Hajia 4 Reall born Mona Faiz Montrage in an interview with Pulse has said that she is a practising Muslim who takes her prayers serious.
Commenting on being a Muslim and how she reconciles her lifestyle that comes with racy photos sometimes, Hajia 4 Reall said: “I think religion is all about the heart, it’s not how you appear, it’s about who you are inside”.
“I am a Muslim, yes I pray” Hajia 4 Real who has now ventured into music, told Pulse.com.gh’s David Mawuli and when asked about how exposing herself in photos and videos is against her religion she said, “religion is not about how you appear”.
The truth is, Hajia 4 Real is one celebrity who takes delight in showing flesh and you can’t blame her either. Lady got the skin and beauty.
BRUSSELS. KAZINFORM - The European Union (EU) on Wednesday stepped up its efforts to detect and fight COVID-19 variants by bringing together various stakeholders to develop new and adapted vaccines, <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-02/18/c_139748689.htm" target="_blank">Xinhua </a>reports.
A new project called «HERA Incubator» will gather researchers, biotech companies, manufacturers and public authorities in the EU and globally to detect new coronavirus variants, provide incentives to develop new and adapted vaccines, speed up the approval process for these vaccines, and ensure the scaling up of manufacturing capacities.
The incubator will also serve as a blueprint for the EU’s long-term preparedness for health emergencies, the European Commission said in a statement.
«New variants of the virus are emerging fast and we must adapt our response even faster,» said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Thanks to the incubator, Europe is «tackling parallel or subsequent series of pandemics deriving from the variants,» said European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas, adding that it is pooling resources to ensure solidarity across the EU and the world.
The EU will spend 75 million euros (90.3 million U.S. dollars) on detecting, analyzing and assessing virus variants by supporting genomic sequencing in its member states, and a further 150 million euros on stepping up research and data exchange on variants, according to the Commission.
Mechanisms have also been devised to improve clinical trials and ramp up the production of COVID-19 vaccines.
The actions, the Commission said, are in preparation for the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), which will be a permanent structure for risk modeling, global surveillance, technology transfers, supply chain risk mapping, flexible manufacturing, and vaccine and medicine research and development.
Around 461,300 asylum applications were received in EU member states last year, according to the EU Asylum Support Office (EASO). The year before, the number was around 671,200.
According to EASO, that is the lowest number of people seeking asylum in the EU since 2013.
The Office cites travel restrictions related to the corona pandemic as an important reason for the decline.
An estimated 4% of the applications came from unaccompanied minor asylum seekers.
On average, around a third of asylum applications are approved. The nationalities that receive asylum the most are Syrians (84%), Eritreans (80%), and Yemenis (75%).
The EASO says that the backlog in case processing has become somewhat smaller in the last year.
Islamabad : Iqbal International Institute for Research and Dialogue (IRD) Thursday organized a one day seminar on ‘Religion & Challenges of Scientific Age’ at Faisal Masjid Campus of International Islamic University (IIU).
It was addressed by IIU leadership, renowned intellectuals, researchers, religious scholars and social experts. Sardar Ateeq Ahmed Khan, former PM AJK addressing the seminar elaborated the facts similar and proved both by religion and science. He discussed evolution of life, universe, theory of relativity, Quranic ideology and other aspects in the light of science and religion. He also discussed micro and macro level challenges and shed light on the approach of solutions in the light of religion and science.
Speaking on the occasion, IIU Rector Dr. Masoom Yasinzai said that there is dire need to address the confusion prevailing in the minds of youth regarding religion and science. He elaborated that both are interlinked and the masses, specially the youth must be told that religion and science are not against each other. He called upon the universities to prepare young Muslim minds integrated with teachings of Islam who should also be well aware of the contemporary changes of science.
Vice-President AF&P, Dr N. B. Jumani in his speech at the seminar called upon Muslim world to promote research on comparative religions. He stressed for quality research and improvements in research on the scientific bases.
He congratulated IRD on organizing the seminar on the vital topic and hoped that the learned speakers will enlighten the minds of participant youth. Executive Director IRD, Husnul Amin in his welcome address briefed about the Institute’s activities of research and Dialogue.
<blockquote class="excerptCss" readability="8">
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the European Union, as an important player in the world arena, must play an appropriate role in countering US unilateralism.
</blockquote>
<!-- content -->Speaking in a Thursday telephone conversation with President of the European Council Charles Michel, President Rouhani called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) an important achievement for multilateral diplomacy and stressed that we should not allow this great achievement to be easily destroyed.
“The EU foreign policy chief, as the coordinator of the JCPOA, should play a better role in planning the steps,” he noted.
President Rouhani stressed the need to combat terrorism and extremism as two important problems in the region and the world, noting, “We are ready to work with the European Union to combat terrorism and extremism, and we welcome regional interaction and cooperation in this regard.”
Expressing concern over the resurgence of ISIS in the region after the martyrdom of General Soleimani, the President said that the presence of foreign forces in the region has increased tensions.
He also stressed the need to ensure security, peace and stability in the region.
Rouhani underlined the need to develop relations with the European Union, especially in the fields of trade and economy, adding, “With regard to the recent international developments and the new conditions for development of relations between countries, we should attempt to return the level of relations between Iran and the European Union to its original state.”
The President also referred to the problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic for countries in the world and expressed hope that the problem would be resolved in the near future.
“Resolving this problem requires a comprehensive and global effort, and countries can share their successful experiences in fighting coronavirus to help solve this global problem,” he said.
Rouhani concluded his remarks by referring to the high-level talks between Iran and the European Union in various fields, including the fight against drug trafficking, environment, health, tourism and transportation, and welcomed the continuation of talks with the European Commission for developing cooperation.
In turn, the President of the European Council referred to Europe’s position in support of the JCPOA after the US unilateral withdrawal, and stressed the need to maintain the JCPOA as an international agreement and its full implementation by all parties.
Charles Michel added, “Given the new conditions in the international arena and the change of government in the United States, we must seize the opportunity to maintain and fully implement the JCPOA by all parties, and the European Union will play its role in this regard.”
Referring to the problems created for Iran due to US economic sanctions, the President of the European Council stressed, “It is natural that Iran should enjoy the economic benefits of the JCPOA.”
BRUSSELS: Asylum requests in the EU dropped 31 per cent in 2020, to their lowest level in eight years, as would-be refugees ran up against coronavirus travel restrictions, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) said on Thursday.
The EU agency said that the number of requests made to the 27 member countries plus affiliated nations Norway and Switzerland last year came to 461,300, compared to 671,200 in 2019.
That was “down to the lowest levels since 2013, largely as a result of emergency travel restrictions” imposed by governments to slow the spread of the coronavirus across borders, it said. The European Union has severely restricted arrivals from outside the bloc, and several member states have also ordered filtering measures along borders with fellow EU countries, cutting off or reducing several refugee immigration channels.
That has had an effect on asylum-seekers entering the bloc, most of whom come from Syria, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Colombia and Iraq. Almost all nationalities lodged fewer applications. Only those from Comoros, Belarus, Cuba and Brazil showed increases over 2019.
EASO said four per cent of the requests received last year were in the names of unaccompanied minors, an increase of one percentage point over the previous year. Despite the pandemic, national authorities processing new asylum requests have done so at roughly “the same level” as in 2019, allowing them to partly clear around 17 per cent of a backlog—though 412,600 cases were still pending.
Overall, EU member states recognised 32 per cent of requests as genuine refugee cases, a proportion that has remained stable over previous years.
Syrians, Eritreans and Yemenis overwhelmingly had their asylum requests approved, while only a tiny proportion—three percent or less—of those lodged by Colombians and Venezuelans succeeded.
The European Union has given Hungary a two- … Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled last year that … which the commission takes on EU countries violating the bloc… influence on public debate.
The EU has taken Hungary to court …
Islamabad: Iqbal International Institute for Research and Dialogue (IRD) Thursday organized a one day seminar on ‘Religion & Challenges of Scientific Age’ at Faisal Masjid Campus of International Islamic University (IIU).
Statement by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe
Copenhagen, 18 February 2021
With more than 37 million cases and nearly 830 000 deaths, the trend in the WHO European Region shows decreasing cases for a fifth week in a row. For the first time since September last year, the number of new cases reported in a week is less than a million. Although still high, new deaths also declined for the third consecutive week.
Transmission in most of the Region has begun to slow. Europe now accounts for a decreasing proportion of the global burden of disease and mortality, currently at 28% of new cases and 21% of new deaths.
When cases of COVID-19 are at lower levels in many countries, as they are now, health authorities are presented an opportunity to focus on evaluating and improving the performance of their response. To that end, I have written to all health ministers in the European Region, providing an assessment of the current situation and a checklist of additional actions that Member States should consider.
But this is also a time to prepare our health services to get back on track, strategize, and deliver health services beyond the COVID-19 response.
Globally, 9 out of 10 countries report disrupted essential health services. Cancer patients have been hugely impacted. They are more vulnerable due to their weakened immune systems, and their treatments have been postponed or halted. For some countries, sending cancer patients abroad for treatment has become impossible.
COVID-19 wards have not been the only ones reaching a breaking point in past months. Several psychiatry wards have too. Some feel guilty for speaking about their fatigue while others are literally fighting for their lives. Many of us are trying to deal with a roller coaster of emotions: anxiety, grief and depression.
Antimicrobial resistance is another growing peril, threatening the effective prevention and treatment of infections. Research conducted in 9 countries and areas where treatment guidelines are not available or followed, where people can buy antibiotics over the counter, shows a concerning rise in the use of antibiotics based on the misconception that antibiotics can prevent COVID-19.
One study, based on global data, estimated that in a period of 12 weeks in 2020, some 28.5 million surgeries that had been scheduled had to be cancelled due to COVID-19.
Childhood immunization programmes have been disrupted in almost all countries, with temporary suspension of vaccination programmes in some countries.
These are only a few of the many issues that need attention.
Immunizing health workers
In the coming weeks, as more and more health workers get immunized, the capacity to address the backlog of postponed surgeries, cancelled chemotherapy and halted vaccination campaigns also grows. This is where our focus needs to gradually shift, while suppressing COVID-19 transmission.
A resilient health system requires adequate human resources to ensure everyone, everywhere, receives services. To date, between 1% and 46% of health workers, or 19% on average, have completed a COVID-19 immunization series, based on available information from 20 countries in the Region.
A stronger, vaccinated health workforce, fewer COVID-19 hospital admissions, and fewer deaths as older population groups get vaccinated should give us space and time to recalibrate – in itself a monumental task.
Waging a war on numerous fronts requires resources and vigilance, and once again, those carrying the heaviest burden are health workers.
In the past year, health workers have put their own lives on the line every single day, and shown extraordinary resilience and compassion. For their sacrifice and commitment, I have nothing but respect – particularly as it is they who are now called upon to deliver vaccination programmes.
It is they who will be tasked with getting our routine and essential health services back on track to tackle the collateral effects and fallout of this pandemic. They have gone to extreme lengths, and are now required to go further.
To allow them to do this, those of us who do not work on the frontline must continue to act responsibly and follow protective public health and social measures so that our health systems can strive to save not only COVID-19 patients, but also those with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer or tuberculosis.
No time to drop our guard
What matters now is how we respond to positive epidemiological trends.
Despite an overall encouraging picture, improving epidemiology can prompt a sense of security that results in hasty decision-making that in turn leads to a resurgence of cases.
This slowing spread of the virus, for the most part, is driven by public health and social measures. We as individuals have the power to undermine the positive trend we see today or support it on its course. We have the tools. Let’s continue using them to full effect.
Although new variants pose additional challenges, all of them are SARS-CoV-2 and all can be controlled with the tools we have at hand. Several countries have significantly decreased transmission of these variants.
Some 40 countries in the European Region have started vaccinating against COVID-19. Nonetheless, in the 30 countries that have provided data, only 1.8% of the population has received a complete vaccine series. Vaccines are certainly a game changer, but since supply is limited, our most effective tools remain public health and social measures.
Faced with reports on new variants, confusion and fatigue are understandable. But let me assure you that the circumstances are temporary. Yes, we will still need to take precautionary measures for months to come, but if we all play a role and shoulder the responsibility to keep transmission rates low, the restrictive measures that have been put in place will be lifted.
Now is the time to minimize the damage inflicted by severe disruption of health services, to counteract the collateral effects of COVID-19 while simultaneously keeping it under control.
