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Volume 13 Issue 348 Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 AH / November 1, 2013 - $1

Begins on Nov 3, 2013

MAJOR EARTHQUAKE IN B.C. OR QUEBEC WOULD COST BILLIONS, DEVASTATE INSURANCE INDUSTRY: STUDY A major earthquake off the B B.C. C coast would do damage to buildings in Vancouve Vancouver (pictured), Richmond and New Westminster, but it would be even worse on Vancouver Island, particularly in Victoria.

SOURCE: NEWS.NATIONALPOST.COM

www.miraclenews.com

VAST MAJORITY WANT SENATORS SUSPENDED IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT PAY: POLL Nearly three-quarters of Canadians say the three senators at the centre of an ongoing expenses scandal should be suspended “without pay,” which is what the federal government is attempting to do this week. The Ipsos Reid poll conducted for CTV News found that 73 per cent of respondents believe Senators Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau should be “immediately suspended from the Senate without pay.” One-quarter of respondents believe the three senators should be “allowed to collect their pay and sit as senators until the RCMP completes its investigation.” The poll found that in nearly every province, a “solid majority” of Canadians believe the senators should be immediately suspended and lose their pay. The slimmest majority is in Alberta, where 54 per cent of respondents believe the senators should be suspended, while 46 per cent said such a move should

Continued on pg 4

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Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

P A K I S T A N

US drone strike kills three in

Miranshah Pakistan A US drone strike targeting a house Thursday in Miranshah area of North Waziristan killed three people and injured three more. An official in the city of Peshawar confirmed the attack, saying the identities of the people were immediately unclear. The incident comes a week after Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urged US President Barack Obama to stop drone strikes during a meeting in Washington.

The Pakistani defence ministry Wednesday said 317 US drone strikes in the country’s tribal areas had killed 67 civilians and 2,160 militants in Pakistan since 2008.The Pakistani government has repeatedly protested against drone strikes as a violation of its sovereignty.

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Pakistani family urges US to end drone strikes A Pakistani elementary school teacher, whose mother was killed in a US drone strike last year, Tuesday urged the United States to end unmanned operations and help bring peace to the tribal areas through cooperative efforts with Pakistan. Rafiq-ur-Rehman made the plea in a joint Congressional briefing, where his children nine-year-old daughter Nabila Rehman, and 13-year-old Zubair Rehman, who were both injured by the drone strike, also recounted their emotional experiences. The family traveled to Washington on the invitation of Congressman Alan Grayson, a Democrat from Florida, to provide their accounts of the attack that killed Rafiq’s 67-year-old mother, Momina Bibi in North Waziristan, a year ago.

Nobody has been able to explain why this drone hit his home, Rehman told the hearing, also attended by other members of Congress. His mother, Rehman said, was the binding force for the family and life has not been the same for the family since her death.

He said in North Waziristan, people live under fear of drones. “Drones are not the answer” to the problems, he said, speaking through an interpreter. Justice must be delivered to those who have suffered as a result of drone attacks, the school teacher said.

The unprecedented briefing by survivors of drone strikes took place amid international calls for great-

er transparency. Washington has defended its drone campaign, saying the counterterrorism actions are the least harmful and effective against militan ts.

If he has the opportunity to meet President Obama, he will ask him to “find a peaceful end to the war in my country, and end these drones,” Rehman said at the briefing.

He said he has seen people living peacefully in the United States and wanted a similar peaceful environment in North Waziristan and dreams that his children would be able to complete their education and help rebuild Pakistan. “We can achieve peace through education,” he said.

A preview from the upcoming Brave New Films documentary Unmanned: America’s Drone Wars was shown at the briefing, moderated by Robert Greenwald, the documentary’s director. The lawmakers, attending the briefing, expressed their profound regrets over what had happened to the family and noted that the briefing highlighted the importance of transparency and conversation on the costs and benefits of the drone operations. Congressman Grayson, Representative Jan Schakowsky and Representative Jon Conyers also addressed the hearing. Human Rights Charity Reprieve Staff Attorney Jennifer Gibson called for bringing the drone war out of the shadows, stressing transparency.

Punjab Inspector General of Police Khan Baig on Sunday warned of increased security threat during Muharram this year than the last one, directing the senior police officers to remain vigilant.“Since the security threat level is higher than the previous year, the districts of Lahore, Bhakkar, Khanewal and Chakwal have been listed as very sensitive.

The rest of the districts have also been listed in the sensitive and low sensitive categories,” he said during a meeting with regional police officers (RPOs) here in his office.

The IGP said the Punjab Police had decided to enhance security by deploying around 140,000 policemen during Muharram across the province. They would include 78,937 policemen of Punjab police, 14,200 of Elite Force and Punjab Constabulary, 21,373 of reserved force, 15,969 of Qaumi Razakar and 9,498 of the special police, he added. The meeting decided to ensure installation of CCTV cameras and walkthrough gates at the entry/exit points of the Muharram processions and action against misuse of

loudspeakers. However, it was decided that mobile phone service would not be shut from Muharram 7 to 10. Meanwhile, Lahore CCPO Chaudhry Shafiq Ahmad said that about 15,000 policemen would perform duty during Muharram to provide security to more than 5,600 mourning processions in the city. Presiding over a meeting here on Sunday, he requested the Shia leaders and management committees to use one entry and exit point during Majalis.

The CCPO urged clerics to refrain from hate speeches.

“A strict legal action will be taken against those found involved in violation of ban on loudspeaker.” He also directed the SPs to maintain contacts with notables of the their area, clerics and the members of peace committees for maintaining law and order in Muharam. The CCPO also sought data of volunteers, to be deputed by the Shia management committees in order to issue them necessary identity cards.

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Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

US senator calls for end to spying on allies The head of the the US Senate’s Intelligence Committee has called for a “total review of all intelligence programmes” after reports that American spies eavesdropped on German chancellor Angela Merkel. Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat, said on Monday that while her committee was informed of the NSA’s collection of phone records under a secret court order, her committee “was not satisfactorily informed” about a dacade of “certain surveillance activities”. She said President Barack Obama was not informed either that Angela Merkel’s communications were being collected since 2002. “With respect to NSA collection of intelligence on leaders of US allies, including France, Spain, Mexico and Germany, let me state unequivocally: I am totally opposed,” Feinstein said in a statement. “Unless the United States is engaged in hostilities against a country or there is an emergency need for this type of surveillance, I do not believe the United States should be collecting phone calls or emails of friendly presidents and prime ministers,” Feinstein said. “The president should be required to approve any collection of this sort.” Her statement follows reports based on new leaks from former NSA systems analyst

Edward Snowden indicating that the NSA listened to Merkel and 34 other leaders. The Spanish El Mundo newspaper on Monday reported the US had monitored 60 million phone calls in that country during one month. The report comes days after similar stories of NSA spying in France and Germany. In response, German authorities on Monday cited last week’s non-binding resolution by the European Parliament to suspend a post-9/11 agreement allowing the US access to bank transfer data to track suspicious transactions. German Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger said on Monday she believed the US were using the information to gather economic intelligence.

“It really isn’t enough to be outraged,” she told a radio station. “This would be a signal that something can happen and make clear to the Americans that the (EU’s) policy is changing.” Asked if the NSA spying had been used to boost economic interests, White House spokesman Jay Carney said: “We do not use our intelligence capabilities for that purpose. We use it for security purposes.”

He added that the US may need “additional constraints” on its spying activities.

Source: Al-Jazeera

A severe earthquake off the south coast of B.C., followed by a tsunami, would cause $75 billion in damages to buildings, bridges and pipelines.

The costs would also come from interruptions in business and services, says a report released by the Insurance Bureau of Canada Tuesday. The IBC says the study shows that B.C. and Canada — it also included an analysis in Quebec of damages of $61 billion — is not prepared for the “big one.”

The study was sparked by concerns over the extensive damage from earthquakes in Chile, Haiti, Japan and New Zealand in 2010 and 2011. The sobering news in the report is a call to better prepare for a catastrophic event, said IBC president Don Forgeron. “(An earthquake) could result in the loss of life, property damage and the devastation of many communities. As the study reveals to us today, Canada faces a major risk for which we are clearly not prepared,” said Forgeron. The first study of its kind in more than 20 years, the report modelled an earthquake of 9.1 magnitude in the Western Cascadia subduction zone where two continental plates meet. The zone can produce very large earthquakes as the two plates, which overlap, rupture or slip. The last such earthquake took place just more than 300 years ago. Global risk-modelling experts AIR Worldwide compiled sophisticated and comprehensive data on earthquakes, soil and the vulnerability of buildings, roads and bridges. For the first time in Canada, the effects of the tsunami, landslides, fires and liquefaction were also modelled. Liquefaction describes the effect of shaking that turns loose wet soil into “quicksand.” Richmond is particularly susceptible to this phenomena. “It’s not a matter of if these scenarios will happen, but when,” said Jay Guin, senior vice-president research for AIR Worldwide. Among the study findings was that road access to the Vancouver airport will be cut off during the first few critical days after the earthquake because all the bridges to Sea Island

would be affected. Nanaimo’s port, on the east coast of Vancouver Island, will be damaged so much it may be out of service for many months.

There will be damages to buildings in Vancouver, Richmond and New Westminster, but it will be worse on Vancouver Island, particularly in Victoria, which has many old buildings. Buildings constructed with modern codes are not expected to sustain major damage. While Vancouver Island’s western edge will be hit hardest by the tsunami, Vancouver is sheltered from the full brunt of the waves. The tsunami is estimated to hit Vancouver two hours after the quake. While loss of life and injury were not modelled, Guin said he expected wide-scale casualties and severe injuries. The new $74-billion cost estimate is much higher than in earlier studies, including a recent U.S.-based report that pegged damages in Oregon at $32 billion. In 1992, a similar study by the Munich Reinsurance Co. for B.C. estimated damages could be up to $32 billion. Adjusted for inflation, the figure would be $47 billion in 2013. The study is meant to raise awareness and act as a tool for the insurance industry, governments and the public.

Forgeron said selling more earthquake insurance is part of the solution. Only 45 per cent of British Columbians in seismically-active areas hold earthquake insurance. But Forgeron said also needed are more planning and work on early-warning systems, more building retrofits and rehearsal of emergency programs. He acknowledged that British Columbia has already done work in these areas. The study estimated that direct damage from shaking, the tsunami, fire, landslides and liquefaction from a 9.0 earthquake would be $62 billion.

Indirect losses of $12.7 billion would come from interruptions in business and services. The total insured loss was estimated at $20.4 billion. The B.C. government received the 345-page report Tuesday, and welcomed the new data. “We’re always open to continually learning,” said Cam Filmer, of the province’s emergency preparedness department. He reiterated the province has taken significant steps to prepare for an earthquake, including retrofitting buildings and emergency planning. B.C. has spent or committed $2.2 billion for seismic upgrades to schools. This year an estimated 690,000 people participated in an earthquake drill called the great shakeout. An earlier study released this year says the Pacific coast has experienced 22 major earthquakes over the last 11,000 years, and is due for another.

Source: Vancouver Sun

Major quake off B.C. coast would cause $75 billion in damage: study

Wait times for medical treatment getting longer: report Canadians are waiting longer to see a specialist, undergo diagnostic testing and begin treatment for medical problems ranging from orthopedic surgery to cancer, according to a new report, despite recent government pledges to reduce patient wait times. In its annual report, “Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada,” the Fraser Institute said the median wait time in 2013 hit 18.2 weeks, three days longer than in 2012. Twenty years ago, the average wait time for treatment in Canada was 9.3 weeks. Specifically, the average wait time for orthopedic surgery reached 39.6 weeks for treatment, while patients waited an average 17.4 weeks for an appointment with a neurosurgeon. Cancer patients needing radiation experienced the shortest wait times for treatment, at about 3.5 weeks. The report estimates that about one in 34 Canadians “may be in pain, off work, or suffering from depression as they wait their turn for treatment.”

“Canada is effectively reneging on its promise of universal healthcare for those citizens forced to endure these long waits,” Bacchus Barua, Fraser Institute senior health policy analyst and the report’s lead author, said in a statement. “Simply putting someone on a list is not the same as providing necessary medical attention in a timely manner.” Co-author Nadeem Esmail, the institute’s director of health policy studies, said longer wait times are not the result of insufficient health care spending. “Wait times can be considerably reduced without higher spending or abandoning universality,” Esmail said in a statement. “The key is to better understand the health policy experiences of other more successful universal access health care systems around the developed world such as Australia or Switzerland.” The study’s results are based on data gleaned from a survey

sent to Canadian physicians practicing in 12 specialties. It is sent to doctors in all provinces. The survey measures wait times from a GP’s referral to treatment, wait times between GP referral and consultation with a specialist, the wait time between seeing a specialist and receiving treatment, and wait times for tests such as MRIs, CT scans and ultrasounds. According to the latest report, the delay between GP referral and specialist consultation increased to 8.6 weeks in 2013, up from 8.5 week in 2012 and Specialist consultation and treatment increased to 9.6 weeks from 9.3 weeks in 2012. According to the report, the province with the shortest wait times from GP referral to treatment was Ontario. Patients there waited an average of 13.7 weeks in 2013, down from 14.9 weeks in 2012. On the other end of the spectrum patients in Prince Edward Island waited about a year, 40.1 weeks, between referral and treatment. The report also found that wait times to see a specialist increased in seven provinces between 2012 and 2013, but decreased in Ontario, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The shortest wait times to see a specialist were in Ontario, at 6.7 weeks, Quebec, 7.4 weeks, and Manitoba, 8.1 weeks. The longest wait times to see a specialist were in P.E.I., 24.9 weeks, New Brunswick, 20.3 weeks and Newfoundland and Labrador, 14.0 weeks. Overall, the report said, Canadians across the 10 provinces were waiting for about 928,120 procedures, up 57,658 procedures from 2012. “These lengthy delays have real and important effects on Canadians’ health and wellbeing, imposing pain and suffering, mental anguish, lost productivity at work and leisure, and possibly even disability and death,” Barua said.

Source: CTV News

Canada : Continued from pg 1 wait until the RCMP investigations are complete. John Wright, senior vice president of Ipsos Reid, said Canadians’ lack of sympathy for the senators is likely due to the fact that they have only recently spoken up to defend themselves, after months of negative media headlines. “The issue of due process is something that in the court of public opinion you could argue, but you should be arguing it at the outset. Most people believe that there’s been a violation of public trust here and that these senators should be gone,” Wright said. “The fact of the matter is for about the last seven months, Canadians have heard an awful lot about this case, the senators haven’t responded until the last minute.” The poll found that the scandal has captured the attention of Canadians, with nearly 60 per cent saying they are “closely” following the developments of the Senate expenses scandal, while about 41 per cent said they aren’t paying close attention. Senators are currently debating motions to suspend Duffy, Wallin and Brazeau without pay for the remainder of the current Parliamentary term, which ends in 2015. They would also not receive benefits or have access to Senate resources. If a motion to invoke closure on the debate is passed, senators are expected to vote on the suspension motions themselves on Wednesday or Thursday.

The motions allege “gross negligence” over the senators’ expenses, which outside audits found included some ineligible claims. The three were ordered to repay thousands of dollars and their audits have been referred to the RCMP. The scandal has heated up in recent days after Duffy alleged that Prime Minister Stephen Harper ordered Duffy to repay the $90,000 he was found to have inappropriately claimed.

Harper confirmed that he ordered Duffy to repay the money, but says he was unaware that his then-chief of staff, Nigel Wright, had given him the money. The poll results show that one-in-three Canadians “agrees” that they “believe Prime Minister Harper when he says he did not know about his former Chief of Staff, Nigel Wright, writing a personal cheque for $90,000 to pay back Senator Duffy’s inappropriate expenses.”

Two-thirds of Canadians, or 65 per cent, “disagree” that they believe the prime minister. Albertans are most likely to believe the prime minister (52 per cent), while Atlantic Canadians are the least likely to believe the prime minister (28 per cent).

An overwhelming majority of respondents, 81 per cent, said they “agree” that the “government should have a public inquiry” into the Nigel Wright-Mike Duffy deal, while just 19 per cent “disagree.” The poll also found that 33 per cent of Canadians “approve” of how Harper “has performed in managing the Senate issue,” a figure that is actually up 3 points since last July. About 67 per cent of Canadians “disapprove” of the prime minister’s handling of the scandal. Source: CTV News

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I N T E R N A T I O N A L

UN envoy slams Myanmar’s UN: Refugee numbers at anti-Muslim violence highest in 19 years

Violence against a Muslim minority in Myanmar is feeding a wider anti-Muslim feeling that poses a serious threat to the country’s economic and political reforms as it emerges from half a century of military rule, according to a UN envoy. “The situation in Rakhine State has fed a wider anti-Muslim narrative in Myanmar, which is posing one of the most serious threats to the reform process,” Tomas Ojea Quintana, UN special rapporteur on the situation in human rights in Myanmar, said on Thursday. “Rakhine State remains in a situation of profound crisis.” “The underlying issue of discrimination against Muslim and particularly Rohingya populations remains unaddressed,” he told the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, which deals with human rights issues. “Allegations of gross violations since the violence erupted last June, including by state security personnel, remains unaddressed.” The government says at least 192 people were killed in June and October 2012 during clashes between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims, most of whom Myanmar deem illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, despite roots going back generations. The clashes led to unrest elsewhere in the country, where other groups of Muslims have been targeted, including

Kamans, who are of different ethnicity from Rohingya Muslims. “In our view the recent dramatic democratic changes in Myanmar were a clear demonstration of the changes of mindset in the government,” a representative of the Myanmar UN mission told the Third Committee. “At the critical time of democratic transition no country is immune from challenges. Myanmar went through unfortunate communal violence in Rakhine state sparked by a brutal crime. We very much regret loss of life and property caused to both communities,” he said. The violence in northern Rakhine State, one of Myanmar’s poorest regions that is home to one million mostly stateless Rohingya, has continued this year, with dozens more killed and 140,000 left homeless.

“The president [Thein Sein] has made some commendable public speeches in which he has emphasised the need for trust, respect and compassion between people of different faiths and ethnic groups in Myanmar,” Quintana said. “However, more needs to be done by the government to tackle the spread of discriminatory views and to protect vulnerable minority communities,” he added. An estimated 5 percent of Myanmar’s population of about 60 million is Muslim.

Source: Al-Jazeera

The UN says there are now more refugees than at any time since 1994. Thousands of asylum-seekers, mainly from Afghanistan and the Middle East, head to Indonesia each year to make the dangerous voyage across the Indian ocean to Australia. They are seeking a new life, fleeing war, political unrest, and poverty. The influx of asylum-seekers is a major political issue both in Indonesia and Australia, particularly as Indonesia has not signed up to the 1951 UN Refugee convention and does not have to accept refugees.

Australia, on the other hand, is a signatory.

The asylum-seekers pay thousands of dollars to people smugglers for a hazardous boat ride to Christmas Island. Many refugees from African countries such as Eritrea and Somalia have been paying people smugglers thousands of dollars to take them to Europe via the Mediterranean, often on rickety and crowded boats that sink in rough seas. On Sunday, Italian authorities intercepted 800 migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean as EU leaders met in Brussels to discuss the problem. The problem has attracted global attention after a series of accidents on the Mediterranean killed hundreds of migrants.

Officials say the new wave of migrants entering Europe has grown in size due to large

numbers of people fleeing the Syrian civil war. Many of the migrants rescued recently when a boat carrying more than 250 passengers capsized were Syrians. Italy and Malta, which are grappling with the flood of migrants, are at the forefront of the campaign to get European Union nations to deal with the influx. EU member states make a distinction between asylum seekers and refugees, with asylum seekers defined as people submitting a request for refugee status. The asylum seeker is not granted refugee status unless the member state decides they qualify, following a defined legal procedure. More than 26 million people - 10.4 million refugees and 15.6 million IDPs - were receiving protection or assistance from UNHCR at the end of 2009. This is 1 million more people than in 2008. By the end of 2009, UNHCR had identified up to 6.6 million stateless persons in 60 countries. However, the organisation estimated that the overall number of stateless persons worldwide could be far higher - about 12 million people. There are approximately 1.5 million recognised refugees living in the 27 member states of the EU plus Norway and Switzerland. This compares to a global figure of approximately 16 million.

Source: Al-Jazeera

are 22 OPCW experts and about 50 UN staff supervising the destruction programme so far, the UN report said. The report said security “remains difficult and unpredictable” for the inspectors because of the 31 month old war which the UN says has left well over 100,000 dead. Ban added the inspectors would go to the last sites “as soon as conditions permit.” The report did not say if the unsafe sites were in government or opposition territory. And the UN leader highlighted the major security and logistics task ahead to get rid of Syria’s chemicals in line with the Security Council deadline. Syria has submitted an “initial plan” for the transportation of chemicals for destruction, the report said without giving details. “The job is far from complete and much important work remains

to be done,” Ban said. “Without sustained genuine commitment by the Syrian authorities, the joint mission will not fullfil its objectives,” he warned. The Security Council passed a resolution ordering the destruction of Syria’s chemical arms amid tensions over a threatened US military strike on the facilities. The United States and other western countries have blamed the Assad government for an August 21 chemical weapon attack near Damascus in which hundreds died. The government has blamed Syrian rebels. A UN inquiry determined that sarin gas was used in the assault, but was not mandated to determine who conducted the assault. It is due to report this week on whether chemical weapons were used in other Syrian towns.

