Miracle 536-Jan 15, 2021

Volume 20 Issue 536-Jamadi ul II 2, 1442 H, January 15, 2021 $1

www.miraclenews.com BC, CANADA First Muslim

Biweekly & Bilingual

THE

5 The Origins of

07 Immunization team

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11 Regression, hope and

07 B.C. doctor says

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6 8

Islamophobia

change: The Middle East How to effectively work from home?

expanded in B.C. to Ontario’s stay-at-homeOnline prayers, and tribute to Mohd Rafiq

W

ASHINGTON -- U.S. PresiTrump impeached after U.S. dent Donald Trump was imby the U.S. House Capitol riot; historic second charge for a historicpeached second time Wednesday,

charged with “incitement of insurrection” over the deadly mob siege of the Capitol in a swift and stunning collapse of his final days in office.

With the Capitol secured by armed National Guard troops inside and out, the House voted 232-197 to impeach Trump. The proceedings moved at lightning speed, with lawmakers voting just one week after violent proTrump loyalists stormed the U.S. Capitol, egged on by the president’s calls for them to “fight like hell” against the election results.

Ten Republicans fled Trump, joining Democrats who said he needed to be held accountable and warned ominously of a “clear and present danger” if

at page 11

In Quetta visit, Army chief assures justice Americas warned that 2021 pandemic could 1M vaccine doses to be delivered every

Congress should leave him unchecked before Democrat Joe Biden’s inauguration Jan. 20.

Trump is the only U.S. president to be twice impeached. It was the most bipartisan presidential impeachment in modern times, more so than against Bill Clinton in 1998.

The Capitol insurrection stunned and angered lawmakers, who were sent scrambling for safety as the mob descended, and it revealed the fragility of the nation’s history of peaceful transfers of power. The riot also forced a reckoning among some Republicans, who have stood by Trump throughout his presidency and largely allowed him to spread false attacks against the integrity of the 2020 election.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invoked Abraham Lincoln and the Bible,

To be Continued at page 7

PM Trudeau wants to serve for ‘number of Broadsheet revelations about ruling elite only ‘tip of the iceberg’: PM Imran more years,’ rules out vaccine passports

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TTAWA -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, giving a rare insight into his future plans, said he wanted to serve Canadians for a number of years to come, and shied away from saying who he thought should succeed him.

Trudeau, speaking at the Reuters Next conference, also said he was opposed to the idea of obliging people to carry digital proof that they had been vaccinated against COVID-19.

20 FEB 2001-2021

Trudeau’s ruling Liberals only have a minority in the House of Commons, which means he relies on the opposition to govern and can be brought down at any time. Senior Liberals say they expect an election some time this year, and some privately question how much longer he might want to stay in power.

Trudeau, 49, has three school-age children. He first took over as prime minister in November 2015 and has at times appeared tired amid the relentless COVID-19 crisis. He admitted dealing with the pandemic had been hard, but made clear he had no plans to quit soon.

Capital Dispatch: Stay up to date on the latest news from Parliament Hill “I’ve still got a lot to do in terms of serving this country, so I’m looking forward to a number of more years of serving Canadians,” he said in an interview aired To be Continued at page 8

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SLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said revelations by United Kingdom based firm Broadsheet had once again exposed the “massive scale of our ruling elites’ corruption and money laundering”, adding that these were just the “tip of the iceberg”.

In a series of tweets, the premier said that the same people had earlier been exposed by the Panama Papers. “These elites cannot hide behind the ‘victimisation’ card on these international revelations.”Imran said these revelations had repeatedly exposed what he had been saying in his “24-year fight against corruption which is the biggest threat to the country’s progress”.

“These elites come to power & plunder the country. They do money laundering to stash their ill-gotten gains abroad, safe from domestic

prosecution. Then they use their political clout to get NROs. That is how they kept their plundered wealth safe,” he said, adding that the nation suffered as a consequence.

“Not only is the nation’s wealth stolen by the elites, taxpayer money, paid for recovering this wealth, is wasted because of NROs. These revelations [are the] tip of the iceberg. We want complete transparency from Broadsheet To be Continued at page 7

Alhamdulillah, the Miracle is BC’s first Got any congratulatory message Muslim bilingual and biweekly newsor feedback for the 20th anniversary? paper, and is now is completing its 20th Then please send them as an email reply, Word year in publication. To mark the occa- Document, InPage, or JPG by Feb 15, 2021. sion, a Special edition will be published Please also send your picture (if preferred) on Friday, Feb 26, 2021 at miraclenews@telus.net.

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Jamadi ul II 2,1442 Jan 15, 2021

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Jamadi ul II 2,1442 Jan 15, 2021

PAKISTAN

Bilawal, Zardari not invited to Biden’s In Quetta visit, Army chief assures justice inauguration: Farhatullah Babar to families of Mach massacre victims

With US President-elect Jo Biden’s inauguration just days away, there has been speculation and several media reports about whether certain world leaders will be attending the ceremony.

In Pakistan, rumours that former president Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had been invited were doing the rounds on social media while almost all television outlets quoted PPP sources as saying the father-son duo were invited and would be attending the inauguration.

However, setting the rumours to rest, PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar told BBC Urdu that the former president and the PPP chairman “have not been invited to the inauguration and are not attending the ceremony”.

Similar news reports have also cropped up in other parts of the world. In India, Congress supporters claimed a few weeks ago that former prime minister Manmohan Singh was invited and would be attending – the news was later denied by Singh himself.

In the US, the media circulated a similar report about Mexican President Andres Ma-

nuel Lopez Obrador forcing him to declare: “I don’t have an invitation, and I have decided not to leave (the country) much” during the pandemic.

Scaled-down celebration The coronavirus pandemic and the fear of violence has forced the organisers of the 2021 United States presidential inauguration to discourage foreign leaders from attending the ceremony.

Members of the Biden inauguration committee have indicated that they are not inviting foreign leaders to the Jan 20 ceremony and are also urging Americans to watch it from their homes...... Source: dawn.com

Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday paid a visit to Quetta, where he assured families of the Shia Hazara coal miners killed in a brutal attack in Balochistan’s Mach area that the perpetrators of the killings “shall be brought to justice”.During the day-long visit, the chief of army staff was given a detailed security briefing at the Southern Command headquarters and interacted with a large gathering of the Hazara community, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said. The army chief was apprised during the briefing about the prevailing security challenges in the province and the measures taken to deal with them, including border management along the Pak- Afghan and PakIran borders.

Gen Bajwa spent time with the bereaved families of the Mach incident’s victims and shared their grief. He “assured them that perpetrators of this heinous incident shall be brought to justice and blood of the martyrs will not go waste”, the military’s media wing said. Later, while addressing the garrison officers, the COAS appreciated their preparedness and efforts for ensuring peace and stability in Balochistan “despite difficulties of terrain and distances involved”.“Balochistan is in sharp focus of our enemies due to its strategic

potential,” Gen Bajwa was quoted as saying on the occasion. He said Balochistan was the future of Pakistan and progress and prosperity of the province was linked to progress of the country.

“The disruptive efforts by hostile forces won’t be allowed to succeed,” the army chief emphasised, saying the security, stability and prosperity of Balochistan will be ensured “to the hilt”.

Earlier, on arrival in Quetta, Gen Bajwa was received by Commander Southern Command Lt Gen Sarfraz Ali.On January 3, 11 miners belonging to the Shia Hazara community were brutally massacred in the Mach coalfield area. Armed assailants had entered their residential compound early in the morning where they were sleeping, and blindfolded and trussed them up before executing them. Source: dawn.com

to share the documents, the committee was in violation of an ECP order dated May 30, 2018, which rejected the PTI’s request to keep these documents and the scrutiny process secret.

The lawyer asserted that “we are participating in the committee process under protest as denying access to PTI bank statements and other documents is a violation of law and due process”.

The body’s chairman acknowledged that the PTI’s bank statements and other documents were not being shared with the petitioner on the concerns of PTI. To which the petitioner Akbar S Babar complained as to how there can be an independent and transparent scrutiny and investigations when those being investigated are managing the process.

Source: dawn.com

spoke at the public meeting. Senator Yaqoob Khan Nasar and Ali Madad Jattak represented PML-N and PPP, respectively, as Maryam Nawaz and Bilawal Bhutto- Zardari did not reach Loralai.

Resignations to be submitted at right time, Fazl tells Loralai rally Maulana Fazl said: “Our war is not against the army. We have launched a struggle for upholding supremacy of the Constitution and for a parliament which is elected by the people in a free, fair and impartial election.”

He said that the PDM wanted to make it clear to the establishment that it would continue to fight those who considered the Constitution a piece of paper at every forum, including the parliament. Source: dawn.com

PDM to march to ECP’s office in Islamabad on blames its agent in US for ‘illegal funding’ Jan 19 for ‘decision’ on PTI foreign funding case PTI ISLAMABAD: In an apparent departure from PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Thursday that the party, under the umbrella of the 10-party opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), would take out rallies from different areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Jan 19 that would merge into one big rally before heading towards the office of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the capital.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad along with other party leaders, she said the rally was being organised to “get a decision from the ECP that it is not giving since 2014”. She was referring to a foreign funding case against the PTI, which was filed in Nov 2014 by Akbar S. Babar, a founding member of the ruling party.

“The protest that the PDM is going to do on Jan 19 [is being done] to take the decision that has already been made today when the PTI has accepted that illegal funding has come through 23 foreign-funded accounts, [that] illegal funding could have been done through agents. [The PTI] accepted that money was gotten illegally through 23 foreign funded accounts that were not declared accounts and that money was [deposited] in PTI accounts [through cheques].

“Signs of President [Dr Arif Alvi], Sindh

Governor [Imran Ismail] and Imran Khan sahib himself [along with] other PTI leaders are present on those cheques,” she claimed.

PTI’s explanation In an apparent departure from its stance of denying any illegal funding from the United States, the PTI had on Wednesday, come up with an explanation that if any funds were collected illegally through two US companies registered after Imran Khan’s written instructions, the responsibility lies with their agents managing the two limited liability companies.

The PTI said in its reply submitted to the Election Commission that “any contribution that has been collected by the agent which may be questionable would be beyond the scope of the work/responsibility/instructions given by the principal (respondent)”. .......................Source: dawn.com

its stance of denying any illegal funding from the United States, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has now come up with an explanation that if any funds were collected illegally through two US companies registered after Imran Khan’s written instructions, the responsibility lies with their agents managing the two limited liability companies.

The party adopted the latest stance in a written reply to a questionnaire given to it by the scrutiny committee of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), informed sources told Dawn on Wednesday. The ECP committee met to continue scrutiny of PTI accounts under fresh directives to expedite the process, which has been going on since March 2018.

The foreign funding case against PTI was filed in Nov 2014 by Akbar S. Babar, a founding member of the party. Sources revealed that during Wednesday’s meeting, the petitioner’s lawyer, Syed Ahmad Hassan Shah, protested the committee’s refusal to share the PTI’s financial documents with his client. The documents include 23 PTI bank statements received on instructions from the State Bank that were mostly concealed from the ECP. Mr Shah was assisted by Badar Iqbal Chaudhry.

Syed Ahmad Hassan Shah said that by refusing

LAHORE: An accountability court on Tuesday summoned the Inland Revenue commissioner along with the record of the audit conducted into the accounts of Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif.

During a cross-examination of a prosecution witness, Shehbaz’s counsel Amjad Pervez pointed out that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had not presented any record of the audit of the tax documents of his client in the reference of money laundering and illegal assets.

Presiding Judge Jawadul Hassan directed the commissioner Inland Revenue to appear at the next hearing and submit a certified record of Shehbaz’s audit. Responding to different queries of the defence, Audit Officer of Inland Revenue Ibrahim, the prosecution witness, said he had not supplied any record of the suspect to the investigating officer. He said a tax filer was not bound to explain income sources of independent members of his family. The witness admitted that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) could ask a taxpayer about his sources of income anytime. However, he expressed his ignorance when

asked as if the record of a tax filer was a confidential document.

With the permission of the judge, Shehbaz reiterated his role in unearthing corruption in Chiniot mines’ contracts and saving billions of rupees of the public. The judge, however, reminded Shehbaz that the case was not before the court. The judge adjourned further hearing till Jan 16.

