‘Erg Chech 002’ – 4.6 Billion Years Old Meteorite Found in Algeria (older than Earth) : 2020

The rare meteorite, estimated to be 4.6 billion years old, was found by a team led by Jean-Alix Barrat of Université de Bretagne Occidentale. Results of the study have been published in PNAS.

Named Erg Chech 002 (EC 002), after the Algerian site where it was discovered, the rock is a rare artefact from a protoplanet — a large body of matter in orbit around the Sun or another star, and believed to be developing into a planet — that was likely forming when the solar system was a young 2 million years old.

The meteorite was part of a group that was recovered in May 2020 near Bir Ben Takoul, southern Algeria, within the Erg Chech sand sea. The stones are described as having a “coarse grained, tan and beige appearance” interspersed with crystals that are green, yellow-green, and yellow-brown.

The oldest volcanic rock we have ever discovered may help us understand the building blocks of planets. The meteorite, which was discovered in the Sahara desert in 2020, dates from just 2 million years after the formation of the solar system – making it more than a million years older than the previous record-holder.

Since no known asteroid resembles EC 002, the researchers suspect that no other remnants are left from these early times. 

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The oldest chunk of volcanic rock ever unearthed
©2021 Darryl Pitt / Christie’s / pix: newscientist.com

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ALGERIA

Ahmed Yahya – President of FFRIM , Mauritania

Ahmed Yahya is a businessman. At 44, Yahya is the youngest candidate in the bid for Africa’s big seat in football.

The head of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (FFRIM), a post he has held since 2011.

Achievements in football

  • Founded football club FC Nouadhibou in 1999 and served as President of the club until 2004. The club has won two cups and six national titles,
  • Elected as the President of FFRIM, 2011
  • Member of CAF’s Executive Committee since 2017. Yahya also sits on the Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions.
  • CAF Awards – awarded as ‘The Continent’s Best Football Administrator ‘ 2017 by CAF (Confederation of African Football)
  • Under his FFRIM leadership, Mauritania qualified for the first time in history for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) under coach Corentin Martins (2018)
  • Mauritania was crowned CAF’s Team of the Year for 2018,
  • Mauritania selected a women’s team to represent the country for the first time (2019)
  • FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, praised Yahya for role in developing both football and its infrastructure in Mauritania (2019)
  • Yahya was re-elected as the President of FFRIM in a landslide victory (2020)

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pix: sabcnews.com

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MAURITANIA

Tunisian-American Chemist Moungi Bawendi : MIT Professor

Dr. Moungi Bawendi is a Tunisian-American chemist.

He is the Lester Wolfe Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Moungi Bawendi is one of the original participants in the field of colloidal quantum dot research, and among the most cited chemists of the last decade.

This work has included: (1) the development of novel methods for synthesising, characterising, and processing quantum dots, magnetic nanoparticles, and tubular J-aggregates as novel materials building blocks, (2) studying fundamental optical and magnetic properties of nanostructures using a variety of spectroscopic methods, including the development of optical photon correlation tools to study single nanoscopic emitters, (3) incorporating quantum dots and magnetic particles into various optical and electronic device structures, and (4) developing nanoparticles and other agents for biomedical imaging.

  • Became a Clarivate Citation Laureate in 2020.
  • Received his A.B. in 1982 from Harvard University
  • Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1988, University of Chicago.
  • Two years of postdoctoral research at Bell Laboratories, working with Dr. Louis Brus, where he began his studies on nanomaterials.
  • Joined the faculty at MIT in 1990, becoming Associate Professor in 1995 and Professor in 1996.

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pix: energy.mit.edu

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AMERICAN / TUNSIAN-AMERICAN

Arab Designer, Libyan Ibrahim Shebani

Ibrahim Shebani (Alshebani) . Fashion Designer

Founder of the ready-to-wear fashion label : ‘Born In Exile’ .

Ibrahim Shebani has set up an atelier near Bologna (Italy) and set up in Tunisia for manufacturing.

Awarded Designer of the Year ‘DOTM’ – by MAFT magazine.

Born in German, grew up mostly between Cairo and Libya. Lived in Paris for a year.

www.born-in-exile.com

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pix: twitter.com/ibrahimshebani

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LIBYA

Dr. Tawhida Abdel-Rahman – First Female Doctor Working in the Government, Egyptian Health Ministry : 1933

Dr. Tawhida Abdel-Rahman was one of the first six girls, sent to England from Egypt to study medicine in 1922 based on King Fouad’s decision.

On her return she was appointed in ‘Kitchener Charitable Hospital – The General Hospital in Shubra, Government Health Ministry – making her the First Female Doctor working for the Egyptian Government Health Ministry.

She passed away in 1974.

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Tawhida Abdel-Rahman – Photo courtesy by Facebook page /pix: egypttoday.com

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EGYPT

Dr Malik Badri, Founder and President – ‘International Association of Islamic Psychology (IAIP)

Professor Dr Malik Badri (aka) Malik Babikr Badri Mohammed Ph.D.

Founder and President – ‘International Association of Islamic Psychology  (IAIP) (www.islamicpsychology.org)

First/s :

  • The first one who reminded many of modern Muslim psychologists not to be trapped in Western psychology ‘lizard hole’.
  • Founding father of Islamic Psychology
  • The First President of International Association of Muslim Psychologists (IAMP)

Education:

  • Ph.D – University of Leicester, England (1961)
  • Postgraduate Certificate of Clinical Psychology, Academic Department of Psychiatry Middlesex Hospital Medical School, London University (1966)
  •  Fellow of the British Psychological Society (1977)
  • Holds the title of Chartered Psychologist, C.Psychol
  • Master’s degree, University of Leicester (1958)
  • Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, American University of Beirut (1956)
  • Honorary D.Sc. , Ahfad University

Honours:

  • Decorated by President of Sudan with Medal of Shahid Zubair
  • Chair of Ibn Khaldun, Faculty of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences,e International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).

Books :

  • Contemplation: An Islamic Psychospiritual Study
  • Abu Zayd al-Balkhi’s Sustenance of the Soul: The Cognitive Behavior Therapy of a Ninth Century Physician
  • Cultural Adaptation and Islamization of Psychology: A book of collected papers
  • Cyber-counseling for Muslim Clients
  • Islam and AIDS: Between scorn, pity and justice
  • Islamizing and Indigenizing Psychology
  • The AIDS crisis: A Natural Product of Modernity’s Sexual Revolution
  • The AIDS Dilemma: A Progeny of Modernity
  • The AIDS Crisis: an Islamic socio-cultural perspective
  • The Wisdom of Islam in Prohibiting Alcohol
  • Use and abuse of human sciences in Muslim Countries
  • Tafakkur from perception to insight
  • Psychology from an Islamic perspective
  • Islam and Alcoholism
  • General Psychology
  • Educational Psychology
  • The Psychology of Arab Children’s Drawings

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pix: iamphome.org

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SUDAN

Ramla Ali – First British Female Muslim Boxing Champion

Ramla Ali (aka) Ramla Said Ahmed Ali

Somali-British. English Professional Boxer, Model, Author and Racial Equality Activist.

First/s :

  • First Muslim Woman Boxer to win English National Titles in 2016
  • Somalia’s First ever Boxing Representative for Tokyo 2020 Olympics
  • First Female Somali Boxer in history to compete professionally
  • First male or female to win the African Boxing Title and International Gold medals whilst representing Somalia
  • First Boxer in history to have represented Somalia in Women’s World Championships, New Delhi, India

Winner : a few listed below :

  • As an amateur – Won Novice National Championship, England (2015)
  • England Boxing Elite Championship (2016)
  • African Zone Featherweight Title (2019)
  • etc..

Social Activist:

  • Launched a club ‘ The Sister’s Club’, UK (2018)

Model:

  • Front covers of British Vogue, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Guardian Observer, Wonderland, ELLE, The Square Mile, The Week, Swiss Style, Puss Puss Magazine etc..

Brand Ambassador:

  • Pantene nominated her as its newest Ambassador and Face of their Hair Care Brand (2019)

Book:

  • ‘Not Without A Fight’

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pix: olympicchannel.com/en

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UNITED KINGDOM / SOMALIAN-BRITISH

UNESCO Competion to Rebuild Iraq’s Al-Nouri Mosque, Mosul – Won by Egyptian Architectural Design : April 2021

The “Courtyards Dialogue” design submitted by eight Egyptian architects has won the UNESCO competition to rebuild the historic Al-Nouri mosque complex mostly destroyed in Iraqi Mosul.

The Egyptian design was selected by an international jury from among 123 entries in the global competition as part of the UNESCO’s project to rehabilitate the ancient city of Mosul, the UN wrote on its website.

The winners of the competition are Salah El Din Hareedy, Khaled El-Deeb, Sherif Ebrahim, Tarek Ali Mohamed, Noha Ryan, Hager Abdel Ghani, Mahmoud Saad Gamal and Yousra El-Baha, the UN said.

Winners at the competition, the Egyptian team, has been awarded the contract for the complex as well as $50,000 prize.

source/content : egypttoday.com

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The winning design “Courtyards Dialogue” – Supplied/UNESCO/©Salah El Din Samir Hareedy and team / pix: egypttoday.com

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EGYPT

Mohammed bin Rashid Launches ‘100 Million Meals’ to Provide Food Support in 20 countries : April 2021

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has launched ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign to provide food parcels for families and people in need across 20 countries during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Launched as an expansion from last year’s locally-held ’10 Million Meals’ campaign that empowered COVID-19-hit communities across the UAE, the ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign will provide food support for the vulnerable in the Middle East, Africa and Asia

The campaign is part of UAE’s response to global efforts to combat world hunger, a major challenge that has been exacerbated by outbreak of COVID-19 that has pushed millions of disadvantaged populations to greater insecurity, poverty and unemployment. The campaign also aims to support the international community in achieving the second of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to end hunger by 2030.

The MBRGI will carry out the campaign in collaboration with the UN World Food Programme, the Food Banking Regional Network, humanitarian and charity organizations in beneficiary countries, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment (MBRCH), and UAE federal and local entities.

source: wam.ae

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pix:pressreleasenetwork.com

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Omani Businessman Suhail Bahwan among World’s Richest Arabs – Forbes : April 2021

Forbes has released its annual World’s Billionaires ranking for 2021, featuring the world’s 2,755 richest people—660 more than there were in 2020, including 493 newcomers that have never featured on the Forbes’ list before.

This year there are 22 Arab billionaires worldwide compared to 21 in 2020. Combined, the cohort has seen their aggregate fortune climb to $53.4 billion in 2021, compared to $47.3 billion a year earlier.

Qatar’s Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani with an estimated wealth of $1.3 billion, and Morocco’s Othman Benjelloun & family, also with $1.3 billion.

Egypt’s Nassef Sawiris is still the wealthiest Arab worldwide, with a net worth of $8.3 billion—$3.3 billion more than last year. His most valuable asset is a nearly 6% stake in sportswear maker Adidas. He also runs OCI, one of the world’s largest nitrogen fertilizer producers, with plants in Texas and Iowa.

Algeria’s only billionaires, Issad Rebrab & family, are the world’s second-richest Arabs, worth $4.8 billion. Rebrab is the founder and CEO of Cevital, Algeria’s largest privately-held company. Cevital owns one of the largest sugar refineries globally, with the capacity to produce two million tons of refined sugar a year.

Oman’s only billionaire, Suhail Bahwan, is valued at $2.3 billion.

Lebanese jeweler Robert Mouawad is the only billionaire living in Bahrain and is valued at $1.4 billion.

Najib and Taha Mikati are the only Lebanese billionaires living in Lebanon and are worth $2.5 billion each. Bahaa, Ayman, and Fahd Hariri—sons of the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafiq Hariri— all now live in Europe and are worth $2 billion, $1.3 billion, and $1.1 billion, respectively.

Forbes has not considered Saudi Arabia for the ranking since 2018.

source/content: timesofoman.com

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pix: timesofoman.com

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OMAN