Naila Kiani Becomes First Pakistani Woman to Summit Mount Lhotse, the Fourth Highest Mountain in the World
New Age
Islam News Bureau
17
May 20123
Naila
Kiani Becomes First Pakistani Woman to Summit Mount Lhotse, the Fourth Highest
Mountain in the World
Capt.
Afrah, the First Saudi Woman to Pilot a Hot-Air Balloon55 Times In Saudi Arabia
Saudi
Stars, Arab Designers Steal the Show At Cannes Film Festival
Student
Voice: Young Afghan Girls Are Finding Ways to Keep Learning
Turkmen
Female Doctors Provide Medical Aid for Afghan Women
I
Was Scared Of Dying, Says “Brigitte”, Not Her Real Name, In Tariq Ramadan Rape
Trial
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/naila-kiani-pakistani-lhotse-mountain/d/129796
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Naila Kiani Becomes First Pakistani Woman to Summit Mount Lhotse, the Fourth Highest Mountain in the World
Pakistan’s
esteemed climber, Naila Kiani
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May
17, 2023
LAHORE:
Achieving another milestone, Pakistan’s esteemed climber, NailaKiani has
successfully summited Mount Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain in the world at
8,516 meters above sea level.
With
this achievement, Naila has made history as the first Pakistani female
mountaineer to summit Mount Lhotse immediately after conquering Mount Everest,
setting a double summit record. The expedition was sponsored by the BARD
Foundation.
Her
consecutive accomplishments have significantly elevated Pakistan’s global reputation,
earning her admiration and acclaim from around the world.
Overwhelmed
with joy, Kiani on this astounding feat shared, “When I embarked on this
journey, I had a vision in my mind, and today, witnessing it become a tangible
reality fills my heart with joy, making every ounce of effort worthwhile.
I
attribute this achievement to my unwavering dedication and the generous support
of the BARD Foundation, which believed in my dreams and capabilities.
Source:
brecorder.com
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40242540/naila-kiani-becomes-first-pakistani-woman-to-summit-mount-lhotse
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Capt.
Afrah, the First Saudi Woman to Pilot a Hot-Air Balloon55 Times In Saudi Arabia
Hot-air
balloon pilot Afrah Al-Harbi is inspiring young women to reach for the skies in
their career and hobby. (Supplied)
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May
16, 2023
RIYADH:
Meet Capt. Afrah Al-Harbi, a 22-year-old AlUla native, who has piloted hot-air
balloons 55 times in Saudi Arabia, after becoming the first Saudi woman to
obtain a license to navigate these aircraft.
Al-Harbi
was trained by the Saudi Arabian Hot-Air Ballooning Federation while pursuing
an education in Hotels and Tourism at Taibah University in AlUla.
The
federation officially opened its headquarters in AlUla in May 2019, a few
months after the success of the inaugural Hot-Air Balloon Festival during the
Winter at Tantora Festival earlier that year, when 100 balloons lit up the
skies on several nights. The festival presented a blueprint for adventure
tourism in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Harbi’s
story began at this festival.
“When
hot-air ballooning started in AlUla, I saw the balloons but I never thought I
would be able to fly one of them,” Al-Harbi told Arab News recently.
When
the opportunity to learn arose, Al-Harbi asked herself: “Why not me?” After an
initial interview, she was accepted into the training program.
Al-Harbi,
one of eight children, said her family has been supportive throughout her
journey to make history and become the first Saudi woman to be granted a
pilot’s license.
“I
have no fear inside me,” she added.
With
more than 55 flights to date, Al-Harbi said she would not mind pursuing it as a
fulltime career but for now ballooning is a hobby.
Fellow
captains Abdulrahman Al-Wohaibi and Hussain Makkawi, who trained at the
federation with Al-Harbi, are also amongst the first licensed Saudi hot-air
balloon pilots.
Al-Harbi
is one of the Saudi pilots designated to fly guests at the AlUla Skies
Festival. This is an annual celebration that includes hot-air balloon rides,
helicopter tours and other outdoor adventures and attractions near the historic
Hegra monument.
“There
is no better way to experience, enjoy and appreciate AlUla’s majestic landscape
and natural beauty than from the air,” she said.
Source:
arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2304696/saudi-arabia
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Saudi
stars, Arab designers steal the show at Cannes Film Festival
May
17, 2023
DUBAI:
Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair stepped out in a custom-made pink gown by Lebanese
designer Rami Kadi at the opening of the Cannes Film Festival.
Al-Zuhair,
who was born in Paris to a French mother and Saudi father, wore a corset style
off-the-shoulder gown dress with puffy skirt to the 76th edition of the
prestigious festival.
The
model attended the opening screening “Jeanne du Barry,” which marks the Johnny
Depp’s first major role since his high-profile defamation trial.
The
movie was backed by Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival.
“Opening
ceremony of the 76th Festival de Cannes with the movie ‘Jeanne du Barry,’ the
first Saudi international co-production by Red Sea International Film Festival
with France!” she wrote to her 46,000 followers on Instagram. “So proud to
witness this special moment as a French and Saudi woman!”
Johnny
Depp seemed back in full celebrity mode on Tuesday, signing autographs and
taking pictures with fans before the premiere of his movie. Fans in the French
Riviera city were seen hoisting signs that read “Congrats, Johnny” and “We are
sorry” with a heart.
The
festival delivered on its glamorous reputation with a parade of stars including
MadsMikkelsen, a blue-haired Helen Mirren and John C. Reilly making their way across
the red carpet.
Michael
Douglas, accompanied by his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and their daughter, did
not stop to sign autographs as he made his way into the Grand Theatre Lumiere,
where the 78-year-old actor was given anhonourary Palme d’Or.
Zeta-Jones
and her daughter Carys both wore gown designed by Lebanese couturier Elie Saab.
The mother opted for a red gown that featured a plunging neckline and a long
cape, while Carys wore a sheer white gown from the designer’s Spring/Summer
2023 collection.
Brazilian
model Alessandra Ambrosio also attended the opening ceremony wearing a vintage
Elie Saab gown with a hood from his 2005 haute couture collection.
Celebrity-approved
Saudi designer HonaydaSerafi turned heads on the red carpet in her pink
form-fitting gown that also had a hood attached to the sleeves. She accesorized
her look with jewelry from Swiss luxury label Chopard.
Saudi
actress and singer Aseel Omran wowed fans with a glitzy maroon Dior dress,
while Saudi TV presenter EleenSuliman opted for a light green dress with
voluminous sleeves and a thigh-high slit by Beirut-based label Sara Mrad.
Lebanese
actress RazaneJammal also attended the opening ceremony. She wore a white Dior
gown embellished around the neckline.
Lebanese
singer and actress Maya Diab shut down the red carpet in her black ensemble by
Lebanese couturier Jean-Louis Sabaji. The backless dress, with a daring
neckline, featured a high slit that revealed the star’s studded sheer
stockings.
Egyptian
actress Mona Zaki wowed fans wearing a voluminous multi-colored Zuhair Murad
gown.
Indian
actress Esha Gupta wore a Nicolas Jebran gown. “The stunning @egupta in a
sensational white collection dress at Cannes tonight,” the designer shared on
Instagram.
Netflix’s
“Dubai Bling” star FarhanaBodi donned a custom-made lemon-colored feather gown
that featured a big bow on the back and three-meter train by Omani label
Atelier Zuhra.
Source:
arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2304866/lifestyle
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STUDENT
VOICE: Young Afghan girls are finding ways to keep learning
May 16, 2023
After
the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021, tens of thousands of girls
were banned from attending school beyond sixth grade. Many found a way to
continue their studies through informal tutoring centers, but those too have
come under increased scrutiny as the government continues to crack down on
women and girls’ access to education.
As
a group of girls in Kabul have been grappling with all this, they’ve formed a
connection with some other teens half a world away in California. The two sets
of students, through meetings on Zoom talking about their lives and goals,
formed the Flowers for the Future club, now a branch of the Eileen Murphy
Foundation.
Below
are two essays from members of the club: Mahsa Kosha in Afghanistan and Emily
Khossaravi in California.
“Like
a walking dead”: Being a teenage girl who wants to study under Taliban rule
By
Mahsa Kosha
I
was born in 2006. I continued my childish life from birth to 6 years old and
had a relatively good childhood period. I had many dolls and friends at that
time. My yellow-haired doll’s name is Princess. I love her so much because she
is so loyal that I still have her. When I was 6 years old, I started studying
in school. Later, I started studying English, too. I continued my school and
course lessons until our economic situation deteriorated and I could not study
English anymore.
My
younger sister was born with a heart problem. My parents got into a lot of debt
to treat her, and we entered very difficult years. But my sister became
healthy, and my parents were trying very hard to allow us to study. A few years
later, I was back studying English and math at the same time at school.
Until
the age of 14, I had a completely normal life. I was studying and trying to
achieve great success in the future. I wanted to become a pilot. At that age, I
didn’t really understand the concept of failure, and I continued my life
without any fear or concern, and every day I moved forward with small
successes. I got four certificates of appreciation from different departments,
one of which was from a cultural community. I gained from singing hymns and
reciting poems. I thought that “I will continue my work and efforts and within
a few years I will reach bigger goals,” unaware that it will not happen.
Related:
STUDENT VOICE: ‘Then one day a bomb exploded during my geometry class’
With
the arrival of the Taliban, a new page opened in my life, and my life entered
into great changes. After the Taliban seized power, many problems arose, and I
suffered many failures. I really entered into a back-breaking transformation.
At the beginning of the ban on the entry of girls to my school, I was
depressed, and I was like a walking dead, and I didn’t want to continue my
studies.
But
in those hard days, I was not alone. My older brother tried very hard to help
me and always encouraged me to study. He even brought me very good motivational
books to read and try, such as “Atomic Habits” and “The Power of Habit.” One
day, my brother showed me a picture he had taken of an ad for a place where
girls could go take classes. When I went to the address, I saw a lot of other
girls who were like me and were looking for lessons in courses. Slowly I got
the motivation to study again and started reading books on the side of those
lessons. I continued in the promised course.
But
this time they closed the course gates on us, and this time I will fight back
and search for methods to achieve my dreams.
The
arrival of the Taliban taught me that I have to fight against my problems.
Someone who has always been in the dark and struggled with problems wants to
reach the light and understands the light. I try to reach it. Only someone who
faces their problems can succeed.
An
example is James Clear, the author of “Atomic Habits.” He was hit by a baseball
bat right in the middle of his face when he was in high school, which caused
his brain to be crushed inside his skull. Despite all the problems he had, he
got back on his feet better than before. The work he did turned out to be very
strong. He was able to get perfect grades in all subjects by the end of the
year, and six years later he was selected as the best male athlete at Denison
University in Ohio. His book gave me new motivation and changed my way of
thinking in life. Well, I will take James Clear as my example and continue on
my way again like any other Afghan girl.
How
inspiration and friendship from across the world help create a global club
By
Emily Khossaravi
I
still remember the first day of my AP World History class in 2021. I walked
into the class, eager and excited for the year to come. Little did I know that
class would change my life.
On
the first day, my teacher, Timothy Stiven, announced that we would be meeting
with girls from a tutoring center in Afghanistan on Zoom the next day. I was so
excited about the experience. That afternoon, when I got home, I immediately
sent an email to Mr. Stiven and indicated that I could talk to the students in
Farsi if it would make them feel more comfortable. The next day, I introduced
our class and spoke with the Afghan students, asking them how they were doing
and what their hopes and dreams were for the future. They responded with a
variety of answers: Some wanted to work in the fields of computer science,
others wanted to pursue their soccer dreams and yet others wanted to write
literature. Witnessing their determination and eagerness to continue to learn
despite not being allowed to go to school was amazing and inspired us to
amplify their voices.
Related:
Refugee girls want to improve the world. Will we let them do so?
I
began translating a collection of one hundred poems that one of the girls had
written. I began corresponding with her, and we started sharing goals. It
wasn’t until then that I was fully hit with the intense dedication of these
girls. Despite her situation, this girl still aimed to learn the advanced
topics of chemistry and mathematics, as well as English grammar. She also asked
me how I foster productivity and organize my schedule.
Needless
to say, I wasn’t the only one inspired. As we began meeting over Zoom more and
more often, the club Flowers for the Future emerged. Through the club, we
sought to provide the girls with interactive STEM and humanities lessons, in
topics such as biology, chemistry and English and engage them in continuing
their education, even when they couldn’t go to school. The club has grown to
include branches in Massachusetts, Kentucky, Hong Kong, Australia and more. We
will continue to expand, with the goal of having the girls achieve their
dreams, while striving to make a positive impact on everyone’s life.
Flowers
for the Future has served as a platform to connect students through the passion
of learning different subjects; it emphasizes the importance of learning
through the connections between schools thousands of miles apart. Not only do
we seek to help educate these girls in Afghanistan, but we also seek to inspire
others to do the same. Because education is worth pursuing – it advances
humanity.
Source:
hechingerreport.org
https://hechingerreport.org/student-voice-young-afghan-girls-are-finding-ways-to-keep-learning/
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Turkmen
Female Doctors Provide Medical Aid for Afghan Women
May
17, 2023
Turkmenistan’s
Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that it has sent three female
physicians to provide medical aid to Afghan women in western Herat province.
As
part of Turkmenistan humanitarian aid, Turkmen female doctors have already
started providing life-saving healthcare services to Afghan women at Turghandi
maternity hospital in Herat province.
Prior
to sending doctors, the Turghandi maternity hospital was renovated on May 3,
and medical supplies, as well as medicine, were donated by the government of
Turkmenistan.
It
is said that Turkmen female doctors will serve in Afghanistan until the end of
this month.
Meanwhile,
Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has emphasized to continue
delivering its much-needed humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan during
these difficult times.
Turghandi
maternity hospital was built and inaugurated with the financial support of the
Turkmenistan government on Jun 5, 2016.
The
acting Health Minister of Afghanistan QalanderEbad a few days ago announced
that at least 50 percent of the Afghan population in remote rural areas have no
access the healthcare services.
The
lack of proper healthcare facilities and services is considered a major
challenge, particularly for women and children under the Taliban-run
administration in Afghanistan.
While
banning Afghan women from working for government institutions and
non-governmental organizations, the Taliban keep calling on the international
community to help the health sector in Afghanistan.
Currently,
Afghanistan has the highest number of maternal fatalities in the world, which
may deteriorate with the increasing lack of resources and facilities.
Source:
khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/turkmen-female-doctors-provide-medical-aid-for-afghan-women/
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I
Was Scared Of Dying, Says “Brigitte”, Not Her Real Name, In Tariq Ramadan Rape
Trial
By
Henry Samuel
16
May 2023
A
Swiss woman who accused a prominent Islamic studies scholar of raping her told
a court she had been “scared of dying” during what she called a brutal sex
attack in a hotel room.
“Brigitte”,
not her real name, said that Tariq Ramadan, who is on leave from the University
of Oxford since being charged in France and Switzerland, had beaten her
repeatedly on the head while accusing her of being a French domestic
intelligence agent during a 2008 ordeal that she described as “terrifying”.
He
almost suffocated her during oral sex and later offered to buy her silence, she
told the court.
When
she refused, she said he told her: “Nobody will believe you, my poor old dear.”
Mr
Ramadan denied any wrongdoing. On Monday, he said that he was the victim of a
trap to bring about his “moral downfall” by an admirer he had spurned.
‘My
face was on fire’
The
plaintiff, a Muslim woman in her 40s, said she had been under Mr Ramadan’s sway
and took years to admit to herself that she had been the victim of rape, adding
that she had snapped out of denial when women in France filed for similar
charges against the academic.
“As
he hit my head, he straddled me and penetrated me with blows to the head and
insults. I was afraid of dying,” she said.
“My
face was on fire. It is not so much the strength of the blows, but the number
of blows received. Subsequently, in the night, I was afraid of dying of
suffocation which came from fellatio.”
The
defence and presiding judge asked why after the alleged attack, she stayed the
night in his room, made no attempt to go to the police or a doctor and
subsequently kept in regular contact with Mr Ramadan, even sending him text
messages shortly afterwards saying: “I love you.”
She
said: “I wanted to maintain contact with him to understand his act. If he had
found the words to apologise, there could have been a reconciliation.”
‘Nobody
will believe you, my poor old dear’
Afterwards,
on the phone, she claimed that he said: “How much do you want?”
She
continued: “I understood it was to keep me quiet. I told him ‘You’re completely
unhinged’. Then he asked me ‘How old are you?’ I replied that I was 42. He said
‘Nobody will believe you, my poor old dear’.”
When
asked why she had not filed for rape earlier, the plaintiff replied: “I had
trouble speaking about sex. I was, above all, scared of dying.
“I
decided to file for charges to find peace and, in fact, since then I’ve been
through the worst years of my life.”
The
trial continues and a verdict is due on May 24.
Source:
telegraph.co.uk
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/05/16/tariq-ramadan-rape-trial-oxford-scared-dying/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/naila-kiani-pakistani-lhotse-mountain/d/129796