UAE-based Indian girl in International Children's Peace Prize race

November 20, 2016

Dubai, Nov 20: From a record number of 120 international entries, the expert committee chose Kehkashan Basu from the UAE, Divina Maloum from Cameroon and Muzoon Almellehan from Syria.

girlA 16-year-old Indian girl in the UAE is among three finalists chosen for this year's International Children's Peace Prize for her unique role in improving the rights and position of children.

From a record number of 120 international entries, the expert committee chose Kehkashan Basu from the UAE, Divina Maloum from Cameroon and Muzoon Almellehan from Syria.

The announcement was made by International children's rights organisation 'KidsRights' ahead of Universal Children's Day to be observed tomorrow.

According to the committee, all three have improved the rights and position of children in unique and tangible ways.

Every year, the young prize-winner gains an international platform to share his or her message with hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

In line with the tradition, this year's prize will be awarded by 2006 Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus in the Hall of Knights (Ridderzaal) in The Hague on December 2.

Yunus, 76, admired the children, saying they are fighting for a fairer world.

"Our world desperately needs young changemakers like Divina, Kehkashan and Muzoon, who through their work have proved just how powerful and resilient children are. Adults do not have all the answers. Decision-makers should and must listen to the opinions of children, who have the power to ignite change and move the world," he said.

Kehkashan began campaigning for environmental protection at an early age and at the age of just eight, she organised an awareness campaign for the recycling of waste in her neighbourhood in Dubai.

In 2012, she founded her own organisation 'Green Hope' which runs waste-collection, beach-cleaning and awareness campaigns. It is now active in ten countries with more than 1,000 young volunteers.

Through a series of campaigns and lectures, she has demonstrated to thousands of school and university students the importance of proper environmental care.

Kehkashan has addressed various international conferences and was nominated by her father.

Divina, 12, educates children in Cameroon about the dangers of violence and radicalisation, urging them to fight for peace.

Nominated by Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai and The Malala Fund, Muzoon campaigns for the access to quality education of girls and against forced marriage.

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News Network
April 18,2020

Apr 18: Taking a strong notice of Islamophobia on social media, Princess Hend Al Qassimi, a member of the royal family of United Arab Emirates, called out a series of tweets by a user named Saurabh Upadhyay.

Upadhyay had posted tweets attacking Muslims over the Tablighi Jamaat congregation held in March in Delhi that led to surge of coronavirus cases cases in India. He also gave into rumours of muslims ‘spiting on food’ to spread the virus.

Princess Qassimi shared the screenshots of his tweets and warned that those engaging in racism and Islamophobia will have to pay penalty and will be made to leave UAE. Upadhyay has apparently deactivated his Twitter handle now.

Responding to his earlier posts, she though the ruling family of UAE is “friends with Indians”, his rudeness was “not welcome”.

“All employees are paid to work, no one comes for free. You make your bread and butter from this land which you scorn and your ridicule will not go unnoticed,” she wrote.

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Agencies
July 5,2020

Iraq’s deputy parliament speaker Hassan Karim al-Kaabi on Saturday described the move as provocative and in violation of international law.

Kaabi also called on the Iraqi government to take swift measures to halt such actions.

The Embassy’s move to fire in a residential area in the heart of Baghdad is an unacceptable act and another challenge for the Arab country, adding to the mass of its provocations and illegal actions in Iraq, he noted.

According to Iraqi media, the US tested a patriot missile system inside Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone.

Anti-US sentiments have been running high in Iraq since Washington assassinated top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and the second-in-command of the Iraqi popular mobilization units, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in January.

Following the attack, Iraqi lawmakers unanimously approved a bill on January 5, demanding the withdrawal of all foreign troops.

Baghdad and Washington are currently in talks over the withdrawal of American troops. Iraqi resistance groups have vowed to take up arms against US forces if Washington fails to comply with the parliamentary order.

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News Network
May 31,2020

Dubai, May 31: As many as 84 beggars have been arrested in Dubai during the Eid Al Fitr holiday, the Dubai Police have said.

The arrests were carried out as part of their anti-begging campaign to prevent begging during the holy month of Ramadan.

Some illegal vendors, too, have been arrested in different areas of the emirate, the police added.

Colonel Ali Salem, Director of the Infiltrators Department at the Criminal Investigations Department of Dubai Police, said that the campaign aims to maintain the safety and security of the society, adding that the campaign was successful and helped reduce the number of beggars across the emirate.

He called on the public to report begging activities to the number 901 or the Dubai Police app.

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