Arabs & Arabian Records Aggregator. Chronicler. Milestones of the 25 Countries of the Arabic Speaking World (official / co-official). AGCC. MENA. Global. Ist's to Top 10's. Records. Read & Enjoy./ www.arabianrecords.org
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
Hakim Alileche. Algerian Organic Olive Oil Producer. Brand – Dahbia.
Hakim Alileche left a successful career in graphic design and moved to the Algerian countryside to produce organic olive oil that has won him international recognition.
The 48-year-old says he chose the Ain Oussera plateau for its cheap land and water supply.
“In Algeria, it’s a sacred tree.”
His oil won first prize at the Dubai Olive Oil Competition in the Extra Virgin Early Harvest category in February 2021 and in May he won silver at the Japan Olive Oil Prize.
He has labelled his oil Dahbia, the name of both his mother and his wife.
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
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.
UNESCO announced Damietta city is among the ten cities to receive cities the UNESCO Learning Cities Award 2021
“Whether they are megacities or smaller urban areas, all of the awardees have shown how learning opportunities empower citizens of all ages when suitable policies and programmes are put in place,” said the UNESCO on the official website of the United Nations in Egypt.
UNESCO added that Damietta seeks to promote sustainable development, advance basic skills among adults, and improve public health for a population of over 330,000.
source/content: egypttoday.com
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A bridge in Damietta city, Egypt – Photo via Wikimediacommons / pix: egypttoday.com
It is commemorated every year on the anniversary, which is, however, not a public holiday.
The day is marked by schools, government offices, businesses, and individuals hanging the national flag outside their homes and workplaces.
The veteran Emirati diplomat, Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah, had designed the symbol of the country’s unity, pride and dignity when he was only a teenager 19 years old.
Al Maainah’s design was chosen among more than 1,030 entries submitted as part of a nationwide contest.
Later, the winning flag was raised on December 2, 1971 — the Foundation Day of the UAE.
On December 2, it will be exactly 50 years since the UAE flag was first hoisted to mark the country’s union.
Curiously, he did not know his design had been selected until he saw the flag fluttering at Mushrif Palace in Abu Dhabi with his own eyes.
“It was an overwhelming feeling. All of us were happy because we had unified as one country. However, I was overjoyed the most,” said the veteran diplomat, as he recalled how he found out about the contest and prepared for it with barely any time or resources.
“One of the arrangements related to declaring the establishment of the UAE at that time was to design a flag for it. A committee was formed to look into the matter and an advertisement was put out in the Al Ittihad newspaper inviting submissions from various artists,” he reminisced.
Al Maainah said he stumbled upon the advertisement just three days before the deadline was to expire.
“It was a race against time, as I didn’t have any drawing tools or colouring pencils. I rushed out to get them and worked all night to come up with the design. It was a happy feeling staying awake for the sake of designing the flag for my beloved country,” he added.
Only two flags were raised on December 2, 1971, to mark the formation of the nation – one in Abu Dhabi, the other at Union House in Dubai.
Al Maainah said the colours of the UAE flag were not chosen randomly.
“Every colour has an innate meaning. White symbolises peace, goodness and purity, black represents solidarity, green stands for hope, prosperity and development while red denotes bravery and courage,” he added.
Later, he was awarded 4,000 riyals as prize money, as the UAE dirham was yet to be introduced as the legal tender.
Al Maainah, who has travelled around the world as the UAE’s ambassador to several foreign missions, cherishes the honour bestowed on him by the country’s wise and visionary leadership for his design of the flag.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries announced the signing of a contract with the Saudi Arabian Military Industries for the development and manufacturing of the “SkyGuard” unmanned aerial vehicle.
SAMI also signed an agreement with Prince Sultan Defense Studies and Science Research Center with the aim of further developing the UAV.
“SkyGuard” is “the outcome of numerous research and development efforts, undertaken by the center and geared towards developing a truly local product,” it said, as the Kingdom plans to supply half of its military needs with products made at home.
GAMI has identified 74 investment opportunities, across six domains of the military industries sector.
The authority has launched a digital platform called the Military Industry Marketplace that links local industry projects with investors that are authorized and licensed by the authority.
A tasty Guinness World Record was broken at Expo 2020 Dubai , four days after the initial attempt was postponed due to a tropical storm in the region.
A warm, sweet scent filled the air inside the Swedish Pavilion at the world’s fair, as an attempt to create the world’s “longest cinnamon bun train” got under way.
Fifteen hundred sticky and delicious buns, made from about 6kg of butter, 11kg of sugar and 36kg of flour, were placed in a spiral pattern on a large circular table.
All ingredients used to make and connect the buns – which were comically referred to as the “original gangsters of Swedish bakery” by the chefs – had to be edible, so no glue, tape or sticks were used.
“To bake our way into the record books is a testament to the hard work, agility and dedication that you see every day in our 22 cake shops,” said Tushar Fotedar, a director at Mister Baker.
The world record commemorates Fika, which is a Swedish social phenomenon that brings together colleagues, family members and friends over coffee and pastries.
source/content: thenationalnews.com
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A tasty Guinness World Record was broken at Expo 2020 Dubai on Friday, four days after the initial attempt was postponed due to a tropical storm in the region. All photos by Khushnum Bhandari / The National / thenationalnews.com
Nadifa Mohamed , FRSL. (aka) Nadifa Maxamed .Somali British Novelist.
Nadifa Mohamed became the first Somali person to be short-listed for the Booker Prize with new novel, The Fortune Men.
Almost two decades ago, Somali-British author Nadifa Mohamed was interning for a film company in London when she came across the story of a Somali seaman named Mahmood Mattan from Cardiff’s port community of Tiger Bay.
She didn’t know at the time, the discovery would lead her to write what’s now become the first novel written by a Somali person to be short-listed for the Booker Prize.
source/content: abc.net.au
Other Books/Novels:
Black Mamba Boy (2010)
The Orchard of Lost Souls (2014)
The Fortune Men
Awards:
Betty Trask Award (2010)
Somerset Maugham Award (2014)
Prix Albert Bernard (2016) etc..
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Nadifa Mohamed is the first Somali author to be short-listed for the Booker Prize for her novel The Fortune Men.(Supplied: Nadifa Mohamed) / abc.net.au
Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah won the 21st edition of the Moroccan Desert Rally, the fourth round of the 2021 World Cup for Cross Country Rallies, which lasted for seven days amid the participation of the most prominent rally drivers, and topped the general ranking of the world championship.
The coronation of Al Attiyah and his navigator French Mathieu Baumel in a Toyota Hilux, came after taking first place in the general standings at the end of the five stages with a total time of 15.52.10 hours, 15.58 minutes behind of his nearest competitor, the Saudi driver Yazid Al Rajhi, accompanied by his British navigator Michael Oro in a Toyota Hilux, who came second with a total time of 16.08.08 hours, while Argentine driver Lucio Alvarez, accompanied by his Spanish navigator Armand Monleon in a Toyota Hilux, came third with a total time of 17.03.02 hours.
The title is the sixth for the Qatari rider in the Morocco Rally after 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, topping the general standings of the World Cup for Cross Country Rally Championship, before competing in the last two rounds, the Emirates Challenge Rally and the Hail Rally in Saudi Arabia during the coming months of November and December respectively.
