Cattle feed in a field in Golden Bay, South Island, New Zealand March 29, 2016. REUTERS/Henning Gloystein/File Photo
New Zealand's last exports of livestock by sea have been completed and live exports have ceased, its agriculture minister said on Friday, as it fully implemented a ban on export shipments of animals on the grounds of their welfare.
The government announced in 2021 that shipping animals offshore, largely for building herds in trading partners like China, would be halted but farmers would be given two years to transition out of the profitable export business.
"Our position on the map means that the journey to northern hemisphere markets will always be a long one and this brings unavoidable animal welfare challenges," Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor said in a statement announcing that live exports had ceased.
Live exports by sea have contributed about 0.32% of New Zealand’s primary sector export revenue, which includes farming and mining, since 2015.
The total value of live animal exports in 2022 was NZ$524 million ($322.78 million).
New Zealand said in 2020 it was reviewing live exports when it introduced interim measures following the capsizing of a ship bound for China that killed nearly 6,000 cows and 41 of the 43 crew members.
Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his Eid al-Fitr greetings to Russian Muslims on Friday and praised the contribution of Muslim organizations to maintaining dialogue between ethnicities and religions.
"This holiday, which is especially revered by Muslims across the globe and marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, bears an important spiritual meaning as it embodies people’s aspirations to achieve moral progress, show mercy and feel compassion," reads Putin’s message posted on the website of Russia’s Spiritual Assembly of Muslims.
"It is with great satisfaction that I note how the adherents of Islam in our country show deep respect for their centuries-old paternal, historical, religious and cultural traditions, and that they are introducing the youth to (these traditions)," Putin added.
According to the Russian president, the Muslim Ummah (the Arabic word for "community" - TASS) has been leading an exemplary life of good deeds and benevolent undertakings. "It has been actively developing interaction with public and social organizations while tirelessly paying attention to educational and charitable initiatives," Putin maintained.
The head of state also highlighted the role of Muslim fighters in the special military operation, who he said have been protecting Russia, taking part in combat operations with courage and displaying admirable esprit de corps. Putin also praised the valuable contribution of Muslim organizations to maintaining interethnic and interreligious communication and the patriotic education of Russia’s next generation.
Masjid Istiqlal, Jakarta Pusat kembali menyelenggarakan salat Idul Fitri 2023, sebagaimana hasil dari pemerintah dalam Sidang Isbat yang resmi menetapkan Hari Raya Idul Fitri jatuh pada esok hari, 22/04/2023. Berikut sejumlah persiapannya.
Berbagai persiapan pun dilakukan pengelola Masjid Istiqlal untuk menyambut puluhan ribu umat Muslim yang akan melakukan salat Id di masjid terbesar di Asia Tenggara tersebut.
Guna menunjang penyelenggaraan salat Idul Fitri, petugas keamanan dan pengurus Masjid Istiqlal telah menyiapkan akses pintu masuk dan kantong-kantong parkir di sekitar area masjid.
Bagi para warga yang hendak melaksanakan salat Id di Masjid Istiqlal, diimbau untuk datang sebelum Subuh sebab bagian dalam masjid Istiqlal sudah dipenuhi jemaah sejak pukul 05.00 pagi.
Pengelola Masjid Istiqlal mulai mempersiapkan lokasi salat Idul Fitri alias salat Ied. Kepala Bagian Hubungan Masyarakat dan SDM Masjid Istiqlal Ismail Cawidu mengatakan, pihaknya telah menyiapkan 70 orang untuk mengamankan salat Ied besok.
Ismail Chawidu selaku Kabag Umum dan Humas MAsjid Istiqlal menjelaskan sejumlah persiapan yang telah dimatangkan oleh pihaknya meliputi sejumlah agenda yang dimana pada malam hari ini, 21/04/2023, terdapat gelaran takbir nasional bersama Kementerian Agama (Kemenag).
Persiapan untuk salat Idul Fitri esok hari pun pihaknya telah menyiapkan ketersediaan tempat yang dimana kapasitas Masjid Istiqlal tersebut dapat menampung sekitar 200.000 jemaah.
Sejumlah upaya pengaman juga dikerahkan demi kelancaran ibadah salat Idul Fitri tahun ini, sekitar 70 personel Kodim akan bersiaga di sekitaran area Masjid Istiqlal.
Diketahui, imam yang akan memimpin salat Idul Fitri esok hari yaitu Imam Ahmad Muzakkir Abdurrahman dan Profesor Asep Saepudin Jahar sebagai khatib dalam pelaksanaan salat Idul Fitri besok, 22/4/2023.
