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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012 - $1
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France backs Palestinian UN bid, Harper pressures Abbas to drop bid
New Portman Bridge to open all lanes
The Transportation and Infrastructure Ministry announced when the Portman bridge opens on December 1. Cars, pickup trucks and SUVs will be charged an introductory toll of just $1.50 per crossing. That number will jump up to the previously announced rate of $3 on March 1, but the government says drivers who register for a free tolling account by Feb. 28 will continue to pay the introductory rate for Read more on Page 15. another nine months.
Egyptians stage mass anti-Morsi rally Tens of thousands of people are staging a protest in the Egyptian capital against President Mohamed Morsi, who last week granted himself sweeping new powers. “The people
want the regime to fall,” the crowds chanted. Protesters and riot police clashed in Cairo on Tuesday near Tahrir Square, the birthplace of the uprising that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak nearly two years ago. Lawyers left their syndicate chanting, “The people want the downfall of the regime,” - the signature chant of the protests that toppled Mubarak in February, 2011. Several other marches were preparing to set off from around the capital to join thousands of protesters already in the square to denounce Morsi’s decree. In the city of Alexandria, several hundred gathered in Qaitbay Square, with two large marches expected to join them later. There were reports of violence in Cairo, were earlier in the day police fired tear gas on stone-throwing protesters chanting anti-Morsi slogans. A rival rally in Cairo by the Muslim Brotherhood in support of the president was called off to “avoid potential unrest” but that has done little
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to abate the division among supporters and foes of Morsi. “The Muslim Brotherhood stole the revolution” read one banner in Tahrir. Another said the president was “pushing the people to civil disobedience.” “The Muslim Brotherhood are liars,” read another. The demonstrations come a day after Morsi met with the country’s senior judges in a bid to defuse the crisis over the decree, that has sparked deadly clashes and prompted judges and journalists to call for strike. On Monday, Morsi met with the nation’s top judges and tried to win their acceptance of his decrees. But the move was dismissed by many in the opposition and the judiciary as providing no real concessions. The senior judges that were in that meeting with Morsi on Monday night “are right now in an emergency session, trying to come up with one united stance - an answer to that meeting”, according to our correspondent. Presidential spokesperson Yasser Ali, said Morsi told the judges that he acted within his rights as the nation’s sole source of legislation, assuring them that the decrees were temporary and did not in any way infringe on the judiciary. He underlined repeatedly that the president had no plans to change or amend his decrees. According to a presidential statement late Monday, Morsi told the judges that his decree meant that any decisions he makes on “issues of sovereignty” are immune from judicial review. The vaguely worded statement did not define those issues, but they were widely interpreted to cover declaration of war, imposition of martial law, breaking diplomatic relations with a foreign nation or dismissing a cabinet. Morsi’s original edict, however, explicitly gives immunity to all his decisions and there was no sign it had been changed. The statement on Monday did not affect the immunity that Morsi gave the constitutional assembly or the upper chamber of parliament,
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France said on Tuesday it would vote in favour of Palestinian non-member status at the United Nations, an important boost in Palestinian efforts to secure greater international recognition. The Palestinians have lobbied for support from European countries for their bid at watered-down statehood at the UN set to take place in two days time. While Israel has lobbied against them, the Palestinians are set for a sure victory in the 193-member world body made up mostly of developing countries long sympathetic to their cause. “This Thursday or Friday, when the question is asked, France will vote yes,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced in the French National Assembly, the lower house of parliament. “As you know, for years and years France ’s constant position has been to recognize the Palestinian state,” Mr. Fabius said. With the announcement Tuesday, France – a permanent member of the Security Council – becomes the first major European country to come out in favour. It amounts to a setback for Israel. The Palestinians say the assembly is likely to vote Thursday on a resolution raising their status at the United Nations from an observer to a non-member observer state, a move they believe is an important step toward a two-state solution with Israel. Meanwhile, Britain has not yet decided whether it will vote for a Palestinian observer state membership, Britain’s UN ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said. Mr. Lyall Grant told reporters that Britain believes that the Palestinians should delay application from Thursday but is still in talks with the Palestinian Authority and would decide “in due time” how to vote. The Globe and Mail reported on Monday that Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his government have intervened
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
Obama ‘drone-warfare rulebook’ condemned by human rights groups
President Barack Obama’s administration is in the process of drawing up a formal rulebook that will set out the circumstances in which targeted assassination by unmanned drones is justified, according to reports. The New York Times, citing two unnamed sources, said explicit guidelines were being drawn up amid disagreement between the CIA and the departments of defense, justice and state over when lethal action is acceptable as reported by The Guardian UK. Human-rights groups and peace groups opposed to the CIAoperated targeted-killing programme, which remains officially classified, said the administration had already rejected international law in pursuing its drone operations. “To say they are rewriting the rulebook implies that there isn’t already a rulebook” said Jameel Jaffer, the director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Center for Democracy. “But what they are already doing is rejecting a rulebook – of international law – that has been in place since [the second world war].” He said the news was “frustrating”, because it relied on “self-serving sources”. The New York Times piece
was written by one of the journalists who first exposed the existence of a White House “kill list”, in May. The ACLU is currently involved in a legal battle with the US government over the legal memo underlying the controversial targeted killing programme, the basis for drone strikes that have killed American citizens and the process by which individuals are placed on the kill list. Jaffer said it was impossible to make a judgement about whether the “rulebook” being discussed, according to the Times, was legal or illegal. “It is frustrating how we are reliant on self-serving leaks” said Jaffer. “We are left with interpreting shadows cast on the wall. The terms that are being used by these officials are undefined, malleable and without definition. It is impossible to know whether they are talking about something lawful or unlawful. “We are litigating for the release of legal memos. We don’t think the public should have to reply on self-serving leaking by unnamed administrative officials.” The New York Times said that,
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Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir targeted by car bomb Popular Pakistani television journalist who incurred the wrath of the Taliban by daring to criticise the movement over its attempted assassination of Malala Yousafzai vowed to continue “speaking the truth” on Monday after a bomb was found planted under his car. Police in Islamabad said the remotely controlled device was defused by bomb experts after it was discovered shortly after Hamid Mir, one of the country’s best-known television presenters, returned from a hair appointment to his parked vehicle. “This was a highly sophisticated device containing around half a kilogram of high explosives,” said Bani Amin Khan, Islamabad’s inspector general of police who was in no doubt that it could have killed. “It was in a metal box attached by magnets to the bottom of the car, under the seat where Mr Mir usually sits.” Although bombings and assassinations by militant groups are a near daily occurrence in Pakistan, car bombs are rare. The drama on Islamabad’s suburban streets played out on
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
Arafat’s remains exhumed, samples to be tested for poison The exhumation -- which began before dawn under the cover of huge sheets of blue tarpaulin -- took place at Arafat’s former compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah. It was prompted after Swiss investigators found recently high concentrations of polonium-210 on articles of clothing provided by Arafat’s widow, causing Palestinian officials to launch a renewed probe into his death. After the Swiss investigators said their tests were inconclusive, they noted new samples needed to be directly from Arafat’s remains in order to gain a clearer understanding of what caused his death. Reporting from Ramallah Tuesday, CTV’s Janis Mackey Frayer said the original plan was to exhume the body, then move the remains to a nearby mosque where the samples could be taken. However, technical difficulties caused officials to decide to leave the remains in the tomb, and instead take samples on-site. By midmorning, the grave was reclosed. Swiss,
Russian and French experts were present during the exhumation. They will each examine the samples in their own countries. Earlier, samples were taken from Arafat’s bedroom, office and personal belongings. The Institute of Radiation Physics in Switzerland discovered this summer elevated traces of polonium-210, the same substance that killed Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB officer turned Kremlin critic, in 2006. Arafat’s widow Suha had originally declined to have an autopsy performed on the late leader, and only changed her mind after the traces of polonium-210 were found, Mackey Frayer said. “It was only earlier this year she agreed to turn over these belongings and, upon learning of the polonium, she urged French authorities to open a murder inquiry, which they did ... and which resulted in Palestinian authorities putting together an investigation committee and leading to the exhumation we saw today.” It is expected to take months
before any results are available from the testing. And after eight years, it’s a long shot that polonium-210 would be detectable in any case. Within the Arab world there has long been a suspicion that Israel played a role in the death of the Palestinian leader, who was a staunch symbol of nationalism. Israel has always denied any involvement in the 75-year-old’s death. Suspicions about Arafat’s death were rekindled this summer when Al-Jazeera, the Arab news network, took some of Arafat’s belongings to the Swiss lab for testing. The belongings included a fur hat and woolen cap with some of his hair, as well as a toothbrush and some clothing with urine and blood stains. The articles were provided by Arafat’s widow. Public reaction in the West Bank was mixed Tuesday. Nidaa Younes, a Palestinian government employee, said it was unnecessary to
exhume the remains. “Our religion forbids exhuming graves. It is not nice at all to do this, even if religion permits it in some cases,” she said, adding that she believes Israel was responsible for Arafat’s death. Ramallah resident Tony Abdo said he supports the exhumation, expecting it to prove that Arafat did not die a natural death. Source: CTV News
Rob Ford apologizes for actions in conflict case A contrite Rob Ford acknowledged he could have done things differently in the matter that caused an Ontario judge to order him to relinquish the Toronto mayoralty, one day after attributing his ouster to left-wing politics. “Looking back, maybe I could have expressed myself in a different way. To everyone who believes I should have done this differently, I sincerely apologize,” Ford said in a prepared statement at a Tuesday afternoon news conference at city hall. The mayor was in much feistier form a day earlier, when he attributed the court decision to “leftwing politics.” “The left wing wants me out of here and they’ll do anything in their power to,” he said at the time. His comments Tuesday came hours after city solicitor Anna Kinastowski said it is the opinion of the City of Toronto’s legal team that Ford would not be able to run for mayor until 2014. She stressed that the mayor is free to seek his own legal opinion. She was commenting Tuesday morning during a session of Toronto council, a day after Ontario Superior Court Justice Charles T. Hackland found that Ford had violated provincial conflict of interest rules for municipal politicians and ordered his seat be vacated in two weeks. Kinastowski was specifically addressing uncertainty around the wording in the decision delivered by Hackland. By law, Hackland could have barred Ford from running again for office for up to seven years. Instead, he did not place “any further disqualification from beyond the current term.” The meaning of “current term” caused much confusion, with some lawyers interpreting that to mean the end of his current term in December 2014, while others interpreted that wording to mean that the term would end if and when he
relinquishes the seat. “In our view, it is my opinion that the word ‘term’ means 2010 to 2014,” Kinastowski said. But Alan Lenczner, Ford’s lawyer, told CBC News that he believes the mayor could run in a byelection if one is called ahead of the 2014 municipal election. Lenczner said he was certain that the word “term” in question meant 14 days and that he thinks the mayor could run again at any time. Ford has said he plans to appeal Hackland’s ruling. If it’s upheld in the appeal, council then has 60 days to either appoint a new mayor or call a byelection to fill the seat. A three-judge panel in Ontario divisional court would hear the appeal that Ford has said he plans to file this week. The divisional court’s ruling is final, Kinastowski said. Ford could also apply to have Hackland’s ruling stayed, and if successful, he could remain as mayor until the appeal process is exhausted. Lenczner told CBC News that a stay application would be heard on Dec. 5. An appeal of Hackland’s ruling could be heard by Jan. 7. Kinastowski said she thought it would be “unusual” for the court to decline a stay. However, Stephen D’Agostino, who specializes in municipal law, told CBC News that he believes granting a stay to Ford would be unprecedented. While Ford remains mayor for at least 13 more days, Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti, one of the mayor’s staunchest allies, told reporters Ford should step down while the appeal process unfolds. The city is in a “crisis,” Mammoliti told reporters shortly after Kinastowski addressed council. “I think it would be appropriate for him to not leave office, but step down until the appeal is over and give the reins to the deputy mayor,” he said. Source : CBC News
Morsi : Continued from pg 1 known as the Shura Council. It also did not affect the edict that the president can take any measures he sees as necessary to stop threats to the revolution, stability or public institutions. Many see that edict as granting Morsi unlimited emergency powers. Morsi, who has been in power since June, has said the decrees are necessary to protect the “revolution” and the nation’s transition to democratic rule. The judiciary, the main target of Morsi’s edicts, called the decrees a power grab and an “assault” on the branch’s independence. Source: Al-Jazeera
Deaths in Iraq bomb explosions At least 21 people were killed and 70 others injured in a series of bomb attacks against security forces and civilians in central and northern Iraq, officials said. Shia mosques in Baghdad were main targets in Tuesday’s attacks, along with policemen in Kirkuk, a city claimed by quarrelling ethnic groups in a disputed northern region.
Bangladesh factory fire ‘act of sabotage’ A fire that killed 111 textile workers in Bangladesh was caused by “an act of sabotage”, authorities said, as protesters and factories workers across the country took to the streets for a second day to express their anger over the tragedy. Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, the interior minister, said on Tuesday that according to a preliminary inquiry, the fire at Tazreen garment factory in Dhaka over the weekend was the result of arson. He promised to bring the culprits to justice. “We have come to the conclusion that it was an act of sabotage. We are finding out as of now who exactly the saboteurs are and all culprits will be brought to book,” Alamgir said. Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she suspected the fire was an act of sabotage, but she did not identify any suspect or say why she thought the cause might have been arson. More than 1,000 workers, some carrying black flags, demonstrated in the Ashulia industrial belt on the outskirts of the capital where the factory is located. They blocked traffic moving on a highway and vowed to avenge the deaths of their colleagues, witnesses said. “Never shall we give up demands for punishment for those responsible for the tragedy,” one worker said. Habibur Rahman, Dhaka district police chief, told Reuters news agency that his men were investigating complaints from some survivors that factory managers stopped workers from running out of the building when a fire alarm
went off. Representatives of the Tazreen Fashions factory, including the owner, were not available for comment. The developments in Bangladesh came a day after the US retail giant Wal-Mart said it had ended its relationship with an unnamed supplier who sourced garments from the Tazreen factory. The multinational company severed ties with its supplier as anger over safety standards in Bangladesh’s clothes manufacturing industry mounted. Bangladesh offers cheap labour to many Western apparel brands for manufacturing. In a statement issued on Monday, WalMart expressed its condolences to the victims’ families and said: “The fact that this occurred is extremely troubling to us, and we will continue to work across the apparel industry to improve fire safety education and training in Bangladesh. “A supplier subcontracted work to this factory without authorization and in direct violation of our policies. The Tazreen factory was no longer authorized to produce merchandise for Wal-Mart. Today, we have terminated the relationship with that supplier.” C&A, a European high-street name, and the Hong Kong-based Li & Fung, which also procured orders at the Tazreen factory, have separately expressed condolences. Prominent fashion brands are likely to distance themselves from the scandal which could spell an imminent PR disaster. Source: Al-Jazeera
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
Clark vows to balance books, despite poor numbers
Premier Christy Clark is warning British Columbians to brace for bad economic news Wednesday but she still promises to balance the province’s budget next year. Clark said Tuesday Finance Minister Mike de Jong will deliver a second-quarter economic update that outlines B.C.’s current economic status, and the numbers aren’t positive. But she told a Coquitlam Chamber of Commerce luncheon her government will do whatever it takes, short of cutting health and education funding, to table a balanced budget in February. “You’ll see a clearer picture of what exactly we are facing, but I do want to give you a heads up: it won’t be pretty,” said Clark. British Columbians go to the polls in May and Clark said she will point to her government’s balanced budget as the commitment to voters to build a stronger province. “The global economic uncertainty that we’re facing has put huge pressure on our commodity prices here in British Columbia and it’s certainly affected our budget,” Clark said. “But we’re going to balance our budget nevertheless and we’re going to look at everything to do it.”
“No, we will not cut education. No, we will not cut health care, but we will do what it takes to get to balance,” she said. Two months ago, de Jong said dropping natural gas revenues blew a hole in the province’s budget plans, forcing him to increase the projected budget deficit forecast to $1.1 billion, up from $968 million. De Jong said it wasn’t going to be easy, but the government intends to stick to its own law that calls for a balanced budget in 2013-14. Clark reaffirmed that commitment. “We do need to balance the budget because this is the year where we get a chance to stand out, to be different, to attract investment from all over the world because we’ve charted a very different path,” she said. Clark said B.C. will be one of the few economies in Canada and around the world that showcases its rejection of deficit financing. The Opposition New Democrats said B.C.’s balanced budget law hasn’t stopped the Liberals from tabling consecutive deficit budgets. The Liberals have twice previously amended the balanced budget law to permit deficits. NDP Leader Adrian Dix said if elected premier in May, his government would eliminate the balanced budget law. He said the NDP would strive to balance its budgets rather than pay lip service to a law and changing it when the target is missed. Clark said a government that doesn’t respect a balanced budget law ends up accepting deficits. Clark’s Liberals announced hiring and spending freezes to stop the financial bleeding following September’s quarterly update. Source: CTV News
Syria rebels use new arms to down chopper Syrian rebels downed an army helicopter for the first time on Tuesday with a newly-acquired groundto-air missile, in what a watchdog said could be a turning point in the 20-month-old conflict. Meanwhile, Russia, which has blocked UN resolutions critical of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, said it only has a “working relationship” with the Syrian president and insisted special ties were a thing of the past. A car bomb hit a regime security post near Damascus and clashes raged around the capital, as rebels further tightened the noose around the key northern city of Aleppo. A watchdog said 105 people were killed Tuesday across the country. “It is the first time that the rebels have shot down a helicopter with a surface-to-air missile,” Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said of the gunship, which was on a strafing run near a besieged northwestern base. The Sheikh Suleiman base, 25 kilometres (15 miles) west of Aleppo, is the last garrison in government hands between Syria’s second city and the Turkish border. Amateur footage posted by activists on YouTube showed a helicopter plunging to the ground in a ball of flames as rebel fighters shouted: “We hit it, God is greatest.” The Observatory said the missile was part of a consignment newly received by the rebels that had the potential to change the balance of military power in the conflict. Little more than a week ago, the rebels seized tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery, 120-mm mortars and rocket launchers when they took the government forces’ sprawling Base 46, about 12 kilometres (eight miles) west of Aleppo. The rebels, a mix of military defectors and armed civilians, are vastly outgunned but analysts say they are now stretching thin the capabilities of Assad’s war machine and its air supremacy by opening multiple fronts. This was evident again on Tuesday, with a car bomb killing at least two soldiers at a military police checkpoint at Jdeidet Artuz near Damascus as the regime pursued insurgents south of the capital. Battles also raged
in Moadamiyet al-Sham and nearby Daraya, where a massacre in August killed more than 500 people, according to the Observatory. In the north, the main battleground of the conflict, rebels seized a military post 15 kilometres southeast of Aleppo, tightening the noose around the city, both the insurgents and the Observatory said. After hours of fighting, the rebels in the area said they had taken the post at the village of Al-Mintar, near Al-Safireh. The operation was carried out by the Islamist group Ahrar al-Sham which fights alongside but is not part of the mainstream Free Syrian Army, they said. Seventy soldiers were killed or captured, and the rebels seized six 23-mm cannons, rocket batteries and other weapons and ammunition, they added. It came a day after insurgents took control of a dam in an area connecting Aleppo and Raqa provinces, leaving the regime with only the highway from Damascus to send reinforcements, according to Abdel Rahman. Elsewhere, in Idlib province in the northwest, an aerial bombardment near an olive press killed at least five people, the Observatory said. Rebel-held Maaret al-Numan was also bombed from the sky as clashes raged at the southern entrance of the strategic town on the Damascus-Aleppo road. Damascus insists it is fighting foreign-backed “terrorists,” and state media published the names of 142 fighters from 18 countries who it said were killed alongside rebels. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of Russia, which has backed Damascus throughout the conflict, said in France that “there are no special or privileged relations with President Assad”. “Such relations... no longer exist between our country and the current president,” Medvedev said. “We have had, and have, good working relations.” The Observatory said 40 civilians, 36 soldiers and 29 rebels were killed across Syria on Tuesday. The watchdog has recorded a total of more than 40,000 deaths in the conflict. Source: AFP
Committee says former BQ leader should repay funds used ‘inappropriately’ Former Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe should do the honourable thing and repay thousands of dollars after he inappropriately paid political party staff with taxpayer-funded parliamentary resources, an internal multiparty House of Commons committee said Tuesday. Duceppe and the Bloc Quebecois didn’t officially break any parliamentary rules when they used “many thousands of dollars” from their House of Commons budget to pay political staffers in the party, but the manoeuvre certainly broke the spirit of the laws, the Board of Internal Economy ruled. The Bloc Quebecois, however, insisted it was always upfront with how it was using the resources, and highlighted that Duceppe and the party never technically broke any House of Commons rules. The Bloc isn’t making any promises about Duceppe or the party paying back some or all of the funds. Yet, the multiparty board — after a 10-month investigation —unanimously said the manner in which Duceppe and the Bloc used House of Commons resources was “inappropriate.” However, the rules governing parliamentary resources weren’t clearly defined at the time, leaving open the possibility of different interpretations of how the funds could be used. “I think the appropriate thing would be if Mr. Duceppe to consider, and perhaps the Bloc Quebecois to consider, repaying some of these funds, maybe all of these funds, because even though they’re following the letter of the law, they’re not following the spirit,” said Conservative MP and board spokesman Gordon O’Connor. “It’s a matter of honour. If he uses the funds in that way and he knows that that was never the original intention, I would hope that he would be honourable and pay some funds back.” O’Connor wouldn’t say exactly how much money was in question, but noted it was “many thousands of dollars,” although the board hasn’t made an official request for the funds to be repaid. The rules governing House of Commons spending have been clarified to prevent a similar incident from happening again, he said. Duceppe was president of the Bloc Quebecois at the same time he was leader of the party in the House of Commons, and he had people employed in both functions who regularly moved back and forth between the party and parliamentary office, O’Connor said. Party officials were sometimes being paid by taxpayerfunded parliamentary resources, while other times they were paid by the BQ, a private political organization. Duceppe was alleged to have knowingly allowed his party to use its parliamentary research budget to pay political operatives, including the Bloc’s director general, Gilbert Gardner, in Montreal. Reports surfaced early this year that Gardner was paid with public money for seven years, receiving an annual salary of more than $100,000 in the final years leading up to last year’s federal election, when the party was reduced to four seats and lost its official status in Parliament. “Numbers of people were employed in both functions,” O’Connor added. “It wasn’t conceived originally when this bylaw was produced that this would be possible.” But Bloc Quebecois MP Andre Bellavance maintained the party, and Duceppe in particular, followed the Board of Internal Economy’s own policies and that they never attempted to skirt any rules. The BQ doesn’t have any members on the Board of Internal Economy. Bellavance said when news of the spending first broke 10 months ago, other members of the committee — who are the Bloc’s political adversaries — said the spending was illegal, when the board has clearly ruled that it is not. The party has “always been transparent” in how it used parliamentary resources, Bellavance said, noting the Bloc issued a press release to announce the hiring of its director general. Source: Calgary Herald
UN : Continued from pg 1 to pressure the Palestinian Authority to drop its bid for upgraded status at the UN, further cementing Canada’s transition into one of Israel’s firmest allies. A source said the Canadian government has warned the Palestinian Authority’s representatives that their “embassy” in Ottawa – in fact a delegation office, because Palestine isn’t a state – might be closed, and the Palestinian envoy be sent home. Source: Globe and Mail
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
THE PAIN OF CONFUSING REALITY
Though the current political system in Pakistan is based on parliamentary form of government, there still exits an ample space for mushrooming growth of corruption, which has been continuously rising ‘almost uninterrupted’ at various levels. The menace has gifted the incompetent rulers with political impotence. Consequently, the national exchequer keeps on melting away faster than ever due to its abuse and loot of course. The artificial energy crisis has created a number of other crises which are becoming a difficult scenario day by day. The uncontrolled terrorism by the anti Pakistan intruders and elements from within is a pain in the neck because of administrative paralysis. Most of the verdicts by the apex court are ignored by the executive which clearly is breach of law and the constitution. Nevertheless, it’s noteworthy that no parliament or government ever wanted to replace the stinky system. Rather, the vested interests of political thieves continue to be protected regardless of any economic or political tension at local or national level. Furthermore, the hidden manipulators are hell bent to hurt Pakistan and use Terrorism (devil’s religion) as one of the effective tools to deter away any potential investor who wants to bring investment into Pakistan. Simply speaking, a strategy is at work to weaken and inflict deep dents in the economy to bring the country to its knees. Thus, the whole country suffers economi-
cally, and Karachi being the commercial hub and back bone has been the hardest hit when it comes to commerce, trade and manufacturing. A daily routine includes target assassinations, extortions, power outage, and the unemployed public are only a few examples among the long list that clearly shows there is no control due to sub standard governance. Certainly, the chaotic situation is a source of pleasure to those who have always been irked by the continuity of the existence of the troubled republic. The motivating factor behind all this non sense seems to be the greed or revenge or both. However, the people are confused for reason: The practice of hiding behind the smoke screen and employing escape goat are used as effective tools for camouflage purposes by the hidden hand just to spread confusion around. A few years ago, Pakistan television channels were talking about some NGO guy who had adopted around “three thousand kids” through legal process in Pakistan and then left the country without a trace. Nobody knows what happened to those kids. Isn’t that painful? It’s a cause of concern that kidnapping of immature teens and under age boys is on the rise, and the abductees are believed to be sold for heavy price. Maybe, the illfated kids end up with terrorists. The officials are now gradually beginning to suspect foreign hand as well in the crime against humanity.
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The government should dig out the hidden hand behind Terrorism and other crimes throughout the country especially in Karachi. Shamelessly, the killers are roaming the streets of Karachi mercilessly targeting innocent people. On average, eight to 10 people are getting killed per day. But the government and law-enforcement agencies are not fast enough to respond. A transparent operation in the city of Karachi against the miscreants is needed desperately. Karachi being a multi-ethnic region is very complicating when it comes to control, so the authorities have to sit together with the MQM the ANP and the PPP on board to reach a viable solution amicably because negotiated settlement remain the best route to success indeed. But with elections looming, this is unlikely to happen and Karachi is stuck with the status quo on account of dirty ethnic politics. The military rule is out of question. The N-League and the PTI, despite their tall claims don’t have much membership/support in Sindh. The nation looks with desperation for miracle that may make the current elected rulers take responsibility to enforce rule of law, collect taxes and spend the collection diligently on general welfare, provide the people with health and security of life and jobs. With regard to terrorism, a major crackdown by the army against Taliban (TTP) is still on the card. “Investigators are trying to figure out if the local militants were being used by some
joints that are not halal, when they give us no other choice.
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Muslim Halal Restaurants in Surrey
external force. Pakistani security forces do take action against the militants in various tribal regions based on concrete evidence. Also, a series of failed attempts to create rift between Shia Sunni sects has defeated the enemy many a times. Mr. Jinnah created Pakistan eyeing for a system of governance compatible with Islamic ideology, but due to his death soon after, his dream couldn’t come true, instead the newly created country had to get along with a “misfit system” of governance. The non-compatibility has cost a lot to the country and the current suffrage is the side-effect of the non sense. In other words, a confusing parliamentary form of government blended with semi-presidential federal democratic republic is not workable in Pakistan, as it has only been producing a corrupt society from top to bottom. Seriously, Pakistan has no choice but to crush terrorism at all cost for self survival. It should introduce presidential form of government, sooner the better. Under that system, the president is entitled to induct competent people of vision, integrity, professional knowledge and practical experience into the government. A better environment can be achieved with the changeover. A major overhaul of the strategic priorities is the way to go.
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Contents Editorial & Letters Int. News Local Politics Faith Youth Health Sports Urdu
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7 Hazrat Omar bin Khattab(R.A) f
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
The Second Caliph of Islam Full name: `Umar ibn al-Khattab Born: 581 AD Mecca, Saudi Arabia Reign as Caliph: 634 – 644 AD (10 and a half years) Titles: Amir al-Mu’minin Al-Farooq (The Distinguisher between Truth and Falsehood) Died: Muharram, 24 A.H. (644 AD), Saudi Arabia (Age:63 years) Buried: Al-Masjid al-Nabawi, Medina
Early Life: The mission of the Holy Prophet was still in the early stage. Islam was still weak and helpless. The chiefs of Mecca were up against it. One night the Holy Prophet stood in the Kaaba, lost in thoughts. Presently he raised his hands and turned his eyes heavenward. “O,Allah!” he prayed, “make Islam strong with either of the two
door. “I have heard it alright. I know you both have accepted Muhammad’s faith.” Saying this, he began to beat his brother-inlaw, Saeed. Fatima ran to his help and got a blow to the head. The head began to bleed. This made the couple bold. “Yes, we have become Muslims,” they shouted at Omar. “Do what you will.” “Would you let me have a look at the Quran?” said Omar. Fatima handed him the few pages of the book she had. Omar sat down to study the pages. Soon his face changed. His anger cooled down. The fear of Allah gripped his heart. He wept and declared, “Surely this is the word of Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah.” Omar was again on his way to the place
of Farooq(One who Distinguishes between Right and Wrong.)” Farooq is the one who makes a difference. Omar’s acceptance of Islam had made a big difference for Islam and Muslims.
Devotion to the Prophet: Omar stood by the side of the Prophet in all battles and expeditions. Great was his love for Allah and His Apostle. He never allowed any blood ties or friendship to stand in the way of this love. The death of the Prophet was a stunning shock to Omar. He could not believe it, so much so that he drew his sword and swore that he would cut off the head of the man who said the Messenger of Allah was dead. He was overwhelmed with grief. Life without the Prophet was unthinkable, he thought. Not till Abu Bakr had reminded him of the clear verdict of the Quran on the point did he come to himself.
Time as Caliph:
men, Amr bin Hisham or Omar bin Khattab.” The prayer was instantly granted. Allah chose Omar to serve Islam and to become a great pillar of strength for Islam. Omar was twelve years younger than the Holy Prophet. He was the son of Khattab. His mother’s name was Khatmah. He came of the Adi branch of the Quraish. In early youth, Omar got training in methods of warfare and the art of public speaking. From the outset, he showed unusual courage and frankness of manner. These qualities won him a name in the country rather at an early age.
