News Kashmir Magazine

Has the complexion of Board Exams changed?                      Owais Ahmad  Shah(The writer is PG Student,Kashmir University)
The 12th class board results have been declared in Kashmir division.The students are celebrating their success & those who have  failed in the exams are crestfallen & pained.It’s true that success brings joy & failure brings anxieties.The understanding that has developed in these results is that something has changed.The success stories in past would get much attention.It would be a story for everyone that who scored high marks & parents would push their kid’s ahead & instill positivity in them.There was a greater societal value for marks & it was continuing since year’s.It meant everything for us.Not only this year results but past year results have raised a very important question about the complexion of exams.In past,students would go through panic stations before exams,there was much pressure building up & exams were not easy to face.We would have students depressed & much things would happen with them.There was one thing that students would fear & that was getting failed. The recent results are much different & marks scoring has become now easy & it’s like everything is given for free.It is true that students have worked hard & they did it by their sweat but the manner this is happening brings to attention the complexion of exams.Are exams now conducted not as past? or Is there anything new that has emerged? I think there is a serious need to revisit exams & it must be seen properly that fair evaluation is done.We need success stories but positive success stories.Marks scoring should have a proper evaluation & students must be given marks which is at par with their work. 
Each year we have thousands of students passing 12th exams & subsequently pursuing bachelors in college or technical courses outside.We should understand how much this society gets benefitted by the number of students.The number of quality students is always there who can shine out in competitive exams but the question is what if we would have students who have scored high marks without knowing what they did & how they scored it.The best would be to revisit these exams & ensure a credible examination system that would give an impression of fair evaluation & a good education. 

A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH
Dr Suhaib Ashraf Bhat
Crime against women, which is increasing day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute and second by second. Thinkers are thinking to reduce the crime; Philosophers making another philosophy out of it yet the rate of the crime is increasing by increasing rate. Punishment for the rape cases or acid attack is much lower than the harm caused. In court, the person freely walks in the society for months and years together, because of the ant-paced judicial system where we get hearings after hearings.
Rape and acid attack:  If we talk psychologically there is no difference between the two. The aftermath effect is most probably same.   
Rape:  Is this not the shame for whole society? Rape is one of the more appalling things that one human being can do to another, and yet there is no other crime about which our society is so ambivalent. That must change.
The effects of rape can include both the initial physical trauma as well as deep psychological trauma. Although rape victims commonly report injuries and issues with their reproductive health after the sexual assault, rape doesn’t always involve physical force. The most common and lasting effects of rape involve mental health concerns and diminished social confidence.
Aftermath of Rape:
The aftermath of rape involves a cluster of acute and chronic physical and psychological effects. It’s important that victims receive comprehensive care. This only adds to the psychological impact of the rape on the victim. Victims of extremely violent rape, or those who were assaulted repeatedly or at a very young age, may need treatment for the rest of their lives. Is this not really breathtaking? 
Increasing crimes is what we are witnessing these days. Criminals have come up with various strategies of committing crimes to which unfortunately our judicial system is continuously failing.
When a crime is done to a person and when the victim goes to register a complaint, the first thing our police personnel do is to deny taking the complaint. Even if they take the complaint, they file it in such an easy manner that the criminal can easily escape even if he has done a grave mistake like rape. When a victim is raped the police files the complaint of “sexual assault” or “attempt to rape” and when the victim is assaulted sexually or attempted to rape, these “kind” men advises not to file the case and get compromised as the career of the criminal will get destroyed. These people have soft hearts towards criminals and stone-hearts towards innocents.
When the victims force to file a strong case against the criminals these people have a very good strategy to harass them by taking counter case from the criminals and lay false charges against the victims. In this way the victim is harassed double. In some situations, the victims are unable to tolerate injustice and even go to the extent of committing suicides!

Acid attack: An acid attack involves the premeditated throwing of acid on a victim, usually on her face. It is a gender-based heinous crime against women. In addition to causing psychological trauma, acid attacks result in severe pain, permanent disfigurement, subsequent infections, and often blindness in one or both eyes. Acid attack is a form of gender-based violence aimed at silencing and controlling women. The use of acid as a weapon began to rise in many developing nations, specifically in South Asia. The first recorded acid attack occurred in India in 1982. In many countries, acid attacks constitute a hidden form of violence against women and children that often go unreported and the true number of horrific attacks taking place does not come to light. 
Consequences of Acid Attacks:
Physical consequences: Acid burns through skin and flesh, layer by layer, causing great pain and injury. It eats through the two layers of the skin, into the fat and muscle underneath, and sometimes down to the bone, it may dissolve the bone. The profoundness of injury depends on the brawn of the acid and the duration of the contact with the skin – the burning goes on until the acid is scrupulously washed off with water. Further, if thrown on a person’s face, acid speedily eats into eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. The pain is agonizing, as a strong burning heat cuts through the victim’s flesh like a hot knife. Eyelids and lips may burn off completely. The nose may melt, closing the nostrils, and ears shrivel up. Acid can rapidly destroy the eye, causing the victim to be blind. Skin and bone of the skull, forehead, cheeks, and chin may melt. The acid usually splashes or drips over the neck, chest, back, arms, or legs, burning anywhere it touches. One study found that on average, the patient suffered by acid attack burns to 14% of their body surface area, with areas most commonly affected including the face (87% of the victims), head and neck (67%), upper limbs (60%) and chest (54%). Around a third of victims (31%) suffered complete or partial blindness. Psychological Consequences: A psychological trauma is suffered by the victim when she perceives that her skin is burnt off and after the attack the defacement and the disabilities with which they have to bear for the rest of their lives. Some of the psychological problems which the victims suffer are insomnia, nightmares, depression, fear of facing the world, headache, tiredness, fear of other acid attacks. They also feel despondent and worried as they think they turned an outcast from society. The victim’s life gets derailed as every time she looks in the mirror she is reminded of her present insecurity as well as the despondency of the future. Social and Economic consequences: The victims who are not married are likely not to get married as they suffer from many disabilities like blindness, deafness, and many others difficulties and our society’s mindset is not that wide enough to accept a disabled person as their wife. They even do not get a job notwithstanding being qualified as they cannot meet up to the expectation of their employers as not having the ‘personality. Instead of helping them, we make their life more annoying, as we commiserate them as we do not like to look at their faces for long. However, this approach needs to be changed as they are suffering not for their wrong, but due to the fault of some savage animals roaming around the society freely.

