标签： Asia

In an extraordinary display of determination and familial legacy, 16-year-old Sarah Shajahan has successfully completed a grueling 600-kilometer camel trek across the United Arab Emirates desert, retracing the footsteps of her father’s journey from nearly a decade earlier. The adolescent adventurer transformed childhood bedtime stories into tangible reality during this winter’s demanding expedition.

Sarah emerged as one of the youngest participants in this year’s camel caravan, joining dozens of seasoned trekkers navigating extensive desert routes. While some competitors undertook the full 1,000-kilometer challenge, Sarah conquered a significant 600-kilometer segment, enduring extended riding periods, frigid nighttime temperatures, and unpredictable harsh weather conditions.

“This ambition grew organically from hearing my father’s experiences,” Sarah revealed. “Reaching participation age, I felt compelled to undertake this personal challenge.”

Her father, Shajahan, who completed the same trek nine years prior, emphasized that Sarah’s motivation emerged independently. “There was no parental pressure whatsoever. She developed this inspiration naturally through exposure to my expedition photographs and regular riding excursions where I always included my children,” he noted, particularly praising her fearlessness around the majestic animals.

Sarah’s journey to the desert began with formal applications and rigorous selection processes earlier this year. Training commenced in May, with September trials determining her qualification on the second attempt. During the actual trek, she bonded with a camel named Ataraiya, having trained with the animal four times during the week preceding the expedition.

Despite meteorological challenges including unexpected sandstorms and rainfall that drenched equipment and disrupted sleep, Sarah maintained remarkable composure. “The experience proved less daunting than anticipated, largely due to my camel’s cooperative temperament,” she observed.

Beyond physical achievement, her father contextualized the trek as profound life education. “This transcends mere hobbyism. It represents immersion in traditional desert living, connection with animals, and experiential understanding of ancestral travel methods,” he explained. “Participants engage with multinational companions and local Emiratis, experiencing ancient lifestyles that often evolve into spiritual journeys.”

While Shajahan views his own prior completion as personal accomplishment, he perceives his daughter’s achievement differently: “For me, it represented closure. For Sarah, this signifies merely the commencement of her journey.”

Notably, the teenager returned to normalcy without seeking social media validation, surprising her father given contemporary youth trends. The experience has ignited new aspirations, with Sarah expressing interest in future camel racing competitions. Nine years after witnessing her father’s return from the desert, the now-accomplished trekker has created her own legacy of quiet confidence and cultural connection.

As the sacred month of Rajab dawns across the United Arab Emirates, Muslim communities worldwide are initiating spiritual preparations for the approaching Ramadan season. Sheikh Nasser Al Hammadi of Sharjah Islamic Affairs delivered crucial guidance during a live Instagram lecture on Tuesday, emphasizing the significance of this preparatory period within the Islamic calendar.

Sheikh Al Hammadi clarified that Rajab constitutes one of the four venerated months (Al-Ashhur Al-Hurum) in the Hijri calendar, alongside Dhul Qa’dah, Dhul Hijjah, and Muharram. These months hold distinctive spiritual status where righteous deeds yield amplified rewards and transgressions carry heightened consequences. The scholar described Rajab as an agricultural metaphor: “It resembles a farmer who commences by planting seeds, subsequently irrigating them, then nurturing the crop until harvest time” – representing spiritual groundwork for Sha’ban and ultimately Ramadan.

Regarding worship practices, Sheikh Al Hammadi underscored that no exclusive rituals are designated for Rajab. Instead, Muslims should intensify general acts of devotion throughout the month while maintaining annual consistency. He referenced prophetic traditions indicating that even Muhammad (PBUH) never completed a full month of fasting outside Ramadan, and that Caliph Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA) discouraged complete Rajab fasting to prevent resemblance to Ramadan.

The Islamic authority issued specific cautions against introducing non-authenticated practices, particularly warning against innovations like Salat Al-Raghaib or specialized Umrah rituals exclusively for Rajab. He emphasized that worship foundations must derive exclusively from established Quranic principles and Sunnah teachings: “Muslims should not engage in any act of worship, add to it, or single it out, except based on what has been established in Islamic law.” This guidance aims to preserve religious authenticity while enabling meaningful spiritual preparation during Islam’s sacred months.

Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has unveiled an ambitious educational initiative to integrate football into physical education curricula across all academic institutions. The comprehensive policy framework, developed through interdepartmental collaboration, aims to cultivate athletic talent while promoting sports participation among students.

The strategic implementation plan establishes football-focused schools that will dedicate no less than one-third of physical education hours to football instruction and training. This institutional approach forms part of a broader vision to construct an integrated talent development pipeline connecting vocational schools, universities, football academies, and professional clubs.

Xinjiang’s rich football heritage provides fertile ground for this expansion. With 4,595 football fields recorded by 2024, the region boasts one of China’s highest per capita rates of football infrastructure. The existing network of campus leagues will continue operations alongside newly expanded weekend competitions designed to increase regular student participation.

Addressing historical challenges in coaching capacity, the initiative includes measures to enhance training protocols, improve recruitment strategies, and elevate compensation packages for football instructors. Educational institutions will expand specialized programs while actively recruiting retired professional players to bolster teaching ranks.

The region has emerged as a significant talent source for Chinese football, producing national team players including striker Behram Abduweili and defender Umidjan Yusup. This new systematic approach to youth football development promises to strengthen both regional sports culture and China’s national football pipeline.

The Yellow River wetlands in Pinglu county, Shanxi province, have transformed into a seasonal haven for an extraordinary natural spectacle as thousands of wild white swans complete their annual migration from Siberia. This massive avian gathering, occurring amidst dropping temperatures, marks one of China’s most significant wintering phenomena for these majestic birds.

Strategically positioned at the provincial border between Shanxi and Henan, the Pinglu wetland ecosystem offers ideal winter conditions with its temperate microclimate and abundant nutritional resources. The area’s unique geographical attributes have established it as a crucial habitat for migratory swans seeking refuge from harsh northern winters.

Local conservation authorities have implemented comprehensive measures to ensure the swans’ welfare during their extended stay. According to Wang Chao, a representative from the Pinglu County Forestry Bureau, the migration pattern typically begins in mid-to-late October, with populations remaining until March of the following year. “We’ve established substantial food reserves including Chinese cabbage and corn supplements,” Wang explained. “Additionally, we maintain continuous patrol operations with staff conducting 24-hour monitoring to protect these vulnerable migrants.”

The swan population reaching approximately 10,000 annually reflects successful ecological preservation efforts in the region. Conservation initiatives have progressively enhanced the wetland environment, creating sustainable conditions that support this remarkable yearly migration. The growing numbers demonstrate how targeted environmental protection policies can positively impact wildlife preservation, offering a promising model for ecological balance between human activity and natural habitats.