Qatar’s Sheikha Asma Becomes First Arab Woman to climb a 8,000er ‘Killer Mountain’ , Mount Manaslu, Without Oxygen
New
Age Islam News Bureau
29
September 2021
• Women’s Cycling Challenge to Take Place at Dubai’s Al-Qudra Track In October
•
Dana Feels Proud Of Becoming First Saudi Female Coach To Attend European
Volleyball Program
•
Female Afghan Teachers, Health Workers Ask US to Unfreeze Assets
•
Tunisian President Appoints First Woman Prime Minister, Najla Bouden Romdhane
•
Women Held Over 38pc of Decision-Making Positions In Public Sector In 2020,
Says Malay Deputy Minister
•
Women’s League Rejects Former Haritha Leaders’ Gender Politics
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/
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Qatar’s
Sheikha Asma Becomes First Arab Woman to climb a 8,000er ‘Killer Mountain’ ,
Mount Manaslu, Without Oxygen
By
Menatalla Ibrahim
September
29, 2021
Asma
al Thani at Mt. Manaslu in Gorkha's summit in Nepal. [Instagram]
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Qatar’s
Sheikha Asma al-Thani became the first Arab woman to climb a 8,000er without
oxygen after reaching the top of Mount Manaslu, the eighth tallest mountain in
the world.
Manaslu
summit point is one of the most dangerous in the world, with locals nicknaming
it “Killer Mountain” due to its treacherous slopes.
Towering
in the west-central above the pine forests of Nepal’s Budhi Gandaki river
valley, the mountain stands at 8,163m above the sea, with the summit point so
narrow that it cannot accommodate 2-3 climbers together.
Read
also: World Tourism Day: Winter destinations you should check out
On
her Instagram page, the local mountaineer said the journey was challenging and
pushed her out of her comfort zone at every level. Fortunately, after all the
hard work, Sheikha now holds a title that will forever be documented in
history.
“The
Qatar flag has been raised for the first time on the top of Manaslu,” the
climber narrated on her social media.
Asma
al Thani at Mt. Manaslu in Gorkha’s summit in Nepal. [Instagram]
“From
training two times a day with @clairemurphyxo (Claire Murphy) and
@pierredaniel_active (Pierre Daniel) to mentally preparing for a goal I never
thought I could set for myself until @Nimsdai (Nirmal Purja) set my goal a
little higher. ‘You can do this without oxygen’ – he said,” Asma recalled,
adding that she had a restless night without sleep to reach the summit.
However,
it was all worth it. The record-setter said that the moment she started the
summit push, all she could remember was Mohamed bin Abdulla al-Thani’s words of
wisdom:
“Don’t
forget to look up at the stars. Why do we even try when the barriers are so
high and the odds are so low? Why don’t we just pack it in and go home? Our
goals, and challenges are what spark that magic within us. We can only go
forward if we tell ourselves we can,” he would say.
And
slowly, after overcoming all challenges, the Qatari woman became the first Arab
to summit an 8,000er without O2.
“Don’t
downgrade your dream just to fit your reality, upgrade your conviction to match
your destiny,” she said in her Instagram post, in which she thanked all her
friends and family who supported her throughout her adventures.
“Everything
changed, my dreams just got a little bigger,” the post read.
“It
takes a person that knows the power of a dream to expand it beyond what you
think is possible,” she added.
In
a tweet, Qatar Olympic Committee praised Asma’s achievement, which has earned
Qatar a well-deserved new Arab record.
“Congratulations
to all of Qatar. Our flag waves high at an altitude of 8,163m above sea level.
Qatari mountain climber @atalthani (Sheikha Asma al-Thani) reaches the summit
of Mount Manaslu, 8th tallest mountain in the world, and becomes the first Arab
women to climb an 8,000er without oxygen,” the committee tweeted.
And
with big achievements come bigger dreams.
For
her next goal, Sheikha Asma hopes to become the first Qatari woman to stand at
8,849 metres above sea level at Everest’s summit, adding yet another title to
her records.
She
conquered two summers in 2018 and 2019 when she became the first Qatari to ski
the last degree to the North Pole and summit Aconcagua, consecutively.
Her
main goal is to become the first woman from the Middle East to complete the
Explorers Grand Slam — a challenge to reach both North Pole, South Pole, and
climb all the Seven Summits (Everest, Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro, Vinson,
Puncak Jaya, and Mount Elbrus).
Source:
Doha News
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Women’s
Cycling Challenge to take place at Dubai’s Al-Qudra track in October
September
28, 2021
DUBAI:
The second edition of the Women’s Cycling Challenge is set to take place at Dubai’s
Al-Qudra Cycle Track in Al-Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve on Oct. 8,
Emirates News Agency WAM has reported.
The
event is being presented by logistics firm DP World and held under the umbrella
of Dubai Sports Council and Dubai Women’s Sports Committee, in association with
the UAE Cycling Federation.
The
challenge, over 40-kilometer and 70-kilometer distances, is open to cyclists of
all skill levels who can take part as individuals or in teams.
A
DSC spokesperson said: “The Women’s Cycling Challenge supports a healthy and
active lifestyle for women, providing them with an opportunity to practice
sports and physical activity that enables them to compete in an environment
that conforms to the customs and traditions of the UAE. It is one of our strategic
objectives, and the Women’s Cycling Challenge is an initiative that seeks to
further those aims.
“We
are pleased that DP World is a partner and supporter of this important sports
event for women in the UAE, championing the opportunities and initiatives that
women have to participate in sports at every level in the country.”
Nabil
Qayed, director of people and general administration for the UAE in DP World’s
people department, said: “As a global logistics leader, we not only enable
smart trade, but work to create a better future for everyone.
“In
alignment with this goal and our sustainability strategy that impacts people,
communities, and the environment, we take pride in our association with the
Women’s Cycling Challenge that is dedicated to promoting female health and
wellness.
“At
an organizational level, we have constantly supported women and are committed
to increasing female representation in every sphere, thus promoting women’s
aspirations in the UAE,” Qayed added.
Riders
will race through the Al-Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve, which is home to
204 species of native birds, 158 species of migratory birds, many endangered
animals, as well as Arabian oryx, Arabian sand gazelles, foxes, and wild cats.
The
3,000-year-old Saruq Al-Hadid archaeological site — one of the oldest in the
country dating back to the Iron Age — is also located within the reserve.
Ruth
Dickinson, the event’s director, said: “Women cycling for recreation and as a
way to keep fit is popular in Dubai and across the UAE. Around the region, it
is a fast-growing sport and pastime for women of all levels of fitness and
riding capability.
“In
Dubai, we have excellent facilities and easy access to cycle tracks around the
city and this has encouraged more women to take up cycling competitively and
socially.
“We
are encouraging women at every level of ability to join the challenge. We would
like to see women come and ride to compete, or cycle just for fun and enjoy a
great experience,” she added.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1937161/sport
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Dana
feels proud of becoming first Saudi female coach to attend European Volleyball
Program
September
28, 2021
RIYADH
– Dana Ali Mohsen has become the first Saudi female volleyball coach to
participate in the European Volleyball Federation Program, which was held from
Sept. 24 to 26 in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.
She
was among 10 coaches picked from the Asian continent to participate in the
international training to enhance their qualification to undertake national
volleyball projects for the beginners. Her participation was made possible with
the support of the Saudi Volleyball Federation.
Dana
expressed her happiness and pride over getting the unique opportunity to
represent Saudi Arabia in the field of training and participation in the
international tournament. “I am very confident that Saudi women have the
ambition to achieve success, in light of the support and attention we receive
from the Ministry of Sports.
“I
will do my best to develop the women’s volleyball, and we have a group of
female players to develop their level of competence to participate in
international matches and present an attractive image in international forums,”
she said.
The
European program is classified as a deal for trainers and physical education
teachers working at the grass-roots level. More than 150 male and female
coaches participated in the European Volleyball Program, which is a fertile
environment for the exchange of expertise and experiences in the dissemination
and development of the volleyball game.
Dana’s
passion for volleyball began to emerge from an early age and she worked hard to
develop her capabilities. She used to play the game at every time and place,
until it became her daily routine, before she developed a passion for training
and leading to the establishment of her team named “Blue Clickers”, which
includes nearly 40 players.
The
Blue Clickers was among the teams participating in the first Saudi Women’s
Volleyball Championship, which was held in August and September this year.
A
total of 14 teams participated in the zonal qualifying matches held in Riyadh,
Jeddah and the Eastern Province in August. From the 14 teams the future Saudi
volleyball team is expected to emerge. A total of six teams — two teams
qualified from each zone — participated in the final phase of the championship
that began in Riyadh on Sept. 9.
Source:
Saudi Gazette
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Female
Afghan teachers, health workers ask US to unfreeze assets
28
Sep 2021
A
number of female Afghan teachers and health workers gathered in a press
conference in Kabul on Tuesday, September 28, and asked the US and its allies
to unfreeze billions of dollars and give them back to the Islamic Emirate of
Afghanistan.
They
also asked international banks and other organizations to help them in paying
their salaries.
In
the press conference, the women said that Afghanistan desperately needs the
financial support of the international bank and organization for the
continuation of their jobs in Afghanistan.
About
the increase in the level of literacy in Afghanistan, the women said that the
international community should support the programs to increase the level of
literacy and Islamic studies in Afghanistan.
They
also said that the people of Afghanistan are living in a critical economic
situation, thus they have to be helped.
Source:
Khaama Press
https://www.khaama.com/female-afghan-teachers-health-workers-ask-us-to-unfreeze-assets-398573985783/
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Tunisian
President Appoints First Woman Prime Minister, Najla Bouden Romdhane
September
29, 2021
TUNIS:
Tunisian President Kais Saied has named Najla Bouden Romdhane as prime minister
and asked her to quickly form a government, the presidency said in a statement
on social media on Wednesday.
Romdhane
is a university engineering professor with World Bank experience, the local
Mosaique FM reported.
Saied
dismissed the previous prime minister, suspended parliament and assumed wide
executive powers in July and has been under growing domestic and international
pressure to form a new government.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1937741/middle-east
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Women
Held Over 38pc of Decision-Making Positions In Public Sector In 2020, Says
Malay Deputy Minister
29
Sep 2021
KUALA
LUMPUR, Sept 29 — Women hold 38.2 per cent of decision-making posts in the
public sector by filling most of the Premier Grade C and above posts in 2020,
said Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Siti Zailah
Mohd Yusoff.
She
said this was based on statistics by the Public Service Department (JPA) in
2020.
In
the private sector, she said, women held 25 per cent of the decision-making
posts based on their membership on the board of directors in the top 100 public
listed companies.
“The
number of women representatives in the Dewan Rakyat is now almost 15 per cent,
which is 33 women out of 220 parliamentary seats (there are two vacant seats in
parliament currently).
“The
percentage of women in the Dewan Negara (Senate) is also almost 15 per cent,
which is eight women out of 53 senators,” she said in response to a question
from Nor Azrina Surip (PH-Merbok) during the question and answer session in
Parliament today.
She
also told the house that efforts to increase women's representation in
Parliament was the responsibility of all political parties.
Meanwhile,
at a press conference later, Siti Zailah said, the ministry planned to meet
with several political leaders to discuss efforts to achieve 30 per cent women
female representation in Parliament.
Most
political parties use the 'winnable candidate' factor as a benchmark to
nominate members as election candidates, she said, adding that efforts should
be made to increase women participation in policy making. — Bernama
Source:
Malay Mail
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Women’s
League rejects former Haritha leaders’ gender politics
29th
September 2021
KOZHIKODE:
In an apparent reply to the gender issues raised by former leaders of Haritha,
Women’s League national general secretary Noorbina Rashid asserted that the
ideology of the party is minority politics and not gender politics. Speaking at
the meeting in memory of C H Muhammad Koya organised by the new Hartiha
committee here on Tuesday, she said gender politics does not figure anywhere in
the constitution of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
“Politics
of IUML is that of the religious minorities. But recently, there were some
talks that the issues of gender were the concern of the party,” Noorbina said.
She asserted there is no discrimination between the male and the female in the
IUML politics. The only concern is the issue of justice, she said.
She
added that those who are born in the Muslim community have a culture, which
should be protected. Islam is a code of conduct and the moral principles the
religion upholds should be preserved in every sphere, she said. It may be recalled that the former leaders of
Haritha had said that the rights they demand are protected in the IUML
constitution. But by referring to the party constitution, Noorbina is reminding
them that the priorities of the party are different and are driven completely
by the framework of the religion.
In
the speech, Noorbina also said her role model is Hajira Beevi, wife of Prophet
Ibrahim, who is known as the Iron Lady of Islam. (It may be recalled that
former Haritha leader Fathima Thahliya had stated that her inspiration was
Communist leader KR Gowri). Former Haritha leaders had raised a banner of
revolt against a few MSF leaders, who, the girls alleged, verbally insulted
them with sexually-coloured remarks. Support had poured in for the girls on the
social media after they hit out at patriarchy at a press conference on
September 15.
Noorbina’s
speech has come at a time when there is a general feeling that the IUML is
getting softer towards the girls. Party leaders P K Kunhalikutty and P M A
Salam, who initially stated that the issue is a closed chapter, had said that
they are ready for talks with the rebel girls. But there is a rethinking among
a section of the leaders that the party should not give in before the pressure
tactics of the girls. There is also a feeling that certain forces that are
antagonistic to the IUML are triggering the issue with ulterior motives.
Source:
New Indian Express
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