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Umbrella Sharing with the World – Poetry from Korea

When two people support each other, it becomes an umbrella where love can blossom

Nahyun Kim Korea Sindh CourierKim Nahyun, a poetess from Korea, the Land of Morning Calm, shares her two poems

Ms. Nahyun Kim is a poet and essayist who made her debut in poetry and essay writing in the literary magazine ‘Munyesajo’ in 2018. Presently, she serves as the vice president of the editorial board of the literary magazine ‘Munyesajo’ and is also a member of the Ieodo Literature Association. She holds a Master’s degree in Oriental Philosophy from the International Brain Education Graduate University.
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Umbrella Sharing with the World

Young men and women under a small pink umbrella,

When two people support each other, it becomes an umbrella where love can blossom.

 

The love and mercy we give to our neighbors

Form an umbrella of sharing that merge with the world.

 

The sound of laughter blooming under one roof,

A beautiful love umbrella of a happy family.

***

세계와 함께 쓰는 우산

김나현

작은 분홍색 우산 아래 젊은 남녀,

사람이 서로를 지지할 사랑이 꽃피는 우산이 된다.

 

우리 이웃들에게 사랑과 자비,

세상과 융합되는 나눔의 우산을 형성한다.

 

지붕 아래 피어나는 웃음 소리,

행복한 가족의 아름다운 사랑 우산.

***

2886740466_MLGKAHa3_320d5b0f3f86fa343379fa3a5f9a51e23da66257Harmonious Song

When I stand in a fresh forest, the scent of flowers spreads.

Dandelion seeds spread widely in the wind,

Nature interacts with each other

The earth grows fruit like a mother.

 

Heaven, earth, and humans are in beautiful harmony

Everything circulates and exists in harmony

In the evergreen forest

Everyone sings a song in harmony together

 

What a beautiful world,

A place where humans and nature are in harmony.

***

화합의 노래

김나현

신선한 속에 서면 꽃향기가 퍼지고

바람에 민들레 꽃씨는 널리 퍼지네

자연은 서로 작용하고

대지는 엄마처럼 과일을 키우네

 

하늘과 땅, 그리고 인간은 아름다운 조화

모두 순환하며 조화롭게 존재하네

사철 푸른 숲속에서

모두 함께 조화로운 노래를 부르네

 

얼마나 아름다운 세상인가!

인간과 자연이 조화로운 곳.

____________________ 

Read: Twenty-year-old language – Poetry from Korea

Why the Scientific Revolution Did Not Take Place in the Muslim World? Part-I

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  • Indeed, the Muslims held their own in art, architecture, astronomy and artisanship on the world stage well into the eighteenth century.
  • It was only at the turn of the eighteenth century that Europe acquired a decisive technological edge and supplanted the ancient civilizations of Asia and Africa.

Prof. Dr. Nazeer Ahmed

Summary: The natural sciences did not die out in the Islamic world with the Mongol devastation of the thirteenth century. Indeed, the Muslims held their own in art, architecture, astronomy and artisanship on the world stage well into the eighteenth century. It was only at the turn of the eighteenth century that Europe acquired a decisive technological edge and supplanted the ancient civilizations of Asia and Africa.

sci2 Physics World
Courtesy: Physics World

This article examines the complex interplay of intellectual, religious, social, political, economic factors and the decisive military events that precluded the onset of a scientific revolution in the Islamic world.  Summarily, we find seven discernible milestones in the 1400 year long history of Muslims that influenced the development of science and technology:

The Mu’tazalite eruption and its aftermath (765-846)

Al-Gazzali’s repudiation of the philosophers (1100)

The Crusades (1096-1240)

The Mongol Devastations (1219-1258)

Neglect of the printing press and naval technology (1450-1728)

The Destructive Shia-Sunni, Sufi-Salafi Controversies (700-ongoing)

Colonialism and the onset of the Age of Discontinuity (1757-1947)

The discourse tends to get obscure when questions of philosophy and science are discussed. Therefore, a number of resources from the open literature have been used to construct a narrative that is as accessible to a layman as it is to a scholar.

The Rockets of Mysore

It comes as a surprise to some readers that the American National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, was inspired by the rockets invented by a Muslim king, Tippu Sultan of Mysore, India.  It was the year 1814. The Anglo-American war was in full swing. The British forces, after burning down Washington and conducting a raid on Alexandria, proceeded up the Chesapeake Bay to capture Fort McHenry in Baltimore. Caught in the cross fire were two American lawyers, Francis Scott Key and John Stuart Skinner who had gone over to negotiate a truce and prisoner exchange with the British. Key and Skinner were allowed to board the British flagship HMS Tonant and present their proposals to Major General Robert Ross and Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane while the two were discussing their plans for an attack on Baltimore.

Al-Tusi Muslim Matters
Courtesy: Muslim Matters

Since they had overheard the detailed war plans, Key and Skinner were held back by the British and were witness to the bombardment of Baltimore on September 13, 1814. Orange and red flashes of rocket fire illuminated the skies over Fort McHenry. The stillness over Chesapeake Bay was shattered by the deafening sounds of explosives. The bombardment went on all night and it was not clear as to which side would prevail in this clash of arms. At day break, as the first rays of the sun hit the fort and the fog lifted over the Bay, the American flag was still aloft Fort McHenry, fluttering in the morning breeze.  This was the moving sight that inspired Francis Scott Key to compose the Star Spangled Banner.

It comes as a surprise to some readers that the American National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, was inspired by the rockets invented by a Muslim king, Tippu Sultan of Mysore, India

The rockets used in the war of 1812 were a takeoff on the rockets captured by the British from Tippu Sultan of Mysore after the fourth Anglo-Mysore war of 1799. The Mysore rockets used a casing of iron unlike the plaster casings that were in common use in European rockets.  The metal casing enabled the sustenance of higher pressures in the bore and increased the propulsive power of the rocket. The solid propellant was compacted gunpowder. The Mysore rockets had a range of 2 kilometers which was more than twice the range of the most advanced rockets used by European armies. Attached to the end of the iron barrel was a long bamboo pole with an affixed doubled edged sword as the payload. When launched in clusters, the sword- equipped rockets played havoc with concentrations of enemy troops.

Read: Sufism and the Hindus of Sindh: An introduction to a complex topic

The late Dr. Abdul Kalam, the architect of India’s modern rocket programs, called Tippu Sultan the father of modern rocketry. Tippu was a technology buff and paid special attention to innovation in armament design. There were thousands of rockets in his armory. Platoons of rocket men were attached to each of his regiments. With the military edge provided by the rockets, the Sultan won a decisive victory over British forces in the Battle of Pollilur in 1780. It was the only major battle that the British lost on Indian soil during their long drawn out conquest of the Indian subcontinent, starting with the Battle of Plassey in Bengal (1757) and ending with the second Anglo-Sikh war in the Punjab (1848-49).

When Tippu Sultan fell during the fourth Anglo-Mysore war of 1799, the British sent some of the captured Mysore rockets to the Royal Laboratory at Woolwich Arsenal in England.  A development team led by Colonel Congreve made a systematic study of the rockets using Newton’s laws of motion. Congreve made design improvements to the rockets to make them more stable in flight. The modified Mysore rockets, renamed the Congreve rockets, were used by the British against Napoleon at the Battle of Boulogne in France in 1806. And it was the Congreve rockets that were used by the British to bombard Fort McHenry in Baltimore during the Anglo-American war of 1812.

Lesson-Plans_Science-Art-Islamic-World_Teaser The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Courtesy: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Thus it was that the technology invented by an Indian Muslim sultan inspired the national anthem of a great nation, the United States of America, on the other side of the globe. The advances made by the rocket engineers of Tippu Sultan show that as late as the eighteenth century, technological developments in the Muslim world were not far behind those in Europe. Indeed, in some categories they were noticeably ahead.  It was only in the nineteenth century that Europe acquired a decisive technological edge over Asia.  We offer a few more examples to reinforce this observation.

Read: Society direly needs common platform of religious and secular leaders

The Mogul emperor Akbar (d 1605) introduced the matchlock rifle into the Indian armies. The 66 inch long barrel of this rifle was made from fine grained superplastic steel which was tough, fracture resistant and facilitated a finer, more uniform finish in the bore. The stronger material could sustain higher barrel pressures, which together with the long barrel, enabled the extraction of more energy from the products of combustion and imparted a higher velocity to the exiting payload. The matchlock rifle was more than a match for those made in Europe and could take down an enemy soldier at distances of more than 300 yards.

Babur’s armies used a composite bow in their invasion of Delhi (1526). Made from composite layers of wood and animal fiber, the flexed, pre-stressed bows were comparable to the long English bow in their power and range but were considerably lighter, smaller and faster. The Mogul bow and arrow made the difference in the onward march of their armies through the plains of India. One must note that specialized composite materials are used in modern engineering in the construction of advanced aircraft and space hardware. For instance, I personally directed the use of a large number of advanced composites in the Hubble Space Telescope (1979-82).

Also read: Why the Islamic world fell behind in science

Ulugh Beg (1394-1449), a Timurid prince of Central Asia, built a great astronomical observatory, called Gurkhani Zinj, at Samarkand in today’s Uzbekistan. It was one of the largest and most precise observatories in the world at that time. Ulugh Beg was himself a mathematician of repute and he backed up the work at the observatory with the establishment of universities at Samarkand and Bukhara, turning them into world renowned centers of learning in the mathematical and astronomical sciences. Using observations from the observatory, he published a star catalogue called Zij e Sultani which was a giant leap forward upon the earlier works of Ptolemy.  He measured the length of the year at 365.257 days and the tilt of the axis of rotation of the earth at 23.52 degrees. These measurements were far more precise than those made a hundred years later in Europe by Copernicus (d 1543). Ulugh Beg’s accurate tables of sines and tangents were correct to eight decimal places. The work of Ulugh Beg found a resonance in the Taqi Uddin observatory of Istanbul (1574) and the string of observatories built by Raja Jai Singh of Amber (1688-1743) during the reign of Mogul emperor Mohammed Shah (d 1748). One of these observatories, called Jantar Mantar, stands in the heart of the modern metropolis of Delhi.

