Three Muslim Americans were murdered on Tuesday in a University of North Carolina dorm room. The crime came on the heels of recent anti-Muslim attacks in Europe, carried out in apparent response to the January murders (committed by Muslims) of Charlie Hebdo journalists in Paris.

Western media outlets will likely frame the most recent perpetrator of what some speculate is an anti-Muslim crime in the same way they frame most anti-Muslim criminals - as crazed, misguided bigots who acted alone. If past coverage is any indication, there will likely be very little suggestion that the killer acted on the basis of an ideology or as part of any larger pattern or system.

But what if acts of anti-Muslim violence are consistent with at least some strands of current western ideology? What if Islamophobia has become so commonplace, so accepted, that it now represents a hegemonic system of thought, at least for relatively large pockets of people in some regions of the West?

Shafi Khan, friend of the students killed near UNC, speaks to CNN's Brooke Baldwin about their character and their service-oriented lives:

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The Australian Principals Federation is warning that teachers and principals are struggling with extremism among both students and their parents.

Sarah Sedghi reports for ABC's The World Today:

SARAH SEDGHI: The Australian Government suspects that more than 150 Australians have been involved with extremists in the Middle East.

Community leaders, authorities and educators are working to try and ensuring that vulnerable youth in Australia do not become part of the problem.

Dr Hass Dellal is the executive director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation, which runs government-funded Muslim youth leadership and peer mentoring programs.

HASS DELLAL: We've been currently running a program the last six, seven months on building resilience program, which basically is a training manual to help build that resilience.

But the purpose of the manual is to help identify changing behaviours and increasing intensities of behaviour which may indicate that a person may be at risk or vulnerable to extremist or anti-social behaviour by looking at their social relations, ideological shifts or criminal orientation, and at what point you notice these changes or intensities and when do you actually become concerned or when is it notable and when does it really require attention.

SARAH SEDGHI: Dr Dellal says it's important to reach youth who are vulnerable to extremism, and the wider community who need to recognise this and intervene in time.

HASS DELLAL: So the idea of this program is to be able to understand those key behavioural categories, whether it's in their social relations which deals with changes that occur in their behaviours, as a result grief, loss, discrimination, alienation, also this could include isolation from family, peer group or community.

Then, you know there could be an ideological shift where there's a change in personal beliefs in general, embracing narratives in views and beliefs that diverge from main cultural mainstream.

And there could be, you know, criminal orientation which involves adopting those beliefs that support violent criminal methods.

SARAH SEDGHI: But with school students susceptible to radicalisation, it's an issue also confronting educators.

Peter Kearney is the president of the Victorian branch of the Australian Principals Federation.

PETER KEARNEY: The observations are clear, our observations, and they come to me from schools and principals.

It's about the fact that we in schools try always to communalize schools, we try make them communities.

What you're actually getting right now is there's a number of kids who, through extreme behaviours and extreme non-compliance or whatever, and it's endorsed by their parents because they need to have a strength of character and whatever.

SARAH SEDGHI: The federal branch of the Australian Principals Federation says it will look into these concerns.

Fairfax media has reported that one Melbourne-based principal says two children at his school have parents fighting in Syria with the so-called Islamic State.

Peter Kearney has welcomed the State Government's move to appoint an advisor who will focus on racial and religious tolerance and social cohesion in schools.

He says the extra support could help teachers and principals.

PETER KEARNEY: They probably need support and some help and some guidance on that.

The Victorian Government, the new Victorian Government is trying to set up a unit on radicalisation to actually give people strategies, to how to strategically engage with these people and bring about the social cohesions that we're after.

We need to give this a chance to work and we need to work it over. I don't think we know what it looks like yet.

SARAH SEDGHI: The Australian Multicultural Foundation is also looking at how to stop the use of the internet as a tool for radicalisation.

Dr Hass Delal says prevention is a job for the whole community, from schools to families.

HASS DELLAL: We have developed a program to build capacity and empower mothers by providing them with skills and knowledge in the use of computers, to be able to navigate websites where radicalisation can occur.

It'll identify strategies for the use of the computer in the family and ensure then can engage in safe online activity as well as identify websites that provide alternative narratives to engage family members as they play that, you know, vital key role.

I think mothers are often neglected in the implementation of strategies to combat extreme forms of radicalisation and violent extremism.

However, you know, they're also the trusted anchors within many of the homes and are often the first to recognise any changes in their children's behaviour, and therefore I believe, you know, have a greater influence than even sometimes schools or others.

So we need to empower and give them the capacity to get them involved and be part of this.

Source: ABC

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NEW YORK (RNS) The conservative Twitterverse is all riled up because at Thursday’s (Feb. 5) National Prayer Breakfast (an event founded and run by the secretive Christian organization known as The Fellowship), President Obama said that Christians, as well as Muslims, have at times committed atrocities. His words:

“Humanity has been grappling with these questions throughout human history. And lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ. In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ.”

This would seem to be Religious History 101, but it was nonetheless met with shock and awe.

“Hey, American Christians–Obama just threw you under the bus in order to defend Islam,” wrote shock jock Michael Graham. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., called the comments “dangerously irresponsible.” The Catholic League’s Bill Donohue said: “Obama’s ignorance is astounding and his comparison is pernicious. The Crusades were a defensive Christian reaction against Muslim madmen of the Middle Ages.”

More thoughtfully, Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, called Obama’s comments about Christianity “an unfortunate attempt at a wrongheaded moral comparison. … The evil actions that he mentioned were clearly outside the moral parameters of Christianity itself and were met with overwhelming moral opposition from Christians.”

Really?
 

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Use this form to report to the National Security Hotline any material that you’ve found on the internet that is violent extremist in nature or could encourage radicalisation towards violence.

This form will only take a few minutes to complete and reports can be made anonymously.

Extremist material online could include:

■ articles, images, speeches or videos that encourage hate or violence
■ statements or posts made on social media, chat rooms or blogs that encourage hate or violence
■ content encouraging people to commit acts of terrorism
■ websites created or hosted by terrorist organisations
■ terrorist training materials
■ suspicious content regarding use or sale of chemicals online
■ videos or images of terrorist attacks

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Jacqui Lambie is threatening to introduce a private senator's bill to stop what she believes is "halal money" funding terrorist group Islamic State.

In a late-night address to the upper house on Tuesday, the outspoken independent senator questioned whether halal certification funds militants in Syria and Iraq.

She said she was prompted to look into the issue after receiving hundreds of emails from concerned residents.

A study the Tasmanian senator commissioned the parliamentary library to examine exposed some "surprising facts" that alarmed her.

Certifiers are not legally required to disclose their fees, nor is there a formal reporting or auditing system to ascertain whether funds are being misused, she says.

"Given that our enemies in Islamic State are receiving a steady cashflow to control their caliphate in Syria and Iraq, why isn't there a legal requirement in Australia for halal certification fees to be disclosed?" Senator Lambie said.

"And given that our nation is on high terrorism alert, while hundreds of Australian Islamic State sympathisers are fighting our ADF forces in Iraq, why is there is no formal reporting or auditing mechanism in Australia to ascertain whether monies paid for halal certification are misused?"

Senator Lambie warned if the government failed to answer her questions, she would introduce legislation to close such "legal loopholes".

"(The loopholes) could allow financing of terrorists and Australia's enemies through halal money," she said.

She's not the first politician to raise the issue.

Nationals MP George Christensen last year wrote an opinion piece suggesting consumers who bought halal products could be funding Islamic extremism.
 

Source: SMH

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New South Wales supreme court to hear case brought by head of Halal Certification Authority against Q Society and activist Kirralie Smith

A prominent anti-halal campaigner and the “Islam-critical” Q Society are being sued for defamation over their claims the Islamic certification industry is corrupt and funds “the push for sharia law in Australia”.

Mohammed El-Mouelhy, the head of one of Australia’s largest certifiers, Halal Certification Authority, began proceedings in the New South Wales supreme court last month against senior members of the Melbourne-based Q Society and Kirralie Smith, who runs the website HalalChoices.

The statement of claim alleges that two videos featuring Smith, one recorded at a Q Society event, portray El-Mouelhy as “part of a conspiracy to destroy Western civilisation from within” and “reasonably suspected of providing financial support to terrorist organisations”.

He also claims that Smith alleges in one of the videos that El Mouelhy once accepted the fee to certify a company without carrying out an inspection and that he conducts his business in a “dishonest manner”.

El Mouelhy is named in both videos and Smith makes specific allegations about his conduct. His company’s logo flashes on screen in the first clip, a slick 32-minute explainer of Smith’s concerns with halal certification that has been viewed more than 60,000 times.

The landmark case could have implications for the anti-halal movement in Australia, which briefly became prominent last November when a South Australian dairy company came under pressure from anti-halal activists and ditched its Islamic certification – at the cost of a $50,000 contract.

Smith’s website, which outlines her concerns with halal certification and provides lists of certified products, is a lightning rod for the movement, which despite an active online presence has done little to persuade major food manufacturers to forgo halal fees.
The halal food industry is worth about $2.3tn worldwide and halal exports account for about two-thirds of Australia’s $10bn food export market.

The Australian Crime Commission, which last year completed an investigation into money laundering in Australia, has said it is “not aware of any direct links” between the industry and violent extremist groups.

The Q Society organised for Dutch firebrand MP Geert Wilders to tour Australia in 2013 and regularly holds events warning of the “Islamisation” of Australian society. It has links to the Reverend Fred Nile’s Christian Democratic party.

Q Society board members Debbie Robinson, Peter Callaghan and Ralf Schumann are also named in the suit, as is YouTube, which hosts the two videos.

El Mouelhy, who has run his Halal Certification Authority for more than two decades, said he brought the action because his integrity had been attacked.

“I don’t like anybody to malign me, I’m an honest person and I don’t see why anybody should say these things,” he said.

Robinson declined to comment, citing legal advice. Smith also did not comment on the case, but told Guardian Australia her website “is about providing information to consumers so they can make a choice”.

A directions hearing in the defamation case is scheduled for 20 February.

Late on Tuesday the independent senator Jacqui Lambie threatened to introduce a private senator’s bill to stop what she believes is “halal money” funding Islamic State.

Addressing the upper house Lambie questioned whether halal certification funded militants in Syria and Iraq. She said she was prompted to look into the issue after receiving hundreds of emails from concerned residents.

A study the Tasmanian senator commissioned from the parliamentary library exposed some “surprising facts” that alarmed her.

Certifiers were not legally required to disclose their fees, nor was there a formal reporting or auditing system to ascertain whether funds were being misused, she said.

“Given that our enemies in Islamic State are receiving a steady cashflow to control their caliphate in Syria and Iraq, why isn’t there a legal requirement in Australia for halal certification fees to be disclosed?” Lambie said.

Lambie said if the government failed to answer her questions, she would introduce legislation to close such “legal loopholes”.
 

Source: The Guardian

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'Reclaim Australia’ is the name given to a series of public rallies planned for Saturday, April 4 It is a campaign promoting anti-Muslim protests and will bring together a wide range of Islamophobic individuals and organisations.

Reclaim Australia is spearheaded by Shermon Burgess (aka ‘The Great Aussie Patriot’ aka ‘Eureka Brigade’). Burgess has previously claimed to be a member of the ADL (and has the t-shirt to prove it) and while rejecting the notion that he is a racist or fascist, has also celebrated the deaths of asylum seekers at sea and encouraged a member of the Australian Navy, Jamie Patton, to murder asylum seekers arriving by boat — on the basis that they are ‘Muslim rapists and terrorists’.

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Only 0.6% of the population in the United States is Muslim.

Most of us in the 99% haven't even held a Quran in our hands.

Yet, remarkably, we are a country full of Islamic experts; many of whom are self-professed Christians.

From Facebook to cable news to talk radio, we're a nation swarming with folks convinced they know what Islam is really about and we've got verses from the Quran to prove it.

Armed with these contextless passages from a book we've never read and know nothing about about, we beat the drums of war and sanctify our hatred. Not simply against ISIS, but against anyone of a different skin color who reads the Quran and worships at a mosque.

But here's the thing....

If we cherry-pick verses from the Bible the way we cherry-pick verses from the Quran, we can "read" the Bible exactly like we "read" the Quran and come to the exact same conclusions about Christianity that we do about Islam being a religion of hate, violence, and oppression.

For example, Deuteronomy 3:3-7, Joshua 6:20-21, and 1 Samuel 15:3 all sanction the genocide of infidels. 1 Kings 18:40 is clear that we should also kill the infidel leaders of other religions. Exodus 21:1-11 gives us the go-ahead to own slaves. But not just any slaves. Need a little extra money? Exodus 21:7 suggests selling your daughter as a sex slave. And if we really want to prove to God that we submit to His will, Judges 11:29-40 tells us that sacrificing our children is a justified way to demonstrate our faithfulness.

But we shouldn't stop there.

The Bible also offers it's own version Sharia Law.

Do your children talk back to you? Well, Leviticus 20:9 is clear about what should be done: put them to death. Has someone in your community sinned with their hands? Mark 9:43 says chop their hands off. Did they sin with their eyes? Matthew 18:9 says gouge them out.

And let's not forget about women and their biblically approved second-class citizenship. We've got 1 Corinthians 14:34, Ephesians 5:22, and Colossians 3:18 to keep women silent, in their place, and subordinate to men. Oh, and 1 Corinthians 11:6 is clear that women need to keep their heads covered lest they make a disgrace of themselves.

2 Corinthians 6:14 is a great reminder to have nothing to do with the infidel. And just in case you were still feeling timid about that whole owning other human beings thing, Colossians 3:22, Ephesians 6:5, and 1 Peter 2:18 offer all the justification you need to keep your slaves in line.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg of verses that bear a striking resemblance to the passages we rip out of the Quran to denounce Islam.

"But Zack," you say, "The Law doesn't apply anymore! And you're taking those verses out of context anyway. That's not what Christianity and the Bible are really about. In fact, what you're saying is completely contrary to the gospel!"

I couldn't agree more.

But why is it ok for us to do the same thing with the Quran and then denounce Islam as fundamentally a religion of hate, violence, and oppression based on a handful of verses somebody posted on Facebook or broadcasted on cable news?

Now, don't get me wrong.

By no means am I trying to defend groups like ISIS, Al Qaeda, or Boko Haram. Their actions are reprehensible and indefensible. (Important note: even though we are often led to believe otherwise, they are being roundly condemned by the Muslim world for their violent perversion of Islam.)

However, we increasingly use our justified contempt of the actions of these groups that pervert Islam to justify our own hate for all Muslims regardless of what they themselves think about those terrorist organizations.

Instead of taking the time to actually read the Quran ourselves and listen to faithful Muslims tell us what their faith is actually about, we've allowed ourselves to buy into the hate-filled lies of fear-mongers on the Internet, cable news, talk radio, and even the pulpit. We cling to the cherry-picked verses they throw out from a book they've never read and rally around the converted outliers they parade out to confirm our suspicions of a secret Muslim conspiracy to take over the world.

But no matter how suspicious about Islam or rightfully angry at ISIS we might be, we can't ignore the fact that the vast majority of the Muslim world rejects ISIS as a perversion of Islam and then continue to claim that ISIS is true Islam. That would be like saying the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan represent true Christianity simply because they claim they do and we've found some verses from the Bible that prove it.

I'm not saying there aren't problematic passages in the Quran. There are, but there are just as many in the Bible. However, if we took the time to actually read the Quran, we would discover that like the Bible, there are just as many good verses in the Quran that speak of the same sort of love, justice, and grace we in the Church hold so dear.

 

Unfortunately, we have become so blinded by hate that many of us are unable to see the good in our Muslim neighbors and their holy book. Nor do we allow ourselves to see our own flaws both past and present, for to do so would be to blur the sharp lines we've drawn between the good guys (Christians) and the bad guys (Muslims).

Our hate for our Muslim neighbors and insecurity about the sins of the Church has become so irrational that even when someone makes a factual observation about how we too have perverted our own scripture to commit horrendous atrocities in the name of Jesus, we explode with rage at the mere thought that we could ever be like "those people."

I could be wrong, but I think we find ourselves at an important moment in history when the rubber really meets the road for those of us in the United States who call ourselves Christians.

Will we continue to fuel the fires of hate, mistrust, violence, and oppression?

Or will we choose to take the gospel seriously and actually love our Muslim neighbors and treat the Good Samaritans in our midst with the same dignity, grace, and respect that Jesus embodied?

In spite of our anger, will we dare to follow Jesus all the way to the cross and pray for our enemies that do seek our death and return their hate with love?

Or will we allow fear, mistrust, and misunderstanding transform Christianity into the very thing we so passionately denounce: a religion of hate?
 

Source: Huffington Post

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Reaction to recent comments Prince Charles made about the radicalisation of young Muslims and to President Obama's comments reminding people about the terrible things done in the name of Jesus Christ.

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Bringing together a balance of spiritual, emotional, physical & mental health education. A holistic Islamic approach to health & well-being.

Date: Saturday 7th March 2015
Time: 10am - 2pm
Location: Griffith University - Nathan Campus Building N78, Room -1.23
 

Course Fee: $30

ONLY LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE : BOOK YOUR TICKETS TODAY!

Book Online or call 1800 100 786
 

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Islamic Relief is celebrating International Women's Day to empower women in Indonesia.

Ladies are invited to put on those delicate heels and dressy couture for a High Tea at The Hilton Brisbane City.

Cost: $65
Date: Sunday 8th March
Time : 1:30pm - 5:00pm
Contact: Farzana Hatia 0423827001 or Susan Almaani 0433182520

Babies in arms only and children at adult prices.
Limited seating, so secure your place quick!

Parking at the Wintergarden or Queen Street Carpark - Direct access to the Hilton from the Queen Street Mall

Looking for sponsorship opportunities? Contact the IRA Team.

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VACANCY: Halal Certifier – Islamic Council of Qld

The Islamic Council of Queensland (ICQ) is seeking an enthusiastic person to establish our halal certification services in the Brisbane and South East Qld region.

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MASJID AL FAROOQ/KURABY MOSQUE

DATE: 13 February 2015

TOPIC: “Justice is not relative”

IMAM: Dr Mohamad Abdalla

MASJID TAQWA/BALD HILLS MOSQUE

DATE: 13 February 2015

TOPIC: “Have we failed?”

IMAM: Mufti Junaid Akbar

AUDIO (MP3) LINK: http://www.masjidtaqwa.org.au/index.php/downloads/kuthba

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In this episode of '100 Muslims, 1 Question' American Muslims from all walks of life were asked: "What do you love most about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)?"

These are their responses

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Asalaamualaikum Wrb Dear respected brothers and elders mothers and sisters,

We hope and pray that you and your family are in the best of health and Eman inshallah.
 

Alhumdulilaa 6 months have passed by and by the grace of Allah swt we have collected $1.1 Million dollars in the bank towards our new Slackscreek mosque QLD (Existing massive Church purchased for Musjid).

We are still in need of $1Million dollars. This project is a golden opportunity for the people of Queensland, it is so difficult to build and receive approvals for Musjid in Australia. We are looking for 1000 people to donate $1000
 

One MUSALLAH costs $1000 and you can purchase a MUSALLAH with intention for you and your family.

IMAGINE every act of worship that takes place in this Musjid you and your family will receive reward until the day of judgment. We need your help settle this payment towards the house of Allah swt.

PLEASE DONATE GENEROUSLY FOR THE SAKE OF ALLAH SWT
(Allah swt says in the Quran WHATEVER WE HAVE WILL PERISH, BUT WHATEVER WE LEAVE WITH ALLAH SWT IS EVERLASTING)

Musjid bank details
Suncorp Bank
Bsb:484-799
Account number: 509169377
Account name: Al- Furqan Charitable Islamic Trust
 

For further information regarding the project please visit our website.

Kindly forward this message to all Muslim Contacts and receive reward from Allah SWT. Please remember this project in your humble Duas.

May Allah SWT reward all those who contribute towards the house of Allah SWT, with the best of this world and hereafter, highest level of JANNAH with Nabi Muhammad (saw)

Ameen Thuma Ameen
Slackscreek Committee
Wasalam

Dear CCN Readers

Sunnybank/Salisbury Meals on Wheels, invites everyone to their open day on Saturday 21st February, starting at 9am to 2pm.

They are, as are many other Meal on Wheels branches, providing all halal meals to their clients, and encourages the Muslim community to come to the open day, see their kitchens, taste their food, and even volunteer a few hours a week to either help in the kitchen or help with deliveries.

With changes in how Meals on Wheels can sell their meals, they can now offer a pick up direct from their kitchen that the general public can utilize. So for any reason whatsoever you can order your freshly cooked meals direct from Meals on Wheels and enjoy a cheap and nutritious meal, that’s cheaper than a takeaway.

Sunnybank/Salisbury MOW have their own fully functional kitchen on site and a blast chiller, so that all food is cooked fresh each day and extra meals are chilled immediately to prevent contamination. You can get a hot meal, or a frozen meal from them and know that its cooked fresh.

Get out to the open day, and support your local community organisation. Their kitchen is at 95 Lister St Sunnybank, behind the Lions Hall.

Yasmin Khan

President Qld Eidfest Association Inc.
Director Ethnic Communities Council of Qld
AFL Multicultural Ambassador
Multicultural Ambassador Asian Cup 2015
JP (Qual)
www.eidfest.com.au
M: 0419 025 510

Would you like to see the cover of your favourite book on our book shelves below?

Then simply email the title and author to thebookclub@crescentsofbrisbane.org

Double click a book cover to find out what others think of the book

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Masala Steak Gatsby Sandwich

Fasalludin was on his death bed (in a Dubai hospital) with wife, children and nurse beside him.

Fasalludin to eldest son: You take the 15 bungalows at Jumeirah Beach.

To daughter: You take the 8 bungalows at Palm Jumeirah.

To youngest son : You are my youngest and most dearest and I want your future to be bright, so you keep the 20 offices at the Marina.

To wife : Dear Zulekhabibi, you keep all 11 of our Central Financial Centre building flats.

The nurse was listening in on this and was quite impressed saying to the wife: Wow...You are lucky to have such a husband who is so rich and giving you and the children all these properties.

Wife: What properties? What rich ...

He owns the milk delivery run in the CBD and he's distributing our responsibilities of delivering milk to his clients in the morning.

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Events and Functions

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Islamic Programmes, Education & Services

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Businesses and Services

DIRECTORY

PLEASE NOTE

1. All Islamic Event dates given above are tentative and subject to the sighting of the moon.

2. The Islamic date changes to the next day starting in the evenings after maghrib. Therefore, except for Lailatul Mehraj, Lailatul Bhahraat and Lailatul Qadr – these dates refer to the commencement of the event starting in the evening of the corresponding day.

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Articles and opinions appearing in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Crescents of Brisbane Team, CCN, its Editor or its Sponsors, particularly if they eventually turn out to be libellous, unfounded, objectionable, obnoxious, offensive, slanderous and/or downright distasteful.

It is the usual policy of CCN to include from time to time, notices of events that some readers may find interesting or relevant. Such notices are often posted as received. Including such messages or providing the details of such events does not necessarily imply endorsement of the contents of these events by either CCN or Crescents of Brisbane Inc.

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