“Dari segi aspek pengamanan, kami sendiri di Istiqlal ada 70 orang pengamanan kami. Nanti di-support sama kepolisian dari Sawah Besar dan Kodim, itu sudah saya pastikan,” kata dia saat ditemui Tempo di Masjid Istiqlal, Jakarta Pusat, Jumat, 21 April 2023.
Menurut Ismail, dirinya akan mengkonfirmasi ulang kehadiran Duta Besar dan Wakil Menteri yang rencananya salat Ied di Istiqlal. Sore ini, pengurus masjid baru menggelar rapat dengan Kementerian Agama.
Ismail menambahkan sudah ada Pasukan Pengamanan Presiden atau Paspampres yang meninjau Masjid Istiqlal. Akan tetapi, belum bisa dipastikan agenda Presiden Joko Widodo alias Jokowi di Istiqlal besok.
“Kemudian kemarin juga sudah ada dari pasukan pengamanan presiden yang datang ke sini untuk meninjau lokasi,” ucapnya.
Masjid Istiqlal dapat menampung jemaah salat Ied hingga 200 ribu orang. Angka ini adalah kuota penuh Istiqlal hingga ke sisi selasar dan lantai lima masjid.
Pengurus masjid, tutur Ismail, juga tak menetapkan syarat khusus kepada jemaah mengingat kebijakan Pemberlakuan Pembatasan Kegiatan Masyarakat (PPKM) sudah dicabut. Meski demikian, dia tetap mengimbau masyarakat untuk memakai masker saat gelaran salat Ied.
“Karena kita sudah tidak ada lagi PPKM, maka kami tidak melakukan pembatasan kepada masyarakat yang akan melaksanakan ibadah di Masjid Istiqlal. Cuma tetap kami mengimbau supaya membawa masker,” ujarnya
Wali Kota Bogor, Bima Arya saat meninjau langsung Jembatan Otista di Jalan Otista Kota Bogor. FotoL Adi Wirman/pojokbogor.com
Pemerintah Kota Bogor telah memustukanbakan menutup Jalan Otto Iskandar Dinata (Otista) pada tanggal 1 Mei 2023.
Penutupan Jalan Otistas dilakukan terkait adanya pembangunan Jembatan Otista yang akan dilakukan setelah lebaran nanti.
Jembatan Otista ini adalah salah satu titik kemacetan di Kota Bogor yang diilustrasikan seperti leher botol sehingga terjadi bottlenecking.
Rencananya, jalan akan ditutup karena pembangunan fisik mulai 1 Mei hingga 8 Desember 2023.
Untuk mengatasi itu, Wali Kota Bogor Bima Arya menyampaikan berdasarkan kajian maka tidak ada pilihan lain kecuali melebarkan Jembatan Otista untuk melancarkan arus lalu lintas.
Awalnya, pelebaran jembatan Otista ini dijadwalkan dilakukan pada 2021 lalu.
Tapi ditunda karena ada proses rasionalisasi sehubungan dengan sumber bantuan berasal dari dana bantuan keuangan Provinsi Jawa Barat.
“Jadi, waktu itu sudah akan dilakukan, tetapi karena terjadi rasionalisasi maka ditunda. Dan alhamdulillah tahun ini diselenggarakan kegiatan tersebut,” ujar Bima Arya, hari Kamis, 20/04/2023.
Pembangunan jembatan Otista ini bersumber dari dana bantuan keuangan Provinsi Jawa Barat dengan nilai Rp 49.066.819.311 tahun anggaran 2023 yang sudah dilelang dan dimenangkan PT Mina Fajar Abadi dengan masa kerja 235 hari kalender.
“Sempat ada masa sanggah sekali, tapi tidak berlanjut pada masa sanggah banding. Jadi prosesnya sudah sesuai menurut hukum dan sudah dilakukan penandatanganan kontrak dengan pemkot,” jelasnya.
Saat ini, lanjut Bima Arya, kegiatan sudah resmi dimulai sejak 18 April 2023 dan sudah dilakukan rapat koordinasi teknis pengerjaan.
Saudi youth dance as they celebrate Eid Al-Fitr in Riyadh. (Reuters/File)
There are many popular Eid Al-Fitr traditions among the people of Saudi Arabia. Some like to hand out sweets to children, for example, while others exchange gifts. One of the most common is for families to get together on Eid morning for a special breakfast.
This is no normal morning snack, it is a veritable feast many families enjoy together after returning from the early-morning Eid prayers. In some places, such as Hail in northern Saudi Arabia, families share their Eid breakfast with neighbors, either by inviting them into their homes or joining together for an outdoor street party, complete with seasonal decorations and carpets, for which each family prepares food to share.
