Egypt takes over Presidency of COMESA (Common Market for Eastern & Southern Africa) : November 2021

Egypt assumed the rotating presidency of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) at its 21st summit.

In his speech, El-Sisi said Egypt will work with COMESA member states to achieve their aspirations and encourage trade, including by seeking to complete a project linking the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Victoria.

During a meeting with COMESA Secretary-General Chileshe Kapwepwe, El-Sisi said Egypt’s presidency of the bloc will strive toward economic and regional integration.

About COMESA

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) is a free trade area with 21 member states stretching from Tunisia to Eswatini.

source/content: arabnews.com

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Egypt takes over Tuesday the chair of the COMESA – TV Screenshot / pix: egypttoday.com

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EGYPT

Amal Amjahid Belgian-Moroccan Wins her 9th, Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Title : November 13th, 2021

Amal Amjahid. Athlete. Martial Arts. Jiu Jitsu Sports. Represents Belgium.

Belgian-Moroccan Jiu-Jitsu fighter Amal Amjahid , won on November 13 her 9th world champion title after defeating the French fighter Laurence Cousin Fouillat in the 2021 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship finale.

The 26-year-old secured the title in the “below 57 kilos” category with a victory by advantage following a score of 2-2.

Amal Amjahid began Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 7 in Brussels. From 2013 to 2019, she won many world titles and medals in various competitions such as the World Games, the Grand Slam Tokyo, and the European Jiu-Jitsu Championship

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com

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pix: moroccoworldnews.com

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BELGIAN / MOROCCAN

September 21st, 1991 – Egyptian Boutros Boutros Ghali Elected Secretary-General of United Nations (U.N), becoming First Secretary-General from an Arab Country

Boutros Boutros Ghali. Politician. Diplomat. Academic

6th Secretary-General of the United Nations. First Arab Secretary-General of the UN.

Later, First Secretary-General of the Organisation International de la Francophonie from 16 November 1997 to 31 December 2002.

Vice Foreign Minister of Egpyt

source/content: egypttoday.com

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Boutros Boutros Ghali – abcnews / egypttoday.com

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EGYPT

‘The Gravedigger’s Wife’: A Somali Love Story Wins Africa’s Top Film Prize : October 24th, 2021

Khadar Ayderus Ahamed. Writer. Film Director.

Movie by Finnish-Somali writer-director Khadar Ayderus Ahmed won the Stallion of Yennenga grand prize at the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou.

A little more than one month after it won the Amplify Voices Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, The Gravedigger’s Wife  has scooped Africa’s top film prize.

The drama, by Finnish-Somali writer-director Khadar Ayderus Ahmed, won the prestigious Stallion of Yennenga Grand Prize for Best Film at the Pan African Film Festival in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Sunday.

Filmed in Somali in Djibouti, the tenderly moving story of love and devotion follows Guled (Omar Abdi), a man who makes a precarious living from loss.

The film took home the 20 million franc ($35,714) CFA prize money and the golden stallion statue, beating 16 other African films to the top prize. The films in competition were made by directors from 15 different African countries.

It was also Somalia’s first official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2021 Academy Awards, and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in July.

source/content: thenationalnews.com

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Khadar Ayderus Ahmed, left, Yasmin Warsame, centre, and Omar Abdi attend ‘The Gravedigger’s Wife’ photocall during the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival. / AFP / thenationalnews.com

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FINLAND / SOMALIA

Amira Tahri: 12-Year Old Dutch-Moroccan Kickboxer Retains World Champion Title for 5th Time : November 2021

Amira Tahri (aka) Wonderkid, The Wonder Girl. Athlete. Kickboxer.

The kickboxing star won the title after she defeated her French rival, Shaina Moniek in the Abu Dhabi World Cup final.

Amira Tahri also made international headlines in 2019, when she was only 9 years old.

During the 2019 competition, Tahri defeated Moneik, the same opponent she faced during Friday’s fight, to secure her world championship for the fourth time.

The Dutch-Moroccan kickboxing star also shared a photo of her wearing a COVID-19 mask, with Morocco’s flag.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com

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Amira Tahri 12-Year Old Dutch-Moroccan Kickboxer Becomes World Champion for 5th Time. Photo: Amira Tahri Instagram / pix: moroccoworldnews.com

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DUTCH (NETHERLANDS) / MOROCCO

Emi Mahmoud – UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador

Emtithal ‘Emi’ Mahmoud. Poet. Activist. Author. Speaker. UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador.

June 2018 : UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, appointed the Sudanese-American slam poet Emtithal (Emi) Mahmoud as a national Goodwill Ambassador (US).

Author: Book titled Sisters’ Entrance

www.emi-mahmoud.com

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pix: www.emi-mahmoud.com

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AMERICAN / SUDAN

Syria Records World’s Worst Landmine Casualty Figures: Monitor : November 2021

Syria overtook Afghanistan last year as the country with the highest number of recorded casualties from landmines and explosive remnants of war, a monitoring group said Wednesday.

The Landmine Monitor said Syria had registered the most victims for the first time since its annual reports began in 1999, with 2,729 people either killed or injured.

Colombia recorded the most casualties from 2005 to 2007, and Afghanistan has recorded the most since then until last year.

Globally in 2020, the report said at least 7,073 casualties of mines and explosive remnants of war, including 2,492 deaths, were recorded across 54 territories.

The overall number of casualties was below the peak of 9,440 reached in 2016, but up from 5,853 in 2019.

The 23rd annual report is produced by the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, the research and monitoring arm of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and the Cluster Munition Coalition NGOs

source/content : english.ahram.org.eg

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File Photo: A Syrian army soldier uses a detector to find and clear landmines in a field at a pistachio orchard in the village of Maan, north of Hama, in west-central Syria, June 24, 2020. AFP / pix: english.ahram.org.eg

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SYRIA

Emirati Dhow Captain Muhammad bin Lahej, Honoured by the British for Role in Second World War

Muhammad bin Lahej transported troops in his dhow during Operation Countenance.

Under the cover of darkness, with only the stars for guidance, Muhammad bin Lahej sailed through the inky black waters.

The young captain guided his dhow up the coast of Oman from Muscat, through the Strait of Hormuz and into the Arabian Gulf, dodging enemy submarines as he went.

It was a journey he had made countless times before. But instead of spices and goods in the cargo hold that August 24 night, were troops of the British army.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Old photo of Muhammad Matar bin Lahej today at an event to celebrate the contribution of the UAE citizen Muhammad Matar bin Lahej (95 years old and one of the last survivors of WW2) to the military efforts during the war (particularly during Operation Countenance). He helped the British/Allies take Bandar Abbas at the British Embassy, Dubai Creek. Ruel Pableo for The National for John Dennehy’s story / pix: thenationalnews.com

Eighty years on, Britain honoured Emirati Mr Lahej, 95, for his daring exploits during the Second World War.

Because Mr Lahej was too frail to attend in person, the event at the office of the British Embassy in Dubai on Monday was attended by his sons, who recounted their father’s role in secretly moving troops as part of Operation Countenance – the 1941 Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran.

“Since the end of the Second World War, the story has been forgotten,” said Hamed bin Lahej. “My father is one of the last heroes alive who volunteered.”

source/content: thenationalnews.com

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Simon Penney, British Consul General to Dubai and the Northern Emirates, presents a plaque of appreciation to the sons of Muhammad bin Lahej for his role during the Second World War. Ruel Pableo for The National / pix: thenationalnews.com

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Moroccan Swimmer Hassan Baraka Sets Guinness World Record

With a swimming time of 8 hours and 30 minutes, Baraka secured a Guinness record for setting the “fastest time to swim the length of the Aqaba Gulf.”

Moroccan swimmer Hassan Baraka has set a Guinness World Record for being the first person in the world to swim across the Gulf of Aqaba, northeastern arm of the Red Sea between Saudi Arabia and the Sinai Peninsula. 

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com

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pix: moroccoworldnews.com

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MOROCCO

‘Inspirational’ Saudi Alumni Honoured by UK at ‘7th Study UK Alumni Awards Ceremony’ Riyadh : October 21st, 2021

 The British Embassy and British Council announced the recipients of the Study UK Alumni Awards 2020-2021 in Saudi Arabia at an awards ceremony hosted by British Ambassador in Riyadh, Neil Crompton.

UK alumni from Jeddah, Riyadh, Dhahran, Qassim and Thuwal were recognized for their outstanding achievements as business professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders, and for their important contributions in strengthening collaborative ties between the UK and Saudi Arabia.

7th Study UK Alumni Award Ceremony:

“This prestigious international award celebrates UK higher education and the achievements of outstanding Saudis who studied in the UK and are using their education to make a positive impact.

The award received around 1,300 applications from international UK alumni in more than 100 countries, representing more than 120 UK higher education institutions across the UK. Following interviews with a judging panel, recipients were selected for the three award categories: Professional achievement, entrepreneurial, and social impact.

The professional achievement award, which recognizes alumni who have displayed exemplary leadership in their professional field, was presented to Dr. Roua Alsubki , alumna of University College London. 

Roua is vice dean of skills and development deanship at King Saud University, the first woman to hold this position.

The social impact award, which acknowledges alumni who have made an exceptional contribution to creating positive social change, was presented to Dr. Bandar Alosaimi for establishing COVIDAT, a website that provides scientific information on COVID-19 in Arabic. 

He saw a need to translate developments in medical research to the everyday Arabic reader to avoid misinformation and misconceptions about the coronavirus. 

A graduate of University of Manchester and University of Salford, where he earned his master’s and Ph.D degrees, Alosaimi is assistant professor of virology at the faculty of medicine, the head of the virology research team and chairperson of Research Laboratories at King Fahad Medical City.

The entrepreneurial award was presented to Dr. Wail Mousa, graduate of the University of Leeds. 

The University of Birmingham on Tuesday signed an agreement with King Saud University, he added.

2022 :

The Study UK Alumni Awards 2022 call for applications is open until Oct. 29, 2021.

source/content: arabnews.com

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Sir Steve Smith, British Ambassador Neil Crompton (from left) with Winners Dr. Bandar Alosaimi, Dr Roua Alsubki and Dr. Wail Mousa. (Supplied) / pix: arabnews.com

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SAUDI ARABIA