Miracle 519, May 22, 2020

Volume 20 Issue 519- Ramadan 29, 1441H, May 22, 2020

$1 www.miraclenews.com

BC, CANADA First Muslim Biweekly & Bilingual

THE

3 Lockdown over,

B.C. announces

4 part-time, voluntary 12 South Asian Media

6

12

10

roundtable held with Surrey-Jamea Masjid Fundraising Night

Pakistan’s Covid-19 Coronavirus infections top 5 million Canada’s ‘inevitable’ second wave

of Ramadan and 5 End Fitra, Zakat

world in crisis even 18A without the pandemic

20 Coronavirus vaccine: When will we have ?

May Allah (SWT) accept our fasting and good deeds during the month of Ramadan and shower His blessings on all. (Ameen)

Eid ul Fitr

Happy to all from the Miracle Media Team, Writers, and Advertisers.

Millions would have starved if Canada-U.S. border to remain COVID-19 remains ‘very COVID-19 lockdown was not closed to non-essential travel serious health threat’: for another month, Trudeau eased: Pakistan PM Imran Khan At Pg 3 PM says it’s the ‘right thing’ At Pg 10 At Pg 11

Coronavirus infections top 5 million worldwide Last updated: Coronavirus Cases:

Deaths:

Recovered:

2,084,411

5,198,686

334,694

Coronavirus Cases:

Deaths:

Recovered:

Coronavirus Cases:

Deaths:

Recovered:

81,324 2,479

6,152 152

41,715 2,020

May 22, 2020,06:44 GMT

www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/?

CANADA Last updated: May 22, 2020, 06:44 GMT

BC;CANADA Last updated: May 22, 2020, 06:44 GMT

2

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

e d i t o r i a l

Gift of Eid ul Fitr

A

lhamdulillah, the month of mandatory fasting is coming to an end: The noble Qur’an has clearly expressed the act of “Fasting” as a blessing and not a calamity: “Allah desires ease for you, not your discomfort. He desires you to fast the entire month, and that you may magnify Him for giving you His guidance, and that you may give thanks.” (Al-Baqarah 2:185).

Taqwa: Eid ul Fitr t is one of the best rewards for Muslims.

Having attained the wealth of Taqwa and spiritual correctness during the daily dawn to dusk “fasting work out,” the Muslim-worshippers are successful in becoming self disciplined. The positive change makes them feel at peace; immediately next thing for them happens to be the most exciting festivity.

In other words, upon successful completion of the month of Ramadan, the Eid day is a ‘Thanksgiving Day’ for having gone through a tough exercise towards “selfpurification.”

Charity: Among other essential elements is paying Zakat (wealth tax) and Fitra to minimize the harsh impact of any prevailing misfortune, hunger or widespread poverty. Therefore, when it comes to this religious obligation, the Muslims are duty bound

to help out the needy people before the Eid Prayer.

The Muslims are required to pay Zakat based on their wealth and financial ability.

It consists of spending 2.5% of one’s wealth for the benefit of the needy people. The good thing is paying Zakat is considered to be the personal responsibility of all Muslims to eliminate inequality and ease economic hardship of others for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa taalaa.

Charity in the form of fitra (fitrana) is obligatory at the end of the Fasting month before the Eid prayer. This again means the real happiness of “EID” lies in sharing our happiness with “the have nots.”, On this happy occasion, good Muslims remember those who are afflicted with poverty, ignorance, disease, or otherwise are less fortunate. Beauty is Muslims on this very day are encouraged to erase their grudges or differences with others.

Eid day schedule: After offering the regular Salat ul Fajr (the pre-sunrise prayer), the Muslims will be heading out shortly after the Sun-rise to perform the obligatory prayer in congregation (slaat ul Eid) in open areas, community centres and mosques.

Eid prayer is followed by special Khutba (Sermon)

and supplication asking for God’s forgiveness, mercy, peace and blessings for all people across the world.

Right after the Khutba is over, Muslims will be hugging each other wishing Eid Mubarak. Then they will be visiting their relatives and friends.

Eid gifts (known as Eidie) are given on this precious occasion to children and to immediate relatives. Children will receive gifts in cash or kind; sweets and tasty dishes would be served throughout the day.

Altogether, the caring Muslims will be generously donating money; they are likely to be contributing to their local food banks for the less fortunate.

Some groups do reserve other activity centres for the full day of fun and celebration, while others would hold public Eid parties in mosques as a means of OUTREACH to the non-Muslim society.

Positive Difference: It’s commonly seen that holiday for the non-Muslims is a chance to indulge in worldly pleasures, or involve oneself sinfully or immorally and unlawfully, yet for Muslims, there is zero tolerance in the eyes of Allah subhanahu wa talaa for committing forbidden acts. This is certainly a good contribution to main-

tain a morality enriched nation.

Let’s be warned that ‘EID’ doesn’t give an automatic ticket to take a vacation from Islamic responsibilities, and no wasting of “time or money” is permitted either, simply because our obedience and submission to the “Will of Allah” cannot be compromised under any circumstance.

We have learnt that ‘EID’ is a chance to multiply good deeds by bringing pleasure to the hearts of other Muslims as well as by devoting for the sake of Allah SWT. Most importantly, it’s the spirit of thanksgiving that make the Muslim Umma stronger all over the globe for the accomplishment of an act of dedication and submission to the total will of Allah, the Almighty.

The most beautiful fact is festival of Eid ul Fitr is aimed at promoting peace, strengthening the feeling of brotherhood and enabling the Muslims to move on with their lives normally as a refined Umma in the eyes of our Creator. Hence, the Eid and its celebration in Islam carry a distinctive meaning and spirit as they are totally different from the celebrations in non Muslim communities.

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

‘Power, Politics, & pandemic”!

By: Gulshan Aalani

The struggle of powerful geographical geopolitics Governments to stop the Worldwide Invasion of Global pandemic of Covid-19 seems impossible to stop it immediately as there is no magic bullet to get rid off it. Except by the Divine power to end the ‘Sign’ of HIS wrath for disobedience of HIS commands of unlawful lifestyle living including the violation of the law of Halal and Harram that includes the abortions, fornication, adultery, Paganism-Idol worship etc.

Pope Benedict XVI called abortion and same sex marriage two of the most “insidious and dangerous, threats facing the world today”. (Ref. Metro Vancouver-2010?).

Though, the deadly virus is blamed on China and Wuhan’s consumption of harram/illegal animals, Bats and insects sold in the ‘Wet market’.

Moreover, Hong Kong flu of 1968, Bubonic plague in 1331 in China, 1918 deadly Spanish Flu, such on going diseases, obviously are the results of ignoring the Divine law

of ‘Forbidden Tree’.

Ironically, the Divine rules of legal/ Halal and illegal/Harram food or actions aren’t just for Muslims but for non-Muslims too that is clear in the Bible, which is explained very well by Pastor Steve Myers, on topic of ‘Clean & unclean Meats’.

It was astounding to hear it first time about the same law of Islam.

Pastor giving an example of the time of Prophet Noah (AS) who on command of Almighty AllahCreator of the Universe got all the 7 pairs of Clean animals but only one pair of unclean animal (Pigs) to carry on the Ark, as Pigs and other insects are designated as unclean/Harram animals and forbidden to eat by humans. Also proven by health Science that Pigs carry a disease in the stomach, so consumption of Pig’s flash is forbidden.

Also giving an example of 2 sons of H. Adam (AS) whose 2 sons Cain and Abel did the sacrifice of animals but it was only accepted from the Son Abel as his animal was ‘clean’-Halal-Lamb, but the animal of Cain was unclean/ harram, and so disapproval of his sac-

rifice angered him and he killed his brother Abel. Pastor further informs that the law of unclean animals isn’t new or just in Judaism but is centuries old law. True, it is well known that the early Jewish people accepted Messiah Jesus (AS) were known as JudeoChristians as they were still following the law of Judaism as per suggested by Messiah that he is not here to abolish the law of Prophet Moses (AS).

The same law is continued in Islam including the law of illegal unethical lifestyle, that is written on the Stone like the 10 commandments of Prophet Moses (AS).

Only the Scriptural religions can give the truthful guidance to live a descent lifestyle according to the Divine order. HE is not going to accept the illegal filthy living that ignites HIS anger, which is apparent by the worldwide disease.

According to the Holy Scriptures there cannot be a religion without the Divine law, and without the Divine law there is no true faith but a manmade cult with human gods, which is obviously rejected and considered a major sin. Ap-

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Contents

parently, the Holy Scriptures are clear about the punishable sinful acts that people should understand, be fearful of HIS punishment and be HIS obedient servants and not the slaves of human gods dead or alive.

Solidarity with our Creator Lord of the Heavens and Earth is the best weapon for our safety and security.

Eid Mubarak

Editorial Pak. News Int. News Faith Local New

Middle East

Kashmir Psycho Politics Health Women Word Cri BCMA Pakistan Corona Urdu

2 3 6,10 5,8 10 14 16 17 11 20 19 18 21 22 15 23-32

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3

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

PAKISTAN

Lockdown over, Pakistan’s Covid-19 SC finds ‘no valid reason’ for keeping malls closed, deaths, infections tick higher says no need to keep markets closed on weekends

Covid-19 infections trended higher in recent days and were approaching 50,000, official data showed, with total deaths crossing 1,000, as the government remained unsure over the consequences of its decision to end the nation’s lockdown.

Fearful of the economic and financial impact, and swayed by the acute hardship suffered by millions of poor families, Prime Minister Imran Khan has defended the lifting of the lockdown last week, saying the virus spread has been well below projections.

Education is the only major sector that remains closed.“The ending of the lockdown doesn’t mean the threat is over,” Yasmeen Rashid, the Punjab health minister, said in an interview on television on Wednesday, adding that people needed to adopt safety measures themselves.

How the nation of 207 million people behaves when the month of Ramazan ends and festivities for Eid begin could influence the course of the contagion.

Usually Eid draws big crowds to malls and

shops, and people travel in droves to reach their hometowns. While the government has advised people to act responsibly, and avoid going out for non-essential reasons, there has been little mention of special precautions needed over this period.

For a country of Pakistan’s size, levels of testing remain low at around 14,000 a day. But Reuters calculations, using official data, suggest the infection rate has so far remained relatively steady, with total infections doubling every 9 to 11 days since April 1.

Doctors and experts fear the country’s under-funded and creaking healthcare system will crumble under the pressure if the contagion gathers more pace. In the first 20 days of May, over 630 people have died, compared to around 380 in the entire month of April, data tabulated by Reuters shows. There were less than 10 deaths in March.

The 32 deaths reported on Wednesday took the total to 1,017, a government website showed, making Pakistan the 25th country worldwide where the toll has crossed a thousand. S. dawn

Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed on Monday issued directions to reopen shopping malls across the country.

During a hearing of a suo motu case regarding measures taken to deal with the coronavirus crisis — being heard by a five-member bench comprising the CJP, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed — Justice Ahmed questioned the “logic” behind keeping malls closed.

In its written order, issued hours after the hearing was adjourned, the court noted that the Punjab government and Islamabad administration had approached the National Health Services and Research Centre (NHSRC) for permission to reopen malls and will likely obtain one today.

“If such can be done by the biggest province of Pakistan, i.e. Punjab, why the similar cannot be done by Sindh and apparently, we find no valid reason or justification for the same,” the order read, directing Sindh government to approach the NHSRC for permission today. It also observed that markets and shops were also opened in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Gilgit-Balitistan, and the governments had agreed to ensure that standard operating procedures (SOPs) are followed.

“We expect that after such application is made, the NHSRC shall give their decision today and if their decision is that shopping

Shehbaz, were appointed as directors in the Chief Minister’s Office, and were involved in the illegal activities as frontmen.He said a company used for illegal transactions was Nisar Trading Concern, registered in the name of Rashid Karamat, an employee of Sharif Feed Mills, while another company Khan Traders was registered in the name of the father of Shakeel, an employee of Ramzan Sugar Mills .

As per documentary proofs, Rashid Karamat, the resident of a slum near Gulberg, Lahore was a procurement assistant earning Rs 18,000 per month, he added.

Shahzad Akbar said two employees of Shehbaz Sahrif, namely Masroor Anwar and Shoaib Qamar, transferred big amounts from the accounts of Nisar Trading Concern and Khan Traders to the personal accounts of Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz, and copies of their CNICs (Computerized National Identity Cards) were available with the bank branches concerned, he added.

He said the amount was written in Urdu language on the cheques given by contractors and builders, but the name of the companies Nisar Traders and others, in whose accounts the same were deposited, was written in English in similar handwriting..

Source:dunyanews.tv

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said that developing countries like Pakistan face the dilemma of whether to protect their people from COVID-19 or hunger as he defended his decision to ease the nationwide lockdown to save millions of people who would have starved to death due to the coronavirus-related restrictions.

Khan made the comments while addressing the the World Economic Forum through a video link, highlighting the economic vulnerabilities of the developing countries in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. ”We had to face a twin challenge. One was to stem the growth of the virus, but the bigger challenge is how to mitigate the effects of lockdown on our population and rising poverty,” he said.

Pakistan on May 9 began easing the monthlong nationwide lockdown in a phased manner by allowing various businesses to open up, citing the economic crisis due to the shutdown. Khan defended his policy of easing the lockdown as millions would have starved if the government had not lifted the lockdown meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

“In Pakistan, we have 25 million workers who are either daily wagers or are self-employed, and these are 25 million families. I say it has affected 120-150 million in total,” he said. He said that the Pakistan government made a critical decision to provide cash to poor families and so far 15 million families had received money. ”These people are facing stark poverty, and unless these people work, they will starve,” he said, adding that his government started a cash disbursement programme but that is only a “short term solution”. Khan supported the effort by the G-20 nations to come up with

malls are allowed to open, the respective provincial government shall allow the shopping malls to be open and shall not create any hindrance or obstruction in this regard but ensure that SOPs are followed,” the court order said.

The order also addressed the opening of markets on Saturday and Sunday, saying that the move was a “violation of Articles 4, 18 and 25 of the Constitution” and was not “justifiable”. ”We do not find any justifiable rational or reasonable classification on the basis of which these two days are excluded from doing business, for that, all days of the week are the same. It is for the convenience of the human beings that the days have been given names, otherwise, there is no distinction between other days of the week from Saturday and Sunday.”

The order “declared [the decision] to be illegal and accordingly set aside”.

Source: dawn.com

Trail of kickbacks, commission received Millions would have starved if COVID-19 lockby Shehbaz Sharif unearthed: S. Akbar down was not eased: Pakistan PM Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar on Saturday said the trail of kickbacks and commission received by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif and his sons had been exposed.

Being a politician and past public officeholder, Shehbaz Shahbaz was answerable to the people of Pakistan, and he would have to respond to the corruption charges at public forums, he said while addressing a joint news conference along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraaz.

Shahzad Akbar said the National Accountability Bureau would soon file a new reference against Shehbaz Sharif on the latest disclosure of kickbacks and money laundering, and demanded that his trial should be conducted on day to day basis.

He claimed that Shehbaz Sharif had established several fake companies in the names of his employees, which were used for ‘unlawful transactions’ to whiten the black money. The source of their income were telegraphic transfers (TTs) sent to them by the poor employees of their companies, he added.

The SAPM said Nisar Gill and Ali Ahmed, close friends and class fellows of Salman

debt relief, saying it would help divert resources to fight the pandemic.

“G-20 countries are coming up with a debt relief [initiative] but we need more details.

The reason why there should be [such an initiative] is because we need that fiscal space to divert resources to healthcare and the environment,” he said.

He said already a lot of the developing countries lack the fiscal space to put money into healthcare and it was now becoming even more difficult due to their economic fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak. “I have spoken to the leaders of Nigeria, Ethiopia and Egypt and they told me that they were facing similar issues such as drop in exports and revenue,” he said. Khan said that the pandemic did not hit the developing countries like Pakistan, India and Bangladesh with the speed as it did in the Europe and the US. “Firstly, the speed with which the virus spread in the Europe and the US, it didn’t spread in the same way here,” he said, adding that countries like Pakistan faced tough economic challenges.

He said that the virus has hit Pakistan at the worst time when it was in a position to make economic recovery after tough reforms.

Khan said that the coming year would be a challenge for Pakistan and also for the rest of the world. “After the pandemic, every country looked within and became insular.

But ultimately we are all connected and the response has to be global,” he said.

Source:newindianexpress.com

4

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

Premier

John Horgan

And Your

MLAs wish Muslims across B.C.

A Happy Eid Al-fitr

Thank you for looking after each other and observing ramadan at home this year.

Premier John Horgan

BC GOV’T COVID-19 RESOURCES: Gov.bc.ca/covid19

Langford-Juan de Fuca

Garry Begg, MLA

Harry Bains, MLA

Raj Chouhan, MLA

Surrey-Newton

Burnaby-Edmonds

Surrey-Guildford

Jinny Sims, MLA

Jagrup Brar, MLA

Surrey-Panorama

Sheila Malcolmson, MLA

Surrey-Fleetwood

Nanaimo

Rachna Singh, MLA

Ravi Kahlon, MLA

Surrey-Green Timbers

Delta North

Bowinn Ma, MLA North Vancouver-Lonsdale

Shane Simpson, MLA

Mable Elmore, MLA Vancouver-Kensington

Rob Fleming, MLA

Hli Haykwhl Wii Xsgaak Vancouver-Mount Pleasant

Anne Kang, MLA Burnaby-Deer Lake

Mike Farnworth, MLA

George Heyman, MLA

Port Coquitlam

P a r l i a m e n t

V i c t o r i a ,

New Westminster

Spencer Chandra Herbert, MLA

Bruce Ralston, MLA

Vancouver-West End

Surrey-Whalley

Vancouver-Fairview

B u i l d i n g s ,

Judy Darcy, MLA

Melanie Mark, MLA

Victoria-Swan Lake

B . C .