Acceptance Of Islam: Omar was twenty seven when the Holy Prophet began his mission. Young Omar was one of those who did not care to listen to the message of Islam. In the sixth year of the Mission, a number of Muslims left for Abyssinia. This made Omar boil with rage. “Here is a man,” he thought to himself “who has split the people. People lived smoothly enough. He appeared on the scene He has torn son from father and brother from brother. Now his followers are running away to another land. Surely Muhammad is the cause of all trouble. I must slay him and put an end to the trouble.” With this resolve Omar drew his sword and set out to kill the Holy Prophet. On the way he met a friend who asked him why he looked so upset. Omar told him what he was going to do. “You better take care of your own kin first,” said the friend, “Your sister and her husband have gone over to Islam.” These words changed the direction of Omar’s anger. He went straight to the house of his sister, Fatima. He knocked at the door. Someone was reciting the Quran inside. Fatima was terrified when she heard Omar’s voice. She hid the portion of the Quran she was reading and opened the
of the Holy Prophet. But he was now a changed man. He was not going to slay him but to embrace his faith. The Holy Prophet was sitting in the company of some men. He saw Omar coming and asked, “Omar, what brings you here?” “O Prophet of Allah!” replied Omar, “I have come to embrace Islam.” It was a great day for Islam because one of its bitterest enemies had become its staunch follower.
The Title of Farooq:
Omar was Caliph for ten and a half years. This period stands out as the golden age of Islam. The tender plant which the Holy Prophet left behind and Abu Bakr had protected against storms grew into a huge overspreading tree under Omar’s untiring care. Islam became a world power. Omar had made Islam strong and great! Thereby he had also made his own name immortal. During his Khilaafat, vast areas of the Roman and Persian empires and the whole of Egypt were brought under Islamic rule. He was also a gifted orator. He was very concerned for the welfare of the Muslims. He left a honourable legacy for Muslims after him. Omar’s armies overthrew two mighty empires of the time. Once Omar appeared before the court of Medina. The judge stood up to show respect to the Caliph as he entered the court. Modern democratic states have yet to reach this level of democracy. He established the “Baitul Maal” (People’s treasury for the state and public). Simplicity and devotion were the main characters of Sayyiduna Umar (radi Allahu anhu). He used to wear clothes that had many patches and yet received Governors, convoys and diplomats. He took just enough allowance from the State to have a simple meal and wear simple clothes
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar: Allah’s Apostle met ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab while the latter was going with a group of camel-riders, and he was swearing by his father. The Prophet said, “Lo! Allah forbids you to swear by your fathers, so whoever has to take an oath, he should swear by Allah or keep quiet.” How much is the tax?” asked Omar. Two dirhams a day,” replied the slave. And what skills do you posses?” was the next question of the Caliph. I am a carpentar, a painter, and a blacksmith,” Firoz said. Then the tax is by no means too heavy,” the Calpih remarked. “A person with your skills can easy pay this tax and shall live comfortably.” All right, I will settle with you,” grunted the slave as he went away. Early next morning Omar went to the mosque as usual to lead the prayer. Abu Lolo was already hiding in the corner, with a dagger in hand. As soon as Omar began the prayer, the slave jumped on him. He gave six cuts with the dagger on the Caliph’s body. “Who is my assasin?” he asked. “Abu Lolo,” said the people. “Allah be thanked!” said Omar. “It is not a Muslim who has shed my blood.” Finding his end in sight, Omar called his son, Abdullah. My son,” he said, “go to Aisha. Give her Omar’s greetings. Do not refer to me as the Commander of the Faithful; for I am no longer one. Place before her my wish to be buried in her room, by the side of the Prophet and my illustrious predecessor.” Abdullah found Aisha weeping. He delivered his father’s message to her. I wanted to reserve this spot for my own grave, but I prefer Omar to myself,” said Aisha. Abdullah conveyed Aisha’s consent to his dying father. Allah be thanked!” said Omar. “This was the greatest wish of my life. But look, son, when you take my dead body to Aisha’s room, again give her my greetings and ask her permission. If she allows, bury me there, otherwise bury me in the graveyard of Medina.”
The coming over of Omar made a difference for Islam. Hitherto, the Muslims had Death: lived in constant fear of the non-believers. There lived in Medina a Persian slave, Abu They could not say their prayers publicly. Lolo Firoz by name. One day, he came to The first thing Omar did was to call togeth- the Calpih and said, “My master squeezes er the chiefs of Mecca. Before this gathertoo heavy a tax out of me. Please get it ing he declared himself a follower of Islam. reduced.” They started at him in silence. No one had the courage to utter a word of reproach. Omar next requested the Holy Prophet to say prayers in the Kaaba. He himself led a party of Muslims to From November 30-Dec 14, 2012 (Muharrum 16-30, 1434H) that place. A second party was led by Isha Muhar JJuNov Day Fajar Sunr Zawal Dhuhr Asar Maghrib Hamza. When all had gathered, they 5:50 Fri 12:05 16 30 7:44 12:00 2:31 4:20 6:14 said their prayers in congregation. The 5:50 Sat 6:15 4:19 17 Dec 01 7:45 12:01 12:06 2:30 Holy Prophet led the prayer. This was 5:49 4:19 02 Sun 6:17 18 7:47 12:02 12:07 2:29 the first prayer of its kind said in the Kaaba. 5:49 4:18 03 Mon 6:18 19 7:48 12:02 12:07 2:29 When migration to Medina started, 5:48 4:18 04 Tue 6:19 20 7:49 12:03 12:08 2:28 the same thing happend again. Most 5:48 4:18 05 Wed 6:20 21 7:50 12:03 12:08 2:28 of the Muslims left Mecca silently 5:48 4:18 06 Thu 6:22 22 7:52 12:03 12:08 2:28 and secretly. But Omar went to the 5:48 12:09 Fri 12:04 2:28 4:18 07 23 7:53 6:23 Kaaba and said his prayer. The chiefs 5:48 12:09 Sat 2:28 4:18 08 24 7:54 12:04 6:24 of Mecca looked at him in silence. 5:48 4:18 09 Sun 6:25 25 7:55 12:05 12:10 2:28 After the prayer, he shouted out to 5:48 them, “I am leaving for Medina. If 4:18 10 Mon 6:26 26 7:56 12:05 12:10 2:28 anyone wants to stop me let him meet 5:48 4:18 11 Tue 6:27 27 7:57 12:06 12:11 2:29 me across the valley. His mother 5:48 4:18 12 Wed 6:27 28 7:57 12:06 12:11 2:29 shall certainly have to weep for him 5:48 4:18 13 Thu 6:28 29 7:58 12:07 12:12 2:29 in sorrow.” Despite this challenge, 5:49 Fri 6:29 4:19 14 30 7:59 12:07 12:12 2:29 no Meccan would dare to stop Omar. For such Prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times: Quran ,n 4:103 Source: BCMA These things earned for Omar the title
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
Battles around hijab in Russia Prohibitions and murders
By: Dr. Ruslan Kurbanov The story of several little Muslim girls from Stavropol region of Russia fighting for hijab flew round the country. All started with the decision of secondary school’s administration in small village Kara-Tyube in October, 2012 to forbid for 5 Muslim girls to attend lessons in hijab. The director of the school justified this decision by reference to the facts, that school is secular institution and that hijab mismatches standard school uniform. Indignant parents of the girls filed a complaint with the prosecutor’s office on the decision of school administration. On their opinion such prohibition on wearing hijab in school violates the right of their daughters on access to education and freedom of religion. This incident involved to the orbit of burst out scandal around hijab almost all Russian society, media, federal authorities, including President of Russia Vladimir Putin. Official positions As for reaction of Russian officials, Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to North Caucasus Alexander Hloponin supported the decision of Kara-Tyube’s school administration. He even promised to provide a governmental protection to director of school, if she faces “threats from Muslims”.
Russian Minister of Education Dmitry Livanov, on the contrary, stated about potential possibility for Muslim girls to attend schools in hijab. By his opinion, “there is a space for compromises at every school, which can guarantee both - secular principles of education and following to cultural traditions by schoolchildren”. But after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his opinion on hijab Livanov rapidly changed his position on this matter. Thus Putin supported decision of KaraTyube’s school administration and recommended to Russian bureaucrats to take their cue from European countries where wearing hijab is punished by high fines. Bloodshed around hijab Than the President of Caucasian Republic of Ingushetia within Russia, general of intelligence service Yunus-Bek Evkurov said that Ingushi authorities will not allow attending schools in hijab. He argued his position by the statement that schools in Russia have special uniform and by apprehension that permission of hijab can raise a problem of religious extremism. “If we yield to this claim, tomorrow another can appear with the claim to allow paranja in schools or to separate boys and girls at lessons”, - Evkurov said. It worth to remind that Evkurov took such strict position after Putin’s comments on hijab.
Giving Thanks By: Sadullah Khan The Almighty says: “Remember Me, I remember you; Be thankful and not ungrateful.” [Qur’an 2:152].There is an emphasis on God-consciousness and on Gratitude in this divine injunction. This makes us realize that ... • Gratefulness is a matter of the heart and truly grateful people are more spiritually aware and are more likely to appreciate the interconnectedness of personal life to human interdependence. • True thankfulness to Allah means that we sincerely thank Him for his innumerable blessings; not by reminding others of what we have done in His Name. • Gratitude is indeed the spiritual activity of the sanctified heart of a humble person. Being thankful/grateful is an essential part of our faith and way of life. There are over seventy verses in the Qur’an pertaining to thankfulness. We must realize that as we journey through life we find ourselves in basically one of two situations; moments of ease for which we ought to be thankful, and moments of trials and tribulations through which we ought to patiently persevere. Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] therefore said: “How wonderful is the case of a Believer; If something good happens, he expresses gratitude; that is good for him - If adversity befalls him, he is patient and that too is good for him.” Thankfulness to the Creator There are basically four words in the Arabic language, which are used in varying degrees to signify thankfulness, adoration, and praise. These are shukr, thanaa’, mad, and hamd. Shukr expresses recognition of benefits, gratitude, and thankfulness for favors received. Thanaa’ denotes repetitive public acknowledgements. Madh means adoration. Hamd is neither pure madh (praise) for madh can be false; nor simply shukr (gratitude) but rather more than a combination of both. Hamdh implies admiration, sincere adoration, and heartfelt gratitude,
expressed with humility. Hamd can therefore not be directed towards any other than Allah. “The ultimate form of praiseworthy gratitude is due to Allah, Cherisher of all existence” [Qur’an 1:2] The concept of being grateful to Allah, is to realize and acknowledge that every kind of grace and favor is granted ultimately by Allah. In the Qur’an, [Qur’an 2:152] and [Qur’an 14:7] the opposite of shukr being grateful/thankful is defined by the term kufr disbelief, which is synonymous here with being ungrateful. This definition indicates the importance attached to being grateful and equates thankfulness to worship. “O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you, and be grateful to Allah, if it is Him you worship”. [Qur’an 2:172] The choice of a person in this world being grateful or ungrateful is explicitly considered a clear sign of faith or disbelief. “If you would calculate up the favors of Allah, never would you be able to enumerate them: Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Qur’an 16:18] Let alone counting up the favors of Allah, it not conceivable to categorize them. Since there is no limit to the favors of Allah, a believer should unceasingly keep himself occupied with the remembrance of Allah and express his gratefulness to Him. Some people wait for special occasions only to render thanks to Allah; settlement of a major problem, recovering from a serious sickness, often before (but rarely after) exams ... However, if one reflects for a moment, he would instantly comprehend that he is always surrounded with infinite favors, at every moment, every minute, there is an uninterrupted flow of favors reaching him; life, good health, intelligence, consciousness, five senses, the air we breathe; in brief, everything that makes life possible is given to the human being as a ni’mah/ favor and an amaanah/trust. In return for all these, a person is expected to serve Allah in gratitude. Those who are heedless of these favors and accordingly neglect to turn
Before that Evkurov’s position on wearing hijab in such completely Muslim region of Russia as Ingushetia was more flexible. Meanwhile the attempts to ban hijab for schoolgirls in Dagestan - the most Islamized region of Russia - have led to bloody consequences. For example here directors of two People of the Book and compromise It worth to mention that some representatives of Russian Orthodox Church also took side of Muslims in this confrontation. For example, deacon Andrey Kuraev stated that he supports Muslim struggle for hijab. He argued his position by such words: “My position is not to make a rod for other’s back. If the Orthodox believers will support liberals, requiring to prohibit Muslim symbols in schools, our Orthodox symbols like crucifixes and copy-books with images of churches can also fall under the prohibition”. At the same time Mufti of Stavropol region Muhammad Rahimov stated that school is secular institution. “I insist on wearing triangular headscarves by Muslim schoolgirls but not complete hijabs. And without hijabs we have a lot of problems, - he said. Thus trade-off decision was found after wide consultations of school administration and Stavropol region’s Mufti and Imams. The parents of Muslim girls agreed to allow to their daughters to attend school in
triangular headscarves. Muslim society reply Against this background it’s not possible to say that Russian Muslims are notable for active position in the face of attacking their own freedoms and rights. Thus even the prohibition of Prophetic Sirah and collection of Hadiths by Russian regional court didn’t urge Muslim society of Russia to stand up for these key sources of Islamic religion. However a group of Islamic activists in Russia after prohibition of hijab in Stavropol region petitioned the President Vladimir Putin for non-admission of infringement of Muslims’ rights and freedoms. During two weeks more than 8 000 people from different regions of Russia signed this petition. All these collected signatures with sketches of school uniform for Muslim girls designed by Russian designers were handed over to the Presidency Administration of Russia and Ministry of Education of Stavropol region. Meanwhile Stavropol region officials promises to bring soon into schools obligatory uniform for all schoolchildren “in order to provide secular character of education”. This uniform for schoolgirls stipulates skirts at knee level and non-covered heads. What are going to do parents of Muslim schoolgirls is not known yet. Dr. Ruslan Kurbanov is a senior research fellow of Institute for Oriental Studies of Russian Academy of Sciences.
to Allah for expressing their gratefulness, beloved Prophet reminded us: “Whosoever only acknowledge the importance of these is not thankful to people is not thankful to favors when they are deprived of them. Allah.” Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was Thankfulness to Creation asked, “Who are the best of people?” He Being grateful is to render one’s thanks to said: Those who are cheerful when they someone who has shown favor, to express do good, who are repentant when they do gratitude and to appreciate. The ethical wrong, who are grateful when they receive, dimension to gratitude demands genuine who show patience when in difficulty and thankfulness proportionate to the blessings pardon when they are angered.” received, never to deny those blessings nor Shaykh Sadullah Khan is the Director of devalue the worth of those who so bless us. Impower Development International . It is perchance with this in mind that our Thank You, ALLAH for making us Muslims ~ with the best of blessings bestowed upon any human being listening and obeying to the One and Only True Being. Thank You, ALLAH for the plenty foods and drinks ~ seldom do we think... about our humble beginning, that is from Nothing! Why do we still destroy and plunder just to attain that little “something” Thank You, ALLAH for the many gentle reminders ~ we tend to forget and wander. The very reason of our existence not to commit treason but first to serve ALLAH and Rasulullah in that sequence! Thank You, ALLAH for we pray for JANNAH in return ~ and the glory of Islam we try to churn for that matter, a better Muslim in every turn devoted and steadfast in ibadah- as the deceitful life we try to spurn In Surah As-Saba’ verse 13. Allah mentioned: “But few of my slaves are grateful”.
