Category: RECORDS, (WORLD / GLOBAL)

SAUDI ARABIA: How the ‘Saudi Pro League’ became the Football World’s Biggest Story

  • Saudi football, not to mention Middle Eastern and Asian teams in general, will be seismic in the years ahead
  • Global interest in the league has skyrocketed, with broadcasters DAZN, Canal Goat and LA7 jumping on board

 Cristiano Ronaldo raised a few eyebrows when, only months into his move to Al-Nassr, he predicted the Saudi Pro League would be one of the top five in the world within a few years. Recent developments have shown his remarks to be right on the mark.

“(The) Saudi league is getting better and the next year will be even better,” he told Saudi sports channel SSC toward the end of last season.

“Step-by-step, I think this league will be among the top five leagues in the world but they need time, players and infrastructure. But I believe that this country has amazing potential, they have amazing people and the league will be great, in my opinion.”

It is a view he has since repeated with confidence and, each time he does so, his belief looks more and more justified and accurate.

On July 18, while in Spain with his Al-Nassr teammates for their preseason training camp, Ronaldo doubled down on his comments. He committed to his Saudi adventure and dismissed many European leagues — and America’s Major League Soccer, the new home of his rival, Lionel Messi — in one fell swoop.

“Europe has lost a lot of quality,” he said. “The only one that is one of the best is the (English) Premier League. It’s way ahead of all the other leagues from my point of view.

“The Spanish league lost its level, the Portuguese one is not a top one, the German has also lost a lot of quality. The USA? No, the Saudi championship is much better than the USA.”

Given the number of major recent signings of top international stars by Saudi Arabia’s leading clubs during the summer transfer window, Ronaldo’s estimate of a “few years” could well be accelerated.

Some of the big moves to the Kingdom from Europe are worth highlighting: Karim Benzema from Real Madrid to Al-Ittihad; Sadio Mane from Bayern Munich to Al-Nassr; Riyadh Mahrez from Manchester City to Al-Ahli; N’Golo Kante from Chelsea to Al-Ittihad; Reuben Neves from Wolves to Al-Hilal; Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from Lazio to Al-Hilal; and the trio of Fabinho, Roberto Firmino and Jordan Henderson from Liverpool to Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli and Al-Ettifaq respectively.

There are many more, as the number of players signing from abroad seemingly grows by the day.

What has taken place is nothing short of a revolution in Saudi football. It is comfortably the biggest story in the football world, following the unprecedented summer 2023 transfer window.

Of course, there were already many standout past and current foreign players in the Saudi Pro League over the past few years. The likes of Bafetimbi Gomis at Al-Hilal, Talisca at Al-Nassr and Abderrazak Hamdallah at Al-Ittihad, to name just a few, have all been hugely successful in the SPL, not to mention popular with the fans.

But Ronaldo’s arrival in Riyadh on Dec. 31, 2022, redefined the Saudi Pro League. Once dismissed as a mere rumor, his move to Al-Nassr — after being released by Manchester United — changed perceptions of Saudi domestic football overnight. Coming shortly after the Kingdom’s historic 2-1 win over Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, it showed that the Kingdom had to be taken seriously.

Suddenly, other players began to take notice, as did the fans and the international media. The knock-on effects since then have been astonishing. Saudi Arabia’s top clubs, having been privatized and backed financially by the country’s Public Investment Fund, can now afford to pick off players at the peak of their careers from some of the biggest, and richest, clubs in the world.

Global interest in the league, which is also known as the Roshn Saudi League, has already skyrocketed, with international broadcasters also jumping on board. They include live sports streaming service DAZN, which has the exclusive rights to show games in the UK, YouTube channel Canal Goat, which will screen matches in Brazil, and free-to-air channel LA7 in Italy, according sources.

DAZN is set to stream three matches each week, beginning with Friday’s season opener between newly promoted clubs Al-Ahli and Al-Hazm. Sky Sports had picked up the UK digital broadcast rights to the Saudi top flight halfway through last season, but DAZN was the first to commit to a whole season.

No doubt the effects of all these developments on the future of Saudi football, not to mention that of Middle Eastern and Asian football in general, will be seismic in the season and years ahead. But amid the excitement and euphoria, there are serious issues that need to be addressed.

While the wider picture is clearly positive, and is already ensuring the SPL is a league to be reckoned with, the future of football in the Kingdom will have to be managed carefully and strategically to ensure the overall health of the game is maintained for the benefit of the clubs, the national team and the nurturing of young Saudi talent.

The rate of signings in recent weeks has been relentless and has raised questions as to when the spending spree will end. Officially, the Saudi transfer window closes on Sept. 7, a week after the one in Europe. This has caused concern among clubs, particularly those in the English Premier League, who worry they might lose more players during that overlapping period with no opportunity to replace them.

Beyond this summer’s immediate deadline, however, things will remain somewhat open-ended in terms of outgoing and incoming players, although an obvious end point for some clubs would be when they fill their full quotas for foreign players.

Another area of debate surrounds how this strengthening of the elite clubs will affect some of the league’s smaller teams. This concern was recently addressed by authorities, who said targeted projects will be supported if and when they are implemented for clubs outside the big five.

Then there is the worry that the influx of foreign players will adversely affect the development and progress of young Saudi talent, along with the careers of established local players.

The SPL and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation have moved to allay those fears by formulating a strategy designed to drive competitiveness on and off the pitch. New regulations are being rolled out, designed to increase playing time for young Saudi players. They include a reduction in the age of eligibility from 18 to 16, and a requirement for squads to include 25 senior players and 10 under the age 21 beginning with the 2025-26 season.

It is a policy that Al-Ettifaq coach Steven Gerrard and new signing Jordan Henderson — two former Liverpool captains — have thrown their support behind by committing to help efforts to nurture the next generation of Saudi footballing talent.

“At Ettifaq we have a lot of promising young talent who have a bright future,” said Gerrard. “And I am really proud to be the coach of the team. Hopefully I can help support these players and help develop them into better players in the future.”

For now, there is no denting the sense of optimism and positivity sweeping through Saudi football. For fans of the SPL, old and new, the 2023-24 season’s big kick-off on Friday cannot come soon enough.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA Releases More than 1,500 Endangered Animals in AlUla

This winter five-phase release includes about 650 Arabian gazelles, 550 sand gazelles, 280 Arabian oryx and 100 Nubian ibex.

More than 1,500 endangered animals will be released in AlUla as part of the Royal Commission for AlUla’s mission to reintroduce native species into their natural habitats.

The animals will be released across three of AlUla’s nature reserves: Sharaan, Wadi Nakhlah and Al-Gharameel.

This winter five-phase release includes about 650 Arabian gazelles, 550 sand gazelles, 280 Arabian oryx and 100 Nubian ibex. The first phase, on Jan. 10, saw the release of about 80 animals. The species were sourced from respected conservation facilities in the Kingdom and UAE.

Stephen Browne, wildlife and natural heritage executive director of the Royal Commission for AlUla, said: “We are a growing player in conservation through biodiversity initiatives including species reintroduction, habitat restoration, protected area management and Arabian leopard conservation. RCU’s conservation and restoration initiatives are successfully moving forward in the revitalization of AlUla’s natural habitat — and one day we will reintroduce the Arabian leopard back to the wilds of AlUla.”

The reintroduction of the Arabian leopard, an apex predator classed as critically endangered, would serve as a capstone on the regeneration of the reserve. The reintroduction is targeted for 2030.

Monitoring of the newly released animals will be carried out with SMART software analysis tools, camera trapping and satellite tracking collars. It is the first time that the lightweight, solar-powered collars will be used for ungulate species in the region. RCU has conducted extensive genetic and physical screening of the animals to ensure their fitness for release into the wild.

The new release is by far the largest since RCU’s reintroduction program began in 2019. Animal reintroduction enriches RCU’s ambitious plan to activate six nature reserves while regenerating AlUla as a leading global destination for cultural and natural heritage.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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The animals will be released across three of AlUla’s nature reserves: Sharaan, Wadi Nakhlah and Al-Gharameel. (Supplied)

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SAUDI ARABIA

ABU DHABI, U.A.E: ADNOC Secures 30% Stake in Azerbaijan Gas Field

Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. has bought a 30 percent stake in Azerbaijan’s Absheron gas and condensate field in a further extension of bilateral energy partnership between the UAE and the Asian country.

The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan, known as SOCAR, and TotalEnergies both have 35 percent shares in the field.