V 8 V

1 X 4

|

( 2 5 0 )

3 8 7 - 3 6 5 5

Vancouver-Hastings

George Chow, MLA Vancouver-Fraserview B C G E U

L o c a l

7 0 1

B.C. announces part-time, voluntary return to school June 1

Gradual reopening will pave the way for a full-time return to classes in September, says premier B.C. Premier John Horgan says some children will start to return to classrooms on a part-time, voluntary basis beginning June 1.

The gradual reopening will apply to all students from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

Schools will have to abide by rigorous cleaning procedures and follow provincial health guidelines, he said.

“These steps will pave the way for a full start

better around their peers.

Fleming also acknowledged that not having in-person classes has been a struggle for parents who have stayed or returned to work.

However, he said some students have thrived in online learning, which he called a “brandnew delivery model that we created out of thin air.” The number of students in class will be limited, Fleming said. In-person classes will be limited to part-time hours, with start times and breaks staggered throughout the day to encourage physical distancing.

Elementary schools will be limited to 50 per cent in-class instruction, while middle and secondary schools will be limited to 20 per cent in-class instruction, or one day a week.

Where possible, students will stay with the teachers they had before changes were put in place because of the pandemic, Fleming said. The province will not be extending the school year, he said, but is making plans for summer school offerings.

Hand-washing, self-monitoring required

do a daily health assessment and stay home if they feel unwell.

“People who are showing signs of illness should not come to work,” he said. All school boards and independent schools will have to submit their operational plans to the Ministry of Education before they reopen.

Online learning will continue for students who choose to stay home. Fleming said parents can expect to hear details on a local level by May 22.

Grads ‘truly unique’

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the focus will be on self-monitoring for symptoms rather than testing. Henry said there is a comprehensive plan to support students and staff who fall ill.

For Grade 12 students, Henry repeated her message that they will be graduating high school during an extraordinary time.

“You are truly unique,” she said.

The gradual reopening will give graduating students an opportunity to reconnect with their classmates and teachers before saying goodbye and moving on to the next phase of their lives.

“We will get through this by all of us doing our part,” she said.

B.C. schools were closed to in-class learning March 17 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The province has said it will prioritize classroom space for children of essential workers.

In Quebec, primary schools outside of Montreal reopened this week. Elementary schools in Greater Montreal won’t reopen until September, however.

Schools in all other provinces and territories remain closed. The Vancouver School Board has already begun the process of welcoming students back to schools, opening in-person instruction for students with “exceptionally high learning needs” who depend on faceto-face interaction.

According to the Education Ministry, there are currently 5,000 students in physical classrooms, including the children of essential workers and students who need extra support.

By: Maryse Zeidler · May 15, 2020 Source: cbc.ca ·

Here’s how B.C. schools will return to classroom learning

Schools closed March 17

back in September,” Horgan said.

Education Minister Rob Fleming said physical distancing and remote learning have been necessary, but difficult, for many children. “The last two months have been a challenge for all of us,” Fleming said. “Kids learn

Schools will look “significantly different” than they were before the pandemic, Fleming warned.

Everyone will be required to wash their hands as soon as they enter school property, while staff, parents and students will need to

It’s a five-stage plan that each district will put into action By: Bridgette Watson · CBC News

To be at Continued page 12

5

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

fa i th

Abu Ayyub reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days of fasting in the month of Shawwal, it will be as if he fasted for the entire year.” Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1164

Ramadan

T

he end of Ramadan is marked by all Muslims going to Morning Prayer services and then the Islamic Holiday Eid Al-Fitr begins.

Eid Al-Fitr

for His bounty at the end of Ramadan. It is normal for Muslim families to make the rounds, visiting each home for a brief period of time. It is considered inappropriate to refuse Arabic coffee when offered.

Wishing a blessed Eid Ul Fitr to the whole Islamic Ummah.

The Night Preceding Eid Al-Fitr

The night before Eid al-Fitr is regarded as a very blessed night and Muslims believe that it should be spent in nafl (voluntary) salat (prayers) and worship. There will be no taraweeh prayers on this last night of Ramadan, but a devout Muslim will spend the night in prayer, remembrance of Allah and reading the Quran.

Before the Eid al-Fitr salat, Mulsims will be sure to pay the “Sadakah Al-Fitr.” This is money due to the poor and the needy.

Every Muslim must pay this, even the poor.

Sadakah al-Fitr is a fairly small amount of money equal to 1.75 kilograms of wheat for every person in the family.

On this topic, Ibn ‘Umar said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, made zakat al-Fitr obligatory for the Muslims - slave and free, male and female, young and old, being a sa’ of dates or a sa’ of barley. He commanded that it be paid before people went out to the prayer.” (Muwatta, Book 17, 52)

Preparing to go to Eid Al Fitr Salat

The morning of Eid al-Fitr, it is considered sunnah (consistent with the ways of the prophet) to perform certain acts in preparation of thanking Allah for a blessed Ramadan. These acts include: •Wake up early in the morning and take a bath.

•Brush the teeth with a Miswak or a toothbrush.

•Wear the best available clothes.

•Wear perfume (men only.)

•Eat a few dates before the Eid prayer.

•Recite the following Takbir in the low voice while going to the ‘Eid prayer:

Congratulating One Another

“Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar La Ilaha Ila birs (Allah Akbar). Three of the takbirs will Allah Wa Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar Wa be in the beginning of the salat. After each Lillahi Alhamd.” takbir, the hands are raised to the ears. At the beginning of the second rakat, after the Eid Al-Fitr Salat (Prayers) In Islam, the Eid prayers should be per- Imam or sheik recites the Fatiha and someformed in an open field or area if possible. It thing from the Quran, an additional three is not recommended to conduct Eid prayers takbirs are recited. Some mosques will do in every single mosque. It is said to be a all six takbirs at once at the beginning of the time for Muslims to celebrate Eid together salat and then proceed with the prayer. in large gatherings. If a large field or park is The Eid Prayer Khutbah (Sermon) not available, then a large mosque will suf- The Khutbah itself is regarded as an inspifice. rational event and it involves praising AlThe Eid prayer is mandatory for every male lah. Muslims should listen intensely and Muslim. Muslim women must attend Eid reverently to what the Imam has to say. It prayers if there are no emergency situations is regarded as a time to remember Allah’s in the home, such as issues involving small blessings and to be thankful to be present in children or sick and elderly parents that re- such an assembly. Muslims should not leave quire assistance or tending. The Eid prayer the Eid prayer early hoping to avoid the should be attended and prior to the prayer crowds; they should stay until after the fitakbir should be recited:”Allahu Akbar Al- nal dua is said; then, it’s customary to greet lahu Akbar La Ilaha Ila Allah Wa Allahu everyone in the room with a congratulations Akbar Allahu Akbar Wa Lillahi Alhamd.” or “Ramadan Mubarak.”

When not reciting the takbir (above), say- Eid Al-Fitr Celebrations Begin ing zikr (remembrance of Allah) is recom- at the End of Ramadan mended. No nafl salat (voluntary prayers) Islamic holidays and celebrations are unare recited in the home prior to or after the like Christian or Jew celebrations. In a nonsalat; Muslims may recite nafl salat in the Islamic situation, there may be partying, home after returning from the Eid prayers. dancing, music and singing – this is not so The Eid prayer is distinct from other Mus- in a Muslim community. Muslims will visit lim prayers. The Imam will lead the salat friends and relatives, drink Arabic coffee, (prayers) and there will be six sets of tak- chat, hug each other, and then praise Allah

People may exchange congratulations and good greetings on Eid, no matter what form the words take. For example they may say to one another, “Taqabbal Allaahu minnaa wa minkum (May Allaah accept [the fast and worship] from us and from you” or “Eid mubarak’ ‘ and other similar permissible greetings.

Jubayr ibn Nufayr said: “At the time of the Prophet (££), when people met one another on the day of Eid , they would say, ‘Taqabbal Allaahu minnaa wa minka (May Allaah accept from us and from you).’ “ (Ibn Hajar. Its isnaad is hasan.

Fath, 2/446) The practice of exchanging greetings was well-known at the time of the Sahaabah and scholars such as Imaam Ahmad and others allowed it. There are reports which indicate that it is permissible to congratulate people on special occasions. The Sahaabah used to congratulate one another when something good happened, such as when Allaah accepted a person’s repentance and so on.

There is no doubt that congratulating others in this way is one of the noblest kinds of good manners and one of the highest social qualities among Muslims.

At the very least, one can return Eid greetings when they are given to you, and remain silent if nothing is said, as Imaam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “If someone congratulates me, I return the greeting, but I do not initiate it.’ ‘ Source: en.islamway.net

Sadqa-e-Fitr must be paid before Eid prayer: Ulema

purifies us from any shortcomings during the month. In addition it is intended to share joy and happiness amongst Muslims especially the poor and needy by helping them to celebrate Eid ul Fitr. According to Mufti Taqi Usmani, it is a Sunnah that the Sadqa-e-Fitr is paid before performing the Eid prayer.

“It can also be paid before the Eid day but it is not advisable to pay after Eid prayer. However if a person has failed to pay Fitrana

To be Continued at page 8

Prayer Schedule in Greater Vancouver May 22- June 5, 2020 Ramadan 29 -Shawaal- 14,1441H

S

adqa-e-Fitr (also known as Fitrana) is an amount of charity in the form of staple foodstuffs which all Muslims with the means are required to pay at the

Isl. Dt. Day Date Fajar

Sunr Dhuhr Zawal Asar Dhuhr Shafi

Asar

Maghrib

Isha

end of holy month of Ramazan.

Sadqa-e-Fitr is an act of thankfulness towards Allah Almighty for having enabled us to observe the fasts of Ramazan and also

29 Fri *1 Sat 2 Sun 3 Mon 4 Tue 5 Wed Location Date Day Sunset Moonset Difference Moon 6 Thus Makkah 22-May-20 Fri 6:55 PM 6:44 PM 0 hrs 11 mins Below Horizon 7 Fri 23-May-20 Sat 6:55 PM 7:39 PM 0 hrs 44 mins Above Horizon 8 Sat 24-May-20 Sun 6:56 PM 8:35 PM 1 hrs 39 mins Above Horizon 9 Sun Vancouver 22-May Fri 8:59 PM 9:08 PM 0 hrs 09 mins Below Horizon 10 Mon 23-May-20 Sat 9:00 PM 10:15 PM 1 hrs 15 mins Above Horizon 11 Tue 24-May-20 Sun 9:01 PM 11:18 PM 2 hrs 17 mins Above Horizon 12 Wed Shawwal will be month of 29 days. ** Full Moon on the evening of Friday, June 05 2020 13 Thus * *** Tentative first day of Shawwal is on Sunday, May 24, 2020 14 Fri

Created By: SB Moon position for Shawwal 1441 in Makkah and Vancouver

Source: www.timeanddate.com

By:Suleman Bhamji

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

6

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

Inte r nat i o na l

Coronavirus infections top 5 million worldwide

PARIS, FRANCE -- Global infections from the novel coronavirus surpassed five million on Thursday as the pandemic played out unevenly across the planet, with China eager to declare a victory, Europe tentatively emerging from its shell and deaths still rising in hotspots in Latin America.

The grim milestone is still only a fraction of the true number of infections from a virus that has claimed more than 328,000 lives in its whirl around the globe, according to AFP tally of official sources.

And while many hard-hit European countries have significantly curbed the rise of cases, Latin America has been in the grip of an infection surge. Brazil is leading the pack, logging the third-highest number of cases in the world after the U.S. and Russia. Peru, Mexico and Chile have also seen steady increases in infections.

But Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro continues to scorn experts’ advice on lockdown measures, pressing regional governors to end stay-at-home measures.

And like U.S. President Donald Trump, he has promoted the use of anti-malaria drugs against the virus despite studies showing they have no benefit and could have dangerous side effects.

UK PM warns new ways to control COVID-19 must be used, such as mass testing and tracing contacts of infected people.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says there might never be a vaccine for COVID-19 despite the huge global effort to develop one.

Johnson, who was hospitalised last month with a serious bout of coronavirus, speculated on Sunday that a vaccine may not be developed at all, despite the huge global effort to produce one.

Johnson wrote in the Mail on Sunday newspaper “there remains a very long way to go, and I must be frank that a vaccine might not come to fruition”.

“We need to find new ways to control the virus,” including testing people who have symptoms and tracing contacts of those infected people, he said.

The British government is giving 93 million pounds ($110m) in funding to speed up the opening of the new Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre.

Johnson said the UK is also supporting research into drug treatments to help people recover quickly from the virus.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma said the UK was home to two of the world’s “frontrunners to develop a vaccine”.

The projects, at Oxford University and Imperial College London, were making “good progress” at “unprecedented speed”, he said. But he warned “there are no certainties”.

“We may never find a successful coronavirus vaccine,” he said.

The British government relaxed some restrictions on outdoor activities in England last week and plans to continue easing rules over the next few months.

Governments worldwide are struggling to restart economies blindsided by the pandemic. With 36 million newly unemployed in the United States alone, economic pressures are building even as authorities acknowledge that reopening risks setting off new waves of infections and deaths.

Pushed hard by Italy’s regional leaders and weeks in advance of an earlier timetable, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is allowing restaurants, bars and beach facilities to open from Monday, the same day that church services can resume and shops reopen.

Conte said Italy could “not afford” to wait until a vaccine was developed. Health experts say the world could be months, if not years, away from having a vaccine available to everyone despite the scientific gold rush now on to create one.“We are facing a calculated risk in the awareness ... that the epidemiological curve could go back up,” Conte said on Saturday. “We are confronting this risk and we need to accept it, otherwise we would never be able to relaunch.”

Coronavirus has infected 4.6 million people and killed more than 312,000 worldwide, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University that experts say undercounts the true toll of the pandemic. The US has reported 88,000 dead and Europe has seen at least 160,000 deaths.

Source: aljazeera.com

MIDLAND, MICH. -- Many Central Michigan residents remained cut off from their homes Thursday even as floodwaters receded, with senior citizens among the scores of displaced people staying in shelters after flooding overwhelmed two dams, submerged homes and washed out roads.

President Donald Trump, who was in Michigan to visit a Ford production plant, signed an emergency declaration authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to co-ordinate disaster relief efforts.

At Midland High School, 90% of people who slept in the school’s gym were senior citizens, said shelter co-ordinator Jerry Wasserman. He said extra precautions were in place due to the combination of the guests’ ages and the coronavirus pandemic.

“We had to deal with COVID and then deal with their angst of what’s happened to their house and their pets and all this” Wasserman said Thursday.

In Midland, 61 people spent Wednesday night and Thursday morning in temporary shelters, according to city spokeswoman Selina Tisdale. That number -- mostly the elderly and families -- dwindled throughout Thursday as floodwaters receded and some residents were able to return home, she said.

Dan Roberts, who was a Midland High student more than a half-century ago, spent a 315,000 people have died, according to Johns few nights at the shelter and said “anyone Hopkins University. More than 1.7 million else who had a place to go went to elsewhere.” He planned to go stay with his sister people have recovered. in the Flint area.

Source: aljazeera.com

“They’ve been watching after us carefully. It’s been a little hectic, but I would not complain at all,” said Roberts, a 70-year-old who lives at the Riverside Place senior living community that was overcome with floodwater.

Much of the area remained underwater, including in Midland, the headquarters of Dow Chemical Co. And floodwaters continued to threaten downstream communities.

It could be days before the full scope of damage can be assessed, officials said. No flood-related deaths or injuries have been reported.

“The damage is truly devastating to see how high the water levels are, to see roofs barely visible in parts of Midland, and to see a lake that has been drained in another part,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who toured Midland County on Wednesday.

The floodwaters mixed with containment ponds at a Dow Chemical Co. plant and could displace sediment from a downstream Superfund site, though the company said there was no risk to people or the environment. Source: ctvnews.ca

Trump, for his part, insists the U.S. is “Transitioning back to Greatness” as states reopen at different paces.

The optimism cuts a sharp contrast with the bleak health situation in the country, which leads the world in cases and deaths.

While daily death tolls are no longer on a steady rise, the losses are still punishing with more than 1,500 additional fatalities reported in 24 hours on Wednesday, bringing to the total number in the US to more than

93,400. Trump, who is desperate to boost his political fortunes ahead of the November election, has also doubled down on his finger-pointing at China, who he blamed for “this mass Worldwide killing”.

Beijing tells a different story, with President Xi Jinping determined to project a success story over the outbreak that started on his country’s soil late last year before wreaking havoc around the globe. Though China has faced criticism of its initial handling of the outbreak, the country has since brought domestic cases down to a trickle and kept deaths far lower toll than in the worst-hit countries, according to its official figures.

In a new sign of normalisation, on Thursday China opened its biggest political event of the year -- the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) -- after months of delay over coronavirus fears.

Analysts say the gathering will be a chance for the party to reaffirm its narrative of beating the virus and coming to the aid of other countries with masks and other medical shipments. It “will likely be an occasion for Xi Jinping to declare complete victory in the ‘people’s war’ over the virus,” Diana Fu, a professor of political science at the University of Toronto, told AFP. Source: ctvnews.ca

YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Pandemic politics shadowed President Donald Trump’s trip to Michigan on Thursday to highlight lifesaving medical devices, with

the president and officials from the electoral battleground state clashing over federal aid, mail-in ballots and face masks. Trump visited Ypsilanti, outside Detroit, to tour a Ford Motor Co. factory that had been repurposed to manufacture ventilators, the medical breathing machines governors begged for during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But his visit came amid a long-running feud with the state’s Democratic governor and a day after the president threatened to withhold federal funds over the state’s expanded vote-by-mail effort. And, again, the president did not publicly wear a face covering despite a warning from the state’s top law enforcement officer that a refusal to do so might lead to a ban on Trump’s return.

