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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012 - $1

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Israel to build 942 more settler homes

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Canadians optimistic about economic outlook for 2013: Poll The majority of Canadians are optimistic about the country’s fiscal fortunes heading into 2013, but those sentiments vary by region, suggesting a tale of two countries, according to a new poll. Western Canadians are slightly more optimistic about the Canadian economy going into the new year, with more than three-quarters of Albertans (77 per cent), Saskatchewanians and Manitobans (76 per cent) and 72 per cent of British Columbians showing bright outlooks for the country’s finances. Two-thirds of Ontarians and Atlantic Canadians believed next year would be a “good” year for the Canadian economy, while just over half of Quebec respondents felt the same way. The Ipsos Reid poll conducted for Postmedia News and Global Television also found that, overall, 60 per cent of respondents didn’t believe Canada would enter a recession next year. Of those who believed this country would head into another recession, the responses again showed a regional divide: fewer residents in the West (about one-third of respondents) agreed Canada would enter a recession in 2013 compared to respondents in Atlantic Canada (47 per cent), Ontario (40 per cent) and Quebec (47 per cent). Those results suggest that the economic growth in the West has buoyed expectations relative to the economic fortunes in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. But the general sense of optimism is a continuation of a trend that has seen Canadian consumers show more confidence in their economy versus respondents from other countries. In the last monthly poll of consumer confidence in 24 countries, conducted by Ipsos Reid, Canadian respondents edged past people in Germany in terms of economic optimism. “On the whole, it’s a little bit like the numbers that were released on the economy,” said John Wright, Ipsos Reid’s senior vice-president of public affairs.

“We grow a little bit, not a lot. It’s a steady growth and that’s just how the country has responded to it.” The results are also similar to the national sentiment coming out of the recession of the early 1990s, Wright said. People are cautiously optimistic for recovery, he said, but are sensitive to any fiscal changes. “We’re just looking over the hood of the car. You’re making sure that if there’s going to be a sudden break, you have an opportunity to stop the car or do something about it.”

Not only are Canadians looking over the hood, but so too are governments. However, while Canadians appear confident in the economy, their confidence in their governments’ ability to handle the economy is not as high. The poll found that since February, Canadians’ approval of the Harper government’s management of the economy is down five points, with 49 per cent of respondents approving of the Conservatives’ fiscal management. In Alberta, 60 per cent approved of the Harper government’s handling of the economy, followed by 51 per cent in Ontario, 50 per cent in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, 49 per cent in B.C., 44 per cent in Atlantic Canada and 41 per cent in Quebec. Provincial governments fared worse in the poll. Almost two-fifths of respondents (37 per cent) approve of their provincial government’s handling of the economy.

Respondents in Saskatchewan and Manitoba were most likely to approve of their provincial government’s handling of the economy (56 per cent), followed by Alberta (44 per cent), Atlantic Canada (41 per cent), Quebec (40 per cent), B.C. (33 per cent) and Ontario (31 per cent). The poll of 1,021 Canadians from Ipsos Reid’s online panel was conducted between Dec. 7 and 12 and is accurate to within 3.5 percentage points.

Source: Vancouver Sun

Israel has advanced the process of building 942 more settler homes in East Jerusalem under a new fast-track plan to tighten its grip on the territory, which the Palestinians seek to have as the capital of Palestine. A government planning committee on Monday moved the project to the advanced stage of asking contractors to submit bids to build them, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday.

Once a bid is awarded, construction can begin on the project in the Gilo area, though it can take months, if not longer, to reach that point. An additional 300 units can be built after further planning, said attorney Daniel Seidemann, an expert on Jerusalem construction who sees the building as an obstacle to peacemaking.

About 40,000 Israelis live in Gilo.

“With God’s help, we will continue to live and build in Jerusalem, which will remain united under Israeli sovereignty,” Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said at the campaign launch event of his Likud Party.

“We will continue to strengthen the settlements.” Israeli elections are set for January 22. Nabil Abu Rdeneh, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said the new Israeli announcement was a “red line” that would block the chance for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in which a Palestinian state would be established alongside Israel. “The Palestinian Authority will take all the possible means available to respond to this,” said Abu Rdeneh. The statement was posted on the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

The newly-approved homes are among more than 5,000 new settler homes in east Jerusalem that Israel pressed ahead over the past week. Palestinians do not recognise Israel’s 1967 annexation of the territory and say any Israeli construction there undermines their claims to it. The international community has not recognised Israel’s 1967 annexation of East Jerusalem. Netanyahu launched a settlement construction push to punish the Palestinians after the United Nations recognised a de facto Palestinian state last month. The Palestinians have said they hope the upgraded status will allow them to return to the negotiating table with a stronger hand.

Talks stalled four years ago, primarily over settlement construction. The construction push in East Jerusalem has drawn international condemnation, as have plans to build thousands of more settler homes in the adjacent

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

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p a k i s t a n

Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

Reform system or four million will march on capital, Qadri tells govt

Claiming that the present electoral and political system is a sheer violation of the Constitution, Tehrik-e-Minhajul

ment fails to begin electoral reforms by January 10, 2013.

Addressing a mammoth public meeting at Minar-e-Pakistan on Sunday, which could be termed one of the biggest rallies at this ground, he warned: “If the job is not done till that time we will throng Islamabad on Jan 14, with a gathering double the size of today’s, and the marchers would decide for themselves how to eliminate the corrupt and dishonest from the system.”

He said the people of the country would not accept unconstitutional elections. Therefore, he said, reforms were inevitable in the electoral system. He claimed that two million people attended the gathering, and warned the rulers of a march on Islamabad by four million.

Dr Qadri warned that if the authorities concerned fail, “I will convene a people’s parliament in Islamabad on Jan 14 to take decisions in the interest of the people which professional parliamentarians had been refraining from throughout our history.”

Quran (TMQ) chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri has threatened to lead a protest march on the federal capital if the govern-

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Pakistan not driven by strategic over-reach to Afghanistan Pakistan’s policies are not driven by any strategic over-reach to Afghanistan and this is appreciated in both the US and Afghan capitals, says Ambassador Sherry Rehman.

Ambassador Rehman, who recently completed her first year as Islamabad’s envoy in Washington, told Dawn that the United States and Pakistan had a “joint strategic motive” for stabilizing the region.

“As Pakistan would be the first to suffer the fallout of Afghan conflict, the US would not like to reverse all development gains in an irresponsible exit, or leave Afghanistan with a security vacuum,” she explained.

Ambassador Rehman said that although relations between

the United States and Pakistan had improved greatly, sometimes it “becomes very challenging” to promote Pakistani here, particularly in the face of a fairly hostile media narrative.

Highlighting recent positive changes in Pakistan’s relations with the United States, she said now US officials were also acknowledging that Islamabad “demonstrates an appetite for change, and on many fronts, try to walk the talk too. It is not as if we say one thing, and do another.”

Ambassador Rehman said that Pakistan was an important country in its own right and would like the US to engage with it on the basis of its inherent strengths and potential.

Caretaker set-up: PPP tasks Naek with forging consensus In the PPP darbar, the legal eagles keep coming and going. Such is the pace of their comings and goings that it is difficult to keep track of who is in favour and who is not, reported by Dawn.

A year ago, it was Aitzaz Ahsan who was the blessed one, with hopes running high that he would be able to save then prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani from the SC’s contempt case. Mr Ahsan followed President Asif Ali Zardari at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh in addressing the gathering for Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary.

A year on, he may not be as out of favour as Babar Awan,

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

UK pays out millions to Iraqi torture victims

Britain has paid out $22.7m to Iraqis who accused UK troops of illegally detaining and torturing them following the 2003 invasion.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Thursday confirmed a report in the Guardian newspaper which revealed that the government had given compensation to 205 complainants over the last five years, with more than 700 claims expected next year. Some $13.4m was paid to 162 Iraqis this year, with the average settlement being $113,500 plus costs. The claims stem back to the five-year occupation of the southeast of the country and have mostly been brought by male civilians who claim they were beaten, threatened and deprived of sleep before being interrogated by British troops. The ministry confirmed the payouts but defended Britain’s record in Iraq.

“Over 120,000 British troops have served in Iraq and the vast majority have conducted themselves with the highest standards of integrity and professionalism,” said a spokesperson. “All allegations of abuse will always be investigated thoroughly. We will compensate victims of abuse where it is right to do so and seek to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.” In 2010, the ministry set up the the Iraq Historical Allegations Team (IHAT), which is examining the possibility of criminal charges related to the abuse alle-

gations. IHAT has paid particular attention to the actions of a military intelligence unit called the Joint Forward Interrogation Team (JFIT). JFIT interrogators filmed themselves threatening and abusing detainees, who appeared in footage to be bruised too tired to stand up. IHAT referred three soldiers to the Service Prosecuting Authority but prosecutors judged that that the incidents did not warrant war-crimes charges. They ruled that one interrogator had committed offences, but that they were “in accordance with the training that they had been given” and warned against prosecution. A former JFIT guard told the Guardian that he was ordered to drag blindfolded prisoners around assault courses where they could not be filmed. “[Rather than] a small number of mis-behaving individuals, rights groups say it was a systematic and systemic problem,” said Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands, reporting from London. “They say the training that troops had been put through led to these problems, [creating] the kind of environment where abuse might happen ... that it was not just a few bad apples.”

Meanwhile, a British army doctor who confirmed the death of an Iraqi detainee in 2003 was on Friday banned from practising after a tribunal found he lied about the injuries the civilian had suffered in a beating by British

soldiers. Derek Keilloh, now a family doctor, was struck off the medical register after the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) found him guilty on Sunday of dishonest conduct over the death of 26-year-old hotel receptionist Baha Mousa. Keilloh, 38, had supervised a failed resuscitation attempt to save Mousa, who had been hooded and severely beaten by British soldiers after his arrest in September 2003 along with nine other suspected insurgents in the war-torn southern city of Basra. Mousa, a father of two, died 36 hours after his arrest having sustained 93 separate injuries, including fractured ribs and a broken nose, an inquiry last year heard.

Keilloh, then a captain and regimental medical officer, claimed during a later interview, court martial and public inquiry that he had only seen dried blood around Mousa’s nose.

But the MPTS found that the doctor had been aware of the Iraqi’s other injuries from his own observations and from information by other medical staff. At the end of a marathon 47-day hearing in Manchester, northwest England, the MPTS said Keilloh’s “repeated dishonesty” meant he was no longer fit to work as a doctor. “The panel determined that erasure is the only appropriate sanction in this

case,” MPTS chairman Brian Alderman told Keilloh. “Given the gravity and nature of the extent and context of your dishonesty, it considers that your misconduct is fundamentally incompatible with continued registration.” The tribunal found that Keilloh failed to conduct an examination of Mousa’s body or to act to protect the other civilian detainees from mistreatment, and also failed to notify a superior officer of what had happened. But it recognised that Keilloh had done “everything possible” to save Mousa’s life in a setting that was “highly charged, chaotic, tense and stressful”.

Source: Al-Jazeeraa

Syria military police chief defects to rebels Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad despatched a top diplomat to Russia on Wednesday for talks with his Kremlin allies as his chief of military police defected and battle raged over a crucial military base. Faisal Mekdad, Syria’s deputy foreign minister, flew to Moscow ahead of talks expected at the weekend between Russian officials and Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN-Arab League peace envoy for Syria. The renewed diplomatic activity over the deepening civil war came after a visit by Mr Brahimi to Damascus this week, in the latest attempt to secure an end to the conflict and a peaceful transition of power. But heavy fighting continued to provide the backdrop to Mr Brahimi’s visit, underlining the scale of the task he faces. About 190 people – half of them unarmed civilians – were killed in the conflict on Christmas day alone, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based pro-opposition monitoring group. Mr Brahimi made no comment on what his latest peace proposals were, and it remains far from clear that they have any better prospects than the many months of failed plans to date. Moaz al-Khatib, head of the new internationally-recognised Syrian National Coalition opposition group, has underscored the so-far unbridgeable gap between Mr Assad’s refusal to step down and the opposition’s rejection of any peace process in which he remains in office.

“We have told every official we have met: the government and its president cannot stay on in power, with or without their powers. This is unacceptable to Syrians,” Mr Khatib wrote on his Facebook page on Monday. Mr Brahimi’s latest initiative came as Gen Abdul-Aziz Jassem al-Shallal, head of Syria’s military police, announced he was defecting to join the “people’s revolution”. Gen Shallal, who spoke in a video broadcast by al-Arabiya television, is one of the highest ranking of the steady trickle of defections seen from the security forces since the uprising against it started more than 21 months ago, although many analysts say the regime’s most important figures still remain loyal – or are unable to leave. “[The] army has [been] derailed from its basic mission of protecting the people and it has become a gang for killing and destruction,” Gen Shallal said, adding that other officials also wanted to defect.

Syrian troops had been “destroying cities and villages and committing massacres against our innocent people who came out to demand freedom”, he added. Syria’s security forces have bombarded civilian areas from tanks, artillery and warplanes in a conflict that is estimated to have killed more than 40,000 people and is spreading as rebels take territory slowly but relentlessly. The uprising began as a peaceful rebellion against the Assad family’s repressive 40-year dictatorship, but evolved into a civil war after the government’s brutal crackdown on dissent. Rebels battled regime forces on Wednesday in an escalation of the long-running siege of the Wadi Deif military base in the northern province of Idlib, which the rebels hope to add to a clutch of security force installations they have over-run during the past month. In another northern province, Raqqa, about 20 people – at least eight of them children – died in government shelling, opposition activists said. Activists said dozens of people died earlier this week in an air strike in the central town of Helfaya, in the latest assault of what independent rights groups say is a regime campaign of targeting bread queues. Rebels are also accused of a growing number of atrocities, although on a much smaller scale than the regime war machine, with its much greater armoury and its willingness to pound large civilian areas.

Source: Financial Times

Deadly floods strike rain-soaked Sri Lanka Flash floods have killed at least 25 people in Sri Lanka and left more than a quarter of a million marooned in their homes, disaster officials said. Heavy rains, which have battered the island for much of the week, were still being reported in 14 of Sri Lanka’s 25 administrative districts on Thursday, with the central highlands - one of the world’s key tea producing regions - the worst hit.

Marine punished with $500 fine for Afghan corpse desecration A US Marine has had his rank reduced and been fined $500 fine for urinating on corpses of Talibans fighters in Afghanistan after pleading guilty at a special court martial in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Staff Sgt Joseph W. Chamblin pleaded guilty to charges of wrongful desecration, failure to properly supervise junior Marines and posing for photographs with battlefield casualties. Footage of the incident, which occurred during a counter-insurgency operation in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province in July 2011, quickly went viral after it was uploaded to the Internet in January this year, sparking worldwide outrage. The video shows four Marines in uniform laughing and joking while urinating on the bodies of three bearded men. One of the men says, “Have a nice day, buddy.” A caption identifies them as members of Scout Sniper Team 4. US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called the Marines’ behaviour “utterly deplorable” and promised an investigation, while Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the actions as “inhuman”. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also promised that the Marines would be punished after expressing her “total dismay”. However, following an eightmonth investigation, the Marine Corps

decided on undisclosed administrative punishments for three of the Marines in August. All three had pleaded guilty to misconduct charges, including “wrongly video-recording” the incident, failing to report it, as well as posing next to the bodies. The relatively lenient punishment will only spark more violence against the American troops in Afghanistan, says Ann Wright, a retired US army colonel and a US diplomat.

“There will probably be a violent reaction to the news that this is what the punishment is and retaliation on US government officials should be predicted,“ she told RT. Their records will also be permanently marked, preventing them from any future promotions or re-enlistments. Criminal charges were only filed against Chamblin and one other, Staff Sgt. Edward W. Deptola, whose case is still pending. The charges include “being derelict in their duties by failing to properly supervise junior Marines, failing to require junior Marines to wear their personal protective equipment, failing to stop and report the misconduct of junior Marines, failing to report the negligent discharge of a grenade launcher, and failing to stop the indiscriminate firing of

Continued on pg 10

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

Egypt’s Morsi admits mistakes and urges unity

Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi has urged all political powers to take part in a national dialogue to resolve lingering tensions and promised to take necessary steps to heal the economy. At his first address to the nation since the adoption of a new constitution, he said on Wednesday that he was considering possible cabinet changes and planned to introduce incentives to make Egypt a more attractive investment destination. “The coming days will witness, God willing, the launch of new projects ... and a package of incentives for investors to support the Egyptian market and the economy,” he said in a televised speech. Morsi spoke after Egypt’s upper house of parliament convened in its first session after the passing of the country’s new constitution, the first action by a state institution in accordance with a document whose legitimacy is still contested by the opposition. The Shura Council held a swearing-in session for 90 new members appointed by Morsi.

The charter, approved by 63.8 percent in a two-round referendum that ended on Saturday, gives the traditionally toothless upper house full legislative powers until elections for a new lower house is called within

two months. The upper house of parliament has taken over from Morsi, who had given himself the power to pass laws that led to days of violent protests.

Morsi signed a decree enforcing the charter late on Tuesday after the official announcement of the result of a referendum approving the basic law, Egypt’s first constitution since the toppling of former President Hosni Mubarak’s overthrow. The president is expected to address the Shura Council on Saturday. The Islamist-dominated council is expected to draft a law regulating upcoming parliamentary elections. Other items on the agenda may include laws on protests and the media. The opposition National Salvation Front (NSF) claimed the constitutional process was rushed and the referendum marked by irregularities. The NSF’s leader, Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel Peace laureate and former chief of the UN atomic energy agency, said the new charter should be treated as an “interim one” until another is written up on the basis of consensus. The US, which provides billions of dollars a year in military aid to Egypt, has called on Egyptian politicians to bridge divisions and on all sides to reject violence. “President Morsi, as the democratically elected leader of Egypt, has a special responsibility to move forward in a way that recognises the urgent need to bridge divisions,” Patrick Ventrell, acting State Department spokesman, said in a statement. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton took note of both the majority backing the constitution and the low turnout. Repeating a call for dialogue, she added: “I urge those concerned, in particular the president, to intensify efforts in this regard.”

Source: Al-Jazeera

Biggest UK mosque: Newham Council rejects plans Plans by an Islamic group to build a giant mosque able to accommodate more than 9,000 worshippers in the shadow of London’s Olympic Park have been rejected by the local authority. Tablighi Jamaat, a missionary group with roots in India, has been trying since 1999 to build the mosque on a former chemical

site in West Ham in east London, which would have become one of the biggest Islamic centres in western Europe. It would have included a prayer hall for up to 7,440 men and a separate facility for almost 2,000 women. Newham Borough Council rejected the proposal at a planning meeting late Wednesday, saying it was not consistent with development plans for the area and citing concerns about the size of the project and its impact on traffic. “Councillors have considered this application at length and with great care before deciding to reject it,” said Conor McAuley, a member of the council. The decision followed an extensive public consultation which resulted in 29,888 responses — 26,139 in support and 3,749 against.

After Wednesday’s meeting, which drew 3,000 sup-

porters of the project according to the BBC, community leader Ala Uddin Ahmed said he felt let down.

“There are 90,000 Muslims around the borough,” he told the broadcaster. “The Muslim community is growing and there is need for bigger worship. We are extremely let down. We think it is unjust because of the demand of the local people and the Muslim community.”

The council is engaged in a separate legal fight against Tablighi Jamaat which it says no longer has permission to use part of the 6.6 hectare (16.5 acre) site to house a temporary mosque complex that can accommodate 2,500 people. The plans to build the giant mosque sparked nationwide concern because of its size and past accusations that Tablighi Jamaat has radicalised young Muslims.

Tablighi Jamaat is the world’s biggest Islamic missionary movement although it focuses its energies on Muslim communities rather than non-believers, according to a book on the group published by the charity Lapido Media. Founded in India in 1926 to oppose Hinduism and British imperialism, it now operates in all countries where there are Muslims and has a worldwide membership of about 80 million. It has been active in Britain since 1944.

The Trustees of the Abbey Mills Riverine Centre, also known as the Anjuman-E-Islahul-Muslimeen of London U.K Trust, did not respond to AFP’s request for comment. But their website says those who worship at its mosque are “independent, non-political and peaceful Muslims” and says it has no associated organisational structures.

Source: Khaleej Times

Putin steps up arms sales to India Russian President Vladimir Putin is in India for talks aimed at boosting trade and tightening defence links. The 60-year-old former KGB officer met Manmohan Singh, prime minister of India, on Monday and finalised a deal which will see Russia selling India 71 military helicopters for $1.3 billion and kits to assemble 42 Sukhoi jet fighters for a further $1.6 billion, Kremlin officials said after the meeting. India is one of Russia’s top clients for arms sales. “I would like to stress that [the] deepening of friendship and cooperation with India is among the top priorities of our foreign policy,” Putin wrote in an article for The Hindu , an Indian daily newspaper. “The strategic nature of partnership between India and Russia is witnessed by the unprecedented level of our military and technical cooperation,” Putin wrote, saying “the joint development of advanced armaments rather than just purchasing military products” would be key to future relations. The venue for the day-long visit - the first to India since Putin was returned to power in May - had to be changed following unrest in India’s capital, which saw thousands taking to the streets of New Delhi after a gang-rape caused national outrage. Following the meeting, Singh told reporters that the two nations also discussed security in the region.

“India and Russia share the objective of a stable, united, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan, free from extremism,” he said. India is now the world’s largest arms importer and Russian-made military equipment accounts for 70 percent of Indian arms supplies. “India is committed to strengthening and enhancing this relationship, both on economic and strategic ties,” said Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid. Deals speculated to be secured during the visit included a combined Russia-India project to design and build the next generation of Sukhoi warplanes, said to Igor Korotchenko, director of the Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade. That deal has yet to be formally confirmed, though Indian foreign ministry officials said that Russia Helicopters and India’s Elcom Systems Private Ltd would be setting up a joint venture to manufacture helicopters. According to Indian government figures, bilateral trade has been growing steadily and is expected to reach around $10 billion dollars in 2012, up from $7.5 billion in 2009. Putin set out a goal of doubling trade in the next three years. “Our trade turnover has overcome the consequences of global crisis,” said the Russian leader. “Our next goal is to reach $20 billion already by 2015.”

Source: Al-Jazeera

Gaza : Continued from pg 1 West Bank. Israel captured both areas and Gaza in 1967. It withdrew settlers and soldiers from Gaza in 2005, but blocks most access to the territory and retains control over the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Also on Tuesday, the Gaza Strip’s ruling Hamas announced that Palestinian journalists there have been banned from working for Israeli media outlets. The official statement from the Hamas Cabinet called Israeli outlets “hostile entity media institutions”. Israeli media have no permanent correspondents in the Gaza Strip, but Israeli TV channels and newspapers often employ local Palestinian journalists as stringers. The Gaza journalists do not generally identify themselves to others as working for Israeli outlets because of a taboo against co-operating with Israel. Israel bans Israeli journalists from entering the Gaza Strip, saying their presence in Gaza would pose a risk to their security.

Source: Al-Jazeera

Qadri : Continued from pg 3 He did not specify what kind of changes he wanted in the electoral and political system, but kept shedding light on how the parliamentarians from feudal and capitalist families had been plundering national wealth and depriving the poor of their rights and their livelihoods. He said the entry of looters into parliament would be blocked.

While clarifying certain misgivings about his sudden return from over six years exile to launch a full-fledged movement that appeared to to be an attempt to postpone elections, Dr Qadri declared on oath that his movement was not part of the agenda of any secret agency of any country, and that he would be the first to speak out if the army ever tried to take over the country.

“My ultimatum is for all stakeholders of the present system, including the judiciary, armed forces, politicians, bureaucracy and common man, to sit together and decide necessary changes in the system within the specified time to ensure that all constitutional provisions governing the conduct of free, fair and impartial elections are implemented in letter and spirit.

“All I want is complete implementation of the Constitution, whether it takes more than 90 days to correct the rotten system, which is also allowed by the Constitution under article 254 that says the extra time taken to bring the system in line with the Constitution would not invalidate the move,” he said.

In his two-and-a-half-hour speech, Dr Qadri cited several articles of the Constitution which required honest, righteous and trustworthy people to contest elections that should be free, fair and independent. “But the parliamentarians coming from feudal and capitalist families had been violating the Constitution by loot and plunder, causing irreparable loss to the country and depriving the masses of their rights.”

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

PROTECTING CANADA’S DIVERSITY

Since the ‘pandemic of Islamophobia’ still haunts the naive world populace, it seems as if the menace is far from over. And, the selfish propagandists hardly miss out a chance whenever they can conveniently utilize the evil against those who practice Islam. Anyone having soft corner for the emotionally embattled community is not spared either.

Annually, a three day RIS convention (Reviving the Islamic Spirit) is arranged to facilitate dialogue within the community.

The moment Justin Trudeau announced his decision for addressing as a keynote speaker at the RIS convention in Toronto last Saturday, there came a shameful antiMuslim uproar from some politically motivated quarters. The scare tactics to deter away the young politician actually backfired, as the young man became reinforced with more determination on his part.

The narrow minded rivals began denouncing him ahead of his planned speech to the young Muslims. Originally, the website Point de Bascule started sub standard reporting about “Justin & the conference organisers.” The website Riposte Laique aided in building up the negative momentum.

Usually, the miscreants resort to insults, name calling and employing all fear mongering techniques when confronted with the bitter reality.

Instead of resolving the issues amicably, such goofs end up mudslinging. Unfortunately, the right wing biased media continuously targeted the young MP. Maybe, genetically Trudeau junior is a “charismatic leader still in the making.” Certainly, he always displays an above average intelligence to inspire his audience with logic.

On the contrary, his political rivals/fear mongers tend to be resorting to “negative criticism” at will; hence remain too retarded to perceive others’ opinions correctly.

At the RIS conference, Trudeau told a crowd of almost 20,000 participants that his critics attempted to tap into “fears and prejudices” that sap the acceptance of others.” It is short-sighted to pit groups of Canadians against one another. It may make some feel good for a little while, or even work politically in the short term, but it is no way to build a country,” Trudeau said in a keynote address. “It is not who we are.”

“They tried to appeal to people’s fears and prejudices, the very things that this gathering was founded to overcome.”

While making his speech at the conference, Justin claimed that the groups who did attack his decision to attend the gathering only worked to divide Canadians.

At the 11th annual conference, he tried to persuade the Muslim youths that a dialogue with the mainstream was the best way for making changes in a community and a nation.

Noteworthy: the previous keynote speakers at the annual event included late Jack Layton (NDP) and former police Chief Julian Fantino. And, last year Prime Minister Mr. Harper sent a congratulatory note and also issued certificates to each of the event’s speakers.

The problem is the presence of some malicious elements out there, who love to spread fear, hatred, and discontent. Such rascals will never accept a leader like Justin, because he went forward with a noble task of reaching out to strengthen diversity.

L E T T E R S

Children massacred at Sandy Hook Elementary School By: Gulshan Aalani Vancouver Our heartiest condolences to the victim families of the Children massacred at Sandy Hook Elementary School, by a disturbed, frustrated, lonely youth without the knowledge of ethics of life, living in the House full of Guns, Adam Lanza after killing his own Mother, School Children and teachers took his own life.

In this century of advanced education, modernity, freedom, the Guns, (& Bombs) killing, violence, are seen everywhere on the TV Screen, Toys, Video games Batman, Spiderman, live Wars on Afghanistan, Iraq etc. giving lessons and permission to kill whom you think are the bad guys. Also, the Guns, bombs, drugs and Alcohol are sold like Candies.

So what do we expect in this kind of Culture of false glory, enjoyment and entertainment?

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Thus, is there anything most horrendous and tragic than loosing our precious babies in the most evil ways, especially in the Schools?

One of the Mothers hugging her son exclaimed: “I don’t know how to explain insanity and evil to a five year old”.

Apparently, it is impossible to make the kids understand such evil including the most Cruel bullying in School and Cyber bullying, and in some cases the older generation too cyber bullying the Seniors with filthy language: but at least we can protect the Children from such Socio-paths that are increasing in our Society and find the strong positive solution to avoid another horrendous violence as Aurora, Oak Creek, Columbine or Newtown.

There are just two solutions: to remove the Toy and real GUNS from everywhere and Guide the Children to the path of AllahCreator-GOD and get the ‘Spiritual Help’, which automatically transforms the mind, body and soul.

However, 14c. ago mankind was warned about the worst time of anti-Christ antiGOD era, of trials and tribulations and one Founder : Nusrat Hussain Managing Editor: M. Naseer Pirzada Sub-Editors: Khadija, Misbah & Sabeeh Hon. Chief Editor & Urdu Editor Mohammad Rafiq Advertising : info@miraclenews.com Ph: 604-690-0400 Email: naseer@telus.net,

Justin Trudeau seems convinced that some conservatives were behind stirring up a controversy about his appearance there.

However, he was courageous enough to have fired back at his critics. This shows he is concerned and is interested in the diverse population of Canada’s youth.

Most certainly, his speech was for just strengthening the national unity and not for creating a divide among the Canadians through promoting hatred or intolerance.

Also, his fans are aware of his eloquence, articulation and wisdom, which are rarely noticed in many others. Thus, he is admirable for he seeks to bridge gaps among all Canadians to keep the country together.

During his speech, he also went deep into Canadian history, which centred on tolerance of diversity. He made a specific reference to the former Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier as he had struggled as a young man to bridge the fierce divide between English and French-Canadians. He mentioned about the constitutional protections such as guaranteed freedom for every group. “This broad, diverse middle class is Canada’s centre of gravity,” he said.

Generally speaking, the Canadians are at much ease with his common sense as well as his proven ability to connect with his audience. At the conference, he handled difficult questions straightforwardly with integrity and intelligence. So he deserves to be chosen as the next party leader.

Upon becoming leader of the Liberals, he would be willingly going for the needed changes to improve the Canadian politics.

Obviously, he is taking an interest in the diverse population of Canada’s youth.

Canada needs young leadership. He has

“the required will” to make Canada a better place to live.

Canada is a multi-cultural society, where various ethnic groups speaking different languages live, who should feel to practice religion of their choice.

Being a diverse country; we have to accommodate every member of the society without discrimination.

In other words, Canada will continue to remain a society consisting of people from a number of countries. Therefore, it has to be a home where everyone deserves to feel welcome.

Importantly, it’s about time for the Canadian Muslims and non-Muslims to unite against the “pandemic of Islamophobia,” to deal with the hate-crimes against the religion of Islam.

As the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau was good for the immigrants, Justin Trudeau is expected to follow his father’s footsteps by continuing where his father left off so many years ago.

By attending the conference, Justin has successfully shown his sincerity to the Muslim community of Canada. Like his father, he has great quality of leadership of course.

Bottom line is - for giving a good prime minister to our country, the Federal Liberals need a leader like “Justin Trudeau” to form the next government to restore Canada’s good reputation.

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

O P I N I O N S of the many sayings/Gospels of Messenger Muhammad SAWS mentioned: “people will kill innocents, not knowing why and what reasons they are killed”.

May Allah take care and protect all the Children and innocent mankind.

Hon. P.M: Dear Mr. Prime Minister By: Gulshan Aalani Human Rights Activist With due respect I like to make a very humble request to you to please contact Chief Theresa Spence of Attawapiskat First Nation, who is on a hunger strike since weeks now, which is very disturbing for all of us.

It doesn’t matter what you can or can’t do to help with their other problems but please insist that she finishes her hunger strike.

Keeping in mind this month, established as a sacred month of Christmas, which is for good deeds and presents, and not to increase the suffering of down trodden. We cannot have a Christmas dinner while she is distress and hungry.

Our first duty is to feed others first. So please take advantage of XMAS and contact her.

Please give her the best of the present and insist on finishing the hunger strike, and make her life as good as the following beautiful flowers.

That is the real Christmas Spirit. Thank you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year.

P.S. To support her I did fast on my Birthday on 26th Dec. and not eaten my Birthday cake until I finish my fasting.

At the same time I urge her to finish her hunger strike as she has very strongly made her point convincing many others.

IMPORTANT NOTE: We do not publish anonymous letters or the letters of the people who do not disclose their identity to ‘The Miracle.’ A writer can use a pen name or request ‘The Miracle’ to withhold his / her identity. Please include your daytime telephone number for the confirmation of your letter. We regret the inconvenience.

Editorial Board : Mr.Shums Jillani, Mr Aslam Hayat, Mr. Azhar Syed, Mr. Shams Siddiqui, M.A.L. Naumani, Mr Tariq Mian Graphic Design: Design Teams Copyright ® 2001 Miracle Media Group Inc. All Rights Reserved Printed in Canada

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

Phone: 604-690-0400 -Email: miraclenews@telus.net, info@miraclenews.com ,Website: www.miraclenews.com

Contents Editorial & Letters Int. News Local Politics Faith Special Health Sports Urdu

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

Jesus(A.S) in Islam

By: Sadullah Khan “Behold! the angels said: “O Mary! Allah gives you glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the Hereafter, he is of those nearest to Allah”; [Qur’an 3:45]

Belief in Prophets (May Allah’s Peace be upon all of them) Islam emphasizes the universality of the institution of prophethood. According to the Qur’an, there is not a single nation in the world to which a prophet has not appeared sometime in history: “There is not a people but a warner has gone among them” [Q35:24]. And again: “For every nation there is a messenger” [Q10:47] The Qur’an mentions about 25 of the Biblical Prophets by name [Q4:163] and we are further told that there have been prophets besides those mentioned in the Qur’an: “And We sent messengers We have mentioned to thee before, and messengers We have not mentioned to thee” [Q4:164] .

It is an Islamic article of Faith to believe ... in all Prophets; from Adam through Abraham, Moses, Jesus to Muhammad (peace be upon them) [Q2:184] all Prophets were models of excellence who were commissioned to guide humankind [Q2:213] the mission of Prophets was to establish justice for all [Q57:25] that Prophets were the embodiments of Righteousness; “And Zachariah, John, Jesus and Elijah; all of these were of the most Righteous.”

[Q6:85] It is an accepted fact in Islam that the struggle and legacy of the prophets (peace be upon them) serve as universal guides, excellent examples and as sources of hope and inspiration.

Status of Mar yam/Mary Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a prominent figure in Islam and the only woman mentioned by name in the Qur’an. The Qur’an upholds Mary as one of the four perfect examples of womanhood [Q66:12] . Mary is mentioned more times and more biographical information about her is contained in the Qur’an than in the entire New Testament.

The birth of Jesus Christ is described in twice in the Qur’an - chapter 3 and chapter 19. Reading from the beginning of his birth, we come across the story of Mary, and the esteemed position which she occupies in the House of Islam, before the actual annunciation of the birth of Jesus is made.

The Qur’anic account of Mary includes the pregnancy of her mother, Mary’s birth and the annunciations of the coming birth of Jesus: “Remember how she preserved her chastity, into whom We breathed a life from Us, and made her and her son a token for humankind” [Q21:91]. The Qur’an teaches that Mary is to be revered because she completely submitted herself to God’s will, even

though it meant that her own family would accuse her of unchastity when it was discovered that she was pregnant [Q19:16-21] .

