Female Emirati Adventurer-Traveller Breaks World Record. ‘Around the World in 3 Days ‘ – Dr. Khawla Al Romaithi: 2020

Dr Khawla Al Romaithi travelled the world solo, across the 7 continents and broke the world record for ‘fastest time to travel all seven continents’ .

The whole trip took 3 days, 14 hours, 46 minutes and 48 seconds. Her epic travel journey ended in Sydney, Australia on February 13th, 2020.

The record was announced on the occasion of Guinness World Records Day. The journey was in sync with this years’ theme ‘Discover Your World’.

Dr. Khawla Al Romaithi’s record broke the previous record achieved by Kacey Stewart and Julie Berry (both of USA) on December 2017.

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pix: guinnessworldrecords.com

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Abu Dhabi, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Yusra Mardini – Debut Swimmer for World’s First Refugee Olympic Team : Rio 2016

Member : Refugee Olympic Athletes Team (ROT). Competed under the Olympic Flag at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Appointed as UNCHR Goodwill Ambassador (27th April 2017).

Yusra Mardini represented Syria : 2012 FINA World Championships (25m) 200 metre individual medley, 200 metre freestyle and 400 metre freestyle events.

Represents : Under Armour sports brand

Book: Autobiography : ‘ Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian – My Story of the Rescue, Hope and Triumph’ by Yusra Mardini

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Mardini, 18, swam a 100 metre butterfly heat on day one of the Olympics.(AFP: Martin Bureau) / pix: abc.net.au

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GERMANY / SYRIA

Rashida Tlaib Wins Re-Election to U.S. House : November 04th, 2020

Rashida Hariri Tlaib (aka) Rashida Tlaib – Politician. Lawyer.

Rashida Tlaib wins re-election to the U.S. House in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District.

She is serving as U.S. Representative since 2019.

-First Woman of Palestinian descent in Congress

-First Muslim Woman to serve in the Michigan Legislature. One of the First two muslim women elected to Congress along with Ilhan Omar.

-Member, Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) / First DSA member to serve Congress along with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Education:

-B.A (Political Science) – Wayne State University

-Juris Doctor – Western Michigan University Cooley law School (2014)

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pix: en.wikipedia.com / official congressional facebook page

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AMERICAN / PALESTINIAN / ARAB-AMERICAN

Oldest Professional Basketball Star Player – Moshsen Khalaf

Abdulmohsen Khalaf Al-Muwallad (aka) Mohsen Al-Muwallad (aka) Mohsen Khalaf was officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the ‘ oldest professional basketball player’.

Mohsen Khalaf was selected to play for the Saudi National Team in 1986 at the age of 20 and retired from the international games in 2005.

He played his first game for Ohod Club, Madinah in 1979. Played his final pro game on May 22nd, 2015 at 51 years, 335 days after spending 36 years with the Madinah based team.

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pix: arabnews.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

World’s Largest Wooden Dhow ‘Obaid’. Built in Dubai (U.A.E) – October 2020

‘Obaid’ built in Dubai, is named after the Emirati shipbuilder Obaid Jumaa bin Majid Al-Falasi. It has been certified by Guinness Book of World Records as the ‘World’s largest wooden Arabic Dhow’.

For the record the late Emirati shipbuilder Obaid Juma started his apprenticeship in the1940’s at the age of nine (9).

The dhow measured 91 meters long and more than 20 meters wide. The vessel is 11.22 meters high and weighs 2,500 tonnes. The ‘Obaid’ is powered by two 1,850 horsepower engines and built for speed of 14 knots . Built from approximately 1,700 tonnes of wood and 800 tonnes of steel and is scheduled to carry cargo.

This record breaking marvel is a handmade boat, built in a country with no forests. A modern adaptation is adding steel to the wooden structure.

The ship builder is Majid Obaid Al-Falasi the Managing Director of Majid Obaid Bin Majid Al Falasi & Sons, UAE.

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pix: arabnews.com

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Waad Al-Kateab – Documentary Filmmaker. Award Winner.

Waad Al-Kateab. Journalist. Filmmaker. Activist

Named as one of the Top 100 Influential People in 2020 by TIME magazine (September 2020)

Award winning Syrian Director of the film ‘For Sama’ .