science_in_western_islam_07 Muslim Heritage
Courtesy: Muslim Heritage

These examples confirm that mathematical pursuits and technological achievements did not cease with the Mongol invasions. The Ottoman, Safavid and Mogul empires that emerged after the Mongol-Tartar invasions produced a galaxy of great architects and civil engineers. The names of the Turkish master architect Mimar Sinan (d 1588) and Ustad Ahmed Lahori (1649), the architect of the Taj Mahal, stand out. The armies of these three empires excelled in metallurgy, military hardware and artillery. (Continues) 

__________________

(The author is Director, World Organization for Resource Development and Education, Washington, DC; Director, American Institute of Islamic History and Culture, CA; Member, State Knowledge Commission, Bangalore; and Chairman, Delixus Group)

Courtesy: History of Islam

K-Medical, another wind blowing in the global market

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Attracting foreign patients and advancing medical services overseas is a newly emerging national promising business

By (Cherry) LEE YEON-SIL, Korean journalist        

Medical Korea 2024 was held at COEX in Seoul from the 14th to the 15th March 2024. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and organized by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (hereinafter referred to as the Agency). This year is the 14th. The theme is ‘Healthcare for all; It is a ‘new search for a world without barriers’.

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K-Doc Vice President Kang Byeong-il receiving the Minister of Health and Welfare Award

At the opening ceremony on the 14th, government awards were given to 22 individuals and organizations who contributed to the development of medical overseas expansion and foreign patient attraction.

Kang Byeong-il (age 52), Vice President of K-DOC, which was established three years ago with the grand goal of achieving upward standardization of global medical services through Korean medical care, received the Minister of Health and Welfare Award.

As a leading expert in the global healthcare field, Kang Byeong-il has advanced Korea’s excellent medical technology and brand into various countries over the past 13 years and has achieved excellent results in attracting numerous foreign patients. This was officially recognized at this event.

The field of attracting foreign patients and advancing medical services overseas is a newly emerging national promising business that can become the second semiconductor industry.

The excellent medical technology and clinical know-how of Korean medical staff are already recognized worldwide. In the past, there was a time when Korea was a medical wasteland, but now it has high-quality medical staff and cutting-edge systems that will surprise the world.

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Korean medical care is also receiving global recognition.

In the future, the fields of telemedicine and robotic surgery will further develop and expand both domestically and internationally. We hope that Korean medical professionals and related industries such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, and medical IT will advance together and contribute greatly to creating new jobs and increasing national interests.

Read: Story of a Pakistani who became Korean

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Revival of Karachi Circular Railway China’s Priority Project

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  • The Karachi Circular Railway project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor would be approved shortly – Chinese Envoy
  • Sindh Chief Minister seeks Turkish help to establish Sufi University in the province

Staff Report

Karachi, Sindh

The Consul General of China Mr. Yang Yundong said on Monday that revival of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) was a priority project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and it would be approved shortly.

The Chinese envoy said this during a meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah at Chief Minister’s House in Karachi.

The Chief Minister and Consul General of China Mr. Yang Yundong discussed CPEC projects, the Karachi Circular Railway, and agriculture.

The Chief Minister said that with revival of the KCR, the transport issue would be resolved in this megalopolis city.

Shah said that during the last tenure of President Asif Ali Zardari various projects of agriculture were discussed and MoUs were signed. “Now, the time has come to implement agriculture projects under which scientific methods of agriculture would be adopted to improve the yields of the crops.”

Japan CG - Sindh CM - Sindh Courier
Consul General of Japan meets Sindh Chief Minister

Meanwhile, the chief minister and Consul General of Japan Mr. Hattori Masaru discussed investment in different sectors, including electronics and automobiles. In their meeting, it was decided that a meeting between the Sindh Investment Department and the Consulate’s top officers would be organized shortly to select the sectors for investment.

Turkish CG-Sindh CM-Sindh Courier
Turkish Consul General meets Sindh Chief Minister

The Consul General of Turkey Mr. Cemal Sangu also met the Chief Minister. The Turkish envy said that they wanted to expand their education system in the rural areas. Currently, the Turkish schools are operating in Karachi, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas regions of Sindh.

The Chief Minister said that he would hold a meeting of the education minister with the Consul General to discuss establishing Turkish schools in rural areas.

Shah said that President Asif Zardari was interested in establishing Sufi University at Bhit Shah. “Turkey has a strong Sufi culture, and Turkish scholars could help to establish Sufi universities.” At this, the Consul General assured that he would arrange a delegation of Sufi scholars to visit Sindh and discuss modalities of the Sufi university to mature the university project.

Russia CG - Sindh CM - Sindh Courier
Russian Consul General meets Sindh Chief Minister

The Russian Consul General, Mr. Andrey Fedorov also called on the Chief Minister and discussed matters of mutual interest.

The envoys congratulated Murad Shah on his election as Sindh Chief Minister for the third time and wished him all success. Apart from discussing matters of mutual interest, they discussed investment and exchange of trade delegation to promote trade and commerce.

Read: Sindh takes up again KCR project to resolve land issues

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UAE joins International Atomic Energy Agency Response and Assistance Network

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Response and Assistance Network was established by the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2000

Abu Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates has joined the Response and Assistance Network (RANET), a network established by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to provide international assistance to countries during a nuclear or radiological emergency.

RANET was established in 2000, and since then 43 countries have registered their capabilities in the network, on areas including medical support, radiation survey, and other technical aspects. Through the UAE’s registration in the RANET, the country’s capabilities are now available for any IAEA Member State to request assistance in the case of a nuclear or radiological emergency, which may be provided following UAE approvals process.

RANET capabilities registered by the UAE include radiation survey, sampling and analysis, radiological assessment and advice, medical support, and nuclear installation assessment and advice. In addition to FANR, four UAE entities have had their capabilities registered under RANET: Nawah Energy Company; Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council; Al Dhannah Hospital; and Medinat Zayed Hospital.

“The addition of the UAE into the RANET showcases the exemplary standard that the country has reached in the field of emergency preparedness and response, and points to the confidence of the IAEA and its Member States in the UAE’s capabilities in this field, following years of close cooperation with the IAEA through the hosting of workshops and the country’s participation in a variety of exercises organized by the Agency,” said Christer Viktorsson, FANR’s Director-General.

The UAE’s cooperation with the IAEA in emergency preparedness and response encompasses joint exercises, including the UAE’s hosting of the IAEA’s ConvEx-3 exercise in 2021, an international nuclear and radiological emergency exercise involving more than 75 countries and 12 international organizations.

Read: UAE signals advance towards commercial operations of its Nuclear Energy Plant

Furthermore, the UAE is a member of the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency, which it joined in 1987, and it is part of the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and Request of Assistance. FANR is designated as UAE’s National Warning Point and Competent Authority under the said conventions; and FANR, alongside its national partners, plays also a key role in responding to nuclear or radiological incidents as per exiting approved national and local levels plans.

Since its inception in 2009, FANR developed, issued and revised regulations and regulatory guides for nuclear and radiological emergency preparedness and response matters, in line with its mandate to protect the public and the environment. To that end, FANR operates its Emergency Operations Centre through which it takes part in exercises and drills that aim to develop the UAE’s capacity to respond to nuclear or radiological emergencies.

Published under the International Cooperation Protocol with Middle East Business Abu Dhabi

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3-Month ‘Chapters of Islamic Art: Carpets’ Exhibition begins in Sharjah

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Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), has inaugurated the ‘Chapters of Islamic Art: Carpets’ exhibition

Abu Dhabi

Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), has inaugurated the ‘Chapters of Islamic Art: Carpets’ exhibition, at House of Wisdom (HoW) in Sharjah.

The 3-month exhibition, inspired by a section of Chapters of Islamic Art: The Private Collection of Dr. Richard Ettinghausen’, which was generously donated to HoW by H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, highlights the cultural and historic significance of artisan carpets and textiles across the Muslim world.

Fatma Al Mahmoud, HoW’s Cultural Planning Manager, toured Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, along with Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, CEO of Shurooq; Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh, CEO of Invest in Sharjah; and Reem bin Karam, Director General of the Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council, through the 4-zone exhibition, which featured physical copies and digitized versions of books and manuscripts on Islamic carpets, a display of masterfully crafted rugs, and fascinating artwork inspired by the classic “Alshanof” motif with modern twist.

House of Wisdom’s expansive lobby has been ingeniously transformed into an exhibition space, where visitors are first greeted by the Ettinghausen Book Collection on Carpets. This curated exhibition showcases a stunning array of illuminated manuscripts and large-sized books on Islamic art in textiles, meticulously selected from Dr. Richard Ettinghausen’s private library. Ranging from the uniquely weaved carpets of Mesopotamia (Iraq – Abbasid Period) to the intricate designs of Persian rugs, the SEHNA technique of Punjab, and the indelible Oriental carpets, each artwork tells a story of its people, landscape, and history, reflecting the diverse cultural heritage of the Muslim world.

Marwa Al Aqroubi, Executive Director of House of Wisdom, said, “Our primary objectives for this event are to honor the intricate beauty of Islamic art, facilitate cultural dialogue, and provide a platform for both local and international artists to showcase their impressive and creative artwork. We are proud to house Dr. Richard Ettinghausen’s priceless collection at HoW, and we look forward to highlighting a different section of the works during the holy month of Ramadan and beyond, providing a compelling experience for visitors.”

