World’s Largest Oasis ‘Al Ahsa Oasis’ : Saudi Arabia : October 2020

Al Ahsa Oasis in now certified by Guinness World Records as the Planet’s largest self-contained Oasis.

Al Ahsa Oasis has also the largest date-palm oasis surrounded by sand in the world.

It has also a UNESCO designated status as a World Heritage site. Over 6,000 years old. It has many National Heritage Sites, as well as Human Settlements dating back to thousands of years.

Al Ahsa Oasis stretches across 85.4 sq.km . Irrigated by more than 280 springs of hot, warm and cold water.

Annual Al Ahsa Date Festival conducted here. Well known for its ‘Khalsah Dates‘.

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It includes over 2.5 million date palms watered by a network of over 280 artesian springs / pix: gulfbusiness.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

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 Largest Drinking Water Storage Tank – Kahramaa : Qatar -August 2020

Kahramaa (Qatar General Electric and Water Corporation) entered the Guinness Book of Records for the category – ‘Volume of the Largest Water Tank of its Kind in the World’.

It has 436,000 cubic meters (exceeding 96 million imperial gallons) capacity.

Qatar’s new world record reflects the efficiency and its strategy to enhance water security for its nation.

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pix : thepeninsulaqatar.com

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Qatar

First Arab Musician to be Featured on Times Square Billboard in New York : Amr Diab – Egypt : 2019

Amr Diab (aka) El Hadaba . Musician. Actor.

One of the top selling Arab music recording artists.

Awards :

-7 – World Music Awards / 6 – African Music Awards / many more etc.

-The First Arab singer to receive the largest number of International Music Awards for most album sales in the Middle East . Guinness World Record – 2016

-Inducted into ‘Dubai Star Walk of Fame’ – 2019

-First Arab Musician to be featured by Spotify on a Times Square Billboard in New York – 2019

-Will feature in upcoming Netflix Arabic series for Middle East and North Africa, after his 27-year hiatus from acting.

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pix: musicinafrica.net

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Egypt

Record Holder- Most ‘Hotstepper’ Areej Al Hammadi – Emirati Female Footballer : July 2020

Areej Al Hammadi was awarded the Guinness World Record for the most ‘hotstepper’ football control tricks (86) completed in one minute, breaking the previous world record of 56 held in the UK.

Areej Al Hammadi is a footballer and a member of the UAE National Team since 2015.

She is also the Creative Project Manager at Expo 2020 Dubai.

pix : dubaiprnetwork.com

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

World’s Oldest Bread Discovered. 14, 400 Years Ago. Jordan.

Researchers working in the black desert of north-eastern Jordan found the charred remains of a flat bread baked by hunter-gatherers 14,400 years ago.

The bread was found in a stone fireplace. The oldest direct evidence of bread yet found, predating the advent of agriculture by at least 4,000 years ago.

The excavation was led by Tobias Richter, Archaeologist and researchers were led by Amaia Arranz Otaegui of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark in 2018. Findings were published in the Journal ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Science’.

pix: jordantimes.com

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Jordan

Largest Copper Bas-relief Sculpture : Ali Moneer Alassad , Syria 2009

The largest copper bas-relief created by Ali Moneer Alassad in Qurdaha, Lattakia, Syria, on 2 July 2009.

The bas-relief measures 122.5 sq mtr (1,318.5) sq m and is 50.10 m long and 2.44 m tall.

Alassad and his team spent 4,000 working hours to finish the copper bas-relief. The copper bas-relief is surrounded by ornamental plant Islamic framework and includes a 78 portraits represent the most important archaeological finds in Syria throughout history.

The bas-relief reflects the history of Syria since 9 thousand years BC. until the present time.

source: Guinness World Records / world-records.org /

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Syria

Hany El Behairy first Egyptian to join Carrousel du Louvre Fashion Show in Paris : January 2020

Hany El Behairy – Haute Couture Fashion Designer. Egyptian couturier.

Famed designer Hany El Behairy has become the first Egyptian to participate in the Oriental Fashion Show at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, which was held on Monday, January 20 and entitled “The Wonders of the Silk Road.“

During the show, Behairy impressed audiences with a diamond-studded wedding gown, modeled by Egyptian actress Mai Omar. 

Numerous celebrities have worn designs from Behairy Haute Couture, including Yousra, Laila Elwy, Warda Al Gazaeria, Elham Shahin, Safaa Abu El Seoud, Latifa, Hanan Tork, Dalia El Behairy, Sabah, Ghada Abdel Razek, Shaimaa Saeed, and Poussu Shalaby.

Awards :

– Best Fashion Designer in Egypt (2001) / Best Fashion Designer in Cairo Cinema Festival (2009) / Best Fashion Designer in the Arab World (2005)/ Best Fashion Designer in Alexandria Cinema Festival (2014) etc.

-Award for the Best Fashion Designer of 2006 at Mediterranean Festival in Napoli along with the “Moda Week” festival in Italy

– Best Fashion Designer.” at ‘LUX Festival’ in Lebanon

– Behairy was honored by the Italian Ministry of Culture as well as the Mayor of Rome in 2006.

www.hanyelbehairycouture.com

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pix: egyptindependent.com

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Egypt