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
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Walk for Children of Syria Raises Awareness
The pouring rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of well over a hundred people gathered at the Vancouver Art Gallery to participate in Walk for the Children of Syria, an international event that
took place on Saturday, November 17th in more than forty-five cities across the globe. Vancouver’s own rally, organised by only a handful of dedicated volunteers from the Vancouver Office of the Syrian Canadian Council (SCC), was a vibrant programme
packed with colourful songs, chants, and even a flash mob performed by a troupe of mostly children. Walk For Children of Syria is an international humanitarian effort initiated by the Syrian American Alliance with the aim of raising public awareness on the humanitarian crisis in Syria. The conflict has claimed the lives of more than two thousand kids alone and internally displaced an estimated two and a half million people. The creative efforts of the Vancouver organisers, as well as the many kids participating in this family friendly gathering attracted the largest turnout of any Syrian demonstration in the Lower Mainland since the conflict began more than sixteen months ago. Rahim Othman, president of the SCC’s
Mr. Mohammad Shamsi receives the Diamond Jubilee Award
The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, on 13th of November presented Diamond Jubilee Medals on distinguished British Columbians who are making a difference in their communities. The Diamond Jubilee Medal was created to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal is a tangible way for Canada to honour Her Majesty for her service to this country. At
the same time, it serves to honour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians.
“This year marks both the Diamond Jubilee and the start of the five-year countdown to Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017,” said Minister Moore. “During this special year, I am very proud to be able to present Diamond Jubilee medals to these recipients for their dedication and service to their communities. These citizens are an inspiration to us all, and their contributions have
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Vancouver Office was very pleased with the turnout, citing an increased awareness in the general public: “Some people were coming in off the street and chanting with us, others made donations and asked about ways they could help”. Even the Vancouver Police Department, who was there to patrol the walk, had kind words to offer the organisers, expressing that “[they] wished all protest groups were like this!!” Another global march commemorating the 2 year anniversary of the Syrian revolution is being planned for mid-March, and this small group of proud Syrian-Canadians will certainly be at it again. You can find the Syrian Canadian Council Vancouver Office on facebook. Syrian Canadian Council Media & PR Team prosperous, and free country we are today.” Mr. Shamsi working at a silver mine about 200km from Vancouver up as a Medical Responder Same objective “Saving life” but this one is paid and continuing volunteering with St. John Ambulance. He is on 2wks and off one wk.
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
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Moharram procession held in Downtown Vancouver
By Shahab Naqvi This year’s Ashura procession in downtown Vancouver was marked by high attendance. Ashura is the day that commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (a.s.), the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (p). He was slaughtered mercilessly along with 72 members of his (a.s.) family and companions. No one was spared, not even his six month old son Ali Asghar. Imam Hussain’s (a.s.) only crime was that he refused to give bayah (give allegiance to) Yazeed Ibn Muawiyah. Yazeed was a corrupt man who openly drank and committed other sins. His ascension to the Banu Ummayah throne meant the formalization of a monarchical system amongst Muslimsthe very essence of what the Prophet (p) had preached against. Hussain (a.s.) was forced to pledge allegiance to Yazeed under the threat of death. He declared that someone like he, Hussain (a.s.), does not pledge allegiance to someone like Yazeed. Thus, Hussain (a.s.) laid down a clear standard for Islam that is alive to this day: an unjust ruler who does not follow the Sharia of Islam is not fit to lead Muslims. Hussain (a.s.) made the reasons for his uprising very clear. He explicitly said that he was setting out to reform his grandfather’s Ummah. On the 10th of Muharram, the first lunar month of the Islamic calendar, Hussain (a.s.) along with his companions was killed on the burning plains of Karbala in present day Iraq. He was beheaded as were his companions. Even the head of his six month old son was put on top of a spear and paraded in front of the distraught women and children of the family of Holy Prophet (p). Thus began a terrible journey for the daughter of Hadrat Fatima (a.s.), Hadrat Zainab (a.s.). She showed remarkable dignity and poise during the whole journey, even when Yazeed (l.a.)
had her bought into his court and tried to insult her by taunting her. He asked her what she now thought of God given her (apparent) defeat. She replied with immense dignity and gnostic insight: “I see nothing but the beauty of Allah.” The commemoration of Ashura, then, is for all human beings who believe in freedom and justice. And that is exactly what happened on the 10th of Muharram, 1433 in downtown Vancouver. Shia Muslims, Sunni Muslims and Christians gathered to commemorate the martyrdom of the grandson of the Prophet (p). This is the same Hussain (a.s.) about whom there is unanimous consent amongst scholars that the Prophet (p) famously said: “Hussain is from me and I am from Hussain.” The occasion drew over 600 people. The event started with the recitation of the Holy Quran. The procession then wound its way from the Vancouver Public Library along a pre-determined route and ended outside the Art Gallery. As the procession wound through downtown Vancouver, speakers gave speeches in English designed to educate people who had gathered to watch about why they were there and who Imam Hussain (a.s.) was. They also eulogized the Prophet’s beloved grandson by reciting poems in English. The event ended with speeches outside the Art Gallery by various scholars, both Muslim and Non-Muslim. The people gathered vowed to protect the right of the oppressed and to fight for justice and peace and freedom. All in all, the event
was a great success. It left the people who had attended looking forward to the next time they could gather to remember and renew their pledge to Allah (s.w.t.). Imam Hussain (a.s.) is famous for his many insightful sayings. He was a lover of Allah. So enamored was he with his Lord (s.w.t.) that his sayings about Allah are truly awe inspiring. Amongst the most famous is his declaration that “He who has You , has everything , and he who has deprived himself of You is the poorest in the world. Loser is the one who chooses and is content with anyone or anything other than You.”
Consulate General of Pakistan Vancouver Press Release
1.To increase bilateral trade between Pakistan and Western Canada, the Commercial Section of the Consulate General of Pakistan in Vancouver, BC is launching an exclusive program as “Business Liaison Program” to connect Pakistani exporters with qualified individuals/ companies in British Columbia (BC), Alberta (AB) and Saskatchewan (SK). 2. Individuals/companies based in Canada could act as distributors/ agents of Pakistan Export Houses/Companies. 3. We feel that this would be especially beneficial to Pakistani Community in Western Canada because of their awareness of the Pakistani market and because it would not require any major investment. 4. Interested parties may check the Consulate’s web site for further details: www.pcgv.org
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
l o c a l
BCMGA holds Appreciation Dinner
The Surrey based, B C Muslim Golfers Association, held an appreciation and presentation dinner at the Sangam Palace in Surrey on November 17. In his address the president, Mohammed Nazim, spoke on the progress of his association. From its tender beginnings to the present day that boasts a membership of more 70 and one that organizes tournaments that is open to all. In 1985 a handful of golfers of Fijian origin, some of whom are still playing members, decided on having an organized group. That was the birth of the association that ever since members have been playing and competing in various tournaments in the Lower Mainland, US, Fiji, Australia and New Zealand and some with great success. With a steady increase in membership, the club
was registered in 2010 as a sporting and charities organization. Annually the association holds 5 to 6 tournaments of its own, sponsored by local businesses. Mr. Nazim emphasized that the association is open to all, irrespective of country of origin, language or ethnicity. The evening was well attended by the members, their families and relatives along with some invited guests. Constable Tad Milmine of the Surrey RCMP, most recognized as the nationally known face of “Bullying Ends Here” spoke at length on the subject. With vivid examples from him own personal life and those of other victims from recent news coverage he had a very engaging and powerful message for the guests. Mr Harry Bains, MLA for Surrey-Newton, followed Constable Milmine and picked up on the issue of need for our participation to demand change for betterment of the our society. He also came up with examples of practices common in the years past, and some that he had
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winners of the various BCMGA sponsored tournaments and plaques to the sponsors. Top golfer in the club went Feroz Khan whilst Ben Azad, the captain of the team that represented BCMGA at the FANCA Tournament in Fiji in late September, 2012 accepted the trophy for their second place showing. Fariq Khan himself was presented with a surprise plaque for his long and dedicated services.
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experienced first-hand as a new immigrant, have gone through changes or complete removal, thankfully through the efforts of the individuals who voiced their opposition and demanded the need changes, even at government levels. Mr Bruce Ralston, MLA Surrey-Whalley, was also an invited guest at the function. Fariq Khan, vice-president, tournament organizer and chair of the organizing committee, spoke on the need for active participation of our youth in sports, especially golf. He said the association has been holding clinic for the new comers and those interested in playing golf and will do more of them in the new year. A large collection of trophies were handed out to the
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l o c a l
Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
Fundraising dinner held for Ongoing expansion of IQRA Islamic School
With the blessings of Allah (SWT) and hard work of the local Muslim community, Muslim parents in the Lower Mainland have the opportunity to send their children to an Islamic school where they can be educated about their religious beliefs alongside worldly education. On Nov 17, Iqra Islamic School presented a plan to the community members in a fundraising dinner at Bombay Banquet Hall in Surrey. The money raised will be used for further expansion of the school building for a full-scale gymnasium. Iqra is an elementary & junior high School (accredited by the Ministry of Education; BC) and serves more than 350 students. The event was conducted by a student Sr. Maheen Masroor and the children presentation program was conducted by Khalid Ali. The program began with beautiful recitation of Holy Quran by Amar Dawood and Sumaiyah Samut did the English translation. Performance by students from many grades reflected a very high standard of Arabic and Islamic program at the school. G5-6-7 presented a song(Wadeely Salamy). G4 presented a song about the Prophet(Saulo Ala Alnabie) G3 a song (Give Thanks to Allah) G2 (Different colors of Islam) G1 (Mohammad Rasoul Allah) KG students recited Sura Al-Fatiha and a song (Bism Ellah) After the students’ beautiful presentations, Br. Faisal Ali, the Principal of the school, welcomed all the attendees and thanked them for their support. Few words were delivered on the topic of Iqra School progress from PAC Sr. Zebun Malik(Chair person). After her brief remarks, a plaque was awarded to her by Principal Faisal Ali and Acting Chairperson Iqra Mr. Sultan Badsha Surrey North -Whalley MLA Bruce Ralston is always invited of each school event and as usual, he was in attendance. In his address, he gave positive remarks about Iqra’scontinuous progress and its ranking by Education Ministry. Br. Jamal then highlighted the current progress of expansion and requirement of the school building of a full-scale gymnasium project through his presentation. The chief speaker, Sheikh Ahmed Shehab (Toronto) who just returned from hajj, made a special dua for the school and the fundraiser and all those who would contribute towards the project. Sheikh has seen the growth of Iqra School over eight years and has helped in raising the money in a very short time. Alhamdulillah, with the blessing of Allah SWT and the ongoing support of the community, $66,000 was raised towards completion of
gymnasium project . The projected target of this fundraising was about $75,000. The attendance of parents was higher than previous dinners and many generous donations were made. The final money was raised from the auctions of many antique items which were brought by Sheikh Ahmed from Toronto and overseas. Br. Sultan Badshah, Acting Chairperson of Iqra Islamic School said in his statement, “The increase in school enrollment by over 5% posed a challenge for the school administration in Sept. 2012. Insha Allah, the expansion p r o j e c t planned for December 2012 will start on Dec 14th/12 and complete Jan 5th/13. This phase of the expansion will entail increasing floor space by over 33%, upgrading lighting and sound systems as well. On behalf of the school board, I am very thankful for the support shown by the entire Muslim community in coming forward with their kind donations in this very short time. It is only with the blessing of Allah SWT and the generous support of well wishers that we are able to plan, construct, and provide such a facility within a very constrained time. “ If you are interested in assisting the school, we encourage you to contact the school directly. Note: Miracle would like to congratulate the IQRA Islamic School management for its great success in Muslim Community.
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
l o c a l
Rapid transit push from Vancouver and Surrey a ‘regional investment’
Surrey and Vancouver are using their combined clout to push for rapid transit projects in Metro Vancouver, despite being rivals for the scant transportation dollars available. Vancouver Coun. Geoff Meggs said the two cities can’t afford to fight over which one should get a new rapid transit line first, noting both projects have regional significance. About 50 per cent of transit users using the Broadway corridor, for instance, come from outside Vancouver. “There’s a strong need for regional investment,” Meggs said. “We have a lot of people going back and forth from one city to
the other.” His comments come a day after a Surrey planner joined Vancouver transportation manager Jerry Dobrovolny at City Hall as he outlined a vision for a $2.8-billion subway for the Broadway corridor. The proposal, along with a rapid transit line for Surrey, are the next two high-dollar rapid transit projects earmarked for Metro Vancouver, although no decision on which one will be built first, or when, has been made. Meggs argues the Broadway corridor has been in line for rapid transit for at least a decade and already has more population density and economic activity than other areas in the city with access to rapid transit. Serving the University of B.C. and the cen-
tral Broadway business district spanning from Main to Burrard streets, the route sees about 160,000 daily transit trips. The 99-B Line, for instance, runs frequently on the Broadway corridor, but an estimated 2,000 people are passed up by overcrowded buses every day. And it’s no faster to drive. A recent report by the Urban Futures Institute found UBC is one of the most difficult areas to travel to by car in Metro Vancouver. “[UBC] is tucked away so even if there’s no traffic on the road it takes a long time to get there,” said Andrew Ramlo, director of Urban Futures Institute. TransLink is studying seven options for the Broadway line, including adding extra buses at a cost of $325 million to light rail ($1.1 billion), rapid rail ($3.2 billion) or a combination of the three. A recommendation is expected next year after a technical study on the corridor is completed. Richard Walton, chairman of the mayors’ council on regional transportation, said any decisions on what’s built will “depend on the funding available and the politics at the time.” He acknowledges it’s “good politics” for Surrey and Vancouver to work together, noting they have significant clout as combined they represent nearly one-third of B.C.’s population. This should bode well ahead of the provincial election next May, Walton said, because “the size of infrastructure projects in Metro Vancouver are a huge part of provincial needs. “There’s no question that with the funding impasse the way it is, anything that goes ahead is going to require significant capital funding in the future,” he said. “Surrey and Vancouver are going to have to continue to lobby the business case. They’re doing what every community should be doing and advocating for their needs.”
Both projects would take at least five years to design and another five to build, meaning they wouldn’t even be likely be built until
2020-2022. “We need to get the wheels turning and the finances in place,” he said. Source: Vancouver Sun
Harry Bains meets with Worker Representatives
Surrey- Joined by representatives of working people from across the lower mainland MLA Bains discussed issues affecting British Columbian workers. This event had representation from a cross section of unions. The common theme of discussion was the failure of this government to put in place adequate skills training. This government knew that skills training would be an issue when the Economic Forecast Council identified it in 2005. “We need trained workers in this province to meet the needs of industry and our growing economy.” said Bains. “This is the time to invest in our youth. This is an opportunity we cannot afford to wait on, we need to act now, create more spaces in post secondary education and make it a priority to
fund trades training. If we don’t act now we will miss this opportunity to have our young people trained and ready for upcoming jobs in British Columbia.” The message is loud and clear. With 80% of new jobs created in British Columbia requiring post secondary credentials, access to education and skills training has never been more important to attracting investment, growing a sustainable economy and encouraging the growth of a strong middle class. We need to make post secondary education and trades training a priority. This government has failed to do that. “I feel it is my responsibility to reach out to organizations and listen to issues and concerns so I can do my job in Victoria more effectively.” said Bains.
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local
Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
8 lanes of Port Mann Bridge to open Dec. 1
Metro Vancouver’s new Port Mann Bridge will open to eight lanes of traffic on Saturday, Dec. 1, the Transportation and Infrastructure Ministry has confirmed. The bridge will be free for the first week it is open, but then tolling will start on Saturday Dec. 8. Currently the bridge is already open to eastbound traffic while westbound traffic continues to use the old Port Mann Bridge.The transition to the new bridge will take place gradually with two lanes shifting to the new bridge on Nov. 17, to allow construction to be completed on the widening of the Cape Horn Interchange at the north end of the bridge. Dec. 1 will also mark the completion of the widening of Highway 1 east of the bridge, including 20 kilometers of new HOV lanes extending to Langley. Construction will continue on the project after Dec. 1, to open the remaining two lanes on the 10-lane bridge, and to finish the upgrades between the Cape Horn Interchange and Vancouver.
Deadline for discounts approaching In September the government announced
it was reducing the tolls on the new Port Mann Bridge to $1.50 from $3 for cars — but just for the first year. Drivers who register for a free windshield decal and tolling account by Feb. 28, 2013 will be guaranteed the half-price introductory toll rate for the first year. As a further incentive to register, drivers who sign up before Nov. 30, 2012 will receive a $30-credit on their account, equivalent to 20 free trips for passenger vehicles. The new Port Mann Bridge will double the capacity of the current five-lane bridge, which was built in the early 1960s when the area’s population was 800,000; today, the bridge serves more than 800,000 vehicles in any given week. As a result, the bridge and outdated interchanges along the PMH1 corridor are congested up to 14 hours a day. In fact, during the morning rush hour the line up to the Port Mann Bridge can extend up to 12 kilometers. The new 10-lane bridge will have three through-lanes in each direction, as well as two lanes dedicated for local access
Surrey exceeds waste diversion expectations
between Surrey and Coquitlam. This design along with new HOV lanes, special purpose truck/transit ramps, highway widening and improved interchanges along the PMH1 corridor will eliminate one of the worst bottlenecks in Canada, and reduce travel times by up to one hour per day. The two kilometer long bridge is made of three key sections: the cable-stayed main span bridge across the Fraser River, the south approach in Surrey and the north approach in Coquitlam. A 720 tone custom-made horizontal crane has been used to place the 1,158 deck segments that make up the bridge.
Surrey Memorial Hospital’s ER to stay closed for at least another week
It will still be at least a week and up to 10 days until the emergency room at Surrey Memorial Hospital is reopened. A more detailed timeline could be provided this week but no cost estimates are yet available, said Fraser Health spokesman Roy Thorpe-Dorward. One of the CT scans at Surrey Memorial is working and the other is expected to be up and running this week, but the MRI is not working yet, he said. The ER closure followed a flood caused by a watermain break on Nov. 19. Surgeries were canceled, equipment damaged and the extensive restoration work to the building is required. Ambulance calls are still being diverted to Burnaby Hospital, Langley Memorial Hospital and Royal Columbian and then
patients are brought back to Surrey Memorial for admittance, Thorpe-Dorward said. Patients who could have brought themselves to the emergency room are to continue to attend the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgical Centre. The urgent care centre there has seen 233 patients as of the end of last week. Source: VANCOUVER SUN Crews damaged water main A 20-centimetre water main was damaged around 8 a.m. PT Monday by crews doing excavation work for the hospital’s north lobby expansion project. The water flowed into an open pit for up to half an hour before the pressure of rising water eventually broke through a glass block wall at the back of the emergency room, flooding the department. The flooding sparked an emergency evacuation, sending 25 emergency room patients to other parts of the hospital. The hospital and nearby Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre cancelled all elective, scheduled and non-urgent operations - including obstetric, diagnostic imaging and other procedures - until further notice. Twelve patients were transferred from Surrey Memorial Hospital to other facilities, including eight to Royal Columbian Hospital, one to Langley Memorial and three surgical patients were sent to Vancouver General Hospital. So far, 108 elective,
non-urgent surgeries have been postponed from Monday and Tuesday’s schedule. The Surrey emergency room is one
of the busiest in the country with more than 100,000 visits per year, and extra staff has been called in to manage the improvised plan. Officials say it is not yet known how much the total damage and restoration work will cost or how long the emergency department will be closed.
Central City Big Rigs For Kids- Lighted Truck Parade
The Third Annual Central City Big Rigs for Kids, also known as the Lighted Truck Parade, will wind its way through the streets of Surrey on Sunday December 2nd from 6-8pm at Holland Park Surrey. This year, the trucks will leave Cloverdale around 5:45pm, travel along Number 10 Highway to King George Boulevard, and then head North to Old Yale Road, where they will park. The trucks are expected to go by the Newton viewing area (Save-On Foods) between 6:10-6:20pm and arrive at Holland Park by 6:40pm. Spectators are encouraged to vote for their favorite trucks by donating loonies into the containers located by each truck. The Fan
Favourite will be awarded a trophy. All donations will be going towards the Surrey Food bank and Surrey Christmas Bureau and both organizations will be onsite to collect canned food and toys. The North Surrey Lions Club will be selling hot chocolate and hot dogs. Last year, this event generated over $5,000 which was distributed between the two charities. The entertainment at Holland Park begins at 6pm. The trucks will be on display on Old Yale Road (north of Holland Park) from 6:40-8pm. For more information, visit www.downtownsurreybia.com
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local
Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
Justin Trudeau Greeted By hundreds Supporters at Surrey Rally
While the national media was consumed with aiding the Conservative smear campaign of bringing out old anti-Alberta quotes from Justin Trudeau’s past – the young dynamic would-be leader of the federal Liberal party had his leadership campaign in over drive with a raucous reception in Surrey where he was greeted by nearly 1000 supporters at the Grand Taj Banquet hall. An obviously overwhelmed Trudeau, who showed no signs of fatigue from what the national media was making out to be a big setback for the son of the former Canadian prime minister and political legend Pierre Elliot Trudeau, emphasized Canada’s diversity courtesy of immigration and which was in jeopardy under the ideologically driven Conservatives, who’s policies have clearly shown that they want to pick and choose who comes to Canada. The large Indo-Canadian crowd, which was predominantly made up of Sikh Canadians, gave Trudeau standing ovations before and after his speech and the well liked leader didn’t disappoint his supporters, staying long to shake hands and take pictures with young and old, families and individuals, which included a large number of young people and women. Following his speech, he also took time to talk with members of the Indo-Canadian media, addressing the Conservatives’ attempts to kill off family class immigration and policies which emphasize one category of immigrants over the other. “Before the election – you saw Jason Kenney attend all these ethnic gatherings, asking for votes but where is he now – too busy making policies that clearly affect those communities he courted for the vote,” Trudeau said. “I’m hearing a lot of backlash against Minister Kenney and his policies and the direction of this government that is so driven by their ideological agenda. It’s a disservice to many hard working Canadians.” “The Liberal party of Canada has a long history of being a centre-driven party with a progressive agenda and that is what my goal will be to bring Canadians together.” While Trudeau was talking about unity – a media firestorm was brewing about some seemingly anti-Alberta comments he had made two years ago and which were dug up by the rightwing media friends of the Conservatives to smear Trudeau, especially ahead of a very tight by-election race in Calgary-Centre. Trudeau addressed the controversy on Friday morning in Vancouver, apologizing for his two-year-old comments that have fuelled accusations from the Conservatives pegging him as anti-Alberta. The Conservative attack comes a day after a new poll was released suggesting Trudeau’s popularity is growing. The Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey suggests Trudeau has the potential to siphon off votes from all parties, including the Tories, reported Canadian Press. Forty-two per cent of respondents said they’d be certain or likely to vote Liberal in the next election with Trudeau as leader. That’s enough to form a comfortable Liberal majority government. Trudeau’s appeal was consistent across urban and rural areas and among voters of all age groups. “There’s a sense that
Local Mp Jinny Sims Dismayed By Defeat Of Bullying Motion An NDP motion to create a National Bullying prevention strategy was voted down in the House of Commons on November 21st. Danny Morin, the NDP member who sponsored the motion had been looking for the support of all parties on the matter. The main focus of this committee would have been the examination of strategies to prevent bullying. Local MP, Jinny Sims, expressed her disappointment in the defeat vote saying, “We must do everything possible to prevent bullying and to protect young people from its devastating effects. We have seen too many young people hurt by bullying to reject ideas that will help to correct the problem.” The effects of bullying, both online and in the day-to-day lives of young people have been in the news in BC and across Canada recently. Says Sims, “Young people and their parents are very concerned about bullying. We need to look at how to prevent bullying, not just how to prosecute offenders after the fact.” The Bullying Prevention motion was created by Danny Morin, an NDP MP from Quebec, and was supported by all NDP and Liberal MPs. The majority of Conservative MPs voted against the motion, resulting in the defeat of the antibullying proposal.
people are tired of being taken for granted by a government that is taking this country in the wrong direction,” Trudeau said. “The energy has an awful lot of Conservatives very, very frightened. When they get scared they do this, they attack, they draw out old comments and they try to divide and set people against each other.” Three candidates from B.C. are in the running. Joyce Murray, MP for Vancouver Quadra,. Joining her are lawyer Alex Burton, president of Vancouver Kingsway’s Liberal riding association, and lawyer David Merner, until recently president of the federal Liberals’ B.C. wing. Of course, anyone can declare an intention to run; more serious contenders will emerge after Dec. 15, the date by which the candidates must pay $50,000 of a $75,000 leadership entry fee. Soon after, on Jan. 20, a cross-Canada plan for five debates launches in Vancouver, concluding a little over a month before an April 14 leadership convention in Ottawa. The 40-year old former high school teacher, who has twice won his Montreal-area riding, was first into the contest, on Oct. 1. He claims the declared support of nine MPs, six former MPs and B.C. Senator Mobina Jaffer, and has attracted donations of $95,000 from 332 donors. Trudeau’s website addresses the Father Factor: “I’ve been given a lot. But I don’t expect anybody to support me because
of who my father was. I intend to earn it.” In fact, a whole lot of people will endorse Trudeau’s leadership because his father was Pierre Elliott Trudeau. It has conferred on the candidate, who has only held minor critic roles, political pixie dust. It helps, too, that the son is handsome, youthful, affable, approachable and bilingual. Between now and April, Trudeau’s challenge will be to advance a policy platform featuring enough specifics to confer on him some badly needed heft and credibility, without making any further dumb statements. The best thing Trudeau offers his third-place party is a chance for more public attention, badly needed at this juncture in its political evolution. That, in theory, would translate into a chance for Grits to climb back into contention for government, not in a 2015 election perhaps but the one after.
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17
politics
Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
Netanyahu’s High-stakes Game in Gaza: Same Time, Same Place
Many key y phrases have been presented to explain Israel’s latest military onslaught against Gaza, which left scores dead and wounded. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is flexing his muscles in preparation for the Israeli general elections in January, suggested some. It is Israel’s way of testing the administration of Egyptian President Mahmoud Morsi, commented others. It was a stern message to Iran, instructed few. Or that Israel is simply assessing its ‘deterrence’ capabilities. And so on.
But there is more than those ready-to-serve analyses. It has been four years since Israel mixed up the cards through an unhindered show of force. Last time it did so was in 2008-09, in a 22-day war it termed ‘Operation Cast Lead’. Then, it killed over 1,400 Palestinians and wounded over 5,000 others. Excluding Israel’s diehard supporters, the general consensus was, including that of many UN and international rights organizations: Israel committed war crimes and crimes against humanity deserving of international tribunals and due retribution. Of course, none took place. The US government and media stood as an impenetrable shield between Israel’s accused war criminals and those daring to level accusations. Four years later little has changed. Then as it is now, Israel was embarking on national elections, and since ‘security’ is Israel’s enduring strategy whether in national or international politics, it was suddenly realized that Gaza posed a ‘security threat’, thus had to be suppressed or at least taught a lesson. Never mind that a truce was in affect and was mostly holding up, that it was Israel that provoked Palestinian factions to retaliate - before the retaliation was itself considered the original act of aggression as willfully validated by mainstream western media. In 2008, Barack Obama was elected president, and the outgoing George W. Bush administration remained largely ‘uninvolved’, save for the reiteration of Israel’s right to defend itself against hordes of Palestinian terrorists and such. Some then, suggested that Cast Lead was an Israeli trial balloon to test Obama, whom Israel viewed with much suspicion despite all the groveling he has done at Israeli lobby meetings to assure Israel that a president with a middle name such as ‘Hussein’ will not dare demand
accountability from Israel. Obama eventually lived up to Israel’s expectations, and despite few hiccups in their relations, the new administration was hardly different
from its predecessors predecessors. Under Obama’s Obama’s, Israel remained a top priority for American diplomacy, politics, military and financial aid and more. However, Israel was still dissatisfied. Political analysts cite few incidents that made Netanyahu look unfavorably at Obama from the onset. The latter ushered in his foreign policy with the appointment of a Middle East peace envoy, and expected Israel to work towards the resumption of the so-called peace process. More dangerously however, Obama spoke bluntly for the need to freeze settlement construction, as a necessary first step before the return to the ‘negotiations table’. Even Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, who understands well the importance of Israeli support for any ambition US politician, was clear regarding the settlements: President Obama, she said, “wants to see a stop to settlements -- not some settlements, not outposts, not natural-growth exceptions.” Gradually that position weakened, if not entirely reversed. Over the following months and years, the Obama administration retreated to the US’ foreign policy comfort zone regarding Israel: give generously (even in times of economic recession), expect nothing in return, and in the meantime ask no question. But it takes more to placate an ever-demanding government as that of Netanyahu. The Israeli Prime Minister is himself troubled by fears that his palpable support of the Republican candidate Mitt Romney, his trademark arrogance and lecturing of Obama regarding Iran could prove costly during Obama’s new term. Not that Obama is likely to be any less enthusiastic about supporting Israel, but the Israeli government is concerned that the US administration might not adopt Israeli foreign policy priorities as if it’s an American doctrine, which has been the case for years. Hours after the election results declared Obama a winner, the Israeli media began censuring the injudiciousness of their prime minister. Articles with such titles as “So Sorry, President Obama, Please Forgive Netanyahu,”(Haaretz) and “Bibi Gambled, We’ll Pay,” (Yedioth Ahronoth) became commonplace. Romney’s defeat was particularly sobering for Israel since it’s the first time that the power of the Zionist lobby and the endless millions of their patrons, such as multibillionaire gambling magnate Sheldon Adelson were rarely as useful in determining election results of this scale. Truth to be told, Obama is not only unpopular among Israeli political elites, by the Israeli public as well. “In global polls, Israel is the only country in the world that would have elected Romney over Obama,” said ABC, and with a huge margin too. It was early morning time on Wednesday Nov 7 in Israel and the occupied territories when the US election results were declared. The Israeli cabinet swung into action, and the Israel army was quickly deployed to seek provocations at the Gaza border. An earlier incident on Nov 5, where an apparently mentally unfit man, Ahmad al-Nabaheen was shot dead by Israeli troops, heightened tension, although a truce remained in effect. On Nov 8, however, Israel sought its Casus belli as it moved in Gaza with tanks and attack helicopters. An early victim was a 12-year-old boy gunned down while playing soccer. Palestinians retaliated, although projectiles inside Israel caused no damage. One Israeli soldier was injured near
the border with Gaza and more firin firing was reported by Palestinian fighters aimed at an Israeli military jeep, injuring four. Two more children were killed in an open soccer field on Nov 10, prompting more, although still guarded Palestinian retaliation. And another civilian in Gaza was killed the following day when Israel bombed the funeral tent set up to mourn the victims of past days. On Nov 12, Egypt was concluding yet another truce between Israel and resistance factions. But that turned out to be a diplomatic embarrassment for Egypt, as the man who agreed to the text of the truce on the Palestinian side, the leader of the Hamas armed resistance in Gaza Ahmed Jabari, was himself assassinated by an Israeli missile on Nov 14. No other meaning can be extracted from Jabari’s murder but the fact that Israel had decided to pull the Palestinians into an all-out war. Scores of Palestinians, many of whom civilians, were killed in the subsequent days. Palestinians extended the range of their projectiles into areas near Tel Aviv and as far as Jerusalem. Three Israelis were reportedly killed. Israel’s obsession with security often, if not always leads it to create the very conditions that compromise on its own security, so that its leaders may demonstrate the authenticity of their original claim. It is a strange logic that is as old as the state of Israel itself. But the timing of the latest war on Gaza as in the previous one partly meant to push the subject of Israel’s security on the top of the new administration’s agenda, rife with crises and challenges. No US
administration risks initiating its term in office with an open confrontation with Israel. The conventional wisdom in Washington is that in times of war, Israel is right even if it’s wrong, as it often is. Not even Barack Hussein Obama is strong enough to change that reasoning. “We strongly condemn the barrage of rocket fire from Gaza into Israel,” said Jay Carney, the White House spokesman. “There is no justification for the violence that Hamas and other terrorist organizations are employing against the people of Israel.” Now that Israel once more pushing its agenda as an American priority, the time is ripe for further escalation and for more saber-rattling against Iran, Hezbollah and whomever else Israel perceives as an enemy. Israeli causalities will be used to demonstrate Israel’s supposed vulnerability, and Palestinian deaths will buttress Netanyah’s rightwing government as Israel’s unbending guardian against those who continue to pose ‘an existential threat’ to the Jewish state. The truth, of course, remains the least relevant. Ramzy Baroud (www.ramzybaroud.net) is an internationally-syndicated columnist and the editor of PalestineChronicle.com. His latest book is “My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza’s Untold Story” (Pluto Press, London), now available on Amazon.com.