In the Kingdom’s central region, and some other areas, families typically cook mufattah, a traditional meat dish reserved for special occasions such as weddings or the Eid holiday. Although only eaten once or twice a year, it is highly popular in Saudi Arabia and usually made with lamb.
Asim Alotaibi, the owner of Asim’s farm, a butcher’s shop in the Alnarjis neighborhood of northern Riyadh, said: “The animal itself should be clean and healthy. At our farm, we feed our animals grass and barley. The animal can either be young or old; therefore the taste of the meat differs according to the age of the animal.
“The most important thing to me is the quality of meat, and you won’t fully know how good of a quality your product is unless you fed the animal yourself, you managed the process of feeding the animal, and know exactly what your animal is eating.”
Alotaibi said his shop specializes in locally reared lamb and wild camel meat. He owns his own farm in the desert outside of Riyadh, where he said it is important the animals, especially camels, are able to roam free and graze naturally.
This style of organic, free range farming has its challenges, however. Alotaibi told Arab News that it means livestock is more vulnerable to theft, for example, and on one occasion he lost 120 sheep to thieves while his business was preparing delivery orders for a large number of customers a week or two before Eid.
When asked what people should look for when buying meat, Alotaibi said that the way it has been prepared and stored is no less important that the initial quality of the meat itself. Often, people look for what they think is the freshest meat at their local grocery store without paying any attention to how it has been stored, he added.
Khalil Mohammed, a butcher at a supermarket in northern Riyadh, explained how he ensures meat remains at its best.
“We first wash the meat immediately after we skin the lamb,” he said. “Then we wrap the meat in a white cloth. After that, the meat must be stored in refrigerators in cool temperatures ranging from 0 to 5 degrees Celsius.”
He said that storage temperature is key to ensuring the quality of the meat remains high. The lower the temperature, the better the chance it will remain fresh and flavorful for longer.
In terms of the quality of the meat itself, Mohammed said that “the ratio of meat to fat matters,” along with the quality of veterinary care the animals receive.
“The animal must be examined by the veterinarian before it is slaughtered, to ensure it is healthy,” he explained.
Eid Al-Fitr, which begins on Friday in Saudi Arabia, marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the start of three days of celebrations and family gatherings.
Eid Al-Fitr prayer proves to be a memorable and heartfelt affair for Saudi residents
As Muslims across the globe prepare to celebrate the first of two eids on the Muslim calendar, many initiate the day’s festivities with a morning prayer.
Muslims pray at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah during the last hours of fasting on Thursday. (SPA)
The Eid Al-Fitr prayer has long surpassed its type as a sunnah (an action of the Prophet Muhammad) and positioned itself, emotionally, as a fardh (obligatory act) in the hearts of Muslims around the world and across the Kingdom.
Abdullah Hajjaj’s family stays up all night on the eve of Eid Al-Fitr for the sweet reclamation of morning coffee after a month of abstinence during Ramadan. He gets together with members of his father’s side of the family for the caffeine boost, handing out chocolates and taking photos, just before heading off to perform Fajr prayer, followed by the Eid Al-Fitr prayer.
Originally hailing from Madinah, their usual destination was the Prophet’s Mosque, but due to the congestion of crowds and difficulties in coordination and reaching the location, they now perform the two prayers in Al-Qiblatain mosque.
Muslims pray at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah during the last hours of fasting on Thursday. (SPA)
He told Arab News: “Praying at Al-Qiblatain doesn’t feel too different as long as we go there together as a family.”
“Later after prayer, we go back to my uncle’s house for breakfast. This has been a tradition in our family for over 40 years, since the days of my grandparents, God rest their souls,” he said.
Hajjaj recalls the morning breakfasts he would enjoy with family, composed of recipes passed down from his grandparents. As the sun rises before prayer, the sounds of Eid Takbeer, the act of chanting the name of Allah in unison, echo in the wind, creating a feeling of joy and harmony among the people.
Continuing this routine even though the prayer is not an obligatory religious act means continuing over four decades of family tradition. It is not only an act of faith, but a declaration of a strong familial bond.
Muslims pray at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah during the last hours of fasting on Thursday. (SPA)
“Being originally from Madinah, the home of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), we always follow his teachings and try to pass them to the next generations. By praying together, we ensure this tradition is kept intact,” Hajjaj said.
Riyadh-based Atheer Al-Khudairi’s family arrives at the local neighborhood mosque already dressed to the nines in their Eid clothing. They hand out eidi, or money, and candy to the children and say hello to the neighbors just before prayer commences.
She told Arab News: “You can sense the energy in the air during Eid prayers. Everyone’s happy and celebrating…There’s always a cool wind in the morning. Everyone’s on good vibes.
She told Arab News: “You can sense the energy in the air during Eid prayers. Everyone’s happy and celebrating…There’s always a cool wind in the morning. Everyone’s on good vibes.
“This is what makes us feel like Eid has started. Before and after prayer, we start sending out texts and making calls to our family and friends.”
Afterward, they return home for a potluck breakfast with contributions from aunts and uncles, just before sinking into a “food coma” for the rest of the afternoon. She recalls her mother bringing the latest trending dish trend to the table, such as cheese platters and “the circle of happiness,” a dish made with Halloumi cheese, vegetables, eggs, and mugalgal meat all laid out in rings.
Former Jeddah resident Shaima Shamsi’s festivities began as soon as Eid Al-Fitr was announced. The day the holiday falls on is tentative, with each region confirming its celebration day with the sighting of the moon.
The night before, her mother would lay out the milk, cream, Indian vermicelli, dates, nuts, and spices, to start preparing sheer khurma — an indication that Eid is just a sunrise away. While the parents would go to bed after a rushed night of errands and last-minute preparations, the children stayed up in anticipation.
Al-Amoudi Mosque in Jeddah’s Al-Khalidiyyah district was the destination of their loved ones.
Shamsi told Arab News: “Everybody would go to that mosque as well, so it was a collective decision where you begin your Eid by being around people who are important to you, all doing the same thing.
“There were sweets given out throughout the mosque. Little girls and boys all dressed up in their adorable dresses and thobes, everybody wearing their most beautiful abayas. There’s a calmness in the entire room that I feel like I remember very clearly.”
As a child, expecting abundant goodie bags, sweets, and small amounts of money made the whole affair worth the wait.
“As I grew older, it was nice to take those chocolates and give them out to younger kids, so we always went to the mosque with something as well,” Shamsi said.
After coming back from Eid prayer, breakfast was served at home in the company of their closest neighbors, followed by an afternoon nap in preparation for the night’s official celebrations.
Keeping up with these small traditions is part of embracing community, she believes. “Coming together is what makes it so memorable.”
Majelis Tarjih dan Tajdid Pimpinan Pusat Muhammadiyah melaksanakan Sholat Idul Fitri 1444 Hijriah hari ini. Gedung Pimpinan Pusat (PP) Muhammadiyah, Menteng, Jakarta Pusat menjadi salah satu tempat penyelenggaraan Sholat Ied pada hari Jumat ini, 21/04/2023. (Liputan6.com/Winda Nelfira)
Majelis Tarjih dan Tajdid Pimpinan Pusat Muhammadiyah melaksanakan Sholat Idul Fitri 1444 Hijriah hari ini. Gedung Pimpinan Pusat (PP) Muhammadiyah, Menteng, Jakarta Pusat menjadi salah satu tempat penyelenggaraan Sholat Ied pada hari Jumat pagi ini, 21/04/2023.
Dari pantaun, jamaah telah memenuhi Gedung Pusat Dakwah Muhammadiyah. Barisan shaf sholat Id pun nampak membludak hingga gerbang luar gedung.
Satu sisi jalan persis depan gedung PP Muhammadiyah menuju Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan juga telah ditutup aksesnya bagi pengendara untuk dijadikan tempat bagi jamaah untuk melaksanakan sholat. Sejumlah petugas kepolisian pun berjaga di luar gedung.
Dikelola Ta’mir Masjid At Tanwir Pimpinan Pusat Muhammadiyah, Sholat Ied diimami Muhammad Choirin. Sholat dimulai sekitar pukul 6.40 WIB.
Selain itu, anggota pimpinan Majelis Tabligh PP Muhammadiyah yang juga dosen Fakultas Agama Islam Universitas Muhammadiyah Jakarta ini juga bertindak sebagai khotib Sholat Id.
Diketahui, penetapan Hari Raya Idul Fitri pada 2023 ini berbeda antara pemerintah dan Muhammadiyah. Pemerintah menetapkan Hari Raya Idul Fitri pada Sabtu, 22 April 2023 besok.
Keputusan itu disampaikan langsung oleh Menteri Agama, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas usai mengikuti Sidang Isbat yang berlangsung di Kantor Kementerian Agama, Kamis 20 April 2023.
Pada Idul Fitri kali ini, Masjid Gedhe Kauman Yogyakarta hanya menyelenggarakan Sholat Ied satu kali pada hari ini. Sedangkan besok hari Sabtu, 22/4/2023, takmir tidak mempersiapkannya.
"Karena keyakinan mereka memang bahwa hari inilah 1 Syawal dan sudah tidak bukan bulan Ramadhan lagi. Jadi memang kita persiapkan hanya sekali ini saja," ungkapnya
Dijelaskan Azman, penentuan Sholat Idulfitri pada hari ini berdasarkan Hisab Wujudul Hilal yang diyakini oleh Muhammadiyah. Termasuk oleh beberapa negara lain yang sebagian besar melaksanakan Shalat Ied pada hari ini.
Ia menyebut hanya sebagian kecil saja yang merayakan Idul Fitri pada hari Sabtu esok.
"Terlepas dari itu semuanya memang secara Hisab hari ini memang sudah masuk 1 Syawal 1444 Hijriah, dan kita selenggarakan Shalat Idul Fitri pada hari ini," ujarnya.
Meski demikian, Azman tidak mempermasalahkan perbedaan penentuan 1 Syawal 1444 H antara Muhammadiyah dan pemerintah. Sehingga jika ada masyarakat yang baru merayakan Idulfitri pada esok hari, ia menyebut tidak masalah.
Sebab menurutnya, persoalan keyakinan itu tidak bisa diatur oleh siapapun. Baik Muhammadiyah dan pemerintah sama-sama memiliki dalil yang shahih untuk menentukan awal bulan Syawal.
"Kita yakini bahwa semuanya ini memiliki dalil-dalil yang shahih juga, artinya baik yang beridulfitri hari ini ataupun yang beridulfitri besok pagi itu tidak masalah, semuanya benar, tinggal kemudian keyakinan kita masing-masing meyakini hari ini atau besok pagi," bebernya.
Seperti diketahui, Muhammadiyah telah menetapkan Hari Raya Idulfitri 1 Syawal 1444 H jatuh pada Jumat, 21 April 2023. Sedangkan pemerintah memutuskan 1 Syawal 1444 H jatuh pada hari Sabtu, (22/4/2023).
Ribuan jamaah Muhammadiyah Tanjungpinang gelar shalat Idul Fitri
Ribuan jamaah Muhammadiyah Kota Tanjungpinang, Kepulauan Riau (Kepri), menggelar shalat Idul Fitri 1444 Hijriah/2023 Masehi di lapangan Masjid At-Taqwa Qauman Muhammadiyah, Jalan Raja Haji Fisabilillah, Kilometer 8.
"Ada sekitar 6.000 jamaah dari Tanjungpinang dan Bintan bergabung shalat Idul Fitri pada hari ini," kata Sekretaris Muhammdiyah Kota Tanjungpinang Delwi Jon Sanre, Jumat.
Ia menyebut shalat Idul Fitri 1444 Hijriah digelar sesuai maklumat dari Pengurus Pusat Muhammadiyah yang menetapkan bahwa 1 Syawal 1444 Hijriah jatuh pada tanggal 21 April 2023.
Menurutnya pelaksanaan shalat Idul Fitri di lingkungan Muhammadiyah Tanjungpinang pada tahun ini dipusatkan di Masjid At-Taqwa Qauman, satu-satunya masjid Muhammadiyah di pusat ibu kota Provinsi Kepri tersebut.
"Tahun ini, antusiasme jamaah shalat Idul Fitri sangat luar biasa. Meningkat tajam dibanding tahun lalu," ujarnya.
Ia berharap momentum hari raya Idul Fitri 1444 Hijriah menjadi ajang untuk memupuk persaudaraan antarsesama, menumbuhkan toleransi sosial, meningkatkan silaturahmi, serta memperbanyak amal saleh setelah sebulan berpuasa di bulan Ramadhan.
"Mari saling maaf dan memaafkan. Jadikan setiap perbedaan sebagai kekuatan untuk merajut persatuan," ucapnya.
Sementara itu, seorang jamaah Muhammdiyah Friska mengaku yakin dengan penetapan jadwal salat Idul Fitri yang dilaksanakan pada tanggal 21 April 2023.
"Selain terafiliasi dengan Muhammadiyah, saya yakin hari ini adalah 1 Syawal 1444 Hijriah" ujarnya.
Ia mengutarakan sehari sebelum 1 Syawal, berbagai persiapan sudah dilakukan, mulai dari menata rumah, menyiapkan aneka kue Lebaran, hingga masak lontong dan rendang untuk santapan pagi hari raya.
"Kebetulan tahun ini tidak mudik ke kampung halaman. Lebarannya di Tanjungpinang," ucap Friska.
Pelaksanaan shalat Idul Fitri di di lapangan Masjid At-Taqwa Qauman Muhammadiyah Tanjungpinang mulai digelar sekitar pukul 07.15 WIB. Bertindak sebagai Khatib Buya Amril, dan Imam Muhammad Risky.
