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Yousef Al Refaie sets the record for reaching the top of the highest volcanoes on each of the seven continents.
A Kuwaiti mountaineer has become the youngest person to climb the world’s Seven Volcanic Summits.
Yousef Al Refaie has set a Guinness World Record for reaching the top of the highest volcanoes on each of the seven continents at 24 years and 119 days.
“[If] you came from the desert, I wouldn’t think you [would] be able to climb the highest mountains,” he said of his feat.
Mr Al Refaie, the 24th person to climb the peaks, began his journey as a tourist on December 30 2015 when he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
He then climbed Russia’s Mount Elbrus on July 18 2017, Mount Giluwe Mountain in Papua New Guinea on July 21 2018, Pico de Orizaba in Mexico on January 6 2019, Iran’s Mount Damavand on August 11 2019, Ojos Del Salado in the Andes on January 15 2020 and Mount Sidley in the Antarctic on December 22 2021.
He said the toughest was the 4,285m dormant Mount Sidley in Antarctica’s Marie Byrd Land, one of the largest uninhabited areas in the world. It took the team seven hours to push from their camp at 3,000m to the crest of the caldera.
He said he had previously attempted to break the record for the fastest climb of the Arabian Peninsula’s highest peaks, but, as with other challengers, he was not allowed to enter Yemen.
Mr Al Refaie now wants to cross the largest deserts in the world, starting with the Empty Quarter in November.
“When I first asked my mum for the Guinness World Records Book as a kid, she told me she would only buy it if I had something amazing to make my way into it,” he said.
“I really don’t know if she meant it that time, but here we are living the dream.
source/content: thenationalnews.com (edited)
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Kuwaiti mountaineer Yousef Al Refaie has become the youngest person to climb the Seven Volcanic Summits, the highest volcano on each continent. Pictures: Guinness World Records
Egyptian swimmer Omar Hegazy broke two Guinness World Records last week after losing his leg in 2015.
The 31-year-old first broke the record for “longest distance swam underwater with one breath,” swimming 185 feet and 4 inches (or 56.48 meters). He then donned a fin and broke the record for “longest distance swam underwater with one breath with fins,” traveling 251 feet and 7.68 inches (76.7 meters), according to a statement from Guinness World Records.
Hegazy commemorated his accomplishments in an Instagram post, in which he thanked his friends, family and coaches for their support.
“Nothing beats the journey,” he wrote in the post’s caption. “Enjoyed every cold windy day in the pool. Enjoyed after midnight training sessions. Enjoyed the friendships and the unconditional love I saw in the eyes of my friends, family and coaches. Still hungry for more!”
Hegazy had his left leg amputated in 2015 after he was run over by a truck in a motorcycle accident, according to Guinness. He was 25 years old at the time.
Hegazy had to spend several more weeks in the hospital after the operation, learning how to complete everyday tasks. He eventually became interested in accomplishing athletic achievements of strength after reading about Dareen Barbar, a Lebanese amputee who broke the world record for the longest static wall sit. He also read about Faisal Al Mosawi, a Kuwaiti wheelchair user who broke the record for the fastest 10 kilometer scuba dive.
My source of motivation in the beginning was that I do not have much left to lose,” Hegazy said in statement to Guinness. “I only got into swimming because I was a very angry. I found a way to I let out my anger and frustration, but it was also where I felt really free and capable.”
In addition to breaking two Guinness World Records, Hegazy has achieved a number of other athletic milestones. He swam across the Gulf of Aqaba in 2017, completed in a 700 kilometer cycling challenge and climbed a mountain, according to his website.
“I hope these Guinness World Records titles inspire others and serve as a reminder that amazing is somewhere near you,” Hegazy told Guinness. “You just have to open your eyes wide.”
Representation matters. Not just representation of ethnic background, but of personal experience. As Egyptian director Mohamed Diab becomes the first Arab to direct a Marvel project with the eagerly awaited limited series “Moon Knight,” it’s a landmark moment not only because of his nationality, but also because he was born, raised, thrived and suffered in Egypt, living through his country’s revolution and painful rebuild, and ultimately becoming one of its most important chroniclers.
“I’m not someone who is obsessed with firsts, but I will say that what is unique about me getting the Marvel job is that I’m coming directly from the Arab world,” Diab — who previously helmed the award-winning films “Cairo 678” (2010), “Clash” (2016), and “Amira” (2021) — continues.
There was a major reason that Diab’s voice was so necessary to the project. While many of the Marvel comic books from the 60s and 70s drew from cultures and mythologies from across the world, they were written and drawn from a perspective foreign to the cultures they were influenced by, leading to limited — sometimes offensive — portrayals of those people, places, and histories.
Part of Diab’s mission was not just to apply his own voice to the show, but to include the creative voices of as many Egyptians and Arabs as he could. Each Egyptian character on the show is portrayed by an actual Egyptian — something rarely, if ever, done in Hollywood — including the ancient deity that plagues Moon Knight himself. Behind the scenes, Diab recruited the previous collaborator Ahmed Hafez as one of the series’ editors, and the great Egyptian composer Hesham Nazih to write the series’ score.
Diab — as the show’s key creative voice along with creator Jeremy Slater — was integral in far more than capturing the Egyptian aspects of the show; he helped shape its entire aesthetic, so the show embraces elements that no Marvel project has before in terms of tone, style, and themes. He also personally convinced two actors who had long resisted becoming part of a superhero project — Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke — to come aboard.
“The wonderful idea of hiring Mohamed to be our quarterback, to guide this ship, is that the movies he’s made in Egypt are incredible,” says Hawke. “He’s not looking at this with the eyes of an American, he’s looking at this — and these deities, and this world — from a vantage point of growing up in Egypt and having a lot to say about it. It’s exciting to be around him in that way.”
Diab also recruited the Egyptian-Palestinian actress May Calamawy, best known for her role in the Golden Globe-winning sitcom “Ramy,” as one of the show’s leads.
Ultimately, “Moon Knight” — which debuts internationally on Disney+ on March 30 and will premiere in the region this summer — is a show full of outsiders who, in partnership with Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige and many others, lent their creative voices to make this a Marvel project like no other.
source/content: arabnews.com (edited)
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Egyptian director Mohamed Diab is the first Arab to direct a Marvel project with the eagerly awaited limited series “Moon Knight.” (Supplied)
The Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) entered the Guinness World Records for the largest single humanitarian donation in the world, paying over AED8 million in July to treat a Syrian child, Julie Ahmed Nasser, who is suffering from a rare disease.
Julie’s mother called for help in a video that was circulated on social media, explaining that her child suffers from spinal muscular atrophy, and the inability to breathe, walk, stand, eat or even sit without the help of others.
In response, H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), and Honorary Chairperson of the ERC, instructed the ERC to cover Julie’s medical treatment and provide her with the highest standards of healthcare treatment in one of the country’s hospitals.
The ERC responded to the directives of Sheikha Fatima with a comprehensive treatment programme that helped Julie receive a necessary treatment at Al Jalila Specialty Hospital in Dubai, after which the girl was able to move parts of her body.
The ERC recently received a Guinness World Records certificate from the group’s representative in Dubai.
Dr. Mohammed Ateeq Al Falahi, ERC Secretary-General, said the directives of Sheikha Fatima is a beacon that has led the ERC to reach out to and help vulnerable people, especially children.
source/content: wam.ae (edited)
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الهلال الأحمر يدخل موسوعة “جينيس” عن أكبر تبرع مالي لحالة إنسانية تجاوز 8 ملايين درهم
Egypt’s Nouran Gohar has ended compatriot Nour El Sherbini’s 17-month reign as the World No.1 after the PSA Women’s World Rankings for April were released today (April 1).
Gohar has been in sensational form throughout the 2021-22 season and has won the last four PSA World Tour Platinum events in a row, including the Windy City Open presented by the Walter Family and the CIB Black Ball Open last month.
Those wins have seen her leapfrog El Sherbini to claim the World No.1 spot for the second time in her career and for the first time since October 2020.
Hania El Hammamy and Amanda Sobhy stay at No.3 and No.4, respectively, while New Zealand’s Joelle King returns to the top five for the first time since May 2019 after reaching the semifinals of both the Windy City Open and Black Ball Open in March.