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
Masjid As Salaam & Education Centre Presents Interactive Discussion with the Muslim Community on the Following Areas x New Reverts x Inter Marriage x Marital Issues
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organizations and consulted with all levels of the Canadian government Dr. Redouane Al Fakir PhD, in astrophysics and cosmology and is the founder of the Muhammad Institute for the Sciences of the Cosmos (MISC), the first top level astronomy and space exploration institute serving the Muslim world at large. Dr. Naiyer Habib, MD is a native of India and trained in Internal Medicine and Cardiology in the USA. He was hired by the University of Saskatchewan in 1976 to establish a Cardiology programme for Southern Saskatchewan. As head of Cardiology at the Plains Health Centre - Regina Health District from 1976-2001, he was actively involved in teaching , CME, research, administration and practiced Non Invasive & Interventional Cardiology (Coronary Angioplast-Stent) until October 2004.
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
The Occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan Palestine & Canada...
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
Demand of Skilled Trade Professionals in North America: Deciding which trade is right for you
By Imran Tipu, B.Sc. Civil Eng This article is a continuation of my last four articles in which I explained the demand of skilled trade professionals in North America. Today I will discuss the job of professional welder. Welding Do you like working alone? Are you careful and patient? Do you have an eye for detail? Are you good with your hands? Could you work with precision tools and equipment? Are you well-coordinated? Do you have good eyesight? Then, welder could be the career for you! General Job Description Welders join metal parts such as pipes, vessels, and other components used in construction or manufacturing. Welders may also add layers of metal to build up worn parts. They are employed by construction companies, welding contractors and welding shops, or they may be self-employed. Welders work in all four construction sectors: new home building and renovation, heavy industrial, institutional and commercial, and civil engineering. Duties Welders may specialize in certain types of welding such as pipeline construction welding, structural construction welding, or machinery and equipment repair welding. As a welder, your duties may include: • Operating manual or semi-automatic
welding equipment to join metal parts • Shaping metal parts • Repairing worn metal products by welding on extra layers • Reading and interpreting blueprints Work Conditions The standard work week for welders is 40 hours (8 hours a day, 5 days a week). As with many careers in construction, there are peak periods that will require you to work overtime. The number of additional hours you work each week depends on the construction sector and region you work in, and will vary from one job to the next. As a welder, you may work outdoors on construction sites or indoors in production and repair shops. You will often work independently, but will interact with other construction professionals. Depending on your line of work, you may have to travel to remote job sites such as oil fields. The job can be physically demanding—you may have to stand for long periods of time or work in awkward positions. As with all careers in the construction industry, safety is the top priority. Welders are trained to work safely, and wear special equipment to protect them from injury. Essential skills Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) has identified nine essential skills that are necessary to succeed in the workplace: • Reading text—extracting information from written material • Document use—reading and interpreting documents to extract information • Numeracy—working with numbers to perform calculations • Writing—writing text in documents and
Mortgage Watch By Kazim Jafary Mortgage Consultant Similar to any other market, competition benefits the consumer in the mortgage market too because more choices and increased competition usually results in better products at lower prices. Although there are escalated levels of debt and increasing numbers of home ownership in the past 10 years, the low interest rates reflect affordability and have sustained the mortgage and housing markets in Canada. These low interest rates helped fuel Canadian home price appreciation to the tune of 104% between 2001 and 2011 according to Fitch Ratings, a global rating agency. Seen from a business standpoint, when a market niche starts to grow, new business entities enter the marketplace, which start to increase competition for goods or services. But the new entrants also need to differentiate themselves from the more established businesses already in the niche. A common strategy is to offer improved products and better services ideally at lower prices. A good example of competition benefitting the consumer is the cellular phone industry in Canada. For a long time there has been a need for enhanced competition. Recently, Wind Mobile entered the market and offered phone and data packages for $25 per month, with no commitment. This is quite
different from the established providers who continue to charge higher prices from their existing consumers having long-term contracts. A little research on the nature of competition turns up some interesting results. Competition is actually legislated by the federal government and forms part of the policy in the Competition Act and Competition Tribunal Act. According to the legislation, it was created ‘to eliminate privately imposed restraints on trade and to encourage competition’. Its purpose is to ‘maintain and encourage competition in Canada in order to promote the efficiency and adaptability of the Canadian economy’. Competition, in many respects, feeds and mobilizes our economy. For example, the price of oil is often associated with supply and demand. Because oil is a depleting resource, a high demand leads to higher prices. The housing sector is no different. Housing starts are a reflection of housing demand. As demand wanes, the number of new housing projects also declines. Even the sale prices of homes are determined by the number of available houses and the corresponding demand. However, competition does not always lead to the lowest rate or the best deal as reflected in the Canadian mortgage and banking industries. When a consumer chooses to work with a mortgage broker, he is outsourcing the comparison shopping to a qualified expert. The mortgage broker uses his knowledge of the market and his access to multiple lenders, and keeping in mind the client’s unique needs, he comes up with the best possible mortgage options. Several surveys show that brokers, on average, contact 5.9 lenders for their clients. Lenders will compete for a client’s business; so
on the computer • Oral communication—conveying or exchanging information verbally • Working with others—interacting with co-workers to get the job done • Continuous learning—continuing to learn o n the job • Computer skills—working with computers to operate machinery or to input/extract information These skills provide the foundation for learning all other skills and are applicable to most construction careers. Best of all, you can learn and improve on these skills in school, on the job, and during your everyday life. The most important Essential Skills for welders are: • Numeracy—working with numbers to perform calculations • Problem solving—coming up with solutions to challenges Apprenticeship Apprenticeship is one way of starting out in the construction industry. It involves both classroom studies and on-the-job training under the supervision of a certified welder, called a journeyperson. As an apprentice, you earn while you learn and are paid by the hour while working on the job site. Wages start at about 60% of a journeyperson’s hourly rate and increase during your apprenticeship, until you reach the full rate. Requirements for welder apprenticeship programs vary across Canada. In most provinces and territories, you must have a Grade 9 education, or essentially, brokers are a distribution channel to ensure that lenders stay competitive and that rates and products remain relevant and beneficial to mortgage consumers. A lender’s capacity to exercise market power over a borrower depends not just on differentiation as in standard retail markets, but also on a borrower’s ability to generate competitive outside offers. It is surprising to note that according to the 2012 CMHC Mortgage Consumer Survey, a huge 73% of mortgage consumers still choose NOT to use the services of a broker. Instead, they source their own mortgage deals. Recent studies have confirmed that consumers who use a mortgage broker save on average 0.2% on their interest rate. Mortgage brokers have always served an essential purpose for lenders and consumers by working as a bridge between the two. Brokers first became pseudo mainstream approximately 25 years ago when a number of Trust Companies including FirstLine Trust, later a division of CIBC, and TD Bank started using brokers as a variable cost alternative to mortgage origination. The benefit to them was extensive distribution without having to support a very high fixed cost base such as bank branches and their own sales teams. The benefit to consumers was lower interest rate than the bank’s posted rate. In recent years, we have seen a decrease in lenders both inside and outside the mortgage sector. This is, in part, due to the recent global financial crisis that saw some lenders leave the Canadian market – companies such as Accredited, GMAC, Wells Fargo, HSBC, etc. And it’s also the result of domestic lenders shutting down certain business lines such as CIBC shutting down FirstLine Mortgages, the largest wholesale lender in Canada; or merging with other
equivalent, to enter a welding apprenticeship program. Some provinces and territories offer secondary school apprenticeship programs that allow high school students to work towards a career as a welder. Program length Apprenticeship training programs for welders vary across Canada, but generally involve three 12-month periods, including at least 4,680 hours of on-the-job training, three 8-week blocks of technical training, and a final certificate examination. Related work experience or completion of a welder program at a college or technical institute can reduce the time required to complete your apprenticeship. Certification
Continued on pg27 established lenders such as Bank of Nova Scotia with ING Direct. If using the broker channel with access to choice was beneficial to consumers 25 years ago, it is even more so today, not despite but because of the recent changes. Banks are now focused on higher interest margins and on retail clients. An interesting report by the Bank of Canada found, ‘Borrowers are more likely to use a broker when there are many lenders. When there are many lenders the returns to hiring a broker are potentially higher since they have access to more options’. The best way for consumers to protect themselves from higher interest rates is to work more with the broker channel, helping them to gain more market share so that lenders remain competitive. Canada has long been considered a country that puts the wellbeing of the group ahead of the individual. Undoubtedly, consumers on the whole are much better off when the mortgage broker channel is strong. As the broker channel strengthens lenders begin to adopt more transparency and with that comes more competitive pricing for all consumers. Consider the fact that broker share in the mortgage market still hovers around 30%, imagine how much more consumers would save if that number was closer to 50%. Forget the slogans that say, ‘mortgage brokers look out for your best interests’. Instead, think of it like ‘using a mortgage broker protects the best interests of Canadians including you and it promotes competition that benefits all!’ Questions & Comments: kazim@kazimjafary.com
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Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
The World’s ‘Poorest’ President
IT’S a common grumble that politicians’ lifestyles are far removed from those of their electorate. Not so in Uruguay. Meet the president - who lives on a ramshackle farm and gives away most of his pay, reported BBC on Thursday. Laundry is strung outside the house. The water comes from a well in a yard, overgrown with weeds. Only two police officers and Manuela, a three-legged dog, keep watch outside. This is the residence of the president of Uruguay, Jose Mujica, whose lifestyle clearly differs sharply from that of most other world leaders. President Mujica has shunned the luxurious house that the Uruguayan state provides for its leaders and opted to stay at his wife’s farmhouse, off a dirt road outside the capital, Montevideo. The president and his wife work the land themselves, growing flowers. This austere lifestyle - and the fact that Mujica donates about 90 per cent of his monthly salary, equivalent to $12,000, to charity - has led him to be labelled the poorest president in the world. “I’ve lived like this most of my life,” he says, sitting on an old chair in his garden, using a cushion favoured by Manuela the dog. “I can live well with what I have.”His charitable donations - which benefit poor people and small entrepreneurs - mean his salary is roughly in line with the average Uruguayan income of $775 a month. In 2010, his annual personal
wealth declaration - mandatory for officials in Uruguay - was $1,800, the value of his 1987 Volkswagen Beetle. This year, he added half of his wife’s assets - land, tractors and a house - reaching $215,000.That’s still only about two-thirds of Vice-President Danilo Astori’s declared wealth, and a third of the figure declared by Mujica’s predecessor as president, Tabare Vasquez. Elected in 2009, Mujica spent the 1960s and 1970s as part of the Uruguayan guerrilla Tupamaros, a leftist armed group inspired by the Cuban revolution.He was shot six times and spent 14 years in jail. Most of his detention was spent in harsh conditions and isolation, until he was freed in 1985 when Uruguay returned to democracy. Those years in jail, Mujica says, helped shape his outlook on life.“I’m called ‘the poorest president’, but I don’t feel poor. Poor people are those who only work to try to keep an expensive lifestyle, and always want more and more,” he says.“This is a matter of freedom. If you don’t have many possessions then you don’t need to work all your life like a slave to sustain them, and therefore you have more time for yourself,” he says. “I may appear to be an eccentric old man... But this is a free choice.”The Uruguayan leader made a similar point when he addressed the Rio+20 summit in June this year: “We’ve been talking all afternoon about sustainable development.
Pakistan : Continued from pg 3 facing the possibility that the president might not be re-elected, work began in the weeks running up to the 6 November election to “develop explicit rules for the targeted killing of terrorists by unmanned drones, so that a new president would inherit clear standards and procedures, according to two administration officials”. It went on to say that Obama and his advisers were still debating whether remote-controlled killing should be a measure of last resort against imminent threats to the US, or whether it should be more widely used, in order to “help allied governments attack their enemies or to prevent militants from controlling territories”. Jaffer said he was sceptical about the significance of the debate outlined in the piece. He said: “The suggestion is that there is a significant debate going on within the administration about the scope of the government’s authority to carry out targeted killings. I would question the significance of the debate. If imminent is defined as broadly as some say it is within the administration then the gap between the sides is narrow. “It matters how you define ‘imminent’. The Bush administration was able to say it didn’t condone torture because of the definition of torture. You might think that if someone says, ‘I believe we should only use targeted killings only when there’s an imminent threat,’ you might think that sounds OK. But without terms like ‘imminent’ being defined it is impossible to evaluate the arguments.” Medea Benjamin, the co-founder of Code Pink, an anti-war group, said the news that formal rules were being written for targeted killing was “disgusting”. “That they are trying to write the rules for something that is illegal is disgusting” said Benjamin.
