This week's deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria rank among the deadliest and most destructive quakes in recent memory.

The quakes were the deadliest to be recorded globally in more than ten years on Wednesday, when the death toll in the two countries exceeded 11,000 people.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake occurred at 4:17 a.m. local time on Monday in the province of Karamanmaras in southern Türkiye. A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck more than 60 miles away hours later. Both quakes were followed by a large number of severe aftershocks that persisted into Tuesday.

Over 6,000 buildings were destroyed. There have also been reports of tens of thousands of injuries in addition to the rising dead toll. Rescue personnel from many countries were on the scene Tuesday looking for signs among the wreckage.

After devastating earthquakes caused buildings in Turkey and Syria to fall and put countless people in risk, people woke up to chaos. Volunteers from the Red Cross and Red Crescent are rushing to save victims who are huddled beneath piles of debris during the bitter winter weather.

In order to provide emergency support and help individuals affected by the earthquakes as soon as possible, the Canadian Red Cross and Northern Light Relief Foundation, an AHF member organisation, have teamed up. The Red Cross Red Crescent will use the funds donated to carry out continuing recovery work, emergency relief efforts, and resiliency and preparedness initiatives in affected and nearby communities. Based on changing demands and escalating humanitarian crises, the activities and geographic areas affected may change.

On behalf of the Canadian Red Cross and the Northern Lights Relief Foundation, we want to express our sincere appreciation for your gift.

Your kindness will enable you to offer humanitarian aid to those affected by this catastrophe in Turkey and Syria.

Eid al-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice is celebrated by Grand River Community I Kitchener and Waterloo as a major holiday on July 20-24. The majority of family and friends attended the Eid al-Adha prayers in Grand River Cultural Center.

People usually wear new clothes and some exchange gifts while children are entertained and participated a Kahoot competition to explain the meaning and importance of Eid al-Adha. Moreover, high schoolers had conversations about the festivity and organized a small soccer tournament which the winners awarded by amazon gift cards and medals.

When asked about the origin of Eid al-Adha, The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, is reported to have said, “It is a tradition that has come down to us from Abraham.”

The Feast of Sacrifice dates from the historic event when Prophet Abraham was commanded by God, in a form of a dream vision, to sacrifice his son, Ismail. But while he was in the act of sacrificing his son, God sent the Angel Gabriel with a huge ram. Gabriel informed Abraham that his dream vision was fulfilled and instructed him to sacrifice the ram as a ransom for his son. The story is mentioned in Chapter #37 of the Holy Qur'an.

Eid al-Adha enjoys special significance because the Day of Sacrifice marks the climax of Hajj or Pilgrimage, the fifth pillar of Islam. This annual pilgrimage to Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia is an obligation only for those men and women who are physically and financially able to perform it once in their lifetime.

When looking for summer activities for their kids, guardians today are confronted with a fantastic abundance of choices and CTFC offers a variety of programs to ensure we meet the needs and interests of the camper. Programs range from academic, arts and science, to sports, swimming lessons, leadership, outdoor adventure and more!

An extensive lot of these choices depict themselves as "camp": sports camps, expressions camps, school camps, and, obviously, the universal "day camps." We know that everyone should go camping. However, if, as stated, the default idea of the camp experience is traditional resident camp, many families face a problem: the separation and independence required of a camper for even a one- or two-week resident program may be too high of a hurdle for the child or the parents.

Summer Day Camp offers new practices, skill-building, a sense of community and lasting friendships — in conservation and urban settings while allowing campers to return home each evening. Camp parents are often surprised with their child’s growth during an experience at camp, and a nightly look at the positive impact camp has given one’s child is rewarding for any parent.