Pakistanis are preparing to celebrate Eid ul Adha on August 12. "Everyone is busy nowadays preparing for Eid ul Adha, buying a good animal to sacrifice. Eid al-Adha. Feast of the Sacrifice, also called the "Festival of the Sacrifice", is the second of two Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year (the other being Eid al-Fitr), and considered the holier of the two. It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God's command.

Transporter delivering services at its peak during the month of Eid ul Adha as Muslims purchasing sacrificial animals from the Animal Stock Market from the Outskirts of Metropolitan City, Photo by Yasir Kazmi, Karachi, Pakistan.

Boy sitting near sacrificial cow as Eid Ul Adha is up ahead and Muslims in Pakistan ready to celebrate their sacrifices, Photo by Yasir Kazmi, Karachi, Pakistan.

Fodder vendor cutting grass for animals as Eid Ul Adha is up ahead and Muslims in Pakistan ready to celebrate their sacrifices, Photo by Yasir Kazmi, Karachi, Pakistan.

Children playing with their Sacrificial goat as Eid Ul Adha is up ahead and Muslims in Pakistan ready to celebrate their sacrifices, Photo by Yasir Kazmi, Karachi, Pakistan.

Young girl showing her affection with sacrificial goat as Eid Ul Adha is up ahead and Muslims in Pakistan ready to celebrate their sacrifices, Photo by Yasir Kazmi, Karachi, Pakistan.

Fodder grabbing sack of grass for animals as Eid Ul Adha is up ahead and Muslims in Pakistan ready to celebrate their sacrifices, Photo by Yasir Kazmi, Karachi, Pakistan.

Fodder vendor selling foddering goods and displaying jewelry for animals as Eid Ul Adha is up ahead and Muslims in Pakistan ready to celebrate their sacrifices, Photo by Yasir Kazmi, Karachi, Pakistan.

Fodder vendor cutting grass for animals as Eid Ul Adha is up ahead and Muslims in Pakistan ready to celebrate their sacrifices, Photo by Yasir Kazmi, Karachi, Pakistan.

Fodder vendor Weighting grass for customers as Eid Ul Adha is up ahead and Muslims in Pakistan ready to celebrate their sacrifices, Photo by Yasir Kazmi, Karachi, Pakistan.

Customer purchasing Fodder for his sacrificial cow at makeshift Stall where vendor selling foddering goods and displaying jewelry for animals as Eid Ul Adha is up ahead and Muslims in Pakistan ready to celebrate their sacrifices, Photo by Yasir Kazmi, Karachi, Pakistan.

There is always a paradox in war; that it shows us how life continues. This is a reflection, a look at Afghanistan, but not the one we already know well from war, the Taliban and women who wear the burqa. It focuses instead on the people who - in the presence of war which offers only uncertainty and violence - have the courage to live, smile and walk calmly in the streets. The photos examine how everyday life is negotiated despite major political dramas, how people manage to find everyday joy, pleasure, beauty, poetry, rap and freedom. Tired of wars, these people try to live in peace. At least they pretend to live in peace. They are born, they die, they love, windows tremble, bombs continue to explode, but children continue to go to school. Life goes on.

July 30, 2014
Sana'a, Yemen

Hundreds of Yemenis blocked off main roads and burned tires, in a number of Yemeni provinces, in protest against the latest price-hike of petroleum products, which came into effect on the third day of the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

On Wednesday morning the prices of fuel had increased from 2,500 to 4,000 Yemeni riyals ($11.6 to $18.6) for 20 liters. The price of diesel also increased from 2000 to 3,900 riyals.
Yemen is considered to be the poorest country in the Middle East with nearly half of its population living in severe poverty.

Men, women and children gathered together to pray and protest on the Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha, on October 26. About 300 people protested across the street from the Syrian Embassy in Amman, Jordan, calling for the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Men, women and children gathered together to pray and protest on the Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha, on October 26. About 300 people protested across the street from the Syrian Embassy in Amman, Jordan, calling for the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Men, women and children gathered together to pray and protest on the Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha, on October 26. About 300 people protested across the street from the Syrian Embassy in Amman, Jordan, calling for the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Women chant together on the Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha, on October 26. About 300 men, women and children protested across the street from the Syrian Embassy in Amman, Jordan, calling for the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

A young girl gives the victory sign on the Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha, on October 26. About 300 men, women and children protested across the street from the Syrian Embassy in Amman, Jordan, calling for the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Skyrocketing prices hit Egyptians ahead of the big Muslim holiday, the Feast of Sacrifice (Eid Al-Adha), particularly the prices of meat, vegetables and fruits, which Egyptians buy in exceptionally large quantities on this occasion.

Muslims in Egypt and worldwide buy sacrificial animals, whether a cow, ram, goat, etc, to slaughter on the first day of the Feast, known by Muslims as Eid, but those who cannot afford it just buy meat to cook and share with family members.

The kilogram of meat used to vary from 35 to 40 Egyptian pounds, but on these days it has exceeded 70 pounds, which is not affordable by a lot of Egyptians, 40% of which live under poverty line. [1 USD = 6.1 EGP]

Egyptian butchers complain that the difficult financial conditions of the people reflected in their selling.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic) – Ali Abdel-Tawwab, butcher, store owner:
“Selling is very weak and things are very quiet. The difficult financial conditions affect everything, the people and the market.”

Rising prices didn’t stop at meat, but the prices of vegetables and fruits also recorded notable increase.

Some vegetable and fruit sellers say that the Eid eve used to be a prime selling season before the revolution, and that this year the selling on this day is just like other days.

Egyptian customers now reduce the quantities of food they used to buy for such an occasion, whether it is meat, fruits or vegetables.

Some see that food prices are incredibly higher this year while others see that they are reasonable.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic) – Fatima, woman, customer at the marketplace:
“Whether it is on Eid days or ordinary days, Food prices have become very expensive. It’s rather too expensive.”

A few hours before the big Muslim holiday kicks off, Egyptians, 90% of whom are Muslims, hope that the new president and his government fulfill their promises regarding improving people’s standard of living and financial conditions, boosting economy and reducing poverty.

Local News Agency: Middle East Bureau / VCS
Shooting Dateline: October 25, 2012
Shooting Location: Cairo, Egypt
Publishing Time: October 25, 2012
Language: Arabic
Column:
Organized by:
Correspondent:
Camera: VCS

SHOTLIST:
1. Wide shot, a bridge and traffic in Cairo
2. Various shots at a butcher’s, butchers chopping and slicing meat, a customer waiting
3. Various shots of cows at a stockyard
4. Pan right, a man dragging a cow
5. Various shots of sheep at a stockyard in the street
6. Various shots of customers at a butcher’s
7. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic) – Ali Abdel-Tawwab, butcher, store owner:
“Selling is very weak and things are very quiet. The difficult financial conditions affect everything, the people and the market.” 8. Various shots of a marketplace of vegetables and fruits
9. Various shots of fruits displayed for sale on stands in the marketplace, including peaches, pineapples, mangoes, etc
10. Various shots of a fruit seller
11. Various shots of tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes and other vegetables displayed for sale in the marketplace
12. Various shots of the vegetable seller
13. Long shot, people walking around at the marketplace
14. Various shots of a marketplace of vegetables and fruits displayed for sale
15. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic) – Fatima, woman, customer at the marketplace:
“Whether it is on Eid days or ordinary days, Food prices have become very expensive. It’s rather too expensive.” 16. Pan right, an old man buying something at the marketplace
17. Long shot, people walking around at the marketplace

Though Eid is a time for celebration, many Muslims are facing the challenges of economic struggles and war, dampening the holiday spirit. In Syria, families hope for a respite from the violence, while in Egypt storekeepers are hoping for business.

21 August 2012
Eid Al Fitr is supposed to be one of the happiest occasions of the year marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. While families usually gather for joyful celebrations, this year in Bahrain, people share condolences instead of holiday greetings. With the death of 16 year old Hussam Al Haddaq, who was allegedly shot and beaten by Bahraini security forces, a 3 day period of mourning was declared in place of the usual Eid celebrations. Though the people of Bahrain face increasing human rights abuses, violence, and suppression by security forces, they continue to demonstrate, demanding freedom, dignity and adherence to the constitution.

Children are suffering the consequences of resistance as well, with approximately 90 children, mostly between 15 and 17 years of age, arrested and detained in Bahraini prisons; some families do not know whereabout of their child. Bahrainis protest mistreatment of children demanding protection of their basic human rights and a stop to the brutal treatment.

Playful children the first day of Eid holidays dressing new clothes and handling bb guns in Old Sana'a. Yemen is the second most heavily armed society in the World after the United States.