England’s Sarah-Jane Perry moves down to No.6 ahead of Salma Hany at No.7, while Rowan Elaraby reaches a career-high ranking of No.8 after reaching her first Platinum semi at the Black Ball Open.
Women’s Top 10 – April 2022 / pix: pic: psaworldtour.com
Meanwhile, Georgina Kennedy rises to her career-high ranking of No.9 after achieving back-to-back quarter finals at the Windy City Open and Black Ball Open, the former seeing her reach the last eight of a Platinum event for the first time. France’s Camille Serme – who has been sidelined since September, 2021 due to a leg injury – completes the top 10.
USA’s Olivia Fiechter drops out of the top 10, while Belgium’s Nele Gilis rises a spot to a joint career-best No.12 ranking. India’s Joshna Chinappa is also on the move as she moves up to No.13, ahead of Tesni Evans at No.14 and Nadine Shahin who remains at No.15.
Nada Abbas rises five places to reach No.16, while Hollie Naughton drops down a spot to joint No.17 with Olivia Clyne. Emily Whitlock stays at No.19, while England’s Lucy Turmel moves up six spots to break into the top 20 for the first time. It’s the first time in over two years that there have been three Englishwoman have been ranked inside the top 20 at the same time.
Egypt’s Nour El-Sharkawy is the biggest mover on the women’s tour this month. The 18-year-old appeared at the Black Ball Open in March and enjoys a 186-place rise to a career-high No.147 ranking.
source/content: psaworldtour.com (edited)
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Nouran Gohar in action at the Allam British Open / pic: psaworldtour.com
The first world expo held in the Middle East ends in style.
After 182 days of diverse and rich activities and events, which enjoyed by millions of visitors from across the world, the curtain of Expo 2020 Dubai, the first world expo held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region and the first hosted by an Arab nation, came down on Thursday, March 31, 2022, at the iconic dome-structured Al Wasl Plaza.
The six-month-long exposition, staged under the central theme, “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, defied the tremendous challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering a resounding success.
By organising the world greatest show amidst such challenges, the UAE has removed the world ”impossible” from its lexicon to present a wonderful edition in the event’s long history as His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, said in an audio message delivered at the closing ceremony of the mega global event.
We will not be exaggerating if we repeat what millions of visitors have said that Dubai’s remarkable success offered a great challenge for those to come.
Expo 2020 Dubai, which brought together 192 participating nations, is not a mere event that tells the culture and history of participating countries, rather than an invitation to engage and share visions to address challenges facing the humanity.
The UAE selection of the theme, ”Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” as a headline for its campaign to host the exhibition, did not come by chance. The UAE used to look to the future with proactive visions. Despite humanity’s passing through the most difficult and challenging time due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its negative effects on the economies of the world, there was no confusion in the UAE’s approach and calculations.
Projects did not stop or affected by slowness, delay or hesitation. Rather, they continued in an unprecedented harmony that encouraged the international community participate and engage with confidence enhanced by millions of visitors who and their families enjoyed events and activities that many of them may not be able to repeat again and they will proudly tell them to the future generations.
Since the International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE) announced on 27th November 2013 in Paris that Dubai had won the bid to host Expo 2020, no one doubted the UAE’s ability to present to the world the most beautiful and brightest image of an event that had been exclusively hosted by certain cities in regions far away from the Middle East and North Africa.
As usual, the UAE has a proven track-record in areas of communication and fresh innovative concepts and ideas which have been turned into reality over the past decades. An indicator of success of Expo is that the large number of visitors came from outside the country.
Over six months, Expo 2020 Dubai brought together over 190 participating nations, including multilateral organisations and academic institutions, in a defining moment to exchange new ideas and perspectives, inspire meaningful change and create a brighter future for all under the theme, ”Connecting Minds and Creating the Future” through sustainability, mobility and opportunity.
There is no better place and environment than Dubai and the UAE in general to discuss these issues that of major concern to the world. This was clearly reflected in the World Government Summit 2022, which was the best conclusion to an exceptional event.
It was an opportune coincidence that hosting this event preceded the UAE’s Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2021, as the UAE shared its visions, ideas and rich experience in development with the world in an event that chronicles the World Expo events a new.
The UAE deserves deepest congratulations for the remarkable success of Expo 2020 Dubai as the world welcomes Expo 2025 Osaka in Japan.