The mother of Jesus (peace be upon them) is accorded highest respect and considered as among the most noble in the estimation of Allah. [Q3:33] Behold! the angels said: O Mary! Allah has chosen you and purified you, chosen you above the women of all nations.” [Q3:42] The entire chapter 19 titled Maryam/Mary in the Qur’an and another (chapter 3) is titled Al-’Imran after the family of Mary.

Jesus /’Isa referred to 9 times in the Qur’an as ‘Isa and 16 times as ‘Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus son of Mary) Mary is considered chaste, virtuous, receiver of God’s spirit, a testimony to the veracity of God’s message and piously obedient [Q66:11]

Uniqueness of Jesus (pbuh)

1. The Qur’an records Jesus as an infant verbally defending Mary’s innocence [Q19:2735]. In Surah 19:27-34, Jesus speaks from the cradle to state his mission. Jesus said, “I am indeed a servant of Allah Who has given me revelation and made me a prophet.”

2. The Qur’an [Q5:110] also reports that Jesus formed a bird out of clay, and blew into it, and it came to life and flew away.

This last miracle is not recorded in the canonical New Testament but does appear in the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas.

It must be remembered that all miracles / mu’jizah performed by prophets (pbuh) are done through the agency of the prophets but by the power and authority of God. Jesus’ miracles too are considered basically in the line of his being a prophet and in God’s enabling and permitting him to do so. The Qur’an thus stresses the fact that the miracles of Jesus were performed by the permission and power of God [Q5:110] .

Hadith no: 518 Narrated / Authority of: Anas bin Malik Allah’s Apostle (SAW) said, “There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him.” there is no theological need for the all-atoning sacrifice of Jesus through his crucifixion and resurrection. Muslims further believe that each person will be held accountable before God for his/her own actions and thus responsible for their own salvation. Therefore, we will not be able to rely upon anyone else, not even Jesus or Muhammad, to save us from our sins. Sins are those acts we deliberately incur by our choice of actions, we are responsible and hence personally accountable. In Islam there is no notion of redemption for one’s sin by another. Each one is accountable for himself/herself [Q99:7-8] and for each person according to his/her personal striving [Q2:286] .

Jesus is ...

Jesus denied by some as a fictional character, accused of being an illegitimate child by some, misconceived as divine by many; considered as a Prophet and Messiah in Islam. People do have differing perspectives on Jesus’ life and teachings, but his spiritual legacy, as a righteous and principled guide, his mission as a Prince of Peace offers an alternative opportunity for people of faith to recognize their shared religious heritage.

Allah bears testimony to the truthfulness of Jesus; his mission, character, status and his very being. “Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: a statement of truth, about which people dispute.” [Q19:34].

All sincere ones would do well to reflect on the verse in the Quran reaffirming Islam’s eternal message of spiritual unity:

Virgin birth -The Qur’an gives an account of the birth of Jesus in chapter 3. Mary is No Easter Commemoration described as being a virgin, chosen by God, Millions of Christians commemorate the and considered with great honor. “Behold! crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus (pbuh), the angels said: O Mary! Allah gives you and this begs the question that if Jesus is imglad tidings of a Word from Him: his name portant to Muslims, why do Muslims then will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary.” not commemorate Easter. Though Muslims [Q3:45] . Verse 47 relates the response of accept Jesus (pbuh) as a great prophet, reand to Mary, “She said: O my Lord! How vere his exemplary mother Mary, and beshall I have a son when no man has touched lieve that Jesus is the Messiah; Muslims me? He said: ‘Even so: Allah creates what do not accept the major concepts that are He wills: When He has decreed a plan, central to the commemoration of the Easter He merely says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is!” The weekend. Among these concepts are...

Qur’an thus affirms and Muslims believe Divine Incarnation and Trinity [Q4:171] that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary. The [Q112:1-4] -Allah is ONE in an absolute birth is seen as a sign (ayah) of Allah’s pow- sense, no one shares in His Lordship nor in er and as a miraculous event. And Muslims His divinity; nothing is equal or comparable have a high regard also for Mary. However, to God. This is in keeping with the comthe Qur’an presents Jesus as the son of Mary mand, “and Jesus answered him, the first and not as the Son of God, a significant of all the commandment is, Hear, O Israel; The LORD our God is One LORD.” [Mark point particularly emphasized.

Like Adam (pbuh) -Though the unique birth 12:29]. In promoting a great human such as of Jesus with one parent is no indication of Jesus (pbuh) to divinity, does not elevate Jedivinity just as Adam’s creation was without sus as much as it minimizes the concept of the divine; is not making the finite infinite as any parentage [Q3:59] .

Messiah -It is obvious that Jesus holds an much as making the perfect imperfect; not exalted place within Islam. Some of the an elevation of Jesus, but rather a devaluahonorable epithets of Jesus (pbuh) men- tion of the Divine. tioned in the Qur’an are ... prophet / nabi, Crucifixion -Christ, according to Muslim messenger of God / rasul, of the Righteous belief, did NOT die on a cross [Q4:157] but / min-as-salihin, word of Allah / kalimatu- was rather elevated by Allah and saved from “Say: ‘We believe in God and the revelaLlah), spirit from God / ruhun mina’ Llah, being killed [Q4:158]. tion given to us and to Abraham, Ishmapositive sign/symbol for humanity / aayatun Resurrection -Not having died, Jesus could el, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and meslin- naas, mercy from God / rahmatan min- NOT have been resurrected [Q4:156]. sage given to Moses and Jesus, and that na, the son of Mary / ibne Maryam, eminent Inherited Sinfulness [Q2:285] -Babies are given to all Prophets from their Lord. We in this world and the next / wajihan fid-du- born pure and no one is born bearing the sin make no distinction between any of them, nya wal-aakhirah, and most unique of all... of any one and no one bears the burden of and it is unto Him that we surrender ouranother [Q17:15] . the Messiah / masih. selves.” [Q2:136] Miracles -The Qur’an speaks of Jesus pos- Redemption / Atonement -Muslims do not sessing intellect and eloquence in childhood believe in the doctrine of OriginalSin, so [Q19:30] and documents some of Jesus’ miracles, including curing the sick, restoring the sight of the blind and reviving the dead, with God’s From Dec 28, 2012- Jan 11, 2013 (Safar 15-29, 1434H) permission [Q5:110] .

The Qur’an specifically mentions Isha Safar JJuNov Day Fajar Sunr Zawal Dhuhr Asar Maghrib two miracles which the Bible does 5:55 Fri 6:35 15 Dec 28 8:05 12:14 12:19 2:35 4:25 not contain;

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

29 30 31 Jan 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11

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

6:35 6:36 6:36 6:36 6:36 6:35 6:35 6:35 6:35 6:35 6:35 6:34 6:34 6:34

8:05 8:06 8:06 8:06 8:06 8:05 8:05 8:05 8:05 8:05 8:05 8:04 8:04 8:04

12:14 12:15 12:15 12:16 12:17 12:17 12:17 12:18 12:18 12:19 12:19 12:19 12:20 12:20

12:19 12:20 12:20 12:21 12:22 12:22 12:22 12:23 12:23 12:24 12:24 12:24 12:25 12:25

2:36 2:37 2:38 2:38 2:39 2:39 2:40 2:41 2:42 2:44 2:45 2:46 2:48 2:49

4:26 4:27 4:28 4:28 4:29 4:29 4:30 4:31 4:32 4:34 4:35 4:37 4:38 4:39

5:56 5:57 5:58 5:58 5:59 5:59 6:00 6:01 6:02 6:04 6:05 6:07 6:08 6:09

For such Prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times: Quran ,n 4:103 Source: BCMA

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

f a i t h

Dealing with Loss

By: Abida Aura Mustafa Whether through death, loss, or disagreement, when we lose someone or something dear to us, we become overwhelmed by the pangs of grief; the pain of loss feels overbearing as though it would never end. Having to face the consequences of detachment can be a traumatic experience. All we can think of is the pain enshrouding our hearts and consuming our minds. With tears streaming down our faces, our faces contorted with emotion and our hearts too feeling as though a heavy burden has landed-the misery takes a hold of us and, blinded by our tears, we fail to see the light.

But there is a light; a light to behold even in the darkest corner of the earth, even in the murkiest depths of the ocean. We don’t have to drown in the quicksand of trauma. Nothing and nobody by Allah’s Will has the ability to overpower the underlying depth of: Inna lilLahi wa inna ilayhi raji`oon.

Verily, unto God do we belong and, verily, unto Him we shall return.

When we actually give some time and thought to reflect upon the words which constitute this statement, we come to realize that there is an extremely powerful and truthful message behind it-an answer to all our questions, grief and emotions.

This profound phrase captures the essence of our entire existence; it encapsulates where we came from and also where we are headed: Allah Talha Understanding the statement has the ability to eradicate regrets and past events. It holds the key to finding contentment during those times when we think, ‘Why did that have to happen?’ We can become immersed in questioning, and drown in the misery of relentless searching for the answer...Or we can discover patience by asserting that regardless of whatever has occurred, we will indeed return to Allah .

When we truly understand the meaning of inna lilLahi wa inna ilayhi raji`oon, we find that no sadness will last forever, and that we shouldn’t destroy ourselves by holding even the slightest bitterness or anger within us. By understanding that Allah is the One, the only One to Whom we belong, we should be able to move on from painful moments in our life (which we should assert as not being able to occur except that Allah willed for it to be) and strive for our goal of meeting Him. There should be no space for bitterness or anger when one truly comprehends the deep truthfulness of this phrase, and we should be able to forgive those who have intentionally or unintentionally wronged us because we know that Allah alone holds all sovereignty and that even our emotions belong to Him. By forgiving ourselves and others, by showing sabr (patience) in the face of death or

loss, and by aspiring for Allah’s Mercy and Judgment, we open ourselves to a whole new level of understanding ourselves in the context of space and time. We can understand

by His Will that Allah is all that matters, and everything else in this dunya (current life, world) is a means for us to reach Him because we want to be able to See Him at the end, for without a doubt we will have to return to Him. ‘Inna’ meaning ‘verily’ tells us that with certainty we belong to Allah , that is, He Created us and bestowed on us our beginning without a doubt. ‘Inna’ occurs twice in this phrase, providing an emphasis on the certainty of Allah’s Ever-Lasting existence, emphasizing the certainty of our beginning AND our end. So Allah is Al-Awwal (the Beginning, the First) and Al-Akhir (the End, the Last). Al-Awwal ul Akhir (The EverLasting) is the source of light in every single moment of despair, hardship, and difficulty where our tears and grief blind us. Instead of allowing or hearts and souls to become blinded by the darkness of sadness, we can train ourselves in times of positive feelings and negative feelings to find contentment in Allah’s Decree, for nothing happens without His decreeing it.

Allah tells us in Surah Baqarah, verses 155156: And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirun (the patient). Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: “Verily! To Allah we belong and verily, to Him we shall return.” (Qur’an 2:155-156) This is our Lord, the One Who Created us when we were nothing, telling us in His Divine Book-tanzil (sent down) to humans and jinn as a dhikr (reminder) - that He will definitely test us with trials, but that He has Promised reward for those who are patient.

And how do we be ‘patient’ in the face of turmoil?

Just as Allah has created tests involving struggle, risk and loss, Allah has also told us how to approach these tests; He has revealed to us that the patient are those who, when afflicted with calamity, say, “Inna lilLahi wa inna ilayhi raji`oon.” In His infinite Mercy, Allah has allowed for relief to accompany difficulty. This also shows us that the losses and difficulties won’t last forever, and that everything which we regard as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ in the dunya is of temporal nature.

No pain or grief or disagreement can last forever, but with certainty, Allah lasts forever and from Him we came to be and it is to Him we will with certainty return.

This means that the events which take place in this dunya are mere moments. We become so consumed by our grief that we fail to see that al-Qahhar (the Conqueror, the EverDominating) has provided us with light and

that even in the most difficult times, Allah provides ease with hardship.

Upon coming to terms with the truth and power imbued in inna lilLahi wa inna ilayhi raji`oon and proceeding to integrate this magnificent statement into each moment of your daily life, when you are faced with any minor or major losses, you will see a whole new world of contentment and serenity opened up to you, insha’Allah (God willing).

The trials faced by Umm Salamah , may God be pleased with her, teach us important lessons about how to handle tests, loss and situations in which we do not get something we had hoped for. Her approach towards calamity shows us what it means to be patient in the face of adversity and to recognize that Allah will always restore what He takes away from a patient believer with something better.

All is NOT lost.

The beautiful way in which she approached her afflictions reminds us to rely on Allah and to never despair for He is Able to do anything at any moment; Allah is our Provider, and when we are struck by loss, and things don’t go the way we want them to, Allah is Ever-Watching and He is the Best of planners. Umm Salamah’s first husband was Abu Salamah , may God be pleased with him, who returned to Allah during Jumada Al-Akhir in the fourth year after Hijra, after receiving wounds in the Battle of Uhud.

His passing from this dunya resulted in grief for she had loved him sincerely; nonetheless, Umm Salamah did not fail to turn to Allah .

Heartbroken by his departure, she remained steadfast in her relationship with Allah and supplicated to Him for our Rabb (Lord) is Al Mughni-the Enricher, the One Who satisfies the necessities of His Creation. In her griefstricken state as she wondered who could possibly be better than Abu Salamah, she supplicated: inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji`oon; Allahumma ajirni fi musibati wa akhlif li khayran minha ‘Verily, we belong to Allah and verily, unto Him shall we return. O Allah! Reward me for the calamity that has befallen me and grant me better than it.’

Allah then answered her du`aa (supplication) by giving her the Messenger himself!

In Shawwal of the same year in which Abu Salamah returned to Allah , the Messenger of Allah married her. Thus, because of her patience and acknowledgement that we belong to Allah and unto him we return, Allah compensated her with reward and recompensed

her loss. Allah alleviated her and answered her question, “Who is better than Abu Salamah?” by blessing her with our beloved Messenger .

This legacy speaks volumes of the reward and relief Allah grants to those who are patient, and those who have tawwakul (reliance) on Allah to replace what is taken away from the believer who lives with patience.

What we are provided with is His to give and take, and it is in acknowledging that He is the Owner of all that we are able to see through loss and hardship, and witness blessings.

If you are facing any trial in the present, know that Allah provides ease and that the cure is with you by Allah’s Will. Reflect on, and realize that none other than Allah Knows best about what adversity or struggle you are going through for Allah is the One Who tested you with such, and on no soul does He place more than that which it can bear-Allah is closer to you than your jugular vein, than your own self, and so He Knows what you are feeling. The next time you are faced with a grief or loss, or even happiness and blessing from Allah , by uttering, comprehending and believing that our final destination is Allah - the end is essential for our eternal blissthrough making Allah the means to Him, glimpses of light make their way through your feeling of loss.

For each time that you submit to Allah alone by not only uttering inna lilLahi wa inna ilayhi raji`oon but by understanding it and feeling its essence in your heart and limbs through acknowledging Allah’s Power, you will not only be rewarded insha’Allah but Allah will return His favors and blessings upon you for submitting to His Will with sabr (patience). Like Umm Salamah , place your trust in Him to get you through any manifestation of loss, however slight or major you may consider it to be, and trust Allah to answer your supplications, for no du`aa is lost.

No distress or loss is too difficult to deal with when we know Allah , and place our trust in Him to get us through everything, whether we consider the moments as good or bad. No distress or loss is too difficult to deal with when we acknowledge and apply that we certainly belong to Allah, and we certainly return to Him. Source: SuhaibWebb

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

76th birthday of Prince Karim Agha Khan IV celebrated

The 76th birthday (13 December 2012) of spiritual leader of Ismailis, Prince Karim Agha Khan, was celebrated throughout Pakistan with zeal and fervor.

Candles were lighted in the Ismaili community centres to observe the sanctity of Muharram-ul-Haram, while the Ismailis prayed for the peace, prosperity and safety of Pakistan. Prince Karim Agha Khan is 49th Imam of Ismaili sect and also head of the Agha Khan Foundation and Agha Khan Development Network contributing to many humanitarian and social service projects undergoing in the country. Prince Karim Aga Khan welcomes appointment of new envoy to Paris.

Prince Karim Aga Khan calls on President Zardari of Pakistan Prince Karim Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Ismaili community, called on President Asif Ali Zardari here at Hotel Plaza Athenee.

He congratulated the President and the Government of Pakistan on organizing, along with UNESCO (ceremony for Malala Yousafzai), a high level event for the promotion of education in Pakistan.

The President appreciated the services of Prince Karim Aga Khan across the world particularly for the people of Pakistan in the education sector, poverty eradication, women empowerment and socio-economic

development of the poor strata of society.

The President wished Prince Karim Aga Khan long life, good health and prosperity. The President also invited him to visit Pakistan at his convenience.

Prince Karim Aga Khan has welcomed the appointment of Ghalib Iqbal as Pakistan’s ambassador to France. The Prince who is based in Paris and maintains close liaison with the community and Pakistanis felicitated Ghalib Iqbal who had a chance meeting with him during his trip to Paris. Prince Karim Aga Khan who has long acquaintance with Ghalib Iqbal expressed the hope that his posting in Paris would be greatly benefit Pakistan.

Ghalib Iqbal thanked the Prince and said he would try his best to serve the country.

Countries Where His Highness The Aga Khan Has Received Honours Over the past five decades,he has been honored by numerous awards and prizes, decorations, titles, honorary citizenship and honorary degrees, in recognition of the various dimensions of his work, including from the governments and institutions of the following countries:

Shabnam Khan - Family Counsellor You may be doing so many things in your life on a daily basis. How many of them are you doing because you have to, and how many because you like to do them? Meaningis the end result of purpose. Meaning is the payoff for living a purposeful life.

Meaning is what we center our lives around. It is core to our reason for being.

But you need to know first what is meaningful to you? What is important to you?

If you have many uncertainties in your life, you will be going in circles as there will be no direction to where you are going. If you don’t know where you’re going, you’re not likely to get there and even if you do get there, chances are that you’ll be lost.

In the same way, intention is the determination that leads to an outcome. If the outcome isn’t what we expect, we can make changes along the way. We can always try again!

Intention will give you a roadmap to en-

1. Bahrain 2. Canada 3. Comoros 4. Côte d’Ivoire 5. Egypt 6. England 7. France 8.

Germany 9. Iran 10. Italy 11. Kazakhstan 12. Kenya 13. Kyrgyzstan 14. Lebanon 15. Mali 16. Malagasy Republic 17. Mauritania 18. Morocco 19. Ireland 20.

Pakistan 21. Portugal 23. Scotland 24. Senegal 25. Spain 26. Sweden 27.

Tajikistan 28. Tanzania 29. Upper Volta 30. United Kingdom 31. United States of America 32. Uzbekistan 33. Wales 34.

Zanzibar (now part of Tanzania).

ICNA Relief Canada’s (IRC) Board has approved a budget of CDN $2.34 M for our International Projects planned for the year 2013. This will be in addition to our on-going Zabiha/ Udhiya / Qurbani & Zakat-ul-Fitr campaigns.

Also as promised, IRC’s Board has approved CDN $1.1 M to establish a Shelter Home for Homeless and Abused Women in the Toronto area. This shelter is planned to open during the first quarter of 2013, In Shaa Allah. Please stay tuned for further details!

IRC has also launched some new Domestic Programs during 2012 including a Free Matrimonial Service, a Funeral (Janaza) Support Fund, a Seniors Support Program and a Foster Parenting Program. These programs are currently only available in the GTA, but will be available in other cities across Canada in the near future, InshaaAllah.

Please donate for one or more of our projects and help us continue to service Humanity on your behalf! You may also make your 2012 year-end donations by Dec 31st, 2012 and receive a Tax Deductible Receipt in Feb 2013.

Jazakum Allahu Khayran for your continued help and support!

Thanks & Regards: M. Yahya Mansoori Chairperson - Board of Directors, ICNA Relief Canada

Afghani : Continued from pg 4 also indirectly sanctions similar behaviour by other US troops in other combat zones, “where you have sergeant Bales killing sixteen Afghans, you have this incident of marines urinating on the bodies of the Taliban and you have the issue of Karan being burned on a military base. Afghanis are outraged about these things.”

Source: RT.com

gage in your world meaningfully, so intend to do something specific. The more specific you are, the better it is for you. Just like when you plan an event. You have to have a date. You have to call everyone. You have to have a venue and so on. Intention is a desire to do something of significance with a direction and the resources to carry it out.

Doing things that you like to do, things that makes you happy are things you should give attention to everyday. Even if this is only for 30 minutes to an hour, you have to do this for yourself. Being responsible for yourself, being their for yourself, listening to yourself, nurturing yourself and engaging yourself so that you can go out and do things for other people you value. You first have to take care or yourself so that you are capable of taking care of others.

There will be a lot of challenges that will come along, but you can surely overcome them,particularly if you commit yourself to doing what it takes to live a beautiful, fulfilling life. Everyone of us makes mistakes and they are often a lot of regrets.

Forgiveness comes when you say, “I made a mistake. I learnt a lot. I’m smarter and wiser. I won’t do that one again. Let’s move on.” shabnam@skcounselling.ca

HAMED YAYAH 604-716-6450 www.realestatehamed.com hamedyayah27@hotmail.com Omax Realty Ltd. 9287, 120 St., Delta, BC. V4C 6R8

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ICNA Relief Canada’s (IRC) Public Announcement

weapons.” Chamblin waived his right to a jury and pleaded guilty to the charges, for which he was sentenced to 30 days’ imprisonment, a reduction in rank by three grades and a $2,000 fine. However, the initial sentence will be reduced by a marine general to a $500 fine and one grade reduction in rank, based on a plea agreement. Wright argues that the behaviour of both the marines and the court which judged them will enrage the local population in the war-torn country. It

Put Meaning Into Your Life

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Good family business. Grocery store with walkin cooler and freezers and much more.

Established business. Located in Great location

AMAZING PRICE $120,000 #36 1170 LANSDOWNE DR, COQUITLAM

Immac, end unit 2-level fully renovated 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom with big private backyard. Awesome quality complex-PERFECT for the growing family. Large kitchen with extra eating area. This fine unit has it all... new paint, fixtures,flooring, Fully renovated bathroom... too long to list - you MUST see! Very functional and well laid out plan with large rooms, Walk to shopping, schools, transit, good for commuters... all round BEST buy in the area. Call today - as this will sell fast.

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5277 sqft. of light commercial land located in high traffic area.

The property has redevelopment potential for a more intensive commercial use. Currently building is being used as an appliances sales / repair facility. (Ray’s Appliances Service Centre) Owner would like to sell property with business which includes all inventory / goodwill. Approx. $200,000 worth of parts and appliances.

23/11

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

PCCA Commemorates Quaid-e-Azam Day & Wished Christians Community

On December 23, The Pakistani Canadian Cultural Association (PCCA) celebrated Quaid e Azam Day and wished Christian community on the upcoming Christmas Day. Tanveer Chaudhry conducted this beautiful evening in Beer Creak Park community Centre Surrey.

After the recitation of holy Quran, young Ali Haseeb Waraich delivered a beautiful speech in English focusing the biography of Quaid e Azam and his struggle for Pakistan. A group of 6 kids gave a presentation based on Allama Iqbal’s famous poem “Lab pa Ati ha Duaa ban ka Tamanna Meri” which was prepared by Sr. VP Ch. Talib Hussain and others. PCCA media director Ifthikar Gumman thanked everyone at their presence in this community hall to tribute Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam. Tanvir Chaudhry also congratulated PCCA President Naveed Wara-

ich on his nomination for Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Award. He then invited Naveed Waraich to say a few words. Waraich congratulated everyone on the occasion of Quaid birth Day. He also highlighted PCCA’s past and present achievements and told about future plans.

A special Duaa was made by Naseer Pirzada for all local community and Pakistan and people of Pakistan. Emmanuel Cheema, Minister at Asian Christ Church of Canada was also invited to honor Christmas with PCCA.Mr. Cheema delivered a message in his Duaa to all Communities. He sang few Ghazals of Ghulam Ali’s with Mr. Amandeep Singh (on Tabla) and his son (on Keyboard). After the delicious potluck dinner, another musician Mr. Shahid Hussain(Keyboard) and Mr. Israr Khan (on Rubab) entertained the audience till midnight.

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

Newborn and Children Circumcision (Khatna) Dr. Kim-Sing is a practicing Pediatrician in Burnaby with over 20 years of experience.

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

How should a Muslimah Treat Her Sisters In Islam?

1. She loves them for the sake of Allah This is a love untainted by any worldly interests or ulterior motives. True sisterly love is a relationship whose purity is derived from the light of Islamic guidance (Dr. Muhammad A. al-Hashimi). It is a bond that links a Muslims to her sister regardless of geographical origins, ethnicity, skin color, hair form, eye shape, or language. (It is) a bond based upon faith in Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) Who is greater than all our little petty divisions.

“The Believers are but a single brotherhood….” [Al-Hujuraat 49:10] A love which is an expression of the sweetness of faith: “There are three things that whoever attains them will find the sweetness of faith: if Allah and His Messenger are dearer to him than anyone else; if he loves a person solely for the sake of Allah; if he would hate to return to kufr after Allah has rescued him from it, as much as he would hate be thrown into the Fire.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] So this is not love for the sake of status, notoriety, or fame. It is a love that requires a clean heart, a light heart, a soft and pliable heart.

In the hadeeth of Mu’adh reported by atTirmidhi, the Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam) said: “Allah said: `Those who love one another for My glory, will have minbars of light, and the Prophets and martyrs will wish that they had the same” [hasan saheeh hadeeth] This kind of love is the only way to eliminate hatred, jealousy, and rivalry from peoples hearts.

2. She shows them kindness, faithfulness, and equity The importance of kindness is mentioned hundreds of times in the Qur’aan! Islam instills in its followers the characteristic of kindness and faithfulness towards one’s friends, including the parents of one’s friends. The seerah is filled with examples of kindness and faithfulness among the early believers. If you remember the story concerning our mother `Aaisha (radiallahu `anhaa) who used to become upset with Rasoolullah (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam) because he used to extend himself to the friends of his late first wife, Khadijah (radiallahu `anhaa). He (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam) spoke highly of Khadijah (radiallahu `anhaa) and sometimes he would slaughter a sheep and send a large portion to Khadijah’s friends.

3. She meets them with a warm, friendly, smiling face In Muslim it is reported our beloved Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam) said: “Do not think little of any good deed, even if it is just greeting your brother with a cheerful coun-

tenance.”

The act of smiling actually stimulates the secretion of certain chemicals (endorphins) that increase our sense of well-being.

“Your smiling at your brother is an act of charity (sadaqah)” [reported by at-Tirmidhi who said it is hasan gharib) 4. She is sincere towards them Sincerity is one of the most basic principles of Islam and a central foundation of the faith. Without sincerity, a sister’s faith is invalid and her Islam is worthless. When the first believers gave allegiance (bay’ah) to the Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam), they pledged their sincerity. This is confirmed by the statement of Jarir ibn `Abdullah (radiallahu `anhu): “I gave allegiance to the Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam) and pledged to observe regular prayer, to pay zakat and to be sincere towards every Muslim.” [Agreed upon] Furthermore, our beloved Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam) said: “None of you truly believes until he likes for his brother what he likes for himself” [Agreed upon] It is impossible to do this without sincerity.

5. She does not forsake or abandon her sister(s) The religion that calls for love, continued contact, and mutual affection is also the religion (Islam) that has forbidden sisters in faith to hate or abandon one another. It is reported by al-Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad: “No two people who love one another for the sake of Allah, or for the sake of Islam, will let the first minor offense of either of them come between them.”

This hadith and others tell us that prolonged estrangement from our sister is not acceptable. The longer the estrangement lasts (3 days or more) the greater the sin and the more severe is the punishment that will befall the two who are split by the dispute.

Reconciliation among sisters-in-Islam is encouraged and the better of the two (disputing) Muslimahs is the first to give salaam.

The Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam) said: “There should be no breaking off of ties, no turning away from one another, no hating one another, and no envying one another. Be brothers, as Allah has commanded you.” [Muslim] The great Sahabi Abu Darda (radiallahu ‘anhu) used to say: “Shall I not tell you about something that is better for you than charity and fasting? Reconcile between your brothers, for hatred diminishes reward.” (reported by al-Bukhari in Ad-Adab al-Mufrad) 6. She is tolerant and forgiving towards them

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Sometimes it seems so easy to become angry with our sisters in Islam about just about anything. However, the true Muslim restrains her anger and is quick to forgive her sister, and does not see any shame in doing so. Rather, she recognizes this as a good dead that can bring her closer to Allah and earn her His love which He bestows only on those who do good: “…[those] who restrain anger and pardon (all) men – for Allah loves those who do good.” [Al-`Imran 3:134]

8. She avoids arguing with them, making hurtful jokes, and breaking promises It is reported by al-Bukhari in al-Adab alMufrad that our Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam) said: “Do not argue with your brother, do not joke excessively with him, do not make a promise to him then break it.”

Arguing leads to further misunderstanding, rigidity, and is an easy opening for Iblis; hurtful jokes often lead to hatred and loss of respect; and breaking promises upset people

7. She does not gossip about or backbite them The believing woman does not gossip about or backbite her sisters in Islam. She knows that gossip is haraam as the Qur’an says: “…. Nor speak ill of each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, you would abhor it. But fear Allah: for Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.” [al-Hujuraat 49:12] The believing woman restrains her tongue and speaks only good of her sister, remembering the words of the Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam): “Do you know what gossip is? They said, `Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said, `It is your saying about your brother something which he dislikes.”

He was asked, `What do you think if what I say about my brother is true?’ He said, `If it is true then you have gossiped about him and if it not true then you have slandered him.” [Muslim] Being two-faced is an aspect of this. In fact the two-faced person is regarded as being one of the worst people in the sight of Allah. Our beloved Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam) said: “You will find among the worst people in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection, the one who is twofaced, who approaches some people in one way and others in another.” [al-Bukhari & Muslim]

and destroys love. We need to learn to be able to “back off” to not have the final say, to sometimes just “agree to disagree” until the matter can be resolved by someone with more knowledge. The kind of posturing and gesticulation that poisons so many disagreements is leftover jahl (ignorance). We need to run away from this.

9. She is generous and self-sacrificing The Muslimah prefers friendship with a Muslim over the non-Muslim. The bond of common belief forms the foundation for generosity, a basic Islamic characteristic.

We are entreated by Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aalaa) to be “… lowly [or humble] with the believers, mighty against the kafirun …” [al-Maidah 5:54] 10. She prays for her sisters in their absence The sincere Muslimah who truly likes for her sister what she likes for herself does not forget to pray for her sister in her absence.

This is a practical demonstration of sisterly love and care. A sincere, pure prayer of this kind is the kind most quickly answered. It is reported by al-Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad that “The quickest prayer to be answered is a man’s supplication for his brother in his absence.”

11. She encourages her sisters in all that is pleasing to Allah

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JANUARY • January - Ramifications of the Arab Spring continued to be felt in Libya.

Although Gaddafi was toppled in 2011,

loyalists to the former dictator retook the town of Bani Walid and had to be once more defeated. There were positive steps forward for Libya in 2012, with the first free national elections for 60 years held in July, and Gaddafi’s much feared former spy chief finally taken into custody in September.

• January 10-Pir Pagara, 83, Pakistani politician and spiritual leader, dies of heart attack.

•January 23-Iran–European Union relations: The European Union adopts an embargo against Iran in protest of that nation’s continued effort to enrich uranium.

FEBRUARY: • February 1-At least 79 people were killed and more than 1,000 were injured after a football match in Port Said, Egypt.

• February 6-The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II marks the 60th anniversary of her accession to the thrones of the

United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and the 60th anniversary of her becoming Head of the Commonwealth.

•February 21-Greek government debt crisis: Eurozone finance ministers reach an agreement on a second, €130-billion Greek bailout.

• February 27-Arab Spring: As a result of ongoing protests, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh is succeeded by Vice President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Al-Hadi.

• February - things a took turn for the worse in Afghanistan, with U.S. led NATO forces trying to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people, ahead of the proposed withdrawal of foreign troops by the end of 2014.

• February - Copies of The Koran were somehow burned at a U.S. base near Kabul, leading thousands of angry Afghans to take to the streets chanting “Death to America”.

MARCH: • March 4- A series of explosions are reported at a munitions dump in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo, with at least 250 people dead.

• March 13-After 244 years since its first

Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

publication, the Encyclopædia Britannica discontinues its print edition.

• March 17 - Two large explosions rocked the capital city of Damascus. The originally peaceful uprising against President Assad’s brutal regime turned into a bloody

civil war, and as the conflict entered its second year, rebels were still without the kind of Western backing seen previously in Libya.

• March 22-The President of Mali, Amadou Toumani Touré, is ousted in a coup d’état after mutinous soldiers attack government offices.

APRIL: • April 6-The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad unilaterally declares the independence of Azawad from Mali.

• April 13-Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3, a North Korean Earth observation satellite, explodes shortly after launch. The United States and other countries had called the

impending launch a violation of United Nations Security Council demands. The launch was planned to mark the centenary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, the founder of the republic.

• April 12 - UN sponsored ceasefire went into effect in Syria. However, the truce was short-lived and the bloodshed soon continued.

• April 29-Shukri Ghanem, Prime Minister of Libya (2003–2006) (b. 1942)died MAY: • May 16 - Former Bosnian Serb army commander Ratko Mladic was formally charged with genocide and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal

Court. Mladic is accused of commanding the 1995 massacre of up to 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica.

JUNE: • June 22 - Raja Pervaiz Ashraf is elected

as Prime Minister of Pakistan, following the disqualification of Yousaf Raza Gillani over a contempt of court conviction by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

JULY: • July 27 – 2012 Olympic Games opened with a spectacular opening ceremony in

the Olympic Stadium in London • July 30-31-In the worst power outage in world history, the 2012 India blackouts leave 620 million people without power.

AUGUST: • August 6-Curiosity, the Mars Science Laboratory mission’s rover, successfully lands on Mars.

• August 25 – Neil Armstrong, American astronaut (b. 1930) died.

SEPTEMBER: • September 7-Canada officially cuts diplomatic ties with Iran by closing its embassy in Tehran and ordered the expulsion of Iranian diplomats from Ottawa, over support for Syria, nuclear plans and human rights abuses.

• September 11-Garment factory fires in the Pakistani cities of Karachi and Lahore kill 315 and seriously injure more than 250.

• September 11-27-A series of terrorist attacks are directed against United States diplomatic missions worldwide, as well as diplomatic missions of Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. In the US, opinions are divided over whether the attacks are a reaction to a Youtube trailer for the film Innocence of Muslims. In Libya, among the dead is US ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.

• September - Series of violent protests across the Muslim world sparked by a film

produced in the United States that insulted the Prophet Mohammad. Some of the most violent protests were in the Pakistani cities of Karachi and Islamabad. In Egypt protesters scaled the walls of the U.S. embassy in Cairo on September 11 and pulled down the American flag during one such demonstration.

