Five people, including two civilians, were killed on Tuesday night in an attack on a synagogue on Djerba island in Tunisia.
The attack coincided with the annual Jewish pilgrimage to the island's Ghriba synagogue.
Here's what you need to know about the holy event that turned to tragedy.
What is the Djerba pilgrimage?
The annual pilgrimage to Africa's oldest synagogue regularly draws hundreds of Jews from Europe, the US and Israel to Djerba, a major holiday resort off southern Tunisia, about 500km from the capital, Tunis.
More than 5,000 Jewish pilgrims, mostly from abroad, participated in this year’s pilgrimage. The event takes place around Lag BaOmer, on the 33rd day of the Jewish festival of Passover, which celebrates the Israelites' escape from slavery in Egypt.
The annual pilgrimage is also attended by locals, of whom about 1,000 are Jewish, but also by Jews of Tunisian origin who come back to their ancestors’ place of birth in search of their roots.
The pilgrimage over the years has been an opportunity to celebrate the peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Jews in the community.
Jews have lived in Tunisia since Roman times.
What is special about the Ghriba synagogue?
The Ghriba synagogue is one of a kind in North Africa, as it is frequented jointly by Jewish and Muslim worshippers.
Shared places of worship are not a strange phenomenon to the Maghreb region specifically, but the practice has decreased over the years, starting in the mid-20th century after the gradual migration of Jews to Europe and Israel.
In Djerba, however, the tradition has persisted, because the Tunisian Jewish community is vividly present in the country’s culture today.
Has the pilgrimage been disrupted before?
A 2002 terrorist attack caused pilgrim numbers dip significantly.
An Al Qaeda suicide attacker rammed a vehicle laden with propane into the Djerba synagogue, causing an explosion that killed 21 people.
The religious ritual was also interrupted but resumed last year after a two-year hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
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TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
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Name: The Protein Bakeshop
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Richard Flanagan
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Company: Instabug
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
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4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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