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Rami Al-Ali became the first Syrian Fashion designer to be recognized by the Business of Fashion List.
The Dubai-based fashion designer creates couture, bridal, and ready-to-wear collections. Naomi Campbell, Amal Clooney, and Assala are among some of the many celebrities he has dressed.
In 2001, he established his couture collection in Dubai and made his debut in Paris Couture Week in 2012.
The Business of Fashion is an online Magazine renowned globally for its definitive, explanatory point of view on the fashion world. Their aim is to build fashion’s worldwide community to inform, advise, and connect the Fashion industry. The online publication was founded in 2007 by Imran Amed.
The BoF 500 list is an index of diverse people molding the fashion world; from designers to entrepreneurs to personalities.
Other Arab figures who made the BoF’s 500 list feature Mohammed Ashi, Saudi’s first designer on the list, Emirati’s Khadija Al Bastaki along Saudi internet personality Amy Roko.
In her historical novel Cotissica, Ghada El-Absy depicts the story of the Greek adventurer and entrepreneur Theochari Kozzika (Egyptians pronounce the name in an Italian manner) and – in contrast – the life of a working-class Egyptian family.
Overwhelmed with dreams of wealth and prestige, Theochari arrives in Alexandria just after the Orabi Revolution (1879-1882) to live with his uncle Yanni and his wife.
Yanni does not help Theochari much except to give him advice, the most prominent is “middlemen are the new [Greek] gods.”
Theochari’s insatiable desire for money is evident when he allocates his uncle’s ships to repatriate Greeks from Alexandria during the bloody civil strife that erupted between foreigners and Egyptians in 1882 that culminated in the British bombardment of Alexandria and their ensuing conquest of Egypt.
El-Absy describes in detail an incident in which the British Consul’s Maltese servant, Francisco Zamit, starts a fight with an Egyptian coachman, stabbing him and taking shelter with the Maltese and the Greeks.
This is followed by fighting between the foreign communities in Alexandria, armed with pistols and guns, and Egyptians, carrying cudgels and sticks. The foreigners were driven by hatred and arrogance towards Egyptians, who in turn, felt humiliated in their own land until the Orabi Revolution awakened their wounded dignity.
One of the most unforgettable scenes in the novel is when a brave Egyptian man kills one of his countrymen who menaces a group of female Greek swimmers. The man leads the girls to safety, only to be shot by both the father and brother of one of the girls, who think that he is the one threatening them! One of the girls he saves, Angeliki, becomes Theochari’s wife later on and does charity, hoping to compensate the countrymen of this unknown hero.
Following the British occupation of Egypt, Theochari is joined by his younger brother, Polichronis.
Soon, Polichronis proved to be an indispensable partner for his elder brother through his exceptional skills in influencing and persuading people. Thus, Theochari decided to lay the plans and leave the execution of them to his younger brother.
Theochari took charge of providing the British troops with supplies during their Sudan campaign (1881-1899). He leaves Alexandria, establishing two factories in Tora, Cairo. One is for making alcohol for medical uses and the other is a brewery for making beer.
He makes the decision to move to Tora in order to be far away from both the greedy eyes of the British, who insist on taking a cut from every big business, and from the big Greek competitors, such as Gianaclis, owner of the famous wine factory.
El-Absy also provides a narrative from another universe, that of the family of Abdel-Alim, an Egyptian who works in Kozzika’s brewery.
This profession is a source of conflict within Abdel-Alim’s family. Whenever a male baby dies, his wife, Sabra, pours curses on him due to his profession, which is prohibited by Islam. In order to appease her, he gives her false promises that he will stop working in the brewery. He swings between staying and leaving until his best friend and co-worker takes him to hear a budding songstress, none other than Oum Kalthoum!
Abdel-Alim’s family is mired in superstitions and ignorance. For instance, Sabra asks a young man to put alms money, which she begged for, in a bundle and throw it in the street after walking for a while in order to make her son Talaat live, unlike his previous brothers.
El-Absy, who is a medical doctor, narrates an unbelievable story in which the jealous mother-in-law of Shawqia, Sabra’s most intimate friend and midwife, pays another midwife to let Shawqia’s baby die during delivery and then inserts a weasel into her womb to make her bleed and give her a hysterectomy.
Theochari and his brother begin to accumulate wealth, and all the while Abdel-Alim and his family are in a state of misery.
This misery is compounded by the inexplicable death of the husband of Abdel-Alim’s eldest daughter, Wedad, just ten days following the marriage. Following this calamity, Wedad resigns herself to sit beside the window for decades to become a clairvoyant. The rest of the daughters feel that their house is damned and join their mother in asking Abdel-Alim to stop working in the brewery so they can get married.
Throughout the novel, the author excessively merges Greek mythology with the minds, ideas, and words of Greek characters. For instance, after two and a half pages of engaging with and projecting mythological figures, the author says that Theochari was not that romantic!
El-Absy provides two friends and co-workers for Abdel-Alim: the Christian Anton and Samaan the Jew (this name is actually an error, as the Jewish name for Samaan is Sham’oon). These three characters are meant to convey the multi-confessional character of Egypt, with the three different religions working in the brewery in spite of it being taboo, at least for Muslims and Jews.
El-Absy, who is also a singer, devotes pages to Oum Kalthoum’s singing and the lyrics of her songs. It is this music that helps Abdel-Alim enter a phase of transcending intoxication and overcome his marital troubles.
However, one unconvincing scene is when Abdel-Alim, who is apparently illiterate, compares the establishment of the Tora Prison to the big prison in which Egypt is incarcerated.
The story of the Kozzika brothers continues through Theodore, Polichronis’ son. Theodore proves more than capable of managing the family business. He also has a much-publicized romantic affair with the American silent star Pearl White for the last ten years of her life.
Meanwhile, two of Abdel-Alim’s daughters marry, while the youngest, Set Abooha, shuns marriage, pursuing her studies and becoming a medical doctor. However, the only surviving son grows up, becomes a drug addict, kills one of his sisters, and steals her jewelry.
There are two scenes that were absolutely unnecessary. The first depicts Saad Zaghloul, the leader of the 1919 Revolution, in a dialogue with Sir Reginald Wingate, the British high commissioner. The second depicts Ahmed Aboud Pasha, the prominent Egyptian industrialist, talking to an unseen interlocutor about his career and his ambitions to seize the Kozzika brewery.
By this time, the winds had changed and the majority of foreigners had left Egypt after selling their businesses. This includes Theodore Kozzika, who sells his brewery and alcohol factory to Abboud Pasha, who converts them into a starch and glucose factory.
The novel consists of 35 chapters that are devoted either to the Kozzika or Abdel-Alim families, except in the final chapter where both families are mentioned together.
From the very first page, the author focuses on the mania of giving birth to male offspring among the Egyptian working classes represented by Sabra and her husband Abdel-Alim.
Ironically, the same tendency was also found in the Greek upper classes, albeit for totally different reasons, namely because the bride’s father paid the dowry.
This is demonstrated in a scene where Theochari’s wife, Angeliki, boils with jealousy when she learns that Polichronis’ French wife has given birth to a boy, while she gave birth to a girl.
Saudi engineer Rakan Al-Shammari has left an indelible mark on the railway industry in Germany.
His journey began with the pursuit of electrical engineering studies and he later taught at several German universities.
Al-Shammari’s path to success began while working as a project manager at Rail Power System GmbH. His dedication and passion for trains led him to excel in the field. The journey was not without its difficulties, as it required him to learn German, pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and eventually take on teaching responsibilities.
Al-Shammari said: “In 2006, after graduating from high school, I applied for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Foreign Scholarship Program. I spent a year studying the German language, followed by preparatory studies, and then I joined the University of Kassel to major in electrical and communications engineering. During my final year at university, I undertook practical training at the German Railways Company.”
He noted that after completing the practical experience, he pursued further education as a graduate student. “While studying for my master’s, I was offered a position as a lecturer at the university under a contractual arrangement, where I taught electricity to first and second-year students.”
He received a job offer in 2017 and joined a company specializing in railway project management in Germany. “This company managed new construction projects, particularly in infrastructure, as the German Railway Company itself does not execute such projects,” he noted.
Al-Shammari told Arab News that his educational journey began in the desert, where he studied until the third grade of primary school, living in tents and drinking well water. He later attended Al-Yarmouk Primary School in the city of Rafha for grades four to six and completed his secondary education in the city of Al-Uwaiqliyah.
Al-Shammari firmly believes that Saudi Arabia is on the cusp of a transportation revolution and is already reaping the rewards. He emphasized that the Kingdom will emerge as a developed country in the coming years, not solely reliant on oil and energy, but also due to the strength of its people and leadership, and their commitment to continual development and competition.
He expressed pride in having visionary leaders who invest in the talents of their citizens. He also noted Germany’s openness to creative minds and its support for them, attracting skilled individuals from around the world. He believes that effective resource management enhances the economy and strengthens Germany’s global position.
Al-Shammari acknowledged the initial difficulties he faced in studying in Germany, as it was his first experience living outside his familiar surroundings.
His advice to everyone is to embrace their sense of responsibility, seize opportunities, and pursue continuous learning in order to contribute to their country. He also emphasizes the importance of diversifying educational sources and collaborating with experts and scholars to develop a unique persona capable of competing on a global scale.
Finally, Al-Shammari expressed gratitude to the Saudi leadership, his family and friends, and the Saudi Cultural Mission in Germany. He acknowledged the mission’s continuous support, including increased stipends for Saudi students who excelled academically, enabling them to perform to the best of their abilities during their scholarships.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Al-Shammari said his educational journey began in the desert, where he studied until the third grade of primary school, living in tents and drinking well water. (Al-Shammari’s Instagram)
Dr. Moungi Gabriel Bawendi, a Tunisian-American scientist and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has been honored with the prestigious Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Dr. Bawendi, whose familial roots trace back to Tunisia, has risen as a figure of excellence and innovation within the scientific community. His pioneering work in quantum dots has propelled this field to the forefront of modern technology.
This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry is jointly awarded to Dr. Bawendi and two other distinguished laureates, Louis Brus and Alexi Ekimov, who, according to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, “planted an important seed for nanotechnology.”
The revolutionary breakthrough that led to this prestigious accolade occurred in 1993 when Dr. Bawendi transformed the chemical production of quantum dots, creating nearly flawless particles. The exceptional quality of these quantum dots became a fundamental requirement for their application across a wide range of domains, from electronics to medicine.
Quantum dots have rapidly evolved to become integral components of cutting-edge technologies. They are currently illuminating computer monitors and TVs through Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode (QLED) technology, delivering enhanced color and clarity. Furthermore, biochemists and medical professionals utilise quantum dots for precise biological tissue mapping, offering invaluable insights into the human body’s intricacies.
Scientists and engineers envision an exciting future where quantum dots will play pivotal roles in flexible electronics, minuscule sensors, compact solar cells, and secure quantum communication. These tiny, luminous particles hold the potential to revolutionize industries, offering new possibilities for technological advancement.
“The Nobel Laureates … have succeeded in producing particles so small that their properties are determined by quantum phenomena. The particles, which are called quantum dots, are now of great importance in nanotechnology,” the Nobel Committee for Chemistry said in a statement.
“For a long time, nobody thought you could ever actually make such small particles,” Johan Aqvist, the chair of the Academy’s Nobel committee for chemistry, said at a news conference announcing the 2023 laureates. He introduced five colorful flasks, claiming they held liquid solutions of quantum dots, and proclaimed, “This year’s winners achieved success.”
“I wasn’t sure it was true,” said Dr. Bawendi when he received the call informing him of his Nobel Prize, as he shared in an interview with the Nobel Foundation. “It’s quite an honor and quite a surprise.”
The scientist also expressed his deep appreciation for sharing the prestigious award with his former mentor, Dr. Brus, stating, “He molded me as a scientist.”
Before the announcement, Dr. Bawendi had a 9 a.m. class on introductory quantum mechanics scheduled at M.I.T., but the day took an unexpected turn as the lesson transformed into a discussion of his remarkable career leading up to the Nobel Prize. Reflecting on the whirlwind of events, he calmly remarked, “I’m just going to let it ride.”
Libyan doctor Khairiya Ohaida has been awarded the title “Scientist of the Year 2020” in the “Medical and Health Sciences/ Clinical Medicine/ Oncology” category from the US International Achievement Research Center (IARC) for her scientific research on breast cancer medicine.
Dr.Khairiya, a Ph.D. in Tumor biology breast cancer and a faculty member at The Sirte University, told The Libya Observer that her research has been ranked as one of the world’s top 20 scientific papers in oncology.
Dr. Ohaida explained that her project was about discovering a primary breast cancer gene scientifically called galectin-7 in Ductal Carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) and its role in preventing cancer from spreading.
On the basis of her findings, Dr. Ohaida proposed a multi-step hypothesis for the progression of DCIS to invasive breast cancer, which could be used in the clinic to predict how likely an individual’s DCIS is to progress.
Her findings were considered a “very exciting and entirely novel finding” as it has the potential to stratify patients for a more tailored management of their disease, according to the (IARC).
“Research can make important contributions to scientists’ efforts in controlling oncologic diseases and finding new treatments, Dr. Ohaida said.
She expressed her desire to continue her scientific work, but this would require the interest of the authorities, and in this context, she called on stakeholders to support her in developing her research.
“There is a need to establish research centers throughout Libya, and my hope is to see such a facility in my hometown, Dr. Ohaida added.
It may be important to note that Dr. Khairiya Ohaida Ahmed is a medical graduate from the Department of Human Medicine of Sirte University. She obtained her master’s and doctorate degrees from the Queen Mary University of London in 2015.
Dr. Ohaida had also received an award from the Breast Cancer Conference held in Belgium in 2012, as her project was ranked among the world’s top 20 scientific papers on breast cancer.
Ines Zaidi, Professor of Immunology at the Higher Institute of Medical Technologies at the University of Tunis El Manar, received the science and technology award of the Francophone University Agency during her participation in the ninth edition of the Francophone Award for Young Researchers.
Dr. Inas, a specialist in blood cell biology, excelled in the competition which included 113 candidates from different continents, such as America, Asia and Africa.
Thanks to her immensely advanced research, which demonstrates intelligence, scientific and cognitive abilities. The scholar’s work has also been published in more than 40 international medical articles, which have provided many additions to humanity, health and medicine in general. Zaidi has been awarded the Sadiq Bessour scientific prize for research excellence in 2017, supported by the Sadiq Foundation in collaboration with the University of Montreal and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research in Tunisia.
Regarding the nature and importance of Ines Zaidi’s research, the piece of work highlights the inclusion and regulation of HASH-1 molecules in public health diseases, as an added value in the follow-up of pathological conditions, as well as in proposing new therapeutic strategies.
Only three other researchers in the world received the Francophone award from universities in Canada and Morocco, making them 4 international researchers with scientific recognition and utterly significant achievements.
Two more UAE residents, Emirati Sheikh Ahmed Bin Faisal Al Qassimi and British painter Sacha Jafri, receive awards in the culture category.
The Mother Teresa International Awards 2023 celebrated the accomplishments of 18 outstanding individuals, with Emirati philanthropist Ahmed Al Falasi at the forefront for his contributions to social work. Al Falasi, recognised as the Arab Hope Maker in 2020, garnered this honour for his humanitarian efforts in establishing advanced kidney dialysis centres and incubators in Kenya’s Mombasa.
Joining the ranks of awardees were two esteemed UAE residents, Emirati Sheikh Ahmed Bin Faisal Al Qassimi and British painter Sacha Jafri. Both were lauded in the culture category. The accolades were presented during a ceremony held at Dubai’s Conrad Hotel on August 26, which was the 113th birth anniversary of Mother Teresa, a global icon known for her selfless devotion.
These awards were organised by the All-India Minority and Weaker Sections Council, a non-political organisation founded by Late Prafulla Chandra Sen, a former chief minister of West Bengal, and Mr. Anthony Arun Biswas, alongside other dignitaries.
Mother Teresa, beatified by Pope John Paul II as Saint Teresa, was born on August 26, 1910. She founded the Missionaries of Charity, a humanitarian organisation that grew to include over 4,500 nuns serving in 133 countries. Her life’s work revolved around assisting the most impoverished individuals, receiving honours such as the Ramon Magsaysay Peace Prize and the Nobel Peace Prize.
Notably, this marked the first instance of the award ceremony being hosted outside of India. After Saint Teresa’s passing in 1997, the council established the Mother Teresa International and Millennium Award Committee. This committee was entrusted with the task of annually recognising exceptional individuals who have excelled in the fields of education, science, culture, sports, social work, medicine, industry, and politics in India.
Prior to this event, the Harmony Organisation, which also presents awards in Mother Teresa’s name, expressed concerns regarding the August 26 event in Dubai. They asserted that it lacked the endorsement or recognition of the Missionaries of Charity, the Catholic religious institute established by Mother Teresa herself in 1950. This institute, now under the Catholic Church’s recognition as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, exclusively supports Harmony Organisation’s awards, they said, emphasising that any other award ceremony could tarnish the legacy of the revered Saint.
However, the organisers of the Mother Teresa International Awards unequivocally refuted these claims. Dr. T.H. Ireland, Principal of St. James’ School in Kolkata and chairman of the awards committee told Khaleej Times: “Nobody can lay sole claim to Mother Teresa. She was a universal icon. Our award ceremony has a 22-year history of recognising luminaries such as Dr Manmohan Singh, the former Prime Minister of India, and Ms. Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.”
During a press conference earlier, Indian playback singer Usha Uthup shared her profound connection with Mother Teresa, spanning four decades. She recalled visiting Mother Teresa at the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata during both her trying and triumphant times. Usha Uthup said she had the privilege of being present during her passing and her canonisation.
Dubai businessman and cricket enthusiast Shyam Bhatia fondly remembered his visits to Mother Teresa and her simple yet powerful message: “We don’t want your money; we want your time.”
Sacha Jafri, the Dubai-based world-renowned artist, who intends to place the first official artwork on the moon, expressed his delight at receiving this prestigious award.
The ceremony’s highlights included dance performances by the mother-daughter actor-artiste duo Indrani Dutta and Rajnandini Paul, as well as Bollywood actor Kalpana Iyer and Usha Uthup, creating a memorable blend of song and dance.
Pan-Arab talks bringing together media bodies from across the region have named Kuwait’s Dr. Mohammad Al-Rumaihi as the personality of the year in recognition of his contributions in the field.
As he received his award, Al-Rumaihi, a professor of political sociology at Kuwait University, dedicated the achievement to his compatriots who have made notable contributions in the field of media and journalism, saying the accolade was a “tremendous honor.” He hailed the gathering as a significant initiative that helps propel the field of media and journalism in the region to greater levels, besides shining light on the importance of this crucial sector.
Al-Rumahi has enjoyed a prolific career in the field of journalism, having served as the chief editor of numerous Kuwaiti publications, while he has also authored a number of books delving into Arab social and political affairs.
During the Nazi occupation of Tunisia, numerous Jewish families were saved in the town of Mahdia by Khaled Abdul Wahab, nicknamed the Tunisian Schindler.
tTunisian man Khaled Abdul Wahab has received a historic nomination as the first Arab to be considered for the title of “Righteous Among the Nations.” This accolade is traditionally reserved for non-Jewish individuals who displayed valor in their efforts to rescue Jews from the persecution imposed by the Nazi regime.
The impetus for this nomination comes from Robert Satloff, the Director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, an American think tank. Satloff’s quest led him to the story of Khaled Abdul Wahab, scion of an aristocratic lineage. At the age of 32, he witnessed the arrival of German troops in Tunisia in November 1942. At that time, Tunisia was home to a Jewish population numbering around 100,000.
Before World War II, Tunisia was a French protectorate. As Nazi Germany expanded and occupied France, the country fell under German sway. Consequently, the Jewish community of Tunisia became threatened due to Nazi Germany’s antisemitic policies. Some Tunisians took it upon themselves to protect their Jewish neighbors, and Khaled Abdul Wahab was one of them.
“Some people find it difficult to accept the idea that Arabs may have assisted Jews,” said Satloff. “It would demonstrate to some Arabs that they were willing to help their Jewish neighbors.”
An intermediary and protector
Due to his German speaking skills, he played a pivotal role as an intermediary between the residents of the coastal town of Mahdia and the occupying German forces, facilitating communication and acting as a protector.
One particularly noteworthy episode revolves around his timely intervention upon learning of the sinister intentions of German officers towards Odette Boukhris, a local Jewish woman. Abdul Wahab promptly gathered her family and several other Jewish families from Mahdia, totaling approximately two dozen individuals, and relocated them to the safety of his rural estate outside the town. He provided them sanctuary for an unbroken duration of four months.
He has been likened to a Tunisian Schindler for imperiling his own life to provide sanctuary to Jews amidst the Nazi stranglehold on Tunisia. Satloff believes the Tunisian man represents “a very powerful symbol from a historical point of view.”
Despite these commendable actions, the formal recognition of the man as “Righteous Among the Nations” hinges on approval by the Yad Vashem commission responsible for bestowing this distinction. It’s worth noting that Yad Vashem has bestowed this status upon approximately 21,700 individuals since the conclusion of World War II, with around 60 Muslims from the Balkans among the recipients as well as the German-Egyptian doctor Mohammed Helmy.
Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) has reached a deal to acquire the World Padel Tour (WPT), the oldest global professional padel tour, from Spanish brewing powerhouse Damm’s Setpoint Events.
Under this agreement, the WPT will be combined with the QSI-owned Premier Padel to form a single global professional padel tour. The tour, which will be called Premier Padel, will be governed by the International Padel Federation (FIP). Financial terms of the agreement were not released.
“This is a historic moment for the sport of padel,” Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, the chairman of QSI and Premier Padel, said in a statement. “As the fastest-growing sport globally, QSI is proud to be at the heart of driving the development of padel professionally worldwide, always placing the players at the center of our mission to grow the sport everywhere.”
The new tour will kick off in 2024. Until the end of 2023, the separate WPT and Premier Padel tours will be played as scheduled.
QSI, which also owns Ligue 1’s Paris Saint Germain, launched Premier Padel in 2022. Within its first year, over 500 players worldwide competed in tournaments in five cities. The tour was expanded to eight cities in 2023. According to the organizers, the inaugural 2022 tour has broadcast agreements that cover over 180 countries and attracted 22.7 million views on YouTube.
World Padel Tour (WPT) started in 2013 and has been the prominent padel circuit, featuring over 26 men’s and women’s tournaments across six countries. A total of 510 men and 317 women compete in the circuit, which is broadcast in more than 150 countries.
While WPT has a total prize fund of $121,000, Premier Padel has $568,000.
There have been disputes between the two leagues. When players signed with WPT, their contracted barred them from playing in other leagues.
According to Politico , last year, the world’s top padel players and FIP jointly submitted a competition complaint to the European Commission, accusing Damm’s Setpoint Events—which runs WPT—of breaking EU law by distorting competition. WPT responded by suing players that joined Premier Padel and taking legal action against FIP, the Professional Players Association (PPA) and QSI, arguing that QSI is trying to exclude them from the market. The WPT also had filed a lawsuit in Madrid against the FIP, claiming it was deviating from its role as an impartial, non-profit regulatory body.
The global padel industry is valued at over $2 billion and is forecast to surpass $4 billion by 2026, according to a recent report from Deloitte .
There are currently 25 million people playing Padel in 110 countries, compared to 16 million two years ago.
source/content: sportico.com (headline edited)
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Starting in 2024, the World Padel Tour and Premier Padel will combine to operate as a single tour.PHOTO BY DOMENICO CIPPITELLI/NURPHOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES
