分类： society

The Arab media landscape is mourning the loss of Jamal Rayyan, the pioneering broadcaster and foundational voice of Al Jazeera, who passed away at age 72. With a distinguished career spanning over five decades, Rayyan’s death signifies the closing of a transformative chapter in modern Arab journalism.

Rayyan’s legacy is inextricably linked to the rise of Al Jazeera, where he made history as the first presenter to appear on the network during its 1996 launch broadcast. His authoritative delivery and distinctive style became synonymous with the channel’s identity, helping establish it as a formidable international broadcaster that challenged conventional media narratives across the region.

Born in Tulkarm in the occupied West Bank on August 23, 1953, Rayyan held Jordanian citizenship. His Palestinian roots profoundly influenced his perspective throughout a career that would span multiple countries and major media institutions. He began his journey in 1974 as a broadcaster on Jordanian radio and television before expanding his reach to international platforms including the Korean Broadcasting System, Emirates Television, and the BBC.

For nearly three decades, Rayyan remained one of Al Jazeera’s most recognizable and trusted faces, presenting news and political programs that reached millions of viewers across the Arab world and beyond. Colleagues and audiences alike remember him as a transformative professional who expanded spaces for political debate and public discussion through Arabic-language broadcasting.

Rayyan’s passing represents the end of an era for the generation of journalists who redefined Arab media in the late 20th century. Throughout his half-century career, he left an indelible imprint on television journalism and inspired countless younger reporters entering the field. He will be remembered not only as a pioneering broadcaster but also as an enduring symbol of Al Jazeera’s formative years, when the network emerged as one of the most influential voices in regional media.

China’s annual Consumer Rights Day gala has uncovered alarming food safety violations in the poultry processing industry, revealing widespread use of toxic chemicals to bleach chicken feet for aesthetic enhancement. The nationally televised 3.15 Gala, produced by China Central Television, documented how producers are illegally using hydrogen peroxide to transform chicken feet into visually appealing but potentially hazardous products.

Undercover investigations in Sichuan province and Chongqing municipality exposed multiple facilities operating without proper health certifications or sanitation protocols. At Chengdu’s Mingyang food production workshop—a preliminary processing site for Shufuxiang Food Co—reporters documented filthy conditions where chicken feet underwent chemical bleaching processes. Workers openly admitted using hydrogen peroxide, a strong oxidizer banned in food processing, to achieve the desirable white appearance.

The investigation expanded to reveal similar practices at Zengqiao Food Co in Chongqing, where barrels labeled with hydrogen peroxide concentrations as high as 35% were discovered. Employees at both facilities acknowledged avoiding the chemically treated products themselves while continuing to produce them for market distribution.

Medical experts warn that hydrogen peroxide consumption destroys proteins and nutrients in food, potentially damaging oral mucosa, liver, and kidney function. Excessive intake can prove life-threatening, raising significant public health concerns about long-term consumption.

Following the exposé, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation launched immediate enforcement actions, conducting surprise inspections and seizing numerous barrels of hydrogen peroxide from implicated facilities. Initial findings confirm Shufuxiang had purchased over 5,242 barrels of the chemical since May 2025 specifically for chicken feet processing.

The Sichuan Market Supervision Administration has announced a comprehensive province-wide rectification campaign targeting food production and processing standards, signaling intensified regulatory scrutiny following the consumer rights revelation.

China’s central government has launched a comprehensive national initiative to significantly bolster its professional social work capabilities, marking a pivotal step in the country’s ongoing social governance modernization efforts. The newly released guidelines, jointly issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, outline an ambitious five-year roadmap for workforce development.

An English golf caddy is undertaking an extraordinary philanthropic journey, carrying two full sets of clubs across New Zealand’s entire length. Dougie Haynes, 31, originally from Oxford, has embarked on a monumental 3,000-kilometer (1,900-mile)徒步 expedition along the Te Araroa Trail, which he commenced in October to support charitable causes.

Haynes recently conquered what he describes as the most challenging segment of his six-month odyssey—a grueling four-week stretch from Havelock near the South Island’s northern tip to Christchurch. This notorious section presented extreme physical demands, including traversing the rugged Richmond Range and summiting Mount Rintoul, which left him with severely sore knees.

The trek’s difficulty intensified with the Waiau Pass, renowned among seasoned hikers as the trail’s most demanding single-day section. “You do a very steep ascent up some scree and come down the other side. It’s basically pretty close to rock climbing,” Haynes recounted, noting the particular challenge of managing his 15kg (33lbs) golf bags during precarious descents.

Despite the physical hardships, Haynes emphasizes the breathtaking rewards: “I felt like I was in a Microsoft screensaver—there were waterfalls, mountains, snow, and rainforest.” The past month has provided what he calls “spectacular scenery and beauty” that offset the trail’s difficulties.

Currently recuperating in Christchurch after completing the toughest segment, Haynes is preparing for the final phase of his journey. He will soon tackle the trail’s highest section, passing beneath New Zealand’s tallest peak, Mount Cook, before continuing south toward Bluff.

The adventurer’s mother in Lower Heyford, Oxfordshire, maintains concerned vigilance about her son’s safety. Haynes manages her worries with humor: “I tell her oh if you don’t hear from me for 10 days then you can start worrying,” acknowledging the frequent signal blackouts in remote areas.

Haynes aims to raise NZ$50,000 (£22,000) for two charities: Kids Can, a New Zealand-based organization supporting disadvantaged children, and Mind, a UK mental health charity. His unique fundraiser combines his professional background as a caddy at two of New Zealand’s most prestigious golf courses with his passion for adventure and social responsibility.

A tragic bus accident in central Nepal has resulted in seven fatalities and nine injuries, predominantly affecting Indian pilgrims returning from a religious site. The incident occurred Saturday night near Shahid Lakhan village, approximately 120 kilometers west of Kathmandu, when the vehicle lost control on a mountainous curve.

The bus was transporting devotees back from the revered Manakamana Temple, a significant Hindu pilgrimage destination where believers seek divine blessings. According to local authorities, the vehicle was descending the mountain road when it veered off a sharp bend, plunging approximately 150 meters down a steep slope before coming to rest in a ravine.

Police confirmed that all seven deceased were Indian nationals participating in the religious journey. Among the nine injured survivors, seven were Indian pilgrims, while the remaining two included the Nepali driver and his assistant. Emergency response teams comprising police officers and local villagers rushed to the crash site, extracting victims from the wreckage and coordinating ambulance transport to nearby medical facilities.

The mountainous terrain of Nepal presents persistent transportation challenges, with narrow, winding roads and frequently inadequate vehicle maintenance contributing to regular accidents. Official procedures are underway for autopsy examinations before the remains of the deceased can be released to their families.

This incident highlights the ongoing infrastructure and transportation safety concerns in Nepal’s Himalayan regions, where difficult geography combined with insufficient road maintenance continues to endanger travelers, particularly along religious pilgrimage routes.