Cricket- a ray of hope for Syrian refugees

Agencies
January 6, 2019

Beirut, Jan 6: Historically, the game of cricket is associated with English-speaking world but the notion is now being challenged by few Syrian refuge children residing in Shatila camp of Beirut in Lebanon.

During the Syrian civil war, millions of people fled the country and took shelter in Lebanon. According to The Telegraph, out of the total number of people living in the Shatila camp, about a third of them are children.

These kids were introduced to cricket in October 2018 by a local charity group. The response received was overwhelming as 40 Syrian boys and girls turned for the first session and the number rose to 140 by the end of the week, The Telegraph reported.

The children are coached by Capital Kids Cricket (CKC) which is a London-based philanthropic organisation. It is primarily concerned with promoting cricket in state schools of London.

In order to make the initiative a success, CKC's CEO Shahidul Alam or "Ratan", who has been a coach to Bangladesh's under-19 cricket team, will organise the "biggest primary schools festival ever, during the World Cup in July, when 2,500 children are due to play more than 100 games at one time on the same day on Hackney Marshes and set a world record," The Telegraph wrote in an article.

Currently, the organization is aiming at organizing a two-hour session every Friday in Shatila and make an under-13 and under-14 team of both boys and girls. The teams will go on to compete in the mini-World Cup, which is slated to be held in Hackney Marshes.

The Syrian refugee crisis is termed as one of the biggest humanitarian crises faced by this world and the worst sufferers of this tragedy are those who are forced to leave their places and live in an alien land. One can hardly imagine the possibility of a bright future to children of these refugees but as the famous saying goes "Success is where preparation and opportunity meet".

The game of cricket has come across as a major opportunity for these kids and hopefully, their preparation will give them the wings to fly high.

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News Network
September 15,2024

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New Delhi: Two days after he was granted bail and walked out of prison after six months, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced his shock resignation from the top post at a party meeting this afternoon. "Two days later, I will resign as Chief Minister. I will not sit on that chair till the people announce their verdict. Elections in Delhi are months away. I got justice from the legal court, now I will get justice from the people's court. I will sit on the Chief Minister's chair only after the order of the people," he said. 

"I want to ask the people of Delhi, is Kejriwal innocent or guilty? If I have worked, vote for me," he said, adding that a meeting of AAP MLAs will be held within the next two days to choose the new Chief Minister for the national capital.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said a member of the party will be named Chief Minister after his resignation. He said he would go among the people and ask for their support. Mr Kejriwal also demanded that the elections in the national capital, scheduled for February, be held in November along with the polls in Maharashtra.

In his address to the AAP workers, Mr Kejriwal launched an all-out attack against the Narendra Modi government and said it was more dictatorial than the British.

He said he did not resign as Chief Minister despite being arrested because he wanted to save democracy. "They have registered cases against (Karnataka Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah, (Kerala Chief Minister) Pinarayi Vijayan, (Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata didi (Banerjee). I want to appeal to non-BJP, do not resign if they register cases against you. This is their new game," he said.

Mr Kejriwal said he had also spoken to former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia about the issue. Mr Sisodia too was recently granted bail in connection with corruption allegations surrounding Delhi's now-scrapped liquor policy. "I spoke to Manish, he too has said that he will handle the post only after the people say we are honest. My and Sisodia's fate are in your hands now," he said.

Responding to the shocking development, BJP's Harish Khurana questioned why the AAP leader is creating a drama. "Why after 48 hours? he should resign today. In the past too, he has done this. People of Delhi are asking, he can't go to the secretariat, can't sign documents? What is the point then?" Asked if the BJP was ready for early polls, Mr Khurana replied, "We are ready, whether it is today or tomorrow. We will return to power in Delhi after 25 years."

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News Network
September 16,2024

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Mangaluru: Police have arrested five miscreants belonging to saffron outfits for pelting stones at a masjid at Katipalla near Surathkal on the outskirts of the city last night. 

The arrested have been identified as Bharat, Chennappa, Nitin, Manu and Sujit all residents of Surathkal and surrounding areas. Among them, Bharat is said to be a rowdy sheeter. 

The miscreants, who came on two motorbikes late on Sunday night, pelted stones at Masjidul Huda, located at 3rd block of Katipalla on the eve of Miladunnabi.  

Confirming the incident, City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal said that investigation is in progress and a case has been registered at Surathkal police station.

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coastaldigest.com news network
September 16,2024

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Mangaluru, Sept 16: In a heartwarming display of communal unity, members of Hindu and Christian communities celebrated Eid Milad—marking the birth of Prophet Mohammed—by distributing sweets and refreshments to their Muslim neighbors in Dakshina Kannada.

In Boliyar, near Konaje on the outskirts of Mangaluru, members of the local organization Geleyara Balaga surprised participants in the Eid Milad procession with an offering of sweets and cold drinks. 

The gesture of goodwill was led by Manoj, Sheena Poojary, Denis Lily, Sanat, Lokanath, Satish, Praveen, Madhu, and Valentine. Abdul Rahman, the khateeb of Boliyar Juma Masjid, expressed heartfelt gratitude for this act of kindness.

In a similar display of solidarity, a group of Hindus, draped in saffron shawls, distributed sweets and drinks to those partaking in the Eid Milad procession at Mani village, Bantwal taluk.

These acts of generosity highlighted the spirit of harmony and togetherness among different communities, celebrating the true essence of the festival.

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