The British government appointed a vaccines minister as it prepares to inoculate millions of people against the coronavirus, potentially starting within days.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Conservative lawmaker Nadhim Zahawi will oversee the country’s biggest vaccine program in decades.
www.zahawi.com
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BRITISH / IRAQI / BRITISH-ARAB
The awards program has seven categories – performance, mobile, social media, digital assets, digital by sector, integrated, and special – and was open to all digital players throughout the Middle East and North Africa region.
This year, FP7 dominated the winners’ list with a total of five awards across four categories, followed by Netizency with four awards, and UM with three.
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MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA
Doves Ride is Saudi Arabia’s first licenced women’s cycling team. Based in Riyadh it is licenced both locally and internationally.
Shahd Alturki is the founder and professional cycling trainer.
Doves Ride organizes rides for all levels, from the gentle trails suitable for beginners to the more challenging routes for hardened cyclists. The group offers lessons that can help any beginner ride a bike safely.
Contacts are Twitter and Instagram @dovesride
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SAUDI ARABIA
A late goal from Mohamed ‘Afsha’ Magdy gave Al-Ahly a dramatic 2-1 victory over Zamalek on November 27th, which turned out to be an an all-Egyptian CAF Champions League2019-20 final in the Cairo International Stadium.
Amr el Soleya had give Al-Ahly an early lead and ‘Shikabala’ scored a magnificient equaliser before half time.
Record for Al Ahly : The win extended Al-Ahly’s record number of wins in Africa’s elite club competition to nine.
Record for the South African coach: Al-Ahly’s win meant SA coach Pitso Mosimane became only the third coach after Argentine Oscar Fullone and Egyptian Mahmoud el Gohary to win the Champions League title with two clubs.
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EGYPT
The Innovation in Construction & FM awards 2020, which took place at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk, is one of the leading events applauding the achievements of the region’s construction and FM professionals.
source: cbnme.com
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The Hotelier Awards 2020 recognised 18 of the region’s most talented hospitality professionals, with many more leaving Highly Commended or with a special mention.
Held at JW Marriott Marquis Dubai on Tuesday November 24, the gala event welcomed more than 200 people, who were kept safe from COVID-19 by the event team’s hygiene measures and partnership with Bee’ah.
Housekeeper of the Year
Winner – Asif Khatri, Executive Housekeeper, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah and Hilton Dubai The Walk
Highly Commended – Harsh Gaur, Executive Housekeeper, Taj Dubai
IT Person of the Year
Winner – Fritzi Lescano, IT Manager – Internal Communications, Accor Regional Office MEA
Highly Commended – Abdul Baseer Mohammed, Technology Manager, InterContinental Jeddah
Hotel Engineer of the Year
Winner – Gurpal Singh, Chief Engineer, InterContinental Hotels at Dubai Festival City
Highly Commended – Fernandez Nicholas, Director of Engineering, Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights – Hotel Suites & Apartments
Safety & Security Person of the Year
Winner – Muhammad Waqar Azeem Qamar, Risk Champion / Learning & Quality Manager, InterContinental Jeddah
Highly Commended – Onkar Sawant, Director of Security, Taj Dubai
HR & Training Person of the Year
Winner – Feryal Haddon, Cluster Director of Human Resources, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, Hilton Dubai The Walk, Hilton Dubai Creek
Highly Commended – Yasmine Farouk, Director of Human Resources, Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
Procurement Person of the Year
Winner – Alan Lewis, Purchasing Manager, Fairmont Dubai
Finance Person of the Year
Winner – Mazen Salha, Director of Finance, Swissotel Al Ghurair & Swissotel Living Al Ghurair
Highly Commended – Joanna Talegon, Assistant Credit Manager, TIME Oak Hotel & Suites
Concierge/Guest Services Person of the Year
Winner – Kamal Kariyawasam, Chief Concierge, InterContinental Hotels at Dubai Festival City
Highly Commended – Swapnil Patrikar, Complex Guest Services Manager, The Westin Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
Special Mention – Vinay Govande, Front Office Manager, Taj Dubai
Fitness/Spa Person of the Year
Winner – Rosemary Read-Larsen, Director, Wellness at Atlantis Dubai
Highly Commended – Majd Kassab, Recreation Supervisor, TIME Oak Hotel & Suites
Sales Person of the Year
Winner – Valentina Sobeshchuk, Director of Sales and Marketing, Rixos Bab Al Bahr and Regional Director of Sales, Rixos Hotels UAE
Highly Commended – Ileshaa Nijhawan, Multi-Property Senior Sales Groups & Events Manager, Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre and Le Méridien Fairway
Marketing & PR Person of the Year
Winner – Shamia Abdul Aziz, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications, Sofitel Dubai The Palm
Highly Commended – Ahmad Jaber, Cluster Director of Marketing, Digital & Communications, InterContinental Hotels at Dubai Festival City
Special Mention – Richard Thorburn, PR & Marketing Manager, Six Senses Zighy Bay
Executive Chef of the Year
Winner – Jay Williams, Complex Director of Culinary, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina and The Westin Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
Highly Commended – Luigi Vespero, Executive Chef, Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
Special Mention – Nasser Lamei Rayes Khalil, Executive Chef, Crowne Plaza Dubai-Deira
F&B Manager of the Year
Winner – Emad Ramzy, F&B Manager, Crowne Plaza Dubai-Deira
Highly Commended – Jodie O’Meara, Hotel F&B Operations Manager, Zabeel House by Jumeirah, The Greens
Young Hotelier of the Year
Winner – Bhavesh Tanwani, Assistant Front Office Manager, Bab al Qasr Abu Dhabi
Highly Commended – Tatiana Radchenko, Revenue Manager, W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island
Unsung Hero of the Year
Winner – Leonora T. Manuel, Senior Nurse, Raffles Dubai
Highly Commended – Simone Troxler, Sustainability Manager, Six Senses Zighy Bay
Special Mention – Myra Macalma, Hotel Nurse, Fairmont Dubai
General Manager of the Year
Winner – Christophe Schnyder, General Manager, Sofitel Dubai The Palm
Highly Commended – Luke James, General Manager, Zabeel House by Jumeirah, The Greens
Mid-Market Hotel Team of the Year
Winner – Zabeel House by Jumeirah, The Greens
Highly Commended – Radisson RED Dubai Silicon Oasis
Hotel Team of the Year
Winner – Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai
Highly Commended – Al Baleed Resort Salalah By Anantara
source: hoteliermiddleeast.com
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Dorsaf Ganouti . Football Referee.
Dorsaf Ganouti became the first woman to make history in Tunisia by refereeing a top division men’s Tunisian league match in the city of Radee.
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TUNISIA
Kuwaiti play ‘System Out Of Order’ entered the Guinness Book of Records as the ‘First Virtual Performance in the Arab World’.
The plays’ actor and director was Mohammed Al Hamli.
The play was shown digitally-remotely and the number of tickets sold on May 25th, Eid Al Fitr day was 1,474 breaking the record for tickets sold on one day – for an electronic comedy show.
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KUWAIT
Deena Rahman, Bahrain’s National Team mid-fielder breaks the World Record in Football for ‘Taking the Most Penalites in 24 Hours’.
Deena Rahman hammered home 7,876 penalties including facing 24 female goal-keepers, at the Kick Off Academy in Saar – smashing the previous record as a part of 2020’s Equal Playing Field’s (EPF)
.The challenge started on November 17th at 7am and ended 24-hours later at 7am on November 18th coinciding with Guinness World Record Day.
The previous record was held by Vickrant Mahajan in 24 hours with 1,111 penalties.
This was the 5th Guinness World Record held by Deena Rahman.
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BAHRAIN
Omeir Saeed – wakeboarder from Abu Dhabi broke 2 Guinness World Records (GWR) previously set by Jerome Macquart 2004 and 2005 respectively.
Omeir Saeed’s new GWR records are in the category
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Abu Dhabi, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES