Pakistani Hindu minority members shout slogans during a protest against the attack on their temple in Rahim Yar Khan, in Karachi, Pakistan. EPA
Pakistani Hindu minority members shout slogans during a protest against the attack on their temple in Rahim Yar Khan, in Karachi, Pakistan. EPA
Pakistani Hindu minority members shout slogans during a protest against the attack on their temple in Rahim Yar Khan, in Karachi, Pakistan. EPA
Pakistani Hindu minority members shout slogans during a protest against the attack on their temple in Rahim Yar Khan, in Karachi, Pakistan. EPA

Pakistani boy, 8, in protective custody after being accused of blasphemy in urine incident


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A Pakistani boy accused of blasphemy has been taken in to protective custody, after his release on bail sparked attacks on a Hindu temple in the country.

The boy, 8, a member of the minority Hindu community, reportedly entered a mosque in the village of Bhong, in eastern Rahim Yar Khan district in Punjab.

After being reprimanded by a local cleric, Muhammad Ibrahim, the boy involuntarily urinated on the carpet.

The next day Mr Ibrahim registered a case against the boy for urinating in a place where religious books are kept.

He was arrested on blasphemy charges, which can carry the death penalty in Pakistan.

The boy was released on bail last Wednesday after a week in custody, which angered conservative Muslims in the area.

A crowd of about 150 people later set the main gate of the temple on fire and damaged religious statues inside.

Footage on social media showed an angry crowd vandalising the Hindu temple with iron bars and sticks.

Fearing backlash, authorities placed the boy in protective custody of police.

Hundreds of troops were sent to quell communal unrest in the area.

“Police have arrested 50 people who attacked the temple and are hunting 100 other attackers who are on the run. Our teams are conducting raids to arrest them soon,” Ahmad Nawaz, spokesperson for the Rahim Yar Khan District police told The National

Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack in a statement shared on Twitter.

He said he had ordered the provincial police chief to take action against officers on duty, whose negligence led to the attack.

He promised his government would restore the temple.

The attack forced many members of the local Hindu community to flee the city.

“Police failed to protect the temple and the delayed response led to its destruction and panic among the Hindu community, who locked their houses and fled,” Ramesh Kumar, head of Pakistan’s Hindu Council and a lawmaker, told The National.

India’s external affairs ministry summoned a Pakistani diplomat to protest the attack on the temple and demand protection for Hindu families living in Muslim-majority Pakistan.

Tensions are running high in Rahim Yar Khan city, Pakistan, after a boy was accused of blasphemy. EPA
Tensions are running high in Rahim Yar Khan city, Pakistan, after a boy was accused of blasphemy. EPA

Kapil Dev, a human-rights activist, told The National that “fear and panic has gripped the area as many Hindus living there have fled to other areas for their safety and protection”.

He said it was good to see the prime minister and Supreme Court chief justice had taken notice of the situation immediately, but it would have been better if Mr Khan himself had paid a visit to the affected community.

“This gesture would have restored the lost trust and pulled them out from fear and insecurity,” Mr Dev said.

“Such incidents elsewhere in Canada or New Zealand, their prime ministers would have visited the affected community the very next day, but unfortunately no one from the top tier of the state has visited them,” he said.

Osama Malik, a legal expert said religious minorities were at risk in Pakistan.

“Despite the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion, and freedom from religious discrimination, guaranteed by Article 20 of the Pakistani Constitution, and multiple conventions to which Pakistan is party to, the state has abysmally failed to protect minorities," he said.

"The weaponisation of blasphemy laws has reached a point where even 8-year-old children are not safe from it.”

In December last year, a large crowd of hardline Islamists demolished a century-old Hindu temple in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to a May report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedoms, Pakistan reported the highest number of incidents of mob activity, mob violence and threats of violence against people accused of blasphemy.

The report covered incidents documented through surveys between 2014 and 2018.

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Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

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Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
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  • Duration: Can linger for days
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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

SCHEDULE

December 8: UAE v USA (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)

December 9: USA v Scotland (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)

December 11: UAE v Scotland (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)

December 12: UAE v USA (ICC Academy Oval 1)

December 14: USA v Scotland (ICC Academy Oval 1)

December 15: UAE v Scotland (ICC Academy Oval 1)

All matches start at 10am

 

Pathaan
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F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

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EXPATS
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((Disclaimer))

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Company%20Profile
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If you go

The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road. 

The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
 

While you're here
What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Company%20profile
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Pension support
  • Mental well-being assistance
  • Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
  • Financial well-being incentives 
How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
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  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
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Racecard

5pm: Al Maha Stables – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m

5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m

6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m

6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m

7pm: The President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m

7.30pm: The President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m

Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

Profile Idealz

Company: Idealz

Founded: January 2018

Based: Dubai

Sector: E-commerce

Size: (employees): 22

Investors: Co-founders and Venture Partners (9 per cent)

What is blockchain?

Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.

The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.

Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.

However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.

Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.

Star%20Wars%3A%20Episode%20I%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Phantom%20Menace
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Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

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Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder

Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm

Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm

Transmission: Five-speed manual

Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km

Specs

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Power: 905hp

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Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017

Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free

Day 1 fixtures (Saturday)

Men 1.45pm, Malaysia v Australia (Court 1); Singapore v India (Court 2); UAE v New Zealand (Court 3); South Africa v Sri Lanka (Court 4)

Women Noon, New Zealand v South Africa (Court 3); England v UAE (Court 4); 5.15pm, Australia v UAE (Court 3); England v New Zealand (Court 4)

RESULTS

Bantamweight:
Zia Mashwani (PAK) bt Chris Corton (PHI)

Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) bt Mohammad Al Khatib (JOR)

Super lightweight:
Dwight Brooks (USA) bt Alex Nacfur (BRA)

Bantamweight:
Tariq Ismail (CAN) bt Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)

Featherweight:
Abdullatip Magomedov (RUS) bt Sulaiman Al Modhyan (KUW)

Middleweight:
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) bt Christofer Silva (BRA)

Middleweight:
Rustam Chsiev (RUS) bt Tarek Suleiman (SYR)

Welterweight:
Khamzat Chimaev (SWE) bt Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA)

Lightweight:
Alex Martinez (CAN) bt Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)

Welterweight:
Jarrah Al Selawi (JOR) bt Abdoul Abdouraguimov (FRA)

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES

All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated

Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid

Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona

Updated: August 10, 2021, 3:09 PM`