For any crime to get reduced or stop we ought to go to the root cause. Know the reasons why it is happening. Be honest in accepting the reasons and endeavour to solve the problem logically. The only solution for this problem and to defend the honour of women – “the jewels of the society” is hardcore punishment. Please no more TAREEK PAI TAREEK. 

Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com

Maulana Azad…The giant who embraced India!
Name:Owais Ah Shah

Pursuing PG in Political Science from University of Kashmir.

In today’s India when Muslim’s are met with the terrible questioning about their Indianness,Moulana Azad brings hope & positivity by his conviction & can-do character.He was among the colossus figures who fought for the unity of India & left an indelible mark on the pages of history.His wisdom,conviction & erudition made him the giant among men.He stood with the idea of India during the toughest time’s when he was met with terrible opposition & was rather seen from the eyes of disgrace by other’s.Azad never changed his stand & made it amply clear that he will stand with the idea of India.His erudition,leadership qualities & willingness to make a difference made him the prominent & one of those leaders who was loved by all. He better fitted himself in the shoes of the “leader of the caravan” (of Indian Muslims). Recognising his own strengths, and with a sense of being chosen by destiny, Azad felt that he was the right person for this sensitive role. He also saw himself as someone who could interpret the Quran for his fellow Muslims,a task that he eventually accomplished in his magnum opus, Tarjuman-ul-Quran. Azad was an active participant in the Khilafat agitation and during the course of his participation set out the principles of his political creed of which Hindu-Muslim unity was an important component.

His shift from communitarian to a more accommodating secular world view is very fascinating to know. Azad was not the only Muslim leader who made this transition as a generation of nationalist Muslim leaders cut their teeth in the Khilafat movement while also coming into contact with Mahatma Gandhi for the first time. Saifuddin Kitchlew, Syed Mahmud and M.A. Ansari were prominent nationalist Muslim leaders who gained popularity during the Khilafat movement.

It is important to note that Azad made no distinction between his religion and his politics. So it followed that he strongly justified his cooperation with non-Muslims through theology. Just before the launch of the Khilafat movement, Azad wrote a lengthy article arguing that non-Muslims could enter mosques.

One of the powerful speeches that he gave & the most striking part of it which captured everyone’s attention to know what was Azad’s vision as a leader.

He said: “Today, if an angel were to descend from the heaven and declare from the top of the Qutab Minar that India will get Swaraj within twenty-four hours, provided she relinquishes Hindu-Muslim unity, I will relinquish Swaraj rather than give up Hindu-Muslim unity. Delay in the attainment of Swaraj will be a loss to India, but if our unity is lost, it will be a loss for entire mankind.”

He founded the All India Nationalist Muslim Party in 1929 to mobilise Muslim opinion in favour of the Congress’ secularism but this organisation never achieved the kind of acceptance & rise as the Muslim League enjoyed.

When the cauldron was building up & Jinnah wasnt in good terms with congress,Azad was precisely chosen as the President in 1940 by Congress.He tried to work towards a united India and address the insecurities of Muslims but his efforts were futile. He wasnt only ridiculed by the Muslim League but he was alienated slightly within the Congress leadership, this must have been the lowest point of his life.

The penultimate Viceroy, Lord Wavell, records how Jinnah refused to shake hands with Azad when the two met at the Viceregal Lodge in Shimla in 1945.

More distressingly, a garland of shoes was flung at Azad at the Aligarh railway station in 1947 by students who saw him as a traitor to the Islamic cause. It must have been tough to be Azad at that point.

With Partition, Muslims in India once again looked to Azad for guidance. In his address at the Jama Masjid in Delhi on October 20, 1947, Azad spoke eloquently and emotionally: “Do you remember, when I called out to you, you cut off my tongue? I picked up my pen, you severed my hand. I wanted you to walk at my side but you sliced off my feet.” He broke down while delivering this speech but his qoum (community) was looking to him for leadership.

In today’s India when Muslim’s start reflecting about their belonging to India because of the so-called “Proud Indians”,Azad’s legacy brings much hope & positivity that an Indian doesn’t need a religious identity but a stronger will to sacrifice everything for India.He stood stronger in his conviction & made sure that everything can be achieved on the fundamental principle of “unity of India”.Azad shall continue inspiring Muslim’s & other’s who see him as a true leader who stood for the idea of India.

———- Forwarded message ———
From: Owais Ahmad owaisah446@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 18 Jan, 2022, 10:03 pm
Subject: Article
To: newskashmir786@gmail.com

Maulana Azad…The giant who embraced India!

Name:Owais Ah Shah

Pursuing PG in Political Science from University of Kashmir.

In today’s India when Muslim’s are met with the terrible questioning about their Indianness,Moulana Azad brings hope & positivity by his conviction & can-do character.He was among the colossus figures who fought

Meet Aliya Farooq first Certified Lady Trainer of Valley

Mir Sabeen Gulrez
Srinagar Jan 20: Braving all the odds to chase his dreams to become a gym trainer Mother of two Aliya Farooq of Khanyar is the first lady Gym trainer who not only fought with her postpartum depression but surely has set an example by motivating ladies to lose weight and fight with their depression.Speaking to News Kashmir Aliya said,” In Kashmir maximum aren’t going to gym just because they to face male gym trainer and parents won’t allow”.She said in my case when I became the mother of two I faced several issues regarding my health similar to weight problems or trite, ”My husband suggested I join a gym, but I was not sure whether a male trainer can understand the female body or not. I went to Delhi and was inspired by fit married women, and I decided to join the gym there. I lost almost 28Kgs in just four months”. This was the beginning of the era in which I choose to write for myself, now onwards I was a fully motivated lady who wanted to be an inspiration to others. Whatever I have faced I never wanted any other lady should face that.My Father In Law I don’t have words to express such a noble person is the one who stood by my side when I was all alone fighting with the stereotypes and taboos of being something different. He told me that I am just like your father whatever people say don’t bother don’t give them any answer your success will reveal everything to them. Aliya’s husband who himself is the owner of a gym with a name “Fitness Solution” always supported Aliya .Owing to a brand with the name “Fitness Solution only for ladies”, was like a dream come true as it was like when you get the results from people which you always wanted from them. Their transformations nowadays are like unbelievable results, Aliya stated.She states “I went to Hyderabad for full-fledged training and took charge of my husband’s gym as an instructor in 2012. Since then, I have trained thousands of women from different parts of the Kashmir Valley. Not only this even have I done a fitness trainer course from J&K Body Building Association affiliated with the Bodybuilding Federation of India. High blood pressure, cholesterol and infertility are common issues among females and hence they need to exercise regularly,” she said.In the beginning, it was ok but when people started noticing me and my work. There was a mixed response from people initially even in the beginning they even criticized me but when I show them results they got goosebumps.Aliya said in the last 10 years, she has trained over 20,000 women who were suffering from depression, obesity and other major health issues like PCOD’S especially. Even those students whom I trained myself are running their gyms and are working there as gym trainees.Some of the students who talked with us wanted their names should be kept anonymous  told News Kashmir that one of the students   lost almost 25kgs within three months. Another girl who was suffering from PCOD’s with her best efforts managed to lose almost 30kgs of weight and when she went to Dr again the consulted Dr was surprised as she has fought with the odds. These are very rare cases in our gymnasium and we always provide our best to them.  In the present era, fitness is always considered as an important aspect of well being and regular exercise can keep us away from various diseases, like depression, PCOD’s, dreadful diseases like cancer,” she said, who is not a competition these days you or yourself. Undoubtedly we are living in a male-dominated society where everyone wanted a slim, beautiful wife but no one knows from which trauma she has to suffer after giving birth. Try to understand from which phase she is going through.Heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and infertility issues in women are common because they don’t work or exercise,” she said. “There is no need to come to gym centre’s but exercise is a must. Just eating and sleeping is very dangerous for our health, it can give you only fatigue and several health issues.” PCOD’s which is common in today’s generation; I wonder how mothers ignore these issues. It’s not only consulting Dr’s it’s also how much you work out after eating lots of junk from the market.Dr Ammar Khan a Gynaecologist by Profession while speaking up with News Kashmir told that, PCOD’S is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, this is usually growing up in our valley particularly in Kashmir this is because of  Obesity, so, initially the treatment protocol is like you have to go for simple lifestyle management, what we call it initially is you have to lose weight, to decrease the obesity, to measure the BMI is Basal Metabolic Body Index, because this PCOD’s have targeted Valley very aggressively, you cannot leave the PCO’s like this, these patients have to pay in the long run like they can have to get easily prone to deadly disease like cancer, uterine cancer breast cancer,  they can have diabetes that’s why we are going in a trend in increasing PCO’s.  The Best thing in initially we have for the three months if the patient is Obese we try to convince them rather counselling is the best part, A doctor has to counsel or rather have to ask her to follow a dietician and also she needs to be physically fit, so she reduces the weight after that if scenario changes without any medication. Then it’s ok if not then she can have many other issues like the irregularity of periods, or either she may have other issues. But the main issue lies with her obesity which is the initial stage of every disease, Khan said. Dr Seerat Nabi (PT): a well-known physiotherapist from the valley told News Kashmir that exercises have a vital role in making people physically fit. It includes advising and assisting people to keep themselves active and healthy. A physiotherapist has gained paramount importance in helping individuals to get healed and relieved from major and minor pains, injuries, deformities, neurological disorders, orthopaedic conditions and many more. Apart from the therapeutic exercises, regular low-impact aerobics like walking and swimming are also recommended. These exercises help in releasing endorphins, the natural painkillers of your body along with keeping your body active and fit. The exercises are recommended by the physiotherapists within a prescribed period. As it helps to give you relief from pain, with further workout, daily fitness and getting a healthy physique becomes possible that too in a natural way.

     AFGHANISTAN: LET THEM EAT

Dr Suhaib Ashraf Bhat

After the Soviets bailed out of Afghanistan in 1989, the U.S. decided that it had little stake in what happened in the country and the region. Virtually all government assistance ceased. America decided to let the Afghans sort out their differences and left Pakistan, erstwhile partner in the jihad against communism, to fend for itself in coping with the fallout of the decade-long Afghan conflict. What America got in Afghanistan was a bloody, anarchic, fratricidal civil war, the rise of the Taliban and the settling in of Al-Qaeda. Please note, Al Qaeda was in Afghanistan before Taliban. All those countries later complaining about them supported them at the time of the Soviet invasion.

Over the past few months, the UN has repeatedly warned that Afghanistan is on the brink of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. More than half the country is facing “acute” food shortages. According to the UN, almost 24 million people in Afghanistan about 60 per cent of the population suffer from acute hunger, and about 8.7 million Afghans are coping with famine. 

Last month, Afghan demonstrators marched through the streets of Kabul towards the US shuttered embassy, calling for the release of billions of dollars in assets frozen by Washington and its allies.
“Our main demand is that the United States should release our assets as soon as possible,” the protest organizer as quoted. “This is the wealth of the nation, not of any single person, group or government.”
The protesters chanted anti-US slogans and held banners reading “Let us eat” and “Give us our frozen money.”

As the harsh winter sets in, situation could be even worse, “The children don’t have warm clothes and it’s becoming very cold. Hunger and destitution seem to kill more Afghans than all the bombs and bullets of the past two decades.
In late December, the UN Security Council and the United States gave aid agencies a green light to scale up life-saving assistance without fear of breaking sanctions. But the point is humanitarian aid is the only a sticking plaster – liquidity must be injected into the economy to revive business, trade and livelihoods, and frozen money released to pay for crucial services.

An increase in poverty is inevitable in Afghanistan. The UN Development Programme reports that 97% of civilians could plunge below the poverty line by mid-2022. According to a local official of the World Food Program (WFP), 60% of those living in the northern provinces of Afghanistan are currently suffering from hunger and this figure will likely increase in the months ahead. Aid organizations such as Doctors Without Borders have warned of an “impending humanitarian crisis.”
There is currently a severe economic crisis in the country. Many civilians, including former employees of NGOs and the previous Afghan government, are either unemployed or have no hope of earning a living.The unskilled and manual labour workforce has now minimal or no income at all. Alarmingly, farmers have suffered losses due to drought, winter is fast approaching and medical supplies are running out in the country’s remote provinces. These incidents take place when the price of raw materials has risen sharply. Millions of children are likely to be malnourished as a result of the growing economic crisis.
Delegates of the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) met on December 19 in a special session in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad to set up a humanitarian trust for Afghanistan as the country faces a harsh winter where millions could starve. The conference was the largest international summit on Afghanistan since the Taliban deposed the US-backed Afghan government in August.

The OIC vowed “to unlock the financial and banking channels to resume liquidity and flow of financial and humanitarian assistance.” Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced the development fund and said it would be set up under the auspices of the Islamic Development Bank, although it’s unclear whether the effort will succeed.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan warned millions could starve and chaos could engulf the country if the situation is not addressed urgently. “Unless action is taken immediately, Afghanistan is heading for chaos,” Khan said. Khan urged the U.S. to “de-link” aid to the Afghan people from the Taliban government his nation helped install in Kabul. He suggested Western ideals of human rights may not match the reality on the ground and cautioned, “Every society’s idea of human rights is different.”
While concerns mount about the level of crisis facing Afghanistan, the international response has lagged. Western governments are reluctant to assist the Taliban out of fear of providing legitimacy.
In a statement, the meeting’s participants said permitting Afghanistan access to frozen currency reserves abroad would be essential to preventing economic collapse. Representatives from the U.N, U.S, E.U. and Japan all observed the conference. It was left unclear how much the humanitarian fund would hold. Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told delegates, “We cannot ignore the danger of complete economic meltdown.” More than 20 million Afghans face starvation since the Taliban overran the capital Kabul in mid-August. The near-total collapse of Afghanistan’s banking system has complicated the already intricate matter of delivering humanitarian aid.

It is obvious to everyone that the financial crisis is shaking the entire world, East and West. It is a serious event that is giving the politicians, decision makers, prominent thinkers and economist’s sleepless nights. It is a huge calamity that is very complex and has many implications, which explains the great turmoil being experienced by economists and politicians, and it also explains why so much is being written about it, analysing it from different points of view. They are in a state of great confusion, and some of them have started to blame one another for what has happened.
Poverty is one of the calamities either to a specific person or a family or a society. Poverty has negative effects on people’s beliefs and conduct. Immoral behaviour becomes widespread to a large extent because of poverty, as a means of meeting people’s needs, so theft, murder, prostitution and other harmful things become widespread. Undoubtedly these things have a negative effect on individuals and societies.

When armed conflict breaks out or natural disasters strike, entire communities are affected, disrupting their day-to-day lives and long-term development prospects. Humanitarian aid is designed to save lives and alleviate suffering during and in the immediate aftermath of emergencies, whereas development aid responds to ongoing structural issues, particularly systemic poverty, that may hinder economic, institutional and social development in any given society, and assists in building capacity to ensure resilient communities and sustainable livelihoods. Both humanitarian and development aid are related, and different forms of aid often have both humanitarian and development components.
There is no doubt that the world has an obligation to help. To help any country or any society irrespective of Religion, Creed or Colour, all you need to do is just be human. Just imagine the plight of those small kids right now who don’t have food, accommodation, warm clothes. The world has to support Afghan people and carry out their humanitarian obligations.
Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com

Is the Govt ready to fight COVID19? 

Owais Ah Shah

The writer is PG student University of Kashmir 
The deadly COVID 19 has struck again & this time with a new variant called Omicron.It has created a lot of panic among people & preparations to fight this deadly disease has started.The re-imposing of lockdown in some places has started & masks are again put on by people.What is very important to know is that how much is the Govt prepared to fight this disease if God forbid the case’s started mounting like last year & death’s occurred.As we saw last year that Govt hospitals were not fully equipped for this disease & the patient’s were left in terrible conditions & most of the times we saw deaths taking place.The last year must not have a repetition this time because we can’t have people dying in large numbers & in abysmal conditions.I am hopeful that the Govt has learned from it’s grave mistakes & preparations must have tripled compared to last year.All the Hospitals must be given much & more support for fighting the disease & all necessary things must be forwarded so that the battle against COVID-19 would be stronger.This year Govt shouldn’t come up with measures which have been repeated often providing no good result but a substantive measure needs to be brought into place to strongly fight this massive disease.It needs a lot of labour,equipments & awareness everyday.The health services by Doctors,nurses & other’s is always commendable but they must have the necessary tools to fight it & every Govt Hospitals must have a better & best facility for every COVID patient.The awareness about this disease must be done everyday.As we know that the cases have started rising & Govt has initiated it’s new initiatives of closing down schools & coaching centres,the premonition is that if the cases continue to rise,another lockdown is in the offing & we would have a last year COVID like situation.We can’t say that it wouldn’t happen but at least we can try to fight it at our places like being fully conscious of it & ensuring that we would leave no room for it to attack us because our preparations are full.We must know it in togetherness that it’s time to defeat COVID-19.

OMICRON AND IHU

Dr Suhaib Ashraf BhatOmicron (B.1.1.529) Variant: On November 24, 2021, South Africa reported the identification of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant, B.1.1.529, to the World Health Organization (WHO). B.1.1.529 was first detected in specimens collected on November 11, 2021 in Botswana and on November 14, 2021 in South Africa.IHU( B.1.640.2) variant: France detects new COVID-19 variant ‘IHU’, more infectious than Omicron. The new variant — B.1.640.2 — which has been detected in 12 patients near Marseille, contains 46 mutations, making it more resistant to vaccines and infectiousAs the world was struggling with delta variant one thing become crystal clear, More Covid-19 variants are likely to come. So what do we know about omicron and IHU?Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant: The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been called a variant of concern by WHO based on the evidence that it has several mutations that may have an impact on how it behaves. There is still substantial uncertainty regarding Omicron and a lot of research underway to evaluate its transmissibility, severity and reinfection risk. When a virus is circulating widely and causing numerous infections, the likelihood of the virus mutating increases. The more opportunities a virus has to spread, the more opportunities it has to undergo changes. New variants like Omicron are a reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. It is therefore essential that people continue to follow existing advice on preventing the spread of the virus, including physical distancing, wearing masks, regular hand washing and keeping indoor areas well ventilated. The Omicron variant has now been detected in many countries around the world. WHO reports that Omicron is probably in most countries, even if it hasn’t been detected yet.Is the Omicron variant more severe than other COVID-19 variants? Early findings suggest that Omicron might be less severe than the Delta variant, but more data is needed and WHO warns that it should not be dismissed as “mild”. Studies are ongoing and this information will be updated as it becomes available. It is important to remember that all variants of COVID-19 can cause severe disease or death, including the Delta variant that is still dominant worldwide, which is why preventing the spread of the virus and reducing your risk of exposure to the virus is so important. Omicron is spreading more quickly than other variants. Based on the information available, WHO believes it is likely that Omicron will outpace the Delta variant where there is COVID-19 transmission in the community. However, being vaccinated and taking precautions such as avoiding crowded spaces, keeping your distance from others and wearing a mask are critical in helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and we know these actions have been effective against other variants.  Researchers are looking into any potential impact the Omicron variant has on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. Information is still limited, but there may be a small reduction in the effectiveness of vaccines against severe illness and death, and a decline in preventing mild disease and infection. However, WHO reports that so far it

