Karnataka bans all forms of headcover during upcoming recruitment exams
New Age
Islam News Bureau
15 November 2023
· Karnataka bans all forms of headcover during upcoming recruitment exams
· In Jerusalem, Israeli and Arab Women Speak About Attire During the War
· Harlem-Born Muslim Comedienne Zainab Johnson Channels the Spirit of Old Vaudeville in ‘Hijabs Off’
· Memoir: An Indian woman faces the Taliban’s horrors after moving to Afghanistan with her husband
· Muslim women bolster communal bond with ‘aarti and bhajan’
· Israel army confirms death of woman soldier held in Gaza
· Canadian peace advocate Vivian Silver confirmed killed in Hamas attack
· NaziaHashimyar wins Democracy Prize 2023
· Repression of Iranian Protesters' Families Continues
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/karnataka-bans-headcover-exams/d/131115
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Karnataka bans all forms of headcover during upcoming recruitment exams
15.11.23
Representational image.
File Photo.
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The Karnataka Examination Authority has prohibited candidates from wearing any form of headgear or head dress for the upcoming competitive exams to fill vacancies in some state government bodies.
While the circular doesn’t specify hijab, whose banning by the previous BJP government in educational institutions had kicked up a controversy, the description of the prohibited items include any cap or headdress covering the ears and head.
The KEA circular is linked to the competitive exams scheduled for November 18 and 19 to fill vacancies in some government departments, boards and corporations.
This is seen as a major turnaround from its earlier position when the KEA had allowed candidates to wear hijab and other religious attire at the competitive exams held on October 28 and 29 and on November 6.
The latest circular, however, allows candidates to wear mangalasutra and toe rings, traditionally worn by Hindu women. This is seen as a response to Sangh parivar protests since a candidate was forced to remove her mangalasutra and toe rings at the November 6 exam.
Education minister M.C. Sudhakar had earlier said there would be no bar on candidates wearing the hijab since the KEA followed the NEET guidelines for competitive exams which allows religious attire including the Islamic headscarf.
But Hindu Right-wing groups had protested against the permission for the hijab.
Among other items prohibited by the latest circular are metal ornaments — except mangalasutra and toe rings — electronic items, Bluetooth devices, pen drives, ear phones, microphones and eatables.
The revision of the conditions is seen as a consequence of the use of Bluetooth devices, which are affixed to the ear, in the recently held exams in Gulbarga. Police arrested an individual identified as Trimurthy for allegedly using a tiny bluetooth device.
The arrest led to the unravelling of a scam involving many more candidates for obtaining Bluetooth devices that helped them communicate with those part of the network pitched outside the exam centres. The government had on November 11 ordered a probe by the Criminal Investigation Department into the malpractices and the network behind it.
The ban on any kind of clothing covering the ears and head comes as the hijab row is still fresh in the memory of the people. The Muslim headscarf became a contentious issue in 2022 when the then BJP government empowered educational institutions to prescribe uniforms.
This was seen as a virtual ban on the hijab, as no state-run educational institution would dare to defy the government.
In late December 2021, the administration of the Government Pre-University College in Kundapura, Udupi district, some 400km from Bangalore, banned the hijab in classrooms and labs. While a majority of girls complied with the order, six girls launched a resistance by spending their class hours on the campus since they were not allowed entry to classrooms.
The hijab ban caught on as more government-run educational institutions came out with similar orders. While Muslim students and those who supported them protested, students owing allegiance to the Sangh parivar launched counter-protests wearing saffron stoles in classrooms.
A three-judge bench of Karnataka High Court that heard a batch of petitions from Muslim students seeking their right to wear the hijab upheld the ban in March 2022. The court held that the hijab was not part of the essential religious practices for Muslim women. The matter is currently pending before the Supreme Court.
In reply to a question raised by Congress MLA Sowmya Reddy in the Assembly, the then BJP government had on September 22, 2022, put the number of Muslim female dropouts over the hijab ban at 828.
Source: telegraphindia.com
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/karnataka-bans-all-forms-of-head-cover-during-upcoming-recruitment-exams/cid/1980035
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In Jerusalem, Israeli and Arab Women Speak About Attire During the War
LANA IKELAN
11/15/2023
Illustrative (Getty Images)
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In the early morning hours, I navigated through the Old City, attempting to measure the sentiments of Israeli Jewish women and Muslim Arab women. My focus shifted towards observing the potential changes in how Jewish women were dressing amid the conflict.
Approaching two Jewish residents of Jerusalem, I introduced myself. They were initially open to the idea of being interviewed. However, as I disclosed my identity as an Arab Muslim from the United States, their initial welcoming demeanor transformed into what felt like fear. One of the women, who seemed suddenly gripped by apprehension, declined to proceed with the interview, highlighting the complex emotions woven into the fabric of the city’s conflict.
The Israel-Hamas War has triggered widespread global demonstrations. On one side of the debate, people are rallying in support of Israel’s right to safety and peaceful existence. On the other end of the spectrum, those taking to the streets advocate for the freedom of the Palestinian people. Freedom from whom exactly remains a question of vigorous debate.
However, amid the current difficulties, a noticeable surge in antisemitism has emerged, manifesting in discrimination and racism against the Jewish community, specifically within the diaspora. Conversely, the Muslim community within Israel is also experiencing heightened tensions and pressure during these dark days.
Alia Tunsi, a kindergarten teacher at the Hand in Hand school in Jerusalem, an institution with the mission of creating equality and inclusion between Arab and Jewish citizens through a specialized, multicultural curriculum, expressed to The Media Line that she is proud of her identity as a Muslim woman, despite the stares she receives for wearing a hijab.
“I have never considered taking off my hijab, despite knowing the consequences it may have during these difficult times and how dangerous it is,” Tunsi acknowledged.
Echoing her religious pride despite the current circumstances was 19-year-old Rachael Miller, a current employee at Mamilla Mall.
“I am proud to be Jewish and I want to show that I am Jewish. I booked a flight, and the first thought that came to my mind [was] that if I wear the Jewish star on my neck, I am going to have to hide it,” Miller pensively admitted.
“This is a ridiculous kind of mindset, that I must hide my identity, of which I’m proud, just because I’m traveling.”
Other interviewees articulated their reluctance to attend work due to concerns related to their religious attire, fearing that they might be perceived as threats based on their work location and the cultural environment.
Ditty Shwartz, an artist and former employee at the Israeli Ministry of Justice, addressed the challenges she would have faced if she still worked at the ministry located on Salah Al Din Street, an area in east Jerusalem densely populated by the Arab community.
She confessed, “I would feel more fear if I were still working in the Ministry of Justice in Salah Al Din Street, and I wouldn’t even go to work during the war. I wouldn’t go to places that are considered ‘Arab places’ because I know I would get a lot of stares, and my life would be in danger.”
Likewise, LujainAlyan, a 20 year-old employee at Malcha Mall, revealed her concerns about going to work since the beginning of the war. Much like Shwartz, she halted her in-person employment following the 7th of October.
“To be honest, I stopped working from the beginning of the war, and I don’t go to work because of my hijab, and because I’m scared,” Alyan revealed. “A co-worker, who’s Arab and doesn’t even wear the hijab, was called a terrorist when they found out she was Arab, and that made me even more afraid to go.”
In Israel, demographic distribution plays a significant role in the varying experiences of women from different religious backgrounds. With a larger population of Jewish Israeli women compared to Muslim Arab Israeli women in the country, Jewish women generally feel less compelled to conceal their religious identity.
“I don’t know how much it affects me here in Israel, especially where I live, which is mostly religious people,” said Shwartz. “My religion provides me comfort, and I don’t feel fear at all, we are showing our strength to the world by preserving our faith in religion.”
In contrast, Muslim Arab Israeli women, facing a minority status, often grapple with a sense of vulnerability and are more likely to experience hesitancy in openly displaying their religious affiliations due to concerns about discrimination or prejudice.
“During normal times, yes, I do get stares from people, especially in places heavily populated with Israelis,” claimed Tunsi. “I had to stop going to places where I usually go because I hear them say things and they stare at me with such hatred in their eyes. Right now, it’s like the hijab symbolizes terrorism or Hamas to some Israelis.”
