related declines in mental function, and deepened our understanding of the disease. Many scientists and physicians are now working together to untangle the genetic, biological, and environmental factors that, over many years, ultimately result in Alzheimer’s. This effort is bringing us closer to the day when we will be able to manage successfully or even prevent this devastating disease.

Alzheimer Information Session Alzheimer disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain, which causes thinking and memory to become seriously impaired. It is the most common form of dementia. (Dementia is a syndrome consisting of a number of symptoms that include loss of memory, judgment and reasoning, and changes in mood, behaviour and communication abilities).

You may join us to learn more about the disease. A support and Education Coordinator from Alzheimer Society of BC will be facilitating this information session.

When: January 19th 2011 Where: Bear Creek Pavilion 13750 88th Avenue, Surrey BC Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm For more information and registration, please contact: Shabina & Archana at DIVERSE city Community Resources Society Email: seniors@dcrs.ca 604 597-0205 ext: 1523 or 1323 778 867-9253 (Punjabi) or 778 789-3258(Hindi)

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Sedin, Kesler both set sights on 50 goals

The last time a pair of National Hockey League teammates scored 50 or more goals in the same season, Daniel Sedin and Ryan Kesler were still playing minor hockey.

Sedin was a 15-year-old in Ornskodsvik,

Sweden, and Kesler an 11-year-old in Livonia, Michigan, back in 1995-96, when Mario Lemieux scored 69 and Jaromir Jagr 62 for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

This season, the Vancouver Canucks duo has a chance to accomplish the feat.

Sedin, with 25 goals in 41 games, is on pace to score 50; Kesler, with 23 goals, is on pace for 46. “It seems like it is (just about impossible to accomplish anymore),” Sedin said. “It hasn’t happened for such a long time. “For two players on the same team to make it happen . . . we’re on two

different lines so that makes it, probably, more possible.” Except they are on the same line on power plays and Sedin figures you need to score up to 20 power-play goals each for the 50-goal combo to happen. Sedin is second in the league with 11 power-play goals; Kesler is tied for fifth with eight. The difference is Kesler gets his power-play goals by standing in front of the net and redirecting pucks from the point, Sedin by standing off to the side and converting passes from his brother or banging home rebounds. “To be honest with you, Kes, I think, is the more pure goal scorer,” Sedin said. “He’s got a great shot. He can shoot from the blue-line and it might go in. “For me, it’s mostly from close in, getting those great passes from Hank (his brother Henrik) and Burr (Alex Burrows).” It’s hard enough for one guy to score 50 these days. Goalies are bigger, bet-

ter, wear more gear and have individual tutors, teams are better coached, checkers are faster skaters. On the shooter’s side, sticks are lighter. “Scoring goals in this league, with the quality of goaltending . . . that’s the one position where there’s been a lot of focus and a lot of improvement, it’s made it a lot more challenging for shooters,” Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault said. “If you have one guy that’s up there, that’s usually a pretty good feat. “If you’ve got two guys challenging, well, that means we’ve got pretty good talent. I think both of them have a legitimate shot.” Sedin needs to keep his steady pace going. Kesler can’t ease up much from the pace that’s seen him score 13 goals in his past 16 games. “If we can keep it going, it would be great, of course,” Sedin said. “But I have a tough time seeing that happen.

Source: Canada.com

Carmelo Anthony slowing deal In the end, the biggest holdup in a trade that would send Carmelo Anthony to New Jersey may be Anthony himself. According to several league sources, Anthony has not told anyone, not even his representatives, that he will sign a contract extension with the Nets. One source who has spoken with Anthony since trade talks between Denver, New Jersey and Detroit became public last weekend said the Nuggets forward has never even hinted at signing with New Jersey.