looks like the currently available vaccines offer significant protection against severe disease and death. It is also important to be vaccinated to protect against the other widely circulating variants, such as the Delta one. When it’s your turn, make sure to get vaccinated. If your vaccination involves two doses, it’s important to receive both in order to have the maximum protection.  WHO reports that early evidence suggests that previous infection could offer less protection against Omicron in comparison to other variants of concern, such as Delta. Information is still limited though. While people who recover from COVID-19 may develop some natural immunity to the virus, till now there is no data how long it lasts or how well you are protected. Vaccines offer more reliable protection.
Are children more likely to contract the Omicron variant? Research is ongoing into Omicron’s transmissibility and we will come to know soon. However, people who are mixing socially and those who are unvaccinated are more susceptible to contracting COVID-19. The most important thing you can do is reduce your risk of exposure to the virus. To protect yourself and your loved ones, make sure to:Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth. Make sure that your hands are clean when you put on and remove your mask. Keep a physical distance of at least 1 metre from others. Avoid poorly ventilated or crowded spaces.Open windows to improve ventilation indoors.Wash your hands regularly.  

Several scientific projections have claimed that the peak of India’s ongoing surge will take place between January last week and February first week. As Dr Sudhakar said in other countries it has been observed that the wave, driven by Omicron, rose very quickly, followed by a quick dip. In South Africa, where the variant was first detected is also believed to be over the wave. Niti Aayog member (health) Dr VK Paul acknowledged the global scenario and said that it is a fact that surge driven by Omicron in other countries has come down quickly but that cannot be conjectured about India as the characteristics of a surge depends on many factors including vaccine coverage. “Like in the UK, Denmark, it is receding now. In South Africa too, it stayed for a month. But we can’t say anything clearly as it depends on our population density, vaccination coverage. So we can’t extrapolate that this wave will come down soon, but we can say what we are seeing.
IHU: IHU( B.1.640.2) variant: As the world grapples with the highly mutated Omicron variant France detects new COVID-19 variant ‘IHU’, more infectious than Omicron. The new variant — B.1.640.2 — which has been detected in 12 patients near Marseille, contains 46 mutations, making it more resistant to vaccines and infectious. Even as the world battles the uptick in COVID-19 cases owing to the Omicron variant, scientists in France have found another variant. The discovery of the variant, dubbed B.1.640.2, was announced in a paper posted on medRxiv. Called IHU, as of now, the strain was discovered by academics based at the IHU Mediterranee Infection on 10 December.Here’s what we know so far of this new COVID-19 variant:
• Researchers say that it contains 46 mutations — even more than Omicron — which makes it more resistant to vaccines and infectious.• Some 12 cases have been spotted so far near Marseille, with the first linked to travel to the African country Cameroon.• Tests show the strain carries the N501Y mutation — first seen on the Alpha variant — that experts believe can make it more transmissible• According to the scientists, it also carries the E484K mutation, which could mean that the IHU variant will be more resistant to vaccines.• It is yet to be spotted in other countries or labelled a variant under investigation by the World Health Organization.
Omicron dominant variant:Currently, Omicron is the dominant coronavirus variant in France, joining other European countries like the United Kingdom and Portugal with surging case numbers over the past few days. France’s public health agency had recently said that “62.4 percent of tests showed a profile compatible with the Omicron variant”. The Omicron variant of coronavirus has stoked average daily confirmed cases to more than 160,000 per day over the past week, with peaks above 200,000. “The tidal wave has indeed arrived, it’s enormous. In an attempt to battle this surge, French MPs have proposed legislation that would require most people to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to enter public spaces such as bars, restaurants and long-distance public transport. It is expected to come into force on 15 January after passing through the upper house Senate. However, The World Health Organization said that there is little reason to worry it. Abdi Mahmud, a COVID-19 incident manager with the WHO, said that the organization has monitored the new variant since November, but it has not spread far enough to raise concern.Conclusion: It is obvious to everyone that the financial crisis is shaking the entire world, East and West. It is a serious event that is giving the politicians, decision makers, prominent thinkers and economist’s sleepless nights. It is a huge calamity that is very complex and has many implications, which explains the great turmoil being experienced by economists and politicians, and it also explains why so much is being written about it, analysing it from different points of view. They are in a state of great confusion, and some of them have started to blame one another for what has happened. 
This crisis requires some explanation in order to highlight some important aspects that have to do with it.The crisis is real: It has led to the collapse of major banks and financial institutions; international stock markets have declined, trillions of dollars have evaporated, billions have disappeared from the financial markets, many countries in the world have hit rock bottom, millions have lost their wealth, be it in the form of shares, savings or investments; the investments of the American people in the stock markets have lost $4 trillion. This crisis has become like a tsunami, striking the economies of almost every country. Economy and money are the main foundation of Western society, and when they were content with that and forsook the laws of Allah swt, “Allah swt struck at the foundation of their building, and then the roof fell down upon them, from above them, and the torment overtook them from directions they did not perceive” [al-Nahl 16:26]. What we are seeing today of large scale destruction is about to utterly destroy them. The economic structure that they boast about and think will protect them has become the cause of their turmoil and decline. The calamity has come to them from above and from below. They thought that their financial system was perfect but from that system has come that which they never expected. “and the torment overtook them from directions they did not perceive”. Oppression, transgression, sin, disobedience to Allah swt and denying the rights of others are all causes of calamities befalling people at both individual and group levels, and even at the global level on occasion, as we are seeing in this crisis which involves calamities one after another. One should note that the destiny of falsehood is to weaken and diminish.  No matter how high it rises, there will come a day when it will inevitably be brought low. This is one of the laws of Allah swt that never changes. “It is Allah swt’s promise that nothing rises in this world but He will bring it down.May Allah swt make things easy for us.  Aameen               suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com