Source: themedialine.org
https://themedialine.org/life-lines/in-jerusalem-israeli-and-arab-women-speak-about-attire-during-the-war/
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Harlem-Born Muslim Comedienne Zainab Johnson Channels the Spirit of Old Vaudeville in ‘Hijabs Off’
DEAN KARAYANIS
November 14, 2023
Zainab Johnson in 'Hijabs Off.' Amazon.com
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A Harlem-born comedienne and actress, Zainab Johnson, delivers joyous laughter in her debut comedy special, “Hijabs Off,” a performance that calls to mind standup’s Golden Age, free of the cynicism that homogenizes so many modern acts into identical smoothies of low-hanging fruit.
Ms. Johnson is “a proud black Muslim,” one of thirteen children born to parents who converted from Christianity. Another comic might condescend to that family and cultural history. Instead, she speaks of them with a genuine affection and respect that’s refreshing.
If “Hijabs Off” had an anthem, it might be Jackie DeShannon’s 1965 hit song “What the World Needs Now.” In it, she sings that love is “the only thing that there’s just too little of.” Ms. Johnson does a service by increasing the supply of this limited resource.
“My voice is calm, yet confident,” she said of seeking love herself. “I love my voice, but my voice sounds like I’m killing it in life without you. I want the guy to think my life hasn’t even started until he walks in the room.” A running joke about using babytalk to put men at ease was born.
“I’m not naïve,” Ms. Johnson said. “I know that I’m not going to go to the Grand Canyon or Universal Studios souvenir shop” and find a “Zainab” refrigerator magnet. One can feel her joy — especially if we’ve shared that frustration — on seeing the name on everything during a trip to the Mideast.
A semi-finalist in NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” Ms. Johnson delivered polished and unique material direct to the crowd. Eschewing the traditional perch above the auditorium, against a brick wall or curtain, she stood at the Harlem Stage about eye level in a round.
In this configuration, no facial expression or comment escaped Ms. Johnson’s quick wit. Her uncanny “field sense” was like that of the NHL legend, Wayne Gretzky, who it’s said could be blindfolded at any moment and know where all the other players were on the ice.
The setup allows viewers at home to watch the faces of the crowd and hang on every setup, story, and punchline with them. In a digital entertainment landscape where audiences are often taken for granted, Ms. Johnson made a connection that’s rare.
With so many timeless elements, Ms. Johnson could have been a star in the heyday of Vaudeville, 100 blocks south and 100 years ago at the Hippodrome. She played to real people rather than to the cold, unblinking eye of the camera.
Of those who wonder if Ms. Johnson’s background presents challenges, she has a joke at the ready. “I do get harassed by the Haram Police,” she said, referring to self-appointed arbiters of what’s allowed under Islamic law.
She “can’t post a photo” without comments that she’s “not a Muslim” because she doesn’t cover her hair. “I’m like, ‘Well, this is a wig.’ … If I ran for office right now, my campaign would be, ‘The wig is the 2023 hijab.’”
This is as close to politics as Ms. Johnson gets, an incredible act of restraint in 2023. It reminded me of Steve Martin, who wrote in his memoir, “Born Standing Up,” about expunging President Nixon from his act in the early 1970’s rather than get lazy laughs just for mentioning his name.
Viewers are left feeling uplifted by the material and Ms. Johnson’s infectious smile. The few risqué jokes are offset by endearing moments. She uses “the B-word” in place of the common slur for women and “R-word” for “roofie,” raised by a man on a date.
Ms. Johnson’s memories of growing up in “‘New Jack City,’ Harlem,” including a shocking story of an abduction that few comics would dare try, sparked nostalgia for locals but had universal appeal. She avoids the victimization so common in today’s comedy, neither leaving out nor belittling anyone.
Ms. Johnson, who holds a degree in mathematics, has found a winning formula for comedy. “Hijabs Off,” streaming on Amazon, is her first special, but if the ghosts of those old Vaudevillians still hold sway, it will not be her last. How fortunate for a world that needs love, sweet love — and sure could use some laughter, too.