Read: Art Dubai announces programs for 17th edition

Collaborative space curated with Jaipur Rugs, FBMI & Emirati weaver Sarah Al Khayyal

The second zone of the exhibition is the fruit of a collaboration between HoW and Jaipur Rugs, an Indian company renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship and dedication to social responsibility. Their retail display features Jaipur Rugs’ diverse collections, including a curated selection of vintage and antique carpets.

Zone 3 showcases contemporary UAE-based artists. Central to this zone is the inclusion of the Fatima Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Initiative (FBMI), a pioneering project founded with the noble aim of empowering underprivileged communities with a strong focus on women. While Zone 4 of the exhibition is dedicated to encouraging artist-community engagement, it celebrates HoW’s efforts to support local and emerging talents.

Here, HoW has collaborated with the young contemporary artist and designer, Sarah Al Khayyal, to display her art installation called ‘Where the Grid Lies’. Through this artwork, Sarah emphasizes the importance of the grid structure, honoring the enduring tradition of ‘Sadu’ craftsmen.

Through the future iterations of this exhibition, HoW intends to annually shed light on additional chapters of Islamic art embedded in the Ettinghausen collection, including Islamic architecture, travel literature, and ceramics.

Published under the International Cooperation Protocol with Middle East Business | Life Magazine Abu Dhabi

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Abu Dhabi to develop two beaches at Yas Bay Waterfront

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Yas Bay Waterfront is Abu Dhabi’s vibrant day-to-night destination on Yas Island

Abu Dhabi

Miral, the leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi, announced today the development of two beaches at Yas Bay Waterfront, Abu Dhabi’s vibrant day-to-night destination on Yas Island. Complementing the existing lifestyle and leisure offerings at the destination, the beaches will span a length of 280 meters each and a combined total of 560 meters.

Located on the west side of the pier, the West Beach has been designed as a family destination and will feature beachside play areas for children, world-class dining outlets, food trucks, pedestrian walkways, as well as rest and recreation facilities. East Beach, located on the east side of the pier and just across the award-winning Etihad Arena, will feature outdoor fitness spaces and sports zones for beach football and volleyball. Open seating areas, coupled with a sunset lounge, will allow visitors to experience a variety of sports, entertainment, and music events.

Jonathan Brown, Chief Portfolio Officer, Miral, said, “We are pleased to enhance our leisure and lifestyle offerings at Yas Bay Waterfront with the announcement of two beach developments. These upcoming experiences are an extension of our vision to enrich the diverse and unique experiences available to visitors on Yas Island, positioning it as a top global destination for leisure and entertainment while further contributing to Abu Dhabi’s wider tourism growth.”

Read: Sharjah Cinema Days enrich artistic scene, attract over 5,000 visitors

The beaches will serve as an exciting addition to iconic leisure and lifestyle experiences at Yas Bay Waterfront, home to over 20 al fresco restaurants and cafés, world-class nightlife concepts, a floating beach club, an award-winning concert arena, luxury hotels, and an expansive promenade. Both developments will be located minutes-away from Yas Island’s award-winning attractions and experiences, including SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi; CLYMB™ Abu Dhabi; Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi; and Yas Marina.

Published under the International Cooperation Protocol with Middle East Business | Life Magazine Abu Dhabi

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Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan agree on further demarcation of borders

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The officials agreed on demarcation of additional 10.76 km of the Tajik-Kyrgyz state border. The two countries have a total border length of 972 kilometers

Dushanbe

The latest meetings of topographic groups on legal issues of governmental delegations for the demarcation and delimitation of the state border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan took place in the city of Buston, Sughd Region of Tajikistan, Asia Plus reports.

The result of the groups’ work was the agreement on an additional 10.76 km of the Tajik-Kyrgyz state border, announced by the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan (GKNB). The heads of the security services of both countries – Kamchybek Tashiev, the head of the GKNB of Kyrgyzstan, and Saimumin Yatimov, the head of the special services of Tajikistan – were involved in the process of signing the coordination protocol.

During the negotiations between the delegation leaders, discussions focused on the most complex sections of the border, which often lead to armed confrontations.

They instructed the working groups to continue work on determining the border line in the remaining areas.

Following the meeting in Buston, a corresponding protocol was signed.

“The parties will continue work on describing the remaining sections at the next meeting, which will take place on the territory of Kyrgyzstan,” the message says.

Over the past few months, the authorities of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have been actively negotiating to coordinate the state border.

In February, Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon informed the Kyrgyz Foreign Minister, Jeenbek Kulubaev, during a meeting that over the past four months, the two countries had agreed on the draft and working description of the order for 196 km of the state border line.

The total length of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border is 972 kilometers. It was previously reported that all work on delineating the border between the two countries would be completed by March of this year.

The sides’ meetings are held alternately on each other’s territory.