The jail officials brought Shehbaz and his son Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz to the judicial complex amid strict security. All the roads around the complex were closed by placing containers and barbwires.

Another accountability court adjourned a reference of illegal assets against former principal secretary to prime minister, Fawad Hassan Fawad, and directed the NAB to present its witnesses on Feb 11.Source: dawn.com

QUETTA: Pakistan Democra­ tic Movement (PDM) leaders said on Wednesday that their struggle was not against the army but against the government which had been imposed on the country after stealing public mandate through election rigging. Speaking at a public meeting in Loralai, they said that a government which was “selected” against the will of the people had no right to remain in power and soon a government would be established according to the wishes of the people as a result of the democratic struggle launched by the 10-party opposition alliance across the country. The PDM leaders said that now the political forces would accept only supremacy of the people and their elected institutions as they had launched a movement for restoration of ‘real democracy’, supremacy of constitution and an independent parliament.

PDM president Maulana Fazlur Rehman, vice president Mehmood Khan Achakzai, JUI-F secretary general Maulana Ghafoor Haideri, senior vice president of BNP-Mengal Abdul Wali Kakar, National Party Senator Mir Kabir Mohammad Shahi and ANP leader Asghar Khan Achakzai

Shehbaz accounts audit record summoned PDM struggle against govt, not army: leaders

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O pinion

Guidance for leaders seeking power by all means

By: Zafar Alam Sarwar Miracle’s Contributor olitical activity has come down to such a level that the common man seems seriously worried about the future of his family. Cost of food, health and education continues to rise beyond the expectation of the middle class while the voice of the poor citizen gets muted on account of the old exploitative socio-economic system.

“There will be no change for the better unless all politicians and bureaucrats involved, directly or indirectly,

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in the ‘loot and khasoot’ of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan are arrested, tried and awarded severe punishment as early as possible. Resignations from assemblies and long march will not bear any fruit,” 83 per cent people of the country say.

The people say many leaders have yet to learn what politics means, how it is conducted in a country like Pakistan, why national unity is need of the hour, opposition leaders have to cooperate like gentlemen in the national interest, politics does not mean that political party heads criticize armed forces forgetting the fact that the latter’s duty is defence of the country. How many so-called party leaders became ministers, chief ministers and prime ministers etc. in the military regimes?

Immature (child) leaders need to bear in mind that they are not born to govern /rule common people as dic-

tators. Politics and political creased their disease. science include vast religious A painful torment is theirs because they used to tell lies.

That is necessary for And when it is said to them any leader, for instance, that make not mischief on the study of the Quran. the earth, they say: “We are This is the book, where- only peace-makers.” of there is no doubt, a Allah has set a seal on their guidance to those who (disbelievers’) hearts and on their hearings, (i.e. they are are pious and righteous closed from Allah’s guidpersons who fear Allah ance), and on their eyes there much (abstain from all is covering. Theirs will be kinds of sins and evil a great torment. And when deeds which He has for- they meet believers, they say: bidden) and love Allah “We believe.” But when they are alone with their Shayatin much (perform all kinds (devils, hypocrites) they say: of good deeds which He “Truly, we are with you; verhas ordained). ily we were but mocking.”

Allah mocks at them and gives them increase in their knowledge and life of wrong-doings to wander propets/messengers.

And of mankind, there are blindly. These are they who some (hypocrites) who say: have purchased error for “We believe in Allah and the guidance, so their commerce Last Day while in fact they was profitless, and they were believe not.” In their hearts not guided. is a disease (of doubt and Email: zasarwar@hotmail.com hypocrisy) and Allah has in-

Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un

1: Mother of Mr. Arif and Mr. Nadeem Malik passed away in Surrey Memorial Hospital on January 3rd.

2: The Miracle’s first Urdu chief editor and a very dear friend, Mohammad Rafiq passed away on January 9th in SMH.

We all pray to Al mighty Allah(SWT) for their mercy, to forgive all theirs sins and reward

as well as in Urdu literature. Many in the community knew him as a true lover of Urdu language who dedicated his time to

promoting urdu language in B.C. He was also an accomplished scientist with a long career in public service.

May Allah give patience to

them with the best place in paradise and to give patience to the familes.

(Ameen)

The Miracle’s first Urdu chief editor Passed away

T

he Miracle’s first Urdu chief editor Mohammad Rafiq was one of the pioneers of BC’s Pakistani community

his family. In his memory, here is a reprint of the last interview with him.

He will be missed by his Miracle family.

THE

MIR A LE

Miracle Media Group Inc.©

Contact Info Mailing and Office Address 9160-136A Street Surrey BC. V3V 7Z8 Canada Ph: 604-690-0400 Fax: 604-582-7809

Founder : Nusrat Hussain Managing & Chief Editor: M. Naseer Pirzada Sub-Editors: Misbah & Sabeeh Advertising Ph: 604-690-0400 Emails: info@telus.net miraclenews@telus.net Editorial Board : editor@telus.net Mr.Shams Jillani, Mr Aslam Hayat, Mr. Azhar Syed, M.A.L. Naumani, Graphic Design: Design Teams Copyright ® 2001 Miracle Media Group Inc. All Rights Reserved Printed in Canada

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Contents

Pak. News

Edit/Opinion

Letters Faith

News N. Int

Rafique Saheb- “Baba-E-Urdu of Canada”

From the Pen of the Founding Editor of ‘The Miracle.’

By: Nusrat Hussain eparture of every soul is a sad affair for all the loved ones left behind. In case of Rafique Saab, I would like to remember him by celebrating his life. Two days before his death I talked to his wife, bhabi Anjum on the phone. She told me that Rafique had instructed the doctors not to put him on life support if it ever reached to that stage. To call him a brave man is a small token of acknowledgement to

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his achievements in life.

My association of over two decades with Rafique Saab started as respect- he was few years senior in age. He was the first Urdu editor of ‘The Miracle’ newspaper. During this period, our working relations advanced to close friendship where we frankly discussed on every aspect of life. He was a man of commitment who always honored his words.

His scholarly contribution to the Urdu language in British Columbia is a great feather in his cap. He put his heart and

soul behind over twenty books published in Urdu language here from British Columbia.

He singlehandedly carried out editing, composing, printing and publishing of these books and various booklets, poetry deewans, newsletters and magazines originated from BC. He was the founding General Secretary and later the President of Canada Urdu Association.

He founded the Iqbal Academy, which too is homage to his love for Urdu. He believed in instilling the love of Urdu in the younger generations in Canada.

For some of these great achievements, it would be fair to call him Baba-E-Urdu (Father of the Urdu language) in Canada.

He was a team player, always ready to offer for help. It is sad to lose a personality of his stature, but I can assure that Rafique Saab will always be remembered as a brave and an honorable man alike by his friends and foes. He is an irreplaceable loss. He will be sorely missed. May Allah Paak grant him the highest level in Jannah and grant his family sabr e jameel.. Ameen

Local s Cand.News Middle Est Global US Politic Women/Y Health Pak/Sports Urdu

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Miracle Media is Member of : National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada important note:

Letters to the editor and Articles do not reflect the opinion of the Miracle media group. We do not publish anonymous letters or the letters of the people who do not disclose their identity to ‘The Miracle.’ A writer can use a pen name or request ‘The Miracle’ to withhold his / her identity. Please include your daytime telephone number for the confirmation of your letter.

We regret the inconvenience.

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Jamadi ul II 2,1442 Jan 15, 2021

f ait h

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (R.A), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: My faithful servant’s reward from Me, if I have taken to Me his best friend from amongst the inhabitants of the world and he has then borne it patiently for My sake, shall be nothing less than Paradise.

It was related by al-Bukhari. H.Q #29

The Origins of Islamophobia

By: Spahic Omer slamophobia can be defined as the excessive and empirically unjustifiable fear, hatred of, or bias against Islam, Muslims, and Islamic civilization. These are translated into policies, attitudes, language, literature, and into condoned individual as well as collective behavioral patterns.

Islamophobia is a new term for a centuries-old idea and phenomenon. Its evolution was steep and dynamic. Differences from one era and its context to another were in nuances and methods, rather than magnitudes and goals. While at first and for a long time Islamophobia was in the spirit of “us versus them,” in recent times, it came to be “them among us.”

The seeds of Islamophobia were planted as soon as Muslims started to assert themselves as equal protagonists on the global cultural and civilizational stage, threatening international order. As the followers of the final Prophet and the emissaries of the final heavenly message to mankind, Muslims were destined to be looked down upon in the “elite club” and to be dealt with suspiciously.

However, due to the profoundly unique nature of worldly and otherworldly relationships between Muslims and Christians, it is no wonder that the whole Christendom was quickly transformed into the home and incubator of the latest sentiments. At first, the reaction to Islam and Muslim spectacles was one of awe and amazement, subsequently morphing – and understandably so – into panic and dread.

Edward Said wrote: “Yet where Islam was concerned, European fear, if not always respect, was in order.” After Prophet Muhammad died in 632, the military and later the cultural and religious domination of Islam grew exponentially, bringing Persia, the Middle East, Turkey, North Africa, and substantial parts of Europe (Sicily, Spain, and parts of France) to its fold.”

“By the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Islam ruled as far east as India, Indonesia, and China. And to this extraordinary assault, Europe could respond with very little except fear and a kind of awe. Christian authors witnessing the Islamic conquests had scant interest in the learning, high culture, and regular magnificence of the Muslims…

Not for nothing did Islam come to symbolize terror, devastation, the demonic hordes of hated barbarians. For Europe, Islam was a lasting trauma” (Edward Said).

It is on this account that Islamophobia is identifiable even with specific thought patterns from the 11th through to the 13th centuries, for it was during the Crusades (1095-1291) that trepidation, hate, and prejudices against Islam and Muslims (embryonic forms of Islamophobia) peaked and never dwindled afterward. Today’s Islamophobia is but an upshot, as well as extension, of the legacies of medieval interreligious relations and their extremist together with aggressive polemical thought. It is an effect that issues from age-old causes.

The scope of the evolution of Islamophobia incorporated Christian radical and virtually fanatical polemics and apologetics, linking Islam and its rise with the Apocalypse and providing erroneous descriptive accounts of Islam, the Muslim world, and its societies along with cultures.

Islamophobia and polemics

tions. Neither imperialism nor colonization furthermore was an Islamic way. Muslims merely aspired to generate environments where people could freely see Islam in its proper light and willingly accept or reject it as the final revelation to humanity.

The Qur’an is unequivocal that there is no compulsion in religion (al-Baqarah, 256).

It also proclaims: “And say: ‘The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills - let him believe; and whoever wills - let him disbelieve” (al-Kahf, 29).

Defending the “truth” by untruthful means denotes that there is something seriously wrong with the alleged “truth” and its defenders. To intentionally have recourse to inappropriate methods and measures signifies a severe vulnerability and lack of faith.

Such “defenders” need to examine their fidelity, wisdom, and, above all, self-worth.

No amount of fake pretexts, such as freedom of thought, conscience, and speech, can disguise reality. Parenthetically, freedom is supposed to breed more freedom and afford more opportunities in lieu of impeding the former and diminishing the latter. It is supposed to inspire, press forward, and unite.

Freedom is likewise meant to pave the way for and lead to the sphere of the truth. The truth and freedom are twins, needing one another, apart from mere continued existence, for self-actualization too. A rupture in this relationship undermines the integrity of ways in which equally the truth and freedom are approached and handled.

In Islam’s case and its relations with others, the components of outright lies, insults, abuses, falsifications, prejudices, animosities, and injustices on the latter’s part disqualify an action from being either polemics or apologetics. Instead, they render it a form of Islamophobia regardless of the circumstances within which the same may be affected and by whom. Without a doubt, the spirit of Islamophobia is always one and abides; what changes are forms, linguistic expressions, intensities, and some other minor temporal variants.

Medieval Europe gripped by fear of Islam and Muslims The unprecedented supremacy of Islam struck fear into the countries of Christendom, in particular, those European countries as stood next to or close to the seemingly unstoppable Muslim (firstly Arab

then Ottoman Turkish) advances. Islam was perceived as the biggest problem in Europe. It was a scourge and also a curse.

Its culture and civilization were seen as alien and vicious, despite the overwhelming empirical evidence to the contrary.

Some people even thought that soon there would be no Christianity and Christians left in the world. All of them will be conquered and then converted by force to Islam. Before long, there will be only Islam (Muhammadanism) and Muslims (Saracens or Muhammadans).

“The image of Islam throughout most of Western Europe before and during the crusading period was severely distorted if not completely fictitious, the product of a vivid imagination of the religious other” (Adam S. Francisco). Muslims were deemed morally-depraved pagan idolaters and Sataninspired barbarians. Islam and its place in history were explained away in relation to the Apocalypse (the total destruction and end of the world) and the Book of Revelation’s eschatological prophecies as the last book in the Bible.

That was the background of the proliferation of Islamophobia. Islam and Muslims were frequently used as decoys and distractions from the real religious and political affairs. The whole thing was manipulated for the sake of advancing hidden agendas and protecting ulterior motives. Within the spectrum of raging Islamophobia, and within the internal affairs of the Church and its Papal States, indeed, the last thing that was desirable was the truth and its transparency. Islamophobia was coming home and was becoming part of Europe’s ethos.

The case of Martin Luther Martin Luther (d. 1546), a seminal personality in the Reformation, perfectly encapsulated the European (Christian) phobia about Islam and Muslims when he said that Muslims (the Turks) was such a mighty lord that no kingdom or land was strong enough to resist them alone, “unless God will do a miracle.” ...............

Since its fruition during the Crusades era, the outlook and trajectory of Islamophobia fundamentally neither changed nor veered off.

It stayed the course while infinitely enriching its stock with newly-acquired proficiencies and experiences. Modern Islamophobia is nothing but the latest phase in the centuriesold evolution. Unfortunately, we are yet to see and hear the last of it. Source:islamicity.org

Some people are happy to confine medieval and early modern Muslim-Christian intellectual, interreligious, and missionary relations – and tensions - to the realm of polemics. Yet some preface the word “polemics” with “anti-Islamic.”...........

The process of polemics is still expected to be infused with rationality, fairness, and balance, and to be supported by sufficient evidence, while at the same time tearing down the edifice of its antitheses, is the goal of the whole exercise. If the goal of polemics is not the vast orb of the truth, that then defeats the purpose of both polemics and the truth. No sooner does that happen than polemics as constructive energy turns into a juggernaut. The less genuinely polemical polemics is the more repellent to the truth it becomes. Indeed, two wrongs do not make a right.

Christians are supposed to be acquainted and very comfortable with the idea, perhaps more than anybody else. It is stated in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 as follows: “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

The strongholds, arguments, and pretensions of falsehood and ignorance are to be countered and disposed of with the weapons of sheer faith, piety, wisdom, guidance, and knowledge of God. Doing otherwise is un-Christian. It is ungodly and wrong.

It follows that there is no place in polemics for bigotry, lies, excessive hate, insults, fabrications, deceits, cheatings, unsubstantiated hyperboles, preconceptions, ignorance, and distortions. If the truth is defended by Jan 15-29, 2021 Jamadi ul II 2-16,1442 H truthful means, it is bound to prevail, sooner rather than later, causing the falsehood Isl. Dt. Day Date Fajar Sunr Zawal Dhuhr Asar Maghrib Dhur Asar Shafi / Hanfi realm to be exposed and perished. Just as 2 Fri the truth fears nothing, so do its people: followers, leaders, and preachers alike. The 3 Sat truth and falsehood are irreconcilable.

4 Sun

Prayer Schedule in Greater Vancouver

The role of freedom

The truth needs neither defense nor enforcement. It only needs freedom as regards its portrayal, presence, and function. As such, not only is it able to defend itself, but it also easily conquers the minds and hearts of its own accord.

In passing, that is exactly what Islam wanted from the very beginning. But since the members of the “elite club” persisted in placing insurmountable obstacles in the path of Islam’s freedom, the barriers had to be removed forcibly. Conquests for conquests’ sake were never the goal in Islamic civilization - with some unfortunate excep-

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Mon Tue Wed Thus Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thus Fri

Isha

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

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Americas warned that 2021 pandemic could be ‘Kashmiri Lives Matter’ displayed on ‘far worse,’ amid surge in most nations UK Parliament

MEXICO CITY -- A surge in COVID-19 cases is hitting nearly all countries in the Americas, the head of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said Wednesday, adding that the pandemic’s toll in 2021 could be worse than last year if containment efforts relax.

From Canada to Argentina, coronavirus infections are spiking, with particularly alarming jumps documented across Caribbean island nations, even as the first vaccine doses are being administered, PAHO Director Carissa Etienne told reporters on a webcast news conference.

“If we remain diligent, we have the power to control this virus,” she said. “If we relax, make no mistake, 2021 could well be far worse than 2020.”Etienne pointed to data from earlier this month showing an increase in infections in Costa Rica and Belize in Central America. The same data shows particularly concerning spikes in the Caribbean’s Cayman and Virgin Islands, Barbados, the Grenadines,

Bonaire, St. Vincent as well as her native Dominica, she said.

All countries in South America have seen a rise in infections over the past few weeks, Etienne said, even those where cases had previously been declining, like Chile and Argentina.

The summer months in the southern hemisphere will likely make limiting gatherings and travel more difficult, she added, which would could “fuel infections for weeks and months to come.”Source: ctvnews.ca

The FBI has arrested Kevin Seefried, seen carrying a Confederate flag inside U.S. Capitol Hill, according to a federal criminal complaint. Seefried had been a focus of the FBI’s efforts to get the public to help them identify riot participants. The complaint identifies him as the man seen in the photos, widely circulated online, carrying a large Confederate flag inside the US Capitol during the Jan. 6 siege. Kevin Seefried told the FBI he had brought the Confederate flag with him to Washington from his home in Delaware, where he normally displays it outside.

Seefried was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

Seefried’s son, Hunter, was also arrested and charged with the same offenses, according to the complaint.

The FBI learned of the men’s names after a coworker of Hunter Seefried reported he had bragged about being inside the Capitol

building with his father on January 6.

It was not immediately clear if the two men had an attorney. The New York Times was the first to identify Kevin Seefried as the individual carrying the flag.

Some people who stormed the Capitol have already come forward or have been identified by CNN and other news organizations.

Many face criminal charges, and some have lost or left their jobs because of their participation. Anyone with information about people who participated in the Capitol siege can contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Tips can also be submitted by clicking here or going to tips.fbi.gov. Source: ctvnews.ca

Man carrying Confederate flag inside the U.S. Capitol during riot arrested

‘At 6 p.m., life stops’: Europe uses curfews to fight virus PARIS -- As the wan winter sun sets over France’s Champagne region, the countdown clock kicks in.

Labourers stop pruning the vines as the light fades at about 4:30 p.m., leaving them 90 minutes to come in from the cold, change out of their work clothes, hop in their cars and zoom home before a 6 p.m. coronavirus curfew.

Forget about any after-work socializing with friends, after-school clubs for children or doing any evening shopping beyond quick trips for essentials. Police on patrol demand valid reasons from people seen out and about. For those without them, the threat of mounting fines for curfew-breakers is increasingly making life outside of the weekends all work and no play. ”At 6 p.m., life stops,” says Champagne producer Alexandre Prat.

Newsletter sign-up: Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox Trying to fend off the need for a third nationwide lockdown that would further dent Europe’s second-largest economy and put more jobs in danger, France is instead opting for creeping curfews. Big chunks of eastern France, including most of its regions that border Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Italy, are living under 6 p.m.-to-6 a.m. restrictions

on movement. At 12 hours, the curfew is the longest anywhere in the European Union’s 27 nations.

Starting Saturday, the rest of France will follow suit. The prime minister announced Thursday an extension of the 6 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew to cover the whole country, including zones where the nightly deadline for getting home hadn’t started until 8 p.m.

French shops will have to close at 6 p.m. Outdoor activities will stop, with the exception of quick walks for pets. Workers will need employers’ notes to commute or move around for work after curfew.

Those who have lived with the longer curfew for the past couple of weeks say it’s often bad

LONDON: Kashmiri rights groups in the UK have organised a digital campaign with the hashtag #KashmiriLivesMatter and #KashmirSiegeDay. The slogan was displayed on the British Parliament, Marble Arch, 1 Marylebone and various other Central London locations.The event marked the one year anniversary of India’s stripping of occupied Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status. Pakistan marked the day as Youm-eIstehsal. Genocide Watch had earlier issued a warning on the present genocide going on by the Modi led government in Kashmir and special rapporteurs and UN experts slammed the Indian government for revoking the rights of Kashmiris, calling it a “free fall” of human rights. In a joint statement, they said: “If India will not take any genuine and immediate steps to resolve the situation, meet their obligations to investigate historic and recent cases of human rights violations and prevent future violations, then the international community should step up.

Criticising the Indian government’s unilateral siege of Kashmir, British Kashmiri novelist and academic Nitasha Kaul said: “Parallels with Nazi Germany and the holocaust are very apt because the RSS in India is a nationwide paramilitary that is the ideological parent of the current ruling party. The RSS has vowed to turn India into a Hindu nation.”

Previously, the Indian government imposed a curfew in Kashmir to prevent people from coming out in the streets and protesting against the illegal occupation of the disputed

territory.

Member, House of Lords, Lord Nazir Ahmed and Kashmir Council Europe Chairman Ali Raza Syed also appealed to the international community to take notice of Indian atrocities and inhumane acts in Indian occupied Kashmir. Kashmir, British Kashmiri novelist and academic Nitasha Kaul said: “Parallels with Nazi Germany and the holocaust are very apt because the RSS in India is a nationwide paramilitary that is the ideological parent of the current ruling party. The RSS has vowed to turn India into a Hindu nation.”

Previously, the Indian government imposed a curfew in Kashmir to prevent people from coming out in the streets and protesting against the illegal occupation of the disputed territory.

Member, House of Lords, Lord Nazir Ahmed and Kashmir Council Europe Chairman Ali Raza Syed also appealed to the international community to take notice of Indian atrocities and inhumane acts in Indian occupied Kashmir.”Source:apnews.com

No Parler ? No problem, as more apps claim to allow ‘free speech’

Amazon removed Parler, a messaging app popular with supporters of US President Donald Trump, from its internet hosting service.

Big tech’s decision to ban the Parler app and block outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump is stoking support for alternative social networking sites and apps that bill themselves as promoting free speech and privacy.

Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. took the strongest action yet to address accusations that their platforms are being used to stoke conspiracy theories, misinformation and incite violence after a mob at a Trump rally broke into the U.S. Capitol last week. Right-wing users have felt maligned and moved to alternative sites like Parler, backed by Rebekah Mercer, the daughter of hedge fund investor Robert Mercer. A rush to the site late last year made Parler the top downloaded app following President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

Trump, who was banned permanently from Twitter, said he may build his own social platform. “We will not be SILENCED,” he said in a Twitter post from the official presidential account that has since been removed.

With Parler out of the game, here’s where users are going instead: for business and for what remained of their anemic social lives during the pandemic.

Until a couple of weeks ago, the nightly curfew didn’t kick in until 8 p.m. in Prat’s region, the Marne. Customers still stopped to buy bottles of his family’s bubbly wines on their way home, he said. But when the cut-off time was advanced to 6 p.m. to slow viral infections, the drinkers disappeared.

“Now we have no one,” Prat said.

The village where retiree Jerome Brunault lives alone in the Burgundy wine region is also in one of zones already shutting down at 6 p.m. The 67-year-old says his solitude weighs more heavily without the opportunity for early evening drinks, nibbles and chats with friends, the so-called “apero” get-togethers so beloved by the French that were hurried but still feasible when curfew started two hours

Gab.....Telegram....Rumble.....MeWe......

2nd1st

Created by Howly Inc., 2nd1st says it offers uncensored news and tells users on its app “we must not yield to advertisers or cancel culture.”

The app costs 9.99 pounds for a subscription in the U.K. Top posts on the app on Monday included mock-ups of Jesus standing behind President Trump, vague warnings about a revolution or history changing event tied to Trump and skepticism about requirements to wear masks to prevent Covid-19.

None of the companies listed here, aside from MeWe, responded to a request for comment. A representative for 2nd1st couldn’t be found and an email address for Gab’s press office appeared to be faulty. Source: aljazeera.com later.“With the 6 p.m. curfew, we cannot go to see friends for a drink anymore,” Brunault said. “I now spend my days not talking to anyone except for the baker and some people by phone.”

By extending the 6 p.m. curfew nationwide, for at least 15 days, the government aims to limit infections in the country that has seen over 69,000 known virus deaths. It also wants to slow the spread of a particularly contagious virus variant that has swept across neighbouring Britain, where new infections and virus deaths have soared.

An earlier curfew combats virus transmission “precisely because it serves to limit social interactions that people can have at the end of the day, for example in private homes,” French government spokesman Gabriel Attal says.

Source: ctvnews.ca

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Trump impeached after U.S. Capitol riot; historic second charge impeachment but appealed to his supporters to refrain from any further violence or disruption of Biden’s inauguration.“Like all of you, I was shocked and deeply saddened by the calamity at the Capitol last week,” he said, his first condemnation of the attack. He appealed for unity “to move forward” and said, “Mob violence goes against everything I believe in and everything our movement stands for. ... No true supporter of mine

could ever disrespect law enforcement.”

Trump was first impeached by the House in 2019 over his dealings with Ukraine, but the Senate voted in 2020 acquit. He is the first president to be impeached twice. None has been convicted by the Senate, but Republicans said Wednesday that could change in the rapidly shifting political environment as officeholders, donors, big business and others peel away from the defeated president... Source: ctvnews.ca

that it had evidence of money laundering by some other Pakistanis.

The prime minister discussed the issue during ‘zero hour’, after completing discussion on the agenda of the cabinet meeting, and in the presence of cabinet members only.“The cabinet formed an inter-ministerial committee, which will reveal details of the individuals mentioned in the Broadsheet scandal,” Information Minister Shibli Faraz said, adding that the premier had now decided to make the names public after thorough scru-

tiny of the available material.

Broadsheet saga Broadsheet LLC, a UK company that was registered in the Isle of Man in the Pervez Musharraf era, helped the then government and newly established National Accountability Bureau (NAB) track down foreign assets purchased by Pakistanis through alleged ill-gotten wealth.

Broadsheet claims that it was established to enter into an Asset Recovery Agreement dated June 20, 2000, and did so with the then president of Pakistan, through the NAB chairman, for the purposes of recovering funds and other assets fraudulently taken from the state and other institutions, including through corrupt practices, and held outside of Pakistan.

Broadsheet maintains that it was created to be a company specialising in the recovery of assets and funds, and was therefore engaged to trace, locate and transfer such items back to the state.

A lawyer associated with the company earlier told Dawn that the Sharifs were the “top target” of the Broadsheet investigation. Its

contract was terminated in 2003 by NAB. Earlier this week, the controversy took another turn after the firm’s owner alleged that a person who claimed to be associated with Nawaz approached him in 2012 and offered a sum of money to drop the probe against him.

Speaking to Dawn, Moussavi repeated the allegations. He said: “A gentleman named Anjum Dar purporting to be Nawaz Sharif ’s nephew turned up in 2012. I met him twice, once in Canterbury and then in London.” He said the individual offered him $25 million.

“He showed me a picture of him hugging Nawaz Sharif at home and sitting with him.

He produced a tape recording as well — it was in Urdu so I didn’t know what it was saying.”

In response to a question about whether he considered the offer, Moussavi said: “When we realised that he was basically offering some money for us to go away, my response was that any money being offered should come by way of lawyers in the arbitration.”

When asked why he did not report the development to authorities in the United Kingdom, or to the court-appointed arbitrator, he said: “I certainly discussed it with lawyers

but we decided not to take it up with the authorities.” Moussavi did not elaborate on why, but when asked who the gentleman is, he said to ask the Sharif family.

On the question of why the Sharifs or their representative would offer him a bribe in 2012, many years after his asset recovery contract with the government had ended in 2003, Moussavi said: “We were in arbitration and the arbitrator would have to probe into the whole issue. They didn’t want that to come up.”

Commenting on the development, Nawaz’s son, Hussain Nawaz, told Dawn: “This is absolutely not true. We have no relative named Anjum Dar. If an individual claiming such a thing had come to him [Moussavi], was it difficult for his investigative company to determine who he is before making such an allegation?”

He added: “Nawaz Sharif has two brothers and one sister and all their children’s names are in the public domain. Is Moussavi such a poor investigator that he wasn’t able to determine this simple fact even after nine years?”

Source: dawn.com

VANCOUVER -- With COVID-19 cases surging and ICU’s projected to be full by early February, Ontario will be under a stayat-home order beginning Thursday. While B.C. hasn’t seen the same post-Christmas surge as Ontario, Dr. Brian Conway with the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre says British Columbians can’t get complacent.

“It could potentially happen here, and that’s why we need to be ever more vigilant,” he said. “We’re good, but we’re not that far away from being not good, because Ontario was probably good not that long ago.”

In fact, B.C. had more active COVID-19 cases per capita than Ontario for the entire month of December. Conway doesn’t believe

the difference in cases and hospitalizations between B.C and Ontario since Christmas is all about behaviour. “I think it boils down to the fact that quite fortunately, we’ve not had as wide community-based transmission as a result of this behaviour as has been observed in Ontario,” said Conway. “That being said, it is possible, if we are not careful, we will wind up in the same situation.” Caroline Colijn, an infectious disease modeller at SFU agrees. “We shouldn’t get complacent, and I think that’s absolutely right,” she said. “We shouldn’t think we’re special.”

Both experts believe B.C. needs to ramp up testing, and they’re worried the recent surge in Ontario may be partly attributed to the

new U.K. variant of COVID-19.

“That did cause, in the U.K., a much steeper increase in cases than you would expect based on the measures in place. What we are seeing is Ontario in a steeper increase in cases than you would expect based on the measures that are in place,” said Colijn.

Ontario has reported 14 cases of the new variant and officials believe it could be spreading more widely in the community. If that happens in B.C., Colijn and Conway believe it may be hard to stop.“Lets not get cocky, let’s remain vigilant,” said Conway. While B.C’s COVID case

numbers and hospitalizations remain relatively stable, he said we should “congratulate ourselves on being where we are, and feel fortunate about it. But understand that it is our day-to-day behaviour that will maintain this good fortune.” Source: bc.ctvnews.ca

VANCOUVER -- British Columbia health officials say they’ve added a senior official to the province’s immunization response team to help with the program as it gets more complex.Dr. Penny Ballem will be the executive lead and work with the health minister and other officials to ensure the province is

ready for community immunization when the vaccine supply is more readily available in April.

So far, 63,430 people have received a COVID-19 vaccine in B.C. and officials say work is underway to align the available supply with a person’s level of risk. The province is

reporting 519 new cases of COVID-19 and 12 more deaths.

The total number of infections in B.C. stood at 59,072 on Wednesday with 1,031 fatalities.

Another 51,893 people have recovered from the virus.

Source: bc.ctvnews.ca

Continued from Page 1 imploring lawmakers to uphold their oath

to defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign “and domestic.”She said of Trump: “He must go, he is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love.” Holed up at the White House, watching the proceedings on TV, Trump later released a video statement in which he made no mention at all of the

Broadsheet revelations about ruling elite only ‘tip of the iceberg’: PM Imran Continued from Page 1

on our elites’ money laundering and on who stopped investigations,” he wrote.

A day earlier, the premier formed an i n t e r- m i n i s t e r i a l committee after Broadsheet LLC’s Kaveh Moussavi said his firm was influenced by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and others and

B.C. doctor says Ontario’s stay-at-home-order ‘could potentially happen here’

Immunization team expanded in B.C. to ensure smooth rollout of COVID-19 vaccine

Coronavirus infections over 93 million worldwide Coronavirus Cases:

Deaths:

Recovered:

66,835,146

Last updated:

January 15, 2021, 05:20 GMT www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/?

93,533,917

2,002,411

Coronavirus Cases:

Deaths:

Recovered:

CANADA Last updated:

Coronavirus Cases:

Deaths:

Recovered:

BC;CANADA Last updated:

688,891 59,608

17,538 1,038

593,398 52,605

January 15, 2021, 05:20 GMT

January 14, 2021, 04:30 PM (PT)

https://experience.arcgis.com

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1M vaccine doses to be delivered every week PM Trudeau wants to serve for ‘number of in next phase of COVID-19 immunizations: Fortin more years,’ rules out vaccine passports

OTTAWA -- When Canada enters Phase 2 of the national mass COVID-19 immunization effort in April, federal officials are planning to receive “more than” one million doses of approved vaccines every week, on average.

Maj-Gen. Dany Fortin, who is leading Canada’s logistical rollout and distribution of vaccines from the Public Health Agency of Canada, called the second part of the national vaccination campaign the “ramp-up” phase. This is when vaccinations of the general public are slated to begin, and right now it’s anticipated that 20 million doses will be delivered to Canada between April and June.

“The logistics planning team at the agency is working with federal, provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners to align forecasted vaccine availability with the immunization capacity in the provinces and territories,” Fortin said, adding that this includes making sure the cold-chain storage and other supplies like needles and bandages are available.

Fortin said he is “optimistic” that provinces and territories will be ready to vaccinate at scale when these larger batches of doses begin arriving, citing the thousands of healthcare professionals who have stepped up and are volunteering to help administer doses when the time comes.

Newsletter sign-up: Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox The Phase 1 rollout is continuing through February and March, pushing to properly allocate and prioritize key groups like residents and staff in long-term care homes as well as front-line health-care workers with the initial six million doses of the approved Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

In this first stage of the vaccine campaign,

Continued from Page 1

Canada has seen both doses sitting in freezers as well as provinces saying they are running short, while those on the front line have sought to sort out who should and shouldn’t be receiving shots at this time.

Noting the “disappointment” from some vaccination clinics that have already started scaling up but don’t have the supply of vaccines to sustain a higher rate of immunizations, Fortin said that “little wrinkles” like that will be ironed out before mass vaccinations begin.“We have been sharing data with provinces and territories, who of course, understandably want more vaccines as they ramp up their vaccination programs.The challenge is: we have limited quantities. We’ll have a significant big jump in the second quarter and we’ll be able to distribute much larger quantities and vaccinate at scale.”Fortin said additional planning documents about Phase 2 will be shared with the provinces and territories soon. “We continue to work with Public Services and Procurement Canada colleagues and with manufacturers to maximize the vaccine availability so that as many Canadians as possible can be safely immunized as rapidly as possible.” Source:ctvnews.ca

Syrian refugees celebrate fifth anniversary in Canada with virtual event

OTTAWA -- The organizer of a virtual celebration to mark the fifth anniversary of Canada’s welcoming Syrian refugees says Canadians’ support for the newcomers has been a beautiful example for the rest of the world.

In an interview with The Canadian Press, the executive director of the Syrian Canadian Foundation Bayan Khatib says thousands of Canadians have volunteered to help Syrian refugees in almost every city and town in Canada.

Khatib says she was sad the celebration wouldn’t happen in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But now she realizes it was a blessing, with almost 700 people from across

the country registered to attend online.

Khatib, who came as a Syrian refugee to Canada more than 30 years ago, says most of the Syrian refugees her organization has worked with have learned English and found jobs thanks to the support they received from their communities.

The first plane bearing Syrian refugees landed in Toronto on Dec. 10, 2015, following a promise by the Liberals during the 2015 election campaign to make it much easier for them to reach Canada.

Nearly 73,000 Syrian refugees have been resettled here since then.

Source: ctvnews.ca

OTTAWA, ON – Luc Berthold, Conservative Shadow Minister for Treasury Board, released the following statement regarding the scathing report from the Information Commissioner: “The Liberals have failed to be transparent with Canadians, especially during this pandemic.“The report released by the Information Commissioner shows that the access to information system was in a critical state before the pandemic. Now, it may be beyond repair. When it comes to

need to do better.

“Justin Trudeau has repeatedly promised that he would improve Canada’s access to information system. The reality is that he has failed to do so. This is just another example of the Liberals over promising and under delivering.

“The report also highlights a lack of leadership from the Trudeau government when it comes to the access to information system.

on Thursday.

The comments were the clearest signal he has given that his political ambitions are far from exhausted.

Trudeau came to power promising to focus on causes such as feminism and the environment. But he quickly found himself having to deal with issues such as how to handle U.S. President Donald Trump and then the pandemic.

He has come to rely heavily on Chrystia Freeland, a close ally, who now occupies the positions of both finance minister and deputy prime minister.

Liberal insiders say this would give her an advantage in a future leadership race.

Asked whether Freeland might one day become Liberal leader, Trudeau replied: “My responsibility is to bring around me the best possible team I can to serve Canadians ... I won’t speculate on what could happen years down the road.”

The Liberal government has spent more than C$200 billion in direct aid

to help people and businesses survive the pandemic and Trudeau reiterated Ottawa planned to spend another C$100 billion over the next few years to kick-start an economic recovery.

But he made clear he opposed a vaccine passport for people who had received inoculations, an idea already being developed in Denmark, saying it was fraught with challenges.

“I think the indications that the vast majority of Canadians are looking to be vaccinated will get us to a good place without having to take more extreme measures that could have real divisive impacts on community and country,” he said. Source:ctvnews.ca

Interprovincial travel ban? B.C. seeking legal advice, premier says

VICTORIA -- Premier John Horgan says he’s seeking legal advice to see if B.C. can stop Canadians from travelling to the province for non-essential reasons, as a measure to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Horgan said he’d had conversations with other premiers about reducing non-essential travel, as concerns are being raised from across the province. Yet, he noted, Canada’s Constitution allows free travel within the country.

It’s an issue that has been discussed both in B.C. and elsewhere for months, and Horgan said it’s time to find out whether provincial governments can act on it. ”I want to put this either to rest – so that British Columbians understand that we cannot do that, and we’re not going to do that – or there is a way to do it and we’re going to work with other provinces to achieve it,” he said at a media availability Thursday.

He said the province is Whistler’s mayor says the city isn’t drawing the visitors it has in the past, due to the pandemic.

“To be honest, there are very few people here,” Jack Crompton told CTV News.

Yet there have been concerns raised about

the number of out-of-province visitors to Whistler over the winter break.

Others have proposed a non-essential travel ban between Vancouver Island and other parts of the province.

“I don’t know who is in the lines – I’m staying with the message ‘Stay home, stay local,’” added Crompton.

Vail Resorts, the company that manages Whistler Blackcomb Resort, says mask measures are in place, capacity is limited and physical distancing is a must in local businesses.

A spokesperson said operations are in line with public health orders.

“It’s not our place to enforce that advisory.

We ask people to listen to the public health recommendations,” Marc Riddell said.

Maritime provinces were able to put a “bubble” in place to reduce travel in and out the region. But, Horgan pointed out, the population is smaller, and there are fewer ways to get in and out.

Horgan said a virtual cabinet retreat this weekend will speak to the issue, and he expects a decision next week.

Source: ctvnews.ca

Conservatives denounce lack of transparency from Trudeau government this important democratic tool, the Liberals It’s not surprising that there is a lack of leadership from the Liberals when it comes to transparency.

“Canada’s access to information regime needs an urgent fix. Improving this key tool will help improve our democracy. It will also help more Canadians have faith in our democratic systems. Conservatives will continue to push for more transparency from the Trudeau Liberals.”

Source: Office of Luc Berthold, M.P.

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Turkey urges ‘review’ of US sanction decision over S-400s

called on the upcoming Biden administration in the United States to engage in a dialogue with Ankara and to review a decision to sanction the country over its purchase of an advanced Russian air missile defence system.

“We are saying let’s not break things up in this way. Let’s sit down and talk and find a solution,” Akar said on Wednesday.

That request comes even though Washington has made clear that there can be no waiver of the sanctions until Ankara disposes of the Russian technology.

Speaking to reporters late on Wednesday, Akar would not be drawn into a question on Sanctions deepened a rift between the two whether Turkey would consider disposing of NATO allies which have been at odds over a the Russian S-400 system amid US pressure. variety of issues.

But he said he was hopeful that a solution Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar has can be found “through common sense be-

fore coming to that point”.

“It is a very problematic situation to turn back from the point we have come to. We invite [the US] to distance themselves from threatening language such as sanctions,” Akar told journalists in Ankara.

“We want the solution of problems through dialogue. If the US side wants a solution, a solution could be found with work on the technical level,” he said.

Second consignment of the S-400s?

Akar also said talks with Russia on acquiring a second consignment of the S-400 were continuing.

Ties between the two allies took a turn for the worse when in April 2017, Turkey signed a contract with Russia to acquire the stateof-the-art missile shield after its protracted

efforts to buy an air defence system from the US proved futile.

US officials have voiced opposition to the contract, claiming it would be incompatible with NATO systems and would expose F-35 jets to possible Russian subterfuge.

Washington had previously kicked Ankara out of its F-35 stealth jet programme, saying their use alongside the Russian technology would jeopardise the safety of the fighter jets. In mid-December, the US sanctioned four Turkish officials under a law known as CAATSA, which is aimed at pushing back on Russian influence. The sanctions, which also included a ban on export licences to Turkey’s Presidency of Defense Industries, were the first time the law was used to punish a NATO ally. Source: aljazeera.com

UN, ICRC warn of famine over Houthis’ ‘terrorists’ designation

US designation of Yemen’s Houthi rebels as ‘terrorists’ may also impede the flow of muchneeded aid, agencies say.

The United Nations humanitarian chief has urged the United States to reverse its decision to declare Yemen’s Houthi rebels a “terrorist” group, warning the designation will likely lead to “large-scale famine on a scale that we have not seen for nearly 40 years”.

Mark Lowcock made the appeal in a speech to the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday.

On Sunday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared the Iranian-backed Houthis a “foreign terrorist organisation” and said the designation will take effect on Janu-

ary 19, President Donald Trump’s last full day in office before Joe Biden is inaugurated as president.

Aid organisations and senior Republicans also warned the move could have a devastating humanitarian effect on the conflictwracked nation facing the risk of famine.

Lowcock said data show that 16 million of Yemen’s 30 million people will go hungry this year.

“Already, about 50,000 people are essentially starving to death in what is essentially a small famine,” he said. “Another five million are just one step behind them.” Stressing the “terrorist” designation has companies pulling back from dealing with Yemenis, Low-

cock warned famine will not be prevented by the licenses the US has said it will introduce so some humanitarian aid and imports can continue to reach Yemen.

“What would prevent it? A reversal of the decision,” Lowcock said, adding that Yemen imports 90 percent of its food, nearly all purchased through commercial channels, so aid shipments cannot be enough to stave off hunger.

“Aid agencies give people vouchers or cash to buy commercially imported food in the market. Aid agencies cannot – they simply cannot – replace the commercial import system,” he said.

Source:aljazeera.com

PM Netanyahu orders advancement of plans to build 800 homes for Jewish settlers in last days of Trump’s presidency.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered that plans be advanced to construct approximately 800 homes for illegal Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.

Monday’s announcement comes just days before the January 20 inauguration of Joe Bide who, unlike Donald Trump, has been critical of Israeli settlement policies in the past.“The prime minister ordered the advancement of construction of hundreds of homes in Judea and Samaria,” the statement issued by Netanyahu’s office said, using the Biblical names for the occupied West Bank.

Monday’s statement said the 800 units would

be built in the settlements of Beit El, Tal Menashe, Rehelim, Shavei Shomron, Barkan, Karnei Shomron and Givat Zeev, but gave no starting date for construction.

Under international law, settlements are considered illegal.

Palestinian officials and much of the international community view them as the main obstacle to a viable two-state solution.

How to Handle Increased Customer Demand as You Reopen Get our guide on handling more customer demand and running your business smoothly.

The Palestinian Authority’s foreign ministry condemned the latest announcement, accusing Israel of “racing against time” to build settlements before Trump leaves office.

Jordan’s foreign minister Ayman Safadi said the announcement of Israel’s settlement plans “does not create the environment conducive to the resumption of negotiations that are the only path to a two-state solution”.

In a joint statement along with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Germany and France, Safadi called for Israel to “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities, including in [occupied] East Jerusalem”.

Trump, a staunch ally of Netanyahu, took a series of measures since taking office in January 2017 that have been criticised as “racist” and “discriminatory” against the Palestinian people.

His administration gave unprecedented US support to settler groups, highlighted by a

Israel announces new illegal settler homes in occupied West Bank

Namosimalua’s contract not renewed

Fiji’s Constitutional Offices Commission did not renew Viniana Namosimalua’s contract who acted as the acting secretary general to Parliament.

In a statement, the Commission has decided to re-advertise the position of the Secretary-General to Parliament.

President Jioji Konrote acting on the advice of the Consti-

tutional Offices Commission has appointed the Deputy Secretary-General, Jeanette Emberson, to act as the SecretaryGeneral to Parliament until a substantive appointment is made.

Ms Emberson’s acting appointment is effective from January 12, 2021.

Source:fijitimes.com

declaration from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in 2019 that Washington no longer viewed settlements as being in violation of international law. .Source: aljazeera.com

Syrian businessmen linked to firm that bought Beirut explosives

One of the businessmen had previously been accused of trying to procure ammonium nitrate for the Syrian government.

Beirut, Lebanon – Three Syrian businessmen with close ties to the Syrian government have been linked to the company that bought the explosive material that entered Beirut’s port in 2013 and fuelled a massive explosion in August that devastated parts of the Lebanese capital.

The Syrian businessmen, George Haswani and brothers Imad and Mudalal Khuri, are also Russian citizens, according to UK government website Companies House and media reports.

Open-source information on the UK website – first aired

by Lebanese documentary filmmaker Firas Hatoum on local news channel Al Jadeed on Tuesday – shows that companies formerly directed by Haswani and Imad Khuri have the same stated addresses as Savaro Limited, the company that purchased 2,750 tonnes of highly explosive ammonium nitrate in July 2013, four months before it entered Beirut’s port.

Savaro also lists as a “secretary”, or board member tasked with ensuring the smooth running of the company, a firm that provided the same service to a company directed by Imad Khuri – establishing a further link between the businessmen and the company that procured the ammonium nitrate.

All three men have been sanctioned by the United States for allegedly aiding and providing services to the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. They could not be contacted for comment.

In a November 2015 statement announcing sanctions on Mudalal Khuri, the US Treasury said he had, among other things, served as an intermediary for al-Assad’s government “on an attempted procurement of ammonium nitrate in late 2013” – the same period when the ammonium nitrate entered Beirut. Source: aljazeera.com

10

Jamadi ul II 2,1442 Jan 15, 2021

global

The dark side of Israel’s vaccine success story

By: Yara Hawari

I

srael is refusing to provide the vaccine to the millions of Palestinians it is forcefully ruling over.

On Dec 19, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on live television. This kicked off a high-paced national vaccination campaign that has seen more than a million Israelis, some 12 percent of the country’s population, receive the jab in less than two weeks – the highest rate in the world.

Multiple factors paved the way for Israel to take the lead in the global vaccination race.

Being a relatively small country – both by land area and population – certainly helped.

Having a digitised national healthcare system which requires all citizens to be registered also contributed. Moreover, unlike other states, the Israeli government did not hesitate to recruit the army to help with the administration and distribution of the vaccine. There is also a political dimension to the fast roll out – Netanyahu is fighting for political survival and winning the vaccine race might tip the balance in his favour in the upcoming March elections.

But there is a dark side to Israel’s “vaccine success story”: While it is immunising its citizens against COVID-19 at an unrivalled rate, the Israeli government is not doing anything to vaccinate millions of Palestinians living under its military occupation. In a cruel irony, hundreds of doses on the cusp of expiration were reportedly thrown away in Israeli clinics last week, while millions of Palestinians are being denied the vaccine.

Indeed, while the vaccine roll-out in Israel includes the Palestinian citizens of Israel, it does not include some five million Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza.

Since 1967, these two Palestinian territories have been under Israel’s military occupation, with the latter also suffering from a blockade since 2007.

Among many things, this regime of absolute control has had a direct and detrimental effect not only on Palestinians’ access to healthcare but also the quality of the care on offer in the West Bank and Gaza..

Israel’s occupation has left the Palestinian healthcare system undersupplied and with insufficient medical facilities. For years, rather than being allowed to develop self-suffi-

ciency, Palestinians living in the occupied territories were forced to rely on outside help to meet their most basic healthcare needs.

Thus, when COVID-19 hit, the Palestinian authorities were in no shape to implement effective pandemic mitigation strategies or procure the necessary medications and vaccines to protect Palestinians.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) is yet to secure a sufficient quantity of vaccinations to immunise the Palestinian population against COVID-19. And due to its dire financial situation, it will need significant outside help to make any substantial purchase.

Several PA officials have mentioned the possibility of obtaining a quantity from the COVAX programme, the WHO-led scheme to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to poorer countries. But it is likely this will take a long time – the vaccines intended for COVAX have not yet gained “emergency use” approval by the WHO, a precondition for distribution to begin.

In early December, the PA also claimed it reached a deal with Russia to receive some four million doses of its Sputnik V vaccine in the coming weeks. However, Russian officials recently notified the PA they do not yet have enough supplies to fulfil non-domestic orders.

All this would not have mattered, if Israel met its legal, moral and humanitarian obligation to vaccinate the Palestinians living under its military occupation.

The Israeli officials are trying to evade responsibility by claiming the PA is yet to ask Israel for assistance in procuring the vaccine, and that, under the Oslo accords which never came to fruition, all vaccination programmes in the West Bank should be led by the PA. Yet this ignores the fact that Article 56 of the Fourth Geneva Convention specifically provides that an occupier has the duty of ensuring “the adoption and application of the prophylactic and preventive measures necessary to combat the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics”. In other words, the Israeli regime has a legal obligation to procure a sufficient amount of COVID-19 vaccines for Palestinians living under its military occupation.

Furthermore, both Israeli and international law ban Israel from allowing the distribution of a vaccine in Gaza and the West Bank

that it has not approved for its own population. So, Israel is not only responsible for vaccinating Palestinians living in the occupied territories, but it also has a legal obligation to ensure the vaccines they eventually receive meet the approval criteria of the Israeli healthcare system.

Since the beginning of this unprecedented global public health emergency, however, Israel not only refused to live up to its clearly defined legal obligations to the Palestinian people but also created a false picture in which it is working with the PA to defeat the virus.

In March last year, for example, when it “allowed” the entry of medical supplies and equipment into Gaza, Israel received praise from the likes of the UN for “cooperating” with the Palestinians with regard to tackling COVID-19.

In effect, the Israeli regime, which singlehandedly depleted the capabilities of the Palestinian healthcare system through its decades-long military occupation, was being praised for allowing a few medical supplies donated by international actors to be transported into Gaza. This, despite its responsibility under international law as an occupying power to provide the supplies itself.

Creating the impression that Israel is helping the Palestinians in good faith to tackle the virus while keeping them under occupation, was a remarkable achievement of the Israeli propaganda machine. But this is not surprising considering that Israel had hid the violence of its regime with such illusions for decades.

Indeed, Israel is often praised by the international community and media for letting the odd Palestinian patient from Gaza receive treatment in Tel Aviv hospitals. In these “feel good” stories, however, the real reason why Palestinians need to go to Israel to receive treatment is seldom mentioned: The crippling military siege that prevents local hospitals from obtaining the necessary equipment and supplies to provide treatment themselves.

No doubt, whenever the PA succeeds in securing a vaccine shipment, this achievement will once again be presented to the interna

By: Christy Somos , CTVNews.ca Writer TORONTO -- Canada welcomed 341,000 new immigrants in 2019, and continued to accept high levels of new immigrants at the beginning of last year, but those efforts and the immigration

system were completely derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Statistics Canada report said that Canada’s population “essentially stopped” due to COVID-19, increasing by just 2,767 from July 1, 2020 to Oct. 1 2020

us from spreading the virus.

Experts expect mask mandates, limits on gatherings, and physical distancing measures to continue even as more of us get vaccinated, at least through part of 2021.

“Until we get to a level of herd immunity where we have around 70 per cent of our population vaccinated worldwide, there’s going to be that question of transmission,” said Jason Kindrachuk, a virologist with the University of Manitoba. “And that’s certainly a concern for us.”

Both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, the two vaccines currently approved for use in Canada, were shown in clinical trials to have a 95 per cent efficacy in preventing severe infection from the virus that causes

COVID-19. And while Moderna has some evidence suggesting it also decreases transmission, more data is needed.

Some vaccines, like the one for HPV, offer complete protection from infection and transmission, while others like the flu shot primarily work against acquiring the virus and lessening the severity of symptoms.

Kindrachuk says part of the reason for that is the way our immune systems respond to different vaccines.

The COVID vaccine seems to effectively produce neutralizing antibodies, he says, “but not necessarily enough to stop the virus from potentially getting into some of our cells.”

Dr. Sumon Chakrabarti, an infectious dis-

tional community as a sign of “great coordination” between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Indeed, to deliver the vaccines to the Palestinians living in occupied territories, the PA will need to coordinate with the Israeli regime, which maintains full control over everything going in and out of the West Bank and Gaza. Hence, when and if the Israelis “allow” the vaccines to be delivered to the Palestinians, they will likely be hailed by many in the international community for “cooperating” and “coordinating” with the Palestinians.

The Palestinians, of course, are not the only ones who were practically kicked out of the vaccine race even before it started. Most countries in the Global South have also been left out of the race, with most of the vaccine doses that will be available in the shortterm being allocated to rich nations that have the funds, and the political might, to buy them. But Israel’s military occupation, and unrivalled control over the Palestinian population, makes the challenge facing the authorities in the West Bank and Gaza especially formidable.

Places like the occupied territories, where the health infrastructure is weak and it is difficult to maintain basic social distancing or hygiene requirements, should be prioritised in vaccination efforts. And yet, because of prevailing structures of oppression, they won’t be.

So as the world watches Israel’s speedy vaccination program in awe, it must not ignore the bigger picture – that the Israeli regime is refusing to provide the vaccine to the millions of people it is forcefully ruling over.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

Source: aljazeera.com

‘Very difficult’ to meet Canada’s immigration targets after pandemic drop: immigration lawyer

– virtually zero per cent. In October of 2020, Canada only welcomed approximately 15,000 new immigrants, less than half of the number of people welcomed in October 2019. Source: .ctvnews.ca

Socializing after the vaccine: Experts say shot won’t offer ‘free pass’ right away The arrival of COVID vaccines have stirred excitement and optimism for a swift end to the global pandemic, with some seeing the shot as a “free pass” to soon gather and socialize as they did pre-2020.

Not so fast, experts say.

Canada’s first phase of vaccine rollout - targeting front-line health-care workers, longterm care residents and staff, and some Indigenous populations - began last month and is expected to stretch into March before the inoculation process is opened to a broader population this spring. While experts agree the end of the pandemic is in sight, they say it will take time to determine what level of protection the new vaccines actually provide - and whether they prevent

ease physician in Mississauga, Ont., says answers to the transmission question will only come as “large swathes of the population” start getting vaccinated worldwide..............

Source: ctvnews.ca

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us p o l itics

Explainer: What does impeachment mean for Trump’s future?

U

nited States President Donald Trump has been impeached by the House days before leaving office, becoming the first American president to be impeached twice.

The previous three impeachments — those of Presidents Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton and Trump — took months before a final vote, including investigations in the House and hearings. This time it only took a week after Trump encouraged a crowd of his supporters who attacked the US Capitol.

Democrats and 10 Republicans voted to impeach Trump on one charge: incitement of insurrection. Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the Senate will not begin a trial until next Tuesday, at the very earliest, which is the day before Democrat Joe Biden is sworn in as president. It’s unclear, for now, exactly how that trial will proceed and if any Senate Republicans will vote to convict Trump. Even though the trial won’t happen until Trump is already out of office, it could still have the effect of preventing him from running for president again.

A look at the next steps: Sending to the Senate Once the House votes to impeach, the speaker of the House can send the article or articles over to the Senate immediately — or she can wait a while. Speaker Nancy Pelosi hasn’t yet said when she will send them, but many Democrats in her caucus have urged her to do so immediately.

Pelosi has already appointed nine impeachment managers to argue the case against Trump in a Senate trial, a sign that she will send them sooner rather than later.

Once the articles are sent over — that is usually done with an official walk from the House to the Senate — then the majority leader of the Senate must start the process of having a trial.

The Senate schedule The Senate is not scheduled to be in session until Jan 19, which could be McConnell’s last day as Senate leader. Once Vice President Kamala Harris is sworn in, making her

the president of the Senate, and Georgia’s two Democratic senators are also sworn in, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer will take charge and determine how the trial will proceed.

McConnell said he will not bring the Senate back on an emergency basis to start the trial, so the earliest it could begin would be on Tuesday. That means the trial is certain to take place after Trump has already left office.

McConnell noted that the three previous Senate trials lasted “83 days, 37 days, and 21 days respectively”.

All eyes on McConnell McConnell believes that Trump committed impeachable offenses and considers the Democrats’ impeachment drive an opportunity to reduce the divisive, chaotic president’s hold on the GOP, a Republican strategist told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

And McConnell told major donors over the weekend that he was through with Trump, said the strategist, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe McConnell’s conversations. His wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, resigned from Trump’s Cabinet soon after the riots.

But despite sending signals, McConnell has been characteristically quiet in public. In a note to colleagues Wednesday released by his office, McConnell said he had “not made a final decision on how I will vote”.

Senate politics If McConnell voted to convict, other Republicans would surely follow. But no GOP senators have said how they will vote, and two-thirds of the Senate is needed.

Still, some Republicans have told Trump to resign, including Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey and Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, and few are defending him.

Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska has said he would take a look at what the House approves but stopped short of committing to support it.

Other Republicans have said that impeachment would be divisive. South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, long a key ally of the president, has been critical of his behaviour in inciting the riots but said impeachment “will do far more harm than good”.

Utah Senator Mitt Romney was the only Republican to vote to convict Trump in last year’s impeachment trial, after the House impeached Trump over his dealings with the president of Ukraine.

In the House, 10 Republicans joined Democrats in voting to impeach Trump, includ-

ing Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney, the third-ranking Republican. Every single House Republican voted against Trump’s first impeachment in 2019.

Trump’s future If the Senate were to convict, lawmakers could then take a separate vote on whether to disqualify Trump from holding future office.

Schumer said on Wednesday: “Make no mistake, there will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate; there will be a vote on convicting the president for high crimes and misdemeanours; and if the president is convicted, there will be a vote on barring him from running again.”

In the case of federal judges who were impeached and removed from office, the Senate has taken a second vote after conviction to determine whether to bar the person from ever holding federal office again.

Only a majority of senators would be needed to ban him from future office, unlike the two-thirds needed to convict.

Different charges, different impeachment This impeachment trial is likely to differ from the last one in many ways.

The House charges in 2019 on Trump’s dealings with the president of Ukraine, whom he urged to investigate Biden, came after a lengthy investigation and testimony from multiple government officials. While Democrats unanimously criticised the conduct and charged Trump with abuse of power, the charges wove together a complicated web of evidence.

In this Jan 6 photo, Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington. — AP This time, Democrats felt there was little need for an investigation — the invasion of the Capitol played out on live television, and most members of Congress were in the building as it happened.

Trump’s speech beforehand, in which he told his supporters to “fight like hell” against the election results, was also televised as Congress prepared to officially count the votes.

House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff, who led the last House impeachment team, said the insurrection at the Capitol was an “impeachable offence committed in broad daylight, in which the whole country was a witness”.

He said the lightning-fast impeachment “was required by the exigency of the circumstances, and also made possible by the very nature of the crime”.

Trump’s defence Trump is likely to argue at trial that his re-

marks were free speech protected by the US constitution’s First Amendment and that, while he told supporters to “fight”, he did not intend it as a literal call to violence.

Trump released a videotaped statement on Wednesday, shortly after the impeachment vote, saying he condemned last week’s violence.

“Violence and vandalism have absolutely no place in our country and no place in our movement,” Trump said.

Challenging disqualification Brian Kalt, a law professor at Michigan State University, said it was certainly possible that Trump could challenge a disqualification in court.

A Supreme Court case from 1993 makes clear that the court is wary of second-guessing how the Senate handles impeachment.

In that case, involving an accused judge, the court said whether the Senate had properly tried an impeachment was a political question and could not be litigated.

If Trump is disqualified, the current Supreme Court might want to clarify whether the move was lawful, Kalt said.

Trump appointed three of the Supreme Court’s nine members: Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and most recently Amy Coney Barrett. The court now has a six-judge conservative majority.

“If you are going to say someone can’t run, you want to get that litigated and settled sooner rather than later,” Kalt said.

Impeachment article The four-page article of impeachment says that Trump “gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government”.

It was introduced by Democratic Reps David Cicilline of Rhode Island, Ted Lieu of California and Jamie Raskin of Maryland, all of whom have been tapped to serve as impeachment managers in the Senate trial.

The article says Trump’s behaviour is consistent with his prior efforts to “subvert and obstruct” the results of the election and references his recent call with the Georgia secretary of state, in which he said he wanted him to find him more votes after losing the state to Biden.

Trump has falsely claimed there was widespread fraud in the election, and the baseless claims have been repeatedly echoed by congressional Republicans and the insurgents who descended on the Capitol.

As the protesters broke in, both chambers were debating GOP challenges to the electoral vote count in Arizona as part of the process for certifying Biden’s election win.

Source: dawn.com

Fraser Health Mental Health & Substance Use

Recovery Centred Clinical System Virtual Summit

Fraser Health and the Mental Health Commission of Canada invite you to a virtual gathering with Dr. Ian Dawe. Sessions will include time to share perspectives and discuss ideas for next steps in small group dialogues on important areas of mental health and substance use services.

Who: For service providers, persons with lived experience, families, psychiatrists, physicians, leaders 1.

2.

1.

2.

Thursday Jan. 21, 2020; 9:00-12:00 How can staff and clients/families collaborate in situations of disagreement or risk?

How can we respond to the overdose crisis in a recovery-oriented way?

Register for this session here Thursday Jan. 28, 2020; 9:00-12:00 How can we collaborate with other first-responders (eg police, ambulance, etc.) to provide recovery-oriented approaches?

How is the movement to more virtual care impacting your experience of service (i.e. connecting with family, clinicians, clients, etc.)?

Register for this session here

12

Jamadi ul II 2,1442 Jan 15, 2021

DEWAN-E-KHASS Proudly presented to Harman Singh

Presented by Siraj & Alexa of Dewan -E-Khass

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13

Jamadi ul II 2,1442 Jan 15, 2021

women / L I F E S T Y L E & C U L T U R E

How to effectively work from home?

By: Asma Shums, ince the pandemic, it is now a norm to work from home.

At home there are many distractions, less accountability, and less communication than when you’re working in the office. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t still be productive. There are lots of ways to keep yourself working productively from any location.

One of the most important working from

S

home tips is to keep your work life and personal life compartmentalized as it helps you stay productive while you’re at work, and it reduces stress when you aren’t. In the same way that you set your work hours, schedule, communicate, and plan when you will not be available to work.

For example, if you like to take evenings to spend time with family, make sure you communicate that you won’t be checking emails after a certain time. And then hold yourself to that commitment!

Even if you won’t be interacting with another person all day, it’s important to dress for success. This includes showering and brushing your teeth! Sweatpants and a T-shirt might

be more comfortable, but you may also feel sluggish, sleepy, or unmotivated.

It’s also a good opportunity to give a new outfit a test drive—risk free!

If you have a hard time motivating yourself to get ready in the morning, try laying out your outfit the night before, or planning an outing during the day so that you have to get dressed.

When you’re starting to learn how to work from home, it might be tempting to work from your couch, easy-chair, or even from your bed, but this could take a huge toll on your productivity. One of the best working from home tips I can give you is to try to always work from a consistent room, desk, or

chair to tell your brain that it’s time for work, not relaxation.

When you do this, your brain will associate your bed with sleep, your couch with relaxation, and your desk with work, helping shift your energy levels accordingly.

Email info at: asmashums@gmail.com

What do you say to your friends on New New Year? I just got used to this last one!

Year’s Eve?I haven’t seen you since last year.

Tips to prevent a leading cause of house fires in the kitchen

S

urrey, BC – Cooking fires are one of the leading causes of residential fires– mostly from leaving food unattended and from grease fires. Accidents will happen but there are ways you can reduce your risk of having a cooking fire in your home. These tips should be discussed with all members in your household to keep everyone safe.

• Stay in the kitchen when cooking with open pans and pots.

• Turn the stove off if you must leave the room for more than a few minutes. Unattended cooking resulting in a fire is often a result of simple forgetfulness.

• Check food regularly and use a timer to remind you when your food is cooked.

• Never store items in the oven or on the stove top.

It may seem convenient but if the oven or stovetop is accidently turned on, a fire will occur.

• Never pour water on a grease fire, it will only

cause the fire to spread. A grease fire can be extinguished smothering it with a lid.

• Keep barbeques away from the side of the house and be aware of any material directly above the barbeque which can ignite if exposed to direct flame and heat. The Surrey Fire Service HomeSafe program can assist with identifying the fire risks in your home. For more information, go to www.surrey.ca/homesafe and book a visit.

Source: Shelley Morris Assistant Chief

5 questions you must ask to find your why, pursue your passion, and unleash your deepest motivations

W

Written By: Participaction e all crave meaning in our lives.

We want our words and deeds to be part of a greater purpose. We want what we do to matter—to ourselves, to our friends, and to the world.

But it’s also easy to forget about the meaning and purpose behind our actions. To live life on the surface. To pursue superficial things for superficial reasons.

Somehow or another, it can be altogether too easy to lose our way and forget why we care.

This article is about finding that reason again, because that’s a big part of making change last.

You have to deeply and truly care. It has to mean something to you. Not just on the surface, but deep down.

5 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

1. ASK WHY FIVE TIMES. You want to start running. You want to exercise regularly. You want to lose weight and feel great.

But why? Why is this goal important to you?

Why does it matter?

A good exercise is to insert your goal and your reason into the following sentence: I want to _______________ because _____________.

For example, I want to run a 10k because it will help me get into shape.

Then, insert the reason into the first part of the sentence and repeat the process over and over again. For example: I want to get into shape because I don’t have enough energy to be productive at work.

I want to be productive at work because it’s important to provide for my family.

I want to provide for my family because being a great parent is rewarding.

I want to be an amazing parent because I believe it’s part of leading a good life.

Now we’re getting somewhere. Suddenly, your

goal of running a race isn’t just about getting into shape. It’s about progressing in your career, providing for your family, and living a life you’re proud of.

Get beneath the surface. Keep asking why.

Why does this matter? Why is this important?

Why now?

The deeper you dig, the more you’ll learn about yourself and about what really matters to you.

And maybe that will end up being something entirely unrelated to exercise or physical activity. That’s okay. For a lot of people, exercise is just a stepping stone, a thing that gives them the energy and motivation they need to pursue other passions.

The point is to figure out what those are. Because maybe getting active is really all about being in the right headspace to write a YA novel, or running your own business, or having a bigger impact at work. Maybe it’s about spending more quality time with your family, or deepening your friendships, or going on more adventures.

Figure out why you want to move. Dig deep and discover what this is really all about.

Because unlike motivation, those things tend not to waver. They remain constant. They’re always there. And the more in touch you are with those motivations, the more consistently motivated you’ll feel on a daily basis.

2. WHAT GETS YOU OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING AND WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT? WHAT EXCITES YOU? Focusing on what excites you is great life advice in general, but also applies to physical activity resolutions in particular.

If you’re not excited about what you’re doing, it’s going to be hard to stick with it. Eventually your enthusiasm will fade, your motivation will disappear, and your willpower will run out.

Instead of focusing on things you think you should do in 2019, ask yourself, what do you want to do? What would you be excited about doing? What is going to be fun and bring you joy?

Maybe instead of a new gym membership, it’s enrolling in a dance class. Maybe it’s running on trails, instead of treadmills. Whatever it is, make it something that excites you. That way you won’t be relying on willpower or motivation. You’ll be doing something you actually want to do.

3. WHAT SENTENCE WILL COME TO DEFINE YOUR LIFE? We all want to do it all. At times, our hopes and dreams know no bounds.

But the problem with wanting to do it all is that we end up lacking focus and fail to set priorities.

The classic example, which Daniel Pink mentions in Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, is US Presidents. Abraham Lincoln’s sentence: He preserved the union and freed the slaves. Franklin Roosevelt’s: He lifted the US out of the Great Depression and helped them win a world war. They focused on the one or two big things that would come to define their presidency.

The point for the rest of us is that focus is essential. If we try to do it all, we often end up accomplishing nothing.

So, think about what you want your life-defining sentence to be. What would you like to be remembered for?

Maybe it’s about raising two good kids and volunteering for a cause you care about. It could be about being an artist who creates beautiful things that make people’s lives a little more fun. It could be about starting a thriving business that solves a pressing problem.

This will help when it comes to your physical activity goals because the sentence becomes your motivation. No matter what you want your life to be about, no matter what you want to accomplish, leading an active life will help.

To write a great sentence, you’ll need energy and optimism. You’ll need to maintain good mental and physical health. You’ll need to be active.

Try writing your sentence, and your reason for moving more will become obvious.

4. WHAT WILL PEOPLE SAY AT YOUR 80TH BIRTHDAY PARTY? This is a common personal development exercise because it once again helps you put your life into perspective and really figure out what you want to accomplish and how you want to be remembered.

So, go through the exercise. Really try to imagine your 80th birthday party. Who would be there? What would you be doing? What will you have accomplished? Create a picture of what you want this to look like.

Will you still be in good health? Will you have lived a life of action? Of setting goals and working toward them? Will you be someone who obviously lived life to the fullest? Who took advantage of every opportunity that came their way? Who relentlessly pursued a life of passion and purpose?

Because most likely, you’ll want the answer to be a resounding YES. You’ll want to be able to say that for eight full decades, you absolutely crushed it. You made the most of every day.

You accomplished big things. You lived a life without regret.

Take a snapshot of that picture, remember that feeling, and then use it as fuel. Because it’s not just going to happen. You’re not just going to magically wake up at your 80th birthday party having accomplished all these things. That requires years of hard work and dedication and persistence. It’s on you to make it happen. To take charge and make change today.

5. WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE? Often, it’s not reaching our goals that matters, but who we become in the process.

It’s not just finishing the marathon that matters, it’s the work you put in to get there. It’s about becoming more self-disciplined, dedicated and determined. It’s about becoming a person who makes a plan and sees it through.

Our actions define us. And being active is one of those actions.

It’s an action all of us must take. It’s an essential step on the path to becoming who we want to be.

In 2021, don’t just ask yourself what you want to do. Ask yourself, “Who do I want to become?”

Then, act accordingly.

Source: participaction.com

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Jan 15, 2021

International Statistic of the Year: Race for a COVID-19 vaccine

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cientists in China published the complete genetic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 on Jan. 10, 2020. On Dec. 8, 2020, health officials in London began administering an effective coronavirus vaccine to the public. The global scientific community successfully developed a COVID-19 vaccine in just 332 days.

I am a statistician, and this year I was on the judging panel for the Royal Statistical Society’s International Statistic of the Year. Much like Oxford English Dictionary’s “Word of the Year” competition, we choose one statistic that is meant to capture the zeitgeist of the year.

The statistic 332 days was the clear, standout winner. After a year of terrible tragedy, economic hardship and sorrow, this number represents an unparalleled collaboration in the history of medicine that gives hope for a return to normality in 2021.

A researcher working with vials of COVID-19 in a lab.

Vaccine development normally takes around 10 years. AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File

a vaccine. Prior to this year, the fastest vaccine development was for the mumps vaccine. That took four years.

In April 2020, The New York Times played out multiple scenarios with vaccine experts as to how long it would take to get a SARSCoV-2 vaccine. Under normal circumstances, experts estimated, a vaccine would be ready by November 2033.

Fastest vaccine development ever So how is it possible that researchers got a In 1981, researchers established the link be- vaccine to market in just 332 days? tween human papillomavirus and cervical Government financial investment cancer, a disease that still causes hundreds A number of things helped to get this vacof thousands of deaths per year worldwide. cine done fast, including international colBut it wasn’t until 2006, over 25 years later, laboration of unseen proportions, an expethat the first HPV vaccine was developed in dited trial phase process and the biology of the U.S. the virus itself. In addition to these efforts, On average, it takes over 10 years to develop

one very important reason for the incredible speed was the huge amount of investment made by governments at the very beginning of the pandemic.

Usually, pharmaceutical companies have limited resources they are willing to spend on vaccine development, and usually, governments are not willing to sink endless money into a process that they aren’t sure is going to work.

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the entire playbook to the wind. As of writing this, 641 therapies and 189 vaccines related to COVID-19 are under development, most of which are government-funded.

The U.S. government invested in multiple vaccines with the understanding that some

Colin Furness, an epidemiologist teaching at the University of Toronto, said testing a vaccine out on adults first is common procedure. “You don’t test on children right away, and this is true for a lot of medications,” he said.

“I wouldn’t expect any of the new vaccines to … have been tested on kids.”

Children are considered a vulnerable population, and Furness said it’s important to ensure the safety of a vaccine before subjecting kids to it.

Testing on children was more time-consuming and therefore more expensive, he explained, adding that ethics review boards are also “very cautious about enrolling vulnerable populations into these sorts of trials.”

Next, Furness said vaccine developers will be monitoring the reaction to their vaccines closely as doses roll out around the world, engaging in a so-called phase four.

“Once you’ve established safety in phase four, then you can circle back and say, ‘OK, now it’s time to start on kids,’” he said.

ing hope that the country will be able to begin transitioning back to some semblance of normal after a pandemic that has killed more than 1.7 million worldwide people so far.

Here’s what we know about the vaccine’s doses, side effects and ingredients.

of them wouldn’t work, but with the hope that a few would. Under Operation Warp Speed, the U.S. government quickly pledged almost US$9 billion to fund vaccine development and production. Moderna – whose vaccine is expected to become the second authorized for U.S. use after Pfizer’s, received a little under $1 billion of federal funding, with a further $1.5 billion for 100 million doses. While this number alone is not surprising – vaccines tend to cost between $521 million and $2.1 billion to develop – this was just one of many expensive projects.

Funding from governments and private donors also went toward building manufacturing facilities with the assumption that a vaccine was imminent and the usual regulatory hurdles would be passed quickly. For example, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation helped fund seven factories back in April, even though only one or two of the factories will actually be used.

This influx of money into multiple vaccines and early preparation for manufacturing was instrumental toward getting a vaccine developed and distributed in record time.

The development of COVID-19 vaccines is a testament to the ingenuity, dedication and collaborative efforts of the scientific community. At the end of a seemingly hopeless year, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Source: theconversation.com

‘Possibility’ Moderna vaccine could be approved for children in 2021, Health Canada says

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By Emerald Bensadoun ealth Canada’s chief medical adviser said Wednesday it was “within the realm of possibility” that Moderna’s novel coronavirus vaccine could be approved for children by 2021.

Dr. Supriya Sharma’s announcement came shortly after the federal government authorized the Moderna vaccine for use among Canadians aged 18 and older.

“It’s not unusual that first trials for any vaccines, or any medications for that matter, are actually done in adults,” she said.

According to Sharma, recruitment for trials for children aged 12 to 17 are already underway. “The plan is to recruit approximately 3,000 participants in that clinical trial, and that’s already started,” she said.

Pfizer-BioNtech is also planning to study the effects of its vaccine on children as young as five years old, which Sharma said will likely begin in the spring.

“Because we already have some data in adults, we don’t have to redo the huge Phase III trials with tens of thousands of individuals in those trials — we can use some of the Moderna vaccine approved: data that we already have,” she explained.

What we know about side effects, in“But it’s really, really important that we do gredients and doses have information for use in children before anada has approved Moderna’s novel we would have any authorization or recomcoronavirus vaccine. mendations that may be used in the younger Dr. Supriya Sharma, Health Canada’s population.” chief medical adviser, says the country will By the end of December, Canada will have receive up to 168,000 doses of the Moderna access to up to 168,000 doses of Moderna’s vaccine before the end of December, providcoronavirus vaccine.

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How to administer the doses?

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is a twodose series given approximately one month apart through a muscle injection. The doses inject a molecule called mRNA, which includes instructions for the body on how to produce antibodies to fight COVID-19, into a person’s upper arm.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Sharma said the first dose of Moderna’s vaccine is expected to achieve around 80 per cent immunity to the virus, followed by a second dose 28 days later.

She said the immunity is expected to last for a “significant period of time” after both shots have been given, however, she added that “we wouldn’t recommend that there be a significant delay in that second dose.”

“We haven’t seen anything in the evidence that would show that there would be a significant decrease in immunity if that is delayed for a few weeks,” she said. [ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ] “But again, we really don’t have the data to be able to say that, or to confirm that one way or the other.”

Moderna’s vaccine is more widely accessible than its competitor, Pfizer and BioNtech’s, she noted. It can be stored in regular freezers, as opposed to the -70 C refrigerators needed to safely store the Pfizer vaccine.

The vaccine has been authorized for use for Canadians aged 18 and older, but the Sharma said the federal government is currently conducting additional studies in children from 12 years of age and older.

Side effects

All vaccines can cause side effects, although Health Canada says most from Moderna’s vaccine are expected to be mild and shouldn’t last very long.

These include pain or swelling where the

vaccine was injected, tiredness, headaches, muscle aches and stiffness, chills, fever, nausea or vomiting, and enlarged lymph nodes.

Signs of an allergic reaction will include hives, difficulty breathing and a swollen tongue, face or throat. Health Canada has advised anyone who believes they may be experiencing an allergic reaction to get medical attention “immediately.”

Canada to receive up to 168,000 doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine before year’s end’ Coronavirus: Canada to receive up to 168,000 doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine before year’s end Coronavirus: Canada to receive up to 168,000 doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine before year’s end – Dec 23, 2020

What’s in the vaccine?

A full list of the vaccine’s ingredients: • Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) • 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC) • Acetic acid (also known as ethanoic acid) • Cholesterol • PEG2000 DMG (1,2-dimyristoyl-racglycerol,methoxy-polyethyleneglycol) • Lipid SM-102 • Sodium acetate (a type of organic sodium salt) • Sucrose (a common sugar) • Tromethamine • Tromethamine hydrochloride • Water for injection The federal government is advising anyone allergic to the “active substance” or any of the vaccine’s ingredients to take a pass on these doses and opt for the Pfizer vaccine instead.

Any Canadians who may have an allergy or are unsure of whether they fall into a risk group is encouraged to consult with a doctor on their vaccine options.

“If you have an allergy, a serious allergy, if you’ve had a serious allergy to a vaccine in the past or obviously if you have an allergy to this vaccine or… to any of the components of this vaccine, then you should not get it,” said Sharma.

Source: globalnews.ca

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Jamadi ul II 2,1442 Jan 15, 2021

m E M O R Y / P a k ist a n / s p orts

Online prayers, and tribute to Mohammad Rafiq

In the memory of Mohammad Rafiq - A Zoom Call to pray, and give honors to the passing.

January 10, 2021, Vancouver, BC –

By: Mahwish Yousaf

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Zoom Call to pray, and give honors to the passing of Rafiq Mohammad. The session was the hosted by Mahwish Yousaf, the director of Iqbal Academy BC to remember a British Columbia’s community legend Mohammad Rafiq Sahib.

Mohammad Rafiq was founder of Iqbal Academy BC and many other projects related to youth empowerment, Urdu language, peace and unity. He was known in the community for his love, laughter, generosity and warm presence.

The session started with recitation, and then everyone shared personal stories about their time with Mohammad Rafiq.

The British Columbia based Iqbal Academy members, leaders of other Pakistani organizations, and community members gathered to pay honors to Mohammad Rafiq. Mohammad Rafiq son Mohkam Rafiq attended the session and shared details about his father.

Tahir Aslam started the session by reciting Fateha, and other verses. Naseer Pirzada ended the session by offering prayers for him, his family and the rest of the community.

My father had a big impact on the community. He shared his love for music, culture and poetry, and Iqbal teachings. Rafiq Sahib video chatted and stayed connected with his family during covid. Mohkam Rafiq ( his son) stated.

He was a mentor and a teacher to me and everyone. He was one person I knew closely who never segregated religion or ethnicity. He never prejudiced anyone based on sect, religion, culture or ethnicity. Shamim Akbar stated.

He offered love to everyone without prejudice. He brought me to the Canada Urdu Association. He left the city sad after his departure. Shahzad Nazir Khan stated.

He always gave me respect. He used to find potential in people. He brought me to Canada Urdu Association and encouraged me to learn poetry. Huma Shoaib stated.

Everyone was equal for him. Malik Arfan stated.

I learned Iqbaliat from him and he was a kind soul. Mohammad Rafi stated I feel that one of his family member passed away. He added me to Iqbal academy and assigned social media tasks. He brought handmade kites to the PCA picnic so that the kids can experience Pakistani kite flying. Nayyar Sohail stated He supported me tremendously when I joined the community. His mission was to engage youth so they can learn from iqbal teachings. He was the founding member of Global Peace Society and helped define its mission. We should strive to continue his mission. Mahwish Yousaf stated.

He made a huge difference in community growth and unity. He was in love with Urdu language and he put in a lot of effort to promote Urdu in British Columbia.

Naveed Warraich stated He was a best friend. He encouraged me to write in Miracle News. He was always very friendly and generous. His departure made me very sad. We should strive to take his mission forward. Aslam Hayat

stated He offered support to me and my daughter at every step as a new immigrant. I feel honored to present photographs and artifacts at Punjabi Museum through his support. Community has become orphan due to his passing. Sadaf Zulfiqar stated It was always an immense pleasure to meet him. He was a brother, father, friend, and confidant. He had the magical touch to make everyone happy. Shaukat Khan stated He always stated good things about others instead of his own. He will be writing an article in Miracle News for him. He was not just a person, he was a party ( anjuman ) on his own. Gilani sahib stated Passing of Mohammad Rafiq made me very sad. He used to provide Urdu translation for people who could not afford it.

He brought me to Iqbal Academy. Asad Syed stated He always brought all communities together and welcomed me to all Pakistani programs and groups.

I invited him to a fundraiser and he was the first one to join. Sukhi Dhillon stated He was followed by a lot of people due to his warm personality; All his programs were very beautiful and professional. Haroon Khan stated.

I have never seen a wonderful and beautiful human like him anywhere. He used to come first for my mushaira and waited for the rest of the people. I was a new im-

migrant and he introduced himself to us by seeing a Pakistani board infront of our shop. Afshin Ijaz stated He was his neighbor and helped me a lot.

He translated my stories for Miracle News and taught me how to speak on TV. Intikhab Alam stated He always encouraged people and he lived a full life. He did a lot of work for the promotion of Urdu and he didn’t make any mistake in his work. He found the gaps in our community work and pin pointed the where we are lacking. Tarik Kiani stated He was Iqbal fan and very passionate about sharing his poetry. Maqbool sahib stated She grew up with him and he never said anything bad about anyone. He used to stop others to backbite, especially when the person was not present. He was a guiding light for everyone. Mino auntie stated He knew me for 19 years and helped grow miracle through from the start. He encouraged senior writers to write for miracle. He used to tell others to help vulnerable people in the community. Naseer Pirzada stated Our thoughts and prayers are with all close and extended family members.

Iqbal Academy BC is a British Columbia based education organization dedicated to improve self & empower community through Iqbal’s Ideology. And to initiate & formalize an understanding of Iqbaliat for Personal & Community development.

‘Pakistan shocks India’ is trending on Twitter and it has everything to do with Imran Khan

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ricket, Imran Khan, India — put any two words from the three together and you have Pakistanis’ attention. And if you put all three together, then you have their attention plus a top Twitter trend.

‘Pakistan shocks India’ has been the top trend on Twitter all of Wednesday morning.

Why, you ask? Because of a poll run by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on

January 12, in which it asked Twitter to choose the best cricketing giant among Imran Khan, India’s Virat Kohli, South Africa’s AB de Villiers, and Australia’s Meg Lanning.

“You decide which of these ‘pacesetters’ were the best among these geniuses!” said the ICC. With a Test average of 25.43 with the bat and 25.53 with the ball, our current prime minister won the poll by getting 47.3 per cent

votes, followed closely by Kohli with 46.2pc votes.

Apparently, Kohli was leading the poll until close to midnight but Pakistanis beat Indians to it and secured a victory for Kaaptan.

Such a win could obviously not be ignored by Pakistani Twitterati and so started the celebrations which led to the trend (plus one more to congratulate IK).

Source: images.dawn.com

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