“They are saying, ‘The levers might be in the wrong hands.’ What about the way they are using them right now? There is nothing about taking drones out of the hands of the CIA – which is not a military organisation – or getting rid of signature strikes, where there is no evidence that people are involved in terrorist activities.” In Pakistan and Yemen, the CIA and the military have carried out “signature strikes” against groups of suspected and unnamed militants, as well as strikes against named terrorists. Benjamin said she had just come back from Pakistan, where the “intensity of the backlash will take generations to overcome”. The New York Times quotes an official who, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was “concern that the levers might no longer be in our hands” after the election. In October, Obama referred to efforts to codify the controversial drone programme. In an interview with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show on 18 October, the president said: “One of the things we’ve got to do is put legal architecture in place and we need congressional help in order to do that, to make sure that not only am I reined in but any president is reined in, in terms of some of the decisions we’re making”. While Obama and administration officials have commented publicly on the legal basis for targeted killings, the program is officially secret. In court, government lawyers fighting lawsuits by the ACLU continue to claim that no official has ever formally acknowledged the drones, and that there might not even be a drone programme. Two lawsuits – one by the ACLU and the other by the ACLU and the NYT – seeking information on the legal basis on targeted killing, are still pending.
Hamid : Continued from pg 3 from a Pakistani media that is normally careful about directly criticising the Taliban and other militant groups. On one edition of his show Capital Talk shortly after the shooting of Malala, Mir concluded his programme by pointedly saying he rejected the Taliban’s claims that the attack on the schoolgirl was justified under Islamic law. But some journalists said Mir had other enemies besides the Taliban. His programmes on Baluchistan, the province where the
military has been accused of extra-judicial killings and “disappearances”, are thought to have angered the country’s powerful army establishment. Mir’s status as a hate figure for militants is a marked change from an earlier period in his career when he had a good working relationship with both Pakistan’s military establishment and militant groups, becoming one of the few journalists to interview Osama bin Laden.
To get the masses out of poverty.“But what are we thinking? Do we want the model of development and consumption of the rich countries? I ask you now: what would happen to this planet if Indians would have the same proportion of cars per household than Germans? How much oxygen would we have left?“Does this planet have enough resources so seven or eight billion can have the same level of consumption and waste that today is seen in rich societies? It is this level of hyper-consumption that is harming our planet.”Mujica accuses most world leaders of having a “blind obsession to achieve growth with consumption, as if the contrary would mean the end of the world”. But however large the gulf between the vegetarian Mujica and these other leaders, he is no more immune than they are to the ups and downs of political life.“Many sympathise with President Mujica because of how he lives. But this does not stop him for being criticised for how the government is doing,” says Ignacio Zuasnabar, a Uruguayan pollster.The Uruguayan opposition says the country’s recent economic prosperity has not resulted in better public services in health and education, and for the first time since Mujica’s election in 2009 his popularity has fallen below 50 per cent.This year he has also been under fire because of two controversial moves. Uruguay’s Congress recently passed a bill
which legalised abortions for pregnancies up to 12 weeks. Unlike his predecessor, Mujica did not veto it. He is also supporting a debate on the legalisation of the consumption of cannabis, in a bill that would also give the state the monopoly over its trade.“Consumption of cannabis is not the most worrying thing, drug-dealing is the real problem,” he says. However, he doesn’t have to worry too much about his popularity rating - Uruguayan law means he is not allowed to seek re-election in 2014. Also, at 77, he is likely to retire from politics altogether before long. When he does, he will be eligible for a state pension - and unlike some other former presidents, he may not find the drop in income too hard to get used to.
ACCEPTING YOURSELF By Shabnam Khan M.P.C.P., R.P.C Family Counsellor ........If I can accept that I am who I am, that I feel what I feel, that I have done what I have done - if I can accept it whether I like all of it or not - then I can accept myself. I can accept my short-comings, my self-doubts, my poor self-esteem. When I can accept all that, I have put myself on the side of reality rather than attempting to fight reality. I am no longer twisting my consciousness in knots to maintain delusions about my present condition. So now, I can clear the road for the first steps of strengthening my self-esteem. As long as we cannot accept the fact of what we are, at any given moment of our existence, as long as we cannot permit ourselves fully aware of our choices and actions, we cannot admit the truth into our consciousness, we cannot change. Accepting your circumstances as they are, as a reality full of challenges to be mastered and conditions to be explored, will make you wise about yourself and about life. True wisdom requires a fully integrated knowledge, not just a surface understanding of issues and events. You will feel
self-confident and settled enough in your new reality to take some risks. You will find yourself experimenting with the new attitudes and life-styles you believe will make you healthy and happy again. A willingness to try again is crucial. Of course experimenting is risky. Sometimes your strategies will work and sometimes they won’t. There is certain sense of relief that comes with the ability. This resilience will increase your self-respect. Many people are surprised at their renewed enthusiasm for life, once they have begin to bounce back with problems. You will be proud of your ability to stay in the process. For several weeks, even months, you will need sustained effort to establish fully your best success. You will notice that you will tend to have a lot more patience to accomplish the work. Your own experience will tell you that your life is becoming more and more rewarding and less disappointing. Whatever you do, don’t miss the opportunity to capture the mighty forces that come parading forth from the mind. During any mindless activity you, too, may have a creative burst. Remember to spend your energy on your path to growth, not your path to setback. Your visions of what you want will help you motivate and encourage you in your growing process. Accept yourself and work according because you are in charge!
But in 2010 a tape recording of a conversation believed to be between Mir and a Taliban spokesman showed the journalist apparently urging the movement not to release a hostage who was later executed. Although Mir has always strenuously denied his voice was on the tape, some of his colleagues in the media believe the row prompted him to join the country’s embattled band of socalled media “liberals” who dare to criticise the security establishment. Pakistan is one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists, according to Reporters without Borders, which last month said eight journalists had been killed
in Pakistan this year. In 2011 the country’s spy service was implicated in the killing of the investigative journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad. Another Geo TV star, the journalist Najam Sethi, is so fearful that his outspoken nightly commentary has made him a target that he rarely leaves his house and broadcasts from a special studio erected in a spare bedroom. “We are with you Hamid!” Sethi tweeted to his tens of thousands of followers on Monday. “We must be strong [and] united. We will not be intimidated by state or non-state terrorists and extremists.
For more Q&A: shabnam@skcounselling.ca
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health
Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
Common Cold - Dr. Mee Lain’s Health Tip of the Week
By Dr. Mee Lain Ling The common cold can be tough to ward off, but with a little knowledge and the application of correct herbal remedies, you can prevent it from becoming a full-blown cold or flu. Here’s what you need to know. Modern western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) understand the causes of common cold differently, but both approaches offer valuable knowledge. While western medicine emphasizes the identification of viruses and bacteria as causes of external disease, TCM emphasizes environmental conditions and a person’s adaptability to climatic changes as causes of disease. More specifically, TCM recognizes six external pathogens that affect a person’s health: wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness and summer heat. These outside pathogens can invade the body depending on the season and environment one lives in, leading to externally caused
illness like the common cold. With common cold, it is a combination of either wind-heat or wind-cold pathogens. Both are patterns of disharmony that present different symptoms. The difference is primarily that exterior wind-heat condition always presents with a scratchy, itchy or sore throat while exterior wind-cold does not. Rather, wind-cold presents with generalized body aches, nasal congestion with clear runny nose, but no itchy or sore throat. If you are starting to catch a cold, you can know which of these two conditions you have by their symptoms and determine whether you have a heat-type or cold-type common cold. Then you can heal yourself using the most appropriate, corresponding remedies, as outlined below. Wind-Heat (sore throat, feeling feverish, thirsty, slight cough, yellow nasal discharge) Eat yellow Asian pears (not Anjou or Bartlett pears, but specifically yellow Asian pears). For even better results, remove the core and seeds, cut up and cook with one cup of water for 15 minutes with lid on until pear is soft. Add a teaspoon of honey to flavour. Can also cook with a few dried
figs. Eat pear (and figs) including the liquid juice as necessary until scratchy, itchy throat is gone. Also drink peppermint and chrysanthemum herbal teas. Avoid eating meat, seafood, sugary sweets, dairy (cheese and milk), and spicy, oily, greasy foods including fast foods, at least until recovery occurs. Turn down the home thermostat to 18 – 20 degrees Celsius, or less. Drink lots of warm water, brothy soups, and take lots of rest in the meantime. Wind-Cold (achy body, stiff neck, nasal congestion or clear runny nose, chills more than fever, no particular thirst) Take one cup of ginger tea with 5-7 pieces of brown rock sugar (or half a teaspoon agave or honey if diabetic). Or cook a few slices of ginger for ten minutes with half a stick of cinnamon and 2-3 dates (per one cup water) with half a teaspoon of honey added at the end. Take hot baths, drink lots of soup (non-spicy, non-creamy) and dress in warm layers to cause mild sweating. It is very important to note that these two types of colds are not fixed, and they can easily transform into the other, depending on your body constitution. A heat-type constitution individual for example, who initially catches wind-cold, will likely soon
experience wind-heat sore throat symptoms. It is more common however for wind-cold to quickly transform into windheat, so be forewarned to not overdose on the ginger tea for a wind-cold as that could lead to aggressive onset of wind-heat symptoms. These home remedies work if you take extra care of yourself early on when symptoms first start. However, if symptoms persist or worsen, TCM offers effective time-proven balanced formulas that consist of natural antiviral, antibiotic, immunestrengthening herbs to help you quickly recover. In this case, herbal medicine along with cupping, are more effective treatment methods than acupuncture. Overall, the best medicine is preventive medicine. Understand common cold from a TCM perspective, learn how to treat yourself and your family members, and keep a small stock of herbal formulas in your medicine cabinet for emergency use when common cold strikes. For questions or comments, write to dr.meelainling@gmail.com.
Why Am I So Tired? 10 Possible Causes of Fatigue
By Gina Shaw Do you feel tired all the time? Lots of people do. It’s a sign of our overbooked times. Getting your energy back could be simpler than you think. Start by seeing if you can relate to the top three reasons for feeling drained. Top 3 Reasons The most common reasons for feeling tired are about daily habits. 1. What you eat. Reaching for caffeine and sugar can backfire, leaving you more fatigued as your blood sugar levels fluctuate wildly. Instead, go for a balanced, healthy diet replete with fruits, vegetables, and lean protein. “Most people feel like they’re less tired if they eat a healthy diet,” says J. Fred Ralston Jr., MD, past president of the American College of Physicians. “Eating healthy also means you’ll carry less weight, and obesity is a big contributor to fatigue. 2. How much you sleep. You saw this one coming, right? Many people don’t get enough sleep. If you’re one of them, avoid caffeine in the hours just before bedtime, turn off the TV before bed, and keep your bedroom quiet and restful. 3. How much you exercise. This is the biggie, Ralston says. His favorite prescription for plain old tiredness is regular, vigorous exercise. Finish at least three hours before bedtime, so you have time to wind down. If you think that exercise would just make you more tired, there’s good news: Exercise breeds energy. Almost all the studies that have looked at this question have found the same thing: Sedentary people who start exercising feel much less fatigue than those who stay idle. It’s one of those surprising truths: move more and you’ll get more energy. Ralston recommends getting 40 minutes of exercise at least four days a week, to get you going. Do that, and a month from now, you should notice some improvement. Keep with it for three to six months more, and you should feel much better. If you follow your exercise prescription for at least a month -- and you’re also making enough time for sleep -- and you’re still feeling lousy, look into other causes, Ralston advises.
Could It Be Something Else? The most common reasons for feeling so tired all the time are those we’ve just discussed. Don’t start thinking that you’ve got a medical condition until you’ve tried those strategies and really given them a chance. If you still feel exhausted, you’ll need to check with your health care provider to look into it. Chronic tiredness is linked to many different medical conditions, such as: 4. Anemia. “This is a very common cause of fatigue and very easy to check with a simple blood test,” says Sandra Fryhofer, MD, an Emory University clinical associate professor of medicine. “It’s particularly a problem for women, especially those who are having heavy menstrual periods.” You can remedy anemia with an iron-rich diet, heavy in meats and dark, leafy greens, or supplements if you have a chronic iron deficiency. 5. Deficiencies in key nutrients, such as potassium. Again, this is easily checked with blood testing. 6. Thyroid problems. Over- and underactive thyroids both can cause fatigue, Fryhofer says. A blood test for your level of thyroid-stimulating hormone can help evaluate your thyroid function. 7. Diabetes. People who have uncontrolled diabetes “just plain don’t feel good,” Fryhofer says. “If you feel draggy and you’re also having blurred vision or lots of urination, you should get that checked with a blood test.” 8. Depression. If your feelings of exhaustion are accompanied by sadness and loss of appetite, and you just can’t find any pleasure in things you once enjoyed, you may be depressed. Don’t keep that to yourself. Your doctor, or a therapist, can start you on the path back to feeling better. 9. Sleep problems. If you never feel rested, and nothing seems to fix that, you might look into visiting a sleep lab, especially if you snore. Snoring can be part of obstructive sleep apnea, in which people briefly stop breathing several times a night. There are treatments for that. 10. Undiagnosed heart disease. Tiredness can be a sign of heart trouble, particularly in women, Ralston says. “If you have trouble with exercise you used to do eas-
ily, or if you start feeling worse when you exercise, this could be a red flag for heart trouble. If you have any doubts, see your doctor.”
But again, start with the basics: your sleep, your diet, and your activity level. Sometimes the simplest fixes are all it takes.
Grapefruit and pills mix warning By James Gallagher Doctors have warned of a “lack of knowledge” about the dangers of mixing some medications with grapefruit. The fruit can cause overdoses of some drugs by stopping the medicines being broken down in the intestines and the liver. The researchers who first identified the link said the number of drugs that became dangerous with grapefruit was increasing rapidly. They were writing in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The team at the Lawson Health Research Institute in Canada said the number of drugs which had serious side effects with grapefruit had gone from 17 in 2008 to 43 in 2012. They include some drugs for a range of conditions including blood pressure, cancer and cholesterol-lowering statins and those taken to suppress the immune system after an organ transplant. One tablet with a glass of grapefruit juice can be like taking five or 10 tablets with a glass of water”. Chemicals in grapefruit, furanocoumarins, wipe out an enzyme which breaks the drugs down. It means much more of the drug escapes the digestive system than the body can handle. Toxic Three times the levels of one blood pressure drug, felodipine, was reported after patients had a glass of grapefruit juice compared with a glass of water. The side effects are varied depending on the drug, but include stomach bleeds, altered heart beat, kidney damage and sudden death. Dr David Bailey, one of the researchers, told the BBC: “One tablet with a glass of grapefruit juice can be like taking five or 10 tablets with a glass of water and people say I don’t believe it, but I can show you that scientifically it is sound. “So you can unintentionally go from a therapeutic level
to a toxic level just by consum-
ing grapefruit juice.” The report said: “We contend that there remains a lack of knowledge about this interaction in the general health care community.” They added: “Unless health care professionals are aware of the possibility that the adverse event they are seeing might have an origin in the recent addition of grapefruit to the patient’s diet, it is very unlikely that they will investigate it.” Other citrus fruits such as Seville oranges, often used in marmalade, and limes have the same effect. Neal Patel, from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society said: “Grapefruit isn’t the only food that can cause issues, for example milk can stop the absorption of some antibiotics if taken at the same time. “Although some of these interactions may not be clinically significant, some may lead to more serious outcomes. “Pharmacists are the best port of call for anyone concerned about how their diet may affect their medication. Information about any interactions would always be included in the patient information leaflet that comes with the medicine.”