-The most nominated documentary in the history of the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA)

-Golden Eye Award, Cannes Film Festival / Grand Jury Award, SXSW / Special Jury Prize, Canadian Hot Docs International Film Festival / Oeil d’Or Prize, Cannes Film Festival (May 25, 2019)

Other Awards:

-International Emmy for Reporting – for the covering the Siege of Aleppo . The First Syrian to win in this category.

Presently: Reporter for Channel 4 News, UK

Other Documentary:

  • The Second Castle at Aleppo

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pix: arabnews.com / tumblr.com

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UNITED KINGDOM / SYRIA

Basant Hemida Sprints Her Way To Win 2 Medals at ‘Athletics Kladno – Czechoslovakia’ : September 2020

Basant Hemida (aka) Basant Hemida Abdelsalam. Sprinter. Track and Field Athlete.

Basant Hemida wins Sprint Double the 100m and 200m at the Athletics Kladno in Czechoslovakia.

Other Records :

  • 2019 – African Games 2019, Rabat, Morocco – 2 medals (100m 3rd / 200m 2nd)
  • 2018 – Mediterranean Championship, Jesolo, Italy – 2 medals (100m 3rd / 200m 2nd)
  • 2016 – Mediterranean Championship, Tunis, Tunisia – 1 medal (200m -2nd)
  • 2014 – Arab Junior Championship, Cairo, Egypt – 2 medals (100m 1st / 200m 2nd)
  • 2013 – Arab Youth Championship – Cairo, Egypt – 2 medals (200m 2nd / Medley Relay 2nd)
  • 2012 – Arab Junior Championship, Amman, Jordan – 2 medals (100m 2nd / 200m 1st)

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pix : english.ahram.org.eg

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EGYPT

World’s Highest Suspended Hotel Suite in the Clouds – St. Regis – Abu Dhabi (UAE) : April 2016

St. Regis Hotel Abu Dhabi. The new iconic Nation Tower development in Abu Dhabi.

Highest suspended Presidential suite in the world. High up in the air at over 200 meters.

Housed in a sky bridge joining two towers. It is positioned between the National Towers’ 48th and 49th floor.

Guests can fly in their choppers, land on the helipad atop the National Tower and be whisked away directly to the Abu Dhabi suite by a private elevator.

The suite is over 1,120 square meters (11,600 sq. ft) of luxury. Features a 2-level luxury majlis, 3 beautiful bedrooms, luxurious Spa, movie theatre alongwith kitchen, dining rooms and a fully equipped gym.

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pix : thepinnaclelist.com

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Abu Dhabi, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

World’s Furthest Leaning Man-Made Tower – ‘ Capital Gate ‘ Abu Dhabi (UAE) : 2011

Abu Dhabi’s Skyscraper ‘Capital Gate’ also known as the ‘Leaning Tower of Abu Dhabi. The building officially opened on December 21, 2011.

Capital Gate is 160 meters (520 feet tall) , 35 stories high and with 16,000 sq. meters (170,000 sq.ft) of built area. It is also one of the tallest buildings in the Capital city.

Due to its clever engineering and architectural design, the building leans 18 degrees to the west. It is 4 times more than the Leaning Tower of Suuvhusen. Capital Gate is one of the few diagrid buildings in the world.

Guinness World Records certified as the ‘World’s Farthest Man Made Leaning Building in the World’ in 2018.

Capital Gate is designed by the Architectural firm RMJM , Scotland / United Kingdom.

The building is owned and developed by Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Company (ADNEC).

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pix : wikipedia.org / FritzDaCat

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Abu Dhabi, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

Emirati Physicist Dr.Ahmed Almheri Wins Coveted ‘New Horizons Physics Prize’ USA : Sepember 2020:

Dr Ahmed Almheri, Physicist was awarded the ‘New Horizons Physics Prize’ for his research on black holes in space. The award is founded by ‘The Breakthrough Foundation’ USA.

He is currently a long-term member in the ‘School of Natural Science’. Doing his post-docotral studies in Physics at ‘Institute for Advance Studies (IAS), Princeton University.

First Emirati to be accepted for the post-doctoral studies at Princeton University, University of California.

Education:

-Ph.D – Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara

– M.A. – University of California, Santa Barbara

– B.Sc/B.A – University of Toronto

Awards:

-New Horizons Physics Prize (2020)

-Lancaster Dissertation Award in Mathematics, Physics, Sciences and Engineering (2014)

-Member Martin Hairer ‘Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics’

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Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics / pix: youtube.com

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)