Miracle 587 Dec 30

All of the remaining patients in hospital from a deadly Christmas Eve bus crash on Highway 97C in B.C. are expected to survive, according to an Interior Health official.

Michaela Swan, a spokesperson for the health authority, said seven people who were brought to three hospitals after a passenger bus rolled on the Highway 97C, also called the Okanagan Connector, on Saturday evening are still patients, down from eight on Sunday.

All seven have non-life threatening issues, after two patients previously listed as having serious conditions improved, Swan said on Monday.

Four people died and dozens of others were

injured in the Ebus crash east of Merritt near the Loon Lake exit, which police said they suspect was caused by extremely icy road conditions.

Ebus cancelled all B.C. trips following the bus rollover that sent more than 50 people to hospitals.

No one from Ebus, the Alberta-based bus operator with multiple routes across B.C., was immediately available to comment on Monday. In a statement to CBC News, Ebus confirmed that B.C. services were suspended Dec. 26, due to poor weather and road conditions.

Ebus said customers will be refunded for their tickets within 72 hours.

On Sunday, RCMP confirmed that four people had died in the accident that involved no other vehicles. Police have not released the names of those who died.

As a result of the crash, Interior Health said in a statement Sunday that 52 people were sent to hospitals, of which 36 patients required medical treatment.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said the incident prompted Interior Health to initiate Code Orange response to provide emergency care. Code Orange is generally used to describe a mass casualty or disaster situation at hospitals.

RCMP said Monday afternoon they were facing issues identifying all passengers who were on the bus. Due to the urgency of the situation, victims were transported to local hospitals and police said many left before

they could be identified. While records of those who pre-booked tickets were available, the names of those who booked and boarded the bus at the time of departure have been difficult to confirm.

According to police, there were international tourists on the bus who are now trying to get their luggage back to leave the country. Police said they are working with Ebus to get them their luggage.

Source: cbc.ca

Suspects involved in Islamabad suicide blast arrested: Sanaullah

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Tuesday that the suspects involved in the suicide attack in Islamabad last week — that left a policeman martyred and several injured — have been arrested.

The incident, in which four police officers and two civilians were injured, took place in Islamabad’s I-10/4 sector on December 23. The police had said that a suicide attacker, riding a cab, blew himself up after the vehicle was stopped over suspicion.

The outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a tweet today, the interior minister confirmed that the miscreants and their handlers behind the attack had been arrested.

“The taxi driver was innocent. He was hired by the suspects and had no involvement [in the attack]. The terrorists moved from Kurram Agency and stayed in Rawalpindi. We have rounded up four to five people,” he said.

The development comes days after the Islamabad police formed a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the bombing.

According to the notification, the JIT was constituted under Section 19-A of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 to investigate

the case registered on Dec 23 on charges of 7ATA, along with PPC Section 302, 324, 427, and 4/5 Explosive Act at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station, Islamabad.

Security on high alert in Islamabad Meanwhile, since Friday, security has been beefed up in the capital city. Earlier today, Dawn reported that the Islamabad police have issued a “special” plan that introduces 25 temporary checkposts in the city and requires citizens and foreigners to carry their identification documents with them.

According to the security plan, shared on Islamabad police’s official Twitter, entry points of the Red Zone will be recorded via Safe City cameras while video surveillance of metro bus passengers would also be conducted.

Police asked the capital’s citizens, as well as foreigners, to carry their identification documents with them.

Authorities also warned of action over non-specimen number plates and unregistered vehicles, directing citizens to ensure their vehicles had number plates issued by the excise office.

Police said citizens who had employed unregistered local or foreign workers would also be investigated. They further appealed to citizens to inform authorities of any unusual ac-

tivity on the 15-helpline.

This plan has been devised as Pakistan continues to see a rise in terror incidents in recent days, particularly after the militant TTP called off the ceasefire between them and the government in late November.

Two days after the I-10 blast, the US embassy in the capital had issued a security alert, prohibiting its staff from visiting the city’s Marriott Hotel due to concerns of a “possible attack”.

Moreover, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Australia issued separate security alerts on Monday, asking their citizens to limit their movement in Pakistan.

Source: dawn.com

Thousands remain in the dark days after fierce storms knocked out power

Thousands of Canadians who have been without power since last week’s fierce winter storms spent Boxing day in the cold and dark while strong winds and high tides on the West Coast prompted a flood warning.

The City of Vancouver issued a flood warning Monday evening, saying “exceptionally high tide and high winds” are forecasted for Tuesday due to storm surge, with “moderate to elevated” risk in some low-lying coastal areas.

“Water levels are forecasted to be at their highest at 9:00 am ... (on) De-

cember 27, when a king tide combined with a significant storm surge of ocean water from the incoming storm is anticipated to raise the tide to a historic high,” read a statement.

On the other side of the country, utility crews in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick continued working to restore electricity to thousands of customers who have been in the dark for days.

Some train service will soon be back to normal, however, with Via Rail announcing plans to resume trains on its

Toronto-Ottawa and Toronto-Montreal routes Tuesday, days after a CN train derailment forced the cancellation of those trains scheduled for Christmas and Boxing Day.

CN confirmed in a statement that the tracks where its train derailed on Christmas Eve will be reopened Tuesday and said Via Rail plans to run all trains on the route, but on a modified schedule available on its website.

As of Monday evening, power was still out for over 42,000 Hydro-Quebec cus-

Trump-era border ban stays in place 26 Rohingya refugees died at sea UN denounces Taliban women bans

Chicken World feeds Surrey’s homeless Mufti Aasim Rashid launches new book PCCA hosts Quaid-eAzam day in Surrey

7 passengers from fatal Christmas Eve bus crash in B.C. still hospitalized but expected to survive

The Best Inheritance: A Lesson

from Surah Maryam

Narrated by Abu Huraira “Allah’s Apostle said, “By Him in Whose Hands my life is, none of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father and his children.”

Ask the Imam (Q&A) Accepting Islam : telling the family

By: Ghada Khafagy & Farid Al-Toni Sûrat Maryam, Verses 2-15: Zechariah and His Son Yahya

THE NINETEENTH SÛRAH of the Quran starts with Prophet Zechariah supplicating to the Lord. Zechariah was anxious to have an heir, but the inheritance he wanted his son to receive had nothing to do with property or wealth. He was getting old and feared that those around him were not good enough to continue his work. He wanted an heir to inherit religious knowledge and Prophethood.

His was not merely a desire for a son. If it had been, he would have prayed much earlier in his life, when he was younger. He was too full of true piety to put merely selfish things into his prayers. But there was a public need to carry on the mission. Though his wife was barren and he had attained to the declining of old age, the Almighty granted him a very special boy, Yahiya (John the Baptist).

Verses 16- 40: Maryam (Mary) and Jesus

The next set of verses then mention Maryam (Mary) and Jesus—a single mother and her son. But let us first contemplate the thoughts of Maryam’s mother when she was pregnant with Maryam. She said: My Lord, I have dedicated what is in my womb entirely to Your service. So accept this from me. You are the One who hears and knows all. [Sûrat ÂlImrân, 3:35]

Like Zechariah, Maryam’s intent in having her child was to serve the Lord. Though women at that time were almost totally excluded from any formal religious education, it was a girl whom Allah gave her.

When she gave birth, she said: “My Lord, I have given birth to a girl.” Allah knew very well what she had given birth to. “A male is not like a female. I have named her Maryam and I seek refuge with You for her and for her offspring to protect them from the accursed Satan. [Sûrat ÂlImrân, 3:36]

The blessings resulting from the supplication of Mary’s mother not only reached Mary, but

were extended to her grandson, Jesus. [Jesus] said, “Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and has appointed me a prophet. He has made me blessed wherever I may be and has enjoined me to pray and to give the alms, so long as I remain alive, and likewise to cherish my mother; He has not made me a wretched tyrant. Peace be upon me, the day I was born, the day I will die, and the day I will be raised up alive.” [Sûrat Maryam, 19:30-33]

Verses 41-50: Abraham and His Father

Then we read about Prophet Abraham— their ancestor—and Abraham’s father. As we read the following verses, we can visualize Abraham imploring his father to give up worship of idols and to worship the Creator alone: O my father, why do you worship that which neither hears nor sees, nor benefits you in any way? O my father, I have been given some knowledge that has not reached you. So follow me; I will guide you to a Way that is even and straight.

O my father, do not worship [i.e. obey] Satan. Indeed Satan is a rebel against [Allah] the Most Gracious.

O my father, indeed I fear that there will afflict you a punishment from the Most Gracious so you would be to Satan a companion [in Hell-fire]. [Sûrat Maryam, 19:42-45]

But his father rejected Abraham’s words and asked him to leave. When Abraham left, Allah, Most Merciful, compensated him: So, when he had withdrawn from them and that which they were worshipping beside Allah, We gave him Isaac and Jacob. Each of them We made a prophet. [Sûrat Maryam, 19:49]

Verses 51-53: Moses and His Brother Aaron Next, we read about two brothers, also from the descendants of Abraham, namely, Moses and Aaron. In another Qur’an chapter we see Prophet Moses supplicating to the Lord:

[Moses] said, “My Lord … and appoint for me a helper from among my family, Aaron, my brother. Strengthen me through him, and let him share my task [of conveying Allah’s message], that we may glorify You much and remember You much. You are surely watching over us.” [Allah] said, “You have been granted your request, Moses.” [Sûrat Tâ Hâ, 20:25-36] Similar to the prayers of Zechariah and Mary’s mother, the prayers of Moses were about serving the Lord. Moses wanted to involve his brother with him in his divine

Question 3739:

Hello. My name is C. I am just learning about Islam. I am an American. My family is Southern Baptist and Catholic. I love my family very much, however, I no longer agree with the ideals that I was raised with. Everything that I have read about Islam feels right to me. My problem is how to tell my family about my decision. I am 21 yrs old and very capable of making decisions for my life. What I am afraid of is the fact that my family will probably disowne me for my beliefs. I need guidance on how to best break the news to them; or if I should even tell them. Your thoughts on the subject would be much appreciated. Thank you for your time. C.

Another point to highlight is that it’s a continuation of the way of submission to God as shown by Prophet Abraham, Moses, Jesus and finally Muhammad (May God’s peace and blessings be on all of them).

Supervised by

Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid

Dear C. Greetings from IslamiCity’s Imam.

Your situation is one of those instances that cannot be resolved in only one simple way. Especially, if your parents are very firm in their belief.

Not telling them is not a feasible approach because eventually, your parents will find out about your acceptance of Islam. Therefore, I think it will be better that you approach them when they are most receptive rather than waiting until they discover through the grapevine, in which case, they will be more hurt. As you know, you will reach a point in your life when you will not eat ham or pork with them, or drink wine, or go to church, etc.

But having stated this, there is still no reason to rush on telling them. Instead, wait until you feel ready to approach them. Make sure you are clear in your mind about submitting to the will of God and you have enough introductory information about Islam to answer any question they may have. There is a very negative image of Islam through media stereotyping in the general public mind. So you will have a challenge in making them understand that Islam is a religion of peace, justice and social harmony defined by the Divine natural order.

mission. As a result, Allah, Most Generous, made Aaron a prophet, too: And We gave him, out of Our mercy, his brother Aaron as a prophet. [Sûrat Maryam, 19:53]

Verses 41-50: Abraham and His Father Then we read about Prophet Abraham— their ancestor—and Abraham’s father. As we read the following verses, we can visualize Abraham imploring his father to give up worship of idols and to worship the Creator alone:

O my father, why do you worship that which neither hears nor sees, nor benefits you in any way?

O my father, I have been given some knowledge that has not reached you. So follow me; I will guide you to a Way that is even and straight.

O my father, do not worship [i.e. obey] Satan. Indeed Satan is a rebel against [Allah] the Most Gracious.

O my father, indeed I fear that there will afflict you a punishment from the Most Gracious so you would be to Satan a companion [in Hell-fire]. [Sûrat Maryam, 19:42-45]

Verses 56-62: Idris, Adam, Noah and Their Descendants

If you have a more open relationship with either of your parents then it may be better to talk to that parent first. Or if you are not sure then talk to them when they are both together. This will ultimately depend on the nature of your relationship with them and your judgment on how each one of them will react to your new faith. But always remember the Divine order stated in the Qur’an that parents have to be treated with utmost respect and kindness (refer for example to Surah al-Israa (17) verses 2325). Being good to them is actually an act of worship and obedience to God. Recently an excellent book was published on this topic entitled “Daughters of Another Path : Experiences of American Women Choosing Islam” (Paperback; $13.95) written by Carol L. Anway, a nonMuslim mother whose daughter embraced Islam. You can buy this book on-line from a website like www.bn.com or www.amazon.com. I think you will learn a lot from it, and you will be able to draw on the experiences mentioned in the book that will be close to your own situation. If you have any problem getting this book please email us your mailing address (at hadi@islam. org) and we will send you the book. If you need additional emotional support we can put you in-touch via email with others who have gone through the same experience. May God bless you and make things eas for you. Source: islamicity.org/qa/

The subsequent verses then mention Prophet Idrîs and praise all the prophets mentioned in the chapter—descendants of Adam, Noah, Abraham and Israel (Jacob) — and their followers. These righteous people used to offer their prayers with all solemnity and full submissiveness to the Lord. They were characterized by having pure and sincere hearts:

When the [Holy] verses of [Allah] Most Gracious were recited to them, they fell in prostration and weeping. [Sûrat Maryam, 19:5]

However, the generations that followed were different:

But then they were succeeded by generations who neglected their prayers [i.e., by not offering them or by not praying properly like the prophets had taught] and were driven by their own desires. They will face a terrible punishment in Hell-fire, except for those who repent, believe and do righteousness: These will enter Paradise and will not be wronged in the least. [Sûrat Maryam, 19:59-60]

Have we neglected our prayers and followed our desires? The door of repentance is widely open for anyone who wants to enter....

Source: aljumuah.com

Surrey Police Service makes its case to province as decision on policing transition looms

The Surrey Police Service (SPS) submitted a pair of reports to the province Thursday making its case for continuing on with the city’s contentious police transition.

Surrey city council voted earlier this month to send its own request and plan to reverse the transition away from the RCMP as police of jurisdiction to Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth.

Mayor Brenda Locke campaigned heavily on keeping the RCMP during this fall’s municipal election.

Farnworth’s ministry will have the final say on whether the city scraps the transition or continues to move forward with it.

Both reports were submitted to B.C.’s Policing and Security Branch. The first is a 155-page detailed report on the transition’s progress and the SPS’ operational status, and will not be made public.

“We of course did not have an opportunity to appear before council

and explain our situation as far as the progress to date of the Surrey Police Service,” SPS Chief Norm Lipinski told Global News.

“So we summarized the comprehensive report and put it into a 25-page document so the public can have a look at what we’ve done, how far we’ve come, and what we stand for.”

The SPS’ public summary report argues that the department has already recruited 375 staff, and that four years into the transition “work is well underway and nearing completion for the Surrey SPS to become (police of jurisdiction).”

The report argues the SPS could take over as the primary police force by next summer, and that reversing the transition will be both difficult and costly.

The 375 employees will need to be

fired, while their two unions — the Surrey Police Union and Surrey Police Inspectors’ Association — will need to be dissolved. That dissolution will likely involve grievances and legal costs, it argues.

The report also argues that the SPS is the only municipal police force in the country that isn’t facing recruitment problems. The department has received an estimated 2,500 applications, it said, showing it can grow with the city.

he SPS officers already on the payroll have said they do not wish to work for the RCMP, the report argues. It further argues that completing the transition would actually be a net policing benefit to B.C., by freeing up hundreds of Mounties to work elsewhere in the province.

The report also lays out the SPS’ fi-

nancial case once again.

Sunk costs by the end of the year will have reached $107 million it argues, while additional costs including severance for fired employees would bring the total loss to $202.1 million In its own report calling for the transition to be reversed, the Surrey city council argued scrapping the SPS would save the city an estimated $235 million over five years.

That’s a figure the SPS disputes, arguing the actual additional cost over five years would be under $100 million.

“Our costing is $18.9 million per year more, we feel it’s a value proposition, that is to say, that it is an investment in policing in Surrey,” Lipinski said.

Source: globalnews.ca

Rain, run-off from recent snow, surging tides raise flood concerns in parts of B.C.

The peak of a so-called king tide has passed without major damage in Vancouver, as flood watches and high streamflow advisories remain posted across Vancouver Island and much of British Columbia’s inner south coast.

The big tide combined with heavy rain and snowmelt had raised the risk of flooding after pre-Christmas snowstorms.

The River Forecast Centre posted flood watches for Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Howe Sound and the southern twothirds of Vancouver Island as heavy rain drenched the regions on Sunday and Monday, speeding melt and causing additional run-off.

Environment Canada called for 60 to 120 millimetres of rain across the Sunshine Coast and Metro Vancouver by early Wednesday. The weather office said it had “high confidence” the rain and snowmelt, coupled with strong winds and high tides, would cause potentially damaging coastal flooding on low-lying areas from Vancouver and Howe Sound to the Sunshine Coast, East Vancouver Island and southern Gulf Islands.

travel

The River Forecast Centre also said officials were keeping a close eye on the situation in northwest Washington State where a flood watch was in effect as the Nooksack River threatened to top its banks.

High water on that river was linked to last November’s devastating floods in the Fraser Valley and the centre said there may be a “small chance of a minor overflow” into the Sumas River drainage on the B.C. side of the border.

The City of Vancouver had warned Monday of elevated flood risk as so-called king tides – exceptionally high seasonal tides – were due early Tuesday at the same time as strong winds were forecast to cause a significant storm surge.

“Low-lying areas will be at an elevated flood risk and may experience overland flooding,” the city said in a statement.

The city had closed part of the Stanley Park seawall as a precaution.

But no major damage was reported, the city said in a statement on Twitter Tuesday.

It posted photos taken at the peak of the tide, showing flooded grassland and roads near

several beaches around English Bay, but no major damage.

Environment Canada said the tide pushed water levels at Point Atkinson in West Vancouver to a height of 5.70 metres, breaking the previous record of 5.61 metres set in 1982.

Water levels were expected to fall and conditions were forecast to improve through Tuesday afternoon and evening, the weather office said on its website.

It was maintaining a rainfall warning for Howe Sound and Metro Vancouver, advising of localized flooding, water pooling on roads and the potential for debris flows, while the flood watches and high streamflow advisories issued Monday by the River Forecast Centre also remained in effect.

A landslide 23 kilometres west of Sechelt on Highway 101 closed that road and DriveBC said a detour was not available.

There were no reports of injuries and the District of Sechelt said on social media that the situation was being assessed.

Elsewhere, Environment Canada was maintaining winter storm warnings or special

weather statements for parts of the southern and southeastern Interior as 25 to 30 centimetres of snow was forecast in the Kootenay and Boundary area before changing to rain or freezing rain later in the day.

A travel advisory was posted urging drivers to stay off Highway 3 east of Osoyoos. The route remained open, although DriveBC, the province’s online travel advisory system, warned of the “high probability” of closures on short notice.

Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon just north of Hope was shut down Monday because of an avalanche hazard.

Source: theglobeandmail.com

ThThe weather may be clearing, but many travellers are still unable to reach their destination or return home after last week’s winter storm. Many others are still waiting for answers and refunds after their travel plans went awry.

Hundreds of Canadians have spent days stuck in Mexico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic after Sunwing repeatedly cancelled their flights home. Stranded flyers say they have received little information or support from the airline estJet and Air Canada passengers also reported issues reaching their destinations.

Meanwhile, some rail passengers are still waiting to reach their destinations after Via Rail trains were halted between Windsor and Quebec City overnight Friday into Saturday, leaving travellers stuck on board for more than 20 hours. Via Rail resumed service between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal on Tuesday but warned of significant delays due to congestion along the routes. While some travellers wait to find out when they might reach their destinations, others are wondering when they might receive refunds and compensation — if, that is, they’re entitled to anything at all.

Air travel rights

There are clear rules for Canadian airlines in case of delays and cancellations, but exactly what passengers are entitled to depends on the cause of the disruption. For instance, if passengers are grounded due to reasons within the airline’s control — such as crew shortages — they are entitled to food and drink, accommodation if they have to wait overnight for a new flight, and compensation if their flight delay was more than three hours.

But if the situation is outside of the airline’s control, such as bad weather, passengers don’t get those same standards of care or compensation.

Large airlines are also supposed to rebook passengers on a new flight to their destination within 48 hours of their original departure time, even if that means booking them a ticket on a competitor’s flight. But small airlines, such as Sunwing, are required to only rebook passengers on their next available flight, or on another airline they have a partnership with.

In a statement, Sunwing said it was working to organize “recovery” flights, and said customers could book their own flights home on a different airline and then submit a refund request for their unused Sunwing flight.

John Lawford, executive director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Ottawa, said it appeared that airlines were not being “forthcoming” with passengers about their right to be rebooked on another carrier. “Insist on trying to get a flight on a different airline.... Passengers should know they have

that right if they can’t be rebooked within two days,” Lawford said.

He recommends that any delayed or stranded passengers keep all of their receipts and file a claim for compensation with their airline.

Fewer rights for rail passengers

There are no equivalent passenger rights protecting rail travellers — meaning Via Rail customers whose trips were disrupted in recent days are entitled only to whatever the company wants to give them.

In a statement to CBC News on Tuesday, Via Rail said passengers whose trains were cancelled between Dec. 24 and 26 would automatically receive a full refund. Passengers could cancel Dec. 27 trips online and obtain a refund.

Customers would need to contact Via Rail to request a refund for a connecting leg of their journey or a return trip.

It was unclear whether passengers who spent lengthy periods trapped on stopped trains last week would receive any compensation.

Source:

Was your

disrupted? Here’s what you’re owed — and what you won’t get

THE people of Pakistan are confused. Confused with Supreme Court judgements that they don’t understand, and they don’t understand how they are related to politics. And that is because they are all about Article ‘abc’, sub-article ‘xyz’, and they can’t connect them to the political situation.

They are also confused because of a number of terms that are used in the political discourse, such as ‘Mir Jafar’ and ‘Mir Sadiq’. Then there are Islamic terms that people like and have often heard of but have never been told how they apply to the Pakistan situation. These terms are ‘amar bil maroof’ and ‘riyasat-i-Madina’. Everyone is free to interpret these as they like, since no interpretation or meaning has been assigned to them.

Then there is the question of ‘sadiq-o-ameen’. Who has the right to declare anyone ‘sadiq’ and ‘ameen’ and what does it mean?

Our leaders’ personal lives and the corruption they represent have no relationship to ‘sadiq’ or ‘ameen’. There is also a question of misrepresenting history. Imran Khan is a great admirer of the Western legal system and he has explained that to the people of Pakistan. However, his explanation as well as his views on Indian history are historically incorrect.

However, in this rhetoric of hate, accusations, lies and corruption, the people of Pakistan have understood a few things. They know what Avenfield flats and Surrey mansions are, and what off-shore accounts mean. They also know that their leaders are fabulously rich and that their money has been made in Pakistan and used for building overseas empires. They also know that conditions are getting progressively worse.

Courts cannot give justice so you get it through the murder of your opponents and through informal systems, which are expensive and also untrustworthy. There is a saying that ‘being listened to is half of justice’. In Pakistan, there is no one to listen to you. In addition, there is no international news which tells us anything about global conflicts which have a bearing on Pakistan’s economy or foreign policy. It seems that there is a plan to keep the people of Pakistan isolated from the rest of the world.

But then, there is also no news about issues that bother all Pakistanis apart from the economy. People disappear; the people of Pakistan don’t know why they disappear, where they disappear to, what happens to them during their disappearance, and what sort of lives they live afterwards — and that too, if they come

back. These are taboo subjects. Before, disappearance was big news; now, it is hidden away in small print on the inside pages of newspapers and is almost nonexistent on the electronic media. Similarly, our security forces die at the hands of terrorists almost every single day. We would like to know who these terrorists are, why they kill our security forces, and above all, what is the relationship between them and the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan. No one tells us this.

But the story doesn’t end here. There are other issues as well. The first is that rapes in the country have multiplied in geometric progression. So have fires in factories and buildings. Road accidents kill thousands of people every year, including entire families. Gun battles over possession of land are increasing. All these are reported as incidents but the causes for this are related to governance, ignorance of laws, the existence and promotion of laissez faire, and absence of community organisation and dialogue with local governments. It is strange that these incidents are reported but there is no sustained discussion on why they take place and how they can be remedied. We are told that rapes take place

because of women wearing the wrong clothing, a sexually frustrated society, the absence of parental control. But some of the real reasons, of which mental disability is one, are rarely discussed, and we do not know why this trend is increasing. Buildings and walls all over Pakistan collapse, killing people, and every year urban flooding at the same spot damages homes and takes lives but the causes of it are not discussed either.

It is high time that our intellectuals, academia and media start talking to us about the reasons for all that I have mentioned above. It is possible that our anchors are not educated enough to talk about the causes or remedies, in which case we should call people who know about them to their shows. There has to be a change from politicians cursing each other and anchors repeating themselves again and again. This only helps in promoting an uneducated society. Dear media, can you also please be our teachers?

The writer is an architect.

Arif Hasan

Published December 24, 202

What do you think?

Laysa Lil Insana illa ma’ sa’aa That man can have nothing but what he strives for.

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Dr. Muhammad Imtiaz Butt, an Internal Physician and one of the pioneer Pakistani-Canadians to settle in Vancouver, has passed away. He was a resident of White Rock and served the White Rock Hospital for more than 45 years. He completed his MBBS degree from King Edward Medical College in Lahore, Pakistan. After specializing from UK, he lived in US for some time and finally settled in Vancouver, Canada. May Allah (SWT) forgive his shortcomings and grant him jannah ameen.

News Cont from Pg 1

The Miracle Media writer and Pakistan’s esteemed senior journalist Mr. Zafar Alam Sarwar passed away on December 14th in Surrey. May Allah (swt) forgive all his sins, grant him the highest place in Jannah and give patience to all his family members. Ameen Mr. Sarwar served Pakistani journalism for a long time during which he interviewed countless prominent political figures of Pakistan for various leading newspapers. He was jailed and fired from his job for standing up for the freedom of the press during Zia-ul-Haq’s martial law. He moved to BC a few years

Thousands remain in the dark days after fierce storms

tomers and over 11,000 Hydro One customers. New Brunswick Power had restored power by Monday evening to a majority of customers who were impacted by the storm, which it said was one of the largest provincewide outage events of the last 25 years. The utility said just under 300 customers were still in the dark as of Monday evening.

NB Power saidearlier Monday it was confident there would be some customers still without power on Tuesday.

Hydro One in Ontario said it had restored power to more than 430,000 customers since the extreme weather began, but persisting road closures were impacting its crews’ ability to access restricted areas.

“Crews are out in full force and have gained access to Walkerton, Picton, Prince Edward County, Napanee and Trenton,” it said in a

statement issued Monday evening.

“Efforts to reach customers in Bracebridge and Huntsville continue. Conditions in Bracebridge and Parry Sound may worsen with up to 50 cm of additional snow expected.”

Hydro-Quebec CEO Sophie Brochu said earlier Monday it was hard to provide a precise estimate for when power would be restored to the customers still without due to the complexity of the remaining jobs.

Brochu said more snow and high winds had complicated access to the sites, many of which were set back from roads and could only be reached by crews on snowshoes or snowmobiles. About half the remaining outages affected five customers or less, which means crews were “working very hard to restore a few people,” she said.

“We might be working three, four, five hours

for a team of two to restore five people,” she told reporters in a virtual press briefing Monday morning. “It’s worth it, don’t get me wrong, but it means that instead of working five, six, seven hours and restoring 1,000 people, every (segment) is really slow.”

She acknowledged customer frustration with the inaccurate estimated timelines on HydroQuebec’s website, saying crews sometimes discover more problems once they arrive. While the “vast majority” of outages will be resolved by Wednesday, she couldn’t promise that nobody would be in the dark by New Year’s Eve. Southern Ontario’s Niagara Region was in its third day under a state of emergency on Monday due to the storm, and some services like garbage and recycling collection were cancelled for Boxing Day.

Source: ctvnews.ca

Contents

I mportant 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.

Innlilla lillahi wainna Elahi Rajioon

ago with his children. The Miracle Media Group benefited from his writings as he contributed time to time for our publications and we presented him with the Miracle’s writers award at Miracle’s 21st Anniversary.

Prominent Journalist Zafar Alam Sarwar Passes Away

BC Physician Dr. Mohammad Imtiaz Butt Passes Away

Russia announced on Tuesday it would ban oil sales to countries that abide by a price cap imposed this month by the West, giving its long-awaited response to the most dramatic step taken so far to limit Moscow’s ability to raise funds for the war in Ukraine.

Under the price cap, which took effect on Dec. 5, oil traders must promise not to pay above $60 per barrel US for Russian seaborne oil to retain access to Western financing for such crucial aspects of global shipping as insurance.

The cap has been set close to the current price for Russian oil, but far below the prices Russia was able to sell it for much of the past year, when windfall energy profits helped Moscow offset the impact of financial sanctions.

Russia is the world’s second largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia, and any actual disruption to its sales would have far-reaching consequences for global energy supplies. A decree from President Vladimir Putin, published on a government portal and the Kremlin website, was presented as a direct response to “actions that are unfriendly and contradictory to international law by the United States and foreign states and international organizations joining them.”

The Kremlin ban would halt crude oil sales to countries participating in the price cap from Feb. 1-July 1, 2023. A separate ban on refined oil products such as gasoline and diesel would take effect on a date to be set by the government. Putin would have authority to overrule the measures in special cases.

The West’s price cap, unseen even in the times of the Cold War between the West and the Soviet Union, is aimed at hindering Russian state coffers and Moscow’s military efforts in Ukraine — without upsetting markets by actually blocking Russian supply.

According to Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Russia’s budget deficit could be wider than the planned two per cent of GDP in 2023 as the oil price cap squeezes Russia’s export income, an extra fiscal hurdle for Moscow as it spends heavily on its military campaign in Ukraine.

Some analysts have said the cap will have

little immediate impact on the oil revenues that Moscow is earning, as the price for Russian oil has already fallen close to it. But it could limit Moscow’s ability to profit from future price shocks.

Russian forces shelled and bombed towns and cities in eastern and southern Ukraine again on Tuesday. After a number of dramatic Ukrainian gains in the autumn, the war has entered a slow, grinding phase as bitter winter weather has set in at the front.

The heaviest fighting has been around the eastern city of Bakhmut, which Russia has been trying for months to storm at a huge cost in lives, and further north in the cities of Svatove and Kreminna, where Ukraine is trying to break Russian defensive lines.

In Bakhmut, home to 70,000 people before the war and now mostly a bomb-wracked ghost town, Reuters reporters saw fires burning in a large residential building, while debris littered the streets and most buildings had their windows blown out.

“Our building is destroyed. There was a shop in our building, now it’s not there anymore,” said Oleksandr, 85, adding he was the only remaining resident there.

Nearby, 73-year-old Pilaheia said she had long become used to the “constant explosions.”

Britain’s Ministry of Defence said in an update: “Russia continues to initiate frequent small-scale assaults in these areas (of Bakhmut and Svatove), although little territory has changed hands.”

It was the second time the base had been hit since the start of December, a sign Russia has yet to plug the gap in its air defences that made the audacious attack possible.

Source: cbc.ca

Imran wants ISI on accountability duty

LAHORE: Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan said Tuesday the massive potential of Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI) should be used for accountability and rule of law in the country.

In an interview with a private TV channel, he said army is the lone organized and discipline institution in the country and it depends on one man. He said the one man could cause disaster, as has happened over the past eight month because of a decision, but he could also use the ISI power for uplifting the country by employing it against powerful thieves involved in money laundering, instead of using it for political engineering. Citing Hudaibya Paper Mills case or fake accounts case, he accused Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and Asif Zardari of laundering money. He said the corrupt elite makes money in Pakistan and then sends it abroad in dollars.

“If ISI, which is the most organized institutions and we do not have any other institution in the short term, controls it (money laundering), the country will rise,” the former premier added.

Meanwhile, chairing a party meeting, Imran Khan said the ruling “gang” has destroyed the national economy, and has also failed to protect the lives and properties of citizens, a private TV channel reported on Monday.

He said that the country was economically stable and terrorism was uprooted eight months ago, adding now the terrorist incidents have in-

creased up to 52 per cent. He said the PTI government had made Pakistan centre of tourism, that is hit by a new wave of terrorism.

He said that it is criminal negligence to leave national security in the hands of the ‘politically immature’ rulers. He added that PTI is closely monitoring the situation and it will resist any move that would cause any trouble to the nation.

He reiterated the demand for fresh elections instead of pushing the country toward further destruction.

The PTI leaders said the foreign countries’ security alerts to their citizens in Pakistan is alarming development, and criticised the government for failing to cope with terrorism after failing on economic front. The party leaders condemned National Assembly Speaker’s departure for abroad keeping the PTI MNAs’ resignations issue pending.

Source: thenews.com.pk

Co-leader in plot to kidnap Michigan governor sentenced to 16 years in prison

The co-leader of a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Adam Fox returned to federal court Tuesday, four months after he and Barry Croft Jr. were convicted of conspiracy charges at a second trial in Grand Rapids, Mich.

They were accused of being at the helm of a wild plot to whip up anti-government extremists just before the 2020 presidential election. Whitmer wasn’t physically harmed. The FBI was secretly embedded in the group and broke things up with 14 arrests.

The government said Croft offered bombmaking skills and ideology while Fox was the “driving force urging their recruits to take up arms, kidnap the governor and kill those who stood in their way.”

Croft will be sentenced Wednesday. The men’s arrest, as well as the capture of 12 others, was a stunning coda to a tumultuous year of racial strife and political turmoil in the U.S.

Fox and Croft were convicted at a second trial in August, months after a different jury in Grand Rapids, Mich., couldn’t reach a verdict but acquitted two other men.

Fox and Croft in 2020 met with like-minded provocateurs at a summit in Ohio, trained with weapons in Michigan and Wisconsin and took a ride to “put eyes” on Whitmer’s vacation home with night-vision goggles, according to evidence.

People need to stop with the misplaced anger and place the anger where it should go, and that’s against our tyrannical … government,” Fox declared that spring, boiling over COVID-19 restrictions and perceived threats to gun ownership.

The FBI broke things up by fall. “They had no real plan for what to do with the governor if they actually seized her. Paradoxically, this made them more dangerous, not less,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler said in a court filing ahead of the hearing.

In 2020, Fox, 39, was living in the basement

of a Grand Rapids-area vacuum shop, the site of clandestine meetings with members of a paramilitary group and an undercover FBI agent. His lawyer, Christopher Gibbons, said he was depressed, anxious and smoking marijuana daily.

Gibbons said a life sentence would be extreme. Fox was regularly exposed to “inflammatory rhetoric” by FBI informants, especially Army veteran Dan Chappel, who “manipulated not only Fox’s sense of `patriotism’ but also his need for friendship, acceptance and male approval,” Gibbons said in a court filing.

He said prosecutors had exaggerated Fox’s capabilities, saying he was poor and lacked the capability to obtain a bomb and carry out the plan.

Croft, a trucker from Bear, Del., will be sentenced Wednesday.

Two men who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and testified against Fox and Croft received substantial breaks. Ty Garbin is already free after a 2 1/2-year prison term, while Kaleb Franks was given a four-year sentence.

In state court, three men recently were given lengthy sentences for assisting Fox earlier in the summer of 2020. Five more are awaiting trial in Antrim County, where Whitmer’s vacation home is located.

When the plot was extinguished, Whitmer, a Democrat, blamed then-president Donald Trump, saying he had given “comfort to those who spread fear and hatred and division.” In August, 19 months after leaving office, Trump said the kidnapping plan was a “fake deal.”

Source: dawn.com

Death toll from torrential rain, floods in Philippines now at 13

The death toll from Christmas day rains and flooding in the southern Philippines has risen to 13, according to the country’s disaster management council, with a further 23 people still missing.

Most of the deaths were caused by flash floods after two days of heavy rains over Christmas, which affected more than 166,000 people and forced more than 45,000 to take shelter in evacuation centres, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Tuesday.

mages on social media show coast guard, police and firefighters wading through waist-deep floods and carrying residents along landslide-hit areas and out of inundated villages and streets. Twelve roads were flooded by overflowing rivers, and more than 20 areas in the affected region were still without power on Tuesday, according to local news outlet Inquirer.net.

Unlike previous disaster brought on by tropical storms in the Philippines, the latest torrential rains and flooding was the result of a shear line — an area where warm and cold winds meet and cause huge rain clouds to form.

The fatalities included a one-year-old girl and a 64-year-old man who drowned in separate incidents in Camarines Sur prov-

ince, about 270km (168 miles) southeast of Manila. Four more were reported killed in the southern province of Misamis Occidental, including a 68-year-old woman who suffered a heart attack after being rescued. Those still missing are mostly fishers who went out to sea despite the dangers associated with bad weather, the disaster agency said.

Rescue operations are continuing, and damage to agriculture is being assessed, Carmelito Heray, head of the disaster agency in Clarin town in Misamis Occidental province, told DZBB radio station.

“The big damage here is livestock,” Clarin town Mayor Emeterio Roa said on the radio.

The country’s weather bureau, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said on Tuesday that the shear line persists and will see heavy rainfall continue in parts of the country, and rain-induced landslides are likely in some areas.

Putin bans Russian oil sales to countries that accept West’s price cap

US Supreme Court keeps Trump-era border policy in place

The potential lifting of the policy had prompted concerns that the number of migrants at the border would rise.

The Biden administration said it would comply with the ruling but called for reform of immigration policy.

“We are advancing our preparations to manage the border in a secure, orderly, and humane way when Title 42 eventually lifts and will continue expanding legal pathways for immigration,” it said in a statement.

Miguel Colmenares, a Venezuelan migrant in the Mexican border city of Tijuana, said: “It breaks my heart that we have to keep waiting.”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do, I haven’t got any money and my family’s waiting for me,” the 27-year-old told Reuters news agency.

extend the temporary stay ordered by Justice Roberts while the case moved forward.

Additionally, the nine Supreme Court justices will hear oral arguments on whether the states can intervene in defence of the policy. Arguments are likely to take place in February or March 2023. A decision is due by the end of June.

The US Supreme Court has voted to keep in place a controversial Trump-era policy that blocked thousands of people from crossing the US-Mexico border.

Title 42 gives the government power to automatically expel undocumented migrants seeking entry.

Bill Cassidy, a Republican senator for Louisiana, said removing Title 42 “would have made our border crisis worse, and the White House seemed willing to let that happen”.

“Glad to see the Supreme Court step in to preserve it, but we need a permanent solution,” he said on Twitter.

The Title 42 policy - applied about 2.5 million times since March 2020 - was originally due to expire on 21 December but, two days before the deadline, Chief Supreme Court Justice John Roberts blocked its termination.

The court’s decision was in response to an emergency appeal from some Republicanled states who had asked for the policy to remain in place.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to

The decision will be a blow to immigration activists, who had sued to end Title 42, arguing it was contrary to international obligations to give people asylum.

Proponents of Title 42 and officials in many border communities, however, argued that lifting the policy would lead to an increase in arrivals at the border, putting a strain on resources.

Source: bbc.com

26 Rohingya refugees died at sea making perilous journey

distressing video circulated widely on social media showed the Rohingya worn out and emaciated, with many crying for help.

At least 26 Rohingya Muslims had died in dire conditions during a month at open sea while making a dangerous voyage that brought scores of others to safety in Indonesia, a U.N. agency said Tuesday, adding there will likely be more.

Exhausted women and children were among 185 people who disembarked from a rickety wooden boat on Monday in a coastal village in Aceh’s Pidie district, authorities said. A

“They are very weak because of dehydration and exhaustion after weeks at sea,” said local police chief Fauzi, who goes by a single name. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said that survivors told the agency that 26 people died during the long journey.

One of the refugees, who identified himself as Rosyid, told The Associated Press that they left the refugee camp in Bangladesh at the end of November and drifted on the open sea. He said at least “20 of us died aboard due to high waves and sick, and their bodies were thrown into the sea.”

According to UNHCR, more than 2,000 people are reported to have taken risky sea

journeys in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal this year, and nearly 200 have reportedly died.

UNHCR has also received unconfirmed reports of one additional boat with some 180 people still missing, with all passengers presumed dead.

“In the absence of an immediate, resourceful, and coordinated response by regional governments to help Rohingya refugees still aboard imperiled vessels, lives may be lost,” Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid said in an statement. “This is unacceptable.”

Chris Lewa, the director of the Arakan Project, which works in support of Myanmar’s Rohingya, said the latest arrivals were among five groups of Rohingya who had left refugee

camps in Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh by smaller boats to avoid detection by local coast guards before they were transferred onto five larger boats for their respective journeys.

More than 1 million Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar over several decades, including about 740,000 who crossed the border starting in August 2017, when the Myanmar military launched a brutal crackdown.

Malaysia has been a common destination for many of the refugees arriving by boat, but they also have been detained in the country. Engine troubles make others seek safety in Aceh province in Indonesia, on the way to Malaysia.

Source: cp24.com/

U.N. Security Council denounces Taliban bans on women in Afghanistan

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 27 (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council on Tuesday called for the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and girls in Afghanistan, denouncing a ban by the Taliban-led administration on women attending universities or working for humanitarian aid groups.

In a statement agreed by consensus, the 15-member council said the ban on women and girls attending high school and universities in Afghanistan “represents an increasing erosion for the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Twitter on Tuesday that the restrictions were “unjustifiable human rights viola-

tions and must be revoked.” He added: “Actions to exclude and silence women and girls continue to cause immense suffering and major setbacks to the potential of the Afghan people.”

The university ban on women was announced as the Security Council in New York met on Afghanistan last week. Girls have been banned from high school since March.

The council said a ban on female humanitarian workers, announced on Saturday, “would have a significant and immediate impact for humanitarian operations in country,” including those of the United Nations.

“These restrictions contradict the commitments made by the Taliban to the Afghan

people as well as the expectations of the international community,” said the Security Council, which also expressed its full support for the U.N. political mission in Afghanistan, known as UNAMA.

Four major global aid groups, whose humanitarian efforts have reached millions of Afghans, said on Sunday that they were suspending operations because they were unable to run their programmes without female staff.

U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths told the Security Council last week that 97% of Afghans live in poverty, two-thirds of the population need aid to survive, 20 million people face acute hunger and 1.1 million teenage girls

were banned from school. he Islamist Taliban seized power in August last year. They had largely banned education of girls when last in power two decades ago but had said their policies had changed. The Taliban-led administration has not been recognised internationally.

Source: bbc.com

Ethnic Serbs erect more roadblocks as tensions soar in Kosovo

Ethnic Serbs have erected more roadblocks in northern Kosovo and defied demands to remove barriers put in place earlier, a day after Serbia put its troops near the border on a high level of combat readiness.

The new barriers, formed of loaded trucks, were installed in the early hours of Tuesday in the town of Mitrovica. The town is divided between Kosovo Serbs and ethnic Albanians, who represent the majority in Kosovo as a whole.

It is the first time since a crisis in the region erupted in early December that Serbs have blocked streets in one of the main towns. Until now, barricades had been set on roads leading to the Kosovo-Serbia border.

“Criminal groups continue to block the freedom of movement by setting up barricades throughout the night in the north of the country. According to official information, two more barricades with heavy vehicles have been set up,” said a police statement, quoted by the Anadolu news agency.

Kosovar authorities also reportedly blocked

Serbian Patriarch Porfirije from entering the country from neighbouring Serbia ahead of Orthodox Christmas celebrations on January 7, according to police.

Serbian Patriarch Porfirije said Kosovo “locked the door of his home”, adding: “I pray to God that he unlock the hearts of those who have closed it and that the love of Christmas and of the birth of the Saviour touch the minds and the conscience of all people.”

Tuesday’s developments came after Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic on Monday ordered Serbia’s army and police to be put on high alert in response to the latest events in the region.

Vucic claimed Pristina was preparing to “attack” ethnic Serb areas in northern Kosovo and remove by force several of the roadblocks that Serbs started putting up 18 days ago to protest against the arrest of a former Kosovo Serb police officer.

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic on Tuesday refused to comment on claims that Serbia had sent armed men into Kosovo to

man the barricades.

Kosovo’s government has yet to respond to Vucic’s allegations, but has previously accused the Serbian leader of attempting to stir up trouble and trigger incidents that could act as a pretext for an armed intervention in the former Serbian province.

Meanwhile, Pristina has asked NATO-led peacekeepers (the Kosovo Force, or KFOR) stationed in the country to remove the barricades set up by ethnic Serbs and hinted that its own forces would do so if KFOR does not take action.

About 4,000 NATO-led peacekeepers have been stationed in Kosovo since the 1999 war that ended with Belgrade losing control over the territory.

Simmering tensions in the Balkans

The latest furore erupted on December 10, when Serbs erected multiple roadblocks and exchanged fire with police after the arrest of a former Serb police officer for allegedly assaulting serving police officers during a previous protest.

The ethnic Serbs are demanding the release of the arrested officer and have other demands before they will remove the barricades. It comes after earlier trouble over the issue of car licence plates. Kosovo has for years wanted ethnic Serbs in the north to switch their Serbian car licence plates to ones issued by Pristina, as part of the government’s desire to assert authority over its territory.

Ethnic Serb mayors in northern municipalities, along with local judges and about 600 police officers, resigned last month in protest after Kosovo’s government finally ruled that Serbian-issued licence plates must be replaced with ones issued by Pristina.

Source: aljazeera.com

Iranian football legend Ali Daei says family ordered off flight

family’s return to Tehran.

“My daughter and wife were taken off the flight, but they were not arrested,” Daei said, according to a report by ISNA.

“Had they been banned [from leaving], the passport police system should have shown it: No one has given me an answer about this. I really don’t know what is the reason for these things,” he said.

Turkey summons french ambassador after Paris shooting

Iranian football legend Ali Daei said a plane travelling from Tehran to Dubai had been rerouted, and his wife and daughter ordered off, according to Iranian news organisations.

Daei — one of Iran’s most famous footballers and a former German Bundesliga striker whose 109 goals at the international level were long unsurpassed until Cristiano Ronaldo overtook him — said his wife and daughter had flown on a Mahan Air flight, taking off from the Iranian capital’s Imam Khomeini Airport on Monday, headed to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) reported.

But the plane was rerouted and made to land on Iran’s Kish Island in the Gulf, where “Ali Daei’s wife and daughter got off the plane”, the state news agency IRNA said.

Daei — who has expressed support for the protest movement that has rocked Iran since the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, after her arrest in Tehran by morality police for an alleged breach of the country’s strict dress code for women — said he was trying to arrange his

My wife and daughter were going to Dubai for a few days trip and back”, he added.

The flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed Mahan Air Flight W563 being diverted to Kish Island before travelling onward to Dubai a couple of hours later.

Quoting the judiciary, IRNA said that “Daei’s wife had pledged to inform the relevant institutions of her decision before leaving the country”, following their “association with the groups against the Islamic revolution and rioters and calling for strikes”.

There was no comment from the airline or Iranian authorities.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency, believed to be close to the Revolutionary Guard, said a travel ban was imposed on Daei’s wife earlier this month because of her support for the protests. It said she tried to illegally bypass the ban, without elaborating, and that her final destination was the United States.

The reports did not name his wife or daughter, who are not public figures.

Source: aljazeera.com

As COVID-hit China opens up to travel, others secure their doors

Japan will tighten border controls for COVID-19 by requiring tests for all visitors from China starting Friday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced, even as Beijing said it would scrap mandatory quarantine for overseas arrivals.

The developments come days after the World Health Organization (WHO) said it was very concerned about rising reports of severe cases across China after the country largely abandoned its “zero-COVID” policy.

Beijing, while acknowledging a surge in cases, has downplayed the spread of the virus after spending the best part of three years locking down entire neighbourhoods and cities over a handful of infections.

On Tuesday, it said that it would downgrade its coronavirus threat levels on January 8, and would start allowing mainland residents to travel abroad more easily. Outbound travel by Chinese tourists, for years a mainstay of the global tourism industry, had shrunk to almost zero since 2020. Additionally, passengers arriving from abroad will no longer have to quarantine, though a negative test result

within 48 hours of departure and in-flight masks are still required.

China has been “refining our COVID response in light of the evolving situation” while working with the global community, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin said.

Yet even as Beijing has given its go-ahead for the country to open up, other governments — worried about the spike in cases in China — are raising barriers for the entry of Chinese visitors.

In Japan, the quantitative antigen test that is already conducted on entrants suspected of having COVID-19 will be mandatory for all people arriving from mainland China. Those who test positive will be quarantined for seven days at designated facilities and their samples will be used for genome analysis.

The measure begins Friday, just as Japan heads into New Year’s holidays marked by parties and travel, when infections are expected to rise.

Source: aljazeera.com

Turkey summoned France’s ambassador over what it called “black propaganda” by Kurdish activists during a march to mourn three people killed in a shooting at a Kurdish cultural centre in Paris.

French Ambassador Herve Magro was summoned on Monday so Ankara could relay unease after some marched in Paris with flags of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) or suggested that Turkey was linked to the shooting, the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Turkey “expects France to act prudently over the incident and not to allow the [banned PKK] terrorist organisation to advance its sneaky agenda,” Anadolu reported.

On Saturday, members of France’s Kurdish community and anti-racism activists joined together in Paris in a demonstration of mourning and anger a day after a Kurdish neighbourhood was targeted by a gunman who has admitted racist motivations. While the gathering was largely peaceful, with marchers holding portraits of the vic-

tims, some youths threw objects and set light to cars, and police shot tear gas to disperse the crowd.

People carrying the flag of the PKK, a designated “terrorist” group in Turkey, the European Union and the United States, were seen during the demonstration. The PKK has waged a four-decade armed campaign against the Turkish state, seeking autonomy for Kurdish areas of southeastern Turkey.

“We expressed our dissatisfaction with the black propaganda launched by PKK circles against our country and with the fact that the French government and some politicians are used as a tool in this propaganda,” the source told the AFP news agency.

The 69-year-old French man suspected of the attack, reportedly a gun enthusiast with a history of weapons offences who had been released on bail earlier this month, told investigators he did not know his victims and described all “non-European foreigners” as his enemies.

Source: aljazeera.com

Stress Management with the Holidays

By: Asma Shums, asmashums@ gmail.com

This break between the holidays and new year is usually considered a “write off” where you do the bare minimum while doing the maximum emotionally at the same time. Some families celebrate Christmas or do family gatherings without any religious sentimental simply because everyone has the time off from their work or school. It is also the time where people may fly out to visit family and catch up as the world collectively takes time off during this time. Whether you are hosting a big family event or attending one, the holidays can be a very strangely stressful time.

Work/Life Balance

Although it may seem everyone has a few days or weeks off during the end of December, some may still be trying to manage a stressful work life and trying to make it for other events in life. Work has a tendency to take over our lives where its stresses linger past the time we clock out. This is a good time to really see our family and be reminded of what is important and should be a priority.

Make Time for Yourself

Whether it be a busy work schedule, full week of dinners and get togethers with

friends and family, or simply errands for your own family to catch up, all of it can take a significant toll on yourself. It may feel like you are stressed out without any reason to be stressed out. Take some time off to reflect on what it is that you wish to do for yourself. It can be a solo activity such as a long walk or massage or one that you feel guilty for missing time and again like meeting that one friend for dinner.

Done be a Perfectionist

The time off, social media posts of grand spreads, gift exchanges, etc. can cause you to create high standards for yourself to meet. Having unrealistically high standards is the perfect catalyst to feel inadequate or stressed out about the smallest things this holiday season. Try to reflect on the present and being clear about what is truly important and which details really matter. It would be the perfect way to start the new year by being less self-critical.

Use Healthy Coping Methods

Sometimes no matter how hard you try, the holiday stress can creep up on you. It is easy to fall into unhealthy coping methods that feel good temporarily but are harmful in the long run. This can be eating too much or too little, withdrawing from friends and family, being highly defensive and combative with loved oved, or engaging in drugs or other vices. Do take this time to reflect, give yourself what you need, and confide in a loved one.

Exercise

A good way to get rid of uncomfortable energy such as anxiety or stress is by getting those emotions out through exercise. It increases endorphins and stimulates the immune system. Prolonged stress can cause sickness and low energy. By exercising, you can avoid reaching burnout. This can be light walks or a heavy session in the gym but should be an activity that you enjoy.

Sleep

More often that not, our ill moods can be fixed with our favourite food, exercise, and a good night’s sleep. We need sleep just as much as we need food and water. Take this time to set good sleep hygiene by having a night time routine, waking up at a regular time, and having deep uninterrupted sleep. It helps regulate our moods and sets us up for a successful way to combat stressful situations.

Learn How to Say No

Our family, friends, or workplace dynamics can cause us stress during these times because you may be expected to do things that you simply do not want to do. If you are in a situation where you can feel negative emotions arise, it is a sign from your body, a request to say no. Saying no is just as important as saying yes. It means you respect yourself enough to listen to it when you are being stretched thin or in situations that you feel uncomfortable or unhappy in. The inability to say no can be a major reason for

Stay Safe and healthy in Winter

Winter storms and cold temperatures can be dangerous. Stay safe and healthy by planning ahead. Prepare your home and vehicles. Prepare for power outages and outdoor activity. Check on older adults.Although winter comes as no surprise, many of us may not be ready for its arrival. If you are prepared for the hazards of winter, you are more likely to stay safe and healthy when temperatures start to fall.

Prepare Your Home Staying inside is no guarantee of safety.

Winterize your home.

Install weather stripping, insulation, and storm windows.

Insulate water lines that run along exterior walls.

Clean out gutters and repair roof leaks. Check your heating systems. Have your heating system serviced professionally to make sure that it is clean, working properly, and ventilated to the outside.

Inspect and clean fireplaces and chimneys. Have a safe alternate heating source and alternate fuels available.

If you do not have working smoke detectors, install one inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement. Test batteries monthly and replace them twice a year.

Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning emergencies.

Install a battery-operated or battery backup CO detector to alert you of the presence of the deadly, odorless, colorless gas. Check or change the battery when you change your clocks in the fall and spring.

Learn the symptoms of CO poisoning: headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion.

Cars driving on snowy road

Get your vehicle ready for cold weather use before winter arrives.

Prepare Your Vehicle

Get your vehicle ready for cold weather use before winter arrives.

Service the radiator and maintain antifreeze level.

Check your tires’ tread or, if necessary, replace tires with all-weather or snow tires. Keep the gas tank full to avoid ice in the tank

and fuel lines.

Use a wintertime formula in your windshield washer.

Prepare a winter emergency kit to keep in your car in case you become stranded. The kit should include:

Cell phone, portable charger, and extra batteries.

Items to stay warm, such as extra hats, coats, mittens, blankets, or sleeping bags.

Food and water.

Booster cables, flares, tire pump, and a bag of sand or cat litter (for traction).

Compass and maps.

Flashlight, battery-powered radio, and extra batteries.

First-aid kit; and Plastic bags (for sanitation).

Prepare for Emergencies

Be prepared for weather-related emergencies, including power outages.

Stock food that needs no cooking or refrigeration and water stored in clean containers.

Ensure that your cell phone is fully charged.

When planning travel, be aware of current and forecast weather conditions.

Keep an up-to-date emergency kit, including:

Battery-operated devices, such as a flashlight, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio, and lamps.

Extra batteries.

First-aid kit and extra medicine.

Baby items; and Cat litter or sand for icy walkways.

Protect your family from carbon monoxide (CO).

Keep grills, camp stoves, and generators out of the house, basement, and garage.

Locate generators at least 20 feet from the house.

Leave your home immediately if the CO detector sounds and call 911.

Wear appropriate outdoor clothing: layers of light, warm clothing; windproof coat; mittens; hats; scarves; and waterproof boots.

Take Precautions Outdoors

Outdoor activities can expose you to several safety hazards, but you can take these steps to prepare for them:

Wear appropriate outdoor clothing: wear a tightly woven, preferably wind-resistant coat or jacket; inner layers of light, warm clothing; mittens; hats; scarves; and waterproof boots.

Sprinkle cat litter or sand on icy patches. Learn safety precautions to follow when outdoors.

Work slowly when doing outside chores. Take a buddy and an emergency kit when you are participating in outdoor recreation. Carry a cell phone.

Do This When You Plan to Travel When planning travel, be aware of current

your stress.

Focus on Areas of Your Life that can be Controlled

Lastly, no matter how much you try, sometimes, holiday seasons are plain stressful. This is your time to be able to control and focus on areas that you have autonomy over. Having some control over things can make you happier as it alleviates feelings of helplessness and frustration. This can mean choosing what to watch when you go to bed, doing your hair and makeup in ways you enjoy, or the way you cook or do your work.

Just Chill Who’s the boss? The boss of our small company was complaining during a staff meeting that people didn’t respect him enough. Trying to change the attitude in the office, he came in the next day with a sign for his door that said, “I am the boss.”

One of the employees, apparently not appreciating the change, posted a post-it-note on the sign that said, “your wife wants her sign back.”

and forecast weather conditions. Avoid non-essential travel when the National Weather Service has issued advisories.

If you must travel, inform a friend or relative of your proposed route and expected time of arrival.

No one can stop the onset of winter. However, if you follow these suggestions, you will be ready for it when it comes.

•J

anuary 7:

of outgoing President Donald Trump attack the United States Capitol, disrupting certification of the 2020 presidential election and forcing Congress to evacuate.

•9 Jan: A massive blackout strikes Pakistan, leaving as much as 90 % of the country without electricity at its height as officials rush to restore power.

Jan 20: Biden Inaugurated as the 46th President Amid a Cascade of Crises. Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. and Kamala Devi Harris took the oath of office at a Capitol still reeling from the attack of a violent mob Jan 26: Global number of COVID cases surpasses 100 million

•

•J

uly 8: Former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe is assassinated while giving a public speech in the city of Nara, Japan.

• July 18: Droupadi Murmu is elected as President of India, making her the first tribal woman and youngest person to be elected to the office.

• July 19: European heat waves: A series of severe heatwaves from July to August hit Europe, causing at least 53,000 deaths and additionally causing major wildfires, travel disruption, and record high temperatures in many countries.

• July 31: Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Egyptian terrorist who became the 2nd Emir of al-Qaeda after Osama bin Laden’s death in 2011, is killed in an airstrike in Kabul, Afghanistan conducted by the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency.

•

•Feb

•A

ug

•M

ar 3: 2022

• Mar 4: Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: An Afghan man on behalf of the Islamic State – Khorasan Province commits a suicide attack at a Shia mosque in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, killing 63 people.

• Mar 21: China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735 crashes in Guangxi, China, killing all 133 people on board.

• March 31 – Expo 2020 closes in Dubai after a 6-month run; originally scheduled for April 10, 2021, it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

of skirmish.

• Aug 12: Indian-born British-American novelist Salman Rushdie is stabbed multiple times as he is about to give a public lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York.

• Aug 17: Turkey and Israel agree to restore full diplomatic relations after a period of tensions.

• Aug 28: Pakistan declares a “climate catastrophe” and appeals for international assistance, as the death toll from recent flooding in the country exceeds 1,000, the world’s deadliest flood since 2017. Several nations, alongside the UN, pledge millions in funding for aid.

•

• Sep 19: The state funeral of Elizabeth II is held in Westminster Abbey, London. Her coffin is then taken by procession to Windsor Castle for burial.8

• Sep 27- 30 Hurricane Ian impacts Cuba and the United States, causing catastrophic damage to both nations, killing at least 157 people, 16 missing.

•A

pr4: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) releases the third and final part of its Sixth Assessment Report on climate change, warning that greenhouse gas emissions must peak by 2025 at the latest and decline 43% by 2030.

• Apr 7: The UN votes by 93–24 to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council, with 58 countries abstaining.

• April 11: The National Assembly of Pakistan elects leader of the opposition Shehbaz Sharif as prime minister of Pakistan, after Imran Khan is removed from office following a motion of no confidence two days prior.• April 13 – COVID-19 pandemic: The number of confirmed cases exceeds 500 million worldwide.

•O

ct 1: A fatal human

occurs

Java, Indonesia, killing 131 people and injuring more than 50 October 5: OPEC+ imposes a production cut of up to 2 million barrels per day.

Stadium

• October 25 – Amid a government crisis, Rishi Sunak becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, following the resignation of Liz Truss.

• Oct 29: At least 158 people are killed and another 197 injured in a crowd crush during Halloween festivities in Seoul, South Korea.

•M

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II, has caused the displacement of 15.7 million Ukrainians (8 million internally displaced persons and 7.7 million refugees), and has led to international condemnations and sanctions and nuclear threats, the withdrawal of hundreds of companies from Russia, and the exclusion of Russia from major sporting events. By: M. Naseer Pirzada Updated

ay 6 : An outbreak of monkeypox begins when the first monkeypox virus case is reported in London, the United Kingdom.

• May 9 - The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa resigns as a result of massive protests against his government across the country.

• May 13 – Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is elected as the 3rd president of the United Arab Emirates by the Federal Supreme Council following the death of Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan a day earlier.

• May15: Former President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is elected president again, beating President.

•J

une 5 : At least 50 people are killed in a dual mass shooting-bomb attack in Owo.

• June 22: An earthquake measuring moment magnitude (Mw ) 6.2 strikes the Durand Line between Afghanistan and Pakistan, killing at least 1,163 people.

• June 26 : G7 leaders gather for a summit in Germany to discuss the situation in Ukraine. A ban on imports of Russian gold is announced.

• June 27 – 53 migrants from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador are found dead in a tractor trailer in San Antonio, Texas, United States.

•N

OV 6-8: The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) on climate change mitigation takes place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

• Nov 15: The world population reaches 8 billion.

The 2022 G20 Bali summit in Bali, Indonesia takes place.

• NOV 20 -Dec 18: The 2022 FIFA World Cup is held in Qatar.

ec 2: The G7 and Australia join the EU in imposing a cap of $60 a barrel on Russian crude oil, designed to “prevent Russia from profiting from its war of aggression against Ukraine.”

•D

• Dec 18: Argentina wins Fifa world cup in Qatar by France.

• Dec 18: 5 dead and suspect killed in Toronto Vaughn area condo shooting.

• Dec 23: LHC reinstates Parvez Elahi as Punjab CM on ‘assurance’

• Dec: UN Secretary-General ‘deeply disturbed’ by Taliban’s reported ban on women working for NGOs in Afghanistan

ep 2: The G7 economies agree to impose a price cap on Russian petroleum exports.

Sep 8: Queen Elizabeth II dies at Balmoral Castle in Scotland at the age of 96. Her son Charles III succeeds her successor.

Russian invasion of Ukraine: Russia is condemned by world leaders following an attack by its troops on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant – the largest in Europe.

5-7: Israel launches airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, killing Islamic Jihad military leader Tayseer Jabari. Both parties agree to a ceasefire after three days

crush

during an association football match at Kanjuruhan

in Malang Regency, East

Supporters

eb 4–20: The 2022 Winter Olympics are held in Beijing, China, making it the first city ever to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics.

Feb 5: Cyclone Batsirai kills a total of 123 people across Madagascar, Mauritius, and Réunion two weeks after Tropical Storm Ana killed 115 people in the same region.

Feb 9: The biggest breakthrough in fusion energy since 1997 is reported at the Joint European Torus in Oxford, the UK.

27: 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine: Putin orders Russia’s nuclear deterrent forces to be on “special alert”, their highest level, in response to what he calls “aggressive statements” by NATO.

“Glory of Yusuf” Book Launch Event with Mufti Aasim Rashid

“Glory of Yusuf” Book Launch Event with Mufti Aasim Rashid.” Alhamdulillah the book is now available for purchase on Amazon everywhere and at the Al-Ihsan Institute in Surrey, BC. Amazon links can be found below.

A special thank you to Guildford Islamic Cultural Centre for hosting this special event. May Allah grant their Centre prosperity and baraka, and may He accept all the great work they do for the community. We are in the process of making the book available to more vendors across the world. Stay tuned for more updates.

Amazon Colour Version (Paperback, Kindle)

- Canada: https://a.co/d/iAGGmoN

- USA: https://a.co/d/4AGdopo

Continuing its past years’ tradition, Halal fast food chain Chicken World was with Surrey’s homeless again this year and delivered meals to those living on the streets in Surrey’s Whalley Area during this challenging time of the year.

PCCA BC Celebrates Quaid e Azam Day at Taste of Lahore, Surrey

Chicken World continues its tradition of feeding Surrey’s homeless in winter

Canadian Muslim Media Club team at the house of Chicken restaurant

health care in Canada: Learn about other types of health insurance

Other types of health insurance

Public health insurance in Canada does not cover every health service and product. In some cases, you may need or want to access health care using different programs or services.

Depending on your situation, you may be able to access

•

Private health insurance for more coverage than the public system provides

• Health care services for refugees and protected persons

Private health insurance

Government (public) health insurance plans give you access to basic medical services. Private health insurance often pays for things that government plans don’t cover.

The most common types of private insurance plans are extended health plans.

These cover costs for

• prescription medications

• dental care

• physiotherapy

• ambulance services

• prescription eyeglasses

If you work, you may get extra coverage from the company or organization you work for. Check with your employer for more information about their health insurance plans.

Health coverage for protected persons or refugee claimants

In some cases, the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) provides temporary health insurance to

• refugees

•

health

•

This

Source: canada.ca/en/immigration

‘We’re not oppressed’: Canadians unite to mark World hijab Day

By Saba Aziz , Global News

tOppressed being used on social media.

Scarborough MP Salma Zahid, who will be taking part in a Zoom discussion with her local community on Tuesday, said there is a misconception that Muslim women are oppressed and forced to wear the hijab.

“It is important that we educate our friends and family members and our neighbours and that’s how we are going to learn about each other and get through those differences and build bridges,” she said.

and it is already being challenged by several groups and cities across Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he hasn’t “ruled out” federal intervention to challenge Bill 21 in court, but won’t wade into the legal challenge – for now.

Legault has repeatedly cited strong public support for Bill 21 as a warning to any leaders outside Quebec who challenge it.

Robert Green, a history teacher at West-

women refrained from going out for walks for several months after that attack.

She, herself, is scared to walk unaccompanied to her mail-box. Yasmin Khan, who was a close friend of the Afzaal family, said that event gripped the city with fear. She noticed that Muslim women refrained from going out for walks for several months after that attack.

As

“rollercoaster”

From being yelled at to “go back home” while walking outside with friends or missing out on opportunities in school due to her headscarf, the discrimination has affected her mental health.

“Sometimes you feel so judged and neglected by society that you reach a down point in life and you’re like, I don’t want to wear it anymore,” the 22-year-old Western University student told Global News.

Khan’s struggles and insecurities are shared by many other Muslim women in Canada and around the globe, who say they have faced verbal and physical attacks because of their faith. Bangladeshi-American Nazma Khan, who launched World Hijab Day (WHD) in 2013, said the aim is to raise awareness and normalize the wearing of a hijab.Having faced discrimination and bullying in school and university by being spat on, chased, kicked and called a “terrorist”, Khan is hoping the annual event can foster religious tolerance so other women do not have the experiences she had to endure.

“I want to invite [people] into our lives, even for a day, just to understand [Muslim women] a little better,” she said.

Farwa Awan, an 18-year-old Pakistani-Canadian, said it is important to mark the day and for it to be recognized internationally because there is a “huge stigma” attached with wearing the hijab.

As the president of the University of Winnipeg Muslim Student Association, Awan was also planning to organize virtual events to spread the word about World Hijab Day.

“I think it’s a big deal to show the world that we’re not oppressed and it’s just how we express ourselves and this is part of our identity.”

Bill 21

Nazma Khan said men can also take part in this campaign and offer their support by wearing a scarf around their neck or just holding a sign and taking a photo to share online.

The slogan this year is “hijab is our crown, not a crime” with the hashtag #DressedNo-

In Canada, there are growing concerns about Islamophobia, anti-Muslim hate crime and discrimination in light of recent events.

Earlier in December, Fatemeh Anvari, a hijab-wearing elementary school teacher in western Quebec, was reassigned from her classroom because of the province’s secularism law, which forbids teachers from wearing religious symbols.

That law, known as Bill 21, was passed in June 2019 and bans the wearing of religious symbols such as hijabs, kippas and turbans by teachers and other government employees deemed to be in positions of authority.

Premier Francois Legault‘s government has hailed the legislation as essential to maintaining secularism, which is the policy of strict separation of religion and the state, which has broad support in Quebec.

But critics have argued that it disproportionately targets Muslim women who wear the hijab or niqab and effectively treats them and other religious minorities as secondclass citizens.

There is growing pressure to scrap the law

mount High in Montreal, said the law is “really offensive” and contrary to the values of a democratic society.

He along with other teachers in Canada will be showing their support to Anvari, as part of a global campaign launched by the WHD organization, called Teachers for Fatemeh. Green said he will put on his Buddhist Mala beads along with a button opposing Bill 21, as an act of solidarity, demonstrating his opposition to this “terrible law” in Quebec.

“Muslim women are being targeted with discriminatory laws and with violence simply for being who they are — and that’s wrong,” Green added.

Safety concerns

She, herself, is scared to walk unaccompanied to her mail-box. “To this day, when we’re talking to other Muslims in the community, especially the women, they have a lot of anxiety and it’s so sad that it’s caused a lack of trust in our community.”

Khan urged Muslims to seek support if they are struggling from anxiety. Since the London attack took place, non-profit Muslim Resource Center for Social Support and Integration has been actively providing support to the Muslim community in the city.

Tackling Islamophobia

Last summer, concerns for the safety of Muslims were heightened in Canada in the aftermath of a deadly attack in London, Ont. In June 2021, a man intentionally rammed his truck at a Pakistani Muslim family while they were out for an evening walk, killing four members of the family. A nine-year-old boy was the lone survivor.

Yasmin Khan, who was a close friend of the Afzaal family, said that event gripped the city with fear. She noticed that Muslim

On Jan. 28, the federal government announced it will be appointing a special representative in combatting Islamophobia as part of its anti-racism strategy.

Yasmin Khan said there needs to be more action to tackle Islamophobia and political leaders should do more than just make “empty statements.”

Ashley Pearson Khan, a Toronto resident who converted to Islam in 2019 while taking part in a 30-day hijab challenge during the month of Ramadan, said laws need to be put in place to safeguard Muslims from discrimination in the workplace.

Making sure Muslim women are protected in the workplace “would make a huge difference”, she said.

Hajira Wajid, an Indian Muslim living in Winnipeg, is concerned about the misinformation circulating online about Islam and those who wear the hijab.

“There needs to be more done to educate and raise awareness to eliminate Islamophobia,” she said, adding that “Bill 21 definitely has to go”.

Source: globalnews.ca/news

a hijab-wearing Muslim woman, growing up and living in London, Ont. has been a

ride, Yasmin Khan says.

protected persons

refugee claimants

temporary health care covers you and your dependants until you’re eligible for

coverage through your province or territory, or from a private plan.