This, of course, does not mean there's no chance of Anthony signing with the Nets. But it does mean the three teams involved in the potential deal that could involve as many as 15 players are working on nothing more than a hunch. For even if they do reach an agreement, Anthony's refusal to sign a three-year, $65 million extension with the Nets would kill the deal completely. New Jersey has been steadfast in its commitment to trade for Anthony only if he agrees to stay with the franchise long term. Even if Anthony is less than enthusiastic about the prospects of playing in New Jersey, he has never crossed the Nets entirely off his list of potential destinations, as he did with Philadelphia, Washington and Charlotte when those teams showed interest in trading for him earlier in the season. The Nets, who have pursued Anthony since failing to land a superstar on last summer's historic free agent market, firmly believe Anthony is agreeable to signing with them. That belief is based on numerous conversations with Anthony's agent, Leon Rose, who has worked closely with Denver and New Jersey all season long on putting together potential trade packages. The proposed deal involving Denver, New Jersey and Detroit would give the Nets Chauncey Billups and the Pistons' Rip Hamilton along with Anthony. Denver would receive two future first-round picks, Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, Anthony Morrow, Quinton Ross, Ben Uzoh and Stephen Graham, while Detroit would bring home Troy Murphy, Johan Petro and a second-round pick from the Nets. The natural assumption is that Rose is pushing for a deal with New Jersey because Anthony is amenable to it. But sources say that's not the case. Anthony's desire to play for the New York Knicks is well-known. But Denver would rather trade him to New Jersey because it can receive more assets -- a young prospect (Favors), expiring contracts and first-round draft picks -- from the Nets than it can from New York. If Anthony were to agree to a trade to New Jersey, it would be mainly to get the $65 million contract extension. With the owners playing hardball as a new labor agreement approaches, Anthony may have to settle for tens of millions of dollars less if he were to play out the season in Denver and sign with New York as a free agent this summer. The sources say such a scenario is not out of the question for Anthony.

While the Knicks, who do not have a first-round draft pick to offer Denver in a trade, lack the assets the Nuggets covet, Anthony's desire to play there keeps them in the hunt. Anthony will soon sit down with Nuggets executives Josh Kroenke and Masai Ujiri to discuss his future, and if he tells them he will only sign an extension with New York and not New Jersey, Denver will almost certainly have to begin serious trade talks with the Knicks. To date, the Nuggets have not engaged in any thorough trade discussions with New York. But the Knicks insist there are several teams that will give them a first-round draft pick in exchange for Anthony Randolph that they could use in a trade, and the strong play of Knicks forward Wilson Chandler this season would seem to have increased his value in the Nuggets' eyes.

Source: ESPN

TIGERS TAKE THE TITLE Led by Michael Dyer and Cam Newton on offense and Nick Fairley (pictured) on defense, the Auburn Tigers defeated the Oregon Ducks with a last second FG. Photo: SI

ICC defers Pakistan cricket ruling The International Cricket Council (ICC) has deferred until February 5 a final decision on three Pakistan cricket players accused of spot-fixing, despite giving two of them a partial reprieve. The announcement came after Salman Butt, the Pakistani captain at the time of the alleged offences, and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir appeared before a three-man panel on Tuesday in Doha, Qatar. The charges covered Tests against England at the Oval and the Lord's cricket grounds in August 2010. The cricketers are accused of bowling no-balls at arranged times for payments during the Lords Test. The ICC withdrew charges against Asif and Aamir for the Oval Test but not against Butt. It was not previously known that the Oval charges were to be included in the investigation. The Lords Test charges against all three remain. "The tribunal have throughout been very conscious of the importance of these proceedings to the three players and the wider world of cricket," Michael Beloff, commissioner of the three-man independent hearing, said. "Representations have been made to it to reserve any decision on the charges still before it until it has had sufficient time to give the issues careful consideration and until it is able, at the same time as handing down its decision, to provide written reasons. "This would not be feasible in the timeframe

agreed for this hearing in Doha. "The tribunal has therefore determined to continue its deliberations and hold a further hearing in Doha on the fifth of February of this year, at which its decisions will be handed down to the parties and any consequential matters will be dealt with." Beloff said that the three players will remain suspended from competitive cricket until the next hearing's decision. The trio have denied the accusations initially made in September last year in a British newspaper. They are accused of receiving payments for deliberately delivering no-balls at a Test in August against England at the Lord's cricket ground.

