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OH YES
Issue: 57
December 2012
VIVA PALESTINE member status, Palestinians enjoy access to UN agencies and the International Criminal Court where they could file complaints against Israel. The upgrade also allows the Palestinians to participate in debates at the UN and improve their chances of joining UN agencies. The United States and Israel have spared no means for the past two years to stymie the Palestinians’ efforts towards upgrading Palestine’s status at the UN, arguing that it is only through negotiations with Israel that Palestinian statehood ambitions can yield.
The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to upgrade Palestine’s status at the UN from “observer entity” to “observer nonmember state” despite strong opposition by Israel and the US. The 193-member assembly voted 138-9 with 41 abstentions at the UN headquarters in New York for a resolution approving the upgrade. Nine countries, including Canada, Israel, and the United
States, voted against it. Speaking before the vote, the acting Palestinian Authority Chief, Mahmoud Abbas told the General Assembly that it was “being asked today to issue the birth certificate of Palestine…” The vote is seen as a long-sought victory for the Palestinians, but an embarrassing diplomatic defeat for the United States. Having earned the observer non-
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I LOCAL & NATIONAL NEWS
Passion Islam
thePassion
I December 2012
By Abu Muhammad
extracts from press tv
British media propagate Israelis false ideas
The British main stream media continue to give the Israeli regime’s authorities the biased platform they need to express their one-sided and controversial ideas without any journalistic challenge. The regime’s war minister Ehud Barak in a recent visit to the UK was interviewed by The Daily Telegraph. And the interview on 30th October 2012, once again, showed the extent of support the Israelis are given by the main stream British media to voice their unfounded allegations against others. In the interview, Barak again accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons without presenting any evidence or document to support
his accusations. The apartheid regime of Israel has, for years, been attempting to convince other nations and mostly its supporters in the West that Iran’s civilian nuclear programme poses a threat. It is not something new or surprising that western media outlets are providing an unchallenged platform for Israelis, but what is amazing is that, the journalists in Western countries adopt professional attitudes to this end. The Daily Telegraph reporter knows that Barak is a high ranking military man of an occupying apartheid regime. The regime’s war minister has been complicit in many
atrocities committed in Palestine according to witnesses, evidence and documents which are present in international organisations like the United Nations. The “Ironophobia Project”, of course, is being pursued by the West and the Israeli regime, to first distract the world’s attention from the Palestinian issue, and second the regime’s arsenal of nuclear weapons. Every now and then, the Israeli regime launches an all-out aggression against the defenceless people of the besieged Gaza Strip, killing women and children indiscriminately, and it needs the Iranian nuclear issue to use it as a distraction and commit its crimes freely.
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Hijab first in British parliament
Passion Islam
I December 2012
NEWS
I3
In Case You Missed It
A 16-year-old girl is thought to have become the first person to speak from the House of Commons despatch box in the British parliament while wearing a hijab. Sumaiya Karim a biology, chemistry, history and maths student, was speaking as the Youth Parliament held its annual session in the lower house’s chamber, where Britain’s MPs gather. Karim, from Wokingham, west of London, said: “Wearing the hijab was my own choice.” The Muslim hijab scarf covers the head and neck but leaves the face exposed. British ministers and opposition shadow ministers stand at the despatch boxes when they address the Commons. The democratically elected Youth Parliament members, aged 11 to 18, are elected to represent the views of young people in their area to government.
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I
LOCAL & NATIONAL NEWS
Passion Islam
I December 2012
Mullaco Batley wins National Halal Butcher of the year Award
The Five-star Landmark London Hotel was the venue for this year’s Butcher of the year awards which took place on Thursday 22nd November 2012. Butchers Shop of the Year awards is an annual competition organised by trade magazine the Meat Trades Journal and William Reed Business Media to find the UK’s best butcher and farm shop businesses, with the winner in each region going head to head. This year’s UK Halal Butcher’s Shop of the Year Award category was the strongest ever which was
won by Mullaco of Batley. The category for halal butcher shops was introduced three years ago in recognition of the important role halal butchers play in the UK meat industry. The Awards not only judges meat quality and how it is displayed in the shop but how the business as a whole is being developed, how it is marketed, and its relationship with suppliers and the local community. One of the Judges of the Award, Fred A’Court said that he was impressed with the professionalism and the enthusiasm of the Halal butchers who made the final of this year’s Awards. Of the winning shop, Mullaco of Batley, West Yorkshire, he said: “Butchery manager Anwar Mulla has greatly widened the customer base of Mullaco Batley by improving the cutting of meat and its display. As well as appealing to Indian, Pakistani, Arab, Polish and some English customers the new approach has attracted younger customers too. “All meat is neatly trimmed and displayed on black trays with informative ticketing. The new approach has been particularly beneficial for beef sales with beef on the bone and beef tongue selling well. Mixed lamb, lamb pooth, chicken breast and whole chicken are also good sellers.” An average 1,000 customers a day visit the shop, which is open seven days a week from 8am until
8pm. Owner Yousuf Mulla says customers travel from as far away as York, Doncaster and Sheffield.” Yousuf Mulla of Mullaco Batley commented of his delight of winning this prestigious Award he said “To achieve such an award is truly an honour as it recognises the fact that we’re doing something right, and this has only been achieved by the Will of God, dedicated staff, and good quality meat and not to forget our loyal customers.” “Being just nominated for this award was a privilege and then to be picked as the best halal butchers in the country is really special, this is a great challenge, especially with so many similar businesses in this field, we want to make sure that winning the award our services gets even better, we will work and prove to all our old and new clientele that we are what we have been claimed to be.” “Our quality standard service continues towards improving ourselves, broadening our products in the fresh meat category, freshly made tasty sausages, really good quality burgers and the list goes on, so thank you all for the past 39 years for all your support and God-Willing we hope to serve you all for many years to come.” The other halal finalists were Quality Meats, Manchester and S&S Halal Meat and Grocers, Southall, Middlesex. The Awards are approved by UK Government meat industry.
Leveson calls for new press law in UK The Leveson report has urged the British government to set up a new independent media watchdog underpinned by legislation in order to uphold press standards. Publishing a 1,987-page report into press standards, the High Court judge recommended the introduction of the first press law in Britain and proposed that a statutory body take responsibility for monitoring an overhauled Press Complaints Commission. Lord Justice Leveson said legislation was needed to “enshrine a legal duty on the government to
protect the freedom of the press”, to reassure the public that newspapers are subject to an independent regulator and to prevent a repetition of phone hacking or other scandals. He also condemned decades of “outrageous” behaviour by newspapers and made a series of recommendations about how politicians and the police should behave in the future. Moreover, the report suggested that members of the British government and opposition front benchers should publish details of all their meetings with media
proprietors, executives and editors on a quarterly basis. PM Cameron was also criticized in the report for undermining public confidence in politicians due to creating the perception of his closeness to newspaper proprietors. The Leveson Inquiry was launched in Britain following the News International phone hacking scandal, and its main objective was said to study the culture, practices and ethics of the British press, as well as the initial police inquiry and allegations of illicit payments to police by the press.
Passion Islam
I December 2012
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I December 2012
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I December 2012
LOCAL & NATIONAL NEWS
I7
Anti-terror measures threatens work of Islamic charities In Case You Missed It
Haroun Atallah, finance director of Islamic Relief Worldwide, says rules introduced since the terrorist attacks on the US in 2001 could increase risks of radicalisation. Regulation aimed at cracking down on terrorism is not working and could unwittingly act as a “recruiting sergeant” for terrorist organisations, a charity finance director told a group
of international charity regulators. Atallah, said that since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, strict rules had prevented Islamic charities from functioning effectively. Atallah was speaking at a meeting of charity regulators including the Charity Commission and regulators from the US, Canada, Australia and Ireland in parliament. “The regulators have introduced these rules to fight terror but they are not having the desired effect,” he said. “This will, if anything, increase the risks of radicalisation.” He singled out the work of the Financial Action Task Force, an intergovernmental body developing and promoting policies to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, as particularly problematic.
Atallah said that many banks would not do business with his charity at all, some had stopped money being transferred for weeks and months, and others had questioned transactions. He added that the bank he uses, Barclays, had queried the legitimacy of United Nations money meant for relief in Sudan. “We said ‘you know us, and you ought to know the United Nations’, but they still wanted to know many things because they were so worried,” said Atallah. He said that the new international rules had shut down many international relief efforts, particularly in the Persian Gulf. One orphan adoption scheme sponsored by a Gulf charity, which had supported 6,000 people in a single town, had closed because of this, he said. “Those people will survive,” Atallah said. “But they will not be able to go to school, and they will be much poorer. “I don’t think introducing these rules will help the war on terror. It will act, if anything, as a recruiting sergeant in that part of the world.”
Half-term and Hajj boosts Manchester Airport
A bumper half-term and the Hajj Festival in Saudi Arabia helped Manchester Airport grow year-onyear passenger numbers by nearly five per cent last month. The airport carried a total of 1.76m passengers in October, a rise of 4.77 per cent on the same month
last year, when it handled 1.68m. Scheduled international routes enjoyed a surge of nearly 14 per cent while domestic services carried 5.14 per cent more passengers. Those increases more than offset a 15.8 per cent decline in charter traffic. Among the popular destinations
for families seeking some half-term sunshine were Palma in Majorca, Tenerife, Alicante, Malaga and Dalaman in Turkey. Andrew Harrison, chief operating officer at Manchester Airports Group, said: “October was a busy month for us. With half-term taking place, we saw over 332,000 passengers jetting off for some early winter sun, which was an eight per cent rise on October half-term last year. “The Hajj Festival in October also gave the airport number a boost with thousands of Muslim passengers from the north travelling to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.” Mr Harrison said he remains confident for the winter season, with new services to Stockholm, Gdansk in Poland and Riga in Latvia expected to help drive demand.
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I December 2012
Brutal Force
Passion Islam
I December 2012
LOCAL & NATIONAL NEWS
I9
In its recent Brutal Attack on Gaza by the Israeli Government over 170 Palestine have been Murdered, out of them over 80 have been Palestine children.
But still the US and UK Governments backs Israel, even though the ceasefire is in place the killings have not stopped and the brutal force continues from Israel. So Mr Cameron and Mr Obama tell us, would you tolerate this in your own country? “No country on Earth would tolerate missiles raining down on its citizens from outside its borders.” Barack Obama SO WHY SHOULD THEY!
UK backed terror on civilians for years
British government data shows that the UK provided despotic regimes across the world with weapons and equipment for years in order to help them oppress civilians. According to an analysis of documents released by the UK government, arms and equipment were given to oppressive regimes in Argentina, Indonesia, Iraq and Zimbabwe during the late 20th century. Britain lent Indonesian’s General Suharto over £630m to pay for UK weapons during a repression of protests in the Asian country. Some of the weapons included armored vehicles and jet aircrafts that were used in the 1990s against civilian
locals. According to documents in the National Archives, British arms were also supplied to the Argentinian junta before the invasion of the Falklands in 1982. The weapons included two Type 42 destroyers, two Lynx helicopters and 22 Sea Dart missiles. Furthermore, reports by Amnesty International show that the UK government gave President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe Land Rovers, which were all used to crush demonstrations. British weapons were also supplied to the Iraqi regime, whose former executed dictator Saddam Hussein used them in its invasion of Iran.
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UK’s spy agency conducts secret trials
Passion Islam
I December 2012
LOCAL & NATIONALI 11
In Case You Missed It
The UK government’s controversial plans for secret courts are already being used in the country in the form of Special Immigration Appeal Commission (SIAC) tribunals set up by Britain’s domestic intelligence agency MI5. The British Internal Security has been holding special courts for more than a decade, which hear secret evidence behind closed doors and
are completely separate from the country’s judicial system. In those proceedings, instead of the defendant’s chosen lawyer, a special government-approved advocate is appointed to “represent the interests” of the accused, who is basically deprived of knowing what his accusers say. The SIAC, which was established in 1997, hears national security
deportation and control order cases. Since 2001, the court has heard at least 70 cases after the AntiTerrorism, Crime and Security Act enabled the UK Home Secretary to detain, without charge or trial, foreign nationals who were suspected of terrorism-related offences. Last month, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) warned that the coalition government’s proposals to extend the use of secret hearings in courts are in breach of the Human Rights Act and the centuries-old common law right to fair trials. The controversial changes to the UK legal system, which are contained in the Justice and Security Bill, allow the government to seek closed material proceedings in civil cases concerning matters of “national security,” meaning that neither victims nor their lawyers would be able to hear arguments made against them by the UK intelligence agencies, MI5 and MI6.
Britain and Kuwait strike £1.5 billion military deal
Britain will supply homeland security expertise and equipment to Kuwait under a deal. Kuwait’s Emir, who was in the UK on a three-day state visit signed an agreement to ease restrictions on immigration between the two countries. Sources said the military deal could be worth up to £1.5bn to UK security and defence firms over ten years. Techniques and military equipment used during the 2012 Olympic Games in London are thought to be among what the Kuwaitis are interested in adopting,
said the reports. The deal is likely to concern human rights groups at a time when political tensions have intensified in the Gulf state. Recent demonstrations against an emergency decree that reduces the number of votes allowed per citizen from four to one for the sake of Kuwait’s “security and stability” have prompted clashes with tear gas and smoke bombs deployed by police to break them up. The UK has deep ties with Gulf Arab states, some of them former British protectorates, whose citizens
often travel to Britain to buy homes, shop and study. Discussions included defence matters and a range of regional issues including Iraq, Bahrain and Syria. The two sides agreed on the importance of seeing an inclusive, political transition in Syria. The two countries established a joint working group, which will meet twice a year in Kuwait and London in a bid to boost economic ties, KUNA said. The group will look to work together on areas including investment, trade, education, healthcare, security and military.
UK recognizes new Syria opposition coalition 12
I LOCAL & NATIONAL
The British government has officially recognized the Syrian National Coalition for Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (SNCROF), the new opposition coalition in the Arab country, in a latest move seeking to force President Bashar al-Assad’s government out of office.
Passion Islam
Britain’s Foreign Secretary William Hague announced London’s decision to recognize the new body “as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people”. Moreover, Hague promised a £1 million package of communication support for insurgents in Syria, including mobile internet hubs and satellite phones, while the majority of ordinary Syrian people are against the Western intervention in the Arab country. Critics however believe that the new British financial assistance is by no means humanitarian.
I December 2012
“These [£1 million] are meant for military use - they’re part of weaponizing the opposition in Syria. That will be the direction in which they would like to go, but were worried about going because they haven’t been able to have a reliable recipient for those weapons before now,” John Rees from the Stop the War coalition told the RT. The news comes as British Prime Minister David Cameron has revealed plans to facilitate supplying heavy weapons to insurgents in Syria. This comes as videos are emerging, almost on a daily basis, of foreign-backed armed terrorists in Syria killing civilians and executing army soldiers.
Passion Islam unveils partnership with Unity FM It has been a busy month here in the Passion Islam office as we look forward in strengthening our hold in the media industry by embarking on a mutual partnership which will see Passion Islam will be the northern correspondent news service for Unity FM as well as official partners of the Station. The news was welcomed by Unity FM “We here at 93.5 Unity FM are truly honoured to be working with such an inspirational forward thinking website like passionislam. com” “Unity FM is committed to providing high quality programming that brings communities together, promotes dialogue between people of different faiths and backgrounds and entertains it’s listeners with lively nasheeds, promoting a better image of Islam and Muslims is something we believe is imperative to achieve a more harmonious world a vision we share with our esteemed partners at passionislam.com their ability to share stories about international inspirational role models is truly admirable and has lead to the birth of many shows here at Unity FM.
“We find it truly commendable that we are able to work with our partners at passionislam. com and others to go beyond the lies, deception and propaganda that certain other sections of the mainstream media like to sell off as the truth to benefit their vested interests and money making capacity. Instead, we all as honest components of community media, working together are able to provide an impartial take on simple things like the week’s news and lively debates where everyone has a say and where no voice no matter how big or small is ignored or dismissed” Unity FM’s flagship weekly current affairs show Friday Night Fusion currently stands as the largest political current affairs show on community radio in the UK. This show has interviewed many well known personalities including senior Secretaries Of State, Parliamentarians and highly informed and extremely influential academics from around the world. Thanks to passionislam.com if you miss the live addition you are able to catch it for up to a month
afterwards on a Muslim lead website that is eager to inform and educate its readers, supporters and friends. Tas Hussain, producer of Friday Night Fusion and Head Of Programming at Unity FM said: “Passionislam.com is not just a website but a revolutionary tool that has played a pivotal role in promoting a better image of Islam and Muslims ever since the terrible atrocities of 911 and 7/7, it has also been willing to work with like minded media agencies such as ourselves at Unity FM to enhance the service they provide to the Muslim community and society as a whole.” Ahmad Bostan Al Qadri, a Senior Director of Unity FM and the founder of Friday Night Fusion said: “ I am delighted to see a website that helps my generation to engage with what is happening around the world whilst also informing us about Islam, our responsibilities as Muslims and good citizens, Unity FM’s partnership with passionislam.com is something I warmly welcome and I strongly endorse, I sincerely hope this partnership shall remain for many years and decades to come.
Egypt agrees deal for $4.8 billion IMF loan
Passion Islam
I December 2012
WORLD NEWS
Egypt has reached a preliminary agreement with a team from the International Monetary Fund for a $4.8 billion loan, a minister said. The deal is seen as a vital step for shoring up Egypt’s battered finances and rebuilding the confidence of investors, who have been looking to the IMF to give its seal of approval to the government’s economic program.
“We have a preliminary agreement with the technical team of the IMF,” Planning and International Cooperation Minister Ashraf al-Araby told a news conference with the head of the IMF delegation, Andreas Bauer, and other IMF officials. The agreement would go to the IMF board to be finalized on Dec. 19 with the first tranche of the loan to
be released immediately the board approved the deal, IMF officials said. One IMF official said the loan would be disbursed over 22 months. The loan carries an interest rate of 1.06 percent, Bauer said, adding that there were also fees attached. “We are happy that the IMF is supporting our program at this stage,”Araby said, adding that the economic program “would achieve social justice and targets those on limited incomes.” Egypt has outlined some measures already to cut back on fuel subsidies, a big drain on state coffers, and to raise revenues. The steps include ensuring subsidized cooking gas cylinders reach the most needy, ending subsidies on 95-octane gasoline and hiking the sales tax that now stands at 10 percent.
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I WORLD NEWS
Passion Islam
I December 2012
Second generation of Dutch Muslims becoming more religious
An increasing number of second generation Dutch Muslims are visiting the mosque at least once a week, according to research published by the goverment’s socio-
cultural policy unit SCP, DutchNews. nl said. Between 1998 and 2011, the number of mosque-attending Moroccans rose from 9% to 33%
while the number of Turks increased from 23% to 35%. Of the Turkish Netherlanders between the ages of 15 and 24, 10% pray five times a day. For young Moroccan Netherlanders the percentage is 61%. The Moroccan-Dutch are more likely to fast during ramadan and eat halal every day. The women are also more likely to wear a headscarf, says the SCP. Second generation Muslims who worship regularly feel a stronger bond with their family home land than with the Netherlands, reported Dutch News. The Netherlands has an estimated 825,000 Muslims, mostly of Turkish and Moroccan origin.
France ends Afghan combat mission France has ended its combat mission in Afghanistan two years before the planned withdrawal of US-led coalition forces from the war-torn country. French President Francais Hollande ordered the advanced extraction of the armed forces that were fighting as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. French military spokesman Col. Thierry Burkhard said 500 soldiers in trucks and armored vehicles have been withdrawn from the Nijrab base in Afghanistan’s strategic northeastern region of Kapisa and headed to the capital Kabul. The remaining 1,500 French
soldiers are responsible for repatriating military supplies deployed by the French in their 11-year military role with ISAF and carrying out routine tasks in Kabul’s airport. Paris decided to accelerate its withdrawal after a string of so-called green on blue attacks in 2011 and 2012. France’s base in Kapisa controled a deadly route from Afghanistan to Pakistan, where some 60 French troops had been killed, which is the majority of the France’s 88 lost in the Afghanistan mission. The initial decision to end the combat mission came from former President Nicolas Sarkozy, who
successfully debated a 2013 withdrawal. Hollande advanced the withdrawal date to 2012 to fulfill one of his campaign pledges. France was the fifth largest contributor to ISAF’s 100,000 forces after United States, Britain, Germany and Italy. According to the US military, around 60 foreign soldiers have been killed in green on blue attacks so far this year.
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Passion Islam
I December 2012
WORLD NEWS
I 15
Americans protest against US terror drone attacks
A group of American activists have staged a protest outside the CIA headquarters to voice their anger against Washington’s ongoing use of terror drone attacks. “He (Obama) is the drone
president, under his presidency the use of drones has dramatically increased and the victims of the drones have dramatically increased,” said Northern Virginians for Peace & Justice supporter Maliki Kilbride.
The use of terror drones as a weapon of war is an isolated method, raising many ethical questions in addition to political and legal concerns. “The ideas that something up there quietly patrolling you and making decisions privately about you need to die and I think that is an act of terror and I think is easily recognizable as an act of terror,” said Code Pink activist Joan Stallard. The UN has condemned the US assassination drone strikes, saying they pose a challenge to international law. Hundreds of people have been killed in drone attacks in northwestern Pakistan’s tribal areas since the beginning of this year. In Yemen, over 300 people have been killed in the airstrikes in the southern regions of the country so far in 2012, according to a recent report by Yemen’s National Organization for Defending Rights and Freedoms.
Hezbollah official slams Ki-Moon’s report In Case You Missed It
Deputy secretary general of Hezbollah resistance movement said the report issued by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon only meant to serve Israeli objectives. Sheikh Naim Qassem said the report about implementation of the UN Resolution 1559 ignored the Zionist regime’s violation of Lebanese territorial integrity. He said the UN secretary general has called Hezbollah’s sending of a drone over occupied lands a “reckless provocation”, while closing his eyes on six years of Israeli provocations and violations of Lebanese sovereignty. “Does Ban Ki-moon not see that Israel continues to occupy Shaba’a farmland and Kafashuba hills?” he
asked. The UN chief in his report has said that Hezbollah poses risks to the stability of Lebanon and interferes in Syria. Naim Qassem further underlined that Hezbollah is the pillar of Lebanon’s stability and that Hezbollah’s weapons are used to defend the country’s national interests. “The resistance movement that has given many martyrs for Lebanon is in a position today that Arab and Muslims have failed to reach in the past 60 years,” he added.
The official also underlined that Israel is fearful of Hezbollah fighters because they seek to enhance Lebanon’s dignity and national sovereignty and liberate the occupied lands.
Dubai facing $48bn debt 16
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WORLD NEWS
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Dubai faces nearly US$50bn of debt maturities between 2014 and 2016 but, unlike the crisis in 2009, is better equipped to handle redemptions due to an economic rebound, Standard Chartered said in a research report. In the note, the UK-based lender said Dubai, propelled into the global limelight three years ago after asking for a US$25bn debt restructuring for one of its flagship investment vehicles, has made little progress on raising cash from asset sales and the emirate’s overall debt burden remains a challenge.
The report added that sovereign debt has ballooned in a very short space of time, as the government borrows to support its entities and invest in infrastructure projects, with government debt accounting for about 30 percent of Dubai’s total debt. However, a rebound in Dubai’s key industries - tourism, trade and logistics - and the shift away from the construction and property-driven boom which helped fuel the previous crisis will help drive sustainable economic growth and assist Dubai
I December 2012
with the debt overhang. “Steady economic growth should allow issuers to generate stronger cash flow, and should also help banks increase their deposit bases further - giving them greater flexibility in terms of debt rollovers,” the report said. The report estimated that US$48bn of debt in the bond and loan markets is due to mature between 2014-2016, which includes about US$10bn in restructured debt at state-owned Dubai World and Nakheel “Without a material improvement in either Dubai World’s or Nakheel’s financial profile, this debt could be subject to another round of potential restructuring when it matures,” the report said. Standard Chartered also said wealthier neighbour Abu Dhabi’s future support for Dubai debt would most likely apply only at the sovereign level or strategically important government entities. “Abu Dhabi’s support for Dubai’s debt is likely to be in the form of new funds if necessary or the rollover of existing facilities.
Bahrain to have its own version of ebay
Batelco, the leading telecom service provider in Bahrain, has announced plans to set up an online facility similar to eBay that will enable consumers to buy and sell goods on
their phones. It will be available as an “app” on smartphones and other smart devices and will benefit consumers and businesses, said Batelco Bahrain chief executive Rashid Abdulla. “This first for Bahrain will be an online superstore, where marketers from across the country can come on board and do business,” “We have already started talking to businesses and there is a lot of interest.” The service has been primarily targeted at small businesses who
cannot afford to set up a shop or a store. Abdulla said the service would initially be available for businesses and people in Bahrain. “However, as time passes and when it becomes popular, we can develop it further and offer it to people outside the country,” he said. After being tested, the service is expected to go online early next year. He also revealed plans to offer apps” from the Android Market and Apple’s App Store, along with those from other platforms, to users.
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US to overtake Saudi as top oil producer - IEA
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I December 2012
The United States will overtake Saudi Arabia as the world’s top oil producer by 2017, the West’s energy agency said as a steep rise in shale oil and gas production pushes the country toward self-sufficiency in energy. The International Energy
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Agency (IEA), which advises major industrialised nations on energy policies, gave the estimates in an annual long-term report. Its conclusions were in sharp contrast with its 2011 report, which saw Saudi Arabia remaining the top producer
Qatar to buy $10bn of US defence equipment Qatar is looking to buy US$9.9bn worth of missiles and defence equipment from the US, Pentagon officials announced, just days after it placed an order for US$6.5bn worth of missile-defence systems. The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the possible sale to Qatar. The US$9.9bn deal “will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of an important ally which has been, and continues to be, a force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East,” the statement said. The specifications of the latest order include 11 PATRIOT Configuration-3 Modernised Fire Units, 11 AN/MPQ-65 Radar Sets, 11
AN/MSQ-132 Engagement Control Systems, 30 Antenna Mast Groups, 44 M902 Launching Stations, 246 PATRIOT MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missile-TBM (GEM-T) with canisters, 2 PATRIOT MIM-104E GEM-T Test Missiles, 768 PATRIOT Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) Missiles with canisters and 10 PAC-3 Test Missiles with canisters. US authorities notified Congress of the potential sale to Qatar of two Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) fire units, 12 launchers, 150 interceptors and other military equipment worth an estimated US$6.5bn. THAAD is a US Army system designed to shoot down short, medium and intermediaterange ballistic missiles. Gulf countries are spending
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throughout 2035. “Energy developments in the United States are profound and their effect will be felt well beyond North America - and the energy sector,” the IEA said. “The recent rebound in U.S. oil and gas production, driven by upstream technologies that are unlocking light tight oil and shale gas resources, is spurring economic activity - with less expensive gas and electricity prices giving industry a competitive edge,” it added. The IEA said it saw a continued fall in US oil imports with North America becoming a net oil exporter by around 2030. IEA Chief Economist Fatih Birol told a news conference in London he believed the United States would overtake Russia as the biggest gas producer by a significant margin by 2015. Shortly after that, by 2017, the United States would become the largest oil producer, he said.
billions of dollars on defence procurement amid increasing tensions with Iran over its nuclear programme. Foreign weapon sales by the United States tripled last year to US$66.3bn as Gulf states sought to build up military supplies amid growing tensions with the Islamic Republic, according to a study by the US Congressional Research Service. The prime contractors for the Qatar orders will be Raytheon Corporation in Andover, Maryland, and Lockheed-Martin in Dallas, Texas. Lockheed Martin, the Pentagon’s number-one supplier by sales, in August said Saudi Arabia and close regional partners had shown interest in purchasing its advanced missiledefence system. “Look, all of the [GCC] nations have an interest,” said Dennis Cavin, a company vice president for army and missile-defence programmes.
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I WORLD NEWS
UAE mulls 100% foreign ownership of companies
Officials in the UAE are reviewing a draft commercial law that will allow 100 percent foreign ownership of some companies, Bloomberg reported, citing the undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. The Abu Dhabi government and others within the UAE are reviewing the draft legislation, which would allow some sectors to operate outside of free zones, said Mr Abdulla. “We recognise the importance of the foreign companies to have 100 percent ownership, but within specific rules and conditions,” he said. Companies that are eligible would
“have to be within the industries that have certain priorities within the economy, like petrochemicals, communications, logistics, aerospace, financial, and others,” he added. Under UAE law, only nationals are allowed full ownership of companies operating outside of free zones. The law currently requires foreign citizens to have a UAE national as a partner or sponsor to conduct business. The Gulf state has been trying to diversify and modernise its economy, developing areas including tourism and finance, in a bid to reduce its dependence on oil exports.
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UAE wins place on UN Human Rights Council The UAE has won a place on the UN Human Rights Council for a three-year term starting from early 2013 just weeks after an EU report criticised the UAE over conditions for migrant workers, the status of women and the death penalty. The UAE was elected in a secret ballot conducted by the UN General Assembly in which 21 candidate countries competed for 18 vacant seats. The UAE received 184 votes, the second highest recorded, news agency WAM reported. The election to the UN Council comes after an EU report criticised the UAE over conditions for migrant workers, the status of women and the death penalty.
UAE donates $2.1m to United Nations
The donation will be used to fund various programmes of the United Nations. The UAE has announced a donation of $2.1 million for United Nation’s development activities implemented across the world during 2013. The announcement was made during a UN conference in NYC. The donation will be given to the UN Development Programme, UN Refugee Agency, Unicef, among other UN bodies.
Memory Lane When I was walking down memory lane I posed to recall all of the heydays Seeing my Life approaching the end days Looking sadly through a blank window pane I saw the picture hazy mixed with pain Happy moments sparkling in the sun rays Wanted to recapture them in all ways They have all gone, my effort was in vain Live the present and let go of the past Relieve the soul from the weight and the strife The mirage you see is not going to last You don’t have much control over your life Focus on your inner path, be steadfast The true fount is God through the daily five © Bahiya Gent
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Gujarat tops states in number of Muslim policemen Passion Islam
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Gujarat, which faced one of the worst anti-Muslim riots in the country barely 10 years ago, has emerged as the state with the largest number of Muslim cops posted in police stations, beating states with a higher proportion of the community in their population. The data, shared by the home ministry in response to an RTI query filed by TOI, shows that 10.6% of Gujarat’s cops posted in police stations are Muslims. This is higher than the proportion of Muslims in the state’s population, which is 9.1% (2001 census). The state has 5,021 cops from the community out of a total of 47,424 in its 501 police stations. On an
average, Gujarat has 10 Muslim cops per police station — higher than any other state which shared data with the Centre. The trend comes to light at a time when most states have failed to implement a key recommendation of the Sachar Committee report, suggesting that more Muslim cops be in police stations to build confidence among the community. Assam and Kerala, home to a much larger chunk of Muslims, have a higher percentage of the community in their police forces. But Gujarat has higher number of Muslim cops. Along with Odisha, it is the only state where the percentage of Muslims in the police force is higher
After spreading in Brazil’s megacity Sao Paolo, Islam is now extending to other parts of the largest South American country. According to Trouveta Mosquee website, unlike previous years, Islam is now a well known religion in Brazil, especially along the country’s east coast. Islam entered Brazil in the 16th century with the migration of slaves from western Africa. Most of the country’s minority Muslims used to be black people of Uruba race.
Their number reached 100,000 by 1910 despite all the restrictions and bans on their religious activities, During the 20th century, thousands of Muslims moved from Lebanon, Syria, and a number of other countries to Brazil, which led to further spread of Islam in the country. But it is not only migration that accounts for the rising number of Muslims in this South American state. There have been numerous Brazilians converting to Islam in
than in the general population. The list includes 17 states and six Union Territories (UTs) and leaves out states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh (where Muslim population is 10% or more), which did not share data with the home ministry despite several reminders. Gujarat has 5,021 Muslim police personnel in its 501 police stations compared to 2,210 Muslim cops in 451 police stations in Kerala, 2,048 in 525 police stations in West Bengal, 930 in 773 police stations in Rajasthan and 616 in 417 police stations in Jharkhand. TOI had sought information under the transparency law in the context of the home ministry’s missive to states reminding them about implementing Sachar panel’s recommendations on posting a minimum of one Muslim inspector or sub-inspector in police stations which catered to a sizeable number of the minority community. This, the committee said, should be done “not eliminate discrimination but as an initiative to build confidence” The Sachar committee, constituted on March 9, 2005 under the chairmanship of Justice Rajinder Sachar to prepare a comprehensive report on the social, economic and educational status of Muslims in India.
Islam Growing in Brazil
recent years after learning about its lofty teachings. Currently, Brazil’s Muslim population is estimated at 1 million, says Paulo Pinto, Brazilian university professor and Islamic scholar, with the city of Rio de Janeiro having the largest number of Muslims. There are 127 mosques in Brazil, statistics show, four times more than the number in the year 2000. Brazil is the largest country in Latin America and the 5th most populous country in the world.
Qatar Building Quranic Garden
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I WORLD NEWS
A unique biological garden featuring the plants mentioned in the Holy Quran is being built in Qatar, the host of the upcoming UN climate summit. The 18th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 8th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol will take place from November 26 to December 7 this year. Christened ‘Quranic Botanical Garden’, it is an ongoing project under the umbrella of the global Qatar Foundation Green Project. The exotic garden coming up in the ‘Education City’ in Doha
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will serve not only as a place of meditation, but as a research centre for students, apart from educating people about the rich Islamic heritage. The garden is first of the four components of the Green Projects programme designed to promote conservation and further understanding of the country’s natural resources, Gulf Times reported. Being first of its kind in Qatar, the Quranic Garden will comprise all the plant species mentioned in the Quran, and those in Sunnah (Deeds of the Prophet) and Hadith (sayings of the Prophet). It will also exhibit botanical terms mentioned in the Quran, explaining to them the context of modern
I December 2012
science. It will be used to educate people about the importance of conservation and raise awareness about the moral importance of environmental stewardship. UNESCO proposed the idea of this project in 2008. And, the proposal was accepted by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the chairperson of Qatar Foundation, who planted the first tree of the project, a Sidra tree. The Holy Quran is rich with plant life and its sacred words refer to plants native to the region of the earliest Muslims, including those in desert and Mediterranean climates. It (Quran) also refers to tropical plants from other regions, such as the banana tree and ginger plant. The proposed garden will also feature plants such as the lentil, sesame, pomegranate, fig and henna, among others. According to Al-Khulaifi, the garden will be ready to open three years from now. The first tree (Sidra) planted here, the symbol of Qatar Foundation, is an important part of Qatar heritage. It was the traditional meeting place for scholars and travellers, who would gather to share knowledge under the shade of the Sidra. Its fruit and leaves also have medicinal properties.
Danish University Boycotts “Israel”
After years of cooperation between Danish universities and “Israeli” universities, the Technical University of Denmark drop their project with Roskilde University located in “Israeli” settlements in the occupied West Bank. It is not just Danish companies, but also Danish universities that
have connections to illegal “Israeli” settlements in Palestine. The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) worked together with Ariel University, located in the settlement by the same name. According to DTU the collaboration dates back to the 1990s. After DanWatch presented the information to the leadership of DTU, president of DTU Anders Bjarklev chose to stop the collaboration immediately: “We have ended the cooperation immediately after we were made aware of it,” he says: The money that was devoted to analyses in the laboratories of Ariel University has been suspended and will be paid back to the fund that supplied the
finances.” According to DTU’s president, it is problematic for DTU to be associated with illegal settlements: “If you fund analyses in laboratories at Ariel university, it can be seen as supporting a settlement, something we will not,” said Anders Bjarklev. That decision is Foreign Minister Villy Sovndal satisfied with: “We do not want to Danish scientific institutions participating in activities that may help to maintain the illegal settlements. If there has been any doubt about our position on this matter, the case of DTU is a good opportunity to reiterate. And I am satisfied with DTU’s decision,” said Sovnda.
German state signs historic deal with Muslim community
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I December 2012
Authorities in the north German city of Hamburg have signed a historic deal with the city’s Muslim community to recognize Muslim religious holidays in an attempt to define mutual responsibilities and duties. Hamburg Mayor Olaf Scholz and representatives of the TurkishIslamic Union (DITIB), the Association of Islamic Cultural
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Centers (VIKZ), the Council of Islamic Communities (Shura) and the city’s Alevi community attended the signing ceremony. Scholz described the deal as a milestone in the country. He said the deal is an expression of respect towards Muslims. DITIB Hamburg representative Zekeriya Altuğ described the agreement as a historic moment for
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Germany and Hamburg. With the deal, the German city officially recognizes Islamic holidays so Muslim employees and students can celebrate them at home. Muslims will also be given the right to carry out burials in accordance with their faith In addition, Muslim students will be able to attend lessons on Islam at state schools. In exchange, representatives of the Muslim community have agreed to recognize “the basic values of the constitution,” to show respect to other religious and political viewpoints as well as to gender equality. Nearly 120,000 Muslims live in the German city, home to 5 million people. The deal has to be ratified by the Hamburg City Council. Similar agreements have been made with the city’s Christian and Jewish communities.
Islamic crowd funding portal aims big A new web portal launched in Egypt says it is the first crowd funding service in the country that obeys the principles of Islamic finance. Crowd funding allows large numbers of investors to become shareholders in a project by contributing very small amounts of money, without going through a stock exchange. “There are banks and financial institutions funding micro-projects and other large projects with more than a million dollars...but the projects that need between $50,000 and $300,000 do not find it,” said Shehab Marzban, one of the founders of shekra.com. “We are trying to bridge this gap by targeting this segment. The site seeks to combine creative people... and investors willing to pump money into these ideas.” Entrepreneurs present their ideas to the site’s management team, who have backgrounds in academia, venture capital, information
technology and commercial law. Projects are evaluated before being presented to a network of investors who agree to maintain confidentiality, according to Adel Boseli, co-founder of Shekra. A joint venture is then built around ideas which are deemed attractive. Projects are required to obey Islamic principles, including bans on the payment of interest and on pure monetary speculation. Investors take an equity stake in the project and gain returns based on a profit-sharing formula; such formulas are common in Islamic finance, which relies on earnings from real assets rather than pure debt. Many other crowd funding portals charge a commission once an idea attracts capital, but Shekra works differently by taking an equity stake in the projects. “We are a partner in the risk. This gives confidence to the investor and idea-creator because of our ongoing
interest in them,” Boseli said. Islamic finance is expected to grow in Egypt after last year’s overthrow of Hosni Mubarak, whose government neglected development of the industry for ideological reasons. Egypt’s new government, led by an Islamist president, aims to expand the industry. After Shekra grows in Egypt, it will seek to expand into other African and Muslim countries, Boseli added
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Muslim players lead African player of year awards list
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The shortlist for the African Player of the Year has been revealed by the Confederation of African Football. Last year’s winner Yaya Toure heads the list of 10 in contention, cut down from an original list of 34 players. The Ivory Coast and Manchester
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City midfielder is one of four England-based players up for the 2012 award. Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, Arsenal striker Gervinho and Newcastle forward Demba Ba are the other Premier League stars in the mix.
Also on the list are two others who played football in England during 2012. They are former Arsenal midfielder Alexandre Song, who now plays for Barcelona, and ex-Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who is now at Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua. Chris Katongo is the only member of the African Nations Cup-winning Zambia squad that made the list. Morocco’s Younes Belhanda has been recognised for his contribution to French side Montpellier’s Ligue 1 success earlier this year. Caf also announced the shortlist of five nominees for the Africa-based Player of the Year award. Among them is Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Aboutrika, who plays for Al Ahly’s The awards be announced at a ceremony on 20 December in the Banquet Hall, State House in the Ghanaian capital Accra.
GFH takes over Emirates inks deal for 2014 Utd Glasgow Commonwealth Games Leeds Dubai-based investment bank, GFH
Emirates Airline was unveiled as an Official Partner of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and the Official Airline of the Queen’s Baton Relay. The partnership strengthens the Dubai-based airline’s commitment to Glasgow and Scotland and will play a key role in profiling the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games on a global stage, it said in a statement. The announcement was made
by First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, at Glasgow International Airport. Salmond said: “It is excellent to have such a prestigious sponsor as Emirates Airline on board to help us deliver a fantastic Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. “Emirates has a superb track record in supporting world-class sporting events and its involvement as a major sponsor underlines the global reach that the 2014 Games will have. “This announcement is significant, not just because of what it means for the success of the Games, but also as it demonstrates the excellent relationship Emirates continues to have with Scotland, after the airline announced an expansion in its Glasgow to Dubai service earlier this year. Emirates recently secured naming rights to Emirates Arena, Glasgow’s latest world-class sporting facility.
Capital Limited has signed a deal for the acquisition of Leeds United Football Club. The signing of this deal marks the start of a one-month transitional period in terms of full change in ownership and control of the club. Following Football League approval, GFH Capital Limited will be 100% shareholders. The deal sees GFH Capital Limited, which has financially supported the club since entering into an exclusivity period, injecting further funds for working capital and to support the managers intentions to strengthen the team. GFH Capital executive David Haigh will join the board of Leeds United with immediate effect with fellow GFH Capital executives Hisham Alrayes and Salem Patel joining in December as the leadership of the club is further strengthened. Ken Bates will remain as Chairman for a transition period until the end of the season.
Bulls secure vital sponsorship deal Passion Islam
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I December 2012
Muslim owned Bradford Bulls have secured a four-year sponsorship deal with money lenders Provident
Financial thought to be worth £1.2million as they put their financial troubles behind them.
The deal, unveiled at a press conference at Odsal this afternoon, is believed to be a Super League record and will safeguard the future of the club, which went into administration in the summer. The sponsor’s name will appear on the Bulls’ shirts and, as part of the agreement, Odsal will be renamed the Provident Stadium. Bradford honorary chairman Gerry Sutcliffe said: “It’s great news for the club and the city and the sponsors. “In these difficult economic times to get sponsorship of this level which secures the club’s future for the next few years is really important.”
Celtic fans wave Palestinian flags
Supporters of Scottish football team Celtic raised Palestinian flags when Barcelona came to play on their pitch last month, in a show of support for the Palestinian cause. The flag-bearers took advantage of Barca’s presence when it was reported in September that the club had invited Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit to its match against Real Madrid. Pro-Palestine football fans in Europe frequently attend matches brandishing the Palestinian flag. The Spanish football league heavyweight denied
the invitation but said it accepted a request by him to watch the game during his visit to Barcelona. The club said that it had contributed to the peace process between Israel and Palestine. To redress the balance, Barcelona invited Mahmoud Sarsak, a former Palestinian soccer player who was released from an Israeli jail in July where he was held for three years without charge, Palestinian sports champion Jibril Rajoub, and another representative. “The club did not invite Mr. Shalit to the game, but accepted a request
to watch a match during his visit to Barcelona ... In the same manner ... the club has also accepted the Palestinian embassy’s request to extend three invitations to three Palestinian delegates,” the club said on its website. “Barcelona has always wanted to promote peace and harmony in the Middle East.” In 2009, Scottish trade unions called on
supporters of Celtic soccer club to wave Palestinian flags at their Europa League home match against Hapoel Tel Aviv in “solidarity with suffering Palestinians”. But the Glasgow club, whose fans often wave Irish flags because of their historic ties with Ireland and the Roman Catholic community, urged their supporters to ignore the call.
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Barca to have Qatar Airways as shirt sponsor next season
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Barcelona, until recently one of the few clubs in world soccer whose players did not display a corporate logo, will switch to Qatar Airways as their official shirt sponsor next season, the Spanish club said. The airline’s logo will replace Qatar Foundation on the front of their strip, the club said in a statement on their website. The change is part of a controversial sponsorship agreement signed with Qatar Sports Investment
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(QSI) last year. Barca signed what was then the most lucrative shirt sponsorship deal in soccer; worth 30 million euros ($36.5 million) a year and helping to promote the Gulf nation that will host the 2022 World Cup. “Qatar Foundation has been the beneficiary of the contract (signed with QSI) for the last two years and starting from July 1 it is going to become Qatar Airways,” Barca vice president Javier Faus told the club’s
television channel. “QSI has given the rights of our main sponsorship to Qatar Airways. We are happy to accept the change. They are a global company and we share many of the values they have. “Beyond that, they have expressed their intentions to increase their investment in Catalunya.” As part of the deal with QSI, Qatar Foundation replaced the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Barca’s shirts, with the UNICEF logo being relegated to the back below the number and player’s name. Barca pay the organization 1.5 million euros ($2 million) a year to display their name. Barca is one of four Spanish top-flight clubs to be owned by their members, along with Real Madrid, Athletic Bilbao and Osasuna. Some members spoke out against the deal with QSI, pointing to what they said was Qatar’s poor human rights record. The club countered that the country was trying to make improvements in those areas, and that Barca needed investment to be able to keep competing at the highest level.
2013 Road to Wimbledon opens for entries Entries have opened for the 2013 HSBC Road to Wimbledon 14 & under Challenge, which gives the opportunity for young players to progress through to the world famous grass courts at Wimbledon 12-17 August 2013. The closing date for schools and clubs to enter is 31st January 2013. Speaking about the event, former British No.1 Tim Henman said: “The HSBC Road To Wimbledon 14 and Under National Challenge is the UK’s largest national junior grass court tournament and continues to grow by attracting more and more schools and tennis clubs each year. Thousands of young tennis players take part annually and as ambassador to the initiative, I
can vouch for the talent that this competition has nurtured.” Tournament Director Paul Hutchins said: “Organising your own Road to Wimbledon event at your courts will go a long way
to encourage competition at the grass roots level in a social and fun way with the unique opportunity to progress to play at Wimbledon the home of The Championships.” www.hsbcroadtowimbledon.com
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I SPECIAL FEATURE
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I December 2012
Creating the Universe? Part Two
Continued from last month God did not create living beings through an evolutionary process. Since the existence of creation, in other words, a conscious design, is obvious, the only question that remains is “through what kind of a process the living beings were created.” The misconception of some faithful people emerges right at this point: The wrong reasoning that “Living being could have been created by evolving from one another” is actually related to how the process of creation occurred. Indeed, had God willed, He could have created living beings through an evolutionary process from nothingness, as the abovementioned individuals propose. And had science proved that living beings evolved from each other, we could say, “God created life through evolution.” For instance, if there were any evidence available that reptiles evolved to form birds, then we would say, “God transformed reptiles into birds with His command ‘Be’!”. Ultimately, both these living beings individually possess bodies overflowing with examples of perfect design, which cannot be explained away by chance. Transformation of these designs into one another -had such a thing really happened- would surely be another evidence for creation. However, the situation is not so. Scientific evidence (especially
the fossil record and comparative anatomy) point to the contrary; there is not a single evidence on earth that an evolutionary process took place on it. The fossil record clearly indicate that different living species did not appear on earth through evolving from one another by fine gradations, but that on the contrary, distinct living species appeared on earth suddenly fully formed and without any preceding ancestors similar to them. Neither birds sprung from reptiles, nor fish transformed into land-dwelling animals. Each living phylum is created individually with its traits particular to its kind. Even the most renowned evolutionists had to accept this fact and confess that this provides an evidence for Creation. For instance, evolutionist palaeontologist Mark Czarnecki confesses as follows: “A major problem in proving the theory (evolution theory) has been the fossil record; the imprints of vanished species preserved in the Earth’s geological formations. This record has never revealed traces of Darwin’s hypothetical intermediate variants - instead species appear and disappear abruptly, and this anomaly has fueled the creationist argument that each species was created by God. (Mark Czarnecki, “The Revival of the Creationist Crusade”, MacLean’s, 19 January 1981, p. 56) Especially during the last
fifty years, developments in various scientific fields such as palaeontology, microbiology, genetics and comparative anatomy, and new discoveries show that the theory of evolution is untrue and living beings appeared on earth all of a sudden in their distinct and perfect forms. Therefore, there is no reason to suggest that God employed the process of evolution in Creation. God created every species individually and at one moment, with His command of “Be!” This is a certain and explicit fact. Conclusion It is of vital importance for people of faith to be alert and cautious against the ideological systems committed to struggle against God and religion. For 150 years, Darwinism provided a so-called scientific ground for all anti-religionist ideologies that caused misery to mankind, such as fascism, communism, and imperialism and legitimized the merciless practices of those who adopted these philosophies. Hence, it would not be right to ignore the inner truth and the real purpose of such a theory. For every Muslim of conscience, it is a major responsibility to disprove every anti-religious ideology rejecting the existence of God with a thought struggle and to demolish falsehood with truth. By Harun Yahya
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HALF PRICE...
HECKMONDWIKE
LESS THAN
FREE!
Wood Laminate Flooring
£
HALF PRICE
BOLTON ABBEY BERBER
STAIN
FREE!
FROM JUST
LESS THAN
9.99 Per Sq Metre
USUALLY £45/SQ M
LUXURIOUS DIVAN BEDS FROM...
£
99.99
(NEAR SCREWFIX, OPPOSITE TOPPS)
T: 0113 244 9206 MORLEY
MASSIVE CHOICE!
HOWLEY PARK ROAD EAST, MORLEY LS27 0BN
(NEAR ASDA, & MERMAID FISH RESTAURANT)
T: 0 0113 253 9291 LEEDS SPENCE RETAIL PARK, SPENCE LANE, LEEDS LS12 1EF (NEXT TO DUNELM MILL OLD READMANS BUILDING)
0113 244 9206 T: 0
Per Sq Metre
*Representative example: cash price £350, 0% APR & No deposit. Nothing to pay for the first year, then 24 equal monthly payments of £14.58 (equivalent to £3.37per week). Terms & Conditions apply. Contact store for details.
BRITAIN’S BIGGEST CHOICE OF FINE TILES...
DIRECT FROM THE FACTORY PRICES...
SAVE £200
MILLIONS OF FINE WALL & FLOOR TILES
65 % CHEAPER
Stone Effect Tiles x 16 Sq mtr’s Borders x 24 feet
All for just
£199
UP TO
THOUSANDS MORE OFFERS… IN A SHOWROOM PACKED WITH INSPIRING TILING IDEAS INCLUDING… MARBLE/FOSSIL STONE INDIAN STONE/SLATE/GRANITE LIMESTONE/PORCELAIN/CERAMICS
Than Other Tile Retailers
Relfections White 20x25 cms
FROM ONLY
£599 Sq Metre
Beautiful Natural Travertine 60x40 cms
FROM ONLY
£499 EACH
TILES ONLY
TILES ONLY
TILES ONLY
MORLEY HOWLEY PARK RD EAST,
HECKMONDWIKE
HUDDERSFIELD
LEEDS
YORK
(NR ASDA & MERMAID FISH RESTAURANT)
SPEN VALLEY ST WF16 0PS (NR PONDEROSA)
400 LEEDS RD, HD2 1YW (OPPOSITE MCDONALDS)
TORRE ROAD, LS9 7HE (NR ST. JAMES’S)
GEORGE CAYLEY DRIVE, CLIFTON MOOR
T: 01924 411113
T: 01484 535210
T: 0113 249 8055
T: 01904 476333
T: 0113 253 7766
Buy online at www.al-murad.co.uk
TILES & DECORATING
TILES & DECORATING
70 STORES NATIONWIDE