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Courtesy: Central Asian Light (Posted on March 18, 2024)

Twenty-year-old language – Poetry from Korea

It made me smile for a moment. It’s a twenty-year-old language.

Jang Jeong Sun, an eminent poetess from Korea, the Land of Morning Calm, shares her two poems

Jang Jeong Sun Korea- Sindh CourierPoetess Ms. Jang Jeong Sun graduated from Daegu University of Education and received a master’s degree in Korean Language Education from Yeungnam University Graduate School of Education. She worked as an elementary school teacher. She made her poetry debut in 2016 with the monthly magazine ‘Simunhag’. She is a member of the Korean Simunhag Association, Korean Modern Poets Association, Korea Literary Association, Korean Literary Critics Association, Korea Healing Literature Association, and Ieodo Literary Association. She received the ‘Korea Literary Critics Association Award’, ‘Baekun Literary Award’, ‘Korea Healing Literature Award’, and ‘Korea Healing Writers’ Association Award’. Her poetry collections include: Finally Sunny (2020), and ‘Overcoming the Last Night (2023).

images (2)Twenty-year-old language

It made me smile for a moment.

It’s a twenty-year-old language.

 

Its skin is as soft as sun-dried cotton.

It’s the strong scent of coffee that makes it difficult to sleep.

It is a line of poetry that serves as a guide.

It’s the lively melody of a freshly baked CD.

Strong like a walnut shell,

Not shaken by the cry of a black cat.

The white nape of the neck shines even in the twilight.

They are the wings of the wind that advance uphill, etc.

 

Writing a letter even in a blizzard.

Turning on the street lights every day.

For a twenty-year-old language,

I need to hang up my white dress.

***

50-facts-about-daegu-taegu-1688181460스무 언어

장정순

잠깐 나에게 눈웃음 지어

스무 언어는

 

햇볕에 말린 솜처럼 보송보송한 피부다

드는 진한 커피 향이다

길잡이가 되어주는 구절이다

구운 CD통통 튀는 선율이다

호두알 껍질같이 강하다

까만 고양이의 울음에도 흔들리지 않는다

어스름 속에서도 빛나는 하얀 목덜미다

오르막으로 전진하는 바람의 날개 등이다

 

눈보라 땅에서도 편지를 쓰며

날마다 가로등을 켜는

스무 언어를 위하여

하얀 드레스를 걸어두어야겠다

***

0635a569-f346-4e09-9a8a-bf02af60e51dIt’s finally sunny

The thoughts that were hanging around that day,

The tears that accumulated because I couldn’t sort them out

I guess they left

 

Letting go of this heavily suppressed time,

The whole yard is full of guests.

 

I can’t delay.

I need to choose light and sturdy shoes and prepare to meet them.

 

The lilac color is bright on the white dress.

The bright yellow butterfly that was flying in and out of the canvas is also spreading its wings.

 

Today remains as a handful of memories,

Even if it’s like the wind

 

To avoid being paralyzed like a scarecrow

Love parrots and light red reeds must also be welcomed.

 

I finally

Learning loving eye contact

Jump up from the bench

***

Featured-photo-places-to-visit-in-daegu-south-korea-526x320드디어 맑음

장정순

그날 늘어뜨렸던 상념과

정리하지 못해 고였던 눈물이

떠났나 보다

 

이런 무겁게 억눌린 시간을 털어버리니

뜰은 손님으로 가득하다

 

지체할 없다

가볍고 탄탄한 신을 골라 마중 채비를 차리자

 

하얀 원피스에 라일락 빛이 화사하다

화폭을 드나들던 샛노란 나비도 날개를 펴고 있다

움큼의 기억으로 남는 오늘이

설령 바람 같을지라도

 

허수아비처럼 마비되지 않으려면

사랑 앵무새와 연붉은 갈대도 맞이해야 한다

 

나는 드디어

사랑스러운 맞춤을 배우며

벤치에서 벌떡 일어난

___________________  

Read: House made of fallen leaves – Poetry from Korea

Observations of an Expat: US Senator Schumer suggests ousting of Netanyahu

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Senator Chuck Schumer is America’s senior American politician, and when he attacks Netanyahu government, people sit up and take notice

By Tom Arms

Senator Chuck Schumer is America’s senior American politician. He is also the Senate Majority Leader. So when attacks the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and calls for fresh elections to oust him, people sit up and take notice.

The left-wing of the Democratic Party love it, and it is doubtful that Schumer would have spoken without first clearing the speech with his close friend and political ally President Biden.

The Israeli government is furious. “Israel is not a banana republic,” it fumed. “Senator Schumer is expected to respect Israel’s elected government and not undermine it. This is always true and even more so in time of war.”

The Israelis words were echoed by ranking Senate Republican Mitch McConnell. As soon as Schumer sat down, McConnell jumped to his feet to rebut: “Israel is not a colony of America…. Only Israelis should have a say in who forms their government. Either we respect their decision or we disrespect their democracy.”

Chuck_Schumer_official_photo
Chuck Schumer

Read: Top Democrat Schumer calls for new elections in Israel, saying Netanyahu is an obstacle to peace

And therein lies the rub. With all its faults—and it has many—Israel is a vibrant democracy. Its oft-held general elections regularly achieve turnouts of between 60 to 70 percent. There is a lively free press and the public are free to take to the streets and demonstrate whenever—and they do, often. They also keep re-electing Netanyahu.

The latest opinion polls, are not, however, good news for the prime minister and his Likud Party. They show that Likud would drop thirteen Knesset seats from 33 to 20 if an election was held today. The big winner would be Benny Gantz’s National Unity Party who are expected to jump from 20 to 32 seats.

Gantz has called for a “two entity” solution to the Arab-Israeli problem. He has not, however, defined “entity” and so far has supported Netanyahu’s attacks on Gazans and refusal to accept a ceasefire. Israeli can no longer live alongside Hamas, he said, “this reality has to change.”

A Gantz government is unlikely to bring peace. This is because most Israelis are not in favor of the conditions that would create it.

For a start, to form a government, Gantz would need 61 out of the 120 Knesset seats. The problem is that – other than roughly 10 seats held by Israeli-Arab politicians—only one political party, Meretz, is wholly committed to the two-state solution. They currently have no Knesset seats and are projected to win only five if an election was held now. The Center-right Yesh Atid led by former TV anchor Yair Lapid, endorses talking with the Palestinians and an end to West Bank settlements. But it stops short of the two-state solution.

The fact is that every opinion poll shows strong support for the war, opposition to a ceasefire, hatred of Palestinians and hostility towards the two-state solution. For instance, one would have thought that students would hold the most liberal thoughts towards the Gazans. But a poll last month at Tel Aviv University revealed that less than two percent thought the Israel Defence Force (IDF) was using too much firepower. 55 percent thought they were using too little.

Read: Top Democrat Chuck Schumer calls for new Israel election as rift grows

A poll taken by Israel’s Channel 12 at the end of January reported that 72 percent of Israelis said Humanitarian aid into Gaza “must be stopped until the Israeli hostages are released.” On February 1, hundreds of demonstrators managed to block an aid convoy.

The underlying cause for support for the war is a socially and politically conservative electorate. In 1990, the ultra-Orthodox community was five percent of the population of Israel. In 2023 it was 15 percent and within two years it is projected to be 20 percent.  They are a solid anti-Palestinian bloc vote, which is why the projected share of Orthodox seats in the Knesset is expected to be virtually unchanged.

Of course, not all Israeli Jews are religious. In fact, a 2016 poll indicated that only 30 percent thought religion was important. But in a January 2024 poll, a staggering 93 percent believed that all the land between the Mediterranean and the River Jordan (“from the river to the sea”) belonged to the Jewish nation.

As the famous Israeli historian Ilan Pappe ironically wrote: “We do not believe in God, but he nevertheless promised us Palestine.” Pappe’s liberal leanings led to death threats, lecture boycotts and calls for him to be sacked by the Israel Minister for Education. Pappe left Israel in 2007 and now teaches Middle East studies at Britain’s Exeter University.

If an election was held in Israel today Netanyahu would lose. But he would NOT lose because he refused to negotiate with the Palestinians or because he backs annexation of the West Bank or opposes the two-state solution. He would lose because the October 7 Hamas attack occurred on his watch.

Read: Observations of an Expat: Middle East Movement

World-ReviewWorld Review

It was the Trump-Orban love fest in Mar-a-lago last weekend. The Hungarian Prime Minister praised the ex-president as “the president of peace.” Trump went several steps further:  “There is nobody that’s better, smarter or a better leader than Viktor Orban,” he enthused.

President Joe Biden failed to agree with Trump’s assessment. He referred to Orban as a wannabe dictator, and attacked Trump for meeting him, let alone praising him.

Biden’s man in Hungary, Ambassador David Pressman, was even more undiplomatic in his language, which could herald a looming clash between the Biden Administration and Europe’s darling of the right-wing populists.

In a speech on Thursday to mark the 25th anniversary of Hungary’s joining NATO, Ambassador Pressman  warned the  Hungarian prime minister  that the US has lost patience with his embrace of Russia’s Vladimir Putin, attacks on the Biden Administration, his undermining of support for Ukraine, and his open advocacy of Trump’s return to the White House.

He said: “We cannot ignore it when the Speaker of Hungary’s National Assembly asserts that Putin’s war in Ukraine is actually led by the United States. We cannot ignore a sitting minister referring to the United States as a corpse whose nails continue to grow. We can neither understand nor accept the Prime Minister identifying the United States as a ‘top adversary’ …or his assertion that the United States government is trying to overthrow the Hungarian government—literally, to ‘defeat’ him.”

The ambassador called out Orbán’s “systematic takeover of independent media,” the use of government power to “provide favourable treatment for companies owned by party leaders or their families, in-laws, or old friends,” and laws defending “a single party’s effort to monopolize public discourse.”

Pressman added: “Hungary’s allies are warning Hungary of the dangers of its close and expanding relationship with Russia. If this is Hungary’s policy choice—and it has become increasingly clear that it is with the Foreign Minister’s sixth trip to Russia since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and with his next trip to Russia scheduled in two weeks, following his engagement with Russia’s Foreign Minister earlier this month, and the Prime Minister’s meeting with Vladimir Putin in China—we will have to decide how best to protect our security interests, which, as Allies, should be our collective security interests.”

***

 It is presidential election weekend in Russia. The bookies favorite—surprise, surprise—is Vladimir Putin.

It is also just over two years since Russia invaded Ukraine, so the two combined events provide an excellent opportunity to assess how events and political thought processes have changed over the past two years.

The Putin regime has rebuilt every element of itself to adapt to a permanent state of war: in propaganda and everyday life, in the political model of unifying the behavior of the elites and ordinary people, in the education and justice systems, and—crucially—in the economy.

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Photo: Moscow Times

Read: Russians crowd polling stations in apparent protest as Putin is set to extend his rule

Russia is no longer an authoritarian regime that requires only silence from the people. It is a totalitarian regime that demands complicity. People must pay their dues to the state by sacrificing their loved ones in the trenches, attending mass rallies in support of the war, and performing socially approved activities. These include reporting a colleague, a student, teacher, or neighbor for expressing opposition to the war. Attending an anti-war demonstration will land you in prison. Putin faces three opponents at the ballot box. But none of them have been allowed to oppose the war in Ukraine.

The all-pervasive totality of the state has saturated the media, movies, and theatre. It has permeated the book market, changing the rules of the Russian language by abolishing feminine gender-specific job titles as a sign of sympathy for LGBTQ rights. Books by best-selling authors are banned and the authors are branded “foreign agents.”

Putin needs enemies to win supporters. NATO, the West, the LGBTQ community. They are not only a threat to him. They are a threat to Russia. And Russia is special. It is exceptionalism and greatness on steroids. In Putin’s view of the world, Russia and the West are locked in a battle to destroy the superior Russian identity.

To preserve Russia’s identity, Putin believes he has to reconstruct the world order to eliminate post-war American dominance. The “special operation” began with the logic of protecting ethnic Russians in Ukraine. It has morphed into a war with the West. And In Putin’s Alice in Wonderland world, it is the West—through Ukraine—who has attacked Russia.

To those who remember the Cold War years, Putin’s revolutionary language sounds very similar to that of the Soviet leaders. The difference is that the communist revolution was rooted in internationalism while Putin’s world revolution is embedded in Russian nationalism.

***

It was a good news bad news week for Europe’s populist right. The really good news came out of Portugal where the far-right Chega Party quadrupled its share of the vote to come in third in the country’s general election.

The Socialists—who have been in government for the past eight years—are now out on their ear. They came in second to the center-right Democratic Alliance led by Luis Montenegro who just squeaked into first place with 79 seats.

Montenegro now faces the unpalatable choice of trying to navigate the choppy waters of a minority government or forming a coalition with the outgoing socialists or the upcoming Chegas.

The Leader of the Democratic Alliance has repeatedly refused to work with Chega, which he described as “xenophobic, racist, populist and excessively demagogic.” Chega leader Andre Ventura denies that his party is xenophobic or racist, he insists that they just want to limit immigration and have a Portugal—and Europe—based on “Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian values.”

Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, far-right populist Geert Wilders appears to have given up trying to form a government and secure the job of prime minister. He has basically come up against a political brick wall. Nobody wants to work with him. He is regarded as politically toxic.

Wilders shocked the European political establishment when his far-right Freedom Party (PVV) came out top of the list in a general election late last year. He won 37 seats. Unfortunately, for Wilders ambitions, this was about half of what he needed to form a government.

The PVV’s policies were just too extreme for the rest of the Dutch political establishment. Wilders wanted the Netherlands out of the EU. He said the Koran was worse than Mein Kampf and wanted it banned. Muslim immigration to the Netherlands must stop immediately and Muslims already in the country would be paid to leave.

Four of the smaller parties did enter into negotiations. They were attacked for doing so. Wilders watered down some of his more extreme policies, but it was too little too late. At one stage, the potential partners considered an arm’s length coalition.  None of the party leaders would take a cabinet position. Instead ministerial posts would be held by “technical experts” and “experienced politicians.” This was eventually rejected as unworkable. Wilders gave up and the Dutch have returned to the coalition-building drawing board.

__________________

Tom Arms Journalist Sindh CourierTom Arms is foreign editor of Liberal Democratic Voice and the author of “The Encyclopaedia of the Cold War” and “America Made in Britain.” He also co-hosts the regular world affairs podcast “TransAtlantic Riff” https://open.spotify.com/show/3ntjretAKNLZNFpA5ZEGDG