Mohamed Mechbal Awarded 2021 King Faisal Arabic Literature Award : February 2021

Professor Dr Mohamed Mechbal has been awarded the King Faisal International Prize for Arabic Literature in recognition of his project ‘ The New Rhetoric ‘.

The King Faisal Foundation initiated the award in 1977. The award recognizes the exceptional contributions of five groups of individuals and institutions. These include,  service to Islam, Islamic Studies, Arabic language and literature as well as medicine, and science.

Currently he is Professor, Rhetoric and Literary criticism, University of AbdelMalek Essadi, Tetoun, Morocco

Award/s:

  • Sheikh Zayed Prize for Critical Studies 2018
  • Katara Prize for Critical Studies 2018

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pix: moroccoworldnews.com

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MOROCCO

Samia Hassan – First Female President of Tanzania : March 2021

Samia Suluhu Hassan (aka) Samia Hassan makes history by becoming the First Female President of Tanzania and the country’s 6th President.

  • Former First Female Vice President of Tanzania
  • Minister of Union Affairs 92014)
  • Minister of Trade & Tourism (2000)

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pix: dw.com

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TANZANIA

Zeina Barhoum, Arab Soprano to perform at Palestine Museum US on March 21st, 2020

Zeina Barhoum – Arabic Soprana. Classically trained Soprano. Opera singer.

 Jordanian opera singer Zeina Barhoum is set to perform at the Palestine Museum US on March 21, organizers announced. The renowned singer will virtually perform in Arabic and other languages, including the songs “Sanarjeo Yawman,” “Jerusalem, Flower of Cities,” “O mio babbino caro” and several others according to reports in ArabNews.com

Founder :

  • Founder of Alcántara Music and Art series
  • Amman Opera Festival (AOF). First Opera Festival in the Arab World launched in 2017. Under the Royal Patronage of HRH Princess Muna Al Hussein, Jordanian soprano Zeina Barhoum launched the first opera festival in the Arab world, the Amman Opera Festival (AOF), with the full operatic production of Verdi’s La Traviata at the 2000-year old Roman Amphitheater in July 2017, alongside over 150 International musicians and dancers from more than 10 countries.

Awards / Honour:

  • Best Soloist Award, The Eisteddfod competition
  •  Award at the 2nd Taras Shevchenko International Singing Competition, where she sang Taras Shevchenko’s popular folk song The Mighty Dnieper Roars and Bellows in Arabic and Ukrainian for the first time
  • Appointed by the United Nations World Food Programmed (WFP) as its advocate and humanitarian voice (May 2020)

Education:

  • Bsc – Visual Communication, American University of Sharjah

website : www.zeinabarhoum.com

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pix: zeinabarhoum.com

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JORDAN

Egyptian Women’s Day – March 16th

Hamida Khalil was the first of six Egyptian women who were shot dead on March 16, 1919 by British soldiers while they were protesting colonialism.

This date marks the Egyptian Women’s Day. 

Highlights: About the first Egyptian woman to die at the hands of British occupation:

  • Hamida was born in Gamalia district in Cairo and was known as the “revolutionary girl.” 
  • She joined protesters who gathered outside Hussein Mosque in Cairo and was one of 300 women who took to streets in the first female demonstration known in Egyptian history
  • Four days after her murder, some 1,500 women organized an anti-colonialism protest
  • March 16 was chosen as Egyptian women’s day as the beginning of decades of women’s struggle against colonialism and for their political and education rights. 

source: content: www.egypttoday.com

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pix: egypttoday.com

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EGYPT

Najla El-Mangoush – Libya’s First Woman Foreign Minister : 2021

History is being created with the first female woman foreign minister of Libya – Najla El-Mangoush. She will be accompanied with 4 other women who will be joining her.

