San Francisco makes Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha school holidays


Holly Aguirre
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  • Arabic

The San Francisco Board of Education has passed a resolution to include the recognition of two Muslim holidays, Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha, in the official academic calendar, starting with the 2023-2024 school year.

California is home to more Arab Americans than any other US state, with the largest populations living in Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and the Bay Area.

The resolution was proposed and written by San Francisco Board of Education Commissioner Matt Alexander.

“Allowing Muslim students to fully observe these sacred holidays without potentially negative educational and social repercussions is aligned with our commitment as a district to be student-centred,” Mr Alexander said.

Los Angeles is home to more Arab Americans than any US city. Reuters
Los Angeles is home to more Arab Americans than any US city. Reuters

In 2015, New York City became the first large metropolis in America to recognise the observances as official holidays and closed its public schools for Eid Al Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

Municipalities in Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia followed suit.

Eid Al Fitr marks the end of the month of Ramadan, when Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset. The day a new crescent moon is spotted is the official end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid Al Fitr.

Eid Al Adha, also known as the Festival of the Sacrifice, is the second most important holiday on the Islamic calendar, celebrated through prayers, food, family and charitable giving.

Research conducted at California’s Santa Clara University and UC Berkeley found that more than 250,000 Muslim Americans live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Most respondents to the surveys conducted in the study said that religion was important and that their life challenges in the US included Islamophobia, worries over conflict overseas, media stereotypes and being “double minorities” — that is, both Muslim and from a non-white background.

Eid Al Fitr in the US — in pictures

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What is Reform?

Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.

It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.

Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.

After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.

Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.

The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.

THE BIO

Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist

Age: 78

Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”

Hobbies: his work  - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”

Other hobbies: football

Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club

 

Financial considerations before buying a property

Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.

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Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.

Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier. 

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2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

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Rating: 4.5/5

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Name: Steppi

Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic

Launched: February 2020

Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year

Employees: Five

Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai

Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings

Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo

Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm

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Transmission: 9-speed auto

Price: from Dh498,542

On sale: now

SERIE A FIXTURES

Friday (UAE kick-off times)

Sassuolo v Bologna (11.45pm)

Saturday

Brescia v Torino (6pm)

Inter Milan v Verona (9pm)

Napoli v Genoa (11.45pm)

Sunday

Cagliari v Verona (3.30pm)

Udinese v SPAL (6pm)

Sampdoria v Atalanta (6pm)

Lazio v Lecce (6pm)

Parma v Roma (9pm)

Juventus v Milan (11.45pm)

 

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
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  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
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Quick facts on cancer
  • Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases 
  •  About one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer in their lifetime 
  • By 2040, global cancer cases are on track to reach 30 million 
  • 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries 
  • This rate is expected to increase to 75 per cent by 2030 
  • At least one third of common cancers are preventable 
  • Genetic mutations play a role in 5 per cent to 10 per cent of cancers 
  • Up to 3.7 million lives could be saved annually by implementing the right health
    strategies 
  • The total annual economic cost of cancer is $1.16 trillion

   

A MINECRAFT MOVIE

Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

Updated: August 16, 2022, 4:20 PM