Saudi Female Students Promote Arabic and Islamic Content for Online Encyclopaedia
New Age Islam News Bureau
09 December 2020
• Falconry Expert Becomes First Woman to Showcase Skills In Saudi Arabia Festival
• 54 Million Women and Youth Face Staggering
Humanitarian Challenges
• Pakistan Reaffirms Pledge at UN to End Violence
against Women
• Two Women Use Toy Gun to Rob Tinder Date in Dubai
• Suhaila Siddiq, Afghanistan’s First Female General,
Is Dead
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Saudi Female Students Promote Arabic and Islamic Content for Online Encyclopaedia
Deema Al-Khudair
December 09, 2020
Saudi female students
promote Arabic
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JEDDAH: Hundreds of female students from a Saudi
university have been using their language skills to promote Arab and Islamic
content in a global online encyclopaedia.
Almost 400 articles have been translated from English
into Arabic by 365 students from King Khalid University’s department of
languages and translation for use on the Wikipedia platform.
The initiative has formed part
of the Wiki Dawwin project adopted by the King Abdul
Aziz Foundation for Research and Archives’ (Darah) publishing house,
represented by its center for digital content.
The work was supervised by faculty members via remote
courses offered by the center to female students and translated articles were
published after being edited and approved for Wikipedia use.
Dr. Zuhair Al-Shehri, dean of the college of social
sciences at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University and adviser and director
of the Wiki Dawwin project, told Arab News that one of the main aims of the
program was to enrich the Arabic content on Wikipedia.
He said this had been done by creating articles and
developing and translating them to highlight the history and civilizations of
the Kingdom, and the Arab and Islamic worlds.
“The project goals are to work to bridge the gap
between Saudi users of the internet and the percentage of digital content,
publishing digital materials on the history of the Kingdom and rooting
published materials to support Arabic content in various fields, especially
educational and cultural areas,” he added.
To help achieve project targets, partnerships have
been established with universities and cultural and tourism bodies, and a
number of digital enrichment training programs have also been launched.
Al-Shehri said there was a lack of diverse and
reliable Arabic content in many areas, especially those related to historical
and civilizational subject matter.
“For example, we find that in every province of Saudi
Arabia an enormous balance and richness of the cultural heritage of
antiquities, landmarks, experiences, and various development in all fields that
need to be edited and enriched in this encyclopedia.
“Saudi Arabia’s history needs qualitative and reliable
articles, along with our Arab and Islamic history. It’s an urgent need for
original works in order to bridge the gap and confront trends with significant
goals, and the general voluntary enrichment encouragement and motivation for
all people,” he added.
He noted that the university students had come up with
their own ideas and taken responsibility for creating reliable content.
“Translation raises the level of linguistic abilities,
builds bridges of cultural knowledge, and enriches interaction between Arabs
and others who speak English, which is the leading global language.
“Undoubtedly, the implementation of qualitative,
reliable, and voluntary initiatives such as the Wiki Dawwin project, launched
by educational and cultural institutions such as universities, contributes to
achieving this reliability.”
Al-Shehri pointed out that although Wikipedia was free
to use and had continuous interaction from participants, qualitative editing
ensured the accumulation and building of clients and
active beneficiaries who encouraged and interacted
with the historical truth.
“There are opportunities in this encyclopedia for
historical enrichment based on sources such as documents, photos, references,
etc., all of which support reliable historical enrichment,” he added.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1774531/saudi-arabia
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Falconry Expert Becomes First Woman To Showcase Skills
In Saudi Arabia Festival
08 December 2020
Falconry expert
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Saudi falconer Athari Alkhaldi skilfully showcased her
bird of prey expertise during Saudi Arabia’s annual falconry festival; the
first time a woman has participated in the male-dominated sport in the Kingdom.
The third edition of the King Abdulaziz Falconry
Festival, which is being held in the capital of Riyadh, was Alkhaldi’s second
attempt at qualifying, after failing in 2019 when her bird refused to take
flight.
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“Dealing with falcons is not easy. It was difficult...
thank God, I managed to handle the falcon and enter the competition,” she said.
Falconry, or the tradition of raising, training and
using falcons for hunting, is a practice Arab nomads once used to survive in
the desert.
Organized by the Saudi Falcon Club, the festival saw
teams participating from the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, with more than 4,000
falcons.
Athari said her passion for falcons first emerged 10
years ago and she has been developing her skills ever since.
“Falconry is a well-known legacy since the old times,
and we take pride in it... I proved that women can join this field, it’s not
only restricted to men,” she added.
King Adulaziz Falconry Festival honored Athari for her
participation in the contest, as a “continuation of the Kingdom’s efforts to
empower the women in all the areas”.
For two weeks, falconers and enthusiasts gathered to
revive the deep-rooted heritage, and compete in the ‘Al Mallouah’ - waving to a
falcon by an artificial bird tied with a rope, and ‘Mazayin’ - Falcons beauty
contest.
The festival continues until December 12.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/12/08/Falconry-expert-becomes-first-woman-to-showcase-skills-in-Saudi-Arabia-festival-
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Pakistan reaffirms pledge at UN to end violence
against women
December 8, 2020
Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram made the pledge.
Pakistan has joined a key group launched at the United
Nations to coordinate actions aimed at the elimination of violence against
women and girls that has intensified since the outbreak of coronavirus
pandemic.
Seventy-seven UN Member States and observers have
already joined what is called the “Group of Friends”, which will meet on
quarterly basis, according to the organisers. Some international and regional
organisations as well as civil society groups have also expressed their
interest to partake in this initiative.
Pakistan PM Imran Khan unfollows everyone on Twitter
Addressing the group on Monday, Pakistan’s UN
Ambassador Munir Akram said that Islamabad fully supports Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres’s call to end violence against women during Covid-19.
“We continue to support all efforts that aim to end
violence against women,” he said.
Noting that Covid-19 has had a disproportionate impact
on the most vulnerable, the Pakistani envoy said it was evident from the sharp
spike in domestic violence and abuse against women and girls during lockdowns.
Pakistan is following a whole of government approach
to ensure that women and girls have necessary protections available to them
against violence, harassment and abuse, he said, adding its recovery response
remains focused on the well-being and protection of women.
“Our Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, has
led the way to protect the rights of women and also promote their well-being,
especially during the current pandemic,” Ambassador Akram added.
“We are progressively strengthening pro-women
legislation,” he said. “Our Parliament has recently passed bills to counter
rape and honour killings, prevent early and forced marriages, and expanded
workplace protections for working women.
“Under the leadership of the Special Assistant to the
Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Development, Dr. Sania
Nishtar, we are taking concrete measures to uplift women from the shackles of
poverty,” the Pakistani envoy added.
Through the flagship Ehsaas Programme, he said, the
government is reaching out to millions of underprivileged women and providing
them cash assistance and social protection within their homes. More than 7
million women have received assistance through this programme in which the
government has so far rolled out Rs.144 billion.
“We will continue to work passionately at home and
abroad to strengthen all efforts aimed at elimination of violence against women
and girls,” Ambassador Akram told the group.
Opening the meeting, the Head of the European Union
Delegation to the UN, Ambassador Olof Skoog, said that the “Group of Friends”
will make efforts to turn commitments to protect women into action.
Noting the ongoing initiatives at national and
international levels, he said the Group will serve as a platform to highlight
good practices, identify shortcomings and mobilise further efforts.
Ambassador Skoog also thanked UN Deputy
Secretary-General Amina Mohammed for her presence and for being a key supporter
and driving force of this initiative.
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/world/rest-of-asia/pakistan-reaffirms-pledge-at-un-to-end-violence-against-women
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Two women use toy gun to rob Tinder date in Dubai
Marie Nammour
December 8, 2020
Complainant robbed of a necklace, cash and credit
cards
Two female expats teamed up with unidentified
individuals to rob a man of cash and valuables by brandishing a toy gun, the
Dubai Court of First Instance has heard. One of the two defendants had lured
the complainant to a date via Tinder.
The court heard how the two women, both Nigerians on
visit visas, robbed the complainant of a necklace, $500 and 2,000 Rons (Romanian
currency).
The incident allegedly took place on September 5 when
the complainant was lured to go to the women’s flat. There, he was threatened
by men with the toy gun. A 29-year-old male accomplice, also Nigerian, was
charged in the case for possessing a part of the stolen money ($200 and 280
Rons).
A case was registered at Jebel Ali police station.
The two women have been placed in detention. The
public prosecution sought the maximum penalty for them as per the law.
A police lieutenant said they went to the crime scene
in response to a call by a Romanian man. “The complainant said that he had met
a woman on Tinder. He went to the flat at around 7.30pm and, there, a man
grabbed him by the neck and another threatened him with a gun.
“They robbed him of cash and credit cards and he was
made to reveal the pin numbers under threats.”
Later, the accused deleted the conversations they had
with the complainant.
The police launched a probe after. “We learned from
the security guard that the 21-year-old accused had rented the flat for two
days. The surveillance cameras were not working at the time,” the police
officer told the investigator.
The police tracked the suspects down to Ajman and
arrested them.
The female defendants told the police that they could
not withdraw any cash from the credit cards as the complainant had given them
the wrong pin numbers.
The fake gun was found in their flat and seized.
The lieutenant added that the complainant looked very
agitated when he reported the incident.
The male accomplice told the police that one of the
women had given him the cash to transfer to their home country.
The trial has been adjourned to January 5.
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/crime-and-courts/two-women-use-toy-gun-to-rob-tinder-date-in-dubai
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Suhaila Siddiq, Afghanistan’s First Female General, Is
Dead
By Fatima Faizi and Thomas Gibbons-Neff
Dec. 5, 2020
KABUL, Afghanistan — Suhaila Siddiq, Afghanistan’s
first female lieutenant general, who was also a renowned surgeon and
unknowingly became a feminist role model in a largely patriarchal society, died
here on Friday, at the same hospital where she had treated the wounded and
weary of her country’s unending war for decades. She was thought to be 81 or
82, though her exact birth date is unknown.
General Siddiq, who had Alzheimer’s disease for
several years, died from complications of the coronavirus at the Sardar
Mohammad Daud Khan military hospital in Kabul, one of her doctors, Amanullah
Aman, said. It was her second battle with the virus; she had contracted it
earlier this year.
General Siddiq rose through the ranks of the Afghan
Army during the Cold War and went on to run the Daud Khan hospital through the
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Afghan civil war and the Taliban’s rule.
She was also one of Afghanistan’s few female ministers, overseeing the public
health ministry until 2004 under the transitional government led by Hamid Karzai,
following the U.S. invasion. In that role, she helped implement polio
vaccinations across the country after the disease had become endemic following
years of instability and violence. She went back to her job as a surgeon after
she left her government position.
General Siddiq “dedicated herself to serving her
country,” Mr. Karzai said Friday on Twitter. President Ashraf Ghani of
Afghanistan paid his respects during a memorial ceremony at the hospital on
Saturday.
As a surgeon, General Siddiq was known for her deft
hand, and despite her unassuming stature she was described by those who knew
her as self-possessed and unintimidated by people around her, especially men.
In the mid-1980s, at the height of the Soviet-Afghan
war, the Communist-backed government in Kabul promoted her to surgeon general
of the Afghan Army after she had distinguished herself by tirelessly saving the
lives of the hundreds of wounded soldiers and civilians who poured in through
the doors of the 400-bed Daud Khan hospital. She was known as “General
Suhaila.”
“She was much better than any men I’ve ever worked
with,” said Atiqullah Amarkhel, a retired Afghan general, who had been promoted
to his position within months of General Siddiq. “She wouldn’t go home for
days.”
General Siddiq was born in Kabul, probably in 1938.
She attended high school and then Kabul University as her country was quietly
changing under the weight of the Cold War. She studied in Moscow for several
years on scholarship and then returned to Afghanistan with her doctorate. In
the years before the Soviet invasion in 1979, when she was a lieutenant
colonel, she worked as a surgeon at the Daud Khan hospital.
One of six sisters, General Siddiq was the daughter of
a man who was once the governor of Kandahar, and who was supportive of her
education. She traced her ancestry to the Barakzai dynasty, which ruled
Afghanistan for more than 100 years during the 19th and 20th centuries.
General Siddiq never married. Information about
survivors was not immediately available.
After the collapse of the Communist government in
1992, General Siddiq retained her position in the hospital under the interim
government established at the outset of the Afghan civil war.
Kabul was soon split as competing factions vied for
control. Ahmad Shah Massoud, then the defense minister, personally asked
General Siddiq to run the hospital, as civilian casualties mounted in the
capital following incessant rocket attacks by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the
appointed prime minister, against his adversaries, said Sher Ahmad, a close
family friend. The city was ultimately torn apart by attacks from all sides,
including by Mr. Massoud.
“She believed in her job, not in any regime,” Mr.
Ahmad said.
But in 1996 the Taliban took Kabul, and they quickly
enforced draconian rule under a harsh interpretation of Islamic law. Women were
not allowed to hold most jobs and were required to cover their faces in public.
Kathy Gannon, a reporter for The Associated Press, was
in Kabul as the city fell and the new Taliban government began to send women
home from their jobs, including General Siddiq, prompting Ms. Gannon to write
an article about her.
General Siddiq and her sister Shafiqa, a professor at
Kabul Polytechnic University, “were smart and funny and they weren’t going to
be intimidated,” Ms. Gannon said. “But also, the Taliban learned quickly that
they needed her.”
Within months, the Taliban, already trying to retain
people with sought-after technical abilities and higher education, asked
General Siddiq to return to her job at the hospital, where she tended to many
of the regime’s wounded fighters. She performed many operations under the
flickering light of a lantern, Mr. Ahmad recalled.
“They needed me and they asked me to come back,”
General Siddiq said in a 2002 interview with the British newspaper The
Guardian. “It is a matter of pride for me. I stayed in my country, and I served
my people. I never fled abroad.”
General Siddiq and her sister were among the few women
who walked around Kabul without face coverings or a burqa — a bold statement
against the Taliban, who left her unscathed because of her position at the
hospital.
At the same time, General Siddiq taught medicine to
female university students whose academic careers had swiftly ended under Taliban
rule. On at least one occasion, the government tried to crack down on her
teaching, but General Siddiq pushed back, said Makai Siawash, a close friend
who lived with General Siddiq for a brief time.
“She was ready to get whipped by them, but she didn’t
let the Taliban fighters in,” Ms. Siawash said.
One of her students was Sayeda Amarkhel, the daughter
of retired General Amarkhel, who studied under General Siddiq at the hospital
after her time at university was cut short under the Taliban.
“She fought the Taliban for us,” Dr. Amarkhel said.
“Today I am a gynecologist, and I owe it to her.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/05/world/asia/suhaila-siddiq-dead.html
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