Reinvigorating College Education!!! 

Owais Ah Shah is pursuing Master’s in Pol Science from KU.

The college education in Kashmir has been touted as a cafeteria approach for it’s much talked about “Credit Based Choice System”.Students are asked to choose among a variety of subjects their own subject’s of interest.This new scheme of college education has brought much good change in the recent past.Its amply clear that student’s have variety of things on the menu & the best thing that tickles their fancy falls on their side.It’s very important for us to understand that the capital initiative which has been placed before has to some good extent improved the college education of student’s & succeeded in making it a quality education.It’s very healthy exercise that the college education under CBCS has witnessed a massive shift & by this capital & calibrated approach,a new dawn has broken in the colleges.Student’s are now choosing their skill enhancement courses precisely & profoundly to suit their own interests & which they find is their fascination.Every student feels this approach to be an excellent exercise.The best possible thing to make it more colourful is to bring some more changes in it & make students clear that the courses which they are opting in their bachelor’s will help them for a best & bright future ahead.The course’s should make a difference in the students education & their ideas to make & shape their future should get a new direction. The principal question is that do these skill enhancement course’s really help student’s or is it like the old scheme of things brought in place & removed later.Its very important to understand that the course’s are bringing much positivity among student’s & more consciousness seems to have developed.The variety of subject’s on platter helps students to pick & choose.Its an additional support to the core subject’s & a great cerebral exercise.I am very optimistic that such course’s would help student’s if they choose these subject’s by thinking over them & submerging themselves in it.The student’s must reflect on these course’s & see them as an essential part of their education & make best use of them which would make them to do wonders in their lives.In a nutshell,college education would become an idea that would captivate imaginations if capital approaches like these are given more practicality & are embraced well. 

          BALANCED APPROACH 
Dr Suhaib Ashraf Bhat.
The things that cross our minds and make us feel distressed are things in the past that have caused grief, things in the future that we are worried about, and things in the present which concern us. People react differently to stress and worries, depending on how many things are concerning them, whether the worry is continuous or not, and on whether they have faith in their hearts or are rebellious and sinful. We may describe people’s hearts as being of two types: either the heart is the throne of Allah swt, filled with light, life, happiness, joy and all the treasures of goodness; or it is the throne of the Shaytaan, wherein is distress, darkness, death, grief, worry and anxiety. People’s worries and concerns also differ, according to the differences in their motivations, circumstances and individual responsibilities.
How often we find problems in our daily lives that stem from the extremes of either concern or negligence. The one who seeks happiness and success in this world has to have a balanced approach without letting the one outweigh the other. In this manner he can strengthen his heart with faith and find peace of mind in doing that which he is required to do. What we often complain of does not stem from ignorance of the root of the matter, rather it stems from the fact that we are focusing more on fear and the causes of fear and we are forgetting about being optimistic and not paying any attention to it. 
You know that death is an inevitable reality that will come to every living thing, and no one will be spared that, no matter how noble his status before Allah swt. Allah swt said to His Prophet, the noblest of all creation (interpretation of the meaning): 
“Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die, and verily, they (too) will die”
[al-Zumar 39:30]
The believer knows that this world is fleeting, its luxuries few, and that whatever pleasures exist in it are always imperfect. If it causes a little laughter, it gives many reasons to weep; if it gives a little, it withholds far more. The believer is merely being detained here, as the Messenger of Allah swt Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him), said: “This world is the prison of the believer and the Paradise of the Kaafir [disbeliever].” This world is also fatigue, pain, misery and suffering, so the believer feels relief when he departs from it. Abu Qataadah ibn Rib’i al-Ansaari, (may Allah swt be pleased with him) used to say that a funeral passed the Messenger of Allah swt Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him), and he said: “He is now relieved, and people feel relieved of him.” The people asked: “O Messenger of Allah swt Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him), how can he be relieved and people feel relieved of him?” He said: “The believing slave [who dies] is relieved of the fatigue and pain of this world and has gone to the mercy of Allah swt; when the rebellious slave dies, people, land, trees and animals are relieved of him.” For the believer, death brings a respite from the distress, worries and pain of this life, as is stated in the Hadeeth: “When the believer is about to die, the angels of mercy bring white silk and say: ‘Come out content, with the pleasure of Allah swt upon you, to the mercy of Allah swt and sweet fragrance and a Lord who is not angry.’ So [the soul] comes out like the best fragrance of musk and the angels hand it to one another until they bring it to the gate of heaven. They say: ‘How good is this fragrance that has come from the earth!’ They bring it to the souls of the believers, and they rejoice over it much more than you do when one who has been absent returns. They ask him: ‘What did so-and-so do? What did so-and-so do?’ then (the angels) say: ‘Leave him alone, for he was suffering the distress of the world.’ When he asks: ‘Did not so-and-so come to you?’ They say: ‘He was taken to his home in the Pit [i.e. Hell].’ When the Kaafir is about to die, angels of punishment bring sackcloth and say: ‘Come out discontent, with the wrath of Allah swt upon you, to the punishment of Allah swt.’ So [the soul] comes out like the worst stench of rotten meat, and they take it to the gate of the earth. They say: ‘How foul is this stench,’ until they bring it to the souls of the disbelievers.” This understanding of the reality of this world makes it easier for the believer to bear afflictions, pains, distress and anxiety; because he knows that they are an inevitable part of the nature of this life.
In the event of a calamity or epidemic, the remedy is to repent to Allah swt, may He be exalted, and humble oneself before Him and beseech Him, and to right any wrongs that have been done, and also to seek forgiveness a great deal, glorify Allah swt a great deal, send blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him), ask Allah swt for well-being, and take measures to protect oneself and treat sickness, such as quarantine, and vaccinations and medical treatment if they are available.
With regard to taking measures such as quarantine and seeking medical treatment, this is indicated by the teachings and practice of our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him), as he instructed us to seek medical treatment, and highlighted the importance of taking precautions against infection; he instructed us not to put sick camels with healthy camels, and not to travel to a land where a plague is occurring.The Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him) said: “Seek medical treatment, for Allah swt, may He be glorified and exalted, has not created any disease but He has also created a remedy for it, except for one disease: old age.” narrated by Ahmad (17726) and the authors of as-Sunan, Abu Dawood (3855), at-Tirmidhi (2038), and Ibn Maajah (3436). Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.And the Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him) said: “Whoever eats seven ‘ajwah dates in the morning, will not be harmed by any poison or witchcraft that day.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5769) and Muslim (2057).Al-Bukhaari (5771) and Muslim (2221) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah swt be pleased with him) said: The Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him) said: “No sick camel should be put with a healthy one.”And the Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him) said: “If you hear of the plague in some land, do not enter it, and if it occurs in a land where you are, do not leave it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5728) and Muslim (2218).
Allah swt, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“And We have already sent [messengers] to nations before you, [O Muhammad]; then We seized them with poverty and hardship that perhaps they might humble themselves [to Us]. Then why, when Our punishment came to them, did they not humble themselves? But their hearts became hardened, and Satan made attractive to them that which they were doing” [al-An‘aam 6:42-43].
Ibn Katheer (may Allah swt have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer (3/256):“And We have already sent [messengers] to nations before you, [O Muhammad]; then We seized them with poverty” that is, impoverishment and destitution “and hardship” – this refers to disease, sickness and pain“that perhaps they might humble themselves [to Us]” that is, that they might call upon Allah swt, humble themselves before Him, and fear Him.
Allah swt, may He be exalted, says: “Then why, when Our punishment came to them, did they not humble themselves?” That is, why, when We tested them with that, did they not beseech Us and show humility before Us?“But their hearts became hardened” and never softened and became humble“and Satan made attractive to them that which they were doing” namely shirk (associating others with Allah) and committing sins. End quote.Allah swt, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“Do they not see that they are tried every year once or twice but then they do not repent nor do they remember?” [at-Tawbah 9:126].
Calamities only come down because of sin, and cannot be removed except by repentance, as al-‘Abbaas (may Allah swt be pleased with him) said in his du‘aa’ when he prayed for rain (istisqaa’).Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah swt have mercy on him) said in al-Fath (2/497): az-Zubayr ibn Bakkaar described in al-Ansaab the du‘aa’ (supplication) that al-‘Abbaas offered during this event and the time during which it occurred. He narrated, with his isnaad (chain of narrators) that when ‘Umar (may Allah swt be pleased with him) prayed for rain by virtue of the supplication of al-‘Abbaas, he said: O Allah, no calamity comes down except because of sin and it cannot be removed except by means of repentance. End quote.
With regard to seeking forgiveness: it is a means of attaining good health, strength and well-being.
Allah swt, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“And [saying], Seek forgiveness of your Lord and repent to Him, [and] He will let you enjoy a good provision for a specified term and give every doer of favor his favor” [Hood 11:3]
“And O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in showers and increase you in strength [added] to your strength. And do not turn away, [being] criminals” [Hood 11:52].
Ya Allah! Shower your mercy upon me out of your mercy, O the most merciful off all those who show mercy.  Aameen

Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com