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Source: nysun.com
https://www.nysun.com/article/harlem-born-muslim-comedienne-zainab-johnson-channels-the-spirit-of-old-vaudeville-in-hijabs-off
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Memoir: An Indian woman faces the Taliban’s horrors after moving to Afghanistan with her husband
15.11.23
November 1993. Time, unbroken, lurches forward at its own slow pace. For all I know, it will go on this way till eternity. I sit in a corner of the veranda, wondering wistfully whether I’ll ever go back. The Indian women here no longer dream of returning home.
Kakoli and Shoma have accepted their fate; why can’t I? And then I ask myself, why should I? If I accept this, what are my education and my culture worth? I’m not a woman to take such things lying down. Islam doesn’t seem to empower women to talk back. They have to accept all kinds of oppression. Or else the men will either divorce them or kill them.
It’s only November and yet it has already begun to snow lightly from time to time. One more winter has arrived. I see no effort from Jaanbaz’s side to take me away from here. Winter only means sitting quietly in a corner of the room. There’s very little sun, which seems to have been driven out by the cold to some other part of the world. Winter acquires a devastating form here. But we have no shortage of food to speak of. Meat, potatoes, onions and Dalda to cook in have been stored in advance to last four or five months. Just dip into the stocks and eat. There’s no certainty about food the rest of the time though. It’s mostly tea and a potato dish. And to add to this uncertainty, there is malaria. And to treat that, quacks!
Suddenly Nadir Chacha says, “I’m going to Mamdekhal, Saheb Kamal. Your aunt is going as well; you come along too.”
I have no wish to go because I’m deeply upset. Only last night AsamChacha’s daughter Fauji passed on some secret information to me. Although it’s hateful, somewhere in my heart a pain has begun to grow. There’s a woman here named Jahanara, whom I can’t trust at all. Anyone who can be involved in an illicit relationship with a man from outside the family can also be involved with someone who’s part of the family – such as Jaanbaz. There was always a relationship between them. Jahanara used to be in love with Jaanbaz once. Fauji disclosed to me the details of their relationship last night.
Still, I have to accompany Nadir Chacha. It isn’t just his wife, DranaiChacha’s wife and children are coming too. A truckful of people are travelling, much in the same way that sheep are transported back home. A large mattress has been laid out near the partition between the back and the driver’s cabin. Sitting at the tail end means a jerky ride. I have occupied a corner.
We’re passing the Maktab market. Going there is usually an outing for the women here, just like going to New Market in Kolkata. There’s no peace in my heart. I requested Jaanbaz to come with us many times, but he refused. He has no work to do, all he does is stay at home or meet his friends at some shop or the other. No Afghan has any work other than war. Still, Jaanbaz didn’t come with us. A restless heart cannot find comfort anywhere. If this wasn’t the case, I would certainly have been delighted at this moment.
We get down when the truck stops near a ziyarat in Mamdekhal. Ziyarat – that’s what graveyards are called here in Afghanistan. The Chachis sit down, the children are running about.
Suddenly Roshendar tells me in Hindi, “Come with us, Saheb Kamal. There’s a lake over there, full of fish.” Having lived in India for two years, Roshendar speaks fluent Hindi.
It’s nothing but a small pond that Roshendar has been calling a lake. She has no idea about lakes, but then, why would she? The pond does have fish. They look like small carp from back home. Ponamaachh, as we call them. There’s very little water in the pond, it’s barely knee-deep.
“Let’s go in and catch fish with our scarves,” I tell Roshendar in Hindi.
She’s frightened. “I’ll drown,” she says.
I laugh and go into the water to show her that nobody can drown in such a shallow pond. Still, she doesn’t agree. Suddenly Nadir Chacha appears with a heap of pomegranates. I ask him to hold one end of the scarf, and he walks into the water too.
We catch about a dozen fish, but on closer look, I have no desire to eat them. They may look like the fish I’m used to in India, but, in fact, they’re not. They’re foreign, like me. While we’re busy catching them, people suddenly begin to run in every direction. The shops close rapidly. Those who were milling about are now running for their lives. The entire area becomes deserted.
Suddenly a group of belligerent Russian soldiers charge in our direction with their rifles pointing towards us. For a moment, we stand stupefied. Nadir Chacha says, “We’re in trouble. There’s a machine in the truck. (They refer to AK47 guns as machines here.) None of us will go back home alive if the Russians see it.”