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y o u t h
Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
Can schools survive in the age of the web?
By Tom Chatfield If you fancy a top-class education but can’t afford the fee or the time, there is now an alternative. This November, the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation invested a million dollars in edX, the world’s largest online learning initiative. Founded by Harvard and MIT, edX boasts a growing number of “massively open online courses” (MOOCs) aimed at bringing virtual versions of world-class higher education to hundreds of thousands of participants. By 2013, it will offer a selection of entirely free online classes from Harvard, MIT, Berkeley and the University of Texas. A not-for-profit platform, edX is billed as “the future of online education: for anyone, anywhere, anytime”. The future, though, is already starting to look crowded. One notable rival is Udacity, another free provider of digital higher education whose existence was inspired by the enrolment of 160,000 students in its founders’ online Introduction to Higher Education Course at Stanford. Or you could plump for Coursera, which was launched shortly after Udacity and today boasts close to two million enrolments on courses from 33 leading universities. Other exemplars such as the Khan Academy, meanwhile, have delivered online instruction to tens of millions of willing autodidacts; not to mention the billion views recently chalked up by TED talks. Online, the global appetite for learning is becoming a powerful force. As the author and digital guru Clay Shirky put it in a widely-debated recent blog post, education is being disrupted by “a new story rearranging people’s sense of the possible.” The web itself is old news, as are the brute facts of online information‘s dominance; we’ve had Wikipedia for over a decade.
What’s new is the increasingly trusting eyes we turn towards online media for something more fundamental: the skills, knowledge and instruction required to thrive in the modern world. “The possibility MOOCs hold out isn’t replacement,” Shirky observes. Rather, it’s that “education can be unbundled.” Much like many other fields – from broadcasting and newspapers to games and shopping – technology promises not so much to replace older institutions as to break up the packages they once offered, providing particular parts of them at a scale and cost unmatchable by the old order. All of which is certainly a recipe for reform. When it comes to what is actually being unbundled, though, there’s something paradoxically conservative about most MOOCs: recorded lectures, online tests, digital documents, and blue chip institutional endorsements. As the author and technology theorist Ian Bogost argued earlier this year, “if the lecture was such a bad format in the industrial age, why does it suddenly get celebrated once digitized and streamed into a web browser in the information age?” It’s a fair question. A digital lecture is still a lecture; an online test is still a test. Those looking for genuinely new kinds of skill and instruction are unlikely to find them in even the most articulate digital incarnations of a conventional apparatus. Which isn’t to say that they can’t be found, of course. Outside of courses and set lectures, for example, educationalists like Sugata Mitra and the One Laptop Per Child organisation have experimented with a more fundamental form of autodidacticism: give people access to technology, and let them get on with it. Specifically, One Laptop Per Child has
Job : Continued from pg 24 Welder certification is required in Alberta, and is available but voluntary in most other provinces and territories. Even where certification is voluntary, it is still recommended. Certification tells employers and other workers that you are a skilled professional. It also helps you get jobs. To be certified as a welder, you usually need to complete a three-year apprenticeship program. Once you successfully complete the on-the-job training, technical training and examinations required by the program, you are awarded a journeyperson certificate. If you have over three years of on-the-job experience and some high school, college or industry courses in welding, you may be eligible for welder certification in some provinces and territories. As a certified welder, you may attempt the Interprovincial Exam to qualify for the Interprovincial Standards’ Red Seal. With a Red Seal, you can work as a welder anywhere in Canada. To keep your skills current, you have to keep up with new technological developments by reading, and talking with other welders. Where to study in British Columbia In addition to the Canadian schools listed below, many employer and labour organizations offer training. British Columbia Institute of Technology Kwantlen University College Malaspina University-College North Island College Northern Lights College Northwest Community College Okanagan University College Selkirk College University College of the Cariboo
Thompson Rivers University University College of the Fraser Valley Salary ranges JOURNEYPERSON HOURLY SALARY RANGE LOW HIGH $23/Hour $35/hour ANNUAL SALARY RANGE LOW HIGH $47,840 $72,800 APPRENTICE HOURLY SALARY RANGE LOW HIGH YEAR 1 – 60 % $ 13.80 $21.00 YEAR 2 – 75 % $ 17.25 $26.25 YEAR 3 – 90 % $ 20.70 $31.50 In addition to their hourly rate, many construction workers receive statutory holiday and vacation pay. Depending on the contract, you may also receive benefits such as group insurance for health, dental and vision care, retirement packages, and training benefits up to 30% of your hourly rate. If you are self-employed, it’s up to you to arrange your own benefits. * Wages vary across Canada, among labour organization locals and among open-shop construction contractors. ** Most construction work involves overtime, so your annual salary will vary depending on the number of hours you work. The salary range listed above represents the annual salary range for full-time journeyperson welders across Canada, based on a 40-hour work week, without taking overtime into account. For more information about these article series and/or all our previous articles, please visit: www.rtmroofingandrenovations.com
focused on some of the world’s most disadvantaged learners: illiterate children in rural Ethiopia, who without any previous exposure to writing are given tablet computers pre-loaded with alphabet-training games, cartoons, pictures and books. Early results have been impressive, and have extended well beyond ABCs: within five months, one group had worked out how to hack the operating system. Online courses provided by some of the world’s top universities are going to be used by students at local community colleges, in a project funded by the Gates Foundation. It’s a far cry from simply watching a recorded talk – although its beneficiaries may, one day, be grateful in turn for what online courses offer. What such schemes suggest to me, though, is something more fundamental: that real disruption can only happen if we’re able to unbundle education outside of old categories like lectures, tests and essays; and that “education” itself demands rethinking in an age where helping people to help themselves is not so much an aspiration as a fact of the tools we use every day. As Nicholas Negroponte, the founder and chairman of the One Laptop Per Child foundation, asked in a September article for the MIT Technology Review: “If kids in Ethiopia learn to read without school, what does that say about kids in New York City who do not learn even with school?” Negroponte’s is both a daunting and extraordinarily hopeful question. The world will always have a place for elite educa-
tional institutions – with MOOCs embodying both genuine democratisation on their part and an excellent form of advertising. Elsewhere, though, it’s harder to sustain the notion that the future will simply be a
virtualised version of the past. For many academic institutions, “unbundling” remains a dirty word; a recipe for lower standards, fragmentation and the abandonment of cherished aspirations. All of which may be true, at least in the short term. In the end, though, it doesn’t matter. Education is following information into the ether, and can no more be stuffed back into its box than a television signal. Change isn’t just about technology, of course. Those things that a screen cannot offer – community, tuition, interpersonal dialogue, shared space and time – are only going to feel more precious amid the increasingly rich educational pickings online. Above all, though, it’s having access to a screen in the first place that counts. Achieve that, and you can build from scratch – or rebuild – whatever local structures will best support a community of education and aspiration. Some may resemble, or develop from, current institutions. Many won’t, and shouldn’t, not least because much of what constitutes an institution in the first place is expressly designed to resist reform. For those who don’t realise this – and soon – the future of education is likely to prove an uncomfortable place.
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sports
Volume 12 Issue 324 Muharrum 16, 1434 AH / November 30, 2012
‘India need Tendulkar now more than ever’ - Dravid
With the series against England level at 1-1, and following the poor performance in Mumbai, India need Sachin Tendulkar now more than ever, former captain Rahul Dravid has said, and he has been backed him to perform in the rest of the series. Tendulkar has not scored a half-century in his last ten Test innings and has managed just 29 runs in the three innings he’s played against England so far in which he’s been dismissed each time to spin. Dravid, however, said Tendulkar looked better than he did in the previous home series against New Zealand, and “who better
than Sachin” to deliver in the next two games. “I thought he was a little scratchy and looked a little under-prepared against New Zealand,” Dravid said of Tendulkar, who prepared for the England series with a century for Mumbai in their opening game of the Ranji Trophy against Railways at the Wankhede Stadium. “Here, I know it seems strange to say after he’s had three failures, but he’s actually looking quite good. “He’s played a couple of straight drives, he’s played a couple of shots that when I was playing with him, you knew he was playing well if he was playing those shots.” Tendulkar, Dravid said, had also been a little unlucky in this series. “He’ll be disappointed with the shot he played to get out in Ahmedabad on a relatively flatter wicket, and then to see other people score runs. Here, he was a bit unlucky: the first ball that really spun on the first morning was the one that got him. Until then there weren’t too many balls spinning. And then he played for the spin in the second innings and the ball straightened on a track on which every ball was spinning. “India need him now more than ever. At 1-1 in a tight series, it’s going to be very important for senior players to stand up and who better than Sachin to do that.” “It’s a different kind of soil, it does not break up,” he said. “It’s black soil, red soil [like in Mumbai] tends to deteriorate very quickly and if you leave
Brazil scrambles to meet deadlines FIFA and Brazil World Cup organizers are trying to show unity in preparing the country to host the event in 2014. FIFA is wrapping up an inspection tour of the host cities and will oversee the draw on Saturday for next year’s Confederations Cup. There’s also a board meeting of the local committee on Wednesday. The activities come at a tumultuous time. Brazil is without a coach amid internal disputes at the federation. A local member of FIFA’s executive committee was targeted in a police operation and some World Cup projects have been removed from the list of infrastructure work planned by the government. Tighter deadlines are magnifying the challenges of getting Brazil ready for the Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup. But FIFA and local organizers stress they are in sync. “There’s no problem with the relationship between FIFA and the LOC,” FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said. “We don’t have a problem with the Brazilian government or with any of the 12 host cities. They are our representatives.” Soccer’s governing body gave local organizers a big vote of confidence this month when it made an exception to approve the Confederations Cup with six host cities despite knowing that some stadiums won’t be ready until just before the tournament in June. “Two stadiums will be delivered in the middle of April, well behind schedule, though our technical team said everything was fine and we have to trust them,” Valcke said. “The government has given its word the work will be finished and we have to believe people.” Valcke was responsible for igniting a con-
troversy with the government this year after criticizing the country’s preparations. FIFA President Sepp Blatter had to apologize after the government threatened not to deal with the secretary general. But when Valcke was upset on Monday with the Rio de Janeiro government for announcing an exhibition at Maracana Stadium without FIFA’s authorization, he was backed by Brazil’s sports ministry. Rio de Janeiro Gov. Sergio Cabral publicly announced that Brazil will face England to reopen the renovated stadium on June 2. However, Cabral didn’t realize the stadium will be under FIFA’s control from May 27 for the Confederations Cup. “For the time being, we have not authorized the game,” Valcke said on Monday. The state said it will work with FIFA to try to gain permission. Valcke said he was not worried about the police investigation of FIFA official Marco Polo del Nero, who was the vice president of the Brazilian federation and the president of the Sao Paulo state federation. Police entered his home and checked information on his computers as part of a nationwide probe on the sale of confidential information and financial crimes. Thirty-three people were arrested, but Del Nero was only interrogated and denied any involvement. Police said the operation was
Crosby considering playing in Europe Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin soon could be back on the ice together — in Russia. Sid the Kid on Monday told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that playing in Europe during the NHL lockout is a more realistic possibility than a month ago when costly insurance premiums appeared to be the biggest obstacle for the Penguins captain. “You know what? It’s a lot more possible right now,” Crosby told the newspaper. “I probably hadn’t thought about it quite as much as I have the past few days. “[A quick end to the lockout is] not looking too good.” While the high insurance costs remain — believed to be as much as $400,000 US per month — Crosby’s agent Pat Brisson had previously said his client would make a decision on Europe in late November or early December. Tuesday is Day 73 of the lockout, which has resulted in the cancellation of games through Dec. 14 for a total of 422, including the Jan. 1 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium and Jan. 27 all-star game in Columbus.
Malkin is playing for his hometown team, Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Brisson reportedly has spoken to numerous teams in Russia and Switzerland and isn’t ruling out talks with teams in other countries. The reigning NHL scoring champion has looked impressive in the Kontinental Hockey League with 33 points in 24 games. In North America, there have been no labour talks in nearly a week, but it’s believed representatives from the NHL and players’ union will meet Wednesday. They would be joined by three U.S. federal mediators who have joined the negotiations. “Hopefully, we can still get a good chunk of games in, if we figure something out,” Crosby told the Post-Gazette. The Penguins star has steadfastly supported the NHL Players’ Association before and during the lockout. Crosby was due to make $7.5 million US in the final year of his contract. His 12-year, $104-million deal signed in July kicks in for the 2013-14 season.
it dry, it can turn and bounce a lot more than the black soil does. “I think that’s a blessing in disguise from India’s point of view. They might have to work harder for the wins but it’ll also give their batsmen a chance to be able to put up big scores, and to be able to show they are good players of spin.” Dravid admitted Dhoni had problems using his spin resources in Mumbai, especially with the availability of two other part-time options. “He’s going to have to re-look at his combination, simply because it’s going to be difficult to manage three spinners and especially having Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag in the side who can also bowl spin. “The combination they had in Ahmedabad was the best one, where they had two seamers and two spinners. Hopefully we’ll see a normal Kolkata wicket. India have a great record in Kolkata, we’ve had a lot of success in Kolkata, because it is a typical subcontinental wicket. As it starts off, you can play your shots, there is something in it for the fast bowlers but it does spin.” Umesh Yadav will miss the Kolkata Test due to injury, and Ashok Dinda has been included in the squad having been named as cover last week. Should Dinda be picked in the XI, Harbhajan Singh, who bowled the least number of overs among India’s spinners in Mumbai, may be left out. Source: Cricinfo not related to soccer, and Del Nero said he was questioned only because a company he hired for a personal business transaction was among those investigated. Valcke called it an “internal” issue. Del Nero was one of the top federation officials directly involved in the decision to fire coach Mano Menezes last week. The federation director who made the announcement, Andres Sanchez, said he was against the decision. Sanchez is expected to leave the entity this week, likely creating an opposing force to president Jose Maria Marin. There is also turmoil in some of the host cities. The government in the capital of Brasilia this year removed an urban train project from the list of infrastructure work planned for the World Cup because it would not be ready in time. The same happened with a monorail project in the jungle city of Manaus. Manaus also is considering changing its plans for the location of its Fan Fest venue because construction work may not be completed in time for the World Cup. FIFA had approved all the venues in April. Source: ESPN
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