Category Archives: Viva!

‘If we want Germans to accept Arabs, Arabs must also learn to accept them’

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After the shock of the New Year’s Eve assaults, and the subsequent backlash, some migrants are trying to teach refugees about the challenges of life in Germany and about mutual tolerance

Skinny-dipping, gay relationships and parenting all form part of Magdi Gohary’s crash-course introduction to a strange new home, Learn to Understand Germany, given at a huge refugee camp on the outskirts of Munich.

Many of those who join his seminars headed to the country in search of security and gave little thought to what else awaited them there, says the 74-year-old, a retired chemist who left his native Egypt for Munich half a century ago.

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Beautiful Vintage Portraits of European Girls from the Miss Europe 1930

Miss Europe 1930 was the second annual Miss Europe competition. Miss Greece won and 19 girls from Europe competed in the pageant. Belgium, Czechoslovakia and Miss Turkey participated for the first time and one candidacy, that of Switzerland, was withdrawn.

Delegates:

  • Austria – Ingeborg von Grinberger
  • Belgium – Jenny Vanparays
  • Bulgaria – Konika Tchobanova
  • Czechoslovakia – Milada Dostálová
  • Denmark – Esther Petersen
  • England – Marjorie Ross
  • France – Yvette Labrousse
  • Germany – Dorit Nitykowski
  • Greece – Aliki Diplarakou
  • Holland – Rie Van der Rest
  • Hungary – Maria Papst
  • Ireland – Vera Curran
  • Italy – Mafalda Morittino
  • Poland – Zofia Batycka
  • Romania – Zoica Dona
  • Russia – Irene Wentzel
  • Spain – Elena Plá Mompó
  • Turkey – Mubedjel Namik
  • Yugoslavia – Stephanie “Caca” Drobujak

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Criminals during the First World War – 35 Vintage Mugshots of North Shields in the 1910s

Here is a vintage mugshot collection of 35 prisoner photographs in North Shields, England during the First World War.

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Charles S. Jones, arrested for stealing from clothes lines, 15 September 1914

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Christina Austin, arrested for stealing dresses, 11 July 1916

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Christina Haggerty, arrested for stealing money, 9 February 1916

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Frederick Ellwood, fireman, arrested for breaking and entering, 4 August 1914

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George Bamlett, grocer, arrested for assault, 19 October 1914

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ASIA/INDONESIA – After the massacres, Christians and Muslims together in the street against terrorism

Jakarta – “We express deep condolences to the victims and condemn all forms of violence and terrorism. We pray and we work for the unity of Indonesia”: says to Fides Fr. Alexius Andang Binawan, SJ, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Jakarta, in the aftermath of the suicide bombings which caused the death of 7 people and wounded 26, claimed by groups who say they are linked to ISIS . The Vicar, who spoke to Fides, expressing the sentiments of the local Catholic community, reports that on Sunday, 17 January, the Catholic community will be alongside the Muslims of the largest Muslim organizations in Indonesia, “Muhammadiyah” and “Nahdlatul Ulama”, in the impressive demonstration that will cross the streets of the capital “to say no to any form of extremism, violence and terrorism”.
Fr. Binawan tells Fides: “We are shocked but life in the capital continues normally. As the government and public officials say, we have also told the faithful not to be overcome by the fear of terrorism. Terrorists want visibility and demonstrate the supposed weakness of the government. Indonesian people will respond in a united manner, with firmness and dignity, without fear”.
“Many religious leaders – continues the Vicar – have condemned terrorism, stressing that it has nothing to do with religion and expresses strong hopes for unity”, which will be demonstrated concretely in the public demonstration on 17 January. “We will be in the street with Muslims and Christians and believers of all faiths to reaffirm the national motto ‘unity in diversity’, and to express our unity in opposing to all forms of violence that goes against man. As Christians we are next to all other citizens and will continue to pray for the victims and for a prosperous and peaceful future of our nation”.

Israeli right-wing party leader: B’Tselem, Breaking the Silence are traitors

PNN/Jerusalem

Yisrael Beiteinu (right-wing Israeli political party) leader Avigdor Liberman on Friday called Israeli human rights organizations B’Tselem and Breaking the Silence traitors, stating that the “left-leaning groups” were funded by the same people who finance Hamas.

The right-wing party leader said in an Israeli Channel interview on Friday January 15, that:

“As far as I’m concerned these entities are not [exercising] freedom of expression, it’s greed. They aren’t any different from Ehud Adiv or Mordechai Vanunu — they’re complete traitors.”

Ehud Adiv was found guilty of treason in the 1970s for traveling to Damascus, in Syria, to meet with members of the PLO, while Mordechai Vanunu was found guilty of the same charge for disclosing nuclear secrets to the British press.

According to the Israeli media, Liberman’s remarks came amid a growing debate over a bil lproposed by Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked of the far-right Jewish Home party requiring certain Israeli non-governmental organizations to publicly declare their foreign government funding.

The so-called NGO Law or Transparency Law would require all Israeli groups that receive half or more of their budget from foreign governments — which is true for many left-wing but few right-wing groups — to disclose their foreign benefactors.

“With all our desire to stay politically correct and be polite, there are things that need to be told as it is. There’s [cash] flow from the institutions most hostile to Israel. Not just the European Union, not just states. Also those same foundations that fund Hamas, they also fund B’Tselem and Breaking the Silence,” Liberman added.

Also, member of the Knesset earlier this week released a bill that seeks to turn the Breaking the Silence organization illegal. They described Breaking the Silence as “a subversive organization acting to change Israeli policy by non-democratic methods and by exerting international pressure that causes Israel damage.”

In the other hand, due to a lot of criticism from the Israeli media, former Israeli soldiers from Breaking the Silence said in recent weeks that they are only trying to expose the reality of IOF actions in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The group added that its mission is essential to stopping violence in the region by helping to end the military occupation of the Palestinian territories. Members of the organization are trying to draw public attention to issues that are not covered by Israeli media and are not made public.

Last week,  a fire broke out at B’Tselem’s office in Jerusalem. None of their staff were in the building, but people working on other floors had to be evacuated by the fire brigade.

The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, B’Tselem, endeavors to document and educate the Israeli public and policymakers about human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, combat the phenomenon of denial prevalent among the Israeli public, and help create a human rights culture in Israel.

According to its website, B’Tselem acts primarily to change Israeli policy in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and ensure that its government, which rules the Occupied Territories, protects the human rights of residents there and complies with its obligations under international law.

 

 

Flags to Fly at Half-Staff on Navajo Nation to Honor Code Talker Ernest Yazhe

A screenshot of a video featuring Ernest Yazhe in 2013 produced by the Utah National Guard. Courtesy of Utah National Guard/YouTube

Courtesy of Utah National Guard/YouTube

Published January 16, 2016

WINDOW ROCK– The Navajo Nation Office of President and Vice President announced flags will fly at half-staff on the Navajo Nation from January 19 – 22, 2016 to honor Navajo Code Talker Ernest Yazhe, who walked on Tuesday. Code Talker Yazhe was 92.

Yazhe was stationed and trained as a Code Talker in New Caledonia and fought as a Navajo Code Talker in both Guam and Okinawa during World War II. Yazhe served in the U.S. Marine Corps with courage, honor and distinction from 1942 to February 1946 when he was honorably discharged.

“It is always a great loss when one of our iconic Navajo Code Talkers leaves us. Mr. Yazhe was honored and revered not only by our Navajo people but also honored and recognized on a national level,” said Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye.

“Our world, as it exists today, would not be the same had it not been for our Code Talkers and for this we will forever be grateful,” added President Begaye.

“Our beloved Navajo Code Talkers are among the greatest generation of American citizens that put their lives on the line during World War II in defense of freedom and democracy,” Navajo Nation Vice President Jonathan Nez said. “The Navajo language was the secret weapon that brought victory to the Allied Forces and ended the war in the Pacific.”

Vice President Nez added the Navajo Nation is mourning the loss of not only a true American hero, but a role model and positive example for the Navajo people.

President Begaye and Vice President Nez signed and issued a proclamation for all flags to be flown at half-staff in honor and memory of Code Talker Yazhe, which will be presented to the family during the interment service of Mr. Yazhe.

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