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Chinese Zhang Hong is the first blind person from Asia to climb Everest

Zhang Hong, who grew up in China's rural countryside, caring for his dad and uncle who were blinded by glaucoma. At the age of 21, he lost his sight, too, But is now the first man in whole Asia to climb the Mount Everest. climb Everest
Inspired by Erik Weihanmayer, the first blind person to summit Everest 20 years prior, Zhang Hong started a few years ago training his body to prepare for the climb.
Every day, he’d strap on a heavy bag and climb 100 flights of stairs at the hospital where he and his wife work as massage therapists, the World reported.
This couldn’t fully prepare him for the challenge of climbing Everest — during a pandemic — and at the age of 46. Once they started the ascent, Zhang said the biggest challenge was the weather.
The World stated that Zhang Hong said, It was very dangerous, “The weather was very bad. My guide kept telling me soon, soon, but all I felt was fear. Part of me wanted to give up and part of me wanted to keep going.”
His guide, Qiangzi, talked him through the entire final ascent, which took them more than 13 hours in low-oxygen conditions. climb Everest
“I didn’t know where my next step will be, and I didn’t know the ice condition,” Zhang said. “I didn’t know where to put my feet, how to stay balanced. I had to depend on my guide’s directions every step of the way. It was very hard.”
According to Zhang Hong, climbing blind has one advantage — you can’t see the danger around you.
“My guide kept telling me it would be just another half-hour, another half-hour, but it seemed to be so long,” he said. “I thought he was lying to me. Then he told me it was just the last bit of rope. Even when he told me there’s the summit up ahead, I didn’t really believe him.”
“Then my guide told me, you made it to the summit,” Zhang said. “I only believed him after he said it a few times.”
Most climbers describe reaching the summit by what they can see — the curve of the Earth, the mountain peaks, the wispy clouds below them. climb Everest
A video posted on Twitter captured him standing among the Tibetan prayer flags at the peak.
“The wind was beating my head,” he said. “It was like a monster. I was absolutely terrified. There was none of the excitement I expected to feel. All I could feel was the wide-open space and the sound of the wind. It was so stressful.”
Over a walkie-talkie, he and his team shared congratulations with a documentary film crew that had been following him.
“I told my guide, let’s take a photo and quickly go down,” he said. “I was only at the top for about five minutes.”
But, he said, reaching the top of Mount Everest was never the goal.
“Reaching the peak, you’re only halfway there,” he said. “It’s not the way up to the top where most mountain climbers get into trouble, it’s on the way back down, so I knew I hadn’t succeeded yet.”
He said that sense of accomplishment only came days later when he made it off the mountain. climb Everest
Source: The World
Image source:Fan Lixin/EyeSteelFilm-The World
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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