Source: ctvnews.ca

CHINA’S ‘VICTORY’

Pandemic politics: Maskless Trump visits Michigan Ford plant

US attacks WHO for ‘failure’ to curb coronavirus:

Failure to obtain information needed to fight COVID-19 cost ‘many lives’, US Secretary of Health Alex Azar said.

The United States accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of failing to obtain information that the world needed to fight COVID-19.

World leaders have spoken at the virtual meeting of the World Health Assembly, as many countries have called for an independent probe into the pandemic.

Chinese President Xi Jinping says Beijing has always been transparent about the outbreak and will support a probe once the pandemic is under control.

Globally, there have been more than 4.7 million known cases of COVID-19, and nearly

Boris Johnson: Coronavirus vaccine ‘might not come to fruition’

“I know this will not be easy - the first baby steps never are,” Johnson said. ’Calculated risk’

Trump declares emergency for flooded Michigan communities

7

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

        Eid Mubarak

Help Stop COVID-19, Do Your Part, Celebrate Safely!

For COVID-19 updates go to www.canada.ca

Hon. Harjit Sajjan

MP Vancouver South 604.775.5323 Harjit.Sajjan@parl.gc.ca

Terry Beech

MP Burnaby North - Seymour 604.718.8870 terry.beech@parl.gc.ca

Ken Hardie

MP Fleetwood - Port Kells 604.501.5900 ken.hardie@parl.gc.ca

Patrick Weiler

MP West Vancouver - Sunshine Coast - Sea to Sky Country 604.913.2660 Patrick.Weiler@parl.gc.ca

Sukh Dhaliwal

MP Surrey - Newton 604.598.2200 sukh.dhaliwal@parl.gc.ca

Hon. Joyce Murray

MP Vancouver Quadra 604.664.9220 Joyce.Murray@parl.gc.ca

Randeep Sarai

MP Surrey Centre 604.589.2441 Randeep.Sarai@parl.gc.ca

8

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

f A I T H

11 Things You Might Not Know About Eid Al-Fitr

What is Eid al-Fitr?

One of the most important days for Muslims, the holiday is the “festival of breaking the fast.” amilies and friends gather to show gratitude to Allah while celebrating the end of Ramadan, the four-week daytime fast that marks the month Muslims believe their Holy Book, the Quran, was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed.

During this period, Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan is one of the five Pillars of Islam, requiring prayer five times a day and generally encouraging a more reflective behavior.

F

Source: www.cnn.com

By: Stacy Conradt

A

t the end of June this year, Muslims around the world will celebrate Eid al-Fitr, a festival that marks the end of Ramadan.

Here’s what you need to know about the holiday celebrated by over 1 billion Muslims.

1. IT’S HELD TO CELEBRATE THE END OF FASTING. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from sun up to sundown to honor the month that the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. Eid al-Fitr celebrates the end of the month—and the end of the fasting. The prolonged fasting isn’t just about food—it also includes abstaining from taking medications, drinking any liquids (including water), smoking, and having sex.

2. THE NAME OF THE HOLIDAY IS A LITERAL TRANSLATION. “Eid al-Fitr” is a pretty literal translation of the event that’s being celebrated: “Festival of the Breaking of the Fast,” or “the Feast of Fast-Breaking.”

3. EID AL-FITR BEGINS WHEN THE NEW MOON IS FIRST SIGHTED. Eid al-Fitr doesn’t begin until the new moon appears in the sky (although traditionally, and still today for many Muslims, it doesn’t begin until the barest sliver of a waxing crescent moon is seen). Technically, that means that across the world, Eid al-Fitr starts at different times and even different days, depending on location. To make it more uniform, some Muslims celebrate Eid when the new moon appears over Mecca instead of their own locations.

4. RAMADAN AND EID AL-FITR ARE HELD ON DIFFERENT GREGORIAN DATES EVERY YEAR. The Islamic calendar is based on lunar cycles, as opposed to the Gregorian calendar, which is based on the solar cycle. New months start and end with each new moon.

The average new moon appears every 29.53 days, so the lunar months are a bit shorter compared to the Gregorian months, which usually last 30 or 31 days. Thus, every year,

Ramadan is held about 10 days earlier than it was the previous year—at least, that is, in relation to the Gregorian calendar.

5. EID AL-FITR TYPICALLY LASTS FOR THREE DAYS. The festival traditionally lasts for three days, but depending on how it falls on the calendar, the parties and festivities could last much longer. For example, if the three days fall mid-week, Muslims will likely still be celebrating over the weekend.

6. ON EID MORNING, MUSLIMS CLEANSE THEIR BODIES AND DON NEW CLOTHES. Before leaving to perform morning prayers, Muslims wake up to cleanse their bodies in a ritual called “ghusl.” Then, similar to getting new clothes for Easter Sunday, Muslims often don something new or grab their finest threads and decorate their hands with elaborate henna patterns. Some people wear traditional dress, while others opt for contemporary clothing.

7. THERE ARE EID GREETINGS.

“Eid Mubarak,” which means “Have a blessed Eid!,” is pretty common.

8. THEN THERE ARE PRAYERS. After getting dressed and ready for the day, Muslims gather for prayers in mosques or outdoor locations. Afterward, they may visit the graves of loved ones to pray and clean the gravesites.

9. THERE ARE GIFTS INVOLVED. After a month of sacrifice, Eid al-Fitr is a time of abundance—and not just abundant food. Gifts are often given, especially to children. These gifts of money, accessories, home goods, or flower are called “Eidi.”

10. IT’S ALSO KNOWN AS “THE LESSER EID.” Eid al-Fitr is one of two important Eid cel-

ebrations in the Muslim faith. The other is Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice or “Greater Eid.” Eid al-Adha celebrates the sacrifice Ibrahim (Abraham) was willing to make to Allah. Like Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha is held at a different time on the Gregorian calendar every year.

11. THE WHITE HOUSE HELD ITS FIRST EID AL-FITR DINNER IN 1996.

Though the first iftar dinner—the daily meal that Muslims break their fast with when the sun sets during Ramadan—hosted by the White House happened in 1805 when President Thomas Jefferson held one for the visiting Tunisian envoy, First Lady Hillary Clinton hosted the first official Eid al-Fitr dinner in 1996, and the Clintons continued the tradition every year after. The tradition of hosting Ramadan or Eid dinners has continued with every president since—George W. Bush hosted one every year, and Barack Obama hosted his last one in July 2016.

Source: www.mentalfloss.com * The Federal Liberal Caucus invited Muslims in their ridings across Canada to a national Eid Al-Fitr celebration at Parliament Hill on June 19th, 2018 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke at the event.

Sadqa-e-Fitr must be paid before Eid prayer: Ulema

Continued from page 5

at proper time then he/she should pay it as soon as possible.

“It is incumbent on every Muslim who has enough basic foodstuffs to feed himself and his family for the duration of one day and one night.

A Muslim must pay Sadqa-e-Fitr on behalf of himself, his wife, children and any dependents.

Sadqa-e-Fitr is an obligation for every Muslim male or female who owns 613.35 grams of silver or equivalent either in the form of money ornaments stock in trade or in the form of some goods or commodities beyond one s normal needs.

The prescribed amount of Sadqa-e-Fitr is 1.75 kilograms of wheat or its value in money. This amount is prescribed for paying Sadqa-e-Fitr for one person only.

If a person has some minor children the same amount has to be paid on behalf of each one of them separately while adult male and female family members are responsible to pay the Fitrana themselves.

Zakat

A father is not bound to pay Sadqa-e-Fitr on behalf of his adult children or vice versa.

However if the head of the family by his own free will wishes to pay Sadqa-e-Fitr for each one of the members of his family he should seek their authorization for that purpose. In this case the Sadqa-e-Fitr paid by him will be valid on their behalf.

Fitrana is not necessary on behalf of a child who was born after the break of dawn in the Eid day nor is it necessary to pay Sadqa-eFitr on behalf of a person who dies before the dawn of the Eid day.

It must be paid before the Eid prayer for it to be considered as such.

If it is not paid before the Eid prayer it is considered sadaqah and not Fitrana.

Most religious scholars are of the opinion that Fitrana is a debt which remains due so that even if it is not paid within time one must still pay it. (For Pakistan) According to Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Chairman Mufti Muneeb-Ur-Rehman, the minimum amount that should be given in charity is Rs 100 with respect to wheat

in accordance with Barley it is Rs 320 with respect to price of dates and Raisins it is Rs 1 600. A breadwinner of a family is needed to pay at least Rs 100 on behalf of each of his dependents if he wishes to pay according to wheat price. *(In Canada $ 10 per person) It should be noted here that Sadqa e Fitr fixed last year and year before that with respect to wheat was Rs 100 also.

Fidya amount needed to be paid for 30 days with respect to wheat price is Rs 3,000, with respect to barley Rs 9,600, with respect to dates Rs 48,000 and with respect to raisins Rs 48,000 should be paid for 30 days.

He said a Muslim who possesses food in excess of his needs must pay Sadqa-e-Fitr before the Eid prayers.

If the person is a breadwinner he should also pay Sadqa-e-Fitr for his dependant such as wife children dependent relatives or servants.

Mufti Muneeb also advised the people to pay the amount to the poor before Eid ul Fitr so that they could also celebrate the festival.

The most deserving people for Sadqa-e-Fitr •

By DANIEL LIBERTO

What Is Zakat?

Zakat is an Islamic finance term referring to the obligation that an individual has to donate a certain proportion of wealth each year to charitable causes. Zakat is a mandatory process for Muslims and is regarded as a form of worship. Giving away money to the poor is said to purify yearly earnings that are over and above what is required to provide the essential needs of a person or family.

KEY TAKEAWAYS •

Zakat is a religious obligation, ordering all Muslims who meet the necessary

•

• •

Giving away money to the poor is said to purify yearly earnings that are over and above what is required to provide the essential needs of a person or family.

Zakat is based on income and the value of possessions. The common minimum amount for those who qualify is 2.5%, or 1/40 of a Muslim’s total savings and wealth.

If personal wealth is below the nisab during one lunar year, no zakat is owed for that period.

How Zakat Works

Zakat is one of the Five Pillars of Islam: the others are declaration of faith, prayer, fasting criteria to donate a certain portion of during Ramadan and the Hajj pilgrimage. It is a compulsory procedure for Muslims earnwealth each year to charitable causes.

are close relatives followed by neighbours and the poor.

Mufti Munib-Ur-Rehman said real spirit of Fitr and Fidya is two time meal of a destitute person so it is better these are paid the meal cost of a hotel. However those who are wealthier they should try to pay more to extend assistance to the poor.

Source: thenews.com.pk/ ing above a certain threshold and should not be confused with Sadaqah, a term that refers to giving charitable gifts out of kindness or generosity.

Religious texts offer comprehensive descriptions of the minimum amount of zakat that should be distributed to those less fortunate.

It generally varies, depending on whether wealth came from farm produce, cattle, business activities, paper currency, or precious metals, such as gold and silver.

Zakat is based on income and the value of possessions. The common minimum amount for those who qualify is 2.5%, or 1/40 of a Muslim’s total savings and wealth.

Source: investopedia.com

9

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

10

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

N at i o na l

&

Int

Canada-U.S. border to remain closed to non-essential Canada’s ‘inevitable’ second wave of COVID-19 will expose surveillance blindspots: experts travel for another month, PM says it’s the ‘right thing’ OTTAWA -- An agreement has been reached between Canada and the United States to keep the border closed to all nonessential travel for another month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday, calling it the “right thing” to do. He is cautioning that it could be months still before non-essential travel is allowed.

The extension on the existing agreement means that the border restrictions will stay in place until June 21, even as parts of both countries begin gradually reopening. The agreement, as it stands, exempts the flow of trade and commerce, as well as vital healthcare workers such as nurses who live and work on opposite sides of the border. Tourists and cross-border visits remain prohibited.

“This is an important decision that will keep people in both of our countries safe,” Trudeau said on Tuesday. Facing questions about the cross-border decision, Trudeau said there was a clear desire from premiers to keep up the border closure.

“The decisions that were taking are very much made week-to-week in this crisis.

The situation is changing rapidly and we’re adjusting constantly to what are the right measures for Canadians to get that balance right between keeping people safe, and restoring a semblance of normality and economic activity that we all rely on,” said the prime minister.

Speaking about the agreement at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump said that “as things clean up,” in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic, both sides will “want to get back to normal.”

“We’re very close to Canada,” he said.

To date there have been more than 79,000 COVID-19 cases in Canada, and nearly 6,000 people have died, while the United States currently has more than 1.5 million

active COVID-19 cases and more than 90,000 people have died in that country.

Talks had been underway since last week, with Canada wanting to see the travel limitations left in place, despite a growing push from Canadians who want to be reunited with loved ones who live across the border.

The prime minister continues to emphasize that reopening Canada’s border to international travel would be risky as countries worldwide are still working to contain outbreaks and more robust contact tracing has yet to be established.

“We will continue to watch carefully what’s happening elsewhere in the world, and around us as we make decisions on next steps,” Trudeau said. Ahead of the extension being announced, outgoing Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said the government needs to put in place a clear plan for when a more broad reopening of travel could be possible, how that reopening would be managed and how further risks mitigated.

“We’ve also heard from individual cases of hardship, for individuals who are separated because of the closure. We certainly have a lot of compassion for those spouses who have been separated, or children who don’t have access to one parent or another,” Scheer said earlier on Tuesday.

Source: ctvnews.ca

Police have checked in on nearly 2,200 quarantining travellers at home OTTAWA -- Police across Canada have made home visits to nearly 2,200 Canadians to ensure they are complying with their mandatory 14-day isolation after returning from abroad, and so far only four people have been ticketed for breaking their quarantines under the federal rules.

In late March, in an effort to get a handle on the number of COVID-19 cases being brought into Canada from other countries, the federal government imposed mandatory 14-day isolation for any Canadians coming home, under the Quarantine Act. Regardless of their symptoms, anyone crossing back over the border must spend 14 days in isolation, whether at home or inside a federally-provided room if their living situation would see them sharing space with a vulnerable person like a senior or someone with pre-existing medical conditions. To enforce this order, the Public Health Agency of Canada is working with the RCMP and local law enforcement to check in on these travellers, based on the contact information they are required to provide on a contact-tracing form. If the initial call from the government goes unanswered or if they have an indication the traveller is not complying, police are asked to follow up.

As of May 13, the Public Health Agency of Canada had sent police forces 2,198 referrals for follow-up visits. As a result of these checks, four people have been ticketed under the Quarantine Act for breaking the rules. Of these, 705 were in Ontario, 299 were in Alberta, and 294 were in Quebec.

The government did not specify where the infractions occurred or how what kind of monetary penalties were issued with the

No one knows when a fresh surge of COVID-19 cases will emerge in Canada, but experts agree numbers are poised to rise and could very well explode in surveillance blindspots.

One need only look to South Korea, where infections spread anew through Seoul’s nightclubs and bars, to see how quickly containment successes unravel when undetected cases spark flareups.

Of course, nightclubs remain closed in Canada, but the infection risk of a vast array of public spaces is being tested for the first time in coming weeks -- retail stores, golf ranges, bar patios and some offices among them. A “tried and true” principle with any respiratory virus is that infection risk is lower outside and in larger spaces where germs can dissipate, says Dr. Camille Lemieux, medical lead for the COVID-19 assessment centre at Toronto’s Western Hospital. That’s opposed to small, confined areas with poor ventilation, but the speed of this novel coronavirus to find human hosts is what’s most concerning, says Lemieux.

“The one thing about COVID that I think has a lot of people stymied is the rapidity with which it spreads when it gets a foothold,” says Lemieux, also chief of family medicine at the University Health Network in Toronto.

Even with containment, the virus is circulating in the community thanks to a small percentage of people with mild and no symptoms who don’t even know they are sick, adds Dr. Gerald Evans, medical director of infection control at the Kingston Health

Sciences Centre.Evans says “second waves are inevitable” as regions open up, using the term loosely to mean any uptick big or small.

He cautions against suggesting one sector of public life -- such as the tennis court -- is safer from the virus than others. ”If people start congregating around campfires and other things in parks, and then large groups of golfers are getting together and hanging out, that could facilitate transmission,” says Evans, also chair of the division of infectious diseases at Queen’s University.

If Evans were to guess, he says a Canadian resurgence is very likely to start among younger adults who resume social activities, suggesting they’re more likely to risk exposure and will have been largely shielded from infection.

“They have been in literal isolation now for months,” Evans notes. ”So, when we start to open restaurants, and we start to open social venues, I think what we saw in Korea is a distinct possibility of what might emerge here.”

This may sound obvious but wherever it happens, it’ll be precisely where we are not looking, says Lemieux, which is why ramped-up testing and contact tracing measures are critical as millions of Canadians consider increased exposure.

She stressed the need for aggressive surveillance that can quickly respond to any signs of resurgence.

“The only way we can do that is by allowing broad-based testing of the public,” says Lemieux, a vocal critic of testing rates in ON. Source: ctvnews.ca

Tribute for Capt. Jennifer Casey, Snowbirds held by Kamloops legion

tickets. Those who disobey the quarantine order can face fines of up to $750,000 and up to six months in prison. Additionally, anyone who causes a “risk of imminent death or serious bodily harm” to another person by “willfully or recklessly” contravening the act could be fined up to $1 million and face three years imprisonment.

While the number of people facing Quarantine Act tickets is small, more than 4,500 people have been ticketed or charged for alleged COVID-19 related violations across Canada under various other provincial and municipal orders. It’s possible, health officials said, that when following up on someone who should be in mandatory isolation, the responding police authorities opted to issue a different level of fine or ticket for breaching local bylaws or provincial laws, as the enforcement mechanisms vary from province to province.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says the quarantine measures upon arrival and drastically reducing the number of people who have been able to enter the country have been “essential” to controlling the outbreak. Source: ctvnews.ca

VANCOUVER -- Days after a tragic plane crash in B.C. left a Snowbirds captain dead and another injured, the local legion near where the collision happened hosted a tribute ceremony.

