分类： society

For over four decades, 81-year-old Mei Jingtian has been the unwavering guardian of an unrestored section of the Great Wall in Shixia village, Beijing’s Yanqing district. Despite his advanced age, Mei continues to navigate the steep slopes with remarkable agility, having dedicated his life to preserving this national treasure since returning to his village in the 1980s.

Upon his return, Mei was devastated to discover the historical structure had been systematically dismantled, with villagers repurposing ancient bricks for construction projects. “The Great Wall in my childhood stood intact in its original grandeur,” Mei recalled. “Witnessing its deterioration compelled me to act. This monumental achievement of our ancestors, built with extraordinary hardship and wisdom, demanded protection.”

Armed only with a sickle and boundless determination, Mei single-handedly carved out kilometers of mountain paths to access remote wall sections. His weekly patrols involved clearing invasive vegetation, removing litter, and educating adventurous tourists about the wall’s historical significance. In one particularly grueling endeavor, he spent over two days manually transporting a 34.5-kilogram inscribed stone tablet down the mountain to deliver it to preservation authorities.

Mei’s initially solitary mission gradually transformed into a community movement. He pioneered innovative conservation approaches, even trading cement with villagers to recover embedded Great Wall bricks from their properties. This grassroots effort culminated in 2007 with the establishment of the Shixia Village Great Wall Protection Association, formalizing what began as one man’s passionate crusade.

The conservation movement achieved another milestone in 2019 when the government officially incorporated Great Wall protectors into its budgetary framework. This institutional recognition coincided with Mei’s niece, Liu Hongyan, passing rigorous examinations to become one of Shixia’s first six officially recognized protectors—marking the formal transition of guardianship to the next generation.

Now 45, Liu patrols the same challenging terrain her uncle once protected, monitoring structural integrity while sharing the wall’s rich history with visitors. “This transcends mere employment,” Liu explained. “It represents the custodianship of our cultural heritage and homeland. My uncle demonstrated that genuine commitment stems from love rather than expectation of reward.”

Despite confronting physical dangers including treacherous topography, extreme weather, and encounters with wildlife such as snakes and wild boars, Liu finds profound purpose in her conservation work. However, she acknowledges concerning demographic challenges: most current protectors are aged 60-70, while many younger villagers have migrated to urban areas.

“Upon my retirement, I remain confident that successors will emerge to continue this vital work,” Liu stated. “We urgently need more youth to join our protection teams. Ultimately, we are all guardians of the Great Wall—collaborating to preserve our shared heritage and home.”

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Six years after admitting to New Zealand’s deadliest mass shooting, white supremacist Brenton Tarrant has launched a controversial legal bid to withdraw his guilty pleas, claiming severe prison conditions induced a mental breakdown that compromised his judgment.

The Australian national, who murdered 51 Muslim worshippers during coordinated attacks on two Christchurch mosques in 2019, unexpectedly pleaded guilty in 2020 to all terrorism, murder, and attempted murder charges. His admission spared victims and the justice system from a high-profile trial that many feared would become a platform for his racist ideology.

Now, Tarrant’s legal team argues before New Zealand’s Court of Appeal that their client was experiencing psychological deterioration from ‘oppressive’ incarceration conditions when he admitted guilt. They claim isolation and sensory deprivation measures made him ‘temporarily doubt his identity and ideology,’ rendering him incapable of rational legal decisions.

Appearing via video conference from prison, the shaven-headed Tarrant told the court he had been ‘irrational’ during his 2020 confession. His current lawyers contend he originally intended to represent himself at trial to promote his white supremacist views—a defense strategy New Zealand courts would have invalidated.

Crown prosecutors challenged these claims, noting Tarrant had multiple opportunities to raise mental health concerns or request trial postponements. Mental health experts, prison staff, and his former lawyers have not supported his claims of severe psychological distress.

Survivors of the massacre expressed outrage at the appeal attempt. Temel Ataçocuğu, who was shot nine times during the attacks, stated outside the courthouse: ‘He got what he deserved. He has to deal with it as a man.’

The three-judge panel will issue a ruling later. If unsuccessful in discarding his guilty pleas, Tarrant is expected to pursue an appeal against his life sentence without parole—the most severe punishment in New Zealand’s modern history.

A tragic school siege in southern Thailand has culminated in the death of Principal Sasiphat Sinsamosorn, who succumbed to injuries sustained during the attack. The incident unfolded at Phatong Prathan Keeriwat School near Hat Yai when an 18-year-old assailant entered the premises shortly before 5:00 PM local time on Wednesday.

The two-hour standoff resulted in multiple casualties, including a female student who remains hospitalized in stable condition. Another student sustained an ankle injury after jumping from a window to escape the violence. Law enforcement authorities successfully apprehended the teenage gunman following tense negotiations, though the precise motive behind the attack remains under investigation. Preliminary reports from local media suggest the suspect may have harbored personal grievances against school staff.

In an emotional Facebook statement, the school community expressed profound grief over Principal Sinsamosorn’s passing, noting that ‘the memories and kindness she left behind will forever remain in our hearts.’

This incident highlights Thailand’s ongoing struggle with gun violence, where widespread legal and illegal firearm ownership has contributed to several deadly shooting incidents in recent years. The country has witnessed particularly devastating attacks, including the 2023 Bangkok mall shooting that left two dead and five injured, and the 2022 kindergarten massacre that claimed 36 lives, predominantly children.

The latest school shooting renews concerns about public safety and institutional security measures in educational environments across Thailand.

The City of Seattle has agreed to a $29 million legal settlement with the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old Indian graduate student who was fatally struck by a speeding police vehicle in 2023. The resolution comes after months of investigation and public outcry over the circumstances surrounding her death.

Officer Kevin Dave was responding to a drug overdose call when his patrol car traveling at 74 mph in a 25 mph zone struck Kandula as she crossed a street in a marked crosswalk. While the officer had activated emergency lights and used his siren at intersections, the excessive speed proved catastrophic.

The case gained international attention when body camera footage revealed police union representative Daniel Auderer making insensitive remarks about Kandula’s death, suggesting her life had “limited value” and that the city should “just write a check.” These comments prompted formal diplomatic inquiries from Indian officials and widespread community protests.

Both officers involved have since been terminated from the Seattle Police Department. Auderer has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit claiming his comments were misinterpreted as criticism of legal proceedings rather than disregard for human life. Prosecutors declined to file felony charges against Dave, citing insufficient evidence of deliberate safety disregard.

City Attorney Erika Evans acknowledged the profound impact of Kandula’s death, stating: “Jaahnavi Kandula’s life mattered. It mattered to her family, her friends and to our community.” Approximately $20 million of the settlement will be covered by the city’s insurance policy.

Kandula was pursuing a master’s degree in information systems at Northeastern University’s Seattle campus at the time of her death. The settlement notice was formally filed in King County Superior Court last Friday.

The United Arab Emirates has formally announced adjusted working schedules for federal government employees in anticipation of Ramadan 2026. According to the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, standard operational hours from Monday through Thursday will be shortened to 9:00 AM until 2:30 PM. Fridays will feature an even more condensed schedule, running from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM. These provisions include allowances for personnel whose roles necessitate alternative arrangements.

Furthermore, federal ministries and entities have been granted optionality in their implementation strategies. They may either adhere to pre-established flexible work regulations throughout the workdays of Ramadan or authorize remote working arrangements for up to 70% of their staff on Fridays, contingent upon compliance with approved regulatory controls.

Astronomical projections from the Abu Dhabi-based International Astronomical Centre suggest the holy month is anticipated to commence on February 19, 2026. Engineer Muhammad Shawkat Odeh, Director of the Centre, indicated that crescent moon sighting on February 17th is deemed virtually impossible across the Islamic world. Nonetheless, the official commencement date remains subject to confirmation by moon-sighting committees, which will convene on the 29th day of Shaban for a definitive proclamation.

This announcement aligns with the UAE’s standardized four-and-a-half-day public sector workweek, which was instituted in January 2022, designating Saturday and Sunday as the official weekend. It is noteworthy that the emirate of Sharjah maintains a distinct public sector schedule, operating on a four-day week with a three-day weekend (Friday-Sunday).

Lebanese judicial authorities have uncovered an audacious deception operation in which a car mechanic successfully impersonated a Saudi prince to extort prominent politicians, including a former prime minister. The elaborate scheme, facilitated by a religious figure, has exposed systemic vulnerabilities within the country’s political landscape.

According to an official judicial statement released Wednesday, Mustapha Al Hasian—a mechanic with remarkable linguistic abilities—masterfully adopted the persona of “Abu Omar,” a fictitious royal court prince from Saudi Arabia. Speaking in flawless Saudi dialect, Hasian issued political directives to Lebanese officials while promising Riyadh’s support for their ascension to power positions in exchange for financial compensation.

The operation unraveled when authorities arrested Hasian and his accomplice, Sheikh Khaldun Oraymet, in late 2025. Investigations indicate Oraymet provided the imposter with direct contacts and confidential information about various politicians, enabling the sophisticated extortion plot. The judicial official confirmed the investigation is nearing completion, with no evidence suggesting foreign agency involvement.

Multiple politicians contacted by the fraudulent prince have provided witness testimonies, though they maintain any financial transactions were framed as charitable contributions to social and health assistance programs rather than explicit payments for political favors. The scandal has highlighted profound corruption issues within Lebanese institutions, demonstrating how easily influential figures can be manipulated through promises of external political support.