Opinion: by: Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi is the Director-General of the Emirates News Agency (WAM)
source/content: gulfnews.com (edited)
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Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan (L2), UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Commissioner General of Expo 2020 Dubai, hands the BIE flag to His Excellency Jai-chul Choi (C), President of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) during the Expo 2020 Dubai Closing Ceremony at Al Wasl alongside Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy (L), UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai, His Excellency, Dimitri Kerkentzes (R2), Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the governing body of World Expos and His Excellency Wakamiya Kenji (R), Minister for the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Japan. Image Credit: Expo 2020 Dubai
Awards made for services to Islam, Arabic language, literature, medicine, and science.
The winners of this year’s King Faisal Prize on Tuesday received their awards at a glittering ceremony staged in Riyadh.
The annual gongs — held under the auspices of King Salman — are the most prestigious in the Muslim world and recognize outstanding achievement in services to Islam, Islamic studies, Arabic language and literature, medicine, and science.
The service to Islam prize was jointly awarded to former Tanzanian President Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Egyptian scholar Prof. Hassan Mahmoud Al-Shafei.
The Arabic language and literature award went to Prof. Suzanne Stetkevych and Prof. Muhsin Al-Musawi from the US.
American Prof. David Liu secured the medicine prize while the science accolade was shared by Prof. Martin Hairer of the UK and Prof. Nader Masmoudi of Tunisia.
The Islamic studies prize, that this year focused on the Islamic heritage of Al-Andalus, was withheld because the nominated works did not meet the necessary criteria.
Mwinyi was honored for actively participating in Islamic advocacy and promoting religious tolerance. He established Islamic schools and translated many resources and references in hadith, jurisprudence, and the Prophet Mohammad’s biography into Swahili, the language spoken by millions of people in East Africa.
Al-Shafei, who was president of the Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo from 2012 to 2020, held several academic positions and established a series of institutes concerned with Al-Azhar. He also contributed to the establishment of the International Islamic University in the Pakistani capital Islamabad.
The Arabic language and literature prize was jointly presented to Stetkevych, chair of the department of Arabic and Islamic studies at Georgetown University, and Al-Musawi, professor of Arabic and comparative literary studies at Columbia University.
Stetkevych’s extensive research and numerous works have analyzed Arabic literature with unmatched depth from the pre-Islamic period to the Nahda/revivalist period. Her research approach, which is characterized by its application of varied methodologies, resulted in the renewal of the critical perspective and methods of studying classical Arabic poetry.
The research and studies of literary critic and novelist Al-Musawi have had a great impact on Arabic studies students and researchers in the Arab world and the West, through his distinctive methods of presentation, analysis, critical interpretation, and openness to Arab and international creative texts in prose and poetry.
Meanwhile, the medicine prize concentrated on gene-editing technologies. Its winner Liu, director of the Merkin Institute for Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, invented the first so-called base editor to make alterations on DNA and genes by replacing letters in the DNA base.
Hairer, chair in probability and stochastic analysis at Imperial College’s mathematics department, was one of the science prize recipients. His work has been in the general area of probability theory with a focus on the analysis of stochastic partial differential equations. He recently developed the theory of regularity structures which gave a precise mathematical meaning to several equations that were previously outside the scope of mathematical analysis.
The other joint science award winner, Masmoudi, a professor of mathematics at the New York University of Abu Dhabi, unlocked the mystery surrounding many physics problems which have remained unsolved for centuries.
He found a flaw in (Leonhard) Euler’s mathematical equations, which for more than two centuries had described the motions of fluids under any circumstance. Masmoudi discovered that the equations did not apply to all circumstances, as previously thought, and his findings helped to solve a raft of conundrums related to fluid-modeling, such as weather predictions.
Each winner received a $200,000 prize, a 24-carat gold medal, and a certificate written in Arabic calligraphy signed by the Chairman of the prize board, Prince Khalid Al-Faisal.
source/content : arabnews.com (edited)
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Winners of 2022 King Faisal Prize awards honored in Riyadh. (SPA)
The inaugural Time 100 Gala and Impact Awards was held at Dubai’s Museum of the Future . The ceremony was the first major event to take place at the museum since its opening on February 22.
The landmark was lit with a touch of Time’s red as regional leaders and cultural figures gathered alongside members of the global Time 100 community.
Notable personalities who attended the red carpet event included civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, who was named in Time’s first Women of the Year list this month; Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Nigerian singer, actress and philanthropist; French-Tunisian contemporary artist el Saeed; US model Tyra Banks; and Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi , the first woman to hold a ministerial position in the UAE.
Sheikha Lubna was formerly the minister of state for tolerance, minister of state for international co-operation and development, and minister of economy and planning
The winners
Minister of State for Advanced Technology Sarah Al Amiri was among the award recipients. Chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency and the UAE Council of Scientists, Ms Al Amiri was honoured for her role in helping to take the UAE to Mars.
British-Ghanian architect Sir David Adjaye, whose designs include the National Museum of African American History and Culture in the US, as well as the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, was also honoured for his work.
Mr Adjaye was honoured, according to Time, for “reorienting the world’s attention and shining a light on cultures from every corner of the world”.
Tony Elumelu was also a winner of the Impact Awards. The Nigerian economist was honoured for his efforts, through his eponymous foundation, in empowering African entrepreneurs to create jobs on the continent.
Bollywood star Deepika Padukone was also among the winners. The actress was recognised for her advocacy work on mental health..
Makeup artist and founder of Huda Beauty, Huda Kattan, was awarded the prize for “disrupting what it means to be beautiful”.
The Iraqi-American entrepreneur launched her skincare line Wishful in 2020 with a campaign that featured Kattan and the company staff without filters or makeup.
Will.i.am was also a winner of the inaugural Impact Awards. The Black Eyed Peas founder was praised as much for his music as his philanthropy, and his work advocating forward-thinking tech and artificial intelligence strategies.
Pop star Ellie Goulding was also named a winner for being “a champion and protector of the environment”.
source/content: thenationalnews.com (edited)
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The inaugural Time 100 Gala and Impact Awards was the first major event at Dubai’s Museum of the Future since its opening ceremony on February 22. Victor Besa / The National
Forbes Magazine revealed that Egypt and Lebanon are the homes of the wealthiest Arab billionaires for 2021.
The magazine’s annual report noted that the total wealth of the richest Arab families increased to US$55 billion this year, as compared to US$47.3 billion in 2020.
This year’s list includes 22 Arab billionaires including ten who belong to four families. They are the Sawiris and Mansour families from Egypt and the Mikati and Hariri families from Lebanon. The combined fortunes of the four families amount to US$29 billion.
Egypt’s Nassef Sawiris topped the list of Egyptian and Arab billionaires, with a net wealth estimated by Forbes at about US$9.1 billion, while the combined wealth of his family is about US$14 billion.
The two Lebanese brothers, Taha and Najib Mikati, have a fortune of US$5.4 billion, while the Mansour family is worth US$5.1 billion. The total wealth of the sons of late Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is $US4.5 billion.
Since 2018, the magazine has not added Saudi billionaires to its list.
Forbes Middle East took a deeper dive into the four richest Arab families. Egyptian billionaires accounted for the largest share of the wealth with US$19.1 billion, while the Lebanese came in second with US$9.9 billion.
The Sawiris family
Members: Nassef, Naguib, and Samih, as well as their late father, Onsi Sawiris
Combined net worth: US$14 billion
Country: Egypt
The Sawiris family is the richest in Egypt, with a net worth estimated at about US$14 billion, most of which is from Nassef Sawiris, who owns $9.1 billion, as he owns a six percent stake in Adidas and a five percent stake in Madison Square Garden Sports, listed in New York. He is also the owner of the NBA’s Knicks and the NHL’s Rangers.
In addition, Nassef manages OCI, one of the largest producers of nitrogen fertilizers in the world, with factories in Texas and Iowa. Its shares are traded on Euronext Amsterdam and the billionaire has a 33 percent stake in it. Nassef also owns various investments, including shares in cement giant Lafarge and Orascom Construction.
He is followed by his brother Naguib Sawiris, who made his fortune from investing in the telecommunications sector, as he sold Orascom Telecom to the Russian telecommunications company VimpelCom, currently renamed VEON, in a deal that included shares and billions of dollars in liquidity in 2011. Naguib chaired the board of directors of Orascom Holding, which invests in one of the largest asset management companies in Egypt, and internet company Italiaonline, among other investments.
The third brother, Samih Sawiris, is rooted in the tourism sector. He developed the Red Sea tourist city of Gouna and has stakes in several companies, including 5.62 percent in OCI NV, 65 percent in Orascom Development Holding, and 6.3 percent in Orascom Construction. The combined value of these stakes is about US$680 million. The fortune of the father, Onsi Sawiris, who passed away a few weeks ago, was about US$997 million. This wealth has not yet been distributed to his heirs, and he still has a stake in OCI NV and Orascom Construction.
Nassef Sawiris’ fortune has witnessed a significant jump during the past 15 months, from US$5 billion in April 2020 to US$9.1 billion today.
The Mikati family
Members: Taha and Najib Mikati
Combined net worth: US$5.4 billion
Country: Lebanon
The two brothers, Taha and Najib Mikati, founded the (M1) Holding Group in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
The group’s investments include stakes in South African Telecom (MTN), fashion retailers such as Pepe Jeans, and luxury properties in New York, London, and Monaco.
Najib and his brother Taha founded Investcom in 1982, which specialized in the sale of satellite phones, at the height of the civil war in Lebanon. The brothers expanded into Africa, building cell phone towers in Ghana, Liberia, and Benin, among other countries. Investcom became a public company listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2005. In 2009, South Africa’a MTN bought the shares of the two Mikati brothers for US$3.6 billion.
Najib Mikati served as the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 2011 to 2013 and is now serving as PM-designate after Saad Hariri stepped down in July.
The fortune of the two brothers grew from US$4.3 billion in April 2020 to US$5.4 billion on July 17, 2021.
The Mansour family
Members: Mohamed, Youssef, and Yassin Mansour
Combined net worth: $5.1 billion
Country: Egypt
The three brothers, Mohamed, Youssef and Yassin Mansour, gathered their wealth through the huge Mansour family group, which was founded by their late father Lotfi Mansour in 1952 and currently has about 60,000 employees.
Mohamed Mansour established General Motors dealerships in Egypt in 1975, becoming one of the largest distributors of its cars in the world. The group also has exclusive distribution rights for Caterpillar equipment in Egypt and seven other African countries. Mohamed Mansour was Minister of Transport under the Hosni Mubarak regime between 2006 and 2009.
As for Youssef Mansour, he heads the board of directors of the giant family group, and also supervises the consumer products department, which includes the supermarket chain “Metro”, as well as individual distribution rights for “L’Oreal” products in Egypt.
While Yassin Mansour is a shareholder in the group founded by his father, he also chairs the board of directors of Palm Hills Development, one of the largest real estate developers in Egypt. The Mansour Group owns the exclusive rights to franchise the famous brand in the ready-to-eat food sector McDonald’s in Egypt, and is the exclusive distributor for the cigarette brand Gauloises.
Mohamed Mansour’s net worth is US$2.5 billion, while Youssef’s is US$1.5 billion, and Yassin’s US$1.1 billion. The family’s net worth has decreased since April 2020 from US$7.4 billion to US$5.1 billion as of July 17, 2021.
The Hariri family
Members: Bahaa, Ayman, and Fahd Hariri
Combined net worth: $4.5 billion
Country: Lebanon
Bahaa, Ayman and Fahd Hariri are the children of the late Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. They inherited their fortunes from their father.
In 2008, Hariri sold his stake in Saudi Oger contracting and construction company to his brother Saad Hariri, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, who was dropped from the billionaire list in 2019, while Fahd sold his share to his brother Saad in 2012 and Ayman also in 2014.
Bahaa Hariri founded and headed the Horizon Group, a real estate holding company with investments in Amman, and Beirut. He also owns the majority stake in Globe Express Services, a company that provides logistics services in more than 100 countries.
Meanwhile, Ayman Hariri invests in startups through the New York-based company Red Sea Ventures. Among its investments is Nest, which is now part of Google. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Vero, an ad-free social e-platform which allows users to share music, videos, and photos.
As for Fahd Hariri, the youngest son of the late billionaire Rafic Hariri, he invested part of his money in the real estate sector in New York, Paris, and Monte Carlo, and is currently investing in the besieged Lebanese banks, as well as developing residential properties in Beirut.
Dr. Samira Daroub Ph.D. Soil & Water Scientist. Director, EREC.FL, USA.
Throughout history, women have played a key role in humanity’s scientific advancements. As mentors, innovators and thought leaders, women in science have inspired and empowered countries, communities, women and young girls with their work and knowledge.
In celebration of National Women’s History Month, Samira Daroub shares how a love for learning inspired a lifetime of teaching and research that has expanded beyond United States borders. Daroub is the second woman in 100-year-old history of UF/IFAS Everglades Research & Education Center (EREC) to take the center’s helm.
Q: What was your early life like?
A: I was born in Beirut, Lebanon. My grandfather was a farmer. One of my uncles also had a farm. I always loved math and had a constant desire to learn. I also wanted to attend a university.
My career in soil and water sciences didn’t really take shape until I was an undergraduate. It is all due to the power of teachers and mentoring, and it goes back to my first semester in college when I took a soil science class. The instructor took time to teach each lesson. I learned how it had practical application, and it was through that mentorship and others that I gained a love for this applied science.
That is a life lesson that I took to heart and have paid that support forward ever since. It is my goal to serve as a mentor for every student, rising faculty member or researcher who I encounter throughout my career.
Q: Where did you pursue your undergraduate and graduate degrees and in what fields?
A: I earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and a diploma in agricultural engineering from The American University of Beirut in Lebanon. I later obtained my master’s degree in soil sciences there. For my Ph.D. in soil chemistry, I attended Michigan State University on a full scholarship awarded by the non-profit Hariri Foundation-Lebanon.
Q: Tell us about your life at UF/IFAS?
A: I arrived at UF/IFAS in 2000 as an assistant professor of soil and water sciences where I conducted research and taught classes both at EREC and at Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center. I later became a professor and the distance education coordinator in the department of soil and water sciences.
I have been teaching classes in soil sciences, soil chemistry and environmental nutrient management as part of the undergraduate and graduate distance education programs. I also advise distance education students pursing non-thesis master’s degrees in the environmental science track at UF.
As a researcher, I focus on environmental issues related to soil and water quality. I specialize in the development and implementation of best management practices (BMPs) to reduce phosphorus leaching in soils and ultimately prevent it from entering surface waters in the Everglades in south Florida. A second research focus is on the sustainability of organic soils and agriculture in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). A third focus is on international development aimed on building individual and institutional capacity in India and Middle East in soil health and water resources.
I established a nationally recognized research and Extension program for the development of best management practices to improve water quality as part of a comprehensive effort for Everglades’ restoration in Florida. I offer in-person and online best management practices workshops and have always been committed to providing Extension and outreach activities to local area growers
I later became interim center director of EREC, until February this year when I was appointed as center director.
Q: You have conducted extensive international educational and research work. Tell us about it.
A: My journey in international research and education started when I was a postdoctoral fellow at Michigan State University with Dr. Joe Ritchie. I visited national and international research centers in Colombia, Brazil, Syria, Kenya and Hungary for collaboration and data acquisition to be used in crop modelling.
My international education experiences include teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate international students. I have mentored interns, visiting scholars and Borlaug fellows from Brazil, Honduras, Costa Rica, India and Iraq. The scholars were trained for laboratory and research techniques and introduced to sustainable practices in South Florida agriculture and water management. I have conducted research in India, as well as educational projects and capacity building workshops in India, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt.
At UF/IFAS, I have always been interested in international research and educational projects to share and gain native knowledge into soil and water management and online learning. I have collaborated with Sandra Russo at the UF International Center on various educational projects in the Middle East. Effective mentoring is a big part of what I do for local and international scholars. I have always taken an approach to advising and mentoring that allows students and postdocs opportunities to strengthen their interpersonal skills and technical competence, while also developing leadership skills and confidence.
Q: What words of inspiration would you give to other women and girls as a mentor and leader in your field?
A: Education is key. Never stop learning. Lean on family, peers, educators and supporters to succeed. A support system is vital.
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. ifas.ufl.edu| @UF_IFAS
