Latest news with #Munira
Sinar Daily
3 days ago
- General
- Sinar Daily
Parents glued to phones risk raising aggressive, less empathetic kids, experts warn
SHAH ALAM – Constant parental distraction by phones and digital devices may be eroding children's ability to develop empathy, experts warn. The lack of deep emotional engagement during early childhood, a crucial stage for learning compassion, could leave youngsters more self-focused and prone to aggression. According to Dr Wan Munira Wan Jaafar, a senior lecturer at the Department of Social and Development Sciences, Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, many Malaysian parents today are caught in the grip of 'FOMO' (Fear of Missing Out), feeling the need to constantly check social media, and engage in 'phubbing'; the act of snubbing someone in favor of a phone. 'In sociological terms, Symbolic Interactionism explains how children develop meaning and social cues through face-to-face interaction; when these are replaced by distracted, partial attention, children miss opportunities to learn empathy and emotional reciprocity. 'Social Learning Theory further suggests that when parents model detachment and screen-preoccupation, children may normalise such behaviors and replicate them with peers,' she said when contacted recently. Munira further warned that over time, this lack of deep emotional exchange at home can lead children to become more self-focused, less attuned to others' feelings, and in some cases, more prone to aggressive or bullying behavior. She also pointed out the breakdown of traditional social bonds such as at home, in schools, and in communities do play a significant role in the rise of bullying among youth. 'In Malaysia's past, strong family ties, close teacher–student relationships, and the 'kampung spirit' of communal responsibility meant children were closely guided and corrected by multiple layers of authority and care,' she said. She noted that today, urbanisation, busy dual-income households, and weaker neighborhood networks mean less adult presence and fewer opportunities for young people to develop empathy, respect, and conflict-resolution skills. From a sociological standpoint, Munira explained that Social Disorganization Theory posits that when the institutions and social bonds that uphold order weaken, deviant behaviours such as bullying are more likely to emerge. Similarly, Control Theory argues that strong bonds to family, school, and community act as a restraint on harmful behavior; when these bonds erode, youth may feel less accountable for their actions. The normalisation of bullying must end, particularly in boarding schools, where hazing and 'initiation' practices are sometimes dismissed as tradition. Photo: Canva 'Without these traditional support systems reinforcing pro-social values, aggressive behavior can flourish both online and offline,' she said. Meanwhile, Manipal University College Malaysia Criminologist Nadiah Syariani Md Shariff highlighted that without proper guidance, children lack the ability to tell if the behaviours are good or not, therefore, if the imitated behaviours serve the child, these behaviours are most likely to remain and reinforce as they learn that it works or help them to get what they want. Nadiah noted that violent media serves as modelling behaviours for children viewing, and many researches have found that frequent or repeated exposure to such content is likely to nurture aggression tendency within children by two-fold (can refer to Bobo-Doll Experiment about social learning in children). 'Children initially imitate the aggressive act from the media without knowing the possible impact of the action to them or others. 'If the act serves them, in most cases they do in making others comply, they learnt that would be the ideal response especially when conflict arises,' she told Sinar Daily. Nadiah stressed that social media content is highly influential and unlike the past decade, youngsters nowadays are very much engaged in technology where most of their first-hand information is retrieved from the Internet. She said that everything they learnt is mainly from the internet, therefore, if aggressive content such as bullying is repetitively appearing on their social media feed, this would desensitise youngsters to the act of bullying, and distort the perception of harm and consequences of bullying, making the act more readily adapted and imitated. Nadiah also added that these toxic contents are easily and widely accessible online. Observing violent media is one, the dynamics of the online environment is another factor in escalating bullying tendency. 'For example, the algorithm in social media is tailored to personal preferences or previous view, further suggesting similar contents appearing repetitively, as if constantly 'feeding' the mind towards acceptance of pro-delinquent norms and values,' she said. Online trends, she added, are meant to reach a wider audience, and it can also create a sense of attraction or competition which is further validated through likes, comments and shares. Without much self-control or self-restraints, it becomes difficult for youngsters to resist the temptation or fear from missing out. Nadiah emphasised that aggressive behaviour, including bullying, is learned through observation and imitation. 'Bullying behaviours are learned, whether online or offline. Learning at a young age is through the 'monkey see, monkey do' model and this usually takes place through observation of surroundings or during interaction with others, which is followed by imitation of the behaviours. 'These observed behaviours, whether good or bad, can be displayed or modelled by parents, peers, adults, or through media,' she said.
Time of India
10-08-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Munira, Aarav shine at Special Olympics Swimming Championship 2025
1 2 Nagpur: Swimmers Munira Wardhawala and Aarav Bhute brought laurels to the city by winning medals at the Special Olympics Bharat National Swimming Championship 2025, held at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Swimming Pool, Kandivali, Mumbai, from August 4 to 7. The event saw participation from 90 swimmers representing 22 states across India. Representing Maharashtra, Munira clinched a silver medal in 100m freestyle in senior women's category, while Aarav bagged two gold medals — in 50m backstroke and 50m freestyle relay — along with a silver medal in the freestyle event in junior boys' category. Both champions received their medals from chief guest and Maharashtra governor CP Radhakrishnan. Munira also had the honour of sharing the dais with dignitaries including governor Radhakrishnan, Malika Nadda (national president, Special Olympics Bharat), Atul Save, Soumya Kirit (president, SOB Maharashtra), Dr Bhagwan Talware (area director, SOB Maharashtra), and Jitendra Dhole (sports director, SOB Maharashtra) during the prize distribution ceremony held in Mumbai University Hall on August 7. Munira trains at Aqa Sports Club under coaches Vishal Chandurkar and Raju, while Aarav is a member of Star Sports Academy and is coached by Nitin Malwade. The participants also thanked Umesh Wajrurkar, Vishal Naik, Prashant Ahirkar, and Dhananjay Upasani. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
The Citizen
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
#Women'sDay: How a home cooking outlook transformed KwaDukuza's Mall Café
A modest takeaway has become one of the most popular eating establishments in KwaDukuza thanks to the passion and perseverance of owner, Munira Khader. Munira's culinary journey began more than a decade ago. After years overseeing the outpatient department at Victoria Hospital in Tongaat, her husband Rafiq suggested she take over Mall Café, a struggling takeaway on King Shaka Street in the KwaDukuza CBD in 2013. Munira initially managed the restaurant, but when the only cook left – she jumped in to help. 'I thought I'd try my hand in the kitchen. How difficult could it be?' she laughed. That leap of faith turned into a decade of dedication, with some admittedly tough times through the pandemic and KZN Riots. But 10 years on, Munira is still in the kitchen, Monday to Saturday from 8am, preparing every dish herself. By 11am, the food is ready to be served. 'I cook with pride. I cook for people as I would at home – my customers are family,' she said. The menu changes daily but always features two signature bunny chows. There's not a knife and fork in sight, just your hands to dip, pull and mop the finest tasting curry. Every ingredient is handpicked daily from the market. Nothing is frozen or reused. Munira trims fat from prime cuts of meat, shells prawns and grinds her secret recipe masala fresh each morning. The Mall Café's fame skyrocketed after the Bunny Chow Hunter, Yugan Naidu, a respected Indian food reviewer with 132 300 Facebook followers, visited and voted the restaurant number one in KZN for 2024. 'Yugan was blown away, saying my curry reminded him of his mother's,' said Munira. With fans traveling from across the country, Mall Café is no longer just the talk of the town; it's the talk of South Africa. It also earned the title of Best Indian Restaurant in the Best of Ballito for 2025. 'I know my food's good, but this was a wonderful surprise to even be nominated, never mind win – it's humbling. 'Our food is authentic Indian food, the only extra I put in is love.' Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news. Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here, or if you're on desktop, scan the QR code below.
Sinar Daily
26-07-2025
- General
- Sinar Daily
When marriage, parenthood and time redraw the lines of friendship
As life changes with time - through marriage, parenthood, career shifts or aging, so do our friendships. In Malaysia, these changes unfold differently for men and women, and across generations, but the cultural thread of connection remains strong, often woven through food, faith and community. On a quiet evening at a mamak stall, you might spot a group of uncles chatting over kopi O or a table of young adults deep in conversation, smartphones face-down. This simple scene, so common yet deeply rooted in Malaysian life, tells a bigger story about how friendships are shaped not just by who we are, but by the age we are, the gender we hold and the society we live in. Dr Wan Munira Wan Jaafar, a senior lecturer at the Department of Social and Development Sciences, Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, explains that friendship patterns in adulthood are far from uniform. 'Gender roles significantly affect how Malaysian men and women experience these changes. For women, especially in traditional Malay, Chinese and Indian households, friendships often narrow after marriage. 'Women face greater pressure to prioritise household duties and caregiving, especially after marriage or motherhood,' she said in an interview with Sinar Daily. In Malaysia, life changes like marriage, parenthood and career shifts shape friendships differently for men, women and generations, yet the cultural bond through food, faith and community stays strong. Photo: Edited via Canva Friendships tend to gravitate towards community-sanctioned spaces like charity events, parenting groups or women's cooperatives. Interactions with male friends often dwindle, not from personal choice, but due to social expectations around modesty and propriety. Men, meanwhile, have more leeway. 'Men face fewer restrictions and often sustain friendships through sports, fishing trips and alumni gatherings. These social ties tend to continue even after marriage, and society rarely judges men for maintaining them. 'But these gendered norms are slowly evolving, especially among urban Malaysians. More women are actively preserving their friendships despite juggling household and career demands. 'At the same time, a growing number of men are taking on domestic roles - changing diapers, preparing meals or managing school runs - which, in turn, reduces their time for leisure with friends,' Munira added. Friendship is also a generational experience. Munira explained that older Malaysians grew up in an era where relationships were rooted in locality, shared rituals and collective responsibility—'gotong-royong', 'kenduri' or surau gatherings. Their friendships were built to last and often revolved around family and community ties. Meanwhile, younger generations like Millennials and Gen Zs see friendships differently. Their relationships are more fluid, often built on shared interests and maintained through digital spaces. In Malaysia, life changes like marriage, parenthood and career shifts shape friendships differently for men, women and generations, yet the cultural bond through food, faith and community stays strong. Photo: Edited via Canva 'While this makes connections more adaptable to urban and mobile lifestyles, it can also mean shorter-lived ties and a reduced sense of permanence. 'For many, friendships evolve with life stages and drifting apart is no longer seen as a failure, but as a natural shift,' she mentioned. Munira also said that technology helps bridge some gaps. In Malaysia, retirees turn to WhatsApp or Facebook to stay connected, while younger adults use Instagram, TikTok and messaging apps to keep their circles alive. But while these tools offer convenience, they cannot fully replace real-world connections. 'Social media interactions often remain surface-level and can even deepen feelings of isolation when they substitute for real-world bonds. Seeing others post photos of vacations, weddings or success stories can unintentionally trigger a sense of being left out. 'Still, Malaysians are finding ways to reconnect. A simple meal, a cup of teh tarik or a text to say 'lama tak jumpa' can go a long way. 'In Malaysian culture, food remains a powerful social connector,' Munira said. Rebuilding adult friendships does not require grand gestures—just presence, intention and the understanding that they will not always look like the friendships of our youth.
Metro
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Metro
'I am lucky because I found two of my son's bones in the Srebrenica massacre'
Munira Subašić, president of Mothers of Srebrenica, hold a picture of her son Nermin, killed by Serb Forces in the Srebrenica Genocide (Picture: Gergana Krasteva) On Nermin Subašić's 16th birthday, war engulfed his hometown in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. His mother, Munira, said a neighbour gave him a slice of bread and cup of tea as a birthday present as food was in short supply. Nearly two years later, just before his 18th birthday, Nermin was dead. Despite his untimely death, his mother refuses to let her memories be overshadowed by war. 'When I see a slice of bread and a cup of tea, I always think of him,' Munira said. Nermin was among the 8,372 Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) executed in the worst massacre in Europe since the end of World War Two, carried out by Bosnian Serb forces 30 years ago today. For three weeks, between July 11 and July 31 in 1995, women watched as their sons, brothers, fathers and husbands were taken away, not knowing that they would be slaughtered. As many as 3,000 boys and men were shot to death in fields. Others were marched to school playgrounds, football stadiums, warehouses and farms, and killed with machine guns and grenades. Back in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, the collapse of the Yugoslavia empire forced the economy into freefall, with many in the the town of around 36,000 people relied on foraging, winter supplies, and bartering to survive. Relatives mourn their loved ones as the remains of 14 more recently identified Srebrenica genocide victims arrive for burial in Potocari-Srebrenica Memorial Cemetery (Picture: Getty) 'I never imagined I would survive the genocide' Metro sat down with Munira, who is now the president of Mothers of Srebrenica, a collective name for a group representing the survivors and victims of the genocide, to mark the 30th anniversary. As well as the death of her son, the 77-year-old lost her husband Hilmo, 50, and 22 members of her immediate family in the mass killings. 'I never imagined that I would survive [the genocide] and that I would lose so much,' she said, her voice steady with decades of grief. Munira has been carrying this pain for 30 years. There is determination in her eyes as she speaks about the perpetrators behind these crimes. Yet, they soften and fill with tears as she remembers her younger son when he was a schoolboy before the war started. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page She says: 'My Nermin was born eight years after his older brother. He was a very quiet, well-behaved boy and he loved life. 'He loved his brother, loved school and he was excelling in classes all the time. He was always happy if he received a gift, some attention. He loved attention terribly. 'My Nermin was an athlete, he loved to play football, and dreamt of being a great man someday. 'Somehow, it is probably what God intended for those children, whose lives were ended early, to be special.' Munira carries a compact photobook, always carrying the pictures of her son and husband in her handbag. She shows a black-and-white photo of Nermin, a stoic young man, with great kindness in his expression. 'Very early on Nermin tried to reassure me that the war would pass quickly,' she recalls. ''It won't last long' he told me. My Nermin always comforted me instead of me comforting him. 'The last time I saw him in Potočari, we got separated. He told me, 'Mom, take care, I will see you soon.' He was killed months before turning 18. Srebrenica, a town in Republika Srpska, in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina 'I am one of the lucky ones because I found two of his bones, so Nermin has a gravestone. Many mothers do not even have that.' In 2012, she identified the man who had taken Nermin to his death – an official in Srebrenica's police department, General Ratko Mladić, referred to as the 'Butcher of Bosnia', who later was sentenced to life in prison in 2017 after being found guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war. A year later, she buried the remains of her son that had been located – just two sole bones that were found 15 miles apart. Knowing that the rest of his body may never be discovered, she buried him in Potočari, which was designated a memorial site and cemetery after she campaigned for it. 'Our goals [Mothers of Srebrenica] are to find our children's bones and for the criminals to be brought to justice,' she said. 'Every person has the right to their mark when they die. If their death is not recorded, then they did not exist. 'People know that their children were alive and killed but a grave is also a reminder that their lives mattered and that the mothers need to have the place not only to pray for their children but also to talk to them. 'So the grave stone is very important.' Munira has dedicated her life to the Mothers of Srebrenica group, haunting those responsible for the genocide – including a contingent of Dutch UN peacekeepers who enabled the mass executions of men and boys. Bosnians attend the mass funeral for the first 600 identified victims of the Srebrenica massacre, in the village of Potocari (Picture: AP) 'My childhood ended on the first day of the war' Sitting beside her in a Premier Inn in London is Elmina Kulasic, Bosnia and Herzegovina country director for Remembering Srebrenica UK. Elmina was seven years old when she spent more than a month in Trnopolje concentration camp, near the northwestern Bosnian town of Prijedor. She said her life has since been remolded by cruelty she could not comprehend at the time. 'Within days, the town of Kozarac, where my family lived, was completely demolished and left in flames,' Elmina recalled, as she spoke about what she described as the 'end of her childhood'. Both her grandparents were likely taken and killed by Bosnian Serb forces, though their remains were never found to confirm their fate. 'They survived World War Two, but did not survive [the war in] 1992,' she said. The rest of her family was then forced into Trnopolje, a former elementary school. It was one of the several detention facilities established by Bosnian Serbs in 1992. Radovan Karadzic, Bosnian Serb wartime leader (second right), and his general Ratko Mladic (first left) walk accompanied by bodyguards on Mount Vlasic frontline in Serbia (Picture: AP) 'We were all forced into the concentration camp – me, my older sisters and actually everyone that I knew,' Elmina said. 'My family and I were in one classroom, stuffed in a corner, and there was no food or water unless we were permitted to have it. 'We heard the screams, we saw people being taken out, tortured and killed. If it was not for the international Red Cross, we would have stayed in the camp much longer.' Trnopolje functioned as part of a much wider system of ethnic cleansing targeting Bosniaks. Conditions inside were inhumane – overcrowded and unsanitary, with food and water rarely given out to the civilians inside. Mistreatment was widespread and there were numerous cases of torture, rape and killings. Between May and November 1992, an estimated 30,000 people passed through the camp. It only attracted global notoriety in August 1992 after a team of journalists from ITN channel broadcast a report showing scores of skeletal inmates surrounded by barbed wire. Bullet holes still mark the walls at a sight in Srebrenica where hundreds were massacred during the war (Picture: Malcolm Robertson) Lessons learnt from Srebrenica Genocide Though their experiences are harrowing – one of a mother who lost her son, husband and several other members of her family, and another a child who lost her grandparents and survived a concentration camp – both Munira and Elmina do not want sympathy. For them, the focus is not on their individual suffering, but on using their voices to demand accountability, resist genocidal denial in Bosnia and call for lessons to be learnt to prevent future atrocities. Elmina said: 'If you are talking to a survivor of a genocide, there is always a lesson to be heard and learned. 'It is one of the reasons I became an advocate and worked in Washington DC to make sure that people understand that we may have the criminal cases, we have the resolution [to commemorate the 1995 Srebrenica genocide] but we still have genocide denial in Bosnia. 'We have to have allies to make sure that our voices are not only the voices of survivors, but educators and active members of the society where we are at.' Outlining the lesson, she added: 'The key lesson to be learnt from Bosnia is that the peace agreement has to be just. 'There should be no rewards for any of the political ideologies part of the killings; and if you are going to have a peace it has tangible and all the political leaders have to be around the table to discuss progress.' The Dayton Peace Agreement, signed in December 1995, ended the war, but its fairness toward the victims of the genocide is highly contested. Zlatan Sabanovic, the project manager of the Podrinje Identification Project, checks numbers on bags of human remains exhumed from several mass graves in northeastern Bosnia (Picture: AP) While it successfully stopped the violence, many survivors, legal experts, and scholars argue that Dayton entrenched injustice and rewarded ethnic cleansing, especially in relation to Srebrenica. Elmina added: 'In terms of ordinary citizens, the lesson is that a genocide can happen anywhere. No society is immune. 'If you let hatred and intolerance go on for a long time, they can turn into violence and eventual war, and in a war a genocide is always possible.' Timeline of the Srebrenica genocide April 1993: The UN Security Council declares Srebrenica a 'safe area' to be free from armed attack. A contingent of Dutch UN peacekeepers is sent to protect the area, but with limited weapons and authority. Early 1995: Srebrenica is under siege by Bosnian Serb forces, led by General Ratko Mladić. The town is cut off from aid as 40,000, including thousands of displaced Bosniaks from surrounding areas, flood it. Dutch troops themselves are short on supplies, weakening their ability to assist civilians. July 11, 1995: Srebrenica falls in the hands Serb forces. Mladić enters the town and is filmed promising safety in a calm manner. UN peacekeepers retreat to their base in Potočari as tens of thousands of civilians seek refuge. July 12-13, 1995: Serb forces, in full view of UN troops, separate men and boys (12–77 years old) from the women and children. Most are taken away under the pretext of 'interrogation.' Meanwhile, women and children are forcibly deported by bus. The mass executions of men and boys begin. July 12-16, 1995: More than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys are executed at multiple sites, with their bodies buried in mass graves using bulldozers. In the following weeks, Serb forces move bodies to secondary grave sites to cover up the crime. July 11-17, 1995: Around 10,000 Bosniak men flee through the woods toward Tuzla, trying to escape capture. But Serb forces ambush, shell, and execute thousands along the route. Only about 3,000 survive the 'Death March.' Late 1995: Satellite images, survivor testimony, and exhumations confirm mass executions. The world begins to realize the scale of the atrocity. 2001: The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) declares that the massacre at Srebrenica was genocide. Mladić and Radovan Karadžić, former President of Republika Srpska, are later arrested and sentenced to life in prison. 2002-today: The Dutch government resigns in 2002 over its failure in Srebrenica. The Srebrenica-Potočari Memorial Center is established. Thousands of victims' remains have been identified through DNA and buried each year on July 11. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. 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