Presently:

  • Practising Advocate and Lawyer in Criminal Law
  • Assistant Professor – University of Benghazi

Education:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Law
  • Master’s Degree in Conflict and Peace Management, Eastern Mini Knight University, USA
  • Ph.D in Conflict and Crisis Management, George Mason University, USA

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pix: libyaherald.com

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LIBYA

DEWA Wins 2020 Middle East and Africa Renewable Deal of the Year Award

 Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has won the ‘2020 Middle East and Africa Renewables Deal of the Year’ from Project Finance International (PFI) magazine for the photovoltaic 5th phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. PFI magazine, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters, focuses on tracking and analysing projects, financial budgets and project deals worldwide.

The solar park is the largest single-site solar park in the world with a planned production capacity of 5,000 megawatts by 2030″

The fifth phase is to provide clean energy to 270,000 residences in Dubai. This will reduce 1.18 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually. The project is due for commissioning in stages starting Q3 of 2021.

source: wam.ae

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pix: wam.ae

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

Qatar to Remain World’s Largest LNG Exporter

Currently, Qatar is the largest LNG exporter, and it is working to increase its liquefaction capacity to 126 mtpa (million tonnes per annum) by 2027.

Post-2027, a further 55 mtpa of speculative LNG projects remain to be completed.

It is forecast that Qatar will maintain its position as the top LNG exporter in the world by 2050,” noted the 5th edition of ‘Global Gas Outlook 2050’ by GECF. 

Qatar along with Iran will contribute significantly in the growth of natural gas production in the Middle East, noted a report released by Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) yesterday.  

source: www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

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pix: qatargas.com

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QATAR

UN Adopts May 10th as International Day of Argania : March 2021

The Permanent Mission of Morocco to the UN announced today that the UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution proclaiming May 10th of each year as the International Day of Argania.

Argan trees cover more than 71% of the Souss valley in south-western Morocco.

Morocco’s rich resources position Morocco as the largest international exporter of argan-based products.

Argan is a popular ingredient in beauty cosmetics, including for hair and skin care.

Argan product sales for medicine, cosmetics, and consumption makeup over 90% of the Souss-Massa region’s economy.

Over  17,500 cooperatives are active in the argan industry. Most of the rural businesses employ local women, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

source: moroccoworldnews.com

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Morocco submitted a draft resolution, citing the important role of the argan tree in promoting job creation in rural areas across the country / pix: moroccoworldnews.com

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MOROCCO

Sarah Malallah: Youngest Kuwaiti to Win International Piano Competitions

Sarah Maitham Malallah , youngest Kuwaiti pianist to win major competitions outside Kuwait.

The six-year-old girl won four competitions from Sept 2020 till Feb 2021.

Awards:

  • 1st place : Karabakh International Culture and Art contest, Azerbaijan (2020)
  • 1st place : 2nd International Music Festival ‘Astana Stars’, Kazakhstan (2020)
  • 1st place : Star Bridge International Contest (in the under 6 category), Germany (Feb 2021)
  • 2nd place : Russian III International Competition ‘Ca Ave Musica’, Turkey
  • etc…

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Photo shows Kuwaiti pianist Sarah Maitham Malallah playing the piano at the Lina Bakir for Music and Art Consultancies Academy.—Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat / kuwaittimes.net

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KUWAIT

Egypt launches 1st Platform for Entrepreneurship in Middle East, N Africa (MENA) : February 2021

 The Ministry of Planning launched in cooperation with Facebook and Rise Up Foundation an interactive platform “SMB Business BOT” for entrepreneurship to support small and medium enterprises in the Middle East and North Africa.

Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Hala El-Said asserted the keenness of the ministry to provide mechanisms supporting the entrepreneurship thinking, saying the ministry is keen on establishing business incubators via “Rowad 2030” project that was launched by the ministry .

Facebook Managing Director in the Middle East and North Africa Ramez Shehadi said Facebook is committed to provide the tools that would enable small and medium enterprises push forward economic growth wheel, creating job opportunities and boosting local societies in Egypt,

The Founder of Rise Up Foundation Abdel Hamid Sharara said the Business BOT program will provide support needed by the different companies in the Middle East and North Africa. (MENA)

source: egypttoday.com

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Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Hala El-Said – Press photo / pix: egypttoday.com

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EGYPT