While the event was not open to the public, the Royal Canadian Legion’s Kamloops branch paid tribute to Capt. Jennifer Casey, who died Sunday after her plane went down in a residential neighbourhood. Capt. Richard MacDougall was also injured in the incident and remains in hospital.

The tribute, which was livestreamed on the legion’s Facebook page, included a brief ceremony with laying of wreaths, guest speakers and playing of Last Post, Reveille and Lament. ”I would like to express our heartfelt condolences at the loss of Capt. Jenn Casey of the RCAF Snowbirds. The incredible feats

of Canadian Armed Forces members like Capt. Jenn Casey are a source joy and inspiration to every legion member,” said Val MacGregor, president of the B.C. and Yukon legion branches, in a news release.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to our military community. Capt. Casey will be honored and remembered … we would also like to acknowledge the service of Capt. MacDougall who was injured in the accident and we wish him a speedy recovery.”

On Wednesday, Casey’s family released a statement, saying “her beautiful smile and positively infectious personality could brighten anyone’s day and she proudly served the mission as she flew across our great nation with a team that she adored -- the Snowbirds.”

Source: ctvnews.ca

11

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

Politics

COVID-19 remains ‘very serious health threat’: Trudeau As much good news as it has been to see some aspects of society emerge from lockdown, now federal health authorities are warning of the risk of “quarantine fatigue,” saying that if Canadians become too lax, the last two months of staying at home and staying apart could be for nothing. During his address from Rideau Cottage on Thursday, the prime minister reemphasized Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam’s calls for Canadians to wear non-medical masks or other adequate face coverings any time they leave their house and think they could be in a situation where physical distancing can’t be maintained. “It’s never been more important to follow public health instructions,” Trudeau said, adding that while some aspects of life are returning to some semblance of pre-pandemic activity, the public health steps Canadians have

become used to need to continue.

This includes proper hand washing and maintaining two metres of distance between yourself and those not in your bubble to prevent coming into contact with potentially infectious droplets emitted when people speak, sneeze, cough, sing, or laugh.

The government is watching closely what is happening in other countries that have progressed further in their phases of reopening and will not hesitate to pull back on the reins if COVID-19 cases surge again.

QUARANTINE FATIGUE’ Tam noted the growing “quarantine fatigue” in Canada, and cautioned that while it may be difficult, COVID-19 is here to stay for the foreseeable future and “we’ll need to pace ourselves.”

“As things are beginning to reopen, we want

TORONTO -- NDP MP Don Davies is calling on the federal government to ban third parties from collecting fees for assistance with Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) applications after dozens of seniors were lured into applying for the benefit without qualifying for it.

The Vancouver-area MP says a woman, identifying herself as Joanne, has allegedly been contacting seniors in his riding and offering to sign them up for an undisclosed government benefit in exchange for a 10 per cent fee. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Davies notes that there is no explicit prohibition against charging fees in exchange for assistance with CERB applica-

tions or access to the benefit -- describing the practice as an “immoral and unethical scheme.” “It’s like charging flood victims a fee for handing out blankets or sandbags,” Davies told CTVNews.ca by phone from Vancouver Thursday. “It’s just not appropriate and I would say it’s also illegal.” According to Davies, most of the targeted seniors were unaware that the promised benefit was the CERB or that they likely didn’t qualify for the emergency benefit introduced to help out of work Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The benefit provides up to $2,000 a month for those who have lost their job during the pandemic or are unable to work because

they’re taking care of someone who is ill.

Seniors who had been working could qualify for CERB, but most of those targeted in this particular scheme didn’t meet those requirements. As a result, seniors who signed up for the benefit under “Joanne’s” guidance will have to pay the benefit back to the federal government, in addition to the hundreds of dollars in illegitimate fees they were convinced to pay. Davies says he suspects the fraudster was counselling seniors to commit fraud.

At least 77 seniors in a Vancouver-area seniors residence were targeted by “Joanne,” including Carina Alamil who, like many others, heard about Joanne’s services from friends in the building.“A friend of mine

Ottawa, ON – Conservative members of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, Blake Richards, John Brassard, Eric Duncan and Corey Tochor published a report outlining the Conservative case for parliamentary democracy and calling on the Trudeau government to restore normal Parliamentary sittings. “There has been a tremendous amount of uncertainty over the past few months. One thing though is abundantly clear – Justin Trudeau is letting Canadians down,” said MP Richards. “Justin Trudeau has made it clear that he would like to permanently replace Par-

liament with press conferences. He wants an audience, not an Opposition,” said MP Brassard. “That is absolutely unacceptable. In a democratic country like Canada, Parliament is an essential service and its role must be fully restored.” Conservatives have repeatedly demonstrated how oversight and accountability get better results for Canadians. Members of Parliament need to be able to ask tough questions and hold the Liberals accountable when they make bad decisions.

“Legislatures across the country and Parliaments around the world are planning to resume regu-

lar sittings as they ease their respective health restrictions,” said MP Duncan. “Hundreds of thousands of Canadians are falling through the cracks because of unnecessarily rigid government programs. They need our help.”

“The Trudeau Liberals are spending hundreds of billions of dollars and are now refusing to provide an economic update,” said MP Tochor.

“Canadian taxpayers deserve to know how the government is spending their money and what the plan is to safely restart our economy.”

Conservatives will strongly resist any effort to exploit the pandemic as a cover to implement a

OTTAWA -- While the COVID-19 curve continues to show signs of flattening and progress is being made to reopen some aspects of society, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is urging Canadians to continue to take the pandemic seriously, saying the deadly disease “remains a very serious health threat.”

to get out, but at the same time many of us are still feeling trepidation. Is the time right? How do I keep myself and my family safe? These are valid concerns,” Tam said. he said that while there remains a lot to be understood about the novel coronavirus that’s swept the globe, infecting more than five million people and killing nearly 330,000, the known deterrents to further spread like physical distancing remain the best line of defence.

“This is quite a difficult period. I think it’s one of the most difficult periods of time where people have been observing this public health advice. And now, some things are easing up, and there is this exuberance of maybe getting out there. [It] means that people may forget to do all the core public health measures,” said Tam. ................Source: ctvnews.ca

NDP MP calls on feds to make amendments to CERB to prevent scams targeting seniors

told me she got $2,000 and she gave me the number of ‘Joanne.’ I just wanted to see if it was really true,” Alamil told CTVNews.ca by phone Thursday.... Source: ctvnews.ca

The Conservative Case for Parliamentary Democracy permanent virtual Parliament, with its reduced ability to hold a government a c c o u nt a b l e , gravely undermining our democracy.

Sent from: Office of MP Blake Richards

Can you visit family and friends? Here’s a breakdown of the rules by province?

By: Melissa Couto As provinces begin to relax physical distancing measures on family gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ll be doing so at their own pace.

That means what’s going on in New Brunswick may not line up with Ontario-based directives, for example, and those in Quebec shouldn’t try to adhere to rules set out by officials in Newfoundland.

Health and public policy experts say that’s to be expected instead of a uniform, Canadawide regulation for scaling back measures put in place to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. What makes sense in one region, might not in another.

“Yes, there’s a risk that people will say: ‘If they can do that there, we should be able to do it here….’ But these decisions are being made locally based on local conditions,” said Myles Leslie, an associate professor at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy.

“It’s like if you start trying to grow palm trees in your backyard — it’s probably not going to do terribly well because that doesn’t work in Canada.”

New Brunswick and Newfoundland recently introduced new directives that would allow one household to visit and socialize with another separate household — and no others — in a “bubble” system.

Ontario and Quebec, meanwhile, still advise

no contact outside of your own household.

Dr. Saverio Stranges, the chair of the epidemiology department at Western University in London, Ont., says each province’s directives will be driven by their “epidemiological context.” If there’s still evidence of community spread — like in Ontario and Quebec, the provinces with the most COVID-19 cases in the country — the best approach is the most cautious one.

And if those provinces were to adopt similar bubble strategies to New Brunswick and Newfoundland, there would be risk in spreading the virus further due to asymptomatic cases.

Stranges said the chance of that is slimmer now than it was a few weeks ago, though.

“The tip of the iceberg — the people who need hospitalization and the people with severe symptoms — is definitely declining, which means the base of that iceberg must also be reducing,” Stranges said. “And the potential pool of asymptomatic people in the community is smaller than perhaps a month ago.

“But in this stage where things seem to be going down, I’m still extremely cautious. But that’s my kind of attitude.”

Stranges said there are certain things to take into consideration for those who are able to visit another household, like knowing the “mobility patterns” of those you’re going to be in contact with.

If a front-line, health-care worker lives in that

household, for example, the risk of contracting COVID-19 will be higher, Stranges said.

“If you know that (the person you’re visiting) has been also extremely careful over the last seven weeks, you can have more confidence that the risk will be rather slim,” he added.

“Very much depends on individual profiles of that person in terms of the kind of job that person does and also the degree of social or professional interactions that individual may engage with.”

Where the socializing takes place also matters, said Stranges, noting that an outdoor meeting is preferable to an enclosed space.

And physical distancing guidelines should still be followed regardless of location.

“Being in an open space, it’s less likely you will have a high bio concentration,” he said. “So if you’re meeting your brother in a garden outdoors and keeping some distance, that will reduce the risk.

“If you are eating at the table with your brother in a room or in an indoor space, that’s a different story. The risk of indoor contagion is still possible if we don’t keep that physical distance.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford admitted earlier this week that two of his daughters who don’t live in his home visited over the weekend for Mother’s Day, essentially going against the rules the province has set out.

Stranges said it’s important for leaders and others in the public eye, including epidemiologists

and infectious disease experts who can influence policy, to abide by the same standards they’re asking of people.

Leslie said leaders risk “losing credibility” when they don’t follow their own directives, pointing out American President Donald Trump’s apparent reluctance to wear face masks, even when visiting a facility that makes them.

Not everyone will be bothered by that kind of thing, Leslie added, saying it depends on the individual’s own “theory of leadership.”

“But I think most people in Canada probably… feel that what works for the governed has to work for the governor as well.”

Here’s what provinces across Canada are recommending for gatherings as of Thursday: BRITISH COLUMBIA Avoid crowded places; all in-person gatherings of any size are strongly discouraged.

Source: ctvnews.ca

12

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

B C

Continued from page 4 The provincial government announced a gradual return to normal life in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic this week and it includes a five-stage plan to resuming in-class learning for B.C. students from kindergarten to Grade 12.

According to the Ministry of Education, stage one is the final step and includes the full return of all students to their classrooms.

Currently, all 60 school districts and independent schools are in stage four in which classroom programs are available only to select students.

Stephanie Higginson, president of the B.C. School Trustees Association, said the stages will look different in each district as it decides how best to introduce them.

These are the five stages as defined by the ministry:

Stage five

This was the initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic when all B.C. schools were closed on March 17.

It includes the suspension of all in-class instruction for all grades and students. During

gO V T / L o c a l

Here’s how B.C. schools will return to classroom learning this stage, all learning is done remotely and Stage three online.

Stage three includes in-class learning for kindergarten to Grade 5 on a part-time basis Stage four and access to in-class learning as needed for Grades 6 to 12 on a part-time basis.

Remote and online learning will still be available.

Stage two

This is the current stage for all 60 B.C. school districts and independent schools.

Most students are still learning remotely or online, but exceptions are made for children of essential workers and vulnerable students.

According to the ministry, there are currently 4,700 children of essential workers and 300 students with high-learning needs attending these in-class programs.

Students in elementary school — kindergarten to Grade 7 — will return to classrooms full time and secondary students — Grade 8 to12 — will return on a part-time basis.

Secondary students will still have access to Higginson said she expects districts to move into stage three by June, if not before. remote and online learning if they prefer.

She estimated that in stage three, the younger Stage 1 group will have classroom instruction about This is the return to full in-class instruction 50 per cent of the week. Older students, who for all students from kindergarten to Grade she said are better at self-regulation and on12 in the province. line learning, would receive about 20 per While outlining plans to ease restrictions cent of instruction in class. provincewide, Premier John Horgan said During stage three, remote and online learnB.C. is preparing for a full resumption of ing will still be available and in-class attendschool by September. In the meantime, Horance will be optional. gan said classrooms would open their doors “No family will be forced to send their child to more students by next month. back,” said Higginson. Source: cbc.ca

Surrey installs healthcare appreciation street banners South Asian Media roundtable held with around Surrey Memorial and Peace Arch Hospital Premier John Horgan by Teleconference Surrey, BC – The critical work of our healthcare workers has been heroic in our fight against COVID-19. As an extension of our gratitude to Surrey’s healthcare workers, the City of Surrey installed healthcare appreciation street banners around Surrey Memorial Hospital and Peace Arch Hospital today.

“Every night, Surrey residents and staff across our city join the 7pm cheer, as a gesture of appreciation for the sacrifices healthcare workers are making to battle COV-

ID-19 on the frontlines,” said Mayor Doug McCallum. “With the installation of these street banners surrounding Surrey Memorial and Peace Arch Hospitals, our hope is that our nurses, doctors, first responders and paramedics are reminded every day that our community recognizes their dedication and service.

Our healthcare workers are among the best in the world, working tirelessly to keep our community healthy and safe, and these banners are a small way of saying thank-you.”

On May 19, South Asian Media was invited to participate in a media roundtable with Premier John Horgan to discuss the provincial recovery plan. Many South Asian Members included Miracle Media attended the teleconference and asked many questions regarding

the Coronavirus situation in BC, and its effect on the economy, businesses, Schools as well as the possible second wave etc. The Premier with the help of Ministers answered the questions and gave the most up to date information to media.

Maghrib Adhan Broadcasted in Jamea MasjidVancouver & Surrey Jamea Masjid

First time in BC’s history, the Maghrib Adhan was broadcasted on air through ex- at 72nd Ave in Surrey. This permission was given by the City of Vancouver and City ternal speakers in Vancouver Jamea Masjid at 8th Ave. Then starting May 18th, first of Surrey due to the Coronavirus situation and only granted for Adhan Maghrib Adhan was made by Br Hafiz Hammadullah Qazi in the parking lot of Jameh Masjid for the rest of Ramadan of this year.

Free community Iftaar At Fiji Islamic Centre Surrey-Jamea Masjid Fundraising Night

On May 17 and 18, Community was invited for Drive Thru Iftar at Fiji Islamic Centre in Surrey. which was sponsored

by Fiji Islamic Centre, Muslim Business Council and Canadian Society of

Fiji Muslims. People picked up take-out boxes and used the opportunity to drop their donations for Masjid fund, Zaktat, Sadaqah and Fitrana in boxes at the entrance.

On May 19, The Surrey-Jamea Masjid hosted a joint broadcast with Canadian Muslim Media Club (CMMC) social media channels and with other social media channels. Alhumdulillah,

the program started at 10:15pm and finished at 11:15pm, and within the short time. more than Fifty thousand dollars were collected with the generous donations of community members.

13

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

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Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

M IDDL E

EAST

Iraq: Rocket lands near US embassy inside Baghdad’s Green Zone

No reports of casualties in attack; Iraqi military says rocket launched from an eastern district of Baghdad.

A rocket has hit an empty house in the Iraqi capital’s heavily fortified Green Zone, a military statement has said.

The rocket was launched from an eastern district of Baghdad, according to the statement, and was the first to land in the high-security zone in weeks. There were no reports of casualties in the attack. The blast could be heard across Baghdad and triggered security

sirens at the US embassy compound, security forces told AFP news agency. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The United States blames a series of rocket attacks near or on bases hosting its troops this year on Iran-aligned groups, although those groups have not claimed them. The volleys of rockets, which have killed American, British and Iraqi armed personnel, have severely strained ties between Baghdad and Washington.

But the US and Iraq have hoped to reset the relationship since Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi took the helm earlier this month, with bilateral talks planned for June.

The negotiations are expected to set a framework for the presence of US troops, which deployed to Iraq in 2014 to lead a coalition fighting back the ISIL (ISIS) group.

The forces are a thorn in the side of Iran and

its allies in Iraq, which have insisted they leave the country.

On Sunday, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the US “will not be staying either in Iraq or Syria and must withdraw and will certainly be expelled”.

Tension between Washington and Tehran has ramped up over the last year, culminating in the US killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani and Iraq’s paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone strike at Baghdad airport in January.

Iran-backed paramilitary groups promised to avenge the killings and rocket attacks on bases hosting US troops have persisted.

The US-led coalition has already drawn down its 7,500-strong force in Iraq this year, citing a decreased threat from ISIL and difficulties training Iraqi forces due to the spread of the new coronavirus.Source: aljazeera.com

Mustafa al-Kadhimi ends Iraq deadlock but new PM faces hurdles Former intelligence chief ’s appointment comes amid major crises: mass protests, coronavirus and plunging oil prices.

As the Iraqi parliament approved the majority of former intelligence chief Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s ministerial picks on Thursday, it effectively paved the way for a new phase in Iraqi politics with him as prime minister.

The appointment of al-Kadhimi ended a political deadlock that left the country without a fully functioning government for more than five months. Two previous leaders had failed to form a new cabinet because of rival wrangling after Adel Abdul Mahdi stepped down in November amid mass anti-govern-

ment protests.

But al-Kadhimi’s ascent to the premiership has not been a smooth ride. By the time he finally addressed parliament on Thursday, it was only after a long and complicated process of backdoor negotiations with Iraq’s various political blocs and party leaders.

The rival factions had refused to agree on alKadhimi’s proposed names, forcing him to change his candidate lists at least three times ahead of the vote. Still, some blocs boycotted the May 7 session that ran more than three hours behind schedule because of last-minute consultations in parliament’s cafeteria.

But al-Kadhimi, 53, began his term, albeit

without a full government. Five of his 20 candidates were rejected and two key posts - ministers of oil and foreign relations - remained empty.

Filling these ministerial posts, however, is far from al-Kadhimi’s only challenge. The former journalist came to power amid three major crises: plunging oil prices that have caused a steep budget deficit and potential economic catastrophe; the coronavirus pandemic that Iraq’s fragile healthcare system has struggled to cope with; and strong popular protests that returned to the streets after a short lull because of COVID-19-related curfews. Source: aljazeera.com

Iran warns US against disrupting fuel shipments to Venezuela WE ARE ACCEPTING FITRA, SADAAQA, ZAKAAT, EMERGENCY FUNDS AND FOOD DONATION! FOOD DRIVE & COLLECTING DONATIONS

Reports suggest four US Navy warships statement. are in the Caribbean for a ‘possible con- A senior official in US President Donald Trump’s administration told Reuters news frontation with Iran’s tankers’.

Iran’s foreign minister on Sunday warned the United States against deploying its navy in the Caribbean to disrupt Iranian fuel shipments to Venezuela.

According to an oil shipment analyst, five Iranian-flagged tankers loaded with tens of millions of dollars worth of fuel are heading towards Venezuela. In a letter to United Nations chief Antonio Guterres, Mohammad Javad Zarif warned against “America’s movements in deploying its navy to the Caribbean in order to intervene and create disruption in [the] transfer of Iran’s fuel to Venezuela”. He said any such action would be “illegal and a form of piracy” adding the US would be responsible for “the consequences”, according to a foreign ministry

agency on Thursday that the US was considering measures it could take in response to Iran’s shipment of fuel to crisis-stricken Venezuela.

Iran’s Fars News reported on Saturday it received information that four US Navy warships are in the Caribbean for a “possible confrontation with Iran’s tankers”.

Zarif ’s deputy summoned the Swiss ambassador, who represents Washington’s interests in Tehran, to communicate Iran’s “serious warning” on Sunday. Abbas Araghchi said any potential threat to Iran’s tankers would be met with a “quick and decisive response”.

The US has imposed unilateral sanctions aimed at ending oil exports by both Iran and Venezuela, both major crude producers.

Source: aljazeera.com

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Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

Coronavirus and the Quran

BY: MUHAMMAD MUMTAZ ALI Introduction e all are suffering today because of Coronavirus and its implications. It has no nationality, no race, no region, no boundary, no country, and no passport. It can travel without any restriction and affect the lives of millions of people and can even kill them. Our governments around the world are taking necessary steps to control it and overcome the problems caused by it. Experts from various walks of life from all over the world are busy day and night to discover effective treatment so that we can be free from this pandemic.

We are all locked down and asked to stay at home and maintain social distance.

At this moment of stress, it would be better to know various perspectives on this issue of Corona. Some see it as a conspiracy; some others term it as anger of nature. Majority of people see it from a medical point of view.

For World Health Organization (WHO), it is a pandemic disease [COVID-19]. A pandemic is the global outbreak of a disease.

Currently, there are no specific vaccines or treatments for COVID-19. The outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January, 2020 by WHO. I want to share the Quranic point of view about it. According to my assessment, the Quran discusses about punishment from God to those who deny the Truth and insistently commit wrong doings in life. It elaborates using reason, historical and empirical evidence, what is the Truth for it, and what are wrong doings which people commit. It highlights three things: warnings, punishment in this worldly life, and the punishment in the Hereafter. I am not sure how many of us know about Quran and its position on diseases and calamities. My general perception is that majority of people think that the Quran is a religious book for a community called Muslims who follow a religion, Islam. So, Islam and the Quran are not taken universally as the book of interest to everyone. It is some sort of religious sacred book. Its perspective about anything is also taken as a religious point of view. Therefore, it is not taken seriously by majority of people. My perception is altogether different. The Quran is neither a religious book nor the book of a specific community. It is for all human beings from the Creator of all human beings. It addresses to the people of the world and makes several claims that this Book is dealing with people and society as it was sent down for the benefit of all humanity. It brings forth mankind from every kind of darkness into the light. I would like first to discuss, as a prerequisite, about the Quran and its position. It will be followed by a discussion on the position of the Quran on diseases and calamities.

The Quran is from the Lord of the Universe There are several aspects of the Quran. One of the uniqueness of this book is that it repeatedly discusses about its author. I have not seen throughout my life any book other than the Quran which mentions about its author repeatedly inside the book. Its claim is that it is not authored by any human being but rather revealed to the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] from the Creator and Sustainer of universe. The Quran contains in it true, authentic, and universal knowledge [TAUK]. It claims that: Beyond doubt it is from the Lord of the entire Universe [10:37]; Surely this is a revelation from the Lord of the universe [26: 192]; This Book, beyond all doubt, was revealed by the Lord of the Universe. [32: 2]; This Book, beyond all doubt, was revealed by the Lord of the Universe…It is the Truth from

W

CORO N A

your Lord [32: 2-3]; This Book has been revealed in truth by your Lord [6:114]; It is the truth that has come to you from your Lord [10:94]; So be in no doubt about it [the Quran] for this indeed is the truth from your Lord [11:17].

The Quran and its contentment is a strong, persuasive testimony to its origin. It is inconceivable that any human being can compose several discourses on different subjects under different circumstances and on different occasions, but the collection of those discourses then grows into a coherent, homogeneous, and integrated work. No component of it is discordant with the rest as has been done in the Quran. It is also inconceivable that such a work would be permeated throughout without a uniform outlook and attitude. It manifests remarkable consistency in the mood and spirit of its Author, a work so perfect that it would never require any change or revision. God claims in the Quran: Do they not ponder about the Quran? Had it been from any other than God, they would surely have found in it much inconsistency [4: 82]; The revelation of this Book is from God, Exalted in power, and Full of knowledge. [40: 1-2]; The revelation of this book is from God, the Exalted in power, Full of Wisdom [39: 1];[O Muhammad], you are receiving the Quran from the Most Wise, the AllKnowing. [27: 6]; These are the verses of the Book overflowing with wisdom. [10: 1];This is a Divine Command whose contents have been made firm and set forth in detail from One Who is All-Wise, All-Aware. [11: 1-2] Our Lord God is the Creator At many places in the Quran it is said that the Lord of the entire universe is none other than God. It is God Who has created the universe. Man is also created by Him and endowed with great responsibility to be the vicegerent of God on earth. As vicegerent he is responsible to maintain the purity of the creation and bring possible development for the well being of people. There are several ayahs in the Quran which echo this: Surely your Lord is none other than God, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and then ascended His Throne, Who causes the night to cover the day and then the day swiftly pursues the night, Who created the sun and the moon and the stars making them all subservient to His command. Lo! His is the creation and His is the command. Blessed is God, the Lord of the Whole Universe [7: 54]; It is He Who has made the earth a resting-place for you, and the sky a canopy, and sent down water from above wherewith He brought forth fruits for your sustenance [2: 22]; Praise be to God, the Lord of the entire universe [1:1]; … nothing is beyond His power [2: 148]; It is He Who created for you all that is on earth and then turned above and fashioned it into seven heavens. He knows all things [2: 29]; whatever is in the heavens and the earth belongs to Him; to Him are all in obeisance [2: 116]; He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth; [2: 117]; It is He Who fashions you in the wombs as He wills. There is no god but He; the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. [3: 6] The Quran Expounds the Truth We see several religions, saints, sages, philosophers, thinkers and scientists who make several claims for the discovery of truth, so the Quran also makes the claim that it expounds what is the truth and reality of life and the world. It is made clear from the very beginning that the exposition of the Truth is from God, Who is Exalted in power, Full of Wisdom [39: 1]. We find several statements about this claim in the Quran. See the following: He has revealed this Book to you, setting forth the truth and confirming the earlier

Books, and earlier He revealed the Torah and Injeel [Gospel] for the guidance of mankind, and He has also revealed the Criterion [to distinguish truth from falsehood….[3: 3];These are the ayahs [verses] of the Divine Book. Whatever has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, and yet most people do not believe [13: 1]; these are the ayahs of a Book that clearly expounds the truth [12: 1]; these are the ayahs of the Divine Book. Whatever has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, and yet most people do not believe. [13: 1]; Verily it is We Who have revealed the Book to you in Truth, so serve God…[39: 1-2];We have sent down the Book that you may explain to them the truth concerning what they are disputing and that the Book may serve as a guidance and mercy for those who believe in it [16: 64]; We surely sent down to you clear ayahs that elucidate the Truth, which only the transgressors reject as false [2: 99]; Say: “Surely God’s guidance, is the true guidance” [2: 120].

Follow What Has Been Revealed to You We have been instructed to follow the truth which has been revealed to us for our own benefit and welfare. We need the knowledge and the guidance in order to live a good life free from crimes, injustices, wars and weapons. We need knowledge in order to recognize the reality of the universe and our own selves and the purpose of our creation. This knowledge comes only from God Who gives us the principles which serves the basis for morality and social life as well as culture, civilization and development.

The Purpose of the Revelation of the Quran The purpose of the revelation of the Quran has been explained at various places in the Quran. The main goal is to give knowledge through the Quran about the realities of metaphysical domains which are beyond the perception of people. This subject is repeated in the Quran several times and by several ways. With the Truth of the Quran, people are brought from the philosophical and metaphysical ignorance into the light of knowledge: Look at the following statement of the Quran: This is a Book which we have revealed to you that you may bring forth mankind from every kind of darkness into the light, and direct them, with the leave of their Lord, to the way of the Mighty, the Innately Praiseworthy Allah to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. [14: 1] God did not reveal the Quran to cause distress to us; it is only a reminder for mankind; a reminder from Him Who created the earth and the high heavens. He introduces Himself as the Most Compassionate Lord of the universe. To Him belong all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and all that is in between, and all that is beneath the soil. Whether we speak out aloud, [or in a low voice] He knows what is said secretly and even that which is most hidden. God is He beside Whom there is no god. His are the most excellent names. If we are in any doubt whether it is We Who have revealed this Book to you, then He challenges to us to

produce a surah like the one which is in the Quran, and asks us to call for help supporters and seek in it the support of all others save God. God challenges in the Quran that all of mankind put together cannot accomplish this job [2: 23]. God says if people fail to do this –and people will most certainly fail – then people have to fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones and which have been prepared for those who deny the Truth [2:24]. Now it is up to people how to treat the Quran and its Truth? The Quran confirms the Truth presented by all the Messengers [pbuh] before the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] [2:89]. The problem at present is that we do not tag on the Truth presented by the Quran since we do not take it seriously. God established the truth of the Quran based on rational, historical and empirical evidence. Hence, it is difficult to reject the Truth on rational and logical basis. It is not possible for mankind.

Going against it is merely the manifestation of people’s ignorance and arrogance. On rational, historical and empirical basis the Truth revealed in the Quran cannot be refuted. For the refutation of the Quran, there may be only two possibilities: One should either have knowledge, true, authentic and universal [TAUK] to prove that the Quran is full of fabrication or one should demonstrate that the statements made by, or the information contained in the Quran, are false.

But the truth is that so for it is not genuinely proved. As things stand today, people do not give any witness against the Quran.

Rejection of the Truth without Knowledge Those who, in disregard to God’s guidance, invented religions, developed philosophies, and prescribed laws to govern human life did not do this on the basis of any definite knowledge that they possessed; rather, it was the result of their conjecture and fancy.

Likewise, those who followed their religious and worldly leaders did so not because they fully knew and fully understood all that the latter espoused. Rather, they followed those leaders merely on the gratuitous [unreasonable] assumption that whatever was being taught by those great people, and whatever had been recognized as “right” by their own forefathers, must indeed be true.

Whatever is needed by people to distinguish between truth and falsehood – ears, eyes, and hearts have been generously endowed by God to help them. But some people have become virtual slaves to their lusts and desires so utterly fascinated by the allurements of a life of this world. By this, they have caused their eyes to go blind, their ears to become deaf, and have perverted their hearts to such a degree that they are unable to distinguish between what is good and what is evil, what is right and what is wrong, and have debilitated their conscience to such a degree that it has ceased to have any effect on their lives [10: 44].

Those who denied this truth and barred others from the way of God have indeed strayed far away. Likewise, God will neither forgive those who denied the Truth and took to

To be Continued at page 16

16

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

K A S H M IR

Kashmir’s Killing Machine: Whom to Blame?

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s militants killed one more cop down south; it reaffirmed our belief that Killers operate with motives.

Commenting on such killings, Javaid Trali says that this method of madness should stop somewhere otherwise Kashmir will have a new lexicon: “Haunted Heaven”.

Death is contagious in Kashmir. Unlike elsewhere, here it is widespread because of the politics of the place. Players from different quarters continue to spread this contagion through the barrel of a gun. Be it mysterious unidentified gunmen, or militants, or the security forces’ personnel – those wielding the gun are here to kill. And this is what they do without fail.

Some unsuspecting political worker falling prey to unknown gunmen in the dead of the night or a policeman losing life and gun in a snatching bid, or a militant getting neutralized in an encounter, or an innocent civilian getting consumed after being caught in cross-fire or for not heeding the forces’ ‘signal to stop’- this dance of death has been going on here for decades and it continues even today, unabated! This constant violence has taken a heavy emotional and physical toll on people’s lives – the feeling of helplessness, fear, and futility is transforming into severe mental health crises. No matter how optimistic one remains about things getting back to normal, the uneasiness in the air is distressing and painful. The society that would once boast of a rich and vibrant culture of empathy, coexistence, and love has unfortunately been reduced to a junkyard of frustration. Spring in Kashmir is known for lush environs and blooming of flowers and beautiful buds. Times have changed, so has the nature of the seasons in this withered Valley. There seems to be no respite from the narrative of tragedies playing out in the killing fields across Kashmir. his haunting and starkly contrasting reality of Kashmir continues to be one of the toughest political riddles to solve. We continue to lose human lives. From shelling and skirmishes across the borders to encounters and direct attacks on the administrative and security machinery of the state, the loss of life has encompassed all stakeholders – security forces, civilians, and insurgents.

Any discussion on the way forward thus naturally requires an approach that would consider the plight and role of all the different parties.

Reclaiming the lost peace in Kashmir seems a difficult task given the myriad of challenges that the region faces on a daily basis.

These challenges stem from multiple forces that exploit Kashmir’s inbuilt weaknesses and the population’s innocence alike. What haunts the best of us are the questions that seemingly have no answers. Can our future be like this: full of cacophony, chaos, uncertainty, and bloodshed? Is there an end in sight? Can we jam this killing machine?

The cremation and burial of our young men who are led into harm’s way for the sake of

divisive and self-serving politics have to stop somewhere immediately. Given the geopolitics in the region, it seems that the miseries of Kashmiris will not end anytime soon since the political players involved have interests in the nexus of the conflict.

The current pandemic has exposed Pakistan’s fragile economic systems, forcing Imran Khan to even appeal for debt relief to combat the pandemic. Yet interestingly, this has not hampered the establishment’s policy and investment towards fomenting unrest in Kashmir. Its self-defeating K-policy of using and sponsoring jihadis has only increased the number of graveyards in Kashmir.

Hostilities on the borders are the result of Pakistan’s efforts to increase the level of infiltration into Kashmir. The plight of border residents in Kashmir is heart-wrenching.

Pakistan’s K-policy has not taken a back seat despite the COVID crisis clearly demanding more worthwhile focus on the public health imperatives and failing economy under the present political establishment in the neighborhood.

It is important that India prepares to bolster its preventive strategy through not just securing border areas but also by securing local support and pushing for trust-building efforts in and around the border settlements.

Alongside the efforts to neutralize the existing terror strongholds, it is essential to figure out the probable locations for future bases for the terrorists. This would entail more robust trust-building exercises with locals to ensure that jihadis cannot use local support to create further tensions in the Valley.

The territory of the union is heading for a different course post-constitutional change.

It has been nine months since J&K was stripped of its semi-autonomous status, and questions are being raised about what the state gained from the historic move. Was it just another experiment? Or, was it a serious effort to steer the newly carved Union Territory through the security, development, and governance crises that have continually plagued it?

The promise on which such a huge step was taken is “development and good governance”. Yet the government has yet to put forth a detailed roadmap for how it is going to accomplish this. Has the doable been done or is it just rhetoric – is a question concerning commons on Srinagar streets.

Aside from the promised 50,000 jobs, where is basic Internet connectivity? In this modern age, Internet access is not a luxury; it is a necessity. In times of pandemic, our scholars, doctors, businessmen are forced to suffer. Why? Restoring high-speed connectivity should have been the first step in the Valley as Narendra Modi announced the countrywide lockdown.

The recent unfortunate episode of freshfaced Mehraj killed by forces in Budgam is a policy failure. These episodes do not support the ‘WHAM’ (winning hearts and minds)

who gave the lie to the Signs of God and turned away from them? And We shall soon requite those who turn away from Our Signs with a severe chastisement for having turned away [6: 157]” ; “We surely sent down to you clear ayahs that elucidate the Truth, [ayahs] which only the transgressors reject as false [2: 99]”.

God has arranged in the world the order of things in such a way that individuals, nations and countries periodically face calamities. Recently, Bill Gates said even after 20 years we may face a corona type of virus.

The purpose here is to remind people their utter helplessness, even for a short time. We are bound to realize there exists a pervasive

supreme power.

We should realize that our destiny is controlled by someone, mightier, more knowledgeable, and wiser than ourselves. It does not, however, mean that we ignore our destiny. We must work for it and at the same time depending on God and seeking His guidance. Rebellion against Him in the form of rejection of His guidance and teachings invite His wrath. We have to acknowledge, in the light of helplessness of so-called advanced and powerful nations, the real power and authority rests with God, Real and True – Unseen God. The occurrence of corona virus serves as a warning from God and dispels

The recent tragic terror incident in Handwara, in which a Commanding Officer, Major of Army, and Sub-inspector of J&K Police, among others, died, is yet another heartbreaking reminder of the devastating human costs of war in the region. These soldiers and officers were reportedly trying to save civilians who were held hostage by the holed-up terrorists. Around 17 additional security forces personnel have also lost their lives in the line of duty this year.

Security forces have been successful in eliminating roughly 50 insurgents this year.

Even though the COVID-19 crisis prevented movement outdoors, there was no respite for the security forces as infiltration into the region continued through borders. Eighteen insurgents have been neutralized by the security forces during the COVID-19 lockdown so far.

Militant atrocities against civilians have shown an upward spike in recent years. Over the last four months alone, nine innocent lives were lost at the hands of the insurgents.

As said, in the Handwara encounter, local civilians were held hostage and used as human shields by the insurgents in a bid to get more leverage against the government.

The security forces managed to successfully complete the tactical operation while rescuing the hostages. It is to be noted that from 5th August 2019 till January 2020, 10 ten such encounters have been reported in total, in which 20 militants have been eliminated. One of the most alarming trends is the steady flow of local youth recruits to these terror outfits. Though it has fluctuated over the last two years but has not fallen significantly enough so that the matter of radicalization could be taken as any less of a priority.

Reports say that in the last five months and despite the COVID-19 threat, 35 local youths joined terror outfits operating in the Valley. The total number of recruits in the year 2019 was 119, while it was 219 recruits in 2018.

The security imperatives should include preventive measures that stem radicalization trends, alongside targeted neutralization operations. This combination of tactics will allow the development of a strategy for steering the Valley towards a future that harnesses local support towards putting a stop to the endless cycle of violence.

The way forward

Coronavirus and the Quran Continued from page 15

wrong-doing nor will He show them any other way [4: 167-168] Punishment and Warnings from God God in the Quran states publicly that if people reject the Truth without any genuine reason and insists on falsehood and commit wrong doings making life difficult for people, He will warn and punish them here in this world. This is made clear again and again in the Quran.

“Surely clear evidence has come to you from your lord, which is both guidance and a mercy. Who, then, is more unjust than he

theory. It leads to trust-deficit. Instead of bridging the gap, incidents like this widen the gulf further.

The visible disconnect between the government and the people is not an encouraging sign. The LG administration has to do a lot to win over the lost trust and turf. The system of governance needs a complete overhaul to ensure the effective delivery of services. The resolution of people’s grievances needs empathetic consideration. Robust mechanisms should be put in place to fill the vacant government posts, and new meaningful means of employment are to be created for the youth.

The issues of the business community, farmers, and other stakeholders should be taken seriously. Leaving everything to bureaucrats will not address the issues. A serious political process should be started once the COVID-19 crisis is over and the affairs of the government should go back to the people.

It will be through reassurance, partnership, and dialogue that we will be able to address the peoples’ issues and concerns.

The government’s proactive response to meet the challenges posed by the COVID-19 is being hailed. Yet, despite meager resources at their disposal, the frontline workers, while risking their lives, are the ones fighting the global pandemic bravely.

Conclusions

Experience feeds the instinct for a precautionary security strategy. So it would perhaps be wiser to consider trusting the J&K Police to lead where they clearly have an advantage as a local force. In a time of massive political transition, it is important to consider the fact that having the support and confidence of the J&K Police would be a valuable asset for ensuring that the larger systems of governance are smoothly integrated and implemented for the path ahead.

A lot needs to be done to break the sociopolitical dynamic that normalizes violence in Kashmir. The machinations of the mercenary intelligentsia are far more dangerous than somebody wielding a gun. The structures that have been created with the patronage of people in the system have been on the forefront to create an environment of hate and fear. By glamorizing violence, this class of people is exploiting hopelessness among our youth.

Source: thekashmirimages.com

to us our misconceptions. It should prompt us to recognize the reality of things, man and God. By deriving lessons from current phenomena of corona virus we should mend our ways of learning, thinking, doing by embracing right way of life and right and truthful epistemology and methodology. This will help us to save ourselves from the chastisement in this world and the Next world. The current wave of corona virus is not the punishment but a warning from God: O my Lord, forgive us and have mercy on us, for You are the best of those that are merciful [23:118]. You are not dead but Alive.

Source: www.islamicity.org

17

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

P S Y C H OLO G Y

Why we’ve been saying ‘sorry’ all wrong?

By Arianne Cohen 13th May 2020 Apologies can be tricky, but combining a dose of gratitude with a gesture that costs you something can help smooth ruffled feelings.

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cademics are sorry that apology research is floundering. New discoveries on apologies rarely appear because the studies are challenging to design, not unlike determining whether woodpeckers get headaches, or boiling the ocean.

Cindy Frantz, a social and environmental psychologist at Oberlin College in the US state of Ohio, has tried. “I once tried to run a study where someone was wronged in the lab, but the logistics were very complicated for ethical reasons,” she says. “You can’t do a grievous wrong.”

This often leaves researchers who want to study apologies scratching their heads: what wrongs can they ethically inflict on study participants that would necessitate dramatic apologies? Most resort to asking participants hypothetical questions (“Imagine that Sam just ran over your foot with his car”), or depend on memory, which is notoriously biased and fallible (“Tell me about your apology to your mother”). This is all further complicated by the cultural specificity of apologies.

Even so, there is a niche of emerging apology research. Among the researchers finding a way around the experimental difficulty is Yohsuke Ohtsubo, a psychologist at Kobe University. He has spent a dozen years studying sorries around the world, and late last year published the fifth of six papers adding crucial how-to instructions. When apologising, its best to pay up with a gift that is costly. For example, a corporation that wrongs customers might repent with pricey gift certificates, or an individual could atone for flaking on a social date by saying, “I’m going to cancel my trip this weekend and spend Saturday with you”.

Apology gifts are as old as sin. Ohtsubo’s unexpected contribution is that the point of the gift is not to enrich the recipient.

The gift has to hurt the giver “My research shows that it’s the cost to the offender that matters,” he says. In other words, the gift has to hurt the giver. Ohtsubo’s work shows that this holds true among both

groups and individuals, in private and public apologies and in countries including the US, South Korea, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Chile, Japan and China. He gives the example of a well-known Japanese singer who atoned to her fans by shaving off her long hair following an illicit relationship, a controversial gesture that demonstrated both how much she valued her career and fans, and that she was “unlikely to damage that relationship again”.

For those of us who bumble around the planet saying, “Oh, I’m so sorry!”, this presents a paradigm shift: the purpose of apologising is not to say sorry and explain the past, but to signal the value of the relationship and lessons learned, while convincingly promising that the bad behaviour will not be repeated (see: a gift far too costly to procure twice).

‘Repairing esteem’ Beyond gifting, the general rules of apologising are straightforward, says Amy Ebesu Hubbard, chair of the department of communicology at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa: accept responsibility, acknowledge harm and suffering, promise future excellence, offer an immediate remedy and express sincerity. The words “sorry” and “apologise” should definitely be included.

Not all components are necessary for minor transgressions.

Another recent study in the American Marketing Association’s Journal of Marketing adds a new guideline: start with “thank you”, especially in less severe breaches.

“First say, ‘Thank you for your understanding’ or ‘Thank you for your patience’, instead of ‘Sorry for the wait’,” says lead author Xiaoyan Deng, associate professor of marketing at the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University, who ran seven studies with American and Chinese student as well as Amazon workers enduring failed service situations, such as restaurant, purchase and appointment delays. “By offering your appreciation for their contributions, you increase their self-esteem. That boost of selfesteem leads to higher levels of satisfaction.”

She also suggests not rehashing the gaffe, which only cements the screw-up details in people’s memories. Instead, implicitly acknowledge it.

As a rule of thumb, thank yous and apolo-

gies likely work best in tandem, says Oberlin’s Frantz. “Feeling valued by others is a very core psychological need, and thanking them would help repair self-esteem,” says Frantz. “The thanking is about repairing esteem, and the apology is about what the future relationship is going to be like.”

Ongoing work by Alison Wood Brooks, an associate professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, supports this. She and a colleague are currently studying a trove of apologies at parole hearings for crimes ranging from speeding to murder. She has found that apologies with a promise of good future behaviour are more effective, while apologies that include explanations of why the transgression occurred are ineffective.

Explanations or excuses for past offenses are to be avoided – Alison Wood Brooks For example, a parole board does not want to hear: “I drove drunk because I was exhausted and wanted to leave right then, and I take full responsibility for that poor decision.” They want to hear: “I plan to attend AA meetings every Tuesday and Friday, and go to the gym with my sponsor on Sundays.”

Brooks says that her findings “suggest that explanations or excuses for past offenses are to be avoided”.

Timing matters, too. Frantz’s nearly 20-yearold study on the timing of apologies is still widely cited, because apologising too quickly fails. “The purpose of the apology is to help the victim feel heard and understood, and convince them that the perpetrator is not going to do it again,” says Frantz. Thus, apologising before victims have spoken their minds will bomb.

Perceptions of sincerity Apology experts are amusing to talk to, because they perceive world events as a series of apologies, yet often cannot recall the particulars of the offences. (As Frantz put it:

and health care, find themselves with urgent needs for additional employees.

That is why the Government is announcing, effective immediately, a new, temporary policy that will drastically reduce the time it takes for a temporary foreign worker to start a new job.

While this policy is in place, a worker who is already in Canada and has secured a new job offer, typically backed by a labour market test, can get approval to start working in their new job, even while their work permit application is being fully processed.

This will cut what can often take 10 weeks or more, down to 10 days or less.

As part of Canada’s whole-of-government approach, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will continue to look for ways to support the economy and protect the health and safety of Canadians during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Quotes “Immigrants, temporary foreign workers and international students are making considerable contributions to Canada’s response to the unprecedented challenge that COVID-19 poses. We know and value their efforts and sacrifices to keep Canadians healthy and ensure the delivery of critical

goods and services. The new policy we are announcing will allow Canadian businesses to recruit the workers they need and help unemployed workers contribute to the Canadian economy during this pandemic.”

– The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P., Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship “Temporary foreign workers are an integral part of the Canadian workforce and Canada’s COVID-19 response. They are helping us meet urgent labour needs, to ensure our food security and deliver essential goods and services. While there will always be jobs for Canadians who choose to work in these sectors, these changes help support our economy by ensuring that temporary foreign workers already here can contribute during these extraordinary times.”

– The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

“I can’t remember the details of the incident, but it was like there was some controversy over how something was handled.”) All in this article agree that it is totally useless to evaluate public apologies not aimed at you, which is 98% of them. The classic example is a politician caught cheating on a spouse.

The politician typically apologises publicly to constituents, yet within that apology also apologises directly to the wronged spouse.

“It’s a little odd,” says Ebesu Hubbard, whose work has shown that observers and apology recipients can perceive the sincerity level of apologies differently. “What matters is whether the person receiving it thinks its sincere,” she says. Not you. he praises Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who last week criticised a scammer for applying for unemployment benefits under the name of late rapper Tupac Shakur. The Kentuckian, who was in fact legally named Tupac Shakur, did not take this well. “Beshear did all the kinds of good things that you would expect in an apology,” says Ebesu Hubbard. He first called Shakur to apologise one-on-one, then publicly acknowledged that he had hurt Shakur, took full responsibility and – crucially – praised Shakur for his graciousness.

The high mark for corporate apology is still held by KFC, says Edwin Battistella, author of Sorry About That: The Language of Public Apology. Following a UK shortage of chicken in 2018, KFC published newspaper ads with the letters ‘FCK’ on a chicken container, above an apology to customers that thanked them for bearing with KFC during their “hell of a week”. It went viral.

“They did a really good job,” says Battistella.

“They were able to make light of it.”

Source: bbc.com

Government announces help for employers to meet their labour needs

Process launched today allows temporary workers get back to work quickly May 12, 2020—Ottawa—With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting almost every sector in Canada, temporary foreign workers and their employers are confronted by new challenges in a rapidly changing job market.

Many temporary workers with employerspecific work permits lost their jobs this spring. While some have left Canada, others are unable to leave due to international travel restrictions or the reduction in flights available. Under existing rules, to change jobs they need to apply and wait for a new work permit to be issued before starting to work at their new job.

At the same time, many employers in sectors that have ongoing labour needs and who provide critical goods and services to Canadians, such as agriculture, agri-food

Agri-Food Pilot begins accepting applications May 15 May 15, 2020—Ottawa—The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced that effective today, Immigration,

Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will begin accepting applications to the Agri-Food Pilot.

The 3-year pilot will test an industry-specific approach to help employers in the meat processing, mushroom and greenhouse production, and livestock-raising industries fill ongoing labour needs for full-time, yearround employees. It will provide a pathway to permanent residence for many temporary foreign workers already in Canada.

A total of 2,750 applications will be accepted annually throughout the pilot, which applies primarily to people who are already in Canada. Existing travel restrictions continue to apply. Canada is committed to attracting the best talent from around the world through the Temporary Foreign Workers Program to fill skills shortages, drive local economies, and create and support middle-class jobs in communities across the country that will benefit all Canadians. The Agri-Food Pilot complements Canada’s existing suite of economic immigration programs, which includes the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot, the caregivers pilots, the Global Skills Strategy, a revitalized Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Program. Source: Media Relations

18

Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

world

crisis

A world in crisis even without the pandemic: Five looming problems

By: Jonathan Marcus Diplomatic correspondent

on board. There is absolutely no interest in Beijing in joining the regime. And it is now far too late to draft a comprehensive new document anyway.

So, unless there is a late change of heart in Washington, or a new administration, the New Start treaty looks as though it could be history.

Heightened tensions with Iran?

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erhaps understandably, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced

many other international stories off the news agenda.

It is global, it is deadly and it is multi-faceted, raising all sorts of questions, not just about how we respond to the initial crisis, but about the way we organise our societies and the way we run our affairs.

Some major international problems have been pushed to the sidelines since the outbreak of the crisis and it may now be too late to deal with them. Others have been made much more intractable. And some governments are seeking to use the distraction of the Covid-19 pandemic to pursue long-held ambitions.

Here are five issues that we should be keeping an eye on in the weeks and months ahead.

A renewed nuclear arms race?

The new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New Start, that limits the long-range nuclear arsenals with which the US and Russia threaten each other, expires in early February next year. Time is getting short if it is to be renewed. This is the last of the great arms control agreements inherited from the Cold War which still survives.

Without it, there are real fears that the absence of constraints and the lack of transparency could result in a new nuclear arms race.

The fact that esoteric weapons like amazingly fast hypersonic missiles are being developed gives this threat of a new arms race an added danger.

Russia seems willing to renew the agreement, which would be simple in procedural terms. The Trump administration, though, seems determined to abandon the New Start treaty unless it can expand it to bring China

The row over the US withdrawal from the JCPOA agreement that seeks to limit Iran’s nuclear activities is just about to get a good deal worse.

Currently there is a wide-ranging United Nations embargo that prevents countries from selling various kinds of advanced weaponry to Tehran. But under the UN resolution that backed the nuclear deal, this arms embargo is due to expire on 18 October this year.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has already warned that if the US succeeds in its desire to have the embargo renewed, then there will be “grave consequences”.

However, there is little chance of Russia agreeing to an extended arms embargo. In which case Mr Trump wants the Europeans to invoke a mechanism in the nuclear deal that restores much more widespread economic sanctions against Iran (the very sanctions that were largely lifted in the wake of the agreement).

Mr Trump’s gambit is to say the least extraordinary. The US walked away from the JCPOA and has since sought to ramp up pressure on Tehran. Iran has breached many of the agreement’s terms, but not necessarily in ways which are irreversible.

Now though the administration seems to be saying that Iran should stick to the deal that the US has abandoned or face renewed sanctions. It is an effort by the Trump Administration, as one senior former Obama-era official noted, “to have its cake and eat it”.

Relations between the US and Iran will get even worse and existing tensions between the US and its key European allies will be exacerbated. And it is not as if the arms embargo has significantly changed Iran’s regional behaviour nor its ability to arms its proxies.

retaining his post, at least for a period, after a power sharing deal with one of the main opposition parties.

Despite the legal cases that are pending against him - indeed, possibly in part because of them - Mr Netanyahu is proposing a controversial nationalist agenda which includes a desire to annex areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, effectively making them a permanent part of Israel.

The Palestinians themselves are already crying foul and several governments in Europe and elsewhere are urging caution, in some cases talking about potential sanctions if this policy goes ahead. As ever, the Trump administration’s position will be crucial. Will it effectively give a green light for the move or will it counsel constraint?

It certainly appears that Mr Netanyahu has been emboldened by President Trump’s decisions to back Israel’s annexation of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. The current US position is ambiguous, with suggestions that it will make its support of annexation in areas of the West Bank conditional on Israel agreeing to negotiate over a Palestinian state.

following Britain’s departure from the European Union ends on 31 December. Talks on the terms of their future relationship have begun in a tentative way, but there is no indication that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government is even contemplating any delay or extension to the transitional phase.

However, the pandemic has changed the whole context of Brexit, not least by precipitating an economic slump that it could take years to recover from. There seems little appetite in Britain to revive the old debate.

Time is anyway short.

While the EU’s initial response to the Covid-19 crisis did not present it in an especially favourable light, it has to some extent rallied.

It is not going away. And Britain’s own handling of the crisis has been no great example either.

Britain’s departure from the EU is going to strain both sides. Maybe it will produce a more consensual approach to guide their future relationship. But battered by an economic recession and making its way in a much less hospitable world, key economic and diplomatic decisions - how far to back the Americans? How far to stand up to China? - are going to play out for the UK in a much harsher light.

Climate change: The really big one

Some analysts believe that having used the issue of annexation to mobilise nationalist support during the election season, Mr Netanyahu may find some way to back down. Maybe the Americans will help, since there is no way hard-line Israeli nationalists want to see any kind of Palestinian state.

But it’s going to be a bumpy period ahead.

The global response to the pandemic is in a sense a testing ground for the international community’s capacity to deal with the biggest and most complex international challenge of all - climate change.

In terms of co-operation, the Covid-19 experience so far yields a very mixed report.

And the tensions that are likely to persist in the post-pandemic world will complicate things greatly.

Getting the “process” of climate change back on track is one thing - crucial meetings, like the UN’s Cop26 climate conference that was to have been held in Glasgow in November, have been postponed until next year.

But the question that remains is how will the international mind-set have changed? Will there be a renewed sense of urgency and Israel’s annexation bid in the West purpose? And how far will the new global Brexit: It hasn’t gone away Bank? order allow for rapid progress on this hugely It’s a term that so many of us have almost Israel’s long-running serial election camcomplex issue? paign has come to an end with the embat- forgotten. tled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu But the clock is ticking: the transition period Source: bbc.com

Eid-Ul-Fitr

By: Khadija Nadeem Gr 8 What does Eid mean? In Islam, Eid is the day every little kid waits for. The day everyone dresses up and all the kids sit down together to count all their money.

But what’s the religious significance of Eid? Specifically, Eid-ul-Fitr? Eid-ulFitr is a gift given to Muslims by Allah (SWT). The following hadith is narrated

by Hazrat Anas (RA) “Holy Prophet came to Madinah, the people had two days in which they used to entertain and amuse themselves. He asked: “What are these two days?” They said: “We used to amuse ourselves and take pleasure in these two days during the Days of Ignorance (jahiliyyah). The Messenger of Allah said, “Allah has substi-

tuted for you something better than these two; the Eid of Adha (sacrifice) and the Eid of Fitr .” [Sunan Abi Dawood] From this hadith it is clear that the function or festival of Eid is a blessing from Allah Almighty so that Muslims could rejoice and celebrate during the days of Eid. Therefore, if there is an occasion which Muslim can make specific for rejoicing, celebrating and merry making, it is the day of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. Eid is a special time for Muslims all around the world and is definitely something to get excited about but Ramadan isn’t over yet and with the last ten nights being the holiest of them all, immersing ourselves in worship will be beneficial for us all

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Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

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Depression

By: Shabnam Khan, Family Counsellor

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t’s perfectly normal to have sadness in your life. Some, however, can be a cause for concern. If you are feeling sad or have been experiencing being down for a while, look honestly at your situation.

There are three types of sadness most of us fall into: Short-term sadness: This is a passing mood, lasting a few days or, at most, a week. It sometimes has a cause and sometimes not. The best remedy - as we all know but, sadly, often fail to remember - is to lower your stress, go to bed early and get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep, make sure you exercise and break up your normal routine a bit. Boredom, lack of sleep, being too sedentary and excess stress is all associated with a sad mood.

Triggered sadness: This includes a downturn in mood because something undeniably something bad has happened to you, such as losing your job or the death of someone close to you. In such a situation, you will generally

know what the trigger is. The problem is that most people feel helpless when they enter extended sadness, even when they know there is a good reason for it. In this case, you need to process your sadness, let nature take its course and share your feelings with someone who can help you through this. Bottling up your feelings and feeling victimized are not helpful. Triggered sadness lasts an unpredictable length of time, yet in an emotionally healthy adult, within six months or longer. It is different per individual.

There is return to the level of emotions that existed before the trigger was set off.

Depression: If you feel sad, exhausted, helpless, hopeless and unable to sleep or eat for few weeks, you should suspect that you are depressed. There is often a trigger for this condition, but it is usually something that you could normally cope with. When coping breaks down, depression takes over. So if you feel that you can’t cope, even with minor stress and ordinary setbacks, mild to moderate depression may be indicated. This is a complicated mood disorder that varies from person to person. If you suspect that you or someone close to you is depressed, it is very important to seek professional help. Remember it’s never too late.......... info: shabnam@skcounselling.ca

Dam Kay Boti Kabab

Ingredients :

Dum Kay Boti Kabab Mutton/Beef (boti)-1 kilo (boneless) 1-cup Yogurt 1 tbsp. of Khashkhash Powder 2 tbsp. of Ginger paste 2 tbsp. of Garlic paste 4 Green Chili (chopped) 1-cup Oil 4-Lemon 1 tbsp. of Crushed Black Pepper 1 tbsp. of Papaya Paste (kacha papita) Red Pepper Powder 1 tbsp. of Ghee Salt- to taste How To Cook Dam Kay Boti Kabab :First of all wash the meat properly.

and put the marinated meat, oil and cook it over slow flame.

Once the meat softens and the water is dried up, put off the flame.

Then carefully place a small cup in the meat, put a burning coal in it and put some oil over the coal. Cover up the preparation immediSoon with a kitchen hammer, strike the meat ately.

After 10 to 15 minutes remove the coal from pieces.

Then take all the spices and marinate the meat the meat and your dish is ready to serve.

For best garnish serve it with green chutni properly and leave it for 2 and half hours.

Once marinated well, take a cooking bowl and paratha. Source: theholidayspot.com

Chicken or Beef Kafta

Palak Gosht Ingredients : Palak Gosth

1Kg. Palak 1Kg. Mutton 1-1½ tsp. of Salt (according to taste) ¼ tsp. of Turmeric (Haldi) powder 1 tsp. of Chili (Lal Mirch) powder 4-6 tbs. of Oil

If you’re looking for some protein-rich meals, try Chicken Kafta or Beef Kafta – both made with ground chicken or beef along with parsley, onions and spices. They both pair really well with my authentic Lebanese Rice.

If you’re looking for some handheld options that you can make with pita bread and veggies, be sure to try my popular Falafel or Shawarma, or Shish Tawook recipes. You can pair them with either my Garlic Sauce or Tahini Sauce. Source: feelgoodfoodie.net ½ tsp. of Garlic (Lehsan) paste 1 tsp. of Ginger (Adrak) paste 2 Tomatoes-chopped 6-8 whole Black Pepper (Kali Mirch) 3-4 Cloves (Laung) 2 Black Cardamoms (Bari Ilaichi) 3-4 Green Chilies ¼ tsp. of Cumin seeds (Zeera) 1 small piece of Ginger (Adrak)–sliced 1 tbs. dry Fenugreek (Methi) leaves - Kasuri 2 tbs. Corn or Wheat flour

Eid Mubarak

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By: Asma Shums, very happy Eid Mubarak to all the readers. Hope you all will celebrate this Eid with great enthusiasm. There can be difficult situations but the spirit is alive.

The joy of completing the fast and praying makes us mentally strong. We, human beings, have seen tough days before, especially, in the summer days past few years.

Blessings in Disguise

The good thing is these difficult times have united us worldwide and we are all fighting against the virus and flattening the curve.

Let us keep the spirit of our faith in Allah and keep smiling in this situation.

Let us celebrate Eid with joy, with due consideration to social distancing and health care. Let us be mentally strong and keep our physical health in check and keep our connection with family and friends.

In this pandemic we realized how little things matter a lot – such as the access to public places and grocery stores and our work life.

We must be kind to people who provide essential services, whether they are doctors, nurses, police, lawyers, health care workers, staff at grocery stores or mail services.

Let us continue to be good, kind, considerate human beings even after Eid and after Ramadan. info at: asmashums@gmail.com

Let us Celebrate Bob and Steve, two friends who happen to be lost in a desert, tired and hungry, noticed a Mosque. Bob said, “I will say my name is Ahmad and get food”. Steve objected to the name change and decided to keep his original name. The Imam of the Mosque welcomed them both and asked who they were. Upon knowing Bob as Ahmad, he congratulated him on the fast of Ramadan and Steve was showered with a lot of food.

EID Recipes SHEER KHURMA

Sheer khurma or Sheer khorma or in Persian language translates to “milk with dates”. It is a festival vermicelli pudding generally prepared by Muslims on Eid ul-Fitr. A traditional festive breakfast, or a dessert generally made for celebrations.

The main Ingredients of this dish is vermicelli, thickened milk, sugar and dates.

Depending on the region the dish varies a bit in terms of different spices or nuts used.

INGREDIENTS 2 Cups Full Fat Milk 1/4 Cup Vermicelli 5-6 chopped dates (I used the soft ones, if not soak them) 8-10 soaked and chopped pistachio 8-10 soaked and chopped almonds 1/8 cup of Sugar (Add more if you need it very sweet) A pinch of saffron 2-3 cardamom 1 tablespoon of Ghee (Clarified Butter) PREPARATION In a heavy bottom pan add the milk.

Slit the 3 cardamom pods and into the milk.

Let the milk simmer on medium to slow stirring in between.

In a small bowl add in the saffron and 2-3 tbsp of milk. (Use the same milk you are using to simmer) In the mean time, in another pan add in the ghee.

Once melted shallow fry the nuts and dates until golden brown.

Remove it and in the same pan shallow fry the Vermicelli until golden brown.

Once roasted keep it aside.

After 25-30 minutes the milk would reduce a bit.

Now add the roasted Vermicelli in it and let it simmer again for 10-15 minutes, until the vermicelli are soft.

Add the sugar and cook another for 5 minutes.

Now add in 3/4 of the nuts, saffron and mix everything.

Switch off.

Serve it hot or cold with a generous garnish of nuts. Source: cookwithrenu.com

How To Cook Palak Gosht :

Steam/blanch the Palak and then grind it.

Fry the onion in oil till it turns brown. Then mix all the ingredients together and add them to the pot then stir well till the tomato become soft and the water has dried up.

Add the meat and then stir well to let the water dry. Add 3-4 glasses of water cover then leave it to tenderize.

When the meat is almost done add the ground palak, methi and flour. Cook till water dries.

Garnish it with fresh chopped green chilies.

It’s ready to be served with chapati or naan.

Serving: 6 -8 persons. Source: theholidayspot.com

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Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

hea l th

Coronavirus vaccine: When will we have one?

Coronavirus is spreading around the world, but there are still no vaccines to protect the body against the disease it causes, Covid-19.

Medical researchers are working hard to change that. By James Gallagher

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Health and science correspondent

hy is a coronavirus vaccine important?

The virus spreads easily and the majority of the world’s population is still vulnerable to it. A vaccine would provide some protection by training people’s immune systems to fight the virus so they should not become sick.

This would allow lockdowns to be lifted more safely, and social distancing to be relaxed.

few months.

Most experts think a vaccine is likely to become available by mid-2021, about 12-18 months after the new virus, known officially as Sars-CoV-2, first emerged.

That would be a huge scientific feat and there are no guarantees it will work.

What sort of progress is being made? Four coronaviruses already circulate in • Research is happening at breakneck human beings. They cause common cold speed. About 80 groups around the symptoms and we don’t have vaccines for world are researching vaccines and any of them. some are now entering clinical trials.

What still needs to be done?

• The first human trial for a vaccine was Multiple research groups have designed announced last month by scientists in potential vaccines, however, there is much Seattle. Unusually, they are skipping more work to do. any animal research to test its safety or • Trials need to show the vaccine is safe. effectiveness It would not be useful if it caused more • In Oxford, the first human trial in Euproblems than the disease rope has started with more than 800 • Clinical trials will also need to show the recruits - half will receive the Covid-19 vaccine provokes an immune response vaccine and the rest a control vaccine which would protect people from getwhich protects against meningitis but ting sick not coronavirus • A way of producing the vaccine on a • Pharmaceutical giants Sanofi and GSK huge scale must be developed for the have teamed up to develop a vaccine billions of potential doses • Australian scientists have begun inject- • Medicines regulators must approve it ing ferrets with two potential vaccines. before it can be given It is the first comprehensive pre-clinical • Finally there will be the huge logistical trial involving animals, and the rechallenge of actually inoculating most searchers hope to test humans by the of the world’s population end of April Lockdowns could make this process slower.

However, no-one know how effective any of If fewer people are infected, it will take longthese vaccines will be. er to know whether a vaccine actually works.

proaches called “plug and play” vaccines.

Because we know the genetic code of the new coronavirus, Sars-CoV-2, we have the complete blueprint for building it.

Researchers in Oxford have put small sections of its genetic code into a harmless virus that infects chimpanzees. They hope they have developed a safe virus that looks enough like the coronavirus to produce an immune response.

Other groups are using pieces of raw geHow many people need to be vacci- netic code (either DNA or RNA depending on the approach) which, once injected into nated? the body, should start producing bits of viIt is hard to know without knowing how ef- ral proteins which the immune system again fective the vaccine is going to be. can learn to fight.

It is thought that 60-70% of people needed Would a vaccine protect people of to be immune to the virus in order to stop it spreading easily (known as herd immunity). all ages?

But that would be billions of people around It will, almost inevitably, be less successful in older people, because aged immune systems the world if the vaccine worked perfectly.

• When will the outbreak end and life get do not respond as well to immunisation. We see this with the annual flu jab. back to normal?

• Lockdown: How can we lift restrictions It may be possible to overcome this by either giving multiple doses or giving it alongside a How do you create a vaccine? chemical (called an adjuvant) that gives the Vaccines harmlessly show viruses or bacteria immune system a boost. (or even small parts of them) to the immune system. The body’s defences recognise them Who would get a vaccine?

If a vaccine is developed, then there will be as an invader and learn how to fight them.

Then if the body is ever exposed for real, it a limited supply, at least initially, so it will be important to prioritise. already knows what to do.

The main method of vaccination for decades Healthcare workers who come into contact with Covid-19 patients would top the list. has been to use the original virus.

The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) The disease is most deadly in older people so vaccine is made by using weakened viruses they would be a priority if the vaccine was that cannot cause a full-blown infection. effective in this age group.

The seasonal flu jab takes the main strains However, it might be better to vaccinate of flu doing the rounds and completely disa- those who live with or care for the elderly bles them. The work on a new coronavirus instead. Source: bbc.com vaccine is using newer, and less tested, ap-

When will we have a coronavirus The idea of giving people the vaccine and then deliberately infecting them (known as vaccine?

A vaccine would normally take years, if not a challenge study) would give quicker andecades, to develop. Researchers hope to swers, but is seen as too dangerous while achieve the same amount of work in only a there is no known treatment.

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10 tips to keep Seniors healthy and fit.

By: Ben J hose 65+ now account for 13% of the population in the western world! This age group grew at a faster rate than the population under age 45. It’s great that we all can enjoy longer lifespans and happier lives because aging today is very different than it was for our parents and grandparents.

Today, there are more people living longer than at any other time in history. In fact, boomers will number 78 million by 2030 in US alone. “This generation, associated with social change including the civil rights and anti-war movements in the 1960s, has another important cause ”staying healthy,” says soon-to-be 65-year-old Arthur Hayward, MD, a geriatrician and clinical lead physician for Kaiser Permanente. “We need to become activists in promoting healthful behaviors and try our best to remain active and healthy for the rest of our lives.”

How to do it? Dr. Hayward recommends these 10 easy health tips for seniors to help baby boomers live longer and thrive: 1.

Quit smoking. Take this critical step to improve your health and combat aging. Smoking kills by causing cancer, strokes and heart failure. Smoking leads to erectile dysfunction in men due to atherosclerosis and to excessive wrinkling by attacking skin elasticity. Many resources are available to help you quit.

2.

Keep active. Do something

to keep fit each day, something you enjoy that maintains strength, balance, and flexibility and promotes cardiovascular health.

Physical activity helps you stay at a healthy weight, prevent or control illness, sleep better, reduce stress, avoid falls and look and feel better, too.

Eat well. Combined with physi3. cal activity, eating nutritious foods in the right amounts can help keep you healthy.

Many illnesses, such as heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis, can be prevented or controlled with dietary changes and exercise. Calcium and vitamin D supplements can help women prevent osteoporosis.

4.

Maintain a healthy weight.

Extra weight increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Use the Kaiser Permanente BMI (body mass index) calculator to find out what you

should weigh for your height. Get to your healthy weight and stay there by eating right and keeping active. Replace sugary drinks with water, water is calorie-free!

5.

Prevent falls. We become vulnerable to falls as we age. Prevent falls and injury by removing loose carpet or throw rugs. Keep paths clear of electrical cords and clutter, and use night-lights in hallways and bathrooms. Did you know that people who walk barefoot fall more frequently? Wear shoes with good support to reduce the risk of falling.

6.

Stay up-to-date on immuni-

zations and other health screenings.

By age 50, women should begin mammography screening for breast cancer. Men can be checked for prostate cancer. Many preventive screenings are available. Those who are new to Medicare are entitled to a “Welcome to Medicare” visit and all Medicare members

to an annual wellness visit. Use these visits to discuss which preventative screenings and vaccinations are due.

7.

Prevent skin cancer. As we age, our skin grows thinner; it becomes drier and less elastic. Wrinkles appear, and cuts and bruises take longer to heal. Be sure to protect your skin from the sun. Too much sun and ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer.

8.

Get regular dental, vision and hearing checkups. Your teeth and gums will last a lifetime if you care for them properly which means daily brushing and flossing and getting regular dental checkups.

By age 50, most people notice changes to their vision, including a gradual decline in the ability to see small print or focus on close objects. Common eye problems that can impair vision include cataracts and glaucoma.

Hearing loss occurs commonly with aging, often due to exposure to loud noise.

9.

Manage stress. Try exercise or relaxation techniques, perhaps meditation or yoga as a means of coping. Make time for friends and social contacts and fun. Successful coping can affect our health and how we feel. Learn the role of positive thinking.

10. Fan the flame. When it comes to sexual intimacy and aging, age is no reason to limit your sexual enjoyment. Learn about physical changes that come with aging and get suggestions to help you adjust to them, if necessary.

21 B C M A ` S e i d / i nf o Eid Prayer Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic Public Restrictions Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

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s we approach Eidul Fitr this year, Muslims around the globe face a very peculiar situation to celebrate Eid and especially to perform Eid prayer due to COVID-19 public gathering restrictions. We, the Muslims of British Columbia are of no exception to this. Therefore, many of us are curious to know the permissibility of Eid prayer at home in the current situation. This write up is to clarify such concerns.

Ruling of Eid Prayer

The ruling of Eid prayer varies in the four major Sunni schools of law.

Maliki and Shafi fiqh regard it as a highly stressed Sunnah prayer. As per Hanbali, it is a communal obligation, whereas, in Hanafi Fiqh, it is Wajib.

Eid Prayer at Home

According to Maliki, Shafi, and Hanbali, it is permissible even in regular circumstances for the one who misses the Eid salat at the mosque to perform it at home whether individually or in congregation.

The basis for their ruling is the practice of a companion Anas Bin Malik R.A. who performed Eid prayer at home with his family when he missed it with the Imam.

This is the position adopted by the Fatwa Committee of Muslim jurists of North America in view of the current situation.

Please refer to their online fatwa at www. amjaonline.org.

As far as Fiqh Hanafi is concerned, among the conditions for the validity of Eid prayer is the congregation and public access to the place of worship.

There is a consensus among Hanafi Jurists

that Eid prayer can only be performed in a congregation like Jumu’ah.

To accommodate both these conditions for the validity of Eid prayer at home in our current situation, a number of Hanafi scholars have permitted it with the following three conditions: 1. The person doesn’t have access to the masjid; 2. It must be in the congregation of a minimum 3 adult males besides the Imam and 3. The presence of minimum one or more individuals besides one’s family possibly from the neighborhood, to join the prayer.

(Online Fatwa by Given the situation, we advise families to observe all the Sunnahs of Eid (i.e. ghusl, eating breakfast, wearing one’s best garments, saying the general takbeerat after Fajr, etc.) and then praying a congregational prayer at home in view of the above three conditions.

jib) of Eid ul-Fitr prayer with six necessary takbeerat.” The one leading the prayer should intend to lead the congregation as part of his niyyah. After making this intention, he should commence his prayer. He must recite the thanaa’ and then say Allahu Akbar 3 times. Each time that he says Allahu Akbar, he should raise his hands to his ears just as he does for the takbeer-e-tahreemah. After making the takbeer, he should let his hands rest at his sides. In-between each takbeer, he should pause to such an extent that he can read Sub’haanallah three times. After the third takbeer, he should not rest his hands but fold them. He should then read the ta’awwudh and bismillah, Surah Faatihah, and another Surah. Thereafter, he should make his ruku and sajdah and stand up as he normally does. In the second rakaat, he should first recite Surah Faatihah and another Surah. Thereafter, he Method of Performing Eid Prayer should make three takbeers but after the There is a consensus that Eid prayer is of third takbeer, he should not fold his hands two rakaat with extra takbeerat. According but leave them at his sides. He should then to Hanbali make one more takbeer, go into ruku, and and Maliki, there are 7 takbeerat in the first complete the rest of the prayer as usual. unit inclusive of the opening takbir and 6 Eid Sermon takbeerat in the second rakaat including All four schools of law are in agreement takbiratul qiyam. In Fiqh Shafi, there are that Eid sermon is recommended but not 7 takbirat in the first unit exclusive of the a condition for the validity of Eid prayer, opening tabkeer and the same 6 takbeerat and it is to be delivered after the Eid prayer in the second rakaat like Hanbali and Ma- because of the narration of Abdullah Bin liki. In Hanafi Fiqh, there are total 6 extra Sa’ib R.A. who says, “I attended the Eid takbeerat exclusive of takbiratul Ihram, prayer with the Messenger, peace be upon Qiyam, and Ruko’ him, Upon completing the prayer, he said Eid prayer method as per Hanafi Fiqh “we shall deliver the sermon, whoever The following intention should be made: “I wants to sit for the sermon should sit, and intend offering two rakaats necessary (wa- whoever wants to leave should leave”

. It is advised that we fulfill this Sunnah by reading any short online Arabic sermon or its transliteration. Attached is a short Eid sermon in Arabic for this purpose.

For those who are unable to perform Salatul Eid in a congregation even at home, as per Fiqh Hanafi, should pray four-rakaat Nafl prayer instead without any extra takbeers.

This is reported by the famous companion Ibn Masood R.A. He said, “The one who misses the Eid prayer should perform 4 rakaat as an optional prayer” This prayer is not a substitute for Eid Salah however, a good way to earn reward.

In conclusion, Eid is the day of joy and celebration, therefore do not hesitate to celebrate this day of joy with your family and a special treat to your children, within the limits of COVID-19 health guidelines. We ask Allah the All Mighty to accept all our ibadaat and may He deliver us from this difficult situation sooner. Ameen!

Mufti Mohammad Shujaath Ali Nadwi Board of Religious Services The BC Muslim Association

2020’s Hottest Gift. We Review It Here: going to stay the course even in breezy conditions (cheap drones veer off course in even the slightest breeze - but not DroneX Pro) The controller feels really good as well. It’s comfortable to hold, the screen is crystal clear, and feels more like a quality piece of tech equipment than a toy. But it’s also effortless to use — if you can use a videogame controller, you can use DroneX Pro’s controller.

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By Nicholas Freyman | May 13, 2020 L;DR Version: DroneX Pro is fantastic.

It has a superior build quality, it’s easy to fly, and taking photos and videos from high up is not just cool — it’s exhilarating!

Buy it with confidence as a gift, and hey, get one for yourself too.

Until now, Drones came in two flavors — cheap garbage, and real expensive.

But we’ve found and tested a high-quality drone that defies its “less than $100” price.

It’s the lightweight, easy to use DroneX Pro, and it’s officially gone viral as one of the “Must-Have” Gifts of 2020. We’re not surprised, because we fell in love with it too.

What Makes DroneX Pro So Special?

When we first opened the package, we knew right away this was a serious drone. The construction is solid, and the fit and finish are exceptional. The compact drone feels good in your hands, and you just know it’s

But Does It Fly?

HD camera that has a built-in 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilizer. This means you can take super sharp images and stunning 720p HD video, even in wind.

You’ll see the world from a perspective you’ve never seen before (imagine what your Facebook and Instagram will look like!)

Ok, So

Indeed it does. And then some!

We were shocked at how easy it was to fly DroneX Pro. Really, in thirty seconds, we were in the air and controlling it without crashing — we’ve never flown an easier drone, to be honest.

It also has automatic flight assistance. You can even do tricks like loops and spins, and Why is this Awesome Drone so Affordable The DroneX Pro was designed by two engineers and drone lovers.

They knew the market was flooded with two types of drones: cheap drones that were low quality, and drones that were well made, but carried a huge price tag.

Then they found something interesting out: the expensive drones were not that expensive to build — they were expensive to market. This led to one engineer telling us that pull off perfect landings, right out of the box! the brand name was what people were paying for.

How About Pictures and Video?

DroneX Pro is equipped with an ultra-wide The DroneX Pro is built with the same high-

quality parts as the big, expensive name brands. But it relies on viral internet marketing and word of mouth instead of expensive mass media. This is a professional level drone at a bargain price, and lets beginners fly like seasoned pros.

Our Conclusion: Get This Drone Now Before the Price Goes UP The DroneX Pro is less than $100 (which includes the high-quality drone, built-in HD camera, and the awesome controller). That’s an absolute steal for a drone of this build quality.

That said, the laws of supply and demand will not be ignored. Once this drone leaves viral marketing and enters mass-market consciousness, the price is going to go up.

DroneX Pro makes a fantastic gift for anyone (even yourself). If you are reading this review, you’re “in the know”, and assured of getting the low price. But act right now, because that is going to change.

Source: promo.n2invent.com

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Ramadan 29, 1441H May 22, 2020

P ak i stan

Is Pakistan considering herd immunity?

S life returns to semi-normalcy with the easing of lockdown by the government, there is heightened concern that Pakistan may be opening up too soon and too fast and pushing policy inadvertently towards ‘herd immunity’ against Covid-19.

No government in the world has publicly supported the case for herd immunity because of the huge risk to human life it entails. The concept centers around enough people in the population – as many as 70 per cent in the case of Covid-19 – getting infected thereby building up their immunity to the virus. With an overwhelming majority having developed such immunity, the rest of the population would be much more secure and the infection would gradually fade away. In Pakistan, too, no official admits that herd immunity has been discussed as a policy option.

“Absolutely not,” says Dr Zafar Mirza, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health when asked if the government was discussing herd immunity. Dr Mirza has been a leading figure in the national effort against Covid-19.

“This is not government policy,” he says emphatically. “We are neither promoting herd immunity nor discussing it.”

Members of the Opposition have their worries though. On Tuesday PML-N Senator Dr Musadik Malik expressed fears on the floor of the Senate about government resigning itself to a policy of herd immunity. PPP Senator Sherry Rehman also mentioned these concerns in her speech in the Upper House.

Senior government officials say the relatively low numbers of deaths have helped them proceed with relaxation of the lockdown. One senior official says these low numbers may denote that the lockdown in the early stage was effective and suppressed the infection rate or that somehow Pakistanis have greater resistance to the infection.

These officials — while denying that the actual concept of herd immunity has been discussed in meetings — maintain that immunity will kick in sooner or later and that along with the already relatively low mortality rate will ensure the Covid-19 situation remains under control. “Everyone will get herd immunity ultimately as the virus runs its course,” says an official.

Is the government not concerned that this could be a dangerous path to tread? One official who has been looking at international trends says many countries are now slowly easing lockdowns even before the curve has flattened. “Let’s see what happens,” he says.

Does this amount to a gradual move towards herd immunity? The official argues there is some substance to the fact that countries like Pakistan may be better off opening up. Although there is no conclusive scientific proof yet, he says policymakers making Covid-19 decisions in Pakistan have noticed, for instance, that the trajectory of infections in California and Texas in the United States

has remained much lower than in New York.

“Both these states have warmer weather than New York,” he says. Similarly, he argues that New Delhi and Karachi have similar infection spreads, but New Delhi has a lower death rate than Karachi. “Wherever the temperatures are higher, the impact of the virus is lower,” he argues. “So we don’t as yet have a better alternative than easing the lockdown.”

In the last few weeks, the concept of herd immunity has been finding mention in the international media in the context of Covid-19 with many referring to Sweden as a country that has come closest to it. Sweden has broken away from international norms and has not instituted any formal lockdowns. It has however strongly advised its citizens to practice social distancing and asked older citizens to stay at home while clamping restrictions on access to nursing homes.

The logic of herd immunity is deceptively simple. When a person is infected with a virus, the body produces antibodies that fight off the infection and the person recovers. After the recovery, he becomes immune to the virus which means he cannot get it again and cannot infect any other person. If 70 per cent of the population of a country therefore is infected with the virus, the remaining 30 per cent will have very low probability of getting infected. This is because the 70 per cent who are infected and recover are not passing on the infection. The country as a whole – or as a herd – has overpowered the virus through its immune system.

The antibodies that our bodies need to fight off the infection are developed through two ways: (i) by getting the infection and allowing our body to develop antibodies naturally; (ii) through vaccination whenever the vaccine is developed.

In real life, the logic gets a bit complex. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a statement last month: “There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from Covid-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection.” This means the concept of herd immunity is not guaranteed (so far) even if 70 per cent of the population were to get infected. In addition, when 70 per cent of a population gets infected, many will die when the infection overpowers the antibodies. How many may die depends on the mortality rate of the country from Covid-19.

If we apply numbers to Pakistan’s case, the

situation gets clearer. At present, the country’s population stands at 220,892,340 people. Seventy per cent of this population (that requires to be infected for herd immunity) comes to 154,624,638. In other words, more than fifteen crore Pakistanis will require to be infected with Covid-19 before herd immunity kicks in.

Now let’s take this further. The current mortality rate of Pakistan as per government figures is 2.2 per cent. This denotes the percentage of people dying from among all those infected. But there is a complication. The actual mortality rate will be lower because the confirmed cases of infections that we have is far less than what the actual number of infected people are. Since our testing numbers are low it is difficult to get a fairly accurate assessment of the total number of infected citizens.

“Every identified case represents the tip of the iceberg,” says Dr Mirza. He argues – rightly so – that science does not allow us to make an accurate estimate.

However, projections require some projected data. According to an infectious diseases specialist, the actual figure of infections in Pakistan could be anywhere from double the confirmed figure to ten times upwards.

This provides us a wide range to apply on the concept of herd immunity. Since the current mortality rate of the confirmed infections is 2.2 per cent, doubling the number of infected cases would bring down the projected mortality rate to 1.1 per cent. If we increase the actual cases ten times, the mortality rate would reduce by ten times and end up at a figure of 0.22 per cent. Therefore, the range to apply to the herd immunity level would be 0.22-1.00 % If 0.22 per cent of Pakistanis were to die by the time the country reached the 70 per cent infected population for herd immunity, the death toll would be 340,174.20 (0.22 per cent of 154,624,638). If 1.00 per cent mortality rate were applied (1.00 per cent if 154,624,638), the number of people dead would be 1,546,246.

These projected numbers are rough approximations that do not include multiple factors that go into scientific projections. But they do provide a crude picture of what the concept of herd immunity entails in cost of human lives.

Medical experts agree that at some point we will all acquire herd immunity like we have done so with diseases like measles, mumps, chickenpox and polio (though we in Pakistan are struggling with polio). The issue is time.

lockdown keeping in view of people’s miseries and starvation of poor and daily wage earners,” he added.

The prime minister had announced lifting the lockdown on Thursday, and Monday was the first day of opening of markets and several other businesses from early morning to 5pm.

However, it was observed that on the very first day of lifting of the lockdown, people did not observe the government’s SOPs, especially in markets and shops.

People ignore SOPs on first day of lifting of lockdown; 1,312 new virus cases, 30 deaths reported in 24 hours Prime Minister Khan said imp­le­mentation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) was imperative, besides enforcing the lockdown.

Responding to some complaints regarding testing of the viral disease, he said concerns

expressed by some circles of society should be addressed and people should be asked to undergo Covid-19 test whenever they felt some symptoms of the disease in them.

The prime minister again endorsed the option of self-quarantine at home if a Covid-19 patient did not want to be hospitalised or go to official quarantine facilities. “People should be given awareness about how they can quarantine themselves in their homes,” he added.

On the issue of availability of ventilators for serious Covid-19 patients, the prime minister directed the authorities concerned to ensure best possible use of ventilators and their availability to the chronic patients.

The meeting also reviewed provision of per-

If a population races towards herd immunity before a vaccine is available, the cost in human lives can be catastrophic. This is why, experts say, the aim is to suppress the spread of infection so that the health facilities are not overwhelmed before a vaccine is made available.

“I care less about herd immunity and more about our hospitals coping with the pressure on patients,” says Taimur Saleem Jhagra, the health minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Jhagra is leading his province’s fight against Covid-19 and is widely credited for his pro-active and data-oriented approach to the challenge.

He says more important than the number of infected people is the number of those needing hospitalisation. The death rate climbs in proportion to those needing hospitalisation.

If health facilities are overwhelmed, death rates could spike beyond control.

But so far the government feels it has the situation under control.

“Our health facilities are coping well,” says an official associated with National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC). According to data from NCOC, Pakistan today has a capacity of 21,000 hospital beds dedicated for Covid-19 patients. The number of Covid-19 patients currently hospitalised is 6661. The total number of ventilators currently available for treating Covid-19 patients is 1,400. As of today, 93 patients are on ventilators. There is excess capacity. For now.

Dr Mirza says the global average for people on ventilators is 4.8 per cent while in Pakistan currently it is 2.5 per cent. These numbers have given officials like him and Jhagra cause for cautious optimism. But how long before red lights start flashing?

Almost all officials agree that the next two to four weeks are crucial because they will reflect the outcome of the decision to ease the lockdown. One senior official says the impact of opening up mosques for Ramazan will become fairly clear by Eid. The result of easing the lockdown earlier this week will manifest itself by the second week of June. There is concern that widespread violations of laid down SOPs for social distancing – as seen in the last two days – could lead to dangerously escalating pressure on health facilities.

“If hospitals are suddenly overrun, we will be in trouble,” admits another official who is tracking numbers. “If more than 75 per cent of hospital beds are required for Covid-19 patients we could face a serious crisis,” he says.

A senior member of the government who attends NCOC meetings airs similar concerns.

He argues that so far the real data of infections and deaths has been lower than the projected figures. “If in the next few weeks, these real figures start to go beyond the projected values then we shall be in a dangerous situation,” he says.

The government could be skating on thin ice.

As could Pakistan. Source: dawn.com

Lockdown a temporary solution to Covid-19 crisis: PM

I

By: Syed Irfan Raza SLAMABAD: On the first day of formal lifting of the countrywide lockdown on Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan said it was being recongnised internationally that lockdown was a temporary solution to the prevailing coronavirus crisis.

As the total number of Covid-19 cases stood at 31,728 on Monday, with 691 deaths, the prime minister said the lockdown had been lifted for the sake of the poor and keeping the wheel of the economy moving, besides implementing precautionary measures to control the rise in coronavirus trajectory in the country.

“It has been recognised internationally that the lockdown is a temporary solution to the coronavirus crisis,” Mr Khan said while presiding over a meeting on the Covid-19 situation in the country. “We have eased restrictions of

sonal preventive equipment to doctors and paramedical staff. The prime minister was briefed on the present upward trajectory of coronavirus in the country.

Source: dawn.com

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Coronavirus Cases:

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Pakistan Last updated: May 22, 2020, @ 06:344 GMT