The investment is part of ADNOC’s growth strategy to meet growing global demand for lower-carbon energy, and the first gas from Absheron was successfully delivered in early July 2023, according to press release from the firm.

As part of their expanding partnership, ADNOC and SOCAR also signed a memorandum of understanding that will see both companies evaluate potential areas of collaboration across renewable energy, low carbon solutions and upstream projects in the UAE, Azerbaijan and internationally.

Musabbeh Al-Kaabi, executive director of low carbon solutions and international growth at ADNOC, said: “We believe this strategic partnership with SOCAR and TotalEnergies, unlocks the potential of the Caspian region for decades to come, and complements a broader energy collaboration between the UAE and Azerbaijan that will accelerate the growth of the global renewable energy sector, as both countries take bold steps to transition towards a lower-carbon future.”

SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf praised Azerbaijan’s “favorable investment climate” for attracting foreign investors in the energy sector.

He added: “This particular deal underscores our commitment to strengthening the relations with our partners and reaffirms Azerbaijan’s position as a reliable partner in the energy sector. We are excited to embark on this journey with ADNOC along with TotalEnergies, building upon our shared vision and complementary strengths.”

In March, ADNOC offered with BP to jointly acquire 50 percent of Israeli offshore natural gas producer NewMed Energy for about $2 billion, marking their entry into Israel’s growing energy sector.

The firm has sharpened its focus on the gas market as competition for liquefied natural gas has ramped up following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with Europe in particular needing large amounts to help replace gas piped from Russia.

ADNOC listed its gas business in March after raising $2.5 billion from an initial public offering, which was the world’s biggest in the first quarter.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

EGYPT: Former President of E-JUST Ahmed El-Gohary Awarded Emperor of Japan Order of Rising Sun

Former president of the Egyptian-Japanese University of Science and Technology (E-JUST) professor Ahmed El-Gohary received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon from the emperor of Japan on 31 July.

The order is in recognition of El-Gohary’s outstanding achievement for advancing the friendly relations between Japan and Egypt through promoting educational cooperation and scientific research exchanges over the years.

El-Gohary was crowned by Ambassador of Japan to Egypt Oka Hiroshi at the residence of the Japanese ambassador in Garden City. 

El-Gohary assumed the presidency of the university for eight years, enhancing the educational and research standard of E-JUST by actively accepting Japanese professors as its faculty members to introduce practical Japanese-style engineering education in E-JUST. In 2017, he contributed to the establishment of the new Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of International Business and Humanities. These two faculties are the two pillars to sustain E-JUST.

The ceremony was attended by members of the university’s board of trustees, led by ambassador Faiza Abul-Naga, University President Amr Adly, former minister of education Ahmed Zaki Badr, former minister of transport Galal El-Said, former governor of Daqahliya Kamal Sharubim, and Maher El-Domyati, former governor of Beni Suef.
Also in attendance were former Egyptian ambassadors in Japan Ayman Kamel and Hisham El-Zemiti, Director-General of the Arab Organization for Administrative Development Ambassador Nasser Al-Qahtani, President of the British University in Egypt (BUE) Mohamed Lotfy, professor Ahmed Bayoumi, former president of Mansoura University Salwa El-Ghareeb, as well as former secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Universities, and a group of scholars and researchers in various fields.

In his inaugural speech, Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi said, “El-Gohary’s long journey of cooperation with Japan started as many as 30 years ago in 1992 when he came to Japan as a JICA-trained student. In this training he had learnt the latest medical knowledge and advanced examination techniques.

When he returned to Egypt, as a lecturer at Suez Canal University, he not only used his experience to teach younger Egyptian students, but he generously shared his expertise with students from Africa through the JICA sponsored Third Country Training Programme since 1996.”

El-Gohary’s efforts promoted Third Country Training in Egypt. “Thanks to his pioneering role in promoting Third Country Training in Egypt, countless numbers of students and experts from Africa and Middle East have come to Egypt to benefit from this unique type of cooperation between Egypt and Japan supported by JICA.

The third country training programmes have now come to include many fields such as education, electricity engineering, agriculture, and freshwater aquaculture, in addition to health, making Egypt the hub of third country cooperation programme. Professor El-Gohary has thus made a significant contribution to the successful expansion of the Third Country Training Programme as vice president of the Suez Canal University, and then as president of Fayoum University.”

“When a plan was announced at the Japan-Egypt summit on the occasion of TICAD 7 in 2019 that E-JUST accept African students by offering as many as 150 scholarship over the three years, professor El-Gohary toured Africa to promote E-JUST to accept excellent students from Africa. Thanks to his dedicated efforts, promising African students from more than 10 countries are now pursuing higher study at E-JUST.

Building on this successful TICAD scholarship, Prime Minister Kishida and President El-Sisi agreed in their meeting in April this year to provide additional 150 TICAD scholarships to African students. This time scholarships will go to PhD students. Professor Gohary has contributed to make E-JUST as the Centre of Excellence in Africa,” added Ambassador Hiroshi.

The opening ceremony of the E-JUST main campus with the participation of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in 2020 was successfully organized by El-Gohary, contributing to enhancing the profile of E-JUST both inside and outside Egypt. 
The second phase of the campus construction, which was approved by the president at the time of the opening ceremony, is scheduled for completion soon. In addition, El-Gohary has made efforts to strengthen collaboration with industries by actively promoting joint research with Egyptian and Japanese companies.

El-Gohary expressed his pride and happiness at being crowned with this prestigious award, thanking the government of Japan for its close cooperation with Egypt to establish the Egyptian-Japanese University as a distinguished scientific and research edifice.

“I hope that the university will continue its growth and development in the future as a symbol of cooperation between Japan and Egypt,” said El-Gohary.

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg (headline edited)

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EGYPT

SAUDI ARABIA: Neom graduate Rafif Kalantan Wins Yugo BAFTA Award 2023. Creates History – becomes First Female Director & First Non-European to Win in Gamers Category.

Kalantan has become the first female director, the first non-European to win a BAFTA award in the Gamers category.

Rafif Kalantan has become the first student from Saudi Arabia to win a 2023 Yugo BAFTA Award, picking up the accolade in the Games Category for her submission ‘Eros Xavier’s Love Solutions’.

The Yugo BAFTA Student Awards is an annual event celebrating the works of the next generation of highly skilled and creative storytellers from around the world.

Kalantan, the first female director and the first non-European to win a BAFTA award in this category, was one of the students supported by Neom to attend the National Film and Television School (NFTS), one of the top-ranking schools to join its Master’s programme in Games Design and Development.

Kalantan’s entry ‘Eros Xavier’s Love Solutions’ is the culmination of an intensive two-year Master’s programme of training that provides students with the skills and creative knowledge to design, devise and build games, from inception to delivery.

‘Eros Xavier’s Love Solutions’ is a narrative-driven puzzle-like game. The game follows Eros Xavier, a retired cupid who is cynical about love and has decided to open a private business for hire as a match-breaker.

This year’s Yugo BAFTA Student Awards welcomed 754 submissions from 103 schools across 30 countries, including, Argentina, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hong Kong, India, Mexico, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.

Speaking about the award, Rafif Kalantan said: “I am honoured to have been selected as the winner of such a globally renowned award, especially being the first female director and first non-European to win this category. This wonderful achievement also showcases the capabilities of the developers from the Kingdom and the Middle East as a whole, and how the game industry in the region has a lot of potential. I am also grateful for the continued support and investment of Neom, which was an integral part of this achievement. Their continued support for us in the gaming field shows how much Neom believes in growing local talents and allowing them to thrive!”

Jon Wardle, Director of the National Film and Television School, commented: “The School is incredibly proud to be celebrating this achievement with Rafif as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of our Games Design MA. We’re also very grateful to Neom for continuing to help make our courses accessible with life-changing funding opportunities.”

Wayne Borg, Managing Director of Media Industries, Entertainment, and Culture at Neom, added: “On behalf of the entire Neom team, we extend our congratulations to Rafif for the well-deserved honour of receiving this prestigious award from BAFTA. This remarkable accomplishment is a testament to her exceptional talents and marks a momentous beginning for Rafif’s journey, and I’m sure she will achieve great things in the gaming world. We will continue to work closely with the National Film and Television School to nurture and empower more talented individuals as we develop our partnership and offer a unique blend of professional development, mentorship, and growth opportunities for emerging talent in the creative industries.”

source/content: broadcastprome.com /BroadcastPRO / (headline edited)

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SAUDI ARABIA

SOMALI-ITALIAN: Why a Somali-born Fighter Giorgio Marincola is being Honoured in Rome

Rome’s city council voted earlier this month to name a future metro station in the Italian capital in honour of Giorgio Marincola, an Italian-Somali who was a member of the Italian resistance.

He was killed at the age of 21 by withdrawing Nazi troops who opened fire at a checkpoint on 4 May 1945, two days after Germany had officially surrendered in Italy at the end of World War Two.

The station, which is currently under construction, was going to be called Amba Aradam-Ipponio – a reference to an Italian campaign in Ethiopia in 1936 when fascist forces brutally unleashed chemical weapons and committed war crimes at the infamous Battle of Amba Aradam.

The name change came after a campaign was launched in June, in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests around the world following the killing of African American George Floyd by US police.

Started by journalist Massimiliano Coccia, he was supported by Black Lives Matter activists, other journalists and Italian-Somali writer Igiabo Scego and Marincola’s nephew, the author Antar Marincola.

The ‘black partisan’

Activists first placed a banner at the metro site stating that no station should be named after “oppression” and pushed for Marincola’s short, but remarkable life to be remembered.

He is known as the “partigiano nero” or “black partisan” and was an active member of the resistance.

In 1953 he was posthumously awarded Italy’s highest military honour, the Medaglia d’Oro al Valor Militare, in recognition of his efforts and the ultimate sacrifice he made.

Marincola was born in 1923 in Mahaday, a town on the Shebelle River, north of Mogadishu, in what was then known as Italian Somaliland.

His mother, Ashkiro Hassan, was Somali and his father an Italian military officer called Giuseppe Marincola.

At the time few Italian colonists acknowledged children born of their unions with Somali women.

But Giuseppe Marincola bucked the trend and later brought his son and daughter, Isabella, to Italy to be raised by his family.

Isabella went on to become an actress, notably appearing in Riso Amaro (Bitter Rice), released in 1949.

Giorgio Marincola too was gifted, excelling at school in Rome and went on to enrol as a medical student.

During his studies he came to be inspired by anti-fascist ideology. He decided to enlist in the resistance in 1943 – at a time his country of birth was still under Italian rule.

He proved a brave fighter, was parachuted into enemy territory and was wounded. At one time he was captured by the SS, who wanted him to speak against the partisans on their radio station. On air he reportedly defied them, saying: “Homeland means freedom and justice for the peoples of the world. This is why I fight the oppressors.”

The broadcast was interrupted – and sounds of a beating could be heard.

‘Collective amnesia’

But anti-racism activists want far more than just the renaming of a metro stop after Marincola – they want to shine the spotlight on Italy’s colonial history.

They want the authorities in Rome to go further and begin a process of decolonising the city.

This happened unilaterally in Milan when, amid the Black Lives Matter protests, the statue of controversial journalist Indro Montanelli, who defended colonialism and admitted to marrying a 12-year-old Eritrean girl during his army service in the 1930’s, was defaced.

Yet to bring about true change there needs to be an awareness about the past.

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Italy’s colonial timeline in East Africa:

  • 1890: Kingdom of Italy takes over Eritrea and proclaims it a colony
  • 1895: Italy invades Ethiopia, then called Abyssinia
  • 1896: Italian forces defeated by the Ethiopians at Adwa – and sign a treaty recognising the country’s independence
  • 1889: Italy sets up a protectorate in central Somalia
  • 1935: Fascist Italy invades Ethiopia, accused of war crimes and using chemical weapons during its campaign
  • 1936: Italians capture Addis Ababa. Ethiopia, Eritrea and Italian Somaliland become Italian East Africa
  • 1937: Italian forces in Addis Ababa kill an estimated 19,000 people over three days in February in reprisal for the attempted assassination of the man appointed by Mussolini to govern the colony
  • 1941: British and Commonwealth troops aided by the local resistance defeat the Italians in the region

Listen: Italy’s shame – the massacre in Ethiopia

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The trouble at the moment is what seems to be a collective amnesia in Italy over its colonial history.

In the years I have spent reporting from the country I am always struck at how little most Italians seem to know about their colonial history, whether I’m in Rome, Palermo or Venice.

The extent of Italy’s involvement in Eritrea, Somalia, Libya and Albania to Benito Mussolini’s fascist occupation of Ethiopia in the 1930s is not acknowledged.

Somali bolognese

Last month, Somalia celebrated its 60th anniversary of independence.

Reshaped by 30 years of conflict, memories of colonial times have all been lost – except in the kitchen where a staple of Somali cuisine is “suugo suqaar”- a sauce eaten with “baasto” or pasta.

But for this Somali bolognese, we use cubed beef, goat or lamb with our version of the classic Italian soffritto – sautéed carrots, onion and peppers – to which we add heady spices.

I love to cook these dishes and last summer while I was in Palermo did so for Italian friends, serving it with shigni, a spicy hot sauce, and bananas.

It was a strange pairing for Italians, though my friends tucked in with gusto – with only the odd raised eyebrow.

And Somalis have also left their own imprint in Italy – not just through the Marincola siblings – but in the literature, film and sports.

Cristina Ali Farah is a well-known novelist, Amin Nour is an actor and director, Zahra Bani represented Italy as a javelin thrower and Omar Degan is a respected architect.

And today Somalis constitute both some of Italy’s oldest and newest migrants.

In spring 2015 I spent a warm afternoon meandering throughout the backstreets near Rome’s Termini station meeting Somalis who had been in Italy for decades and Somalis who had arrived on dinghies from Libya.

Those new to Italy called the older community “mezze-lira” – meaning “half lira” to denote their dual Somali-Italian identities.

In turn they are called “Titanics” by established Somalis, a reference to the hard times most migrants have faced in making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean to reach Europe, and the lives they will face in Italy with the political rise of anti-migration parties.

The naming of a station after Marincola is an important move for all of them – and a timely reminder for all Italians of the long ties between Italy and Somalia.

source/content: bbc.com (headline edited)

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AFP

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ITALIAN / SOMALI

TUNISIA: Dr. Erij Messadi & Prof. Mounir Bezzarga were Awarded 02 Gold medals at International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2023.

This is a new consecration for Tunisia on an international scale. This is the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2023, one of the largest events dedicated to invention organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization and the Swiss government. Two gold medals were awarded to Erij Messadi, researcher, and Mounir Bezzarga, professor, for their inventions.

Tunisia causes a stir with two revolutionary inventions

The two Tunisian winners were distinguished among a total of 1,000 other inventions from 50 different countries, thanks to the gigantic potential of their projects.

Dr. Erij Messadi, representative of the Institut de Pasteur, presented a one-of-a-kind project at this prestigious event. Baptized “Lebecetine, Lectin type C, as an inhibitor of neovascularization”, it was able to capture the attention of the public and was able to win the gold medal with congratulations from the jury. His innovative invention aims to demonstrate the crucial role of Lebecetine in blocking the formation of new blood vessels, which could slow the progression of several diseases such as cancer.

The ImmunoDefender project won in the Q category. Designed and produced by Dr. Mounir Bezzarga to fight against COVID-19, this winning invention continues to receive awards and shine on an international scale. After winning a prize at TICAD and another at the Euro-Mediterranean Intellectual Property Conference, this plant-based project was on the way to winning the gold medal with congratulations from the jury at the Geneva fair.

Beyond the obstacles, Tunisia continues to shine

Despite the turbulent political scene and the difficult economic situation, Tunisia continues to shine thanks to the exploits of its talents. Indeed, the country is always represented on the podium of international events, especially those dedicated to technologies and inventions. Tunisian inventors like Erij Messadi and Mounir Bezzarga are often awarded for their inventions covering several fields. All this bears witness to remarkable innovation and dynamism on the Tunisian scene.

This immense potential can only be an incomparable asset for our Tunisia. The future therefore looks promising in this area.

source/content: yaluna.tn (headline edited)

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pix: themaghrebtimes.com

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TUNISIA

EGYPTIAN-GERMAN: Google Doodle Honors Egyptian Doctor Dr. Mohamed Helmy who Saved Jewish Family in Second World War

  • Mohamed Helmy led Berlin hospital department, faced persecution under Nazi racial laws
  • ‘It’s unfathomable to me, this type of courage and integrity,’ says artist

An Egyptian doctor who saved a Jewish family in Germany during the Second World War is being celebrated with a Google Doodle, the BBC reported.

Mohamed Helmy was born in Sudan in 1901 to an Egyptian father and German mother. In 1922, he traveled to Germany to take up medicine, and later became the head of a urology department at a Berlin hospital.

Amid the growing persecution of non-Germans in the country, Helmy was arrested twice and prevented from marrying his German fiancee. He also lost his hospital position.

The Egyptian physician aided the family of one of his Jewish patients following the introduction of racial laws, at one point disguising a teenage girl, Anna Boros, in a headscarf, and calling her his niece.

Helmy’s courage was honored in the Google Doodle, which was launched by Berlin-based artist Noa Snir on what would have been the Egyptian’s 122nd birthday. It depicts Helmy, in his doctor’s clothing, sheltering a family with outstretched arms.

Snir said: “I think Helmy’s case is an especially interesting one as he himself suffered persecution due to his background and ethnicity, and that still didn’t stop him from helping as many people as he could. It’s unfathomable to me, this type of courage and integrity.”

Helmy and the Jewish girl he saved stayed in contact long after the war until his death in 1982.

He was posthumously given the Righteous Among the Nations award by Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial site, in 2013

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Google Doodle honored Dr. Mod Helmy, an Egyptian-German medical doctor who risked his life to rescue Jewish people during the Holocaust. (Google)

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GERMAN – EGYPTIAN

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: UAE’s Minister for Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi Elected as Chair of WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13)

The General Council of the WTO has elected Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, as Chair of the World Trade Organisation’s 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13).

The Ministerial Conference, attended by leading representatives from the 164 countries and customs blocs that make up the WTO, will take place in Abu Dhabi in February 2024.

MC13 comes at a critical time for world trade, and the conference will build on the outcomes of MC12, review the performance of the multilateral trading system, make decisions on the future work of the WTO, and set up the roadmap for MC14.

“This is a pivotal moment for world trade,” commented Al Zeyoudi. “As a Ministerial Conference, we have to tackle pressing issues and challenges, consider all the forces shaping the future of trade and come up with clear solutions, and challenge ourselves to take actionable decisions that move the needle on making trade more efficient, inclusive and sustainable.

“At the heart of all of this is the need to modernise trade and embed technology across supply chains, and we look forward to working closely with all the members of the WTO to make real progress at MC13. Our goal must be driving forward momentum for more change at the conference in Abu Dhabi next year, but also in the years to come, and I have the utmost confidence in our collective ability to make this happen.”

The announcement was made during the WTO General Council in Geneva, Switzerland, where he met with the WTO Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

During their meeting they discussed the preparations for MC13, in addition to the landmark inclusion of trade as a thematic day at COP28, which is set to take place in Dubai later this year.

Dr. Thani delivered his first address as Chair at the General Council, where he stressed the importance of building resilient trade frameworks to tackle today’s challenging landscape.

In his address, he called for focused and decisive deliberations amongst WTO members ahead of MC13, and commented, “Trade policy extends far beyond the scope of trade itself; it is about shaping our common future. It is our collective responsibility to contribute to a predictable, rules-based, and open trade and investment environment that creates prosperity for all – and this is precisely why the success of MC13 is so imperative.”

source/content: wam.ae (headline edited)

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

JORDANIAN-AMERICAN: Farah Abu Adeela Crowned Miss Arab USA in Arizona Beauty Pageant

US Jordanian contestant Farah Abu Adeela from the state of Illinois was crowned Miss Arab USA at the beauty pageant’s finale in Arizona over the weekend.

The new Miss Arab USA, who is a model, takes over from 2022’s winner, Moroccan American Marwa Lahlou.

The annual pageant, which returned in 2022 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was held in Arizona this year. Produced by The Arab American Organization (AAO), the pageant is “founded on the basis of advancing the cause of young ladies of Arab descent,” according to its website.

The swimsuit category does not feature in the pageant, with the stated aim of organizers being to “select an honorable Arab young lady to represent our culture in the US and worldwide for one year.”

This year’s ceremony featured a performance by dance troupe Zeffa of Phoenix.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Farah Abu Adeela nabbed the coveted tiara at the 2023 Miss Arab USA pageant. (Instagram)

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AMERICAN / JORDANIAN