Category: TOP 10 in MENA

Abdullatif Al Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture

Abdullatif Al Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture was established in 2011.

Its focus is the architectural, urban, and technical aspects of mosques all over the world, and is awarded to the related designer/architect.

The main objective of this award is the development of contemporary design of mosques, throughout a specialized and classified database.

The award is triennial.

The winning mosques will be awarded based on assessment of an international architectural jurors experienced with mosque architecture, who will relatively evaluate and assign the winning mosques.

The candidate mosques will be categorized into three categories; Central Mosques, Jumaa’ Mosques, and local mosques.

Yet, there are prizes given to innovations and ideas which helps in developing the concept of mosques in the twenty first century.

The Founder is Shaikh Abdullaatif Al Fozan

www.alfozanaward.org

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SAUDI ARABIA

UAE leads with Highest Number of Guinness World Records across the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) Region : November 2020

  • The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is home to 425 Guinness World Records with 34 of them achieved in 2020.
  • Saudi Arabia comes second with 96 GWR titles
  • Egypt is a close third place with 93 GWR titles
  • Dubai is also the most record breaking city across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region

source: Khaleej Times, by Waheed Abbas, November 14th, 2020

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pix: logo / guinnessworldrecords.com

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Dr. Elias Zerhouni – Scientist, Radiologist, Inventor and Entrepreneur

Dr. Elias Zerhouni (aka) Elias Adam Zerhouni. Scientist. Inventor. Entrepreneur. Researcher. Radiologist and bio-medical engineer.

Position/s:

  • President – Global Research and Development at pharmaceutical company – Sanofi (2011 – 2018)
  • Senior Fellow – Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (2009 – 2010)
  • President Obama appointed Dr. Zerhouni as ‘Presidential Science Envoy’ – (2009)
  • First immigrant to head the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in (2002 – 2008)
  • Executive Vice-Dean – Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine (1995-2002)

Awards:

  • Gold Medal for American Roentgen Ray Society
  • Gold Medal – Radiological Society of North America
  • 2 awards – Paul Lauterbur Awards for MRI Research
  • Woodrow Wilson Award for services to the Johns Hopkins University
  • Ben Franklin Medal
  • etc….

Honours:

  • Elected to National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine (2000)
  • Elected to National Academy of Engineering (2013)
  • Legion d’honneur for French National Order by President Nicolas Sarkozy (2008)
  • etc….

Entrepreneur : Co-Founder of

  • Computerized Imaging Reference Systems (CIRS) – (1982)
  • Advanced Medical Imaging (1989)
  • Biopsys Corporation
  • American Radiology Services (1996)
  • Surgivision Inc.

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pix : en.wikipedia.org

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AMERICAN / ALGERIAN-AMERICAN

Yazeed Al-Rajhi – Saudi Businessman and Rally Driver

Yazeed Al-Rajhi. Business man. International Rally Driver.

Competes in World Rally Championships, Cross Country rallies and other rally events.

Established his own racing team – Al-Rajhi Racing Team (renamed) Yazeed Racing Team.

Some of his wins:

  • 5 time Hail Rally Winner
  • Silk Way Rally (2018)
  • Saudi Desert Rally Championship (2019)
  • Al Sharqiya Rally (2018, 2019) etc…

Businessman:

  • Chairman of the Board – Mohammed Al-Rajhi Investment Company
  • Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Brothers Holding company
  • Member, Al-Rajhi Steel
  • Member, Mohammed Al- Rajhi Awqaf

Other Accompolishments:

  • First Saudi and Arab professional driver to win the Silk Way Rally (2018). The 6,700 miles rally took place in Russia (between July 21st and July 27th).
  • First Saudi to be selected by Unicef as ‘Goodwill Ambassador in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf’ (2008)
  • First Saudi to be appointed as ‘Donate life’ Ambassador (2009)
  • Awarded title ‘ Gentleman’ by Rotana magazine readers (2009)
  • Third in position by ‘Mobily and Riyadiah’ as ‘Most Distinguished Athlete in Saudi Arabia competion
  • Awarded title ‘Ambassador for Fighting Drugs in Saudi Arabia’ etc..

