American Muslims & the Media Coverage Thousands rally for US immigration reform Three US women missing for decade found alive Canada can’t account for $3.1 billion ......
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Associated Press
Issue No. 48
May 2013
Anti-Islam bill was dropped by Florida Senate Man arrested for harassing a group of Arab American at the Seattle Center’s International Fountain
Almashreag Media Analysts: According to Seattle Police a group of people believed to be Arab American were harassed while visiting Seattle Center’s International Fountain. According to Seattle Police an angry white man, began shouting demeaning questions at a women in the group, such as how many husbands they had , the man got even more angry and told the group that he was going to get a gun and “shoot all of them!” The man who is 52 years old was arrested for investigation of malicious harassment, the state’s hate crime statute, and booked into the King County Jail.
The city of Norwalk ask the U.S. District Court in New Haven to dismiss lawsuit filed by Al Madany Islamic Center
Almashreag Media Analysts: a controversial anti-Islam bill was dropped by Florida Senate last month. According to CAIR-The Council on American Islamic Relation; the Bill was promoted by an Anti-Muslim extremist. CAIR and other organizations issued a statement applauding The Florida Senate for dropping the Bill which was criticized as unconstitu-
tional and unnecessary “Without the tireless efforts of many individuals and organizations, this discriminatory bill would have become law in Florida,” said CAIR-Tampa Executive Director Hassan Shibly. According to a statement by CAIR the bill (SB 58) failed to get the two-thirds vote needed to bring it to the Senate floor and the vote was 25-14, one vote
short. The bill passed the House April 18th by a vote of 79-39.” In 2011, the American Bar Association (ABA) passed a resolution saying, “Initiatives that target an entire religion or stigmatize an entire religious community, such as those explicitly aimed at ‘Sharia law,’ are inconsistent with some of the core principles and ideals of American jurisprudence.”
Almashreag Media Analysts: Attorneys representing the city of Norwalk Zoning Commission filed a motion with the U.S District Court to dismiss a lawsuit by Al Madany Islamic Center of Norwalk›s lawsuit against the city after the city’s commission last summer rejected the center›s plan to build a mosque and community hall The attorneys argue in their motion that the lawsuit is «unripe» for adjudication in federal court, because Al Madany Islamic Center hasn›t first appealed to state Superior Court, the Al Madany didn›t explore reasonable Continue on Page 7
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Entertainment
May 2013
Jokes
Pictures from the annual Picnic of the Palestine Children
Child: “Mom, do angels fly?” Mom: “Yes, they do.” Child: “Then why doesn’t our maid fly?” Mom: “But she is not an angel.” Child: “Yes, she is. Dad calls her angel.” Mom: “Does he? All right, you will see her fly tomorrow.”
Mike: “Mary has broken our engagement saying I am not rich enough.” Harry: “But you should have told her about your maternal uncle. He is stinking rich and you are his only successor.” Mike: “I did that. That is when she broke off with me and got engaged to my uncle.
Bob wanted to uplift his status in life but his boss was not giving him a raise for quite some time. Exasperated, one day Bob went to his boss and said: “Now you have to give me a raise, otherwise there are three companies after me. Boss (sarcastically): “Oh yes? Which are these companies if I am not being too pertinent?” Bob: “Telephone company, Mortgage company and Electricity company.” Bob got his desired raise.
relief Funds in Scottsdale
Last month the Iraqi American Society for Peace and Friendship hosted a soccer tournament for teams made up of refugees from around the globe
Cooking & Recipes Al Kabsa - Traditional Saudi Rice and Chicken
“This was the first Arabic dish I ever made and it turned out extremely delicious, a new favorite! Serve Al Kabsa with a fresh mixed cucumber, carrot, lettuce, and tomato salad -- preferably with a little lime vinaigrette. Some fresh pita bread on the side would be nice also. Saudis like their Kabsa with a hot sauce called ‘Shattah’. Enjoy
ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • •
1/2 teaspoon saffron 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried whole lime powder 1/4 cup butter 1 onion, finely chopped 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces 1/4 cup tomato puree 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
Haydari (Turkish Yogurt Dip) “This recipe makes a thick and tangy yogurt dip popular in Turkey.”
ingredients • • • • • • • •
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1 (16 ounce) container plain yogurt 5 cloves garlic 1 pinch salt 1 bunch fresh dill, chopped 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped 1 (4 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (optional) 2 mint leaves, for garnish
Preparation :
1. Mix together the saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, white pepper, and lime powder in a small bowl, and set the spice mix aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and brown them over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Mix in the tomato puree. 3. Stir in the canned tomatoes with their juice, the grated carrots, whole cloves, nutmeg, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, and the Kabsa spice mix. Cook for about 3 minutes; pour in the water, and add the chicken bouillon cube.
4. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer and cover the pot. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes. 5. Gently stir in the rice. Cover the pot and simmer until rice is tender and almost dry, about 25 minutes; add the raisins and a little more hot water, if necessary. Cover and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until the rice grains are separate.
6. Transfer the rice to a large serving platter and arrange the chicken pieces on top. Sprinkle the toasted slivered almonds over the dish.
Preparation : 1. Line a colander with two layers of cheesecloth and place over a medium bowl. Place the yogurt on the cheesecloth and cover the colander with plastic wrap. Allow yogurt to drain 8 hours or overnight.
2. Scoop the drained yogurt into a mixing bowl. Mash the garlic cloves with the salt into a fine paste; mix into the yogurt. Stir the dill, parsley, and cream cheese into the yogurt and garlic mixture. Spread onto a dish and garnish with the mint leaves to serve.
4
Classified- Arizona
May 2013
Mosques
Hospitals
Phoenix Muslim Community Mosque Address: 1818 N 32nd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85008, USA Phone:602 306 4959
MASJID AL-RAHMA Address: 2426 E McDowell Rd , Phoenix, AZ 85008, USA Phone:602-463-2569
Islamic Center Of North Phoenix Address: 13246 N. 23rd Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85029, USA Phone: 602-371-3440
Masjid Omar Bin Al-Khattab Address: 6225 S Mcclintock Dr, Tempe, AZ 85283, USA Phone:480-775 6627
Islamic Community Center of Phoenix Address: 7516 N. Black Canyon Hwy, Phoenix, AZ 85051, USA Phone:602-249-0496 Islamic community of anthem Address: Islamic community of anthem Phoenix, AZ 85086, USA Email: onlysarah@hotmail.com
Mesa
Masjid-e-Noor Address:55 North Matlock Street, Mesa, AZ 85203, USA Phone:480-644-0074
Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital 1500 S.Mill Ave Tempe AZ 85281” (602) 968-9411 Mayo Clinic 13400 Mayo Clinic
Islamic Center of the East Valley (ICEV) Address:425 N Alma School Rd., Chandler, AZ 85224, USA Phone:(480) 264-1330
Community Mosque Address: 1797 W University Dr#167, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA Phone:480-829-9465 Masjid Es Salaam Address:1071 North Alma School Road, The AL-Mahdi Benevolent Foundation Chandler, AZ 85224, USA Address:1016 S. River Dr Phone: 480-784-4627 Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
Churches Maronite Catholic Church Address: 5406 E Virginia Ave Phoenix, AZ 85008 Phone: 602-667-3280 Mar Abraham Chaldean Catholic Churc Address: 6816 E Cactus Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85254 Phone: 480-905-1545 Assyrian Church Of The East Address: 8712 N 35th Ave Phoenix, AZ 85051 Phone:602-841-3227 St. George Church Address:6107 W Greenbriar Dr Glendale, AZ 85308 St.Michael Orthodox Church Of Jerusalem Address: 4724 N 35th Ave Phoenix, AZ 85019 Phone: 480-466-2648 St.John of The Desert Melkite Catholic Church Address:3718 E Greenway Rd
FastMed Urgent Care of Chandler 2875 W. Ray Rd Chandler AZ 85224” (480) 899-3070
Chandler
Scottsdale Health Care 9003 E Shea Blvd Scottsdale AZ 85260” (480) 323-3000 St Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center 350 W Thomas RD Phoenix AZ 85013” (602) 406-3000
Chandler Regional Hospital 475 S.Dobson Rd Chandler AZ 85224 “(480) 963-4561
Peoria
Scottsdale Health Care 7400 E Osborn Rd Scottsdale AZ 85251” (480) 882-4000
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center 3555 South Val Vista Dr Gilbert AZ 85297” (480) 728-8000
Islamic Center of North East Valley Address:12125 E Via Linda, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, USA Phone:480-612--4044
Albanian-American Islamic Center of Arizona Address:6724 West Greenway Rd., Peoria, AZ 85381, USA URL:www.greenwaymasjid.com
Scottsdale AZ 85259 “(800) 446-2279
Mayo Clinic 5777 East Mayo Boulevard Phoenix, AZ 85054-4502 “(480) 515–6296
Scottsdale
Tempe
Islamic Community Center of Tempe Address:131 East 6th Street, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA Phone: 480-894-6070
Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center 1111 E.McDowell RD Phoenix AZ 85006” (602) 839-2000
Phoenix, AZ 85032 Phone: 602-787-4787 St.Goerge Antiochian Orthodox Church Address: 4530 E Gold Dust Ave Phoenix, AZ 85028 Phone: 602-953-1921 St.Mark Coptic Orthodox Church Address: 525 N 74th St Scottsdale, AZ 85257 Phone: 480-990-2399 First Arabic Baptist Mission 2232 W Campbell Ave Phoenix, AZ 85015 Phone: 602-249-1033 St.Joseph Church 11001 N 40th Street Phoenix, AZ 85028 Phone: 602-966-5120 Persian Christian Church 2012 N Scottsdale Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85257 Phone: 480-231-6542
Phoenix Children’s Hospital 1919 E Thomas Rd Phoenix AZ 85016” (602) 933-1000 Arrowhead Hospital 18701 N 67th Ave Glendale AZ 85308” (623) 561-1000 Banner Thunderbird Medical Center 5555 W Thunderbird RD Glendale AZ 85306” (602) 865-5555
Embassies Embassy Of Algeria 2118 Kalorama RD NW Washington DC 20008 Phone:202-265-2800
Embassy Of Qatar 4200 Wisconsin Ave NW Washingion DC 20016 Phone:202-274-1600
Embassy Of Egypt 3521 International Ct. NW Washington DC 20008 Phone:202-895-5400
Embassy Of Morocco 1601 21st St NW Washingion DC 20009 Phone:202-462-7979
Embassy Of Iraq 1801 P St NW Washington DC 20036 Phone:202-483-7500
Ebassy Of Saudi Arabia 2600 Virginia Ave NW #500 Washingion DC 20037 Phone:202-337-9450
Embassy Of Jordan 3504 International Dr NW Washington DC 20008 Phone:202-966-2664
Embassy Of The Republic Of Bosnia 2109 E St NW Washingion DC 20037 Phone:202-337-1500
Embassy Of Kuwait 3500 International Dr NW Washington DC 20008
Embassy Of Tunisia 1515 Massachussets Ave NW Washingion DC 20005
Embassy Of Lebanon 2560 28th St NW Washington DC 20008 Phone:202-939-6300
Embassy Of U.A.E 1225 22nd St NW #700 Washingion DC 20037 Phone:202-243-2400
Embassy Of Oman Sultanate 1776 Massachusetts Ave NW Washingion DC 20036 Phone:202-387-1758
Embassy Of Yemen 2600 Virginia Ave NW #705 Washingion DC 20037 Phone: 202-965-4760
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American Muslims and the Media Coverage Intolerance may be difficult to define, but many Muslim in America believe they have become victims of intolerance.
Some addresses very important issues, while other seem trivial.
The media is filled with stories about “extremist” Muslims, and often toss around ideas, scenarios and opinions, about the faith of Islam and about Muslims as a minority group in the country.
According to a study released by the GALLUP center; “Muslim Americans are the least likely of all major religions in the U.S. to justify individuals or small groups attacking civilians. Eighty-nine percent of Muslim Americans say there is never a justifica-
However, we must wonder if the Media general tendency to to portray stereotypical images of American Muslims and label them as “Extremists” is justified or even realistic!
tion for such attacks, compared with 79% of Mormon Americans, 75% of Jewish Americans, and 71% of Protestant and Catholic Americans.”
Muslim comedy works both ways. Just as Islam is vastly misunderstood in the West, particularly in the United States, so is Western culture demonized by many Muslims. How can it not be demonized when most Muslims in Islamic countries are exposed to the West through their movies and television, two mediums that traditionally glorify sex and violence? Muslim comedians bring a way for groups, Muslims and non-Muslims, to learn about each other in a way that is entertaining. They take that first step in making one group empathize with the other, a necessary thing for any kind of true discourse. After all, when Westerners see that Muslims laugh at many of the same things – or that they laugh at all, considering the famous lack of a sense of humor in many radical Muslims – there is identification
By, Dr. Mohammad Riyad According to a recent poll by the GALLUP center, 52% of the Muslims in America feel they are not being respected in the society.
However, it seems that the type of media coverage of American Muslims caused an increase of anti-Muslím sentiment among the public.
Moreover, the study provides that 48%, Muslim Americans are by far the most likely of major faith groups surveyed to say they have personally experienced racial or religious discrimination in the past year.
“Muslim Americans face an upsurge in negative stereotypes expressed by the larger society” (American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, 2003; Cassel, 2006)
The Media becomes unprofessional and biased when it attacks and maligns an entire class of people, solely for their origin, ethnicity or religious affiliation.
How Muslim Comedians Fight Against Racism Racism has been rampant in the United States since the tragic events of 9/11. As a way to counteract this increasing prejudice against Muslims there has been a wave of American Muslim comedians that have taken to the stage. By making fun of them, their culture, and the prejudices of the American public, Muslim comedians are overturning many negative attitudes about Muslims one laugh at a time. In a day when the rightwing pundits say outrageous statements and blatant lies on television, the best weapon that Muslims can defend themselves is not outrage or violence. Its humor and ridicule. After all, one cannot have a reasonable debate against opponents that are blatantly lying. It is better to expose their lies for what they are.
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Articles
May 2013
with the other side. This is what art and entertainment is meant for at its highest level, bringing people together. Here it happens with the power of laughter. Humor and entertainment have been ways for groups that once were marginalized in American society to join the mainstream and become accepted. There are countless examples of famous Jewish or Black entertainers and traditionally, the entertainment industry is usually the first that breaks away from old prejudices and embraces the new. Just like many of these Jewish and Black comedians in second half of the twentieth century, modern Muslim comedians are fighting an important battle. A battle against Islamophobia and prejudice. Their comedy routines expose and ridicule the lies of the
Islam online Team right-wing pundits, interested in pandering to the fear and xenophobia of the American public. They poke fun at stereotypes and of the mistreatment of Muslims in American culture, while at the same time bringing to public attention that these are still a very real problem that Muslims must cope with every day. While it may seem like fun and games, radical Muslims would do well to learn from these comedians’ example. The fight for the rights of Muslims is not being fought with violence. This only makes their hate for Islam stronger. The main battleground is being fought all over the United States in comedy clubs and in the entertainment industry. It goes to the core of what this world needs today; changing the basic ideas one culture has about the other.
What is the goal of education? When a company does a bad job, it will go bankrupt and close due to insufficient income. Customers judge the company’s performance. But when a public education system does a bad job, nothing happens to the system. In Jordan, it’s very hard to find a family that does not boast at least one doctor or engineer. In the 1980’s, brain drain – the export of well-educated professionals to the Gulf countries – was the prime source of foreign income in Jordan. This emphasis on the science professions is prevalent elsewhere in Asia too. Here in Arizona, we actually have a branch of the Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America. You certainly won’t find such a similar American association for French or Irish Physicians! In fact, our developing-nation-complex brainwashed us so well that we actually now tend to think that unless a child goes into those fields, he or she is a failure.
Yet, many of our doctors, engineers, lawyers, technocrats and mathematicians do not necessarily succeed in their personal life. Just over a year ago, the decapitation of a highly successful Muslim TV executive’s wife in New York state rocked the Muslim community. Dr. Aneesah Nadir, a former professor of social work at ASU West and the president of Islamic Social Services Association – USA, actually spearheaded workshops on marriage preparation because of what she saw as a severe breakdown of marital relationships in our community. Another unspoken skeleton is the development of our children’s characters and behaviors. As they grow from cute toddler to snappy children and rebellious teens, we often resort to quick remedies. Send her/him to an Islamic school! Let them reform him/ her! Today, the divorce rate in Asian countries, though still apparently low, are fast catching up with the rest of the developed world and the country that holds number 1 in the world’s divorce rate: the USA with a whopping 4.95 per thousand people. The
Dr. Fawzia Tung American rate of divorce today for a first marriage remains at 50%, while it increases to 67% for a second marriage and rises to 74% for a third. Why is divorce an important indicator of a successful personal and social life? Statistics show a positive correlation between high divorce rates and various crimes, from delinquency, rape and robbery all the way to murder. Moreover, the negative physical and psychological health effects of divorce last through as much as three generations. How many wives do you personally know who have never quarreled loudly with their husbands? How many children do you know who never quarrel with their siblings? Do you know any teenager who has run away from home? Do you know any wife who ran away from an abusive husband? Do you know any Muslim baby given away to
Our Children and the Battle of the Supermarket - I Every time four-year-old Khaalid goes to the supermarket with his mother, he asks for a box of candy, and his mother refuses right away. However, a few minutes later, he starts insisting on buying candy, and the mother persists in her refusal, saying to him, “No.” At the mother’s refusal of the child’s request for the third time, Khaalid becomes furious, and his request takes on the form of an order, but the mother continues to refuse. On that Khaalid’s face turns red, he stamps his feet and shakes the shopping cart. The mother threatens to punish him if he does not stop, but he does not give in. Upon asking for candy for the fifth time and the mother’s refusal, Khaalid bursts into anger. The mother looks for a place to hide but she finds herself in the ice-cream section, while he is weeping, shouting, kicking and striking everything around him. Everybody is staring at them, and the mother cannot take it anymore, so she submits to his will and buys him a box of candy. Both mother and child learn from each other: Dear educator, both you and your children teach each other something of the affairs of family life every day. The things you and your child learn from each other later determine the way you deal with each other and form the basis of the relationship between www.almashreqonline.com
children and parents. From a father who is firm in all situations with his child, the child learns, from each situation, that his father is firm and does not accept half-solutions, and thus, he will deal with him on that basis. From a father who is lax in all situations with his child, the child learns, from each situation, that his father is lax, and even if he grows angry once, with the first tear that flows down the child’s cheek, he will forget everything and forgive all mistakes, and thus, the child will deal with his father on that basis. Analysis of Khaalid’s scene: When you reflect on the example of Khaalid and his mother, which is almost typical in our society, you find that both the mother and the child learned from each other. What did the mother teach her child? At first, she was persistent that she would not buy candy. However, after a lot of nagging from Khaalid, she submitted and responded to his request. But (unfortunately) the mother does not know that at the very moment that she lost control over her decisiveness, she taught Khaalid a set of rules which will embitter her throughout her life if she does not change her submissive ways. What did Khaalid’s mother teach her child?
Khaalid’s mother taught her child three rules: • The first rule: The word “No” is of no significance. The mother’s reactions went as follows: No, No, No, No, Yes. What the child learnt here is that when his mother says “No”, it does not mean refusal, but it means “Ask again and again, and nag more than once. When your behavior becomes unbearable, I will change my refusal into acceptance.” This resembles magic: that refusal turns into acceptance. In this way, the mother taught her child to persist in his negative behavior. You should know, dear parent, that your children have to know that when you say “No”, it means “No” and nothing else. When you say “No” to your children, you indeed want them to stop doing something. The word “No” should not be subject to discussion. However, as a lot of fathers and mothers are susceptible to changing their mind often, the children have learnt to wail, implore and throw a tantrum until they get what they want. When the word is changeable, the child’s mind records that, while it is supposed to be placed in the part of the brain that responds without thinking. According to Dr. Michele Borba, (a pediatrician), parents should not give in if their child resorts to screaming and nagging, or
orphanages? What then is a good index of successful education? The dollar amount of a 30-year-old’s income? The health status of a 40-year-old? The number of children looking after their grandparents? Is the role of education only limited to job preparation? Or does it is supposed also to prepare our children for a successful personal life? Is the education system available in the modern world really helping our children prepare for a successful life? If not, then what is being done to change that?
Islam online Team asks for something illogical, or tells you to do something (unacceptable). You should stop the discussion immediately and tell him decisively that by no means would you accept that behavior, and ask him to be polite and set another time for a logical discussion about the demand. When the child realizes that you mean what you say, you will have made a drastic change in behavior. • The second rule: Good utilization of his moments of anger Certainly, the mother did not do so intentionally, but this is what actually took place. Khaalid learnt that shouting and nagging give very effective results. If you cry and shout at the top of your voice for a sufficient amount of time, you will have the box of candy. The candy is the prize you get for shouting. • The third rule: She does not mean what she says The mother taught her child that she never means what she says. Although she threatens (to punish), she never carries out her threat. She ordered him to keep quiet otherwise she would punish him severely, but what did she do? Instead of punishing him severely, she rewarded him by buying him candy. (To be continued)
6
National
The suspect of Boston Marathon Bombing Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was self-motivated to kill Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: The suspect of Boston Marathon Bombing Dzhokhar Tsarnaev told investigators in writing at the hospital that he was not directed by any foreign terrorist group, instead, they “him and his brother” were self-motivated to kill, in part by the U.S wars in two foreign
countries Iraq and Afghanstan. Tsarnaev was charged earlier with two federal counts of using a weapon of mass destruction to kill, injure and cause widespread damage at the marathon and was give his Miranda rights by investigators before being questioned
US seeks to reform immigration system
Senate to vote on bipartisan bill that would create major legal opportunities for migrant workers in the country Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: The US immigration system would undergo dramatic changes under a bipartisan senate bill that seeks to end illegal immigration once and for all by creating legal avenues for workers in the country. The bill would put the 11 million immigrants who are in the
country illegally on a 13-year path to US citizenship that would cost each $2,000 in fines plus additional fees. The legislation would also create new immigration opportunities for tens of thousands of workers, as well as a new «merit visa» aimed at bringing people with special skills to the US.
Several injured, more than a dozen arrested during clashes in Seattle Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: Eight police officers have been injured and 18 protesters arrested after a May Day rally turned violent in the US city of Seattle. Police officers used flash grenades and pepper spray to disperse large numbers of people during the May Day celebration rally in the US state of Washington on Wednesday. Officers also patrolled in SWAT vehicles as they hurled “blast ball” grenades laced with pepper spray at protesters who gathered on Capitol Hill, making arrests during the aftermath. Meanwhile, protesters threw rocks and bottles, among other items at officers and businesses, causing damage to persons and property while littering the streets, authorities reported. The clashes spawned after demonstrators gathered early in the day to voice support for immigrant rights, part of the May
Day holiday where groups of organized labor activists, students, civil rights advocates and members of the clergy rallied in cities across the US. “May 1st is May Day, internationally. It’s a day of workers’ struggles and workers’, really, celebrations around the world. So, while we’re here supporting the workers and immigrants in the US, we’re also standing in solidarity with workers around the world,” said Leilani Dowell, during a May Day rally in New York. The issue of immigrant rights also extends to human rights as many families are torn apart based on the status of their residency. During a May Day rally in Seattle last year, violence broke out as anarchists shattered windows of storefronts and vehicles and used smoke bombs, while also targeting a federal building. (Note: almashreq condemns violence as a way of expression)
Over 60% of US moms in their early 20s are unmarried: Census Bureau Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: The US Census Bureau has found that over 60 percent of American women giving birth to a child while in their early 20s are not married, tying the trend to lower income levels. According to a report, released on Wednesday, the official American demographic authority further revealed that the birth rate for unwed mothers in 2007 reflected an 80-percent upsurge in nearly three decades since 1980, pointing to a steady climb in the number of unmarried mothers since 1940’s. Confirming the results of numerous academic studies on the issue, the Census Bureau report further underlined the economic factors contributing to the surging number of unmarried mothers in the United States, saying that women with college education and higher incomes
are considerably less likely to be single moms than those that have lower income and less education. Pointing to the race factors in the trend, the census found that Asian mother are the least likely to give birth out of wed, noting that only 11 percent of new Asian mothers were single. Additionally, it found that 29 percent of all White new mothers and 43 percent of Hispanic new moms gave birth to their infants while single. This is while a whopping 68 percent of the most economically disadvantaged African American mothers were found to be unmarried. Overall, according to the census report, 36 percent of all births in the nation were to single mothers in 2011, the year the Census Bureau analyzed responses offered in the American Community Survey.
US names first female Secret Service chief Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: Barack Obama, the US president, has named Julia Pierson as the first female chief of the Secret Service, the elite protection branch which was marred by a prostitution scandal in Colombia last year. Pierson, who most recently served as the agency’s chief of staff, will take over from Mark Sullivan, who announced his retirement last month. She joins a notably male team around Obama, who had been criticized for bringing in sever-
al men advisers for his second term, which started in January. “Over her 30 years of experience with the Secret Service, Julia has consistently exemplified the spirit and dedication the men and women of the service demonstrate every day,” Obama said in a statement. Pierson’s appointment as director of the Secret Service, which protects the president and his family and investigates currency counterfeiting and fraud, does not require Senate confirmation.
May 2013
Thousands rally for US immigration reform Activists gather in Washington DC as bipartisan group of senators report progress towards deal on policy overhaul
Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff:A bipartisan group of US senators are negotiating a deal on immigration reform in Washington DC, amid rallies in the capital Washington DC in support of the millions of illegal immigrants in the country. Wednesday’s rally, organised by Hispanic and pro-immigration reform groups, took place outside Congress as the reform could contain a long-term path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants. The reform, a crucial focus of President Barack Obama’s second term, could also entail an expansion of quotas of foreign workers and tighter border security. “We are optimistic that we will be able to introduce legislation soon,” a Senate aide has said on condition of anonymity. The four Democrats and four Republicans, who have held negotiations since February, could introduce their measure as early as Thursday or in the coming week, according to the AFP news agency.
Comprehensive internal debate is one of the conditions requested by some congressional Republicans, whose party dominates the House of Representatives.
Path to citizenship In the House, another bipartisan immigration reform bill is being debated amid public sentiment that, according to opinion polls, appears increasingly
keen on seeing a comprehensive solution on the matter. Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher, reporting from Washington DC, said that the reason for the ongoing protests is to “make sure that they don’t forget that many of the people, who are in the country illegally, want a path to citizenship”. He said some of the ideas for reform that are being discussed are increased security at the border, proficiency in English, and criminal records, among others. The last major immigration reform dates back to 1986 when, with Ronald Reagan in the White House, almost 3.5 million illegal immigrants were granted amnesty. Employers and unions are carrying out parallel negotiations to expand and overhaul entry quotas for workers in all sectors while lawmakers and the government debate border security. The US deports about 400,000 undocumented immigrants annually.
Guantanamo lawyer found dead in apparent suicide: Report Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: A US lawmaker who represented detainees at the US infamous Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba has been found dead in an apparent suicide, report says. The body of Andy Hart was discovered last week, an investigative blog, Truthout, said in a report on Wednesday. The report said the news of the lawyer’s death came from a Guantana-
mo investigator on Wednesday, adding the 38-year-old attorney died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The location of the attorney’s death has not been revealed, but he reportedly left behind a suicide note. Hart, the US federal public defender, had formerly represented Kahlid Saad Mohammed, a prisoner from Saudi Arabia who was sent back to his country in 2009. The
US administration assigned Hart to defend Mohammed Rahim al-Afghani, who was arrested by CIA and allegedly subjected to torture until being transferred to Guantanamo in 2008. The Guantanamo prison was initially established at a US naval base in Cuba on January 11, 2002, under former US President George W. Bush. The US holds about 166 men at the prison.
Abdella Ahmad Tounisi US teenager snared in FBI “terror“ sting
Young man from Chicago suburbs arraigned on terrorism charges after trying to join al-Qaeda-linked group on FBI website Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff:A teenager from the suburbs of the US city of Chicago has been arraigned on terrorism charges in connection with an FBI sting operation that has raised new questions about whether US investigators are engaging in entrapment. Abdella Ahmad Tounisi, 18, made a brief court appearance Tuesday in federal court in Chicago. The American-born man from the Chicago suburb of Aurora is accused of seeking to join al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra, which is fighting Syria›s government in a civil war. He tried to join the group through a website, constructed by the FBI, which urged readers to «join your lion brothers... fighting under the true banner of Islam». Critics have said the use of such sites raises questions about whether authorities are overreaching, wooing impressionable youth to contemplate crimes that otherwise wouldn›t cross their minds. «These sites can end up creating crimes,» said Phil Turner, a former federal prosecutor turned defence attorney in Chicago. «Real terrorists don›t need to go to a website for contacts. They have real contacts.» Federal investigators, he added, sometimes favor internet stings because they are less costly and labor intensive than traditional stakeouts. Authorities have noted that visiting such sites or fantasizing about acts of terrorism is not the crime; rather, it is acting on those fantasies. Tounisi took steps, authorities said, which included trying to board a plane in Chicago. He was arrested at O›Hare International Airport on Friday as he prepared to start the first leg of a trip that
authorities allege he hoped would hook him up with fighters in Syria. Tounisi is charged with one count of attempting to provide material support to foreign terrorists. If convicted, he faces a maximum 15-year prison term. His attorney, Molly Armour, declined comment on Tuesday. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Peter Neuman, a professor at King›s College in London said, FBI operations like the one that snagged Tounisi have been controversial, because «they are essentially picking people at the point where they are simply expression interest». «They haven›t done anything, and then the FBI makes them do something,» Neuman said. «I would say that in many cases, that›s quite questionable». ‹No fighting skills› Despite his orange jail garb and shackled ankles, Tounisi looked younger than his 18 years at his court appearance, during which a judge delayed a decision on bond. It was only months ago that he is ac-
cused of coming across the website, which not only offered to connect would-be fighters with terrorists, but also offered advice on how users could cover their tracks from law enforcement, according to a detailed federal complaint. At some point, Tounisi allegedly took the bait. In an April 1, 2013, email to an FBI agent posing as a recruiter, Tounisi comes across as earnest and frank. «Concerning my fighting skills, to be honest, I do not have any,» he allegedly wrote. While he is accused of taking steps to further his desire to fight in Syria, his online searches also seem to convey some concern about legal implications. According to the complaint, for instance, he searched the phrases «providing material support what does it mean» and «Terrorism Act 2000.» Joan Hyde, a spokesman for the FBI in Chicago, declined any comment to the media, saying the agency does not comment on ongoing cases. www.almashreqonline.com
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May 2013
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The city of Norwalk ask the U.S. District Court in New Haven to dismiss lawsuit filed by Al Madany Islamic Center alternatives to the development plan as proposed and also on the ground that this Court lacks subject matters jurisdiction over all claims. Representatives from the center explained to the media that the center based its lawsuit against the city’s commission on the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, as passed by Congress in 2000, which reads as follows no government shall impose or implement a land use regulation that discriminates against any assembly or institution on the basis of religion
or religious denomination. In a statement by the city›s law department, the city claims that the RLUIPA is «an unconstitutional interference in local land-use regulations.»
US state of Maryland abolishes death penalty Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: Capital punishment repealed in the presence of a former death-row inmate who campaigned for the cause. Maryland has become the eighteenth US state to abolish the death penalty, replacing it with life in prison without parole. The measure was signed in to law on Thursday by the state’s Democratic Governor Martin O’Malley, an outspoken critic of capital punishment. “Evidence shows that the death penalty is not a deterrent, it cannot be administered without racial bias and it costs three times as much as life in prison without parole,” O’Malley said in a statement. Kirk Bloodsworth, one-time Maryland death row inmate, attended the crowded ceremony which repealed the law that could have killed him. Bloodsworth, who wrongfully served nine years for the rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl in 1984. He was the first
person in the US to be freed because of DNA evidence after being convicted in a death-penalty case. After regaining his freedom, Bloodsworth campaigned for the end of the death penalty. “If it can happen to me it can happen to anyone. I tell them my story, I was a marine with no record,” he said. “I was happy, I killed the thing that almost killed me.” Bloodsworth’s case shone a spotlight on the death penalty and what his fate could have been was instrumental in pushing the repeal through. “It would be too much of a travesty if we executed an innocent person I just couldn’t let that happen, Kirk helped me to understand that,” Senator Allan Kittelman told the media. The bill will not apply to the five men the state has on death row, but the governor can commute their sentences to life without parole. O’Malley has said he will consider them on a case-by-case basis.
Obama pushes for gun buyer background checks US president lobbies for stronger gun control while lauding Colorado›s newly-passed arms restrictions Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: US President Barack Obama has called for public support for proposed background checks for all gun buyers in the United States. Speaking before a crowd in Denver, Obama held up new gun control measures enacted in Colorado - the scene of two of the deadliest gun massacres in US history - as “a model of what’s possible”. The president said that taking action to reduce gun violence does not have to infringe on Second
Amendment rights. “There doesn’t have to be a conflict between protecting our citizens and protecting our Second Amendment rights,” Obama told a cheering crowd in the Western state with a strong tradition of gun ownership and hunting. Obama is aiming to revive stalled momentum in Congress for several gun control measures, including universal background checks for gun buyers, that he called for after a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at a Connecticut school in December.
US archdiocese settles sex abuse claims Cardinal from Los Angeles accused of helping a confessed paedophile priest agrees to pay nearly $10m to settle cases The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Cardinal Roger Mahony and a former priest have agreed to pay a total of nearly $10m to settle four child sex abuse cases brought against them. Lawyers for the victims announced the settlement on Tuesday, while Cardinal Roger Mahony took part in the Conclave to choose a new pope in Rome. Mahony, who retired in 2011, was accused of helping a confessed paedophile priest evade law enforcement and later placed him back in the ministry. None of the parties admitted wrongdoing, according to Vince Finaldi, the plaintiff’s lawyer. But Finaldi said the settlement, together with the recent www.almashreqonline.com
release of internal church records documenting the role of Mahony and others in covering up child sexual abuse by the clergy, comes “as close to an admission of guilt as you’re going to get from the archdiocese”. The archdiocese’s lawyer confirmed a settlement of $9.99m was reached, adding that the archidiocese has maintained that he was responsible for the conduct of the paedophile priest named in the case. The Los Angeles archdiocese, which serves four million Catholics, reached a $660m civil settlement in 2007 with more than 500 victims of child molestation. Mahony at that time called the abuse “a terrible sin and crime”.
Three US women missing for decade found alive
Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: Three women who were missing for years -- two of whom disappeared as teenagers – have been found alive in a house in Cleveland. Police in the US state of Ohio said on Monday said the three were found just south of downtown, within a few kilometres of where they disappeared. A neighbour in the community was alerted to their presence by screams from the house and rushed to the dwelling where he found the women, one of whom used his cell phone to call emergency-911, according to Cleveland police. “Help me! I’m Amanda Berry. I’ve been kidnapped and I’ve been missing for 10 years and I’m here. I’m free now,” Berry is heard frantically telling a 911 emergency operator in a recording of the call, released by police and posted on the website of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. During the call, she gave the name of her alleged abductor and said he was “out of the house.” When police arrived she told them there were two other captives in the home. All three women have since been taken to a hospital, where they were reported to be in good medi-
cal condition, police said. The three women were identified by police as Gina DeJesus, Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight. Police said in a
Suspect under arrest “A 52 year old Hispanic male has been placed under arrest regarding this incident.” Police identified the sus-
Police in Ohio say the three were found in a house in Cleveland within a few miles from where two of them went missing twitter posting that the three were “alive, talking, appeared to be OK.” “All three women, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight, seem to be in good health,” Cleveland police said in a statement. The details of the trauma they may have suffered in captivity were not yet known, but it appeared that at least one of the girls had borne a child during her captivity.
pect as Ariel Castro, 52, a bus driver for Cleveland public schools. His uncle, Caesar Castro, who owns a grocery store on the same street, said his nephew owned the house where the women were found. He added that members of his family and the family of DeJesus “grew up together.” “Everyone is shocked,” said the elder Castro. He said he had known his nephew to be “a good
guy” and a musician who played the bass. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said, “I am thankful that Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight have been found alive.” He added, “We have many unanswered questions regarding this case, and the investigation will be ongoing. Again, I am thankful that these three young ladies are found and alive.” Berry was last seen at approximately 7:40 p.m. on April 21, 2003, after leaving work at a fast food restaurant that was just a few blocks from her home. She was 16 when she disappeared, according to the FBI. Her mother, Louwanna Miller, passed away in March of 2006, according to US media reports. DeJesus was 14 when she disappeared while walking home from school on April 2, 2004. She was last seen at a pay telephone booth, sometime between 2:45 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. that day, according to the FBI. The third woman, Michelle Knight, disappeared in 2000 at age 20, according to US media. She was last seen at a cousin’s house on August 23, 2002, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Three men charged in Boston bombing case Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: Two men charged with obstructing justice and a third with making false statements in Boston investigation. Three more suspects have been taken into custody in the investigation of last month’s deadly bombings at the Boston Marathon. The arrests, which were made last month and announced via Twitter, were for obstructing the course of justice rather than for being directly involved in the marathon bombings. Two of the men have been identified as Azamat Tazhayakov and Dias Kadyrbayev, both 19 and from Kazakhstan. They have been charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice by throwing away a backpack containing fireworks and a laptop computer belonging to Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of two brothers suspected of carrying out the April 15 attack. Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher, reporting from Washington, said it was thought the two men recognized Tsarnaev when images were released after the attack and realized he might be in trouble. US prosecutors charged a third man, Robel Phillipos, with making
false statements to investigators, according to documents filed in federal court. Three people were killed and more than 260 injured in the bombings that led to an intense manhunt through Boston. Tsarnaev, 19, who is being held in a prison medical centre, faces criminal charges relating to the attacks. His older brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, died in a gun battle with police officers. Dumps searched The governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick said the men arrested on Wednesday posed no public threat. “They’re not new people to me in the sense that I know the FBI has been asking questions of these folks for several days now,” he said. “Based on the briefings I have had this should not raise concerns in anyone’s mind about a continuing threat to the public.” Fireworks from backpack allegedly belonging to Tsarnaev . Tazhayakov and Kadyrbayev were classmates of Tsarnaev, who attended the University of Massachusetts. Law-enforcement officials were seen searching dumps in southeastern Massachusetts last week.
The hearing for the three was expected to take place in federal court on Wednesday. “They are not accused of helping him set up the bombing. They are not accused of helping him at the bombing itself,” our correspondent said. “They are accused of doing things after the bombing that hindered the police inquiry.” Fisher said the details of how the arrests came about were not clear, but the details would be revealed once the charges were laid against the three suspects. It was thought that the two men from Kazakhstan were already being held on charges related to their visas. Kadyrbayev’s lawyer said his client was being held for violations of his student visa. The lawyer, Robert Stahl, said his client was “not a target” of the bombing investigation, but declined to comment any further. He said his client had “cooperated fully” with investigators and “wants to go home to Kazakhstan”. Katherine Shea, a Boston Police spokesperson, said she had no further details to provide on the suspects after their detention was reported on the department’s official Twitter feed.
Mobile advertising rise fuels Facebook profit Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: First-quarter profits climb 58 percent to $217m, as 751m users access US social network giant from their mobile devices. Facebook’s profits climbed 58 percent in the first quarter from a year ago to $217m, amid a surge in mobile advertising revenue. The social network reported that its monthly active users rose 23 percent from a year ago to 1.11 billion, as 751m users accessed Facebook on mobile devices. Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive and co-founder of Facebook, said that mobile advertisements during the first three months of the year accounted for 30 percent of advertising revenue for the quarter. The profit was just below market forecasts, but revenues were better than expected, rising 38 percent from a year ago to $1.46bn. “We have seen strong growth and engagement across our community and launched several exciting products,” Zuckerberg said. During the first three months of the year the company launched new advertising products and Facebook Home software,
which puts the social network centre-stage on Android-powered smartphones. Facebook’s share of the overall US online advertising market was expected to rise to 6.5 percent this year from 5.9 percent in 2012, according to industry tracker eMarketer. The overall US digital advertising market has grown 14.8 percent to $9.64bn in the first quarter of this year, eMarketer reported. It said that spending on advertising on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets in the US was expected to rise by more than $3bn to $7.29bn this year, with Facebook’s share growing to 13.2 percent. Forrester analyst Nate Elliott said that Facebook had proven that it could target advertisements to smartphones and tablets, but it had not tapped into the great financial potential of using Facebook data to help other websites target advertisements for a fee. A key question for Facebook looking ahead is whether its Home software will catch on after initially getting a lukewarm response. The software weaves the social network into the home screens of phones
powered by the latest versions of Android to focus on “people and not apps”. Google’s online Play shop indicated that Home had been downloaded fewer than 15,000 times since its US release on April 12 until Wednesday and its overall rating was two stars on a five-star scale. A version should be available in Europe in the coming months. “Over the next few months we hope to push this out much more broadly and get it in the hands of a lot more people,” Zuckerberg said of Home. Facebook executives laid out a plan that included improving the quality and targeting of advertisements shown to
members connecting from smartphones or tablets. The strategy includes using Facebook as a platform for the discovery and distribution of third-party apps like those on the virtual shelves of Apple’s App Store or Google Play. Facebook’s positive results detracted attention from a week of controversy after it initially refused to intervene over outrage at people sharing beheading videos. The social network refused to delete the videos because it said they did not violate its policy as they were being shared to condemn decapitations. However, it said on Thursday that it would delete the videos as it re-evaluated its content policy.
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International & Business
CIA: Buying peace in Afghanistan? Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: As a report reveals millions of dollars were paid to warlords. The United States of America’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) gave tens of millions of dollars in cash to Afghan President Hamid Karzai in an attempt to win influence. Karzai has confirmed that his office received cash from the CIA over the past decade. A detailed report in The New York Times
has revealed tens of millions of dollars were handed over to Karzai, with wads of cash stuffed into suitcases, backpacks, even shopping bags. The report says the CIA cash was then given to Afghan warlords in an attempt to secure stability before international troops pull out of Afghanistan next year. Afghanistan’s problems with corruption have been well documented, but an official says the cash was the biggest source of corruption in the country.
Drug-related violence kills 10 in Mexico Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: Ten people have died in drug-related violence in Mexico’s western state of Michoacan, authorities say. Clashes erupted on Sunday in the communities of Buenavista and Tepalcatepec near the city of Apatzingan, where Mexican security forces, suspected criminals and citizen security groups battled. It is reported that groups armed with guns and grenades attacked vigilante checkpoints. The ten victims were reportedly members of vigilante groups, which have been established in the region. The vigilante groups say the state and federal police are not protecting them from gang vio-
lence. They are also outraged by extortion, kidnapping, theft and violence caused by drug gangs. Michoacan is a major hub for the production of methamphetamine in Mexico. Gangs regularly fight over territory in an area of rugged mountains, where they set up laboratories to produce the drug as well as marijuana and opium. Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto vowed, when he took office in December 2012, to reduce the violence that has surged in the country during the past decade. Since his predecessor, President Felipe Calderon, called for a military offensive against the gangs in 2006, nearly 70,000 people have died in clashes.
“Appalling irresponsibility“: Senior scientists attack Chinese researchers for creating new strains of influenza virus in veterinary laboratory
Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: Experts warn of danger that the new viral strains created by mixing bird-flu virus with human influenza could escape from the laboratory to cause a global pandemic killing millions of people. Senior scientists have criticized the “appalling irresponsibility” of researchers in China who have deliberately created new strains of influenza virus in a veterinary laboratory. They warned there is a danger that the new viral strains created by mixing bird-flu virus with human influenza could escape from the laboratory to cause a global pandemic killing millions of people. Lord May of Oxford, a former government chief scientist and past president of the Royal Society, denounced the study published today in the journal Science as doing nothing to further the understanding and prevention of flu pandemics. “They claim they are doing this to help develop vaccines and such like. In fact the real reason is that they are driven by blind ambition with no common sense whatsoever,” Lord May told The Independent. “The record of containment in labs like this is not reassuring. They are taking it upon themselves to create humanto-human transmission of very dangerous viruses. It’s appallingly irresponsible,” he said. The controversial study into viral mixing was carried out by a team led by Professor Hualan Chen, director of China’s National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory at Harbin Veterinary Research Institute. Professor Chen and her colleagues deliberately mixed the H5N1 birdflu virus, which is highly lethal but not easily transmitted between people, with a 2009 strain of H1N1 flu virus, which is very infectious to humans. When flu viruses come together by infecting the same cell they can swap genetic material and produce “hybrids” through the re-assortment of genes. The researchers were trying to emulate what happens in nature when animals such as pigs are co-infected with two different strains of virus, Professor Chen said. “The studies demonstrated that H5N1 viruses have the potential to acquire mammalian transmissibility by re-assortment with the human influenza viruses,” Professor Chen said in an email. “This tells us that high attention should be paid to monitor the emergence of such mammalian-transmissible virus in nature to prevent a possible pandemic caused by H5N1 virus,” she said. “It is difficult to say how easy this will happen, but since the H5N1 and 2009/H1N1 viruses
are widely existing in nature, they may have a chance to re-assort,” she added. The study, which was carried out in a laboratory with the second highest security level to prevent accidental escape, resulted in 127 different viral hybrids between H5N1 and H1N1, five of which were able to pass by airborne transmission between laboratory guinea pigs. Professor Simon Wain-Hobson, an eminent virologist at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, said it is very likely that some or all of these hybrids could pass easily between humans and possess some or all of the highly lethal characteristics of H5N1 bird-flu. “Nobody can extrapolate to humans except to conclude that the five viruses would probably transmit reasonable well between humans,” Professor Wain-Hobson said. “We don’t know the pathogenicity [lethality] in man and hopefully we will never know. But if the case fatality rate was between 0.1 and 20 per cent, and a pandemic affected 500 million people, you could estimate anything between 500,000 and 100 million deaths,” he said. “It’s a fabulous piece of virology by the Chinese group and it’s very impressive, but they haven’t been thinking clearly about what they are doing. It’s very worrying,” Professor Wain-Hobson said. “The virological basis of this work is not strong. It is of no use for vaccine development and the benefit in terms of surveillance for new flu viruses is oversold,” he added. An increasing number of scientists outside the influenza field have expressed concern over attempts to deliberately increase the human transmissibility of the H5N1 bird-flu virus. This is done by mutating the virus so that it can pass by airborne droplets between laboratory ferrets, the standard “animal model” of human influenza. Two previous studies, by Ron Fouchier of Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam and Yoshihiro Kawaoka of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, caused uproar in 2011 when it emerged that they had created airborne versions of H5N1 that could be passed between ferrets. The criticism led to researchers to impose a voluntary moratorium on their H5N1 research, banning transmission studies using ferrets. However they decided to lift the ban earlier this year, arguing that they have now consulted widely with health organisations and the public over safety concerns. However, other scientists have criticised the decision to lift the moratorium.
May 2013
Canada can’t account for $3.1 billion in anti-fund terror: auditor general Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: The Canadian government has been unable to account for 3.1 billion Canadian dollars in anti-terrorism funding, the auditor general says. Michael Ferguson on Tuesday presented his spring report, which did not include information on spending and what was achieved with the money spent. “Overall, we found many areas where the government should improve on the results that it achieves with taxpayers’ dollars,” said Ferguson. The outcome of his audit of the Public Security and Anti-Terrorism (PSAT) Initiative showed that 35 departments had
spent 9.8 billion Canadian dollars of the 12.9 billion allocated for security and
had gone. The Treasury Board has not given any clear answers to the audi-
anti-terrorism measures between 2001 and 2009. However, Ferguson was unable to determine where the remaining 3.1 billion
tor general regarding the unaccounted gap. Shortly after the presentation, the National Democratic Party (NDP) accused the conser-
vative government of mismanaging public funding. “It is really scandalous that [the government] can’t account for the $3.1 billion,” said NDP Member of Parliament Malcolm Allen. Prime Minister Stephen Harper defended the accusation by saying Ferguson’s report had nothing to do with the improper use of money, but rather how the spent money is categorized. Treasury Board President Tony Clement said he has accepted the auditor general’s recommendation for his department to present to the public a clear picture of spending and the achieved results for federal programs.
Fighting breaks out in Venezuela’s parliament Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: A brawl has broken out in Venezuela’s parliament, amid disputes over the recent presidential election results. The physical altercation took place on Tuesday after the assembly passed a measure denying opposition members the right to speak in the chamber until they recognized President Nicolas Maduro’s April 14 victory. “Until they recognize the authorities, the institutions of the republic, the sovereign will of our people, the opposition deputies will have to go and speak (to the private media) but not here in this National Assembly,” said head of parliament Diosdado Cabello. The government
legislators also blamed the opposition for initiating the fighting. “We knew the opposition came to provoke violence,” said Maduro after the incident, adding, “This must not be repeated.” One assembly worker said the incident began when opposition legislators shouted “fascist” and the National Assembly leader raised a protest banner reading “parliamentary coup.” Several were attacked and injured during the fighting, including Odalis Monzon, who is a government parliamentarian. “Today again I had to defend the commander’s (late President Hugo Chavez’s) legacy,” said Monzon. The opposition, on the other hand, blames Maduro’s sup-
porters for the incident, as one parliamentarian later appeared on a local TV station showing his wounds. Maduro defeated opposition leader Henrique Capriles by receiving 50.7 percent of the vote against 49.1 percent, with a difference of 235,000 ballots. Capriles refused to recognize his defeat alleging that irregularities had taken place. However, on April 28, Venezuela’s National Electoral Council said Capriles has failed to present any compelling proof that there were irregularities during the presidential election. On May 1, both the government and opposition are to hold rival marches in the capital, Caracas, to commemorate May Day.
UN says Somalia famine killed nearly 260,000 Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: World body admits it should have done more to prevent 2010-2012 tragedy, finding half of those who died were children. Almost 260,000 people, half of them young children, died of hunger during the last famine in Somalia, according to a UN report that admits the world body should have done more to prevent the tragedy. The toll is much higher than was feared at the time of the 2010-2012 food crisis in the troubled Horn of Africa country and also exceeds the 220,000 who starved to death in a 1992 famine, according to the findings. “The report confirms we should have done more before the famine was declared,” said Philippe Lazzarini, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia. “Warnings that began as far back as the drought in 2010 did not trigger sufficient early action,” he said in a statement. Half of those who died were children under five, according to the joint report by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization and the USfunded Famine Early Warning Systems Network. “Famine
and severe food insecurity in Somalia claimed the lives of about 258,000 people between October 2010 and April 2012, including 133,000 children under five,” said the report,
the first scientific estimate of how many people died. Somalia was the country hardest hit by extreme drought in 2011 that affected over 13 million people across the Horn of Africa. “An estimated 4.6 percent of the total population and 10 percent of children under five died in southern and central Somalia,” the report said, saying the deaths were on top of 290,000 “baseline” deaths during the period, and double the average for sub-Saharan Africa.
Lazzarini said that about 2.7 million people are still in need of life-saving assistance and support to rebuild their livelihoods. Famine was first declared in July 2011 in So-
malia’s Southern Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions, but later spread to other areas, including Middle Shabelle, Afgoye and inside camps for displaced people in the warravaged capital Mogadishu. In Lower Shabelle 18 percent of children under five died, the report said. During the famine, it was feared that tens of thousands had died, whereas the report now shows more people died than in Somalia’s 1992 famine, when an estimated 220,000 people died over
a year. Famine implies that at least a fifth of households face extreme food shortages, with acute malnutrition in more than 30 percent of people, and two deaths per 10,000 people every day, according to the UN definition. Mark Smulders, a senior economist for the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation and one of the authors of the report, said the area had suffered one of the worst droughts in over 50 years in the whole of Africa. “People simply did not have access to food, and purchasing power went down.” Somalia, ravaged by nearly uninterrupted civil war for the past two decades, is one of the most dangerous places in the world for aid workers and one of the regions that needs them most. However, security has slowly improved in recent months, with fighters linked to al-Qaeda on the back foot despite launching a deadly bombing campaign. At the time, most of the famine-hit areas were under their control, and the crisis was exacerbated by their ban on most foreign aid agencies. ‘Catastrophic political failures’
Norway TV show refuses to apologize over ‘convert to Islam’ Beiber contest Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: A Norwegian TV show, named “Anne-Kat,” is refusing to apologize over depicting teenage girls allegedly “converting to Islam” for the chance to win tickets to see Justin Bieber in concert. In an interview with a Dubai-based newspaper published on Tuesday, an official at TV Norge (TV Norway) said they would not apologize in the name of “freedom of expression.” “In Norway we have freedom of speech
and expression,” communications director Svein Tore Bergestuen told 7DAYS. “The reaction we got in Norway was as expected - that everyone understood this was a sketch and humor.” The remarks came despite TV Norge admitting it had to pull a clip of the show from YouTube on Tuesday after offended viewers subjected the girls to a barrage of insults and threatened to kill them, the newspaper reported. According to Dagen, a Norwegian news website, the show
instructed the avid Justin Bieber fans, also known as “Beliebers,” to remove all makeup, put on hijabs, recite what allegedly was an Islamic statement of belief in Arabic and read a piece of Arabic text aloud. The girls were made to say, “Justin Bieber is unclean and probably gay,” reported Dagen. Hærland, the host of Anne-Kat, said “we wanted to find out how far Norwegian “Beliebers,” are willing to go for tickets to one of Bieber’s concerts.”
White Muslim convert faces prison after terrorism charge Almashreq/Agencies Editorial Staff: A white British male who converted to Islam was sentenced to jail early Thursday after he pleaded guilty to taking part in planning terror attacks on the heads of MI5 and MI6. According to The Times newspaper, Thirty-year-old Richard Dart, who is “entirely committed to acts of terrorism,” also planned to attack the small town of Royal Wootton Bassett. He will be sentenced to jail at the Old Bailey after admitting his intention to perpetrate a mass-killing and his intention to travel to Pakistan to receive the necessary training. Dart is on trial with his
two team members, Imran Mahmood, 22, and former Metropolitan Police community support officer, Jahangir Alom, 26. Mahmood and Alom will also be sentenced after pleading guilty to preparing for an act of terrorism, reported The Times on Thursday. As part of their “commitment to fighting Jihad,” Dart and Alom had planned to travel to Pakistan to receive terrorist training but were stopped by airport police in Nov. 2011. They were not, however, arrested until July 2012. Mahmood, who previously obtained training from Pakistan, acted as an
advisor to Alom and Dart. Queen’s Council for the prosecution, Jonathan Laidlaw, said Dart and Mahmood, to avoid surveillance, carried out “silent conversations” by typing into a Microsoft Word document and deleting the conversation. However, the text was recovered by Scotland Yard detectives. One of the written exchanges that was recovered read: “If it comes down to this, it is that or even to just deal with a few MI5 or MI6 heads.” The court has obtained information that a fourth British national, Mohammed Tariq Nasar, who allegedly aided Dart in planning the attacks, is still on the loose. www.almashreqonline.com