EarthDiverse: learn about important global religious festivals
EarthDiverse wishes our Muslim family and friends a warm and happy Eid celebration.
Eid al-Adha, also known as the "Feast of the Sacrifice" is the second and the largest of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam (the other being Eid al-Fitr). It honours the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son Ishmael. Islam shares this tradition with Judaism, and honours Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac (in the Jewish tradition) or Ishmael (in the Islamic tradition; Qur’an: Surah As-Saaffat 37:102). This story is well-known in the Hebrew Bible (Genesis 22) and is referred to as the Akedah. It is considered by both Jews and Muslims as an act of obedience to God's will. However, before Abraham could sacrifice his son, and because of his willingness to do so, God provided him with a lamb to sacrifice in his son's place.
In commemoration of this intervention, animals are ritually sacrificed in the Islamic tradition. Part of the meat is consumed by the family that offers the animal, while the rest of the meat is distributed to the poor and the needy. Sweets and gifts are exchanged, and extended family members and friends visit each other.
In the Islamic lunar calendar, Eid al-Adha falls on the tenth day of the month of Dhu al-Hijja and lasts for four days.
Scam Alert: Bank cold calls
ASB is warning customers about reports of cold calls from scammers claiming to be from ASB. These scammers are trying to obtain personal information, including usernames, dates of birth, and verification codes sent to your mobile phone.
🛡️ The "Caller Check" Test
If you get a call from someone claiming to be from ASB and you’re unsure, just ask them for a Caller Check. You will then be able to verify the call through the app.
Remember, banks will:
❌ Never ask for your banking passwords, PINs, or verification codes
❌ Never need to know your full credit card number – especially the CVC
❌ Never ask you to download software or remotely access your device
❌ Never ask you to purchase gift cards or transfer funds.
If you have received a phone call and think your account has been compromised, call ASB on 0800 ASB FRAUD (0800 272 372), or visit your local branch.
🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…
I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
Do you think you know the answer?
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Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
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