标签： Asia

The United Arab Emirates’ meteorological authority has elevated weather warnings to an orange alert level as the nation braces for a period of severe atmospheric conditions. Forecasters predict the development of convective cloud formations that will likely generate thunderous precipitation and powerful winds capable of stirring significant dust and sand particles across affected regions.

Meteorological projections indicate partly to fully overcast skies throughout Friday and Saturday, with precipitation expected particularly across northern and eastern territories. Accompanying these conditions will be moderate to fresh northwesterly and southwesterly winds maintaining velocities between 15-30 km/h, with potential gusts reaching intense speeds of 45 km/h.

The combination of precipitation and strong winds will create challenging environmental conditions, including reduced visibility due to blowing dust and sand. Maritime advisories have been issued warning of turbulent seas in both the Arabian Gulf and Oman Sea, posing potential hazards to marine operations.

Temperature readings are forecast to show notable variations, with minimums dropping to 13°C in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, and 14°C in Dubai. Maximum temperatures will reach more moderate levels of 21°C in Abu Dhabi, 22°C in Sharjah, and 23°C in Dubai.

This weather event follows two consecutive days of substantial rainfall that resulted in temporary closures of public parks, tourist attractions, and the implementation of remote work protocols. Emergency services and municipal authorities have been operating continuously to mitigate disruptions and restore normalcy as conditions gradually improve.

Residents are advised to monitor official weather channels for updates and exercise caution during travel, particularly in areas experiencing reduced visibility due to dust conditions.

While Christmas stands as the Christian commemoration of Jesus Christ’s nativity, its historical journey reveals a complex tapestry of cultural adaptation and transformation. Contrary to modern assumptions, the earliest Christian communities did not annually observe Jesus’ birth, focusing instead on Easter resurrection celebrations, according to Dr. Christine Shepardson, University of Tennessee professor specializing in early Christianity.

The selection of December 25th as the official celebration date emerged only in the fourth century during Emperor Constantine’s reign, coinciding with existing pagan winter solstice festivals like the Roman Sol Invictus observance. This period marked Christianity’s institutionalization through church gatherings rather than private home meetings.

Medieval Christmas celebrations bore little resemblance to modern observances, characterized instead by raucous street festivities featuring excessive feasting and drinking. Professor Thomas Ruys Smith of the University of East Anglia notes that Christmas gained respectability only in the 19th century, transforming into the domestic, family-oriented celebration recognized today.

The modern Christmas tradition owes much to German customs, with Christmas trees and gift-giving practices spreading to Britain and America in the late 19th century. Literary works like Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” (1843) and Washington Irving’s writings further popularized the holiday’s contemporary form.

Santa Claus’ origins trace back to fourth-century Christian bishop St. Nicholas of Myra (modern-day Turkey), whose legendary generosity inspired the secular figure. After the Protestant Reformation diminished St. Nicholas devotion, Dutch settlers in New York preserved the tradition as Sinterklaas, which eventually evolved into America’s Santa Claus.

Global variations abound: Italy celebrates with St. Lucy or Befana the witch, Iceland enjoys mischievous Yule Lads, while Japan has developed the unique tradition of Kentucky Fried Chicken Christmas dinners since 1974. This practice originated when a foreign customer in Tokyo remarked about substituting turkey with KFC, leading to an annual phenomenon requiring months-ahead orders.

Christmas greenery traditions—holly, ivy, and evergreen trees—carry mixed heritage, with Professor Maria Kennedy of Rutgers University noting connections to both Christian symbolism (eternal life) and ancient Druid practices. Similarly, mistletoe represented immortality in pre-Christian traditions.

Contemporary Christmas continues evolving, with public Nativity scenes sparking legal debates about church-state separation in the U.S., while caroling traditions maintain their community-building origins from European winter customs.

In anticipation of the upcoming Winter Solstice, young students at a kindergarten in Jiyuan city, Shandong province, engaged in a hands-on cultural activity by learning to make traditional Chinese dumplings on December 19, 2025.

The event, captured in photographs distributed by Xinhua News Agency, shows children proudly presenting their handmade dumplings while learning about this significant seasonal festival. Winter Solstice, occurring this year on December 21st, represents the shortest day of the year and historically marked the beginning of deep winter in traditional Chinese agricultural society.

This educational initiative connects the younger generation with China’s rich cultural heritage surrounding the solar term. The tradition of consuming specific foods during Winter Solstice varies regionally across China, with northern provinces maintaining the custom of eating dumplings, while southern regions typically enjoy tangyuan (sweet glutinous rice balls).

The kindergarten’s curriculum-integrated activity demonstrates how educational institutions are preserving cultural traditions through experiential learning. Children not only developed culinary skills but also gained understanding of seasonal changes and their significance in Chinese agricultural history and contemporary practices.

Nanjing Museum has produced archival documents claiming a disputed 16th-century landscape painting at the center of a major donation controversy was officially classified as forged decades ago. The revelation comes amid escalating legal battles with the descendants of renowned collector Pang Laichen (1864-1949), who donated 137 artifacts to the institution in 1959.

The conflict emerged when family members discovered ‘Jiangnan Spring’ – attributed to Ming Dynasty master Qiu Ying – was scheduled for auction in Beijing with an ¥88 million ($12.5 million) price tag. The painting was abruptly withdrawn after the Pangs protested, prompting investigations that revealed five artworks from their donation were missing from museum records.

According to documents presented by the museum, a 1961 expert panel determined ‘Jiangnan Spring’ was duplicated, with a second panel confirming its forged status in 1964. Records indicate the painting was subsequently transferred to Jiangsu Cultural Relics Store in the 1990s under then-prevailing collection management regulations, with a 2001 invoice showing its eventual sale for merely ¥6,800 as ‘A Copy of Qiu Ying’s Jiangnan Spring’.

Pang Shuling, the collector’s great-granddaughter, has filed a court enforcement application demanding full transparency regarding the transferred artifacts. ‘The donation made by my father to Nanjing Museum in 1959 are all precious works, they are not forged,’ she asserted.

The museum maintains it acted within historical guidelines, with attorney Zhang Han noting ownership transferred completely upon donation. However, family attorney Yin Zhijun argues donors retain right-to-know privileges regarding their contributions’ preservation.

Museology professor Pan Shouyong of Shanghai University contextualized the dispute: ‘People’s understanding of what a ‘cultural relic’ is has been constantly growing. It’s unfair to always use today’s guiding mindset to judge past deeds, but neither can we conceal a past blemish if we want to achieve more.’

The case highlights evolving standards in China’s cultural heritage management, particularly since the National Cultural Heritage Administration’s 2018 interim measures requiring donor consultation for deaccessioning procedures.