Month: June 2020

World’s First Purpose Built Church – Aqaba Church, Jordan : 293 A.D.

Built around 293 A.D. in Jordan, the Aqaba Church is considered to be the world’s oldest-known purpose-built Christian church.

It was unearthed by archaeologists in 1998, and ever since then, it has been holding the world record.

Its first phase was dated between 293 and 303, which makes it older than the ‘ Church of the Holy Sepulchre’ in Jerusalem and the ‘Church of the Nativity’  in Bethlehem, both of which were built in the late 320s.

Notes:

  • Cenacle, the site of the Last Supper in Jerusalem, was the ‘First Christian Church’ according to the Catholic Encyclopedia
  • Dura Europos Church, Syria is the World’s Oldest surviving Church building

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Jordan

Siemens Gamesa – First Blade Manufacturing Plant In Africa & ME : November 2017

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) established its rotor blade manufacturing plant mid- october in Tangiers Automotive City, a free-trade zone.

The plant offers wind turbine blades and is the first such facility in Africa and the Middle East.

The project allows the development of a good ecosystem in the ‘renewable energy industry’.

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Morocco

Shatha Hammad Wins ‘One World Media New Voice Award ‘ : June 2020

Shatha Hammad – Local and young Journalist with the Middle East Eye (MEE) wins the ‘One World Media New Voice Award’ .

The Jury recognised her ability to ‘illuminate political and social issues’ in the West Bank.

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West Bank, Palestine

Tarek Kamel – Pioneer – Egypt’s First Connection to the Internet

Tarek Kamel established Egypt’s first connection to the Internet. FIRST national of a developing country to fill ICANN’s Senior Management position

Assignments:

  • Minister of Communication & Information, Egypt
  • Chairman – National Telecom Regulatory Authority
  • Board Member – Telecom Egypt
  • Board Member Egypt’s Private Public Technology Development Fund (TDF)

International:

  • ICANN appointed as Senior Adviser to its President
  • Senior Vice President of Global Government and IGO engagement. Thus making him the FIRST national of a developing country to fill ICANN’s Senior Management position
  • ‘Top Minister in Africa with an ICT Profile’ – by South African Minstry of Communications (2015)

Education:

  • Ph.D : Electrical Engineering & Info Technology – Technical University of Munich
  • M.Sc : Electrical Engineering, Cairo University
  • B.Sc : Electrical Engineering, Cairo University

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Egypt

Hala Gorani – CNN Anchor

Hala Basha Gorani – American journalist, anchor and correspondent for CNN International

Education :

  • B.S : Economics , George Mason University, Fairfax , Virginia
  • Graduate – Institut d’etudes Politiques, Paris (1995)
  • Honorary Doctorate – George Mason University, Virginia (2015)

Awards / Recognitions:

  • 2018: News and Documentary Emmy win for “Syria: Gasping for Life in Khan Sheikhoun.”
  • 2018: News and Documentary Emmy nomination for Outstanding Breaking News Coverage, Manchester Concert Attack.
  • 2016: Television Personality of the Year, Association for International Broadcasting.
  • 2015: Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, George Mason University .
  • 2015: Named one of the most powerful women by Forbes Woman Middle East.
  • 2012: News and Documentary Emmy win for coverage of the Egyptian revolution.
  • 2012: News and Documentary Emmy nomination for Outstanding Live Coverage of a Current News Story – Long Form (Anderson Cooper 360).
  • 2012: George Foster Peabody Award for the network’s coverage of the Arab Spring.
  • 2011–2015: Named among 100 Most powerful Arab women by Arabian Business Magazine.
  • 2007: Edward R. Murrow Award for the network’s coverage of the continuing coverage of the Middle East conflict.
  • Ranked 8th in Forbes ‘The Most Powerful Arab Women in 2015’

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American – Syrian- American / Syrian Arab

World’s Largest Camel Replica – Saudi Arabia : September 2019

A towering illuminated sculpture of a camel in Saudi Arabia has snagged the Guinness World Record for being the largest ever made.

It was unveiled at the Kingdom’s second Crown Prince Camel Festival in Taif .

The 10-meter wide and 4.65-meter high replica stands on a steel base against corrosion, and it is lit up by 51,000 lights.

The camel replica, located at the Camel Village of the Crown Prince Camel Festival, was unveiled by the President of the Saudi Camel Federation, Prince Fahd bin Jalawi.

pix: english.alarabiya.net

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Saudi Arabia

Nizar Ibrahim selected as ‘ A Emerging Explorer’ by National Geographic Society : 2014

Dr Nizar Ibrahim – Vertebrate Paleontologist, Comparitive Anatomist and Evolutionary Morphologist

Currently:

  • Assistant Professor – University of Detroit Mercy, USA
  • Visiting Researcher – University of Portsmouth

Education:

  • Ph.D – in Paleontology , University College Dublin’s School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Dublin (2011)
  • Postdoctoral experience in anatomy and bioinformatics, University of Chicago
  • B.Sc – Geology and Biology – University of Bristol (2006)

Books:

  • 6 Books authored

Recognitions / Others :

  • Nizar Ibrahim’s ‘ Spinosaurus Discovery ‘ was named one of the ‘Top 20 Scientific Discoveries of the Decade’ by National Geographic – 2019
  • Member – National Geographic’s ‘Emerging Explorer Program’ – 2014
  • TED Fellow – 2015 (one of the 21 selected). First Paleontologist in the history of the program
  • Chicago’s ‘ 40 Under 40 ‘ – Crain’s Chicago Business – 2015

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German / Moroccan-German

Shamal Steel Arch Bridge, Ras Al Khaimah – World’s Longest Steel Bridge : March 2019

Shamal Steel Arch Bridge , Ras Al Khaimah, UAE is now the World’s longest steel bridge , certified by Guinness World Records.

It is planned to handle 2,000 vehicles per hour and includes a life expectancy of 104 years without any maintenance.

The bridge is a part of the second phase of Emirates Road as envisaged by the Ministry of Infrastructure, UAE

The former record was held by Poland’s 26m long bridge

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Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Saudi University, Tops 4th Rank Globally in the field of ‘Patents’ : 2019

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran – received 225 patents in 2019.

Achieving the 4th position on the Global list 100 Universities for the number of patents granted in the U.S. last year.

This announcement was presented in the annual classification report released by US National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association.

The Fourth ranking was preceded by the University of California (631), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (355) and the University of Texas (236).

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Saudi Arabia