分类： society

Shanghai transformed into a cultural crossroads on January 29, 2026, as nearly 100 international students joined Chinese educators and peers at Shanghai Library East for a dual celebration. The event simultaneously launched the 8th Shanghai Get-together Writing Contest while welcoming the upcoming Spring Festival with traditional Chinese New Year activities.

The gathering provided international participants with immersive experiences in Chinese cultural traditions while creating opportunities for deeper cross-cultural understanding. Now entering its eighth consecutive year, the writing initiative encourages foreign visitors to document their Shanghai experiences through both written narratives and short video submissions.

Marking a significant diplomatic milestone, the 2026 contest introduces a special category honoring the 70th anniversary of China-Africa diplomatic relations. This new award category will specifically recognize stories showcasing Sino-African friendship and cultural exchange within Shanghai’s urban landscape.

“Shanghai extends its welcome to the global community through openness and cultivates international friendships through inclusiveness,” stated Su Ling, Vice President of the Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. “Our commitment remains firm in building bridges of mutual comprehension and expanding our worldwide network of companions.”

Previous contest winner Ijaz Ul Haq from Pakistan reflected on his experience, characterizing Shanghai as an educational environment beyond traditional classrooms. “The city itself became my second classroom,” he noted, “where daily interactions and cultural encounters shaped my learning journey far beyond academic settings.”

Dubai International Airport has become the stage for a unique diplomatic celebration as the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai) implements special initiatives honoring the deep-rooted relations between the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Under the banner ‘UAE and Kuwait: Brothers Forever,’ the comprehensive program transforms the travel experience while strengthening cultural bonds.

Arriving passengers are greeted with a distinctive passport stamp featuring the campaign slogan, while terminal halls showcase vibrant displays in Kuwaiti flag colors. A dedicated arrival lane adorned with dual national flags and campaign branding creates an immediate sense of diplomatic camaraderie. The welcoming experience extends further with distribution of symbolic gifts and appearances by popular cultural characters Salem and Salama, transforming routine immigration procedures into meaningful intercultural encounters.

Complementing the airport activities, GDRFA Dubai has organized Souq Al-Mubarakiya at Alkhawaneej Walk from January 29 to February 1, featuring authentic Kuwaiti retail participation. This carefully curated market recreation offers visitors an immersive experience of Kuwait’s traditional heritage marketplace, effectively bringing a piece of Kuwaiti culture to Dubai residents and tourists alike.

Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director-General of GDRFA Dubai, emphasized that these initiatives reflect the profound historical connection between the two nations. ‘Emirati-Kuwaiti relations represent deeply rooted bonds of brotherhood, built on decades of loyalty, principled positions, and mutual support,’ he stated, highlighting how these relations have evolved from the era of founding fathers to present-day Gulf unity.

The comprehensive celebration program demonstrates how diplomatic relations can be expressed through creative public engagement, transforming administrative spaces into platforms for cultural exchange. By integrating traditional elements with modern airport operations, the initiative successfully bridges governmental diplomacy with people-to-people connections, reinforcing the shared values and historical ties that unite the two Gulf nations.

The Abu Dhabi Police have launched a stark public awareness campaign targeting the growing menace of distracted driving, releasing alarming surveillance footage that captures the severe consequences of momentary lapses in attention. The newly published video compilation graphically illustrates a series of preventable roadway catastrophes, including vehicles careening off their lanes, overturning, and violently colliding with other cars.

This visual evidence, compiled through coordination with the Monitoring and Control Center, serves as an educational tool demonstrating how driver negligence can instantly transform routine travel into life-altering tragedies. Authorities emphasize that distractions—whether from mobile devices, in-car systems, or other interruptions—require only seconds to create devastating outcomes.

In their official statement accompanying the footage, police officials issued a sobering reminder: “Life possesses greater value than any message or telephone call.” The campaign forms part of broader initiatives to enhance traffic safety awareness and reduce dangerous behaviors that jeopardize all road users. This public warning follows previous alerts from UAE authorities regarding similar incidents where inattentive drivers caused serious accidents by failing to observe traffic conditions.

The police department’s strategy employs actual accident documentation to create visceral impact, hoping the dramatic visuals will encourage drivers to prioritize concentration behind the wheel. This approach reflects increasing concern over distraction-related incidents throughout the Emirates and represents ongoing efforts to combat preventable accidents through education and enforcement.

The international business community is mourning the sudden passing of prominent Dubai-based entrepreneur Dr. CJ Roy, who died unexpectedly on January 30th during an ongoing income tax inspection at his corporate offices in Bangalore. His funeral arrangements have been scheduled for February 1st in the Indian city where he tragically passed.

Final ceremonies will commence with a condolence visitation from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Nature’s Luxuri Mega Resort and Convention Centre, where associates and family members may pay their final respects. Following the visitation, the procession will continue to St. Joseph’s Syro-Malabar Church for a funeral mass at 2:00 PM, after which Dr. Roy will be laid to rest.

In an official family statement, the deceased businessman was memorialized as both a “visionary individual whose life exemplified excellence, purpose, and compassion” and a “genuine philanthropist.” The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation by Indian authorities, who are meticulously reviewing his final moments amid the tax raid proceedings.

According to witness accounts provided to Indian media outlets, Dr. Roy had requested privacy to speak with his mother shortly before his passing. TA Joseph, Managing Director of Confident Group, reported that when staff members received no response after repeated attempts to contact him, they forcibly entered his office and discovered him unresponsive in his chair with visible bloodstains. Despite immediate transportation to a medical facility, resuscitation efforts proved unsuccessful.

His wife and children, who were in Dubai at the time of the incident, urgently traveled to Bangalore and arrived on Saturday morning. The news has sent shockwaves through business circles in both India and the UAE, where Dr. Roy maintained significant commercial interests and personal relationships.

Indian media personality Mithun Ramesh, who considered Dr. Roy both mentor and family, expressed profound grief over the loss. “He influenced many major decisions in my life,” Ramesh told Khaleej Times. “I was among the very few people who could visit his home without prior appointment. His absence creates an irreplaceable void.” Ramesh immediately departed from Muscat upon learning the news to attend the funeral services, highlighting the deep personal connections Dr. Roy fostered across international boundaries.