OCTOBER: • October 9, Taliban gunmen in Pakistan shot and seriously wounded a 14-year-old schoolgirl who rose to fame for speaking out against the militants • October 24-30 -Hurricane Sandy kills at least 209 people in the Caribbean, Bahamas, United States and Canada. Consider-

able storm surge damage causes major disruption to the eastern seaboard of the United States.

NOVEMBER: • November 14-21-Israel launches Operation Pillar of Defense against the Palestinian-governed Gaza Strip, killing Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari. In the following week 140 Palestinians and five Israelis are killed in an ensuing cycle of violence.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is announced by Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after the week-long escalation in hostilities in Southern Israel and the Gaza Strip.

• November 25-December 2-Typhoon Bopha, known as “Pablo” in the Philippines, kills at least 1020 with around 844 people still missing. The typhoon caused considerable damage in the island of Mindanao.

• November 27 - Forensic experts took samples from Yasser Arafat’s buried corpse. Attempting to determine if he was murdered by Israeli agents using the hard-to-trace radioactive poison, Polonium.

Palestinians witnessed the funeral of their hero and long-time leader eight years ago, but conspiracy theories surrounding his death have never been laid to rest.

• November 29-The UN General Assembly approves a motion granting Palestine nonmember observer state status.

• November 30-I. K. Gujral, 12th Prime Minister of India (b. 1919) died.

• November 22 - Protesters in Cairo were back in Tahrir Square in late November in scenes reminiscent of the Arab Spring protest in 2011 after President Mohamed Mursi issued a decree assuming sweeping powers and announcing a referendum on a new constitution.

DECEMBER: • December 8-In Qatar, the UN Climate Change Conference agrees to extend the Kyoto Protocol until 2020.

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

Polak takes contractor to task after falling ice closes Port Mann Bridge

British Columbia’s transportation minister has slammed the international contrac-

tor that built the newly-opened Port Mann Bridge, saying the forced closure of the span, only weeks after it opened, is an intolerable situation and that the firm should have been aware of potential problems.

More than 100 insurance claims were filed after chunks of ice pelted down onto vehicles from the bridge’s suspension cables during a snowstorm on Dec 19. Two people were injured and the bridge, which links the Vancouver area to populous southern suburbs, was closed for several hours.

“We will not live with the bridge in that way,” Mary Polak told a news conference.

“When you purchase a product in a store, when you build a bridge for $3.3 billion, you

believe that it will work. You expect it will work. When it doesn’t work you seek for redress to that. You seek for someone to refund your money or you seek for someone to resolve the problem.”

Polak said that’s what the province will be doing.

“Taxpayers will not be on the hook for this and we will ensure that we have a bridge that is safe for the travelling public to use and that an event like this has a permanent solution to see that it doesn’t happen again.”

Polak said her ministry was “alive” to snow and ice being a potential problem on the bridge before it was built and there were specifications in the contract to address the concern.

“Clearly, what we saw on Dec 19 shows that they did not meet those requirements.”

The bridge was built by Kiewit-Flatiron General Partnership. The company said in a statement it was working to figure out where the problem is and find a solution quickly.

“We’re very concerned about the recent weather issues impacting motorists on the Port Mann Bridge,” said the statement from Thomas Janssen, director of external affairs for the company.

“With the recent severe weather conditions, it’s evident there is an issue that needs to be closely reviewed and addressed.”

The Crown agency that operates the bridge will pay the deductibles of drivers whose vehicles were damaged in the incident.

Tolls for travellers who crossed the bridge between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on that day will also be waived.

Prof. Tom Brown, an engineering professor at the University of Calgary known to his students as Dr. Ice, said he’s confident the problem can be fixed.

Brown has worked on offshore oil rigs and Prince Edward Island’s Confederation Bridge and said sometimes, problems slip through despite the best work by experts.

“This is certainly a concern because I would kind of imagine that the conditions under which it occurred, the atmospheric conditions in Vancouver, could well occur again,” he said in an interview.

“I don’t know what the fix will be, but it’s certainly a fixable problem.”

Brown said cold weather, high humidity, precipitation and wind all play roles in allowing ice to form on the bridge cables and eventually fall off. The ice bonds to the cold cables and when the wind whips up, it starts a vibration on the cables that eventually knocks loose the ice.

Brown said Vancouver’s rapid temperature fluctuations from cold to warm can also

Luka Magnotta selection as Canada’s 2012 newsmaker triggers widespread condemnation The selection of Luka Rocco Magnotta as Canada’s 2012 Newsmaker of the Year lit up the country’s social media and news websites on Sunday with a cyclone of outrage and condemnation. The alleged killer, who now sits in a Montreal detention centre as his case goes through the legal process, was the subject of a global manhunt last spring after a Chinese engineering student was killed, his body cut up and remains

mailed to four different locations in Ottawa and British Columbia. The event, including Magnotta’s capture last June at a Berlin Internet cafe, was splashed across newspaper front pages and websites all over the world.

Magnotta was chosen in the annual poll of the country’s newsrooms by The Canadian Press. Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae was among the first to express his anger and disappointment on Dec 23, tweeting to 33,361 followers that The “Canadian Press reaches a new low with its naming Magnotta as ‘newsmaker of the year.’ Truly disgusting.”

After being challenged about the news value in a response by one his followers, Rae went on to say The Canadian Press had resorted to “cheap sensationalism” and that “lots of people had more impact and made more news.” Toronto Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett tweeted the choice was “awful,” while Conservative MP Jay Aspin, who represents the northern Ontario riding of NipissingTimiskaming, called on the news agency to retract the selection.”I appeal to decency & better judgment of The Canadian Press and ask them to rescind their choice of Luka Magnotta as Newsmaker of the Year,” As-

pin tweeted.

Magnotta was the choice of 22 per cent of the editors and news directors who cast ballots.

The second place choice with 18 per cent of the votes was Amanda Todd, the B.C. teen whose suicide sparked a debate on bullying.

NHL president Gary Bettman and players’ union head Donald Fehr was third choice with 15 per cent of the votes. The news agency’s editor-in-chief noted that over the past few decades the poll has recognized other offensive newsmakers and events.

“The Newsmaker of the Year survey has been conducted by The Canadian Press since 1946 and over the decades, the country’s newspaper editors and broadcasters have at times made some controversial selections,” said Scott White.

Magnotta has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him. A preliminary hearing for his case is scheduled for March to determine if there is enough evidence for a trial on the allegations against him. The Canadian Press received dozens of emails expressing outrage with the choice and social media was abuzz with the story.”The media sensationalizing these stories is part of the problem,” tweeted Luc Bouillon, a realtor from Montreal. “Great nose for news, CP,” sarcastically wrote Brian Banks, in Toronto.

Still, others said Magnotta’s alleged victim, Jun Lin, was being demeaned by the choice and Aspin was not the only one calling for the selection of Magnotta to be rescinded.

An online petition was circulated December 23 demanding The Canadian Press take back the choice.

“In our society, impartial and timely news reporting is important, but national recognition to someone who incomprehensibly dismembers a living person, posts it on YouTube, and cowardly flees the country, sends the message to Magnotta and villains to follow, “If you perform such a heinous act, you might just become, “Man of the Year,”” wrote organizer Andrew Schiestel “As this decision was one of subjectivity, not impartiality, voted by editors across Canada, a different, more productive figure

could have been nominated. This decision, not only distasteful to the vast majority of Canadians, is disgraceful and deeply inconsiderate to Lin Jun’s (the victim’s) family.”

break off heavy ice chunks as they begin to melt.

Two hurt by falling ice chunks on Port Mann Bridge The Crown corporation behind the new Port Mann Bridge will conduct a review after large chunks of ice fell from its overhead cables, injuring at least two people and damaging a handful of cars on the first day of heavy snowfall in B.C.’s Lower Mainland.

Some pieces of falling snow and ice were as wide as four feet across, Mr. Lepp said. Motorist David Pensato described “large slush boulders raining down on vehicles below” – one of which shattered his windshield.

Note: The Miracle Media Managing editor Mr. Naseer Pirzada joined the talk show on Radio Sher e Punjab 1550Am on December 24 and discussed in details about the selection of Luka Rocco Magnotta as Canada’s 2012 Newsmaker of the Year’’

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local

Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

Abdul Qayyum receives No. 1 Realtor award for 2012

Mr. Junaid Iqbal receives award for high achievement as Realtor Mr. Iqbal Consultant at Century 21 for Commercial and Residential properties. He is in Real estate business since 2004 after Successful completion of Real Estate Trading and Services Course at the UBC. On Dec 14, 2012 he received the high achievement Sales representative award by Fraser Valley Real Estate Board president Mr. Scott Olson at the Annual Awards Gala and Dinner on at Bombay Banquet organised

by Century 21st He thanks for community and all other clients who made theirs deals through him in their residential or commercial properties. He also look forward to helping you with your Real Estate needs.

He received No. 1 Realtor of the year Award 2nd time in a row from Omax Realty Ltd. At present Omax Realty Ltd has 3 offices in BC (Vancouver, Delta and Kelowna) with 220 plus realtors. In the top ten realtors, he was the only Pakistani realtor who received this award.

He wants to thank all his fellow realtors, friends and family members for their sincere support and co-operation. He will Inshallah continue his free return ticket promotion for the year 2013.

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal Announcement December 5, MP Joyce Murray is pleased to congratulate the 30 recipients of Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medals for outstanding service to the Vancouver Quadra community.“I would like to thank all nominees for their service to the community, and all nominators for their efforts to ensure admirable leaders in Vancouver Quadra are recognized,” said MP Murray. Murray assembled

an independent committee to select the 30 medal recipients, in order to ensure different perspectives and communities were included in the decisions. She continued, “The selection committee of 10 community leaders had their work cut out for them, with the difficult task of reviewing and selecting the thirty winners from almost 150 diverse and accomplished nominees. “Thank you to Se-

lection Committee Chair Ms. Penny Bain, and all committee members, community leaders in their own right, who volunteered their time to assist in the process of honouring Vancouver Quadra’s outstanding leaders; and to Colonel Bryan Gagne who assisted in the selection of four Canadian Forces recipients.”

Dr. Iqbal receives Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal “Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, a Pakistani-Canadian, founder of the Maria-Helena Foundation, receives Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his exceptional leadership as a humanitarian and philanthropist. Dr. Iqbal has provided schooling to almost 4000 children, mostly girls in Pakistan. His Foundation, in partnership with Tameere-Millat Foundation and Kawish Welfare Trust, provides educational opportunities to disadvantaged children in Pakistan.

These awards are for Canadians, all across Canada, who have shown outstanding leadership and sustained contributions to communities in Canada or outside Canada”.

The Maria-Helena Foundation is a non-profit, non-sectarian PakistaniCanadian family-based organization that focuses on development in South Asia, primarily Pakistan. Its goal is to reduce poverty by supporting: education (especially of girls), skills training of women, and health care of children.

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Salina Dharamsi receives Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal Salina Dharamsi received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for Outstanding humanitarian leadership and fundraising in her local community and internationally, inspiring other youth to volunteer their service.

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

A call for meaningful action in light of the Connecticut shooting

By: Dr. Aslam Abdulla According to reports a 20 year old man, Adam Lanza, walked into an Elementary School in Connecticut, dressed in “black battle fatigues and a military vest” and began firing. By the time the shooting stopped, 26 innocent people had lost their lives -- 20 of them young children.

As we helplessly watch the dark realities of the world in which we live, we cannot just grieve about these repeated tragedies anymore. If we want to claim that we belong to a civilized society, we must confront the culture of violence that pervades our own country and other places around the world.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 16,799 deaths were recorded in 2009 due to homicide. An estimated 800,000 people were murdered in 2011 around the globe. Two-fifths of them were young people between the ages of 10 and 29 who were killed by other young people.

These figures do not include people killed in terror related acts, collateral killing in drone attacks or other sustained and organized killing done in the name of national security. In addition to these killings there is another type of killing that takes place in our world daily that we must all take responsibility for. Some 25,000 people die every day, almost 9 million per year, as a result of hunger, while we waste some 40

per cent of the food that we buy.

Wrongful death is a wrongful death whether through gun violence or other artificially created means. We cannot blame just one individual for these mass killings.

In a global world, each one of us is responsible for the acts of violence and killing of hundreds of people daily.

• We are the ones who manufacture guns and weapons of human destruction and glorify them.

• We are the ones who enact laws so that people can buy weapons of mayhem.

• We are the ones who promote movies depicting uncontrolled violence in the name of entertainment.

• We are the ones who extol the virtues of war to please God. • We are the ones who allow our governments to use violence against the “enemies” in the name of national security.

• We are the ones who promote the idea of a just war to eliminate those who do not fit in our thought paradigms.

• We are the ones who teach our children ideologies that promote intolerance, hatred and anger against others.

• We are the ones who allow domestic violence to prevail in our family culture.

• We are the ones who allow killing in the name of honor.

• We are the ones who deny basic food to

others to align ourselves with a capitalist economy.

• We are the ones who promote the culture of haves and have not’s in the name of progress.

This is what our man-made philosophies and distorted religious ideologies have given us. They have told us that might is right and the one who would possess the mightiest weapons would be the most right and powerful.

We live this axiom every day in all aspects of our life.

In contrast to this we have ignored true divine guidance that declares humanity as one with dignity to all. It promotes the idea of the sanctity of human life and it takes a stand against the race to pile up weapons to kill others. It talks of the brotherhood and sisterhood of all human beings. It invites people to peace, the essence of life. It tells us to live the peace within ourselves and to practice it in our daily life especially towards those who are different from us.

That divine guidance is the essence of human life, was the mission that all messengers lived for. This was the message that they invited humanity to believe. Yet,

Wind Mobile Moves Multicultural AOR To MONSOON COMMUNICATIONS Toronto, Canada. December 14, 2012. In a move to emphasize the growing impor-

tance of ethnic Canadians in the telecom category, WIND Mobile today announced the appointment of Monsoon Communications as the Agency of Record for their multicultural marketing segments.

“Our goal was to find a full service crosscultural agency that would be on par in their thinking with our mainstream AOR. Our selection process was very intense, competitive and fair. Monsoon met all the criteria”, said Radek Krasny, Head of Brand and Communication.

Sachi Mukerji, President & Executive Creative Director of Monsoon Communications said: “WIND Mobile has been the catalyst for change in the Canadian telecom industry. Not only has WIND given Canadian customers a true choice, they have also driven the big three incumbent providers to re-evaluate the way they have been treating their customers.

We are delighted to be able to help WIND further challenge the status quo in the wireless category. At Monsoon, we also see ourselves as agents of change in the ethnic marketing category, so there is a DNA match with WIND. Almost seven million people in Canada speak a language

other than English or French at home, in the GTA alone 1.8 million people speak an immigrant language at home, and forward thinking marketers like WIND will have more than their fair share of this growing ethnic segment.”

He added that the agency team was looking forward to working with WIND Mobile and MacLaren McCann, the mainstream AOR. Monsoon Communications won the business on the basis of a strategically-driven integrated communications plan that dovetailed multiple media channels, both above and below-the-line.

The account is effective January 1, 2013, but planning has commenced.

For more information, please contact: Alexandra Maxwell Public Relations and Social Media Specialist Amaxwell@WINDMobile.ca 416-557-5709 Sachi Mukerji President and Executive Creative Director sachi@monsooncommunications.ca 416-918-0352 About Monsoon Communications: Monsoon is an independently-owned full service marketing communications company founded on three pillars of excellence - strategic planning, creative work and flawless execution. Monsoon specializes in multicultural marketing solutions for niche and ethnic markets. www.monsooncommunications.ca About WIND Mobile WIND Mobile is dedicated to improving the Canadian wireless experience by offering custom-

ers simple and transparent plans, including real unlimited voice/data/text with no-term

perverted human instinct has twisted the divine guidance and turned it into a sectarian call that promotes violent ideologies.

It is time that we bring back the essence of divine peace in our selves and our society.

It is time that we focus on those ideas that invite us to peace, non-violence, dignity and respect to all.

The Connecticut shooting should remind us that in addition to gun control and tougher laws we need a value framework that is taught in our families, communities and schools. We need a framework that promotes a culture of peace, a culture of the sanctity of ALL human life and the respect for each and every individual regardless of his or her background. “ .. God invites [everyone] to the abode of Peace, and guides whoever He will to a straight path.” Quran 10:25 Dr. Aslam Abdullah is editor in chief of the weekly Muslim Observer and director of the Islamic Society of Nevada. contracts and no hidden fees.

Committed to becoming the country’s fourth national carrier, WIND has more than 500,000 happy customers in Canada and is a part of Amsterdam-based VIMPELCOM Ltd., a global company with over 200 million customers. Learn more about WIND Mobile at www.windmobile.ca.

17

special

Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

What do you know about Mohammad Ali Jinnah?

Special tribute from Naseer Pirzada Q: What is the date of birth of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah” December 25, 1876 Q: Where he born? Karachi Q: What was the name of the building where he was born?

Wazir Mansion in Kharadar Q: What was the name of his father? Jinnahbhai Poonja Q: What was the name of his mother? Mithibai Q: Name the ancestral village of Quaid’s family? Paneli in Kathiawar Q: What was the name of Quaid’s aunt who first took him to Bombay in his childhood? Manbai Q: Name the brothers and sisters of Quaid-e-Azam?

Rahmat, Maryam, Ahmed Ali, Bande Ali, Fatima, Shinn Q: What was his mother tongue? Gujrati Q: What was the profession of his father? Business Q: When did Quaid-e-Azam first marry? 1892 Q: What was the name of his first wife? Emibai Q: When did his first wife die? 1894 Q: When did his mother expire? 1893 Q: When did his father die? 1902 Q: What is the date of birth of Quaid’s sister Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah? July 3l, 1891 Q: What was Fatima Jinnah titled?

Madar-e-miilat (Mother of the Nation) Q: When did Quaid-e-Azam’s second marriage take place?

Apr l9, 1918 Q: What was the name of his second wife? Ratanbai Q: What was the name of her father? Sir Dinshaw Petit Q: When was Quaid’s only child born? Aug 14, 1919 Q: What was the name of Quaid’s only daughter? Dina Q: When did Quaid’s second wife die? Feb 20, 1929 Quaid-e-Azam Early Life Q: When was the first tutor engaged to teach Quaid-eAzam at home? 1882 Q: Which school did he first join? Sindh Madrassah-tullslam Q: When was he admitted at Sindh Madrassah-tul-Islam?

July4, 1887 Q: When he was first taken to Bombay? 1887 Q: Which school did he join during his brief stay in Bombay? Anjuman-e-lslam School Q: When was he readmitted at Sindh Madrassah-tul-Islam?

Dec 23, 1887 Q: Which was the game he used to play in his school life?

Cricket Q: At what age he took to horse riding? Ten years Q: When did he leave Sindh Madrassah-tul-lslam? Jan 30, 1892 Q: Which school did he join in after leaving Sindh Madrassah-tul-lslam? Mission High School Higher Education Q: When did Quaid-e-Azam leave for England for higher studies? December 1892 Q: On whose advice did he proceed to England?

Sir Leigh Croft Q: In which bank did he open his account upon arrival in England? Royal Bank of Scotland Q: In which company did he begin apprenticeship in London? Graham Trading Company Q: Which educational institution did he first join in England? Lincoln’s lnn (June 25, 1893) Q: Why had he chosen to join Lincoln’s Inn? He specifically chose to join Lincoln’s Inn because he noticed the name of Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) heading the list of the Greatest law-givers of the world on a plaque at its main entrance.

Q: When did he change his surname from Jinnahbhai to Jinnah? 1893 Q: What was the aim of his voyage to England at first?

To establish business over there Q: When was the degree of Bar-at-Law conferred upon him? April 29, 1896 Q: Which library was first joined by him in England?

British Museum Library Q: Which were Quaid’s favourite newspapers during his stay in England?

The Times, The Liberal Daily News and The Pall Mall Gazette Q: When did he return from England after completing his education? 1896

Professional Career Q: When did Ouaid-e-Azam commence his career as a professional lawyer? 1896 Q: In which court did he first register himself as a barrister? Bombay High Court Q: When was he enrolled as a barrister at Bombay High Court? Aug 24, 1896 Q: To whom he was first introduced as a lawyer?

Advocate General of Bombay, Mac Pherson Q: When was his first appointed as Third Presidency Magistrate in Bombay? 1900 Q: When did he join Municipal Corporation Bombay as a legal advisor? 1903 Q: When was he elected as member of Bombay Corporation? 1904 Q: When was he nominated as a representative of Bombay Presidency Association to plead the Indian case before the British electorate? 1905 Q: When did he resign from the membership of Bombay Corporation? 1907 Q: When did his political career begin? 1906 Q: When did he join Indian National Congress? 1906 Q: When did he join All India Muslim League? 1913 Q: Who had invited him to join Muslim League?

Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar Q: When was he elected Vice President of Indian Muslim Association? 1907 Q: When was he elected member Executive Committee of Anjuman Zia-ul-Islam? 1907 Q: When did he become Private Secretary to Congress President Dadabhai Naoroji? 1906 Q: When was he elected to Imperial Legislative Council of India? 1909 Q: From which constituency he was elected to the Council? Bombay Presidency Q: When did he join Home Rule League? 1916 Q: Who founded Home Rule League? Annie Besant Q: When did he leave Congress? 1920 Q: Why had he resigned from Congress?

In protest of Gandhi’s resolution of noncooperation movement against the British regime Q: When did Quaid-e-Azam first become President of Muslim League? 1916 Q: When did he present his famous 14 points?

March28,1929 Q: Where did he present them? During the session of All India Muslim League at Delhi Q: Why did he come up with his 14 points?

It was in response to the unjust Nehru Report which had fallen short of the just demands of the Muslims Q: With whom did he represent the Muslim delegation in the first as well as the second Round Table Conference?

Maulana Muhammad All Jauhar Q: Did Quaid-e-Azam join the Civil Disobedience. Movement which was launched by Gandhi ?

No. Because he was against violating the laws Q: In how many Round Table Conferences did he participate? Two Q: When was the first conference held? 1930 Q: When was the second conference held? 1932 Q: Were the conferences a success story?’ No Q: When did Quaid-e-Azam return to India to reorganise Muslim League? 1937 Q: Why was he known as Ambassador of Peace and Unity?

He had worked. A great deal for Hlndu-Muslim unity as a result of which the annual sessions of both Congress as well as Muslim League were held at Lucknow

in 1916 Q: Which historic meeting did the Ouaid preside in 1940?

The Lahore session of All India Muslim League in which the Pakistan Resolution was tabled and passed.

Q: What was the Pakistan Resolution?

In this resolution it was demanded that those areas of India where the Muslims were in majority should be formed into separate and independent Units .

Q: Who had tabled the Pakistan Resolution? A. K. Fazle Haq Q: Who had seconded the resolution? Chaudhry Khaliquz-Zaman Q: How many people were estimated to have attended the Lahore session of Muslim League in which the Pakistan Resolution was tabled and passed? 100,000 Q: Where was the Annual Convention of Muslim League held in 1941? Madras Q: When did Quaid-e-Azam present his two-nation theory?

Dec 28, 1940 Q: Where had he presented the theory? Ahmedabad Q: When was All India Muslim Students Federation founded? December 1937 Q: Where was the first meeting of the federation held?

Calcutta Q: When did Nishat-e-Sania of Muslim League come into being? October1937 Q: Where was that historic decision taken? Lucknow Q: When was All India Muslim League Volunteer Corps founded? October1937 Q: Who was the founding Convenor of the Corps?

Abdul Haq Barklay Q: Name the person who announced the title of Quald-eAzam for Muhammad Ali Jinnah?

Ferozuddin Ahmed Q: Where did he make that announcement?

During the Patna session of All India Muslim League Q: When was the Women Wing of Muslim League established 1937 Q: Who had helped Ouaid-e-Azam in the formation of Women Wing of Muslim League?

His sister Fatima Jinnah Quaid-e-Azam life after Independence Q: When did he reach Karachi on the eve of Independence? Aug 7, 1947 Q: Which city was declared as capital of Pakistan by Ouaid-e-Azam? Karachi Q: When did he chair first meeting of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan? Aug 12, 1947 Q: When did he host a banquet in the honour of Lord Mountbatten, the last viceroy of British India? August l3, 1947 Q: When was he sworn in as the first Governor General of Pakistan? Aug l5, 1947 Q: Who had administered the oath from him?

Justice Sir Abdul Rashid Q: When was he given first civic reception by Karachi Metropolitan Corporation? Aug 25, 1947 Q: Which was the first private factory to be inaugurated by Quaid-e-Azam? Valika Textile Mills Q: When did he inaugurate that factory? Sept 26, 1947 Q: When did he first address the Armed Forces of Pakistan?

Oct 11, 1947 Q: When did he issue Banking Companies (Pakistan) Ordinance? Oct 22, 1947 Q: When was National Guards Ordinance issued by him?

Nov 2, 1947 Q: When did he inaugurate Bengal Oil Mills? Feb 2, 1948 Q: When did he perform the opening ceremony of State Bank of Pakistan? July 1, 1948 Q: Which was the last public function attended by him ?

The opening ceremony of State Bank Q: When did he move to Ziarat? July 14,1948 Q: When did he move to Quetta? Aug 13,1948 Q: When did he finally return to Karachi? Sep 11, 1948 Q: When did he die? September 11, 1948 Q: Where did he die and buried? Karachi on Sep 12, 1948 Q: How many people turned up in his funeral procession?

Nearly 0.6 million Q: Who succeeded Quaid-e-Azam as Governor General of Pakistan? Khwaja Nazimuddin Miscallenous Questions Q: Name the chowkidar who served him in the Ziarat Resi-

Continued on pg 24

18

Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

19

Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

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Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

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home & garden

Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

Mortgage Watch

By Kazim Jafary Mortgage Consultant Before I delve into the idea of a meaningful New Year’s resolution, first I would like to say Merry Christmas to all those who are celebrating Christmas tonight while I am writing this article and I wish all my readers a very happy, peaceful and prosperous 2013.

Fiscal Cliff is the term used to describe the challenge that the US government is going to face during the next year. The deficit which is the difference between what the government takes in and what it spends is expected to be reduced by roughly half in the early days of 2013. Tax cuts implemented during the Bush era are coming to an end and massive spending cuts are to take effect under the current Budget Control Act of 2011. This sharp decrease in the deficit in such a short period of time is known as the fiscal cliff.

One might say that on the surface this seems like a great situation, less government spending and less deficit to finance.

However, economists are convinced that a sudden decrease in spending combined with increase in taxes is a recipe for a potential greater recession considering the fact that the US employment and housing market has yet to recover completely.

The US and Canadian economies are so

intertwined that any slowdown in the US economy and decline in consumer confidence will have a considerable effect on the employment and housing market in Canada. Governor of the Bank of Canada, Mark Carney, quotes, ‘the stakes are high for Canada as the US hurtles toward the so-called fiscal cliff deadline’.

While the US government works to get its ‘house’ in order, I believe starting off the New Year includes having a close look at our personal finances and particularly how we manage our mortgage and other forms of debt. CTV recently reported that two thirds of Canadians are concerned about how the fiscal cliff will affect their personal situation. For all those who already have a mortgage loan, perhaps this is the time to checkup your mortgage thoroughly and explore financial opportunities which can potentially save you hundreds of dollars today and thousands in years to come.

Proper budgeting, allocation of resources and debt management are the greatest contributors to long term financial success.

And I think these can be considered as the perfect ingredients for a robust New Year’s resolution to become financially prudent and stay on top of your money matters at all times.

Another equally important aspect of your financial self is the Beacon Score (credit score) and the health of your credit bureau.

Mistakes on credit reports resulting in false credit scores can cost you thousands of dollars. A recent investigation by CBC News found that credit reporting errors have not only prevented consumers from getting loans, lines of credit and credit

cards, but consumers are also charged higher interest rates. In many cases, people are unaware of negative information on their credit bureau reports.

It’s not surprising keeping in mind the fact that the two credit reporting agencies namely, TransUnion Canada and Equifax are inundated every day with thousands of pieces of information pertaining to consumer accounts and payment histories.

That information comes from a spectrum of entities and companies such as cell phone service providers, car manufacturers and banks etc. These companies pay a fee for the bureaus to track clients and in return the credit bureaus provide the companies with access to consumer credit reports, which contain information from all the reporting agency’s client companies.

A national survey in 2005 conducted by the non-profit Public Interest Advocacy Centre found that 18 per cent of the people surveyed found mistakes in their credit reports and 10 per cent of those believed they were denied financial services because of those errors. A paralegal from Toronto, Ontario who has represented clients in credit disputes, estimates the percentage of errors is higher than 18 per cent. Of his 3,000 clients, almost 1,000 of them have found inaccuracies in their credit reports and these inaccuracies can range from: • Mistaken identity, whereby a collection gets registered against the wrong consumer – this usually happens when names are similar • Numerous un-discharged items under public records • Unverifiable late payments • Incorrect name, date of birth or Social Insurance Number • Statute of limitations with collections and

Roofing & Renovation Solutions Imran Tipu, B.Sc. Civil Eng In our series of articles for roofing and renovation solutions, the current article is regarding the benefits of contemporary double glazed windows. The old single pane windows were normally installed in wooden frames and the thickness of the glass was used to be 2 millimetres, whereas the double glazed windows are consisted of two panes of glasses each of which is normally 3 millimetres thick. Such windows are normally called double glazed windows. The composition of the glass varies widely in order to obtain variety of benefits from windows.

Double glazing normally reduces noise by up to 70% through your existing window.

Windows are the greatest conductor of noise in the building. As high density living continues to increase, the noise from roads, neighbours, hotels and aircrafts impact quality of life. In residential areas, noise pollution can affect your comfort, property values and health.

Commercial dwellings require acoustic insulation to maintain consistent internal environments, or prevent loud inside noise

travelling outside. Retrofit double glazing is a simple and affordable way to solve noise problems.

There are several ways that noise travels through windows including: • Vibrations from outside conduct acoustics through a closed window leading to increased internal noise • Air infiltration between window joints and poor seals contribute to noise seeping into your home or building.

This means that to effectively reduce sound levels a window system should have minimal air infiltration and possess an insulating air cavity or enough weight to limit vibration.

How Magnetite system works Installation of a discreet sub frame allows a clear optical grade acrylic panel to attach inside the existing window. Using continuous magnetic channels ensures a secure

and airtight seal around the window.

As with traditional double glazing the air cavity act as an insulation barrier against noise and temperature. The continuous magnetic seal ensures that when the Magnetite panels are in place the window insulation system has the lowest air infiltration rate of any operational window. This seal creates an air cavity between the existing window and your Magnetite panels.

Depending on the configuration of the existing window, we can manipulate the size of the air cavity to maximise thermal insulation, acoustic insulation or both.

The Magnetite sub frame is foam PVC and acts as a thermal break between the exist-

other debts The onus is on the member companies to provide accurate information to the two bureaus and it is up to those companies to rectify any errors. When a consumer exposes an error, both Equifax and TransUnion require the creditors who supplied the information to sign off. Even that can take a plenty of time in some cases and isn’t always effective. With so much emphasis on credit scores and credit reports, it’s important that you are aware of what’s being reported in your individual files.

Remember, you can always request to see your credit rating, however only a few do.

Unknown errors can be there for months, sometime years, and could potentially lead to extra interest costs or other issues.

At this time, there is no federal oversight.

However, under provincial consumer protection legislation companies can face fines if misinformation is not amended. Everybody has the right to request their credit report information via mail or online.

Credit reports via mail are free but do not include your credit score. For a small fee, credit reports and scores are also available online. The first steps towards achieving the aforementioned New Year’s resolution to be completely in charge of your financial matters are awareness and information.

Do find time in 2013 to visit Equifax at www.equifax.ca and TransUnion at www. transunion.ca.

For expert advice and problem solving, you can always contact your mortgage professional who can help you access not only your credit report but he can offer suggestions on how to remove inaccuracies and how to improve your credit score.

Questions & Comments: kazim@kazimjafary.com ing window and the Magnetite secondary system. This sub-frame also allows Magnetite to attach to any existing window frame - timber, aluminium or steel.

The acrylic glazing panels used by Magnetite are up to six times more thermally efficient than glass. Solar control films may also be applied to windows requiring reduction in radiant heat. We apply a film to the inside layer of the existing glass. By having the film on the inside of the existing window we are able to reflect the heat before it enters the air cavity for maximum performance.

For more information about these article series and/or all our previous articles, please visit: www.rtmroofingandrenovations.com

Quaid-e-Azam : Continued from pg 17 dency in Balochistan? Toti Khan Q: What was the name of his personal physician?

Dr Col Elahi Bakhsh Q: What was the name of his driver? Muhammad Hanif Azad Q: Which English poet did he admire most?

William Shakespeare Q: Which game did he like most? Billiards Q: Which other games did he himself play? Cricket and golf Q: Where is Jinnah Town Hall located? Bombay Q: What is the meaning of Jinnah?

Tall, slim or something similar Q: What is the meaning of Ouaid-e-Azam? Great Leader Q: What was the motto of his life? Unity, Faith and Discipline Q: Which newspaper was founded by him? Dawn Q: How tall was he? Five feet and ten inches Q: What was the colour of his eyes? Black Q: In which eye did he use to wear monocle? Right Q: In which city Ouaid-e-Azam University located? Islamabad Q: Who designed the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam?

Yahya Merchant Q: Which country gifted the chandelier for the mausoleum? China Q: When was the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam completed? 1971 Q: What is the new name of Flag Staff House?

Quaid-e-Azam House Museum Q: From whom Ouaid-e-Azam had purchased that building? Sohrab Katrak Cawasjee Q: When had Quaid-e-Azam acquired Flag Staff House? 1943 Q: Who had inaugurated Quaid-e-Azam House Museum? Hakim Muhammad Said

25

health

Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

People living longer but with more disability

By David Brown The health of most of the planet’s population is rapidly coming to resemble that of the United States, where death in childhood is rare, too much food is a bigger problem than too little, and life is long and often darkened by disability.

High blood pressure is now the leading “risk factor” for disease around the world.

Alcohol use is third. Low-back pain now causes more disability than childbirth complications or anemia.

“We are in transition to a world where disability is the dominant concern as opposed to premature death,” said Christopher J.L. Murray, who headed the Global Burden of Disease Study, published Thursday.

“The pace of change is such that we are ill prepared to deal with what the burden of disease is now in most places.”

Produced over five years by 486 researchers at 302 institutions in 50 countries, the study is the most detailed look at health on the population level ever attempted.

It charts 235 causes of death, including AIDS, alcoholism, bladder cancer and animal bites. It examines the effects of 67 “risk factors” — as diverse as not enough fruit in the diet and childhood sexual abuse — that can lead to illness.

The calculations are made for two points in time — 1990 and 2010. As a consequence, the study reveals how the world’s health has changed over two decades and provides a trajectory of where it may be headed. The purpose is to give governments, international agencies, donors and researchers an idea of what to plan for.

The study provides both a broad-brush portrait of 7 billion people and a detailed etching of what’s happening in 187 indi-

vidual nations.

Heart disease and stroke were the leading and second-leading causes of death in 1990 and remained so in 2010. But over that two-decade period, malnutrition dropped from the 11th to the 21st cause of death.

Diabetes, car accidents and lung cancer all rose in the rankings.

Africa remains the one place where afflictions of the poor — AIDS, malaria, childhood infections, malnutrition, childbirth calamities — remain hugely important.

They account for three-quarters of all premature deaths.

The study also reveals many highly localized variations in health.

As a consequence of the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, Haitian men that year had the globe’s lowest life expectancy: 33 years.

Egypt has the highest rate of cirrhosis of any country, caused by hepatitis C unwittingly transmitted to millions of people through unclean needles used in public health campaigns against the tropical infection schistosomiasis. Ethio¬pian men gained 13 years of “healthy life expectancy” between 1990 and 2010, the most of any group in the world. There’s a “homicide belt” in Latin America and a “suicide belt” in Asia.

The package of seven papers totaling 196 pages is being published in the Lancet. It is

the first time an entire issue of the journal has been given over to one research study.

‘Very, very big payoffs’ Although population aging, declining poverty and smaller family size have been the major forces changing the world’s health profile over the two decades, improvements in medicine and public health have also made a huge difference. Measles tells the story.

In 1990, 631,000 people died from that childhood infection, which was the world’s 19th-leading cause of death. In 2010, only 125,000 people died from measles, which had fallen to the No. 62 cause.

“There have been very, very big payoffs in all the investments made to improve child survival,” said Alan D. Lopez, the dean of the school of population health at the University of Queensland in Australia, who with Murray led the project.

Those investments include vaccines, vitamin A and zinc supplements, antibiotics for children with pneumonia, insecticidetreated mosquito nets for children to sleep under in malaria zones, and better obstetrical care.

The risk of dying prematurely from many “adult” diseases (such as heart attacks and cancer) has also fallen because of better treatment and prevention. As a result, the average age of the world’s population is getting older. Soon after 2015, for the first time in history, there will be more people older than 65 than younger than 5.

That has had two consequences.

More people are surviving to die of diseases that occur only in old age. These include Alzheimer’s disease, deaths from which tripled from 1990 to 2010, and Parkinson’s disease, whose deaths doubled. At the same time, people are living with conditions that don’t kill them but that affect their health.

“These are things like mental disorders, substance abuse, musculoskeletal pain, vision loss, hearing loss . . . that cause a huge amount of disability but not a whole lot of death,” said Murray, who heads the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

‘Discounted’ time People are living longer lives, but the time they are gaining isn’t entirely time with good health. For every year of life expectancy added since 1990, about 91 / 2 months is time in good health. The rest is time in a diminished state — in pain, immobility, mental incapacity or medical support such as dialysis. For people who survive to age 50, the added time is “discounted” even further. For every added year they get, only seven months are healthy.

“Progress in reducing disability just hasn’t kept pace with progress in reducing mortality,” said Joshua A. Salomon of the Harvard School of Public Health, one of the project leaders.

The trend of adding increasing amounts of bad health to life is known as the “expansion of morbidity.” It is likely to be the biggest challenge to patients, doctors and people who pay for medical care for the next few centuries.

Mental illness (including addiction) is now responsible for 23 percent of “years lived with disability.” Low-back pain is responsible for 11 percent. Those conditions are a lot harder to treat, or prevent, than childhood infections and malnutrition.

“We may or we may not know the ways we can reduce those problems,” Salomon said.

“But the study should prompt us to think hard about what are the major causes of disability today, and what are the possible solutions that can accelerate progress against them.”

There are also regional problems that will require their own solutions.

Globally, homicide is the 27th-leading cause of early death and disability. But in the region that includes Mexico, Central America and Colombia, it is No. 1. In the region just to the south (Brazil and Paraguay), it is No. 2. Men there ages 20 to 24 alone suffered 654,000 “years of life lost” because of violence in 2010.

Suicide is the 18th-leading cause of early death and disability worldwide, but in the “high-income Asia Pacific” region (Brunei, Japan, Singapore and South Korea) it is No. 5. In Eastern Europe, including Russia, it is No. 6.

The Global Burden of Disease researchers uncovered a number of surprises, some of which are likely to be questioned by other epidemiologists and biostatisticians.

As a cause of death and disability, lung cancer is rising, but emphysema and chronic bronchitis — which are also caused by smoking — are declining. The reason appears to be a huge reduction in indoor air pollution from cook stoves (which can also cause emphysema and bronchitis) in China

and India.

In charting risk factors, the researchers found that diets low in fruit were responsi-

ble for more disease than obesity or physical inactivity. That conclusion was reached through analysis of the health effects of various components of diet and the number of people consuming diets high or low in those components.

“We were very surprised,” Murray said of the fruit finding. “I’m a pretty profound diet skeptic. But the evidence on diet is as convincing as on obesity.”

Murray and Lopez did a similar but smaller Global Burden of Disease in 1996 that described causes of death and risk factors for the world in 1990. The new study recalculated those findings using new data and methods in addition to providing a picture of the world in 2010.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provided $12 million for the project, which cost more than $20 million.

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26

lifestyle

Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

Whole grains may lower pre-diabetes risk

Eating whole grains is associated with a decreased risk of pre diabetes, a blood sugar elevation that can precede diabetes in adults, according to new research.

Swedish residents who ate food containing more than 59 grams -- roughly two ounces -of whole grains per day were 27 percent less likely to become pre-diabetic compared with residents who ate 30 grams or less, according to the research.

“This is of great importance because prediabetes is increasing,” lead author Tina Wirström, a postdoctoral fellow at the Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden, told Reuters Health.

The American Diabetes Association estimates that one in four Americans older than 20 have pre-diabetes. Nearly a quarter of people with pre-diabetes eventually develop full-blown diabetes.

Previous research has linked whole grain rich diets with a decreased risk of diabetes, but the new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition makes the connection to the disease precursor. Whole grains range from oatmeal to popcorn, from brown rice to whole wheat as long as the entire kernel is consumed.

The study included 5,477 Stockholm resi-

dents from 35 to 56 years old without diabetes who kept food diaries of how much whole and refined grains they ate. Researchers measured blood glucose in study participants and followed up 10 years later.

Overall, one in 13 participants became prediabetic, while one in 33 became diabetic, the study found. When researchers took into account the daily amount of whole grains eaten, they found that eating more than 59 grams versus 30 grams of whole grain was associated with a 27 percent decreased risk of becoming pre-diabetic.

The association was stronger for men, and those with an increased genetic risk for developing diabetes did not see a difference, researchers found.

RELEVANT TO U.S.?

Nutrition experts noted that the study had little relevance to the U.S. since most Swedes get their grains from whole grain sources such as rye crisps. In contrast, Americans get most grains from refined wheat such as flour that contains fewer nutrients and fiber compared to rye.

“To say it has any relevance to the U.S. is really a stretch,” said Joanne Slavin, nutrition professor at the University of Minnesota, who

was not involved in the current study.

U.S. food manufacturers can label food that contains eight grams per serving as whole grain, whereas Sweden requires that a food product contain at least half whole grains to receive the label.

Many foods with claims of whole grain goodness have extra calories, fats and carbohydrates in addition to the grains, which can be risk factors for diabetes, Slavin said.

Further, fewer than three percent of Americans get the recommended 48 grams per day of whole grains. The average American eats 15 grams of whole grain daily.

“In the United States, we can’t even get 20 grams, much less 60 grams of whole grains in people (on a daily basis),” said Roger Clemens, pharmacology professor at the University of Southern California and an adviser for the most recent dietary guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“You can’t get 60 grams of whole grains into a supplement,” added Clemens, who was not involved in the study.

Consumers may take away the wrong message from the study, said Slavin, who advocated Americans eat fewer grains overall and

switch from refined grains to whole grains.

“Adding whole grains on top of what you’re already consuming is a bad idea,” said Slavin, since over-consumption of calories and carbohydrates are big risk factors for diabetes.

“We have “whole grain brownies” now - it’s terrible.”

A similar Dutch study, headed by Dr. Coen Stehouwer, internal medicine professor at the Maastricht University Medical Center, found losing weight was the most important factor for people with prediabetes to revert back to normal blood sugar level.

“Prediabetes is a reversible state,” said Stehouwer, who was not involved in the Swedish study. (Reuters)

2012: A Year of Human Rights Challenges International Human Rights day is celebrated on December 10, but from a human rights perspective, 2012 has been more of a year to learn from than one to celebrate. Human Rights Day was chosen to honour the UN General Assembly’s adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, on December 10, 1948, which was the first global enunciation of human rights.

Yet, for most of the years since then, the reality has been quite different than the Human Rights ideals set more than 60 years ago. “Northern Mali is a veritable hell-hole, especially for women, as an al-Qaeda affiliate imposes its version of Sharia Law on the population, leading to amputations, executions and complete lack of freedom,” Bill O’Neil, an international lawyer who is the Director of Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum told Al Jazeera. O’Neil pointed out how North Korea continues to violate countless Human Rights, as the country engages in true totalitarian repression, and explained how the government in Bahrain “has exerted control over all aspects of basic freedoms, continues its crackdown on freedom of assembly, association and a lack of fair trial, and torture is common in detentions there.” And it’s not just countries one would usually suspect of Human Rights violations. O’Neil posed this question for the United States: “Will the Obama administration reveal its drone targeting criteria so that we can all see whether they are consistent with obligations under binding international law?” The Obama administration ordered an end to government complicity in torture but continues to refuse to investigate, let alone prosecute, US officials who were responsible. This last year saw continuing pressure on Western countries from international human rights groups to prioritise their leadership on international norms and the universality of human rights. For example, the UN Human Rights Council, addressing the issue of the United States’ actions towards refusing to renew their membership to the group said, “By withdrawing from these institutions or restricting funding, the United States forfeits its leadership … and undermines its ability to advance its own interests.” Human rights organisations, by the end of 2012, are also concerned about governments lacking enough measures to prevent genocide and mass atrocities, as well as lacking enough opposition to the coordinated global assault on civil society by the murder, criminalization and vilification of human rights defenders. There also appears to be an ongoing lack of accountability to

prevent western corporations from contributing to human rights violations in their operations as well as via their supply chains, lack of access to services and justice for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, and relationships with Western states with alliances to governments that violate human rights. May Ying Welsh is an Al Jazeera journalist who has been covering the Middle East and Africa since 2001. “The US war on Iraq spurred one of the worst human rights crisis I’ve ever seen,” Welsh explained. “Outside of that, some of the most egregious human rights violations I’ve seen since I’ve been with Al Jazeera have been in Southern Sudan. One of the things I’ve found most distressing there has been the gang raping of children on a massive scale.”

Welsh says that these types of atrocities having been ongoing throughout 2012, along with a lack of coverage in the media. She believes there is politicization of the conflicts, in which certain parties commit human rights violations that become exaggerated, yet when other parties commit the same violations, “It’s as if the whole world has no eyes and ears.” “And all of this is ongoing in South Sudan and continues to largely be unreported,” she added. “And South Sudanese journalists who try to uncover these are severely punished, so it’s up to Western journalists to cover this story, but they seem largely unwilling to cover this story.” Welsh has spent most of 2012 covering stories in Mali and Niger, two of the poorest countries in the world. “Because they are so isolated, a lot of things happen there that no one ever knows about. The Sahara is a vast island of illiteracy so you can commit violations there and no one will ever know. The people are extremely poor and illiterate and don’t know their rights.”

The French state nuclear corporation, Areva, one of the largest corporations in the world, has been mining uranium in this area of the world for 40 years. “They are polluting the non-renewable ground water,” Welsh explained, which is a phenomenon that is a violation of the local populations rights to clean water, clean air, and healthy food. “The people are having birth defects and their animals are dying.” The radiation pollution crisis also underscores how climate change has become a massive Human Rights issue, as it has compounded the worsening problems presented by climate change, like the fact that the Sahara desert is advancing several kilometres annually, choking the people of Niger’s reliance on rain fed pasture and agriculture. “So this climate change

problem, coupled with a massive corporation polluting your land with uranium, is killing an entire peoples way of life and pushing them into starvation and ever-desperate methods of surviving.” What Welsh is witnessing is an example of how a population that has done nothing to contribute to climate change and has a minimal carbon footprint are suffering dramatically from the crisis of climate change. “These people have nothing, and they are being swept away by the sand,” Welsh concluded. “They are desperate; they are in a life or death struggle.” Mary Robinson, the former UN high commissioner for human rights, recently told Democracy Now that she believes climate change is “the biggest human rights issue of the 21st century. Al Jazeera senior correspondent Mohammed Adow has been covering Africa for years, and told of a situation in Kenya where two politicians who have been indicted by the International Criminal Court for rape, forcible transfer of people, killings, and other charges are actually running for the office of president.

The two indicted men, Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, are running for president and vice president respectively, despite their alleged crimes that took place during post-election violence in 2007. “You can understand how Kenyan’s are feeling, and the hearing of the cases will begin after the elections,” Adow explained. “So, many people are apprehensive about being ruled by two suspects of the ICC, who would be forced to shuttle between The Hague and

Nairobi.” Shockingly, the two men have a viable chance of winning the election, which will take place in March 2013, due to their enjoying the support of some of Kenya’s larger tribal populations. People vote along tribal lines, and some of the larger tribes joined together could bring, what some jokingly refer to as the “ICC ticket”, victory.

Adow describes Kenya as a situation of “survival of the fittest” where the average schoolteacher earns in a decade what a member of parliament earns in one month.

“Kenya’s future is at stake,” he added. “The sense of entitlement of the politicians, for the sake of protecting themselves, they put themselves ahead of 40 million Kenyans.

And there are massive amounts of Human Rights violations.” Systematic and ongoing human rights violations continue in the aforementioned countries as well as Sudan, Belarus, Syria, and China, but there were a few positive stories from this year. Myanmar saw big changes. “There is much more freedom and a working parliament,” O’Neil informed, as well as pointing to Sierra Leone. “There we saw successful elections while human rights abuses have diminished and the police are doing good work, especially on gender issues,” he added. And in Argentina, trials of perpetrators of horrendous violations are taking place, which according to O’Neil, “Shows that although it may take time, impunity can be overcome through persistent advocacy of human rights.”

Source: Al-Jazeera

Pakistan : Continued from pg 3 but he is no longer the party’s man for legal issues.

That role now belongs to Farooq H. Naek who is handling a lot more than the files that pass through his law ministry.

After having resolved the Swiss letter issue and the recent passage of the controversial fair trial bill through unanimous vote in the National Assembly, the PPP leadership has decided to use Mr Naek’s negotiating skills with the PML-N for the selection of the caretaker prime minister, an insider said.

Mr Naek is a relative of Khawaja Asif, a PML-N stalwart, and the two are often seen exchanging notes during National Assembly sessions.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Naek reiterated his party’s stance that under the Constitution, a caretaker set-up should be in place after

March 16. “The PPP and PML-N will resolve the issue amicably before then.”

When pressed, the law minister said the Constitution, after the 20th Amendment, was categorical that both the leader of the house and the opposition had the mandate to hold discussion over a caretaker set-up.

However, the PPP sources said Mr Naek, who had played a key role first in persuading President Asif Ali Zardari to write a letter to the Swiss government and then convincing Supreme Court judges in closed door meetings to work for an amicable resolution of the contempt issue, was the man in charge in the ruling party.Last week it was Mr Naek who single-handedly managed the passage of the controversial fair trial bill with support of the PML-N.

27

art & artist

Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

December Month of Subcontinent Legend Artists

Noor Jehan’s 11th death anniversary observed Noor Jehan was the adopted stage name for Pakistani Allah Wasai (September 21, 1926 – December 23, 2000) who was a legendary singer and actress in British India and Pakistan.

Her career spanned seven decades. She was renowned as one of the greatest and most influential singers of her time in South Asia and was given the honorific title of Malika-eTarannum (English: the queen of melody). Born in a Punjabi family of musicians, Wasai was pushed by her parents to follow in their musical footsteps and become a singer but she was more interested in acting in films and graced the earliest Pakistani films with her performances.

She holds a remarkable record of 10,000 songs to her singing credits in various languages of India and Pakistan including Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi and Sindhi languages.

She is considered to be the greatest film and music personality of all time of the Pakistan show business. Madam Noor Jehan started her film career at the young age of nine and soon became a renowned child artist. As she grew older she became famous for her acting and singing in Indian movies. After the partition of the sub continent, she left Bombay and moved to Pakistan where she started her career as a film actress and singer. She was the first female to direct a movie and debuted with her film Chann We in 1951. Her last film was Ghalib, which was released in 1961. Madam ruled the film industry for more than 35 years and sung appropriately six thousand songs for Urdu, Punjabi and Sindhi films. Not only was she a celebrated playback singer but also a gifted ghazal singer. With rigorous training in classical music, Noor Jehan employed the essential features necessary to present the ghazal in an exceptional manner.

In 1986, on a tour of North America, Jehan suffered from chest pains and was diagnosed with angina pectoris after which she underwent a surgery to install a pacemaker. In 2000, Jehan was hospitalised in Karachi and suffered a heart attack. On December 23, 2000 Jehan died as a result of heart failure. Her funeral took place at Jamia Masjid Sultan, Karachi and she was buried at the Gizri Graveyard near the Saudi Consulate in Karachi.

Dilip Kumar at his 90th birthday A great actor of subcontinent film industry Dilip Kumar turns 90 years. Muhammad Yousuf Khan was not only one of the most popular and seasoned actors of his time, he was also known as the Tragedy King in his times. Dilip Kumar’s biography was expected to be launched on his 90th birthday today, but is delayed since the book needs some polishing. Speaking about his biography, wife Saira Banu said, “His biography will be a kind of look into what Dilip Kumar is. This book will not be filled with gossip, but it will be about his journey.” As Dilip Kumar celebrates his birthday today, we bring you some rare and unseen pictures of the veteran.

Dilip Kumar was born as Muhammad Yousuf Khan on 11 December 1922 in Peshawar. He was born into a Hindko-speaking Peshawari family, and his father, Lala Ghulam Sarwar, was a fruit merchant who owned orchards in Peshawar and Deolali (in Maharashtra, India). In the late 1930s, his family of 12 members relocated to Mumbai. Around 1940, Dilip Kumar left home for Pune where he started his career as a canteen owner and a dry fruit supplier. In 1943, actress Devika Rani, and her husband Himanshu Rai who owned Bombay Talkies spotted Dilip Kumar in Aundh military canteens Pune, and cast him with a lead role in their film Jwar Bhata (1944),

which marked Dilip Kumar’s entry into the Bollywood film industry. Hindi author Bhagwati Charan Varma gave him the screen name Dilip Kumar, it was Jugnu (1947) which became his first major hit at box office. Dilip Kumar’s career has spanned six decades and over 60 films.

Peshawar celebrated the 90th birthday of Indian film actor Yousaf Khan, commonly known as Dilip Kumar, for the first time in his ancestral city.

Organised by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Culture and Heritage Council, writers, actors, lawyers and locals gathered at the Peshawar Press Club and paid tribute to the famous ‘tragedy king’ of Bollywood who belonged to their city. Participants asked the provincial government to consider the houses of both Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor as national heritages to preserve it for future generations.

Dilip Kumar and his wife Saira Bano called in on the event and thanked Peshawarites for their love and respect.“Where Kumar is now is only because of the prayers and love of this city,” Bano said. Kumar also spoke briefly and asked the residents of the city to remember him in their prayers.

Increasing rumours about the deterioration his health.

It is now amusing for us when a rumour about my health makes its rounds and we get anxious phone calls. I answer them myself and I thank the Almighty for giving me such affectionate friends and relatives. By God’s grace, I have been well except for an occasional touch of cold or fever. I try not to miss my walk at Joggers’ Park, four or five rounds at my own pace, holding my beautiful wife’s hand. I enjoy a drive at night through the many streets that criss-cross Bandra and are quiet and traffic free. On a clear day, it is a delight to have my breakfast in the garden with the sun’s rays falling on the pot of piping hot tea and the omlette that’s made to my taste.

It is a real blessing to have the luxury of a lush garden in a space-starved city like Mumbai. We owe it to Saira’s mother, Naseemji, who thought of and landscaped the garden when she had the bungalow designed in the ’60s.

Moin Akhtar: Greatest loss to laughter’s Moin Akhtar (24 December 1950- 22 April 2011) was a Pakistani television, film and stage actor, as well as a comedian, impersonator, and a host. He was also a play writer, singer, film director and a producer.

He was born in Karachi to Urdu speaking Kashmiri parents migrated from Mumbai India, was highly dynamic and versatile performer, he made his debut for television on 6 September 1966, in a variety show held on PTV to celebrate the first defense day of Pakistan. Since then, he has performed several roles in TV plays/shows, later making a team with Anwar Maqsood and Bushra Ansari.

He was beloved for providing humor for people of all ages, and with an etiquette that remains unmatched. His attempts to avoid vulgarity in his humor rendered him a favorite amongst family audiences. Akhtar was fluent in several languages, including English, Bengali, Sindhi, Punjabi, Memon, Pashto, Gujarati and Urdu. He performed not only in Pakistan but played in several stage shows like Bakra Qiston Pe and Buddha Ghar Pe Hai with Umer Sharif in India. Moin Akhtar rose to the national spotlight and gathered critical acclaim for his performance in the drama “Rozy” in which he played the role of a female TV artist. Rozy was an Urdu adaptation of Hollywood movie Tootsie starring Dustin Hoffman.

Moreover, in a talk-show namely Loose Talk, which began in 2005 on ARY Digital, he appeared as a different character in each and every of over 400 episodes interviewed by Anwar Maqsood, the writer and the host of the program. Akhter also briefly hosted the game show Kya Aap Banaingay Crorepati?, the Pakistani version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?.

He was awarded honorary citizenship of Dallas in 1996 for his achievements. He is also listed among Amazing Pakistanis of all time. He died on 22 April 2011 in Karachi after suffering from a heart attack. He is survived by his wife, three daughters and two sons. The funeral prayers of Moin Akhtar were offered in Tauheed Masjid near his residence. Thousands of people attended the funeral prayer which was led by Junaid Jamshed. The world famous wax museum Madame Tussauds has expressed its wish to include a statue of Moin Akhtar in their London museum. If made, it will be the first of its kind for any Pakistani entertainer.

Mohammad Rafi legendry singer of sub continent

(December 24, 1924 – July 31, 1980) was an Indian recording artist who is considered by many to be one of the greatest Indian playback singers of the Hindi film industry. In his lifetime, he was awarded the National Film Award, Best National Singer Award and six Film fare Awards. In 1967, he was honoured with the Padma Shri award by the Government of India. In 2000, the Stardust magazine named him the “Best Singer of the Millennium.” His singing career spanned about 35 years. Rafi is noted for his ability to sing songs of different moods and varieties: They ranged from classical numbers to patriotic songs, sad lamentations to highly romantic numbers, qawwalis to ghazals and bhajans. He is best known for romantic and duet songs and, as a playback singer, his ability to mould his voice to the persona of the actor lip-synching the song. Rafi is primarily noted for his songs in Hindi-Urdu, over which he had a strong command. He sang in other Indian languages including Assamese, Konkani, Bhojpuri, Oriya, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi, Sindhi, Kannada, Gujarati, Telugu, Maghi, and Maithili. He also recorded a few songs in English, Persian, Spanish and Dutch. From available figures, Rafi sang 4,516 Hindi film songs, 112 non-Hindi film songs, and 328 private (non-film) songs from 1945 to 1980.

Mohammed Rafi was the second youngest of six brothers. His father was Hajji Ali Mohammad. The family lived in Kotla Sultan Singh, a village near present-day Amritsar in Punjab, India. Rafi, whose nickname was Pheeko, began singing by imitating the chants of a fakir in his village. Rafi’s father moved to Lahore in the 1920s where he ran a men’s salon in Noor Mohalla in Bhatti Gate. His elder brother, Mohammad Deen, had a friend, Abdul Hameed, (future brother-in-law), who spotted the talent in Rafi in Lahore and encouraged him to sing. Abdul Hameed later convinced the family elders to let Rafi move to Mumbai; he accompanied him in 1944. Rafi learnt classical music from Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan, Pandit Jiwan Lal Mattoo and Firoze Nizami. His first public performance came at the age of 13, when he sang in Lahore featuring K. L. Saigal. In 1941, Rafi, under Shyam Sunder, made his debut in Lahore as a playback singer in the duet “Soniye Nee, Heeriye Nee” with Zeenat Begum in the Punjabi film Gul Baloch (released in 1944). In that same year, Rafi was invited by All India Radio Lahore station to sing for them. He made his professional debut in the Shyam Sunder-directed 1941 Punjabi film Gul Baloch and the earliest debut in Mumbai film was Gaon Ki Gori in 1945. After that Mohammad Rafi has the Recorded career till his death July 31-1980 and everyone knows, but may be few them know about this: His Songs Royalty issue: In 1962-1963, the popular female playback singer Lata Mangeshkar raised the issue of playback singers’ share in the royalties. Recognizing Rafi’s position as the leading male playback singer, she wanted him to back her in demanding a half-share from the 5 percent song royalty that the film’s producer conceded to select composers. Lata’s contention was that, there was no way producers and music directors could deny this singing duo, one-half share in that 5 percent song royalty to the composer. Rafi’s stated that his claim on the filmmaker ended with his being paid his agreed fee for the song. After that, if the film proved a hit, the filmmaker was welcome to keep the Gramco (HMV) royalty he earned from it. If it did not prove to be a hit, argued Rafi, that he had already been paid the same fees for his song; so later the situation is resolved. Lata viewed his stand as a stumbling block on the royalty issue and this subsequently led to differences between the two. During the recording of “Tasveer Teri Dil Mein” (Maya, 1961), Lata argued with Rafi over a certain passage of the song. Rafi felt belittled, as music director Salil Chowdhury sided with Lata. The situation worsened when Lata Mangeshkar declared that she would no longer sing with Rafi. Rafi stated that he was only so keen to sing with Lata as she was with him. The music director Jaikishan later negotiated a reconciliation between the two.

Guinness World Records controversy:During his last years, Rafi was involved in a controversy over Lata Mangeshkar’s entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. In a letter

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sports

Volume 12 Issue 326 Safar 15, 1434 AH / December 28, 2012

Malik and Hafeez guide Pakistan to victory

Two of Pakistan’s experienced hands guided them to victory in their first game in almost three months, and their first bilateral tour of India in five years. An early burst from debutant Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who began his international career with a fabulous display of swing bowling, rattled the Pakistan top order but the calm presence of Mohammad Hafeez and some enterprising batting from Shoaib Malik put a chase of 134 back on track. Pakistan had another scare at the death, losing two in quick time when victory appeared secure, but Malik ultimately saw them through in the final over, sealing the game with a six.

The hosts were a specialist bowler short, as the Pakistan pair targeted the non-regulars, but a more significant factor in India’s loss was their implosion with the bat, when they lost nine wickets for 47 runs in 46 balls.

A 36,000-strong crowd had been silenced during an impressive display of bowling backed up by some excellent ground fielding that had helped Pakistan fight back after India’s openers had laid a strong foundation in an attractive stand of 77 in under 11 overs. The decibel levels at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, however, hit their peak when Bhuvneshwar swung it this way and

that, setting up two of this three victims with outswingers before nipping one back in to dismantle the stumps. At 12 for 3, Pakistan were reeling; their rebuilding was steady, and resulted in 24 boundary-less deliveries, but Hafeez and Malik pounced in at the right time. Virat Kohli was one of the part-timers used by India, and Hafeez slogged him for two boundaries in the 11th over, at the start of which the required-rate had hit almost nine an over. Yuvraj Singh dragged the ball too short on occasion and was heaved for two sixes by the pair and they each stepped out to Ravindra Jadeja to dispatch him for maximums over his head.

The return of India’s seamers didn’t immediately check Pakistan, as the equation was brought down to 16 off the last three overs, but Ishant Sharma dismissed Hafeez and conceded just two in an over in which he had Malik caught off a no-ball for height.

Ashok Dinda was given the penultimate over and he left Pakistan needing 10 off the last, which Malik helped achieve with a straight six off a Jadeja length delivery to win with two balls to spare. Ajinkya Rahane’s supreme timing was the feature of India’s opening partnership, as he lofted Pakistan’s bowlers over extra cover effort-

lessly, though they hit back after he fell upper-cutting to third man. Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal were the architects of that comeback, after being struck for sixes in their respective opening overs. Gul was smashed over midwicket by Gambhir, but had Yuvraj Singh caught in the deep off a slower ball in his new spell before removing two in two towards the death. Ajmal was carted over extra cover by Rahane, but returned to dismiss MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina with quicker deliveries at a time when India would have backed themselves to reach a score of around or above 150. Gambhir had started picking up the pace but was caught short of the crease when attempting a second run in the 13th over. Sohail Tanvir returned a throw on the half-volley to Kamran Akmal, who collected well and dislodged the stumps. Kohli and Yuvraj began well but fell trying to heave the seamers over square leg - left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Irfan

got rid of Kohli to bag his first international wicket. Ajmal’s tricks against Dhoni and Raina, and the early run-out of Rohit Sharma, sent back by a direct hit from the deep, transformed India’s game from one aimed at an aggressive charge to mere survival. India scored just one boundary in the last six overs, their early advantage was squandered and not even a dream debut that produced a spell of 4-0-9-3 could restore it completely. Source: Cricinfo

NHLPA gives board OK on dissolution

The NHL Players’ Association moved one step closer Friday toward dissolving the union, voting to authorize its executive board the discretion to file a “disclaimer of interest,” multiple sources confirmed to ESPN.com. The affirmative vote, the result of a five-day ballot among the 700-plus

players, allows the executive board to disband the union if and when it chooses to do so. Sources said 706 players voted in favor of disbanding the union, while 22 voted against it. The executive board now has until Jan. 2 to make a decision on whether to file the disclaimer of interest -- a quicker, less-formal way of decertification. Breaking up the NHLPA would prohibit the players from collectively bargaining as a union, though it would allow them to file an antitrust lawsuit against the league. Whether the battle actually gets taken to court, however, remains to be seen. The NHL already has launched a pre-emptive countermove, filing a class-

action complaint in federal court in New York, as well as an unfair labor practice charge against the NHLPA with the National Labor Relations Board. The affirmative vote comes one day after the league made another round of cancellations, axing all regular-season games through Jan. 14.

The two sides have not had a face-to-face meeting since a failed attempt at mediation Dec. 13 in New Jersey. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly and players’ association special counsel Steve Fehr spoke on the telephone Saturday, but no bargaining sessions have been scheduled. The NHL is already the only North American professional sports league to cancel a season because of a labor dispute, losing the 200405 campaign to a lockout. The NBA’s most recent labor dispute ended less than two weeks after the union was disbanded.

Jeffrey Kessler, the lead negotiator for the National Basketball Players Association in that dispute, contends the NHLPA would be wise to go ahead with the “disclaimer of interest.” “I think this is much more likely to lead to a settlement sooner,” Kessler told The Canadian Press last week. “The players have concluded that they are on the verge of possibly deciding that it is better not to be a union and using the antitrust laws to attack the lockout, which all fans should be happy with because it’ll work.”

The league’s board of governors discussed the possibility of a disclaimer of interest on Dec. 5, and commissioner Gary Bettman said the NHL didn’t see it as a significant threat. “We don’t view it in the same way in terms of its impact as apparently the union may,” Bettman said.

Source: ESPN

Sachin Tendulkar retires from ODIs Sachin Tendulkar has retired from ODI cricket. Tendulkar finishes an illustrious career in the 50-over format, having played 463 ODIs, scored 18,426 runs and made 49 centuries, each of them a world record. His last ODI was against Pakistan in Dhaka during the Asia Cup, where he made a half-century in India’s victory. “I have decided to retire from the One Day format of the game,” he said in a statement. “I feel blessed to have fulfilled the dream of being part of a World Cup winning Indian team. The preparatory process to defend the World Cup in 2015 should begin early and in right earnest. I would like to wish the team all the very best for the future. I am eternally grateful to all my well wishers for their unconditional support and love over the years.” Tendulkar made his ODI debut on his first international tour, in 1989, against Pakistan in Gujranwala, where he got a duck. He scored his first half-century in his ninth ODI and made an immediate impact when promoted to open the batting in 1994, in an ODI against New Zealand in Auckland, where he smashed 82 in 49 balls. His first century took 79 ODIs to arrive but he kept piling them on with remarkable consistency. Some of the batting highlights in his ODI career include

back-to-back hundreds against Australia in 1998 in a triangular tournament in Sharjah, finishing as the highest run-getter in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, and becoming the first batsman to score a double-century in the ODI format, against South Africa in February 2010. He was part of one of India’s greatest ODI achievements over the last three decades, when they won the World Cup in 2011, beating Sri Lanka in the final on his home ground in Mumbai - it was his last ODI in India. In preparation for that World Cup, Tendulkar had curtailed the amount of ODI cricket in the year playing only four ODIs in the 12 months before the tournament. Since the end of the World Cup, Tendulkar has played 10 ODIs, seven in the CB Series against Australia and the last three of his career being played at the Asia Cup in Dhaka. His innings of 114 against Bangladesh on March 16 was his 100th international hundred in what turned out to be Tendulkar’s penultimate ODI match for India. Tendulkar’s announcement of his ODI retirement came through a statement from the BCCI which stated that he had spoken to BCCI president N Srinivasan. His retirement was announced on the day the Indian selectors picked the teams to play

in the five-match T20 and ODI series against Pakistan. “It was not sudden.

He informed us before the selection about his decision,” Sanjay Jagdale, the BCCI secretary, told reporters. “He spoke to me and the president about his decision. Naturally he must have been (emotional) I can’t say we just spoke on the phone.” “What he has expressed is his concern that India has to prepare for the next World Cup,” the BCCI’s chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty added. “From that point of view, he felt that it was time that he retired.”

Diabetes : Continued from pg 26 dated June 11, 1977 to the Guinness Book of World Records, Rafi had challenged the claim that Lata Mangeshkar has recorded the maximum number of songs (“not less than 25,000” according to Guinness). After receiving a reply from Guinness, in a letter dated November 20, 1979, he wrote, “I am disappointed that my request for a reassessment vis-a-vis Ms Mangeshkar’s reported world record has gone unheeded.” In an interview to BBC recorded in November 1977, Rafi claimed to have sung 25,000 to 26,000 songs till then. After Rafi’s death, in its 1984 edition, the Guinness Book of World Records gave Lata Mangeshkar’s name for the “Most Recordings” and stated, “Mohammad Rafi (11 August 1980) claimed to have recorded 28,000 songs in 11 Indian languages between 1944 and April 1980.” According to the available figures, Rafi has sung 4,516 Hindi film songs, 112 non-Hindi film songs, and 328 private (non-film) songs from 1945 to 1980.

The Guinness Book entries for Rafi and Lata were removed in 1991. In 2011, Lata’s sister Asha Bhosle was given the title.

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