Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe returns to the UK

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has been in prison in Iran since 2016, has finally returned to her home in West Hampstead.

https://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/article/you-might-not-have-heard-but-nazanin-is-home-at-last

She had been visiting family in Iran when she was arrested for spying, charges she has always denied. Her husband Richard has campaigned tirelessly for her release.

Nazanin’s release also happened at the same time that it was announced that the UK Government was giving Iran £400 million to use for humanitarian purposes.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-60774839

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Picture of barbed wire in front of concentration camp buildings
Image by Luke Lawreszuk from Pixabay

Today commemorates 77 years since the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz (now Oświęcim, Poland) was liberated by Allied forces in the last months of World War 2, and the remaining prisoners were freed. The awful things that happened there should never be allowed to happen again.

In 1947, the Polish Government made the site of the Auschwitz camp a museum, and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

https://auschwitz.org

Recent news for the deaf community

There have been two recent cases where the deaf community have been found to have discriminated against.

So just a reminder that if you provide services, you should be trying to make them accessible for all users.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-57998047

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57923702

Congratulations to the England Men’s Football Team

Congratulations to the England Men’s Football Team for reaching the Final of the European Championship, the team’s best result in a major Championship in 55 years.

Although they didn’t win, we join with the rest of the country in congratulating them on this achievement, and we wouldn’t be at all surprised to see them improve on this result in the future.

Eid Mubarak

Silhouette of a mosque on a green background with a row of lanterns across the top
Image by john peter from Pixabay

Tonight is the start of Eid al-Fitr, when Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan.

Under normal circumstances, the whole community comes together for special Eid prayers, and afterwards they all have large family celebrations, and food (especially sweet food) and decorations. Many people buy new clothes to wear at Eid. Some parts of the world have large street parties.

So to all those celebrating Eid this year – Eid Mubarak (Happy Eid), and let us all hope that next year you can celebrate properly.

Happy Nurses Day 2021

Happy Nurses Day from the Royal College of Nurses

International Nurses Day is celebrated on 12 May every year to celebrate the contributions that nurses make to society.

I think everyone would agree that the last 18 months have made everyone better appreciate the hard and important work that nurses do. Many nurses have been working long hours under very difficult conditions, literally risking their lives on COVID wards.

So to all nurses out there – Happy Nurses Day!

Oscar Congratulations to Daniel Kaluuya

Actor Daniel Kaluuya, who grew up in Kentish Town, was awarded the Best Supporting Actor award (also known as an Oscar) at the 2021 Academy Awards held in Los Angeles on 25 April 2021.

He won the award for his role as Fred Hampton, chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panthers in Chicago in the late 1960s, in the movie Judas and the Black Messiah.

Anzac Day

Soldier statue in ANZAC Memorial

25 April is Anzac day in Australia and New Zealand. This day remembers the day that the Australian & New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed at Gallipoli in Turkey in 1915.

The landing was part of an ambitious Allied attempt to capture Istanbul, defeat the Turkish Ottoman Empire (allied with Germany), and open up a supply route to Russia. Troops from Britain, Ireland, France, Canada, & India were also involved.

Continue reading “Anzac Day”