Source: Al-Jazeera

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Issue 275 - Safar 9, 1432 / January 14, 2011 THE

MIR A LE

Bride Wanted 25 Years old, fair and six feet tall boy, Bachelors of Engineering-Electronics from SFU, presently working in Qatar as a Project Engineer, raised in Canada, Canadian Citizen, Sunni Syed family settled in BC

BCMA – Burial Notices

MATRIMONIAL

If you would like your contact information to be added on the burial notice mailing list, please reply to burial@thebcma.com

BCMA Social Service To all newly arrived brothers and sisters of immigrants, refugees or moving from other province into B.C. we welcome you among us and would like to connect with you. Please introduce yourself to the bcma@shawcable.com or reach us on this number (604 270 2522) and leave a message in English or in your own language. We will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

YOU CAN BE HERE! Special Deal!

Advertise in our classifieds sections for two issues and receive the third ad FREE! Call now to book your space: 604-690-0400

PAKISTANI COOK REQUIRED Zam Zam Snacks looking for an experienced Pakistani Cook, who can prepare all Pakistani and other dishes for our customers Wedges will be paid reasonable according to his/her experience.

Contact personally at:

Zam Zam Snacks 4119-No.5 Road (Near Fruiticana) Richmond, BC 604-233-5555

NOW MIRACLE IS AVAILABLE AT ALL BCMA MASAJID LOCATIONS PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE MIRACLE AT: BURNABY: Masjid As Salaam, Sarpino’s Pizzeria

VANCOUVER: Samosa Garden, Collingwood community centre, Hafiz Halal Meat , Golden Video, Raja Cinema Masjid ul Haqq, Red Fort Restaurant, House of Dosas, Jamea Masjid Vancouver, Best Burrito, and Tandoori Restaurant ,Mecca Market

Main Street: Jasmine Halal Meats, Good Morning Paan, Jubilee Halal Meats, Aryan Conv. Store , Main Kabab Hut, Tasleem Video, India Restaurant Hamalaya Restaurant, Main Paan, Main Video Punjab Food, Fruiticana, New Dehli Paan, Gaba Travel, Dosas & Restaurant

Fraser Street: Al-Mansoor Video, Salam Fraser Restaurant and Sweets, Fruiticana, Bains Travel, Fraser Musallah, Vancouver Public Library, Al-Watan Restaurant, Az -Zawiah Musallah, Dhaka Bazaar, Noor Jahan Halal Meat, Chicago Deep Dish Pizza, Fraser Kabab RICHMOND; Richmond Jamiah Masjid, Himalaya Sweets, Paan Shop, Fruiticana, Zam Zam Restaurant, Gurdawahra Sahib, Az Zahara Islamic Centre

NEW WESTMINSTER: Islamic Education Centre

SURREY: Masjid Al-Huda, Sizzling Pizzaria, Gourmet Noodles, Fleetwood Islamic Centre, Sofi’s Shawarma & Donair, Al-Hussainia Centre, Masjid Al Noor, Pak Punjab Samoosa, Chicken World, Chili Pepper House, Sabzi Mandi, Shaista Halal Meat, Asian Spice, Delta Mussallah, AL-Madina Pizza, Aisha Islamic Centre, Diamond Sweets, Singapore Restaurant, Express Conv. Store, PICSSeniors Homes, Islamic Academy of Canada, Afghan Chopan, Fiji Islamic Centre, Afghan Chopan Restaurant & Banquet Hall, Calgary Sweets, Best Paan & Flower Shop, Zabiah Foods , 777 Pizza, HSN Accountings, Biryani Garden, South Asian Meats , Pak Bazzar, Galaxy Travel, Masjid Al Rahmah, Gulberg Market, Instant Photo Copier, Sabzi Mandi, Shiraz Electronics, Haji Hair Cut, Tibisti Halal Meats, Surrey Jamea Masjid, Newton Public Library, Newton Arena , Lahore Say Restaurant, Barney’s Pizza & Chicken, Paan Palace *Also available at many other Indian Grocery stores, Restaurants, Banks, King George Sky Train Station, Abbotsford, Coquitlum and major Offices lobbies,

E.Mails: miraclenews@telus.net & naseer@telus.net Call for more info:

604-690-0400

Matrimonial ads in Miracle Newspaper are for Muslim and Non Muslim community, where they serve as a facilitating process for arranged marriages. They are essentially dialogues between families, using the medium of newspapers, where particulars of the individual to be married and the family are detailed, as well as the requirements from prospective partners and their families.

All information is reserved under the private and confidential policy of

GROOM Wanted 26 Years old pretty Girl, tall, educated,US citizen, degree in BA. Economics. Parents looking for match in BC. If interested, please contact by above email.

27 Years old pretty Girl, 5ft6 inch tall, educated, New Jersey US citizen, degree in BA. Political Science. Parents looking for match making in BC. If interested, please contact by above email.

Miracle Marriage Bureau.

Contact: naseer@telus.net

Bride Wanted

32 Years old pretty Girl, tall 5 ft 8 inch, Law Graduate Works in Washington DC, Highly paid, Parents are looking for best match make in BC or Washington DC. Groom

Partner Wanted 29 Years old, suitable match for a For 42 Years Fiji-born man good looking, handsome, fair and 5ft 9 Sunni Muslim, fair color, height 6 ft, divorced inch tall, boy, having MBBS degree, having 2 kids’ boy (13Y) and girl (14Y) reside working as head director of Overseas part time with him, earning looking 32-39 Unviversaties in China, earning years old women.

C$55K/year -----------------------------------------28 years Old from frontior prov.of For above all Matrimonial Ads Pakistan, good looking, by profession Please send email for inquary at Cook, wanted a second marriage partnaseer@telus.net ner with any widow around 30 years old or same age group

Lahore Say Restaurant Located in Surrey, BC requires full time Cook (Pakistani or East Indian dishes). Three year experience as first cook is required. English is not a requirement. Urdu, Hindi or Punjabi will be an asset. Responsibilities include cooking Pakistani and East Indian Dishes for retail, cooking catering orders, training of employees, assisting in food cost controls and training of junior staff.

Wages $16.00 p/h plus over time may be available. Canadian experience would be an asset.

Fax your resume to 604-502-8156 or email at info@lahoresay.ca

USA : Continued from pg 1 they had fought many war for so long, Muslim countries, especially the prosperous ones, with their strict visa regimentation do their best to keep the fellow Muslims at bay.

One Muslim country is building steel wall and installing sensors to keep their next door besieged Muslim brothers and sisters away from its border. The poor of the Romania and Bulgaria are free to go to rich countries of the European Union in search for jobs and better life. However, the rich Muslim countries keep ever-vigilant watch over their ports to prevent the entry of poor Muslims in search of livelihood. And those who are admitted to work are mistreated and humiliated. The haughty attitude of the elite stems purely from their nationalistic feelings of superiority over Muslims of poor origin.

When Quran says, "Verily this community of yours is a single community"(21:92), it means that a Bangladeshi Muslim is not a foreigner in Morocco and a Moroccan Muslim is not an outsider in Indonesia.

Today, the Quran's proclamation, however, remains in theory only. What is in practice?

Saudi Arabia and Yemen, two Muslim nations, located side by side, share all common elements that form one nation, including faith and beliefs, but separated by ten feet high concrete barrier along the border,

entrenched within their own politically defined geographical boundaries, honoring their flags and revering their national anthems.

To have a Muslim Union on the pattern of the European Union, at this point, realistically speaking, is pie in the sky. The leaders of Muslim countries, most created and supported by foreign powers, are engrossed in their own selfish ambitions and rivalries to rise above personal considerations to allow any political and economic union of Muslim nations. However, a few small measures that can be adopted will give some sense of oneness to Muslims living in the fifty plus nation-states without changing the political status quo.

First, all the Muslim states can adopt one national anthem written in the Arabic language; after all, Arabic is the language of Islam. Second, instead of having over fifty different flags, Muslim nations can adopt one flag with their national emblem imprinted in one of the corners of the common flag for country identification. Last, observation of a common national day through out the Muslim world based on the solar calendar. These will be small but significant step towards more meaningful unity in the future.

Source: The author, Abdul-Majid Jaffry, is a retired aircraft engineer and a freelance columnist.

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For more info: 604-634-1074 ~ Fax: 604-634-1075

#107- 8927 152 St, Surrey

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www.alwatantandoori.com

BCMA approved ~ Halal Meat Shop Chicken leg $1.49/lb (@Whole Box)

Rao Fish $1.99/lb