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Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, topped Forbes Middle East’s Top 50 Travel & Tourism Leaders list.
The list spotlights 50 leaders who drive growth in the Middle East’s travel and tourism industry, building on their desire to reconnect with the world.
Emirates Airline and Group’s revenue reached US$6.7 billion in the first half of the 2021/2022 fiscal year.
Moreover, Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths ranked third on the list.
The UAE dominated this month’s list with 24 of the leaders featured based in the UAE, followed by 11 in Saudi Arabia, and four in Egypt.
The hotels and hospitality sector is the most dominant on the list with 26 entries, followed by aviation with 17, and tourism with seven entries.
In the highly anticipated final, host nation Bahrain took on Ireland. With $100,000 on the line, all was to play for on the last day of competition.
Sabrina De Sousa (Bah) won the first bout of the day against Kerry Ann Vernon (Ire). She showed once again why she’s the #1 ranked female athlete in the world, finishing Vernon with a rear-naked choke in the first round.
Jordan Bradshaw (Ire) then took on Haj Mohammad Ali (Bah). Bradshaw landed a beautiful headkick, almost finishing the bout. However, Ali survived, then finished Bradshaw via a head-and-arm-triangle. This took the score to 4-0 in favour of Bahrain.
Next up, Lewis Byrne (Ire) attempted to turn the tide against Kurban Idrisov (Bah). In one of the closest matches of the day, Idrisov managed to edge out the unanimous decision, taking the score to 5-0. This clinched the MMA Supercup for Bahrain, along with the $100,000 prize.
Jordan Furey (Ire) was impressive in this competition, finishing both of his previous matches. However, Magomed Isaev (Bah) fought the perfect fight, taking Furey down and finishing him with a rear-naked choke early in the first round.
Then the pound-for-pound #1 ranked Ramazan Gitnov (Bah) faced off against Cameron Clements. Gitnov extended his win streak to 22, and Bahrain’s lead to 7-0, with a TKO win in the second round.
Gadzhi Gadziev (Bah) then finished Dennis Perry (Ire) via TKO in the first round.
And in the final match of the day, Sultan Gapizov (Bah) defeated Gustavo Lopez (Ire) via a unanimous decision, taking the final score to 9-0.
Bahrain finished as dominant winners of the inaugural MMA Supercup. The host nation claimed the $100,000 prize in style, remaining undefeated. Ireland will be disappointed to have lost all of their matches, however, they still take home the massive second place prize of $75,000.
The inaugural MMA Supercup concluded in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Eight teams battled it out for the biggest prizes ever awarded in amateur MMA.
Kazakhstan finished 3rd, winning $50,000, Ireland 2nd, winning $75,000, and Bahrain claimed the first place prize of $100,000.
Taking place between 4 and 10 March in Luxor, the festival screened over 45 films from 35 countries in its numerous competitive categories.
The jury of this competition included director Moussa Touré (Senegal), director Yousry Nasrallah (Egypt), director Apolline Traoré (Burkina Faso), critic Kamal Ben Wanas (Tunisia) and actor Jimmy Jean-Louis (Haiti).
The winners are: Best Film: Communion (Tunisia) Jury Award: The Gravedigger’s Wife (Somalia) Special Mention: L’accord (The Agreement) (Cameroon)
The Long Documentaries Competition included 11 titles, with five renowned filmmakers on its jury — director Katie Needy (Senegal), critic Phoebe Curry (Uganda), director of photography Mahmoud Abdel-Samie (Egypt), director Mohamed Seyam (Egypt), and director Peter Sedovia (Ghana).
The winners are: Best Film: Faya Dayi (Ethiopia) Jury Award: Morning Star (Madagascar) Special Mention: The Last Shelter (Mali, South Africa)
The Short Films Competition screened 15 films. The jury consisted of director Khaled El-Haggar (Egypt), director Fatomato Coulibaly (Mali), critic Ahmed Shawqy (Egypt), director Daoud Wilad Al-Sayed (Morocco), and actress Ghalia Ben Ali (Tunisia).
The winners are: Best Film: Tender Threads (Morocco) Jury Award: Baby Blue (Senegal) Special Mention: Sixteen Rounds (Uganda)
The festival also presented films in the Diaspora Competition, screening nine films to a jury consisting of director Rachid Mashharawi (Palestine), producer Doura Bouchoucha (Tunisia), and actor Ahmed Magdi (Egypt).
The winners are: Best Film: As Far As I Can Walk (Serbia) Special Mention: A Brighter Tomorrow (Algeria)
The festival also granted film The Gravedigger’s Wife (Somalia) the FIPRESCI Best Film Award while Egyptian film Batool received Best Film Award in the Women Issues Competition.
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Celebrating African identity through filmmaking, the LAFF was launched in 2010 by the Independent Shabab Foundation (ISF) — a non-profit organisation registered at the Ministry of Social Solidarity.
Founded and chaired by scriptwriter Sayed Fouad, the festival’s board includes Mahmoud Hemida, the LAFF’s honourary president, and Azza El-Husseini, the LAFF’s co-founder and executive director.
In its 11th edition, LAFF chose Uganda as the country of honour and also honoured the late Senegalese director Djibril Diop Mambéty and Tunisian director, Férid Boughedir. The iconic Egyptian star Hussein Fahmy was granted the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Moreover, the festival honoured Egyptian singer and actress Hoda Sultan, actor Mahmoud Morsy and Moroccan director and producer Mohamed Ismail.
The LAFF paid tribute to Egyptian star Amr Saad and Burkinabe filmmaker Apolline Traoré.
The LAFF is organised by the ISF under the auspices of the Egyptian culture, tourism and foreign ministries with the National Bank of Egypt and other partners.
The day is originally held in the memory of Lieutenant General Abdel Moneim Riyad’s martyrdom in 1969, when he went to the front on the second day of the War of Attrition to personally follow up on the results of the previous day’s battle and to be among his armed forces’ colleagues
“I Am from Every Egyptian House.” Under this slogan, Egypt’s armed forces launched the celebration of Martyr’s Day on the 53rd anniversary of the martyrdom of Lieutenant-General Abdel Moneim Riyad.
In December 2020, Zeinab el Kawashti married a couple, Sondos and Karim, in front of their family and friends. In a different time and place, this would have been a normal occurrence, yet it was the first time any of the guests had seen a woman as a marriage officiant.
This is not odd, given that female Ma’azin (Muslim marriage officiants) are extremely rare.
The first-ever female marriage officiant in Egypt was Amal Soliman; she was hired in 2018 by the Egyptian family court and has since then married more than 300 couples. Many were inspired by Soliman, among them El Kawashti.
El Kawashti is a female M’azoun, a mother of three, and an Azhar Law and Religious Studies graduate.
To become a Ma’zoun in Egypt, one must have at least a Bachelor’s degree. Ma’azin are restricted to their jobs as officiants, with no further commitments. There are around 45 requirements to become a Ma’zoun in Egypt, including age. As of 2014, a Ma’zoun can only be between the ages of thirty and forty. The requirements also include maintaining optimal physical wellbeing.
source/content : egyptianstreets.com
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Zeinab El Kawashti officiating at a katb ketab. Photo Credit: Sondos Moussa
Top winners of the 17th edition of Algeria’s international Quran competition were awarded in a ceremony on Sunday, February 28th
Zeinab Bin Yousuf won claimed the title of the event. Yahya Bilal Yousuf from Bahrain and Syrian Abd al-Rahman Mohammad Hardan ranked third.
The ceremony was attended by a host of Algerian Quran activists and officials.
Representatives from 48 countries took part in this edition, which was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The contestants went to Algeria’s embassies and consulates in their country to take part in the competition via video links.
Members of the panel of judges were from Algeria, Egypt, and Guinea.
According to Algeria’s Awqaf ministry, Wa Rattil al-Quran Tartila (referring to verse 4 of Surah a-Muzmmil that orders reciting the Quran in Tarteel) was the motto of this year’s competition.
Unlike previous editions that were held in the holy month of Ramadan, this edition was organized in the lunar Hijri month of Rajab on the occasion of Lailat-Al-Miraj, the day when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) ascended to all the seven stages of heaven.
Launched in 2004, Algeria’s international Quran contest is held annually on memorization of the Holy Quran with the participation of young people under the age of 25.
Saudi Arabia has officially unveiled a special Riyadh Season stamp that set a new Guinness World Record.
Measuring an incredible 64 square feet 7 square inches, it broke the record for the biggest special stamp in the world on Feb. 14. The public finally got a glimpse of it when Saudi Post displayed it at Boulevard Riyadh City, one of the special Riyadh Season zones.
“By revealing this stamp, the world’s largest special stamp, we broke Walt Disney’s record, set in 2019,” Bandar Al-Toaimi, Saudi Post’s general manager of corporate communications, told Arab News.
“We are so delighted it has been achieved by Saudi capabilities; from concept to design and implementation, it was all done by Saudi talents devoted to Riyadh season.”
The special stamp celebrates Riyadh Season, which was introduced in 2019 and has become one of the biggest events in the Saudi entertainment calendar. The design includes a winter wonderland scene, the Riyadh Season logo, a hot air balloon, a fountain, a racing car and fireworks.
source/content: arabnews.com
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The special stamp is modeled around Riyadh Season, Saudi Arabia’s major event, and features winter wonderland, the Riyadh Season emblem, an airship, a fountain, a race vehicle, and fireworks. (Basheer Saleh)
Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan on Saturday, February 26th, received the 2022 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity.
In the presence of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al Safadi, the award, presented during a ceremony hosted by the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity at the Founders Memorial in Abu Dhabi, was granted in appreciation of Their Majesties’ efforts to promote human fraternity, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence. The award was also presented to Haitian humanitarian organisation FOKAL.
Attending the ceremony virtually, Grand Imam of Al Azhar Sheikh Ahmad Al Tayyib and His Holiness Pope Francis congratulated Their Majesties, describing them as role models for fraternity and coexistence.
Mohammed Abdulsalam, Secretary-General of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, also delivered a speech during the ceremony.
The award is organised by the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, an independent international committee instituted to promote human fraternity values in communities around the world and to fulfil the aspirations of the Document on Human Fraternity, signed by Grand Imam of Al Azhar Sheikh Ahmad Al Tayyib and Pope Francis in Abu Dhabi in 2019.
Kuwait National Day is always celebrated on 25th February. This holiday marks the day when Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah ascended to the throne in 1950.
To commemorate the day , Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense held a show of military vehicles and equipment
NATIONAL DAY KUWAIT – Timeline
1613
Kuwait City is Founded
Kuwait City is founded as a fishing village.
1792
The East India Company Arrives
The East India Company secures the sea routes between Kuwait, India, and the east coasts of Africa.
1946 — 1982
Golden Era of Kuwait
Kuwait experiences a period of prosperity driven by oil and its liberal atmosphere.
2006 — 2009
The Peak of Prosperity
Kuwait has the highest Human Development Index ranking in the Arab world
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KUWAIT LIBERATION DAY
Kuwait Liberation Day is observed annually on February 26.
This holiday remembers the day Kuwait was liberