Lebanese Author Amin Maalouf Awarded ‘ National Order of Merit, France ‘ : March 2020

Amin Maaloof . Scholar. Writer. Novelist.

Honours / Decorations :

-Chevalier of the Legion of Honour – France / – Grand officier of the National Order of Merit – France / Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Letrres – France / Knight First class of the Order of the Lion of Finland / Grand Cordon of the National Order of the Cedar – Lebanon / Officier of the Order of Cultural Merit – Monaco

-Spanish Prince of Asturias Award for Literature (2010)

-Sheikh Zayed Book Award for “Cultural Personality of the Year” -2016

-Elected member of the Academie francaise – 23 June 2011 . Maalouf is the first person of Lebanese heritage to receive that honor

Books / Fiction :

Leon l’Africain (1986) Leo Africanus-translated by Peter Sluglett / Samarcande (1988) Samarkand – translated by Russell Harris / –Les jardins de lumiere (1991) – The Gardens of Light – translated by Dorothy S. Blair / –Le Premier siecle apres Beatrice (1992) – The First Century after Beatrice – translated by Dorothy S. Blair / –Le Rocher de Tanios (1993) – The Rock of Tanios – translated by Dorothy S. Blair / –Les Echelles du Levant (1996) – Ports of Call – translated by Alberto Manguel / –Le Periple de Baldassare (2000) – Balthasar’s Odyssey – translated by Barbara Bray

Books / Non-Fiction :

Les Croisades vues par les Arabes (1983) – The Crusades Through Arab Eyes / –Les Identites meurtrieres (1998) – In the Name of Identity : Violence and the Need to Belong – translated by Barbara Bray / –Origenes (2004) – Origins : A memoir – translated by Catherine Temerson / – Le Dereglement du monde (2009) – Disordered World – translated by George Miller

pix: dailystar.com.lb

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French / French-Arab / Lebanese-French

Khalid Al Falih : Minister of Investment. Chairman – Aramco : Saudi Arabia : Feb 2020

Khalid A. Al-Falih is the Minister of Investment, Saudi Arabia. Concurrently Chairman of Aramco.

Achievements / Honour:

-Listed in Forbes Most Powerful People for 2016

-Distinguished Alumnus Award ,Texas A & M University (2013)

-Petroleum Executive of the Year Award 2016 from Energy Intelligence

-Top 100 most powerful Arabs 2019 – Gulf Business

-The Order of the Rising Sun , Japan

Education:

-Harvard Business Program in Global Leadership (1998)

-MBA : Financial Business Adminstration, King Fahd Petroleum & Mineral Resources

-B.E. : Mechanical Engineering , Texas A&M University, USA

pix: arabnews.com

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Saudi Arabia

First Arab Musician to be Featured on Times Square Billboard in New York : Amr Diab – Egypt : 2019

Amr Diab (aka) El Hadaba . Musician. Actor.

One of the top selling Arab music recording artists.

Awards :

-7 – World Music Awards / 6 – African Music Awards / many more etc.

-The First Arab singer to receive the largest number of International Music Awards for most album sales in the Middle East . Guinness World Record – 2016

-Inducted into ‘Dubai Star Walk of Fame’ – 2019

-First Arab Musician to be featured by Spotify on a Times Square Billboard in New York – 2019

-Will feature in upcoming Netflix Arabic series for Middle East and North Africa, after his 27-year hiatus from acting.

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pix: musicinafrica.net

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Egypt

World’s Tallest Indoor Artificial Climbing Wall – Abu Dhabi, UAE : August 2020

The World’s tallest indoor artificial climbing wall is at a staggering 42.16 m (138 ft).

It is one of 2 world records of CLYMB Abu Dhabi, a sports and leisure attraction on Yas Island.

The other record is of the ‘World’s Biggest Indoor Skydiving Flight Chamber/ Wind Tunnel).

CLYMB Abu Dhabi is awarded for both by Guinness World Records.

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Climber Sasha DiGiulian scales the world’s tallest indoor climbing wall at Clymb Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National / pix: thenational.ae

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Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E)

World’s Biggest Indoor Skydiving Flight Chamber : Abu Dhabi, UAE : August 2020

World record breaking 32 ft (10 m) in diameter and height of 104 ft making it the world’s largest indoor skydiving wind tunnel.

It is one of 2 world records of CLYMB Abu Dhabi, a sports and leisure attraction on Yas Island.

The other record is of the ‘World’s Tallest Artificial Climbing Wall’

CLYMB Abu Dhabi is awarded for both by Guinness World Records.

CLYMB Abu Dhabi is awarded for both by Guinness World Records. / pix: drifttravel.com

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Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E)

Egypt – World’s Largest Exporter of Frozen Strawberries : 2019

Egypt was the world’s number one exporter of frozen strawberries in 2019, according to a report by the United Nations’ (UN) World Trade Center. 

The Egyptian Food Export Council revealed that Egyptian exports of frozen strawberries made up 20% of all global exports last year, amounting to about 140,000 tons valued at $165 million

In second place behind Egypt is Poland, who exported 94,000 tons of frozen strawberries in 2019. Mexico came in third with 84,000 tons, with Morocco coming in fourth place with 73,000 tons, and in fifth place was China with 48,000 tons.

pix: nilefm.com

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Egypt

Dr Wafaa El-Sadr – Epidemiologist – Global Health Visionary – Director, ICAP , Columbia University, USA.

Dr Wafaa El-Sadr MD, MPH, MPA .

Founder and Director of ICAP at Columbia University. Director – Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiologic Research ‘CIDER’ at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Professor at Columbia University.

Dr. El-Sadr joined the faculty of Columbia’s College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1988 and become a professor of epidemiology and medicine at the Mailman School of Public Health, of which she is an alumna.

In 2013, she was appointed University Professor, Columbia’s highest academic honor.

She also holds the Dr. Mathilde Krim-amfAR Chair in Global Health, and is the director of the Global Health Initiative at the Mailman School.

Awards & Honours :

-Dr Wafaa El-Sadr received the MacArthur Prize from the MacArthur Foundation (2008)

Rolling Stone magazine named her to its list of “100 People Who Are Changing America” .(2009)

-Named as one of the ” 10: Guiding Science for Humanity” of “Scientific American” (2008)

-Member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Medicine .  

– “Utne Reader” named Wafaa El-Sadr, one of the “50 visionaries who are changing your world. ” (2009)

 
(Photo source: Hugh Siegel – © ICAP at Columbia University)

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American / Egyptian-American

World’s First Historic Birth of Arabian Bustard With IVF : Abu Dhabi, UAE : July 2020

Abu Dhabi created a world first record in species conservation , with the birth of the endangered species Arabian Bustard (Ardeotis Arabs) via IVF – artificial insemination.

It was done at the National Avian Research Centre (NARC), Abu Dhabi.

The International Fund for Houbara Conservation(IFHC) Arabian Bustard Breeding Programme, the first of its kind project globally, has successfully bred 42 chicks in captivity.

pix : wam.ae

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Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Jordan’s First UFC Fighter. Making History – Ali Al Qaisi

Ali Al Qaisi (aka) The ‘Royal Fighter’, is the first mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter from the Middle East nation to feature in UFC.

Al Qaisi takes on Mexican Irwin ‘The Beast Rivera’ in the opening bantam weight clash of the UFC Fight Night.

He will be only the second Arab fighter to get signed to the UFC. The only other to be the Dubai based Algerian Mounir Lazzez.

Ali Aqaisi is ready to make history in the UFC Octagon / Image Credit: Facebook / gulfnews.com

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Jordan

Arab World’s First Nuclear Power Plant Launched by UAE : August 2020

The United Arab Emirates became the first Arab country to produce nuclear energy . An important milestone in the country reaching their future development needs.

The Barakah Nuclear power plant was commissioned in August 2020. The plant lies on the Gulf coast , West of Abu Dhabi.

Nuclear fission has begun in the first of the 4 reactors at Barakah plant, which is supplied by South Korean technology.

The plants are developed by Emirates National Nuclear Energy Corporation (NNEC).

pix: wam.ae

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United Arab Emirates