I begin to sweat at this and jump out of the water.
It felt necessary to injure myself mildly to save all of us. Pressing my hand down on the wound, I race towards the truck. The Russian soldiers are nearby now. Swiftly shoving the gun beneath the mattress, I lie down on it and begin to groan. I press down hard on the wound to make more blood flow. It begins streaming down my face. Still, I keep pressing down on it. The soldiers are watching me closely. I am racked by anxiety. The Chachis are standing close by, holding on to their scarves. The slightest mistake will mean giving the game away. The soldiers ask Nadir Chacha in broken English, “What happen?”
Nadir Chacha stands there as though he has no idea what’s going on. I look at the soldiers. Pretending to speak through great pain, I tell them in English, “I hit my head against the door and injured it badly. We’re here to see the doctor.” Knowing that Russia and India have friendly relations, I add that I’m Indian.
The soldiers don’t ask any more questions. They only say, “Don’t just keep waiting here, go meet the doctor.” There’s no more reason to worry now, there’s no fear of being killed. We don’t dare stay there anymore. Nadir Chacha asks everyone to climb into the truck and starts driving.
Everyone marvels at my presence of mind and courage. Not that we visit a doctor. I pass several days in unbearable pain but don’t dare go to the doctor.
Source: scroll.in
https://scroll.in/article/1059034/memoir-an-indian-woman-faces-the-talibans-horrors-after-moving-to-afghanistan-with-her-husband
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Muslim women bolster communal bond with ‘aarti and bhajan’
Nov 15, 2023
Varanasi: During Diwali festivities, a group of Muslim women sang praises of Lord Ram and performed aarti of the deity at the Vishal Bharat Sansthan in Lamahi in Varanasi on Sunday. The bhajans (devotional songs’ had the stamp of Ganga-Jamuni integrity with lyrics like ‘Ayodhyahaihumareziyaratgah ka naam, Rehtehainwahan Imam-e-Hind Shri Ram (Ayodhya is the name of our pilgrimage, where lives the leader of Hind, Shri Ram)’.
The Muslim Mahila Foundation group leader and president Nazneen Ansari said such events bring Hindus and Muslims closer to each other. “Shri Ram is our ancestor and though we can different names or religions, how can we change our ancestors,” she said, adding, “Singing praises of Lord Ram not only helps bridge the gap between Hindus and Muslms, it also reflects the all-embracing inclusivity of Islam.”
Only ‘Ramrajya’ can take the world towards peace. “We are Indians, hence it is our duty to believe in Indian culture and take it forward. We are Muslims but will never accept Arabian culture. Muslims will be respected only if they remain connect with their ancestors”, she said. Najma Parveen, whose PhD thesis was on PM Modi, said this effort of Muslim women is going to strengthen mutual relations.
The tradition of Shri Rama aarti by Muslim women has continued since 2006 after the SankatMochan temple was rocked by a terror attack. Nazneen and her group members have been performing aarti and reciting prayers on occasions of Hindu festivals like Ram Navami and Diwali, with the belief that the message from Kashi can play a vital role in strengthening communal harmony in the society. Nazneen has translated ‘Shri Ram Aarti’, ‘Shri Ram Prarthana’, ‘Durga Chalisa’ and translated ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ and ‘Ramcharitmanas’ to Urdu.
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Uttar Pradesh: Muslim women perform Ram Aarti in KashiA group of Muslim women in Varanasi celebrated Diwali by singing in praise of Lord Rama and performing aarti. The group leader, Nazneen Ansari, emphasized the cultural and social amalgamation of Hindus and Muslims. She stated that singing in praise of Lord Ram bridges the gap between the two communities and reflects the generosity of Islam. The women believe that spreading the name of Ram can bring peace and that following the path of Lord Ram can resolve conflicts. They also performed aarti and recited prayers to promote communal harmony.105166673
Lord Ram's return to Ayodhya by 'PushpakViman' recreated on Diwali eveThe grand homecoming of Lord Ram, Sita, and Lakshman to Ayodhya was vividly recreated in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Anandiben Patel. The event, organized prior to the Deepotsav, included a procession with Lord Ram, Sita, Lakshman, Lord Hanuman, and Guru Vashishtha boarding a chariot pulled by the Chief Minister, Governor, and Deputy CM. The occasion was further embellished with flower petals showered from a helicopter. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also performed a symbolic coronation of Lord Ram.105154598
Bright Diwali lights translate to brighter lives: AradhanaaRamActorMalashree and her daughter Aradhanaa believe in celebrating Diwali with bright lights, which they believe brings brightness to their lives. They ensure that their house is brightly decorated with string lights and earthen lamps. The festival is also about enjoying goodies, lighting diyas, participating in rituals, and spending time with family. The mother-daughter duo oversee the decorations, while Aradhanaa's grandmother takes charge of preparing traditional food. This year's festival is extra special for Malashree as her daughter is making her debut, and she wants to create lasting memories with her family.105165916
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/muslim-women-bolster-communal-bond-with-aarti-and-bhajan/articleshow/105222215.cms
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Israel army confirms death of woman soldier held in Gaza
November 14, 2023
Jerusalem, Undefined: The Israeli army on Tuesday confirmed the death of Noa Marciano, a woman soldier held captive in Gaza by Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.
A statement from the army called Marciano "a fallen IDF soldier abducted by a terror organisation," a day after the army confirmed her identity following the release by Hamas of a video showing the young woman in captivity.
On Monday, Hamas's military wing issued a video of Marciano identifying herself and calling on Israel to stop its bombing campaign, juxtaposed with a picture of her apparently dead.
Abu Obeida, a spokesman for Hamas's military wing, said Marciano was killed in an Israeli strike. The Israeli army did not say how she was killed.
Marciano's death brings the number of Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza since the start of the war to 47.
Israel has been relentlessly bombarding the Gaza Strip since Hamas fighters carried out an October 7 attack on southern Israeli communities, the deadliest in the country's history.
About 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the Hamas attacks and around 240 people taken captive, according to Israeli officials.
More than 11,200 people, most of them civilians and thousands of them children, have been killed in Gaza in retaliatory strikes by Israel, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Source: ndtv.com
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/israel-confirms-death-of-captive-woman-soldier-shown-in-hamas-video-4574162#pfrom=home-ndtvworld_asia
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Canadian peace advocate Vivian Silver confirmed killed in Hamas attack
November 15, 2023
TORONTO — An Israeli-Canadian peace advocate, feared to have been taken hostage in Gaza, has been confirmed killed.
Vivian Silver, 74, lived close to Israel's border with Gaza in kibbutz Be'eri — which was raided by Hamas during the 7 October attacks.
Remains had been found earlier at her house, but they were only formally identified as hers five weeks later.
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly described Ms Silver as a "lifelong advocate for peace".
"Canada mourns her loss," she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Ms Silver, born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was one of Israel's best-known advocates for peace with the Palestinians. Her movement, Women Wage Peace, was established to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to reach a peace agreement to end the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Her son Yonatan Zeigen told the BBC she stayed busy in her retirement, continuing her life's work as an activist, holding meetings just days before the Hamas attacks.
Her family had believed she had been kidnapped by Hamas and held in Gaza for the past five weeks.
Speaking to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation last week, Zeigen said that while they knew Ms Silver's house had been burned to the ground during Hamas's attack, and that a body had been found at that time, there was "no evidence there of a struggle or bullets", leading the family to believe she had been kidnapped.
In an interview with the BBC in the days after the attack, Zeigen recounted his final communications with her as she hid in a cupboard while armed men were moving through the kibbutz.
He said his mother told him that she loved him, and said "'they're inside the house, it's time to stop joking and say goodbye.'"
"I wrote back that 'I love you, Mum. I have no words, I'm with you,'" he said.
"Then she writes, 'I feel you.' And then that was it, that's the last message."
Asked what his mother would have said about everything that has happened, Yonatan said: "That this is the outcome of war. Of not striving for peace, and this is what happens."
"It's very overwhelming but not completely surprising. It's not sustainable to live in a state of war for so long and now it bursts. It bursts."
Gershon Baskin, a friend of Silver's, remembered her as a "happy, optimistic person".
"She was a person who lit up a room whenever she came in," he told CBC. "She had a moral compass that led the direction of many people who followed her."
More than 100 members of Ms Silver's kibbutz were killed in the attack.
There have been growing calls for a humanitarian pause to allow aid into Gaza, and to help get out some of the 240 hostages taken by Hamas.
Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu has said all hostages must be released before any temporary truce can be agreed.
Israel began striking Gaza after Hamas's surprise attacks, in which 1,200 people were killed. The Hamas-run health ministry says more than 11,000 people have been killed in Gaza since. — BBC
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/637738/World/America/Canadian-peace-advocate-Vivian-Silver-confirmed-killed-in-Hamas-attack
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NaziaHashimyar wins Democracy Prize 2023
Fidel Rahmati
November 14, 2023
The National Democracy Institute has announced that it will award the Democracy Prize for 2023 to NaziaHashmiyar, an Afghan journalist. The institute stated that this year’s Democracy Prize has been dedicated to her in recognition of her efforts as an Afghan journalist to raise awareness among the people.
The National Endowment for Democracy, also known as NED announced on Tuesday that the 40th anniversary of this institution will be celebrated today in Washington, D.C.
According to reports, this program has brought together figures from Congress, the Biden administration, activists and leaders of democracy from around the world, members of the media community, diplomatic corps, and other human rights advocates.
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a non-profit organization created with the aim of promoting and strengthening democratic institutions worldwide.
This institution awards over a thousand prizes annually to individuals and groups who work towards democratic goals in more than 90 countries.
It should be noted that freedom of speech, media independence, and access to information against women journalists in Afghanistan have decreased since August 2021.
Furthermore, Damon Wilson, the President and CEO of this institution, has emphasized that journalists are frontline fighters for freedom and are adapting their legacy to meet the complex challenges of democracy. He stated, “We are not only celebrating NED’s anniversary but also uniting our community to confront the new challenges of democracy.”
This comes in the wake of a report from the Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization (AJSO), published on World Press Freedom Day, which highlighted that after the rise of the Taliban administration, four out of five women journalists in Afghanistan (84%) had lost their jobs.
Previously, MarjanWafaMohammadi, an Afghan journalist and two other country journalists, received the Best Journalist of 2023 award from the Afghanistan Journalists Center.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/nazia-hashimyar-wins-democracy-prize-2023/
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Repression of Iranian Protesters' Families Continues
November 14, 2023
Zahra Saeedianjoo, the sister of a protester who lost his life during the Women, Life, Freedom protests in Iran, has been arrested once again.
The arrest occurred three days before the anniversary of her brother's death. Fatemeh Heydari, sister of another victim of the nationwide protests, JavadHeydari, disclosed on Monday that Saeedianjoo was detained when the Islamic Republic forces forcefully entered their residence in Izeh, located in the southern part of Iran.
The arrest comes on the heels of news in mid-October, which reported Saeedianjoo's dismissal from her job and the reception of "death threats" from unidentified motorcyclists.
There is a growing concern about the intensified pressure from security forces on the families of individuals who lost their lives during the protests. Numerous reports have surfaced in recent days detailing efforts to hinder commemoration ceremonies for those who were killed.
In a related incident, MaysamPirfalak, the father of Kian Pirfalak, an 8-year-old boy who lost his life in Izeh last year during the protests, made an announcement on November 9. Through a video posted on his Instagram page, Pirfalak revealed that the commemoration ceremony for his son took place a week earlier beside Kian's grave in the village of Parchestan in Izeh, amid what he described as "tightened security."
Further exacerbating the situation, reports from human rights media indicate the separate detentions of MahnazTarrah and Shaqayeq Moradi, by security agencies in Tehran. The Follow-up Committee of Iranian Detainees reported on Tuesday that security forces conducted a search at Moradi's residence.
MahnazTarrah, with a history of past detentions and enduring judicial sentences, was released from prison in February following the “amnesty” granted to some political prisoners.
As of now, no information has been made public regarding the reasons for the recent detentions and the charges brought against the two citizens.
Source: iranintl.com
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202311145081
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/karnataka-bans-headcover-exams/d/131115