Source: Al-Jazeera

Syria on target to destroy chemical arms Syria is on target to meet a looming deadline to destroy its chemical weapons production equipment, even though inspectors have yet to visit all sites, UN leader Ban Ki-moon said in a progress report. “The functional destruction of the declared capacity of the Syrian Arab Republic is expected to be completed as planned by November 1,” Ban said in a report to the UN Security Council obtained by Al Jazeera. The report stated that personnel from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the UN had completed inspections at 37 of the 41 facilities, and that “as at the cut-off date of this report, the findings of the inspections corroborated the information provided by the Syrian Arab Republic about the above-mentioned facilities.” Destruction of the chemical pro-

duction and mixing facilities is the first major deadline of a tight timetable set out by the Security Council to eliminate all of Syria’s chemical weapons by June 30 next year.

Syria still has an estimated 1,000 tonnes of chemicals to be destroyed and no plan has yet been agreed for the risky operation, officials said. The inspectors have “confirmed the functional destruction of the production and mixing and filling capabilities at all the sites” inspected so far, Ban said. The UN leader stressed that the deadline should be met “a mere” 34 days after the 15-nation Security Council ordered the destruction of all of Syria’s chemical weapons. “In all of these activities the government of the Syrian Arab Republic has extended consistent, constructive cooperation,” Ban said. There

Israel releases 26 Palestinian Prisoners

Israel freed 26 Palestinian prisoners on Wednesday, marking the second of four group releases as part of a deal that set in motion the current U.S.-brokered Israeli-Palestinian talks.

The decision to release the prisoners has been met with protest by groups within Israel. But celebrations were held in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip on Wednesday as freed men – many of whom who have spent more than 20 years behind bars -- were received by their families and Palestinian leaders.

Throngs of people rushed toward five prisoners released in Gaza, hoisting them on their shoulders. Relatives held signs that read “we will never forget our heroes.” More than 2,000 people welcomed the 21 prisoners released to the West Bank, who were greeted at a ceremony by Palestinian President

Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah. “We greet and welcome our brothers, and we confirm that they will return to their homes and nowhere else,” Abbas said in a speech.

Wednesday’s release was part of an agreement brokered by Secretary of State John Kerry that brought Israel and the Palestinians back to the table for peace talks that had been paralyzed since 2008.

In all, 104 convicts are to be released in four rounds over the coming months.

“Today is our second happy moment and after two (more) months there will be a third moment of happiness, then the fourth, and then the fifth, until all the prisoners are released. I tell you, there will be no final agreement without the release of all the prisoners,” Abbas said. Source: aljazeera.com

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Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

In view of the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, more money and resources were poured in the madrassa system. Saudi Arabia and the US were more than happy to help Pakistan to win the war on the basis of ideology. Since the motivation was pretty strategic, the wide net work of Islamic madressahs (schools) were engaged as “mujahedeen making factories” to ensure a continuous supply of the trained willing fighters.

Later on, the same mujahedeen were re-labeled as Taliban (Taliban is plural of Talib that means student).

After defeating the soviets, Pakistan encouraged and helped the formation of Taliban regime in Afghanistan to safeguard its own strategic interests.

No doubt, having a friendly government in Kabul would secure Pakistan’s western border, but that was never allowed to continue.

Many years afterwards, the relations between OBL (Osama bin Laden) and America deteriorated to a point where Osama was declared as a fugitive criminal. And, the presence of OBL in Afghanistan paved the way for the US military intervention leading to the demise of Taliban government.

With the U.S. control in Kabul, came Mr. Hamid Karzai in power.

Ever since the opportunist India has been successfully exploiting the situation; twelve consular offices are reported to be operative along the PAK Afghan border. It’s one of the major irritants that make Pakistan

E D I T O R I A L

THE TALIBAN FACTOR very nervous.

The armed to teeth militants of the BLA (Baluchistan Liberation Army) and the TTP are equipped with top of the line weaponry. Pakistan always blames the Indian involvement behind terrorist activity throughout Pakistan.

This scenario keeps Pakistan on its toes as its writ continues to remain challenged and compromised. The FATA area menace of militancy on both sides of Pak Afghan fenceless border has destroyed the region economically.

Since the dream of military victory hasn’t come true, as the 2014 withdrawal of the US forces is nearing; a negotiated settlement seems to have potential for some viable solution.

However, all stakeholders are to be in agreement.

Pakistan claims that drone strikes are counterproductive; nevertheless, Washington advocates its effectiveness for countering terrorism, and of course this serves as pressure tactics to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table.

The US has already facilitated the opening of office for negotiating with ‘Afghan Taliban’ in Doha, Qatar. Currently, it’s in the midst of peace talks with the Afghan Taliban.

Furthermore, Washington has no objection if Pakistan goes ahead with having dialogue with the banned TTP (Tahreeek-i-Taliban Pakistan).

Nevertheless, the prevailing skepticism makes the critics think that the

current universal crisis of terror has been cleverly created by those who have no respect for human values.

The terrorists worship money even if they have to create crises.

Indeed, the chaotic scenarios have left the flood gates wide open for the unlimited opportunities to make material gains at the cost of life and property of the innocent. Mysteriously, the media remains addicted to the opportunities as well for monetary gains.

Obviously, it’s not hard to figure out that there are certainly some criminal factions (the so called Taliban) who are like ferocious animals employed to work as merely proxy warriors.

These monsters have absolutely no religious affiliations.

Some critics argue against the negotiated settlement. Because, there have been a few peace deals in the past including Shakai, Sargodha peace accord, Miran Shah peace deal, but none worked.

Swat is also a case in point, where the peace deal was messed up, as the Taliban militants attempted to introduce their version of Islam. Thank God, Pakistan armed forces succeeded in liberating Swat after a highly successful military operation.

Facilitating the development of an effective apparatus is needed to control the un-leashed monsters, because the prolonged war against the highly equipped TTP has not yielded any significant result.

The US support for Pakistan’s initia-

tive to hold dialogue with Taliban is like one NOC (no objection certificate). Briefing Pakistan journalists on last week, senior US officials acknowledged that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had shared with them his plan to engage the Taliban. “And we told them we have no objection to it as long as the Taliban agree to recognise the Pakistani constitution and respect the rule of law,” said one US official.

Mr Sartaj Aziz said “the government had already covered a lot of grounds and talks with Taliban are likely to start in the next few days.”

In the past, some countries eventually ended up having dialogue with the militants. For example: the IRA in Great Britain and Ireland, the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, and the Naxalites in India and peace talks between the US and the Viet Cong took place when all military means failed.

Acknowledging Pakistan’s efforts to support an inclusive reconciliation process in which Afghans determine the future of their country, both Obama and Nawaz wanted the Taliban to join the political process and enter into dialogue with the Afghan government.

Unfortunately the Muslims have already been divided in sects such as Shia, Sunni (Deobandi, Brailvi), Wahabee, Malki, Ahle Quran, Ahle Hadith, and many more with their own agendas not to serve Allah but others.

Letters & Opinions

Conservatives not addressing the anxiety of the middle class By: Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., M.P. Liberal Party of Canada House Leader

Presented with the opportunity to lay out an agenda to address the rising anxieties of the middle class, what did the Conservative government do? Blow the opportunity and show how out-of-touch they have grown with Canadians.

Canadians are cynical. They are disappointed when the government says it is committed to accountability and transparency, but has lost five caucus members to scandal. Of those, Senators Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau were all appointed by the Prime Minister. What does that say about his judgement and the example he is setting?

Faced with political problems, the Tories are responding the only way they know how, with political solutions. But none of it helps our struggling middle class.

Despite all our progress, middleclass families have not had a real raise in decades. As incomes have stagnated while costs have risen, families have taken on more and more debt. As a share of disposable income, they now have more debt than families in the United States. Parents are worried that no matter how hard they work, they will not be able to give their children the same opportunities their parents gave to them.

The Conservatives claim leader-

ship on the economy, but what are their results? Prime Minister Harper has the worst record on growth of any prime minister since R.B. Bennett in the depths of the Great Depression. Ten consecutive budget surpluses have turned into seven consecutive deficits. Our national debt has ballooned more than $150 billion in just eight years. Too many workers are unemployed or can only find part-time positions. Youth underemployment is persistently high, scarring the next generation as they start their careers.

The Conservatives are so disconnected that instead of addressing these challenges, they used the opening of a new session of Parliament to throw Canadians a few baubles to try to buy them off with their own money.

Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised. This is a party whose primary economic message is “It could be worse. Be happy that you don’t live in Spain.” They tell Canadians that expecting more from their leaders and themselves is a waste of time, naïve even. And their sole response to the most pressing economic and social issues facing Canadians with political gamesmanship and gimmicks.

That kind of defeatism has no place in Canada. We need to restore hope and opportunity, not settle for mediocrity.

Immigration Wait Times Are Unacceptable For New Canadians

By: John McCallum, MP Liberal Critic for Multiculturalism, Citizenship and Immigration A constituent comes into my Markham office, angry and upset that his mother has been denied permission to visit Canada for her granddaughter’s wedding. Why, he says, should he as a hard-working Canadian taxpayer be denied this basic right that is so important to his family?

Another constituent is frustrated that he has already waited more than two years, and his wife has still not gained admission to Canada. He has yet to see his infant daughter who is too young to fly to Canada on her own.

His question: “How long does this government think my marriage will last when they keep us apart for so long and we have no idea how much longer it will take?”

Such reactions are not confined to Markham. They happen every day across the country, especially in regions with high concentrations of new Canadians.

Few experiences are as painful or emotionally draining as being forced to endure long and unpredictable wait times to be reunited with loved ones.

Moreover, Canadians are right to be frustrated and angry, as these wait times have increased dramatically.

According to the immigration department’s own numbers, average wait times for family class reunification from India tripled between 2007 and 2012, rising from 9 months to 27 months. The situation for China

was even worse, as average waiting times rose from 7 to 39 months over the same period. According to the department’s current web site, average wait times for spouses and children exceed two years for three countries (Pakistan, Kenya, Singapore), and they exceed one year for at least four additional countries (Sri Lanka, India, Philippines, Jamaica).

Parents and grandparents have been barred from applying for landed immigrant status, and for those who applied before the ban was imposed, average wait times are well over five years.

For visitors, it takes 69 days to process a visitor’s visa from Pakistan and 133 days from Turkey.

We understand that Canada’s capacity to absorb new immigrants is limited.

We also understand that there are some bad apples who seek to abuse the system. Nevertheless, the horrendous increases in wait times over the past five years constitute an undue hardship for new Canadians. It is high time the government devoted the necessary resources to fix this situation, yet there was not even a mention of the problem in the recent Speech from the Throne.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Letters to the editor do not reflect the opinion of the Miracle media group. 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.

“As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects, thou have no part in them in the least: Their affair is with Allah: He will in the end tell them the truth of all that they did.” (The Quran Surah AlAn’am (6:159).

Let’s give the peace deal another try to save the innocent lives.

Only as a last resort, Pak Army would need a clear mandate for an all out operation for completely wiping out the militant element.

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

Meralce Media Group Inc.

Contact Info Mailing and Office Address 9160-136A Street Surrey BC. V3V 7Z8 Canada Fax: 604-582-7809 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 Editorial Board: Mr, Shums Jillani, Mr aslam Hayat, Mr.Azhar Syed, Mr. Shams Siddiqui, M.A.L. Naumani, Mr Tariq Mian Graphic Design: Design Team Copyright: 2001 Miracle Media Group Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Printed in Canada Attention: The opinions express herein contain positions and viewpoints that are not necessary 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.”

CONTENTS Editorial & Letters Int. News Local Politics Faith Specials Women Lifestyle Youth/ KIDS Sports Urdu

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Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

F A I T H Sahih Bukhari Volume 003, Book 031, Hadith Number 204.

Narated By Mutarrif from ‘Imran Ibn Husain : That the Prophet asked him (Imran) or asked a man and Imran was listening, “O Abu so-and-so! Have you fasted the last days of this month?” (The narrator thought that he said, “the month of Ramadan”). The man replied, “No, O Allah’s Apostle!” The Prophet said to him, “When you finish your fasting (of Ramadan) fast two days (in Shawwal).” Through another series of narrators ‘Imran said, “The Prophet said, ‘(Have you fasted) the last days of Sha’ban?”

The Beginning of Hijrah

By Aelfwine Mischler Although Muslims do not actually celebrate the Muslim new year in the way other people celebrate their respective new year, the first day of the lunar month of Muharram is a legal holiday in many Muslim countries.

The Islamic calendar is counted from the year of Prophet Muhammad’s flight from Makkah to Madinah in September 622 CE, known as the Hijrah (or hegira in English from Latin from Arabic). This journey is one of the most important events in Islamic history.

The early Muslims in Makkah were harshly persecuted and tortured by the ruling pagan Quraysh tribe. The Muslims were few in number and many of them were slaves. With no power to repel their persecutors, they could only wait patiently until Allah (God) opened a way for them.

In the twelfth year of the Prophet’s mission, 12 men from the city of Yathrib (later to be known as Madinah) came to Makkah during the Hajj season and met with Muhammad at Al-`Aqabah. Having heard of his mission, they became Muslim and pledged their faith in the first covenant of Al-`Aqabah. The Prophet sent Mus`ab ibn `Umayr back to Yathrib with them to teach them the religion. Mus`ab succeeded in converting many of the people of Yathrib to Islam. The following year, in June 622 CE, 73 men and 2 women from Yath-

rib came to the Prophet during the Hajj and pledged allegiance to him in the second covenant of Al-`Aqabah. They promised to protect him and help the Muslims of Makkah to resettle in their city.

This delegation was the core of what came to be known as Al-Ansar, the Helpers, the Muslims who were natives of Yathrib, later known as Al-Madinah Al-Munawwara—the Illuminated City—or Madinah. The Muslims gradually left Makkah a few at a time so as not to attract the attention of the Quraysh. Eventually the Quraysh realized what was happening and tried to stop many of them from leaving.

History tells many stories of these men and women who gave up their homes, wealth, and families to be able to freely practice their religion in Madinah.

Only after several months did Allah grant the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) permission to leave Makkah. Shortly before his departure, Jibreel (Angel Gabriel) told Muhammad that the Quraysh had devised a plot to stab him while he was sleeping. On the night of the planned assassination, his cousin `Ali ibn Abi Talib slept in Muhammad’s bed while the latter escaped with his friend Abu Bakr As-Siddiq to a cave south of Makkah, opposite the direction to Madinah. Fortunately for `Ali, the assassins looked at his face before stabbing him and left him alone when they realized they had been outwitted.

Muhammad and Abu Bakr hid in the cave

The Journey of Life

The Eternal, Living Reality The Qur’an is the word of the Ever-living God; it has been sent down to guide man for all times to come. No book can be like it. As you come to the Qur’an, Allah speaks to you. To read the Qur’an is to hear Him, even to converse with Him, and to walk in His ways. It is the encounter of life with the Life-giver. ‘God - there is no god but He, the Ever-living, the Self-subsisting (by whom all subsist). He has sent down upon you the Book with the Truth ... as a guidance unto mankind ...’ (Al ‘Imran 3: 2-3) For those who heard it for the first time from the lips of the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him, the Qur’an was a living reality. They had absolutely no doubt that, through him, Allah was speaking to them. Their hearts and minds were therefore seized by it. Their eyes overflowed with tears and their bodies shivered. They found each word of it deeply relevant to their concerns and experiences, and integrated it fully into their lives. They were completely transformed by it both as individuals and as a corporate body - into a totally new, alive and life-giving entity. Those who grazed sheep, herded camels and traded petty merchandise became the leaders of mankind.

Today we have the same Qur’an with us. Millions of copies of it are in circulation. Day and night, it is ceaselessly recited. In homes, in mosques, and from pulpits. Voluminous exegetical works exist expounding its meaning. Words pour out incessantly to explain its teachings and to exhort us to live by it. Yet eyes remain dry, hearts remain unmoved, minds remain untouched, lives remain unchanged. Ignominy and degradation appear to have become the lot of the followers of the Qur’an. Why? Because we no longer read the Qur’an as a living reality. It is a sacred book, but it tells us something of the past only, concerning Muslims and Kafirs, Jews and Christians, the faithful and the hypocrites, who ‘once upon a time used to be’.

Can the Qur’an, again, be a living, relevant force, as powerful for us now, 1400 years away, as it was then? This is the most crucial question that we must answer if we wish to shape our destiny afresh under the guidance of the Qur’an.

There appear, however, to be some difficulties.

Not least of which has to do with the fact that the

for three days while the Quraysh searched all around Makkah. At one point, their enemies were only a few feet away outside the cave, but Allah protected them by simple everyday “miracles.” A spider spun its web across the mouth of the cave, pigeons nested and laid eggs in front of it, and the branches of a small tree blocked it. Thus the pursuers assumed no one had entered the cave recently and did not search it.

The two then made their way, led by a pagan guide, to Madinah via a coastal route to throw off the pursuit. When they finally arrived in Madinah, Muhammad let his camel wander where it willed until it sat in one place. The owners of the land where the camel sat were paid, and the Prophet’s mosque and living quarters were built on the site while the Prophet and Abu Bakr lived as guests of the Ansar.

The Hijrah, at last, gave the Muslims a place where they could openly declare their Islam and worship in peace. It was the beginning of the Islamic state. The Qur’anic verses revealed in Makkah had dealt mainly with the nature of Allah and man’s relationship to Him. In Makkah, there had been very few households in which all of the members were Muslims.

At the time, Islam appeared to be concerned only with the individual and the hereafter. In contrast, the verses revealed in Madinah dealt more with man’s relationships with others— the social, political, and economic aspects of Islam that could not be developed under per-

secution.

The Hijrah was also significant for the unselfish brotherhood demonstrated by the Ansar towards the Muhajirun (immigrants from Makkah). The Ansar were not wealthy, yet they took in the Muhajirun, shared their food and homes with them, and helped to establish them in trade or work. Further, the Ansar were well aware that by doing so they were challenging the Quraysh and all the pagan tribes of the whole Arabian Peninsula . Indeed, the pagans did launch several battles in an attempt to snuff out the nascent Muslim state. But the Ansar remained faithful followers of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and were always loved and praised by him.

It was the second caliph, `Umar ibn Al-Khattab, who chose the year of Hijrah to be the starting point of the Muslim calendar. Before that, each province marked the years as the nth year in the reign of so-and-so, or the year when such-and-such happened. `Umar standardized the chronology, and it is significant that he chose the Hijrah—rather than the birth or death of Muhammad or the first revelation of the Qur’an—as the starting point. The Hijrah was the beginning of Islam as a complete way of life affecting all aspects of Man’s existence.

and style, its eloquence and rationale, its idiom and metaphor, its symbols and parables, its moments and events were all rooted in their own setting. These people were both witnesses to and, in a sense, participants in the whole act of revelation as it unfolded over a period of their own time. We do not have the same privilege; yet, in some measure, the same ought to be true for us.

By understanding and obeying the Qur’an in our own setting, we will find it, as far as possible, as much a contemporary event for ourselves as it was then. For the essence of man has not changed; it is immutable. Only man’s externalities—the forms, the modes, the technologies - have changed. The pagans of Mecca may be no more, nor the Jews of Yathrib, nor the Christians of Najran, nor even the ‘faithful’ and the ‘unfaithful’ of the community at Madina; but the same characters exist all around us.

We are human beings exactly as the first recipients were, even though many find it extremely difficult to grapple with the deep implications

of this very simple truth. Once you realize these truths and follow them, once you come to the Qur’an as the first believers did, it may reveal to you as it did to them, make partners of you as it did of them. And only then, instead of being a mere revered book, a sacred fossil, or a source of magic-like blessing, it will change into a mighty force, impinging, stirring, moving and guiding us to deeper and higher achievements, just as it did before.

The New World that Awaits You As you come to the Qur’an, you come to a new world. No other venture in your life can be so momentous and crucial, so blissful and rewarding, as your journey to and through the Qur’an.

It is a journey that will take you through the endless joys and riches of the words that your Creator and Lord has sent to you and all mankind. Here you will find a world of untold treasures of knowledge and wisdom to guide you on the pathways of life, to mould your thoughts and actions. In it you will find deep insights to

Qur’an was revealed at a certain point in time.

Since then we have traveled a long way, made gigantic leaps in technological know-how, and seen considerable social changes take place in human society. Moreover, most of the followers of the Qur’an today do not know Arabic, and many who do have, little idea of the ‘living’ language of the Qur’an. They cannot be expected to absorb its idiom and metaphor, so essential to exploring and absorbing the depths of the Qur’anic meaning.

Yet its guidance, by its own claim, has an eternal relevance for all people, being the word of the Eternal God. For the truth of this claim, it seems to me, it must be possible for us to receive, experience, and understand the Qur’an as its first recipients did, at least in some measure and to some degree. We seem to almost have a right to this possibility of receiving God’s guidance in its fullness and with all its riches and joys. In other words, despite the historical incidence of the revelation Continued on pg 18 in a particular language at a particular time and place, we should be capable of receiving the Qur’an now (because its message is eternal), capable of making its message as much a real November 1-15, 2013 (Dhul Hajjah 27-Muharrum 12),1434-35H) part of our lives as it was for the first believers and with the same urgent and Date Day Fajar Sunr Zawal Dhuhr Asar Maghrib Isha profound relevance for all our present concerns and experiences.

Fri 6:13 7:59 13:00 13:05 16:02 17:58 19:19 DH27 Nov 1 But how do we do this? To put it Sat 28 2 6:15 8:01 13:00 13:05 16:01 17:56 19:18 very forthrightly, only by entering the world of the Qur’an as if Allah were 29 Day light S *3 Sun 5:15 7:01 12:00 12:05 15:01 16:56 18:18 speaking to us through it now and MU 1 4 Mon 5:18 7:04 12:00 12:05 14:58 16:53 18:15 today, and by fulfilling the necessary 2 5 Tue 5:19 7:05 12:00 12:05 14:56 16:52 18:14 conditions for such an encounter.

3 6 Wed 5:20 7:07 12:00 12:05 14:55 16:50 18:12 Firstly, then, we must realize what the Qur’an as the word of God is and 7 Thu 5:22 7:09 12:01 12:06 14:54 16:49 18:11 4 means to us, and bring all the reverFri 5:23 7:10 12:01 12:06 14:52 16:47 18:10 8 5 ence, love, longing, and will to act that Sat 5:24 7:12 12:01 12:06 14:51 16:46 18:08 9 6 this realization demands. Secondly, we must read it as it asks to be read, 10 Sun 5:26 7:13 12:01 12:06 14:49 16:44 18:07 7 as Allah’s Messenger instructed us, as 11 Mon 5:27 7:15 12:01 12:06 14:48 16:43 18:06 8 he and his Companions read it. Third12 Tue 5:28 7:17 12:01 12:06 14:47 16:42 18:05 9 ly, we must bring each word of the Qur’an to bear upon our own realities 13 Wed 5:30 7:18 12:01 12:06 14:46 16:41 18:04 10 and concerns by transcending the bar14 Thu 5:31 7:20 12:01 12:06 14:45 16:39 18:03 11 riers of time, culture and change.

Fri 5:32 7:21 12:01 12:06 14:43 16:38 18:02 15 12 For its first addressees, the Qur’an was a contemporary event. Its language

Prayer Schedule in Greater Vancouver

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

8 L O C A L Masjid Al-Salam Celebrates Islamic History Month, Guests’ Time Travel Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

By: Fatimah Yasin (BCMA) Crowds of guests poured into the Burnaby As-Salaam and Education Centre to celebrate Islamic History Month Canada (IHMC) on the eve of October 12th. A visual presentation compiled by Imaad Ali took everyone back as early as the 1800s in tracing the roots of Islamic communities across Canada.

This October marks the seventh celebration of IHMC. It began in 2007 when parliament passed a motion to officially declare the month of October as Islamic history month in Canada. Now an independent organization, the IHMC was initially established by the Canadian Islamic Congress

(CIC). Also an independent not-for-profit organization, CIC promoted Islamic History Month nationwide from 2007 to 2012.

The objective of IHMC as stated by the organization is to “celebrate, inform, educate and share with fellow Canadians the Muslim cultural heritage and Canadian Muslim contributions to Canada and the contributions made by Islamic civilization throughout its history.”

And celebrate we did as Ali’s presentation transformed the Burnaby mosque into a vessel travelling into a distant past. Using historical documents and old photographs, Ali took us to each province and talked about their firsts, from the recognition of

the first Muslim in Canada dating back to 1871 in Ontario to the first self-proclaimed ‘Imam of Canada’ in Saskatchewan, 1915.

The first ever written account of Hajj was released in the Ottawa Citizen in 1974 by a Canadian woman named Eva Wahab. She went on in leading the effort to raise funds for Ottawa’s first masjid.

Guests were impressed with the legacy of Muslims in North America. Roshan Ali thought the history lesson was “very informative, for generations to come.” Muneer Mohammed said, “I always wanted to go to Nova Scotia; this gives me more reason to go”. Nova Scotia has one of the oldest Muslim communities, who predominantly

speak Arabic. They constructed the first Muslim cemetery in Canada in 1935.

As for the history of Muslim communities in British Columbia, Ali thought it would be more appropriate to discuss its rich history in a separate evening. He did mention that the first Muslims in British Columbia resided in New Westminster in 1911. Their last names happened to be Ali, too. The family worked in an old saw mills on the Fraser River. Echoing the chairperson of BCMA Burnaby, Daud Ali, perhaps we’ll learn about this and more in future events held by the Burnaby As-Salaam and Education Centre.

At this event Br,. Mohammad Yasin as an MC invited Br. Imad Ali for its presentation on IHMC. Brother Daud Ismail thanked all the guests and Br, Sheikh Irfan made Duaa. Women chapter Masjid Al Salam served the delicious food,

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L O C A L

Muslim Food Bank Celebrates Eid ul Adha

“Feed, in the name of God, the needy, the orphan, and the captive, (saying), ‘We feed you for the sake of God alone; no reward do we desire from you, nor thanks” (Al-Qur’an 76: 8¬9) On October 25 the Muslim Food Bank (MFB) celebrated Eid Ul Adha at Bollywood Banquet Hall in Surrey. A large number of Muslim Community was present there. A number of stalls of clothing, jewellery and henna were there for families, and Kids Bouncy Castle along with face painting, Mini Donuts counter and Kids Islamic Noor Books kept the kids busy.

The program MC was Mr. Imad Ali. He delivered the outline of this evening program.

The recitation of Quran was done by Safwaan Shah, a student of Darul ul Quran Academy of Canada. Brother Azim Dahya was the key note speaker who summarised the journey of Muslim Food Bank from day

one through his presentation. In his presentation, he outlined the Muslim Food Bank Society is a non-profit organization that aims to help those in need and to provide a path for our community to play a substantial role in aiding those who seek it. This is an organization in the community that has opened the doors for those in need to seek help and to have a reliable support network. The organization was incorporated under the Society Act at Victoria, British Columbia on July 6, 2010. They are consistently seeking volunteers and donations actively.

A few of the services that MFB offers include the preparation and distribution of food hampers to those in need especially those who have dietary restrictions whether religious, cultural or medical, providing volunteers at local food banks and providing a safe and anonymous avenue for those in need to ask for our help. Furthermore, they have

over 20 bin locations across the lower mainland, in which members of our community can donate non-perishable food items. It is through these donations on a consistent basis that the food bank is able to create food hampers to aid those in need. As t his is a community run organization, they run solely off of the donations and time of the generous Muslims in the lower mainland who make this project possible. However, while Muslims primarily run this organization, this is a service for humanity- our services are not limited to any faith or race. Mfb highly encourages everybody and anybody to take advantage of their services, whether Muslim or non-Muslim.

There are many ways that you can help the Muslim Food Bank succeed. They are constantly seeking volunteers, help, and donations, so they urge you to help in every way that you can to alleviate poverty from our

society, as is the Sunnah (practice) of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW )and what Allah SWT has ordained for us. Please also make sure to spread the word about this organization so that they are able to serve as many people as possible.

After Br. Azim, a presentation was made by IQRA Islamic School students Fadeelah Hussain, Owais Kharadi, Yosuf Azim, Ramsha Sheikh and Hanaan Khatrada who talked about the “ HAJJ”; two more students Abubarkar and Farhad of Islamic Academy of Canada delivered the speeches on Hajj.

Another speaker Br. Mainu also highlighted the achievements of MFB and requested to donate generously for this noble mission. Br. Imad Ali thanked everyone who came out to support this event and celebrated together and also the volunteers who did a great job .

After Duaa, kids were entertained with a Clown Show for the Kids followed by dinner.

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Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

A D V E R T I S E R

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Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

L O C A L

Chand Raat Mela at Crystal Banquet Hall on Oct 13

Eid Ul Adha Celebrations at IQRA School on Oct 26

Standing Up for Our Saris and Spices

By: Jasbir Sandhu, MP Surrey North As an advocate for small businesses and consumers in Surrey North, I am ardently opposed to the Conservative government’s proposals to implement a Sari and Spice Tax that would unfairly target South Asian clothing retailers, grocers and restaurants, as well as their consumers. Having owned a restaurant myself, I understand the important role that these taxed spices play in

South Asian cuisine and the effect that this tax increase will have on small businesses and families that have no choice but to import these items. Introducing a 6% tax on saris and a 3% tax on ground spices imported from India, as the Conservatives plan to do, will disproportionately affect our community by making essential cultural and consumer items more expensive.

More outrageous still is the reasoning behind these tariffs. Tariffs, such as the Sari and Spice Tax, are designed to protect local industries; however, Canada has no domestic sari indus-

try and, as a result, additional taxes will be levied. In terms of spices, with the exception of coriander, Canada does not produce the other spices used daily by families and businesses alike and the proposed taxes will make these spices more expensive for everyone. In the absence of any local industry to protect, these tariffs are unfair and unnecessary.

Thomas Mulcair, leader of the NDP, has already spoken out opposing the Sari and Spice Tax and I am encouraging members of the community to do the same. The saris and spices on which Conservative government has

proposed tax increases are an essential part of daily life and, as such, consumers and small businesses should not be punished for their reliance on these goods.

We, as a community, must make our voices heard in order to let the Conservatives know that we oppose this unfair tax that disproportionately targets our community, small businesses and consumers. I, along with Tom Mulcair and my NDP colleagues, will continue to fight for what’s right by opposing the Sari and Spice Tax and standing up for Surrey business owners.

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P O L I T I C S

Federal NDP Leader Tom Mulcair Met with Muslim Media

On October 27 a Muslim Media roundtable session was held with Tom Mulcair, elected leader of the Official Opposition and Leader of Canada’s New Democrats at MP Jinny Sims in her Surrey- North Delta office.

At his arrival, MP Jinny Sims introduced Muslim Media representatives: Mr. Farid and Mr. Hussain from a Persian newspaper Al Fanoos, Mr. Harris Hafeez from The Community Times Canada, Mr. Shahzad Mansoury from Al Ameen and M. Naseer Pirzada from The Miracle Media Group.

Tom Muclair thanked Muslim Media for their presence regardless of the short one day notice and opened the floor for discussionabout Muslim Issues in Canada.

Mr. Farid from Al Fanoos asked How Canada can play the best role before the election to stabilize Afghanistan, family members lives refugees, and help in immigration from there to Canada.

Mulcair answered said that Canada is an alliance in the War and Terrorism and member of NATO forces and the Harper Government is bonded with US Alliance.

NDP has criticised many times about the overstay of their forces in Afghanistan and the killing of Canadian soldiers. Canada is involved in Military training there. We are looking for a long term solution but unfortunately Conservatives are a failure at this stage. We will also try to help for fair and safe election in Afghanistan under the forces supervision. Mulcair also said they have concerns about Afghan refugees and their immigrants .

Mr. Pirzada from the Miracle then raised a few concerns. His first question was about the mainstream media and the politicians generally avoid the Islamic issues.

He referred to Point de bascule, a Montreal based web magazine that is solely focussed on portraying Muslims in negative light. Mulcair said that he did not know about De Bascule but he acknowledged that some media focuses on covering news related to Muslims negatively.

Mr. Pirzada then referred to the news that a senior source at the Department of Foreign Affairs recently confirmed that Canadian government gave $5.3 million to the Syrian opposition in 2012. According to the National Post, “the entire Canadian contribution was funneled through the U.S. State Department.”

Mr. Mulcair did not have any details about this Canadian money, so he could not comment on it. In Syria, thousands of Muslim are affected by this conflict but Canadian government opens the door for those people as refugees status. As for civilian mass killing and wounded, there is a very strong position in United Nations that you don’t target civilians in war.

Mr. Pirzada then followed up that if civilians shouldn’t be targeted in war, why

hundreds of civilians are killed in Drones attacks in Pakistan?

Mr. Mulcair said that this was a very important issue and the United Nations should be answerable for these civilians killings in Pakistan by drone attacks. Mr. Pirzada further asked If NDP is in government then would you support the same type of Drones attacks in Pakistan?

Mr. Mulcair said that the Canadian government has not been doing drones attacks but the United Nations has the responsibility. Canada is playing an active role in United Nations’ charter of rights. Canada plays an active role at world stage and if NDP is in the government then we will make sure that the international laws are respected.

The next concern raised by Mr. Pirzada was regarding the immigration waiting times in Muslim countries especially from Pakistan. Mr. Mulcair explained that in regards to wait time in immigration, it is not just that the wait times are too long.

Actually it is the process of family reunification in immigration system, it is a huge problem. Now the pattern of life in Canada does not depend on one family member. Most of the family members have to work full time for survival, mom dad working in shifts day and nights for odd job and by this their kids are suffering. So we believe the best socio program is united family, this is the fundamental system of Canadian immigration. We are working on this and MP Sims knows that.

Mr. Mansoory from Al-Ameen then raised few more concerns of Muslim community, especially about the funding for Syrian rebels or opposition of Govt, Syrian refugees camps and what Canada is doing to bring them over here. He also added that for immigration from Pakistan, the waiting time is more than 24 months for re-unification of families. As a reference, former immigration minister Jason Kenney visited Richmond mosque and he promised with the people. Many of the Muslims voted NDP but the issues are still there. Mr. Mulcair said that we should obviously be making special efforts for these refugees in Syria and for the delay of immigration process in different countries, MP Jinny Sims is working on it and raises this issue in House of Commons.

MP Jinny Sims added to the discussion that as opposition, NDP asked for expediting family immigration and their unification. As for Syrian refugees, NDP

has played a very active role on this file.

Tom as our leader has given us very clear instructions regarding these concerns and we are doing our role in parliament and not sitting back on this file. Many other issues were discussed briefly by Mr. Mulcair and

MP Jinny Sims. At the end Mr. Mulcair thanked everyone for their time and MP Jinny Sims who provided this optutunity to met everyone and address some key issues for the community.

15

Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

A D V E R T I S E R

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Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

L I F E S T Y L E

Overcoming Humiliating World’s tallest man gets Moments Married in Turkey By: Shabnam Khan - Family Counsellor Everyone has unique personalities. As we grew up in various environments we are all exposed to different life events.

All these affects our self-esteem.

While some have generally experienced decades of social change leading to increased opportunities and a greater sense of self-confidence and selfworth, individually some of us do have self-esteem issues. These issues are less positive motivation for some overachievers!

If you are plagued by memories of humiliating moments from your past, there are three ways to put them behind you and move on.

Appreciate them: You can work your whole life to create the perfect image, but it’s those flawed moments that stand out as a testing ground for your character. The humiliating moments of your life can be pivotal events that give you the chance to grow stronger and define yourself to the world.

Embrace them: Wear them like a badge of honor and learn to love the imperfection and the humanness you now posses.

If you embrace embarrassment you diffuse it, just as you stop a bully in his tracks by

standing up to him.

Share them: Don’t think that you’re the only one who has humiliating moments in the life. So many has been in similar, if not worse, situations. When you begin to share your stories you’ll see how mistakes and embarrassing moments are a right passage for all of us.

On the other hand, for some overachievers with shaky foundation of self-worth mostly look to please others as a way of feeling better about themselves. This a kind of hurried overachiever who doesn’t stop for a second because they are always doing something for someone else - a friend, a family member, a colleague, a local community group and so on. Just remember, Self-Esteem has a very large component of Self-Respect to it. If you are a parent, the message conveyed here is that expectations of what your children can achieve has risen just as the world is becoming more competitive, creating an enormous clash between expectations and reality!

As parents, educator’s and community leaders, we should try our best to build self-esteem and real coping skills in our children. Failure can be used as a motivator. Thinking that failure is bad for children is a mistake. Failure is an enormous character and self-esteem builder.

If children are allowed to fail, they will have to learn both coping skills and problem solving skills, which will make them feel competent ! shabnam@skcounselling.ca

Turkey’s Sultan Kosen, at 2.51 metres (eight foot three) the world’s tallest man, has wed a Syrian woman he called the “love of my life”, though he towers over his 1.75-metre bride.

“I cannot describe my feelings in words,” the 31-year-old groom said during the wedding celebration in his hometown in the southeastern province of Mardin on Sunday Oct 27.

“I am the happiest man in the world,” he was quoted as saying on the website of the state-run Anatolia news agency. His 20-year-old bride Mervi Dibo, who hails from the Syrian town of Hasaka, added: “I hope this happiness will be long-lasting.”

The groom’s black suit was custom made, requiring six metres of fabric, Anatolia reported.

Born into a farming family in southeastern Turkey, Kosen won global fame in September 2009 when Guinness World Records declared him the tallest man in the world. He was then 2.47 meters tall. His growth has resulted from a tumor affecting his pituitary gland.

US doctors treated Kosen’s tumor in August 2010 in the state of Virginia with a precisely targeted shot of extremely high frequency gamma rays, using a non-invasive radio surgical device known as a Gamma Knife.

Last year, doctors said Kosen has overcome acromegaly, a rare hormonal disorder that caused him to keep growing well into adulthood. Kosen is forced to use crutches in order to walk.

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Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

A D V E R T I S E R

IQRA TO STUDY HIGH SCHOOL EXPANSION STRATEGIES Alhamdulillah, with the blessing of Allah SWT, Iqra School Board has set-up a Project Committee to study the establishment of Iqra High School and expansion strategies for next ten years. “ Having established itself as the Acting #2 school in Surrey, and in top Chairperson 3% BC wide, there has been a growing demand from the community at large to expand from KG-Grade 8 to KG-Grade 12.

The undertaking of such project requires full community support, feedback, participation in surveys, open forum meetings and commitment from all stakeholders “ said Br. Sultan Badshah.

Please visit :

IQRA ISLAMIC SCHOOL “Certified by the Ministry of Education, BC, Canada” ARABIC TEACHERS REQUIRED Teacher/Teacher On Call for Arabic & Islamic Studies Positions Available @ IQRA Islamic School: Applications are currently accepted for elementary & middle school teacher/teacher on call for Arabic and Islamic Studies positions at IQRA for the school year 2013-2014. IQRA is an independent group 1 certified school from kindergarten to Grade 9. Please fax or e-mail your resume, cover letter, reference letters, and university transcript to the principal.

Applications and Other Documents: Qualifications: BC Teaching Certificate OR eligibility for certification, degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies, excellent command of English Language, experience (preferred) and ability to work in multicultural environment.

We offer competitive salary, benefit package and excellent working environment.

Please note, only successful candidates will be contacted.

Position available for School Bus Driver at Iqra Islamic School - Very good salary - Friendly working environment - Excellent Benefits Requiremnts: - Class 2 driving licence - Driving Record Abstract - Good communication and customer service skills

http://iqraschool.com/survey.aspx

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“Become part of the decision process”

Tel: 604-583-7530 • Fax: 604-583-7510 E-mail: principal@iqraschool.com

Iqra High School Online Survey First, thank you in advance for participating in this online survey.

The purpose of conducting the survey is to gather opinions of parents on establishing Iqra High School.

Your feedback will assist Iqra School Board and the Muslim Community of Metro Vancouver in general to make the right decision. Please remember your answers are completely confidential and will be grouped together with others for reporting purposes.

In your opinion, how important is Islamic High School or Islamic Education for your child/ren?

Would you enroll your child/ren if Iqra would start

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Monthly tuition fee you consider reasonable per student?

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Monthly transportation fee you consider reasonable per student?

o $125 o $150

o $175 o Other:

Email: info@iqraschool.com Web: www.Iqraschool.com

18

Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

W O M E N

Women’s Rights are Human Rights!

By: Shahnaz Rahman Pakistani Canadian Women Society remains committed to women’s empowerment. Since its inception in 2010, PCWS has hosted various educational events on women’s empowerment and has helped raise donations for several charities. On October 20th, PCWS collaborated with West Coast Women’s Legal Education Action Fund to celebrate the Person’s Day Breakfast at the Richmond Executive Inn. The event was a successful sell out as around 100 people including men, women and youth attended this special event. Kasari Govender, Executive Director of West Coast LEAF was the Key Note presenter.

She talked about the important work of West Coast LEAF and talked about the significance of the Person’s Day and reflected on the journey to equality for women.

What is Person’s Day? On October 18, 1929 a historic ruling for equality allowed women to sit in the Senate. This incredible victory was an important step towards freedom from discrimination for women, but it fell short of guaranteeing the rights of all Canadian women, and particularly women of color.

Did you know that despite the success of the Person’s Case, many women in Canada didn’t have the right to vote, let alone serve in the Senate. It wasn’t until 1948 that Chinese, Japanese, Indian and black women were allowed to vote federally. First Nations people who were registered “Indians� did not gain the right to vote in federal elections until 1960. West Coast LEAF advocate for the rights of all women. It works to ensure that equality rights as promised in Canadian Charter become a reality for every woman of every race, language, ethnicity and economic status. On behalf of Pakistani Canadian Women’s Society, Dr. Babra Rana presented key findings of the senior’s Forum hosted in spring of this

year. One of the common concern older women expressed was the feeling of invisibility. Some of the other issues facing our seniors are barriers to recognition of home qualifications, income security, housing, medical and dental care and a need for information about pension rights. PCWS is in the process of forming an older women’s advisory committee. The committee will come up with strategies for resolving key issues for our seniors.

PCWS is very grateful for the support of our community.

A big thank you to our dedicated youth volunteers, Humza Malik, Laila Rana, Hasan Alam, Sabeen Habib and Farrah Rahman.

We would like to specially thank Farukh Alam, Shenaz Alam, Shahbaz Munshey, Nazia Niazi , Rukhsana Habib, Faiza Ahmer, Taslim Akbar, Ayesha Quereshi, Urooj Raza and Naureen Hussain for their generous support to West Coast LEAF, an important investment for our sisters, mothers, and daughters and their next generation.

About West Coast LEAF: West Coast LEAF is one of the last groups in Canada to make the connection between women’s rights and the law. They challenge and change patterns of discrimination by intervening in important legal cases, advocating for legal and policy changes, and delivering public legal education programs

About Pakistani Canadian Women’s Society: The mandate of the Pakistani Canadian Women’s Society is to address and work for women and community issues and engage in raising funds for charitable causes.

The current Board of Directors of Pakistani Canadian Women’s Society are: Dr. Babra Rana , Almas Ali, Iffat Taj, Farzana Alam, Parveen Akbar, Rukhsana Habib, Farhat Malik, Zaini Khan, Farah Raza and Shahnaz Rahman

Surrey Named Host City for 2016 Women’s World Fastpitch Championships The City of Surrey will be the host city of the 2016 Women’s World Fastpitch Championships, after Canada was awarded the bid by the International Softball Federation (ISF). The Championships will bring the world’s best fastpitch athletes to Surrey, representing upwards of 30 nations.

Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts and Councillor Tom Gill were at the ISF Congress in Cartagena this week as part of the Canadian Bid Presentation Committee. “We believe international sport competition brings with it the spirit of peace and friendship,� said Mayor Dianne Watts. “Additionally, securing an event of this magnitude is strongly aligned with our sport tourism strategy and economic action plan.�

As Chair of Surrey’s Finance Committee, Councillor Gill noted, “We continue to look for ways to utilize Surrey’s worldclass facilities to bring economic generation to our city. It’s incredibly important that the facilities we are building for the use of our residents are also being lever-

aged to host events of this scale, which bring significant investment into our city.

The strategic investments made under the Build Surrey program allow the city to enter the world’s stage for sport hosting – winning this event is a springboard in making that vision a reality.�

2016 Bid Chair Greg Timm said, “Developing our Bid was 18 months of work on behalf of the Bid Committee, and winning today is incredibly exciting. This is the premier tournament in our sport, and bringing it home to Surrey and Canada is an incredibly proud moment for the 400 volunteers who will fulfill this tournament in 2016.�

The 2016 Championships will likely coincide with Surrey’s annual Fusion Festival, which will welcome the athletes as well as an expected 100,000 fans, visitors, and sport dignitaries attending the 10-day sporting event. Tentative dates for the event are July 15 - 24, 2016.

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ISLAMIC : Continued from pg 7 enrich you and steer you along the right course. From it you will receive a radiant light to illumine the deeper reaches of your soul. Here you will encounter profound emotions, a warmth to melt your heart and bring tears running down your cheeks.

It is crucial for you because, as you travel through the Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an, at every step you will be summoned to choose, and to commit to Allah. To read the Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an is nothing less than to live the Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an willingly, sincerely, devotedly, and totally. The outcome of your entire life depends on how you heed the call given by God. The journey is therefore decisive for your existence, for mankind, for the future of human civilization.A hundred new worlds lie in its verses. Whole centuries are involved in its moments.

Know, then, that it is the Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an, and only the Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an, which can lead you on and on to success and glory in this-world and in the world-to-come. Excerpted and adapted from the book â&#x20AC;&#x153;Way to the Quranâ&#x20AC;? by Khurram Murad

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19

Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

A D V E R T I S E R

20

Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

H E A L T H

The most dangerous mistake you can make during Flu season

It’s that time of year again. Flu season is upon us, marked by public health campaigns and reminders to get vaccinated.

Every year, up to 5 million people worldwide fall severely ill due to influenza (flu), resulting in about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths. In the United States alone, nearly 111 million workdays are lost every season due to the flu. That equals approximately $7 billion per year in sick days and lost productivity.

Flu is a highly infectious disease that is caused by a virus. It spreads rapidly through droplets coughed or sneezed into the air by an infected person. It is common, unpleasant and potentially fatal. Flu vaccines provide effective, though not universal, protection against the flu.

But despite public awareness campaigns in the United States and Europe, many people persist in the mistaken belief that antibacterial drugs — like amoxicillin and azithromycin - are the best treatment for flu. And many doctors simply surrender when patients demand them, ignoring the scientific and medical truth: when treating the flu, antibacterial drugs just don’t work.

A recent European survey showed that half of all respondents wrongly believed that “antibiotics” are effective against the common cold and flu. (Although widely used, the term “antibiotics” is a misnomer.

Strictly speaking antibiotics only occur naturally and, as the vast majority of pharmaceuticals are man-made, we should describe them collectively as antimicrobials specifying the type of microbe that they intend to affect — antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal.)

The results from surveys in other countries such as the United States and Australia are similar. Antibacterial drugs work against bacteria, not viruses. Flu is a viral infectious disease.

Antibacterial drugs are not only ineffective against flu, but they are also harmful for three reasons. First, any drug can give rise to an adverse reaction, which in rare cases can be severe.

It is common for antibacterial to cause diarrhea, but in 1 in 10,000 cases they may also result in anaphylaxis, an allergic reaction that is potentially life-threatening if not quickly treated. Second, drugs cost money and the use of drugs that don’t work is a waste of money.

In the United States one study estimated that over $1 billion was spent annually on 41 million unnecessary antibacterial prescriptions for adult upper respiratory infections. Third and most importantly, every time you take an antibacterial drug, sensitive bacteria are killed, but resistant bugs are left to grow and multiply.

The misuse of these drugs has made antimicrobial resistance a global threat, so it is important that antibacterials are only used when they are likely to be of benefit in the treatment of an infection. This means knowing which infection you have

and which drug is most likely to defeat that strain of infection.

The ineffectiveness of antibacterial drugs

in treating influenza has long been known to scientists, doctors and healthcare professionals. But, as we have seen, that information has yet to spread broadly enough to affect the behavior of would-be patients and clinicians alike.

A study by RAND researchers showed that doctors were more likely to inappropriately prescribe antibacterial drugs to kids if they thought that the parents expected them.

A number of public health campaigns have tried to raise public and professional awareness. Since 2002 the French have run the Antibiotiques c’est pas automatique (Antibiotics are not automatic) campaign.

Similarly, the U.S. Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention has been running the annual campaign Get Smart: Know when antibiotics work since 1995 with the aim of decreasing demand for antimicrobials among healthy adults and parents of young children.

Both the French and U.S. campaigns have contributed to a drop of about a quarter in the number of antibacterial drugs that were being prescribed, with the biggest fall in children.

While the impact of the public awareness campaigns on reducing inappropriate prescriptions should be celebrated, healthcare professionals are mis-prescribing antibacterial drugs for influenza, and we still expect them when we’re ill. So as we enter flu season we all have a responsibility.

Don’t ask for drugs that don’t work — it is dangerous and antisocial. (Reuters) Source: The news

21

Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

KIDS

Pediatricians call for limits on kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; screen time

By: Fatima Nadeem , Surrey Kids Korner is a fun way for kids to exercise their brain, build up their imagination with lots of other things while having fun. This edition plus a few editions forward we will focus on the topic of fall.

Families should make a â&#x20AC;&#x153;media use planâ&#x20AC;? and set clear rules about TV, cell phones and other devices, pediatricians said today.That includes limiting kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; screen time to one or two hours per day. Parents should also keep childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rooms free of TV and Internet access, according to a policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Council on Communications and Media. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not media-bashers,â&#x20AC;? Dr. Marjorie Hogan, one of the statementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lead authors, said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We love media.â&#x20AC;? The question, she said, is how to use it for good. Hogan, from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, said media can influence kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives in many positive ways. Some TV shows like Sesame Street have been shown to help preschoolers learn or to promote empathy, for example. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For teens, connectivity, being connected to your peers, having a chance to create your persona, can be a really positive thing,â&#x20AC;? she told Reuters Health. And children who have to take long medical absences from school can use online education programs to keep up, the Council writes in Pediatrics.

But too much TV and other media use have been tied to obesity, sleep and school problems and aggression. Currently, the average child spends about eight hours in front of screens each day, according to the policy statement. That makes screen time the leading activity for young people after sleep. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over the past ten years â&#x20AC;Ś the amount of media that kids hang out with and spend time with on

a given day has increased,â&#x20AC;? said Amanda Lenhart. She directs research on teens, children and families for the Pew Research Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Internet & American Life Project and wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t involved in the new recommendations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We certainly see that more kids have access to mobile phones,â&#x20AC;? Lenhart told Reuters Health. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Certainly your average child now has more computing power in their pocket than they did a decade ago.â&#x20AC;?

But TV is still the â&#x20AC;&#x153;predominant form of mediaâ&#x20AC;? used by kids and teenagers, Hogan said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;More kids watch more hours of TV than other forms of media,â&#x20AC;? she said.The new statement was presented Monday at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, Florida. Lenhart said she was happy to see the Council â&#x20AC;&#x153;trying to walk a middle groundâ&#x20AC;? by helping parents and schools see the ways media can be both helpful and harmful. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was really pleased to see at least an attempt to balance the positive with the negative,â&#x20AC;? said Lenhart. Many organizations just focus on the ways TV and other forms of media are bad for kids, she said. Along with limiting screen time and keeping Internet-connected devices out of kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rooms, parents should monitor what their children are accessing online. They should also watch TV shows and movies with them, according to the recommendations. Children under two years old should not be watching TV or other screens, the Council wrote. At that age, â&#x20AC;&#x153;thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just no benefit,â&#x20AC;? Hogan said. (Reuters) Source: The news

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22

Dhul Hajjah 27, 1434 H November 1, 2013

SPORTS

Sedins still waiting for new deal

Daniel and Henrik Sedin are off to superb starts to the 2013-14 NHL season, once again raising the subject of their expiring contracts and the fact they stand to become unrestricted free agents next July 1.

Their agent, J.P. Barry, was in Vancouver on Monday and met with the twins following the Canucks’ 3-2 win over Washington.

Naturally Henrik was asked Tuesday about the contract talks and J.P’s presence. “No news on that front,” said Henrik with a smile. “I just met him after the game and he’s flying to Calgary today. I think he’s just going around seeing his guys. Like I’ve said before, we’re not part of the negotiations. We’re playing hockey and I’m sure they’re going to come to us when they have news for us and they haven’t done that yet. So we’re going to continue to play hockey.” Henrik leads the Canucks in scoring with 17 points in 14 games while Daniel has 14 in 14. They are both making $6.1 million and a good comparable for

them is Detroit centre Pavel Datsyuk, who just signed a three-year extension for $7.5 million per year. Datsyuk is 35 while the twins are 33. Henrik said he wasn’t certain whether the twins’ excellent October was having any sort of impact on the talks.

The apparent stumbling block is length of contract. “I hope they’ve seen us enough that they know what we can do even if we hadn’t produced the way we have this year,” Henrik explained. “They know us and we know them so I don’t think that matters.” Although there aren’t numerous examples, players can excel into their late 30s and early 40s. New Red Wing Daniel Alfredsson is one while others include Jaromir Jagr, Teemu Selanne and Ray Whitney. “You don’t see a lot of players in their 40s playing great – Alfredsson, Teemu and a few others – but it can be done, for sure,” said Daniel Sedin. Alfredsson, who turns 41 in December, has 10 points in 12 games for the Wings and thinks the twins can be productive well into their late 30s. “From my perspective, they look after themselves, they know how to prepare themselves and, as you get older, if you’ve built a good base, you can live off that,” Alfredsson noted. “I can see them playing for a long time as well. There are a lot of factors that have to fall into place, obviously, like motivation. As you get older, you usually have a family and other priorities that maybe become more important. “So you have to find a mix where you feel the drive is there and you can push yourself. If you don’t put an effort into it, it’s not going to be fun and you won’t be happy.”

Source: Vancouver Sun

CSKA Moscow: UEFA punishes Russian club over racism

CSKA Moscow will play its next home European Champions League match with part of its stadium closed as punishment for racism offenses. Manchester City complained its players had been subjected to “monkey chants” during a match against CSKA at the Arena Khimki on October 23. European football’s governing body UEFA announced the sanction on Wednesday, warning CSKA that further incidents of racism would results in graver punishments. “The UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body has handed down sanctions to CSKA Moscow following incidents during their UEFA Champions League home game against Manchester City,” read a UEFA statement. “Specifically, the Control and Disciplinary Body has decided to close sector D of the stadium during the club’s next UEFA competition home match. “CSKA’s next home fixture is scheduled against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League on 27 November in Moscow. “The fight against racism is a high priority for UEFA ... All forms of racist behavior are considered serious offenses against the disciplinary regulations and are punished with the most severe sanctions.” City’s Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure declared himself “furious” in a post-match interview with the club’s TV channel, calling on UEFA to “ban them (CSKA) for a couple of years.”

Two former Premier League footballers were far from impressed with the sanction meted out to the Russian club, taking to

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Twitter to criticize the decision. “Wow. Partial closure of stadium for 1 match for racist abuse for CSKA Moscow! Those boys at UEFA are sooo tough!” opined former Southampton player Matt Le Tissier, who now works as a football pundit.

Another former player who has also gone into broadcasting - Stan Collymore - was similarly scathing. “I’m a racist. I’m going to move to section E against Bayern ... more Uefa clownery,” wrote the former Nottingham Forest and Liverpool player.

Nonetheless, UEFA regulations state that a first racism offense should be punished with a partial stadium closer, a second incident of discrimination would results in a full stadium closure for one match and a €50,000 ($68,000) fine. Any club found guilty of racism a third time faces the prospect of multiple matches behind closed doors, the forfeiting of a match, deduction of points or expulsion from a competition.

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MDAUK Medical Institute A DREAM COMES TRUE! Report By: Dr. Yasmin Majeed President Canadians for Global Care Society

I am proud to be a Canadian and feel privileged that I can take the Canadian spirit of generosity to places that need it the most. Here is my story...

I learned about MDAUK ( Midland Doctor’s Association) during my visit to the UK a few years ago. MDAUK came into existence when a physician group from UK visited Kashmir, at the time of the earthquake in 2005.The extent of the calamity and lack of facilities available to the ravaged region shocked them. They dreamt up a earth quake proof health care facility that would assist the underserved population of this area.

It is a fact that when you eat sleep and live a dream it becomes a reality.

The organization led by Dr. Iftikhar Yusuf has worked tirelessly to transform this dream into a functioning reality.

I was inspired by this great project and the people behind it, and decided to create a base of support for them from Canada. In 2009 I founded the Canadians for Global Care in Calgary, Canada. Our first fundraiser was held in Calgary in 2010. This was followed by an event in Vancouver ,with the support of the Pakistan Canadian

Women’s Society. We are indebted to Dr. Barbara Rana, Ehsan Malik, Shahnaz Rahman, and Rubina Karim for their enthusiastic help.

Since then we have had successful fundraisers in Toronto and Edmonton. With amazing volunteers who worked tirelessly to put on this event, and generous donors who opened their hearts to give, we have been able to raise $200,000 Canadian dollars towards this worthy cause.

The fruit of these ardent labours has now ripened! It is my absolute pleasure to report that the medical facility so many people helped to form is now open and functioning in Kashmir. It was my privilege to be present at the official inauguration of the MDAUK Medical Institute Muzzafarabad on March 21st 2013. The hospital provides state of the art facilities to the local population at zero cost. The long term plan is for doctors from the United Kingdom and North America to make sustained visits to the hospital, providing services and training for the local physicians. In this way, the site is not only a facility to tend to immediate health care needs, but also a resource for ongoing learning and education.

Future plans for expansion including building a nursing hostel at the site.

We are fortunate living in a place like Canada, where basic needs such as healthcare are provided for us. It is not only our duty, but also our privilege, to be able to give back to the place where we came from. Canadians from all over this beautiful country have proven their mettle and their compassion by supporting this project. Their contribution will go a long way in making a difference in the lives of those that need it the most. While the hospital has now been

completed and is running, your ongoing assistance is needed to make sure it continues to function smoothly with adequate supplies and resources. Please continue to donate and follow our progress at the MDAUK or Canadians for Global Care websites, www.mdauk.com and www.canadiansforglobalcare.com, respectively.

We appreciate all your support, especially monthly donations which are vital for the smooth running of this medical facility.

At Canadians for Global Care, we believe that everyone deserves the right to quality health care. These are our humble efforts in that direction. Let’s keep the dream alive and continue to keep the fire burning, in hopes to build a flame that will light the

way for generations to come!

Initially the MDAUK staff of trustees have appointee a staff of 15, including 2 doctors to run the facility. Gradually the strength will be increased to 125.

To this point, about 2.5 million pounds have been spent on the project, now the focus is to run the facility.

An Evolving Pakistan-US Relationship By : Syed Asad Hussain asad.szabist@gmail.com The year 2011 can be termed as the worst period in Pakistan-US relations history.

A number of unfortunate events, such as; arrest of CIA contractor Raymond Davis in Pakistan; Osma’s arrest and killing in Pakistan in a unilateral operation carried out by the US forces; the Salala check post attack near Afghan border; and the US demand to attack Haqqani Network allegedly operating in Pakistani tribal areas and carrying out attacks on coalition forces in Afghanistan; soured relations between the two countries.

The previous government led by Asif Zardari did not seem to achieve any meaningful success in thawing the souring relations between the two countries. On contrary, in Pakistan, conservatives, including religious and moderate groups are demanding complete disengagement with the US, whilst others asking for setting new rules of the game. The truth is relations between the two countries have seen more troughs than peaks, mainly due to the Afghan war.

Amid growing internal pressure, Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif paid an official visit to the US from October 20 to 23, 2013. It

is said, it was first high-level meeting between the two countries in years. The meeting between the two leaders lasted for an hour and a half focusing on further strengthening US-Pakistan’s ties. It was reported that the agenda of the meeting was related to the strengthening democracy in Pakistan, the economy, energy and social sector cooperation, defence cooperation, counter terrorism, nuclear security and strategic stability, and regional cooperation.

To strengthen partnerships between Pakistan-US, five working groups, including: 1) Law Enforcement and Counterterrorism 2) Economics and Finance 3) Energy 4) Security, Strategic Stability, and Non-proliferation 5) the Defence Consultative Group, are to be formed soon.

Whilst Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry claimed that the Pakistani Premier had a successful visit to the US, the critics do not seem to agree and wonder what good this trip will yield for the country. As usual, heated debates and discussions held in Pakistani media to see if the premier visit had achieved any meaningful success.

The most debated topic has remained the drones’ strikes in the tribal areas of Pakistan and the Afghan war.

After the visit of Pakistani premier, Pakistan is expecting that the drone strikes will stop soon, but the US has given no assurance in this regard.

Nonetheless, studies conducted on drone strikes, say over 2,000 casualties have been reported in Pakistani administered tribal areas, mostly of

those civilians. Equally, Amnesty International findings confirm that US drones strikes in Pakistan, and Yemen have killed more civilians than militants. That being said, though Pakistan has denied, yet it is widely believed that the drones strikes are carried out with Pakistan’s consent.

Amid deteriorating security situation, Pakistan seems to be struggling to uplift the economy and improve energy crisis, which has choked the growth process for a long. After taking power in June this year, the current government has been facing an uphill task in straightening the internal security situation, energy crisis and the economy-all three are intertwined.

Hence, for Pakistan, it seems every penny counts no matter how and where it comes from. The US claims that, despite having tense relations, it has helped Pakistan in meeting the energy crisis. Over 1,000 megawatts of power have been added to nation’s grid with the help of the US, and rehabilitation of Gomal Zam, Satpara, Mangla, and Tarbela dams and up gradation of Guddu, Jamshoro, and Muzaffargarh power plants were also underway with the US aid.

Nonetheless, the aid has yet done little to thaw relations.

It is to be noted that for fiscal year 2014, which began on Oct. 1, Obama has requested $1.162 billion for Pakistan, including $857 million in civilian assistance and $305 million in security assistance.

Furthermore, before the Sharif’s visit to the US, the US quietly released $ 1.6 billion economic and military

aid to Pakistan. The aid is seen as a positive step. Much of U.S. security aid to Pakistan is aimed to bolster the ability of its military to counter militancy. Other funds focus on a range of items, including help for law enforcement and the power sector.

Though the current government assumed charge in June this year, yet Sharif’s government has been severely criticized by the opposition parties and media for not doing enough to combat terrorism, controlling rising inflation and poverty, improving energy crisis, drawing independent foreign policy, and achieving overall macroeconomic stability.

Going forward what Pakistan needs now is to improve its image in the world and work towards strengthening relations with strategic partners, including the US that buys twenty percent of Pakistani exports and is the largest donor to Pakistan.

Political and economic analysts say the work to improve a tie has to begin somewhere, and it should be no other than the Economic Cooperation. In order to improve trust deficit both the US and Pakistan have to work together to improve the livelihoods of poor Pakistanis. Obama and Sharif need to build one-to-one relationship which can likely help improve ties and thaw relations.

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