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pix: press.bmwgroup.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

Egyptian Hala El-Said Awarded ‘Arab Government Excellence Award’ : December 2020

Dr. Hala Helmy El-Said was awarded the ‘Arab Government Excellence Award’ as the Best Arab Minister.

Hala H El-Said Ph.D . Minister. Egyptian Economist. Academic. Author.

  • Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Egypt

Positions:

  • First elected Dean- Faculty of Economics and Political Science (2011)
  • Deputy President – Scientific Research and Exterior Relations , Cairo University (2013)
  • Board Member – Central Bank of Egypt
  • Executive Director – Egyptian Banking Institute(EBI) for 8 consequetive years
  • Advisor to the Governor – Central Bank of Egypt (CBE)
  • Member, Board of Trustees of Anti-Money Laundering Unit at Central Bank of Egypt (CBE)
  • Board Member – Arab African International Bank

Education :

  • Ph.D – Economics – Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University (1989)

Academic Papers :

  •  Author of a wide range of internationally acclaimed research papers, studies and reports

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pix : egypttoday.com

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EGYPT

Moroccan Achraf Hakimi – ‘Fastest Football Player’ in Bundesliga’s History : 2020

Achraf Hakimi Mouch (aka) Achraf Hakimi. Professional International Football Player.

The German Bundesliga football league has named the International Football player Achraf Hakimi as the fastest player in Germany with a record speed of 36.49 km/h (22.67 miles/h)

Achraf Hakimi plays as full-back for Serie A club – Inter Milan . He is on loan to Borussia Dortmund. He is also a key player in the National Football team of Morocco.

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pix; en.wikipedia.org / Hakimi with Morocco at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

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MOROCCO. SPAIN

UAE Satellite ‘Falcon Eye 2’ launched into Space to mark UAE’s 49th National Day – December 02nd, 2020

UAE’s latest satellite Falcon Eye 2 lifted off into space on a Russian Soyuz ST-A rocket from French Guiana Space Centre, South America on December 02nd, 2020 at 0533am UAE time.

It is now the 4th reconnaissance satellite launched in the UAE.

The space craft will provide high-definition images from around the world for military and civilian use.

The 1,190 kilogram satellite was built by Airbus Defence & Space and Thales Alenia Space in Toulouse, France. The UAE Space Agency oversaw its development.

This was a part of the Falcon eye programme, where two identical satellites were built for the UAE Armed Forces.

The first was Falcon Eye 1 which was lost in space last year after the Italian Vega rocket that carried it failed.

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pix: thenationalnews.com

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

2020 MENA Digital Awards (MDA) Winners : November 2020

The awards program has seven categories – performance, mobile, social media, digital assets, digital by sector, integrated, and special – and was open to all digital players throughout the Middle East and North Africa region.

This year, FP7 dominated the winners’ list with a total of five awards across four categories, followed by Netizency with four awards, and UM with three.

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pix: arabadonline.com

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MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA

Bahrain’s Deena Rahman Breaks World Record in Football for ‘Taking The Most Penalties in 24 Hours : November 18th, 2020

Deena Rahman, Bahrain’s National Team mid-fielder breaks the World Record in Football for ‘Taking the Most Penalites in 24 Hours’.

Deena Rahman hammered home 7,876 penalties including facing 24 female goal-keepers, at the Kick Off Academy in Saar – smashing the previous record as a part of 2020’s Equal Playing Field’s (EPF)

.The challenge started on November 17th at 7am and ended 24-hours later at 7am on November 18th coinciding with Guinness World Record Day.

The previous record was held by Vickrant Mahajan in 24 hours with 1,111 penalties.

This was the 5th Guinness World Record held by Deena Rahman.

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pix: gdnonline.com

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BAHRAIN

Emirati Omeir Saeed breaks two Guinness World Records : Abu Dhabi, UAE – November 2020

Omeir Saeed – wakeboarder from Abu Dhabi broke 2 Guinness World Records (GWR) previously set by Jerome Macquart 2004 and 2005 respectively.

Omeir Saeed’s new GWR records are in the category

  • For fastest wakeboard ramp jump
  • For most wakeboard rail airs in 30 seconds

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source: https://www.surfertoday.com / https://www.youtube.com

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Abu Dhabi, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES