World Baking Day was created by the folks over at worldbakingday.com, who decided it was high time to spread the joy of baking all around the world, especially to those who perhaps don’t bake too often and are not particularly experienced at it. This day is meant to show people just how much fun it can be to make a cake or some cookies, and baking can be a great way to spend time with family and friends. Not to mention how much fun it is to eat what you’ve made once it’s done!

Baking has existed for over 14,000 years, proving that we simply can’t live without it! In fact, the first bakers in Jordan created flatbreads, which they then wrapped around meat – potentially the first-ever sandwich in existence. Roman times saw the birth of the artisan baker. Lovers of all things decadent, Romans prized the pastry chef, and those that brought new baked goods to the worlds were ever-popular at feasts and banquets. 

In the United Kingdom, by the Middle Ages, baking went commercial, with many trading regulations and rules governing how to bake and sell bread. But everyone’s got to eat, so anyone with an oven was baking bread to feed their families. The delicious, mouth-watering cakes we eat today started to emerge for the upper echelons of society from the middle ages onwards. 

Technology also helped upgrade the ovens to help bring better-baked goods to the masses, especially in the nineteenth century. Food was easier to preserve, too, so many people could order in meats and milk from across the country rather than relying on their backyard cows or chickens. Cans also cultivated a new innovation for baking, as meats and veg could be canned and exported from places like Australia. 

New baking innovations arrived during WWI and WWII. In America during the wars, baking thrived as people moved to the US, and rationing saw the need for increasingly crafty creations. In America, different flavors from across the world arrived, from Italian cannolis to Mexican Tres Leches. When people couldn’t find fat or eggs during the wars, Applesauce Cake was baked into existence, which is still made today and used as an alternative to eggs and fat in vegan baking.

The increase in prosperity after the war allowed baking to flourish into the foods we love today, all culminating in this event. Enjoy the chance to bake, eat, and be merry with friends and family during this day.

“Love doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be true.”

These are the renowned line from the famous the “Beauty and the Beast”. Fairy tales and fables are the most essential part of an every children’s life which ultimately develops his or her imagination level. These stories and fables are something which we all have heard in our life. These fairy tales worlds seemed to be the most beautiful world in childhood for each child. Be it our childhood or adolescence these stories are admired by everyone. These tales tell us meaning of existence, behavior we should follow in life and moral norms which the society praises. Every girl wishes to be Cinderella and every little boy wish to be as smart and brave as Prince Charming was. All the beautiful castle and magic wards is the reason behind making our entire childhood fantastic.

After hearing all these stories and fables we all believe that identifying Prince Charming is very easy were the Prince Charming will always come in a white horse and the Beast will come wearing a black dress. But the reality is something opposite to it, where it is not mandatory that the prince will come on a white dress and the beast will come with black outfit. When we look at the situation of today’s generation we find that true love is pictured and looks adorable only is big screen and not in reality. Truth is money; power and position have successfully overpowered love. Childhood is the most innocent age where kids believe what they see but reality is very much different from it there is a huge difference between real life and reel life. Watching Cinderella with his Prince Charming might look adorable but the reality is if we turn the pages of the newspaper we may find that each day hundreds of Cinderella are burned and raped or is attempting suicide just because the one she thought her Prince Charming was actually a devil with the white horse. Another interpretation of it is since childhood we are taught that our prince will are come to rescue us whenever we are in a problem. This gives an exact mirror of our patriarchal society and out-dated thinking which is the male members always plays the role of a hero and he is the one who will always save his better half. This notion is put up in the minds of the kids since there childhood. Women are always considered inferior in front of society and needs a man or we can say her hero who will always come to save her life whatever the situation is.

I don’t think fairy tales ruin reality but it is the wrong person who projects to be the prince and at last we came to known that he is actually the devil in the getup of prince. What I feel is it is not mandatory to project only the boy as the hero of every story. Now days, girls are no less than man and a times are considered as better than mans. Also, every time a female is only demonstrated as the one who have negative characteristic. Summing up that, having male power is not necessary to be well-thought-out as hero. The one who knows how to tackle a situation and to know give back even more in return is the one considered as a hero.

Eid al-Adha is the latter of the two official holidays celebrated within Islam. It honors the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ishmael (in Judaism, Isaac) as an act of obedience to God’s command. Before Abraham could sacrifice his son, however, God provided a lamb to sacrifice instead. In commemoration of this intervention, animals are sacrificed ritually. One third of their meat is consumed by the family offering the sacrifice, while the rest is distributed to the poor and needy. Sweets and gifts are given, and extended family are typically visited and welcomed. The day is also sometimes called Big Eid or the Greater Eid.

In the Islamic lunar calendar, Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, and lasts for four days. In the international (Gregorian) calendar, the dates vary from year to year, shifting approximately 11 days earlier each year. Eid al-Adha is also pronounced Eid al-Azha and Eidul Azha.

The Arabic word عيد (ʿīd) means ‘festival’, ‘celebration’, ‘feast day’, or ‘holiday’. It itself is a triliteral root ‏عيد‎ with associated root meanings of “to go back, to rescind, to accrue, to be accustomed, habits, to repeat, to be experienced; appointed time or place, anniversary, feast day.” Arthur Jeffery contests this etymology, and believes the term to have been borrowed into Arabic from Syriac, or less likely Targumic Aramaic.

The words أضحى (adha) and قربان (qurban) are synonymous in meaning ‘sacrifice’ (animal sacrifice), ‘offering’ or ‘oblation’. The first word comes from the triliteral root ضحى (dahha) with associated meanings of “immolate ; offer up ; sacrifice ; victimize.” No occurrence of this root with a meaning related to sacrifice occurs in the Qur’an but in the Hadith literature. Arab Christians use the term to mean the Eucharistic host. The second word derives from the triliteral root ‏‏قرب‎‎ (qaraba) with associated meanings of “closeness, proximity… to moderate; kinship…; to hurry; …to seek, to seek water sources…; scabbard, sheath; small boat; sacrifice.” Arthur Jeffery recognizes the same Semitic root, but believes the sense of the term to have entered Arabic through Aramaic.

ORIGIN OF EID AL-ADHA

One of the main trials of Abraham’s life was to face the command of God by sacrificing his beloved son Isaac. According to the new narrative, Abraham kept having dreams that he was sacrificing his son Ishmael. Abraham knew that this was a command from God and he told his son, as stated in the Quran “Oh son, I keep dreaming that I am slaughtering you”, Ishmael replied “Father, do what you are ordered to do.” Abraham prepared to submit to the will of God and prepared to slaughter his son as an act of faith and obedience to God. During this preparation, Shaytaan tempted Abraham and his family by trying to dissuade them from carrying out God’s commandment, and Abraham drove Satan away by throwing pebbles at him. In commemoration of their rejection of Satan, stones are thrown at symbolic pillars Stoning of the Devil during Hajj rites.

Acknowledging that Abraham was willing to sacrifice what is dear to him, God the Almighty honoured both Abraham and Ishmael. Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) called Abraham “O’ Abraham, you have fulfilled the revelations.” and a lamb from heaven was offered by Angel Gabriel to prophet Abraham to slaughter instead of Ishmael. Muslims worldwide celebrate Eid al Adha to commemorate both the devotion of Abraham and the survival of Ishmael.

This story is known as the Akedah in Judaism (Binding of Isaac) and originates in the Torah, the first book of Moses (Genesis, Ch. 22).

SACRIFICE ON EID AL-ADHA

The tradition for Eid al-Adha involves slaughtering an animal and sharing the meat in three equal parts – for family, for relatives and friends, and for poor people. The goal is to make sure every Muslim gets to eat meat. The celebration has a clear message of devotion, kindness and equality.

In the Holy Tauret Book in the ‘Pedaish’, it is written that Allah created human beings in His image. The fruits which are have seeds in them, He ordered them to be eaten by humans, and animals are ordered to eat grass, and other vegetarian food. There is no order to eat meat. If there is any order to eat meat in the Qur’an, then it is not of Allah but is of the angel Jibril. Thus, God created the world in six days and sat on the throne on the seventh day.

However, the purpose of sacrifice in Eid al-Adha is not about shedding of blood just to satisfy Allah. It is about sacrificing something devotees love the most to advance the message of Eid al-Adha. In other words, the sacrifice can be something other than an animal such as money or time spent on community service. There are historical precedences of caliphs sacrificing items other than meat. After all, the animal sacrifice is only a sunnah, which is habitual rather than required. The Quran said that the meat will not reach Allah, nor will the blood, but what reaches him is the devotion of devotees.

What is happening in South Africa ?

Many Indian has been killed recently in South Africa. After Jacob Zuma’s arrest, president of south Africa triggered looting and violence in the country

Why Jacob was arrested ?

Mr.  Jacob was president of South Africa from 2009 until 2018, for the corruption.

Jacob Zuma is first president to be sent to jail in South Africa.

 He was imprisoned for 10 years in 1963 for fighting the racist system of apartheid in South Africa. He also went into exile in 1975. He was also charged with raping a family friend.

 Now, He was charged with contempt of a court made up of South Africa’s most senior judges.

 Jacob said that it is as same as or worst than a death to keep him in jail in this pandemic.

At least 200 people have been killed during the widespread unrest that lasted nine days.

Why Indian being targeted in South Africa ?

The death count of South African Indians reaches almost 270 in South Africa.

Many markets and supermarket have been looted and burned of south African Indian by pro-Zuma rioters.

The issues between South Africa and Indians started with a Saharanpur-origin business family, “the Guptas”. Gupta’s were closed to Zuma and influenced other in allegation of corruption against the Zuma and fled to Dubai.

After this pro-Zuma started attacking Indians. They looted their home and shops. Indian women also receiving threats of rape.

The behavior against Indian and looting their market is criminal not racism between them.

Targeting the whole community due to someone is never be an option not Just.

Amid rising cases of Coronavirus, South Africa is facing humanitarian crises also.

How often do people ask you to do something and you just reply, “Sure”. And as a result of that, you’re overwhelmed by how much extra work you have to do. We become frustrated even though we were the ones who said yes to help them in the first place. We agree to many requests not because we want to do the work, but because we don’t want to be seen as rude or arrogant.

It worries us that if we deny the someone’s request then they will end the friendship between us or it will lead to an awkward situation the next time we meet them. But this is not the case. The person who we say NO to will not be thinking about how rude you were. They will simply move on to the next person to ask for help. 

Economist Tim Harford said, “Every time we say yes to a request, we are also saying no to anything else we might accomplish with the time”. We compromise the valuable time that we have, to do work for others when we could be productive working to improve our life skills that will actually help us.  

A simple “no” is the perfect solution. We think that this one word will cause a lot of problems but in reality, it can be the most powerful tool. Saying no is an important skill to develop at any stage of your career because it retains the most important asset in life: your time. You need to say no to whatever isn’t leading you toward your goals. You need to say no to distractions. For instance, if you originally planned to do work but your friend calls you for a video game, you have to say NO to him so that you don’t cause trouble to your future self.

Of course, saying a simple NO will not always suffice. They will always ask a follow up question of “WHY?”. Therefore, we need to learn how to say NO without sounding rude.

Some of the kind ways to decline are, “Unfortunately, I’ll need to pass on this”, “I’m sorry, but I will not be able to”, “Sadly, I can’t”.

The examples of phrases to avoid are, “hmm, I don’t know”, “I’m not sure”, “It’s tough to say”, “Well, maybe I could do it. But…”.

Saying no saves you time in the future, whereas saying yes costs you time in the future. No is a form of time credit. You retain the ability to spend your future time however you want. Yes is a form of time debt. You have to pay back your commitment at some point. No is a decision. Yes is a responsibility.

Renaissance is a religious movement and as such it relates not only to literary revival but it has grassroot connections with political and social movements also. Literature flourished during the period of Tudor Monarch. After the death of Henry VII, King Henry came to power who was a great lover of art, music and literature and love lyrics were composed. As such, Renaissance left a great influence on the social political and religious front. The unrest in England prevailed at large, the authority of king was questioned by Parliament. The existing system with regard to each and every spheres of life was being questioned. Even women intervened in the existing social and cultural status.

John Milton studied deeply the political and social order of his contemporary and wrote a lot about the pathetic state of affairs. He had drawn public opinion on all major or public issues. Milton’s epic ‘Paradise Lost’ is a common theme on Renaissance and reformative course on individual and state. The poetry during the Renaissance expanded into three main channels: the sonnet, heading the lyric and the satire. The literary forms of Milton’s period highlight religious issues and humanist thoughts.

Milton’s poems ‘L’ Allegro’ and ‘II Penseroso’ reveals the fact that the Milton has favoured ‘short lyric’. He also followed classical forms and themes. Thus, short lyric was the major elements in the poetry of Milton’s contemporary. Milton has justified his sense of religion when he writes in ‘Paradise Lost’ that his epic was the ways of God to man. This epic of Milton also has detailed narration of conflicts on the behaviour of the king and the rest of Parliamentarians Milton has also highlighted the issue of women and their individual status by means of his epic and other poetic form.

The use of epic form of poetry in English started with some failed attempts by poets like Patrick Hannay, D’Avenant and W. Chamberlyne. One of the main and important factors that led to the success of Milton’s epic poetry was he used the epic to represent the essence of the age, the contemporary struggle between religion and the state rather than simple reconstruction of the classical matrix.

Another issue which has raised for the Puritan Patriarchy. It not only promoted the issue of individualism but also questioned the women’s individuality and autonomy. Thus, engaging itself in the old age biblical argument of free will and predetermination. These issues are apparent in the conversation between Adam and Eve.

Soldiers are leading the rescue in the city of more than 10 million people in Henan province, which has been hit by record rains which inundated the streets and the subway.

Beijing: 

Twelve people died after torrential rains flooded a subway in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou, authorities said Wednesday, as shocking images showed passengers struggling against chest-high water inside a train carriage.

Soldiers are leading the rescue in the city of more than 10 million people in Henan province, which has been hit by record rains which inundated the streets and the subway.

The city has experienced “a series of rare and heavy rainstorms, causing water to accumulate in Zhengzhou metro”, city officials said in a Weibo post.

The post said 12 people died and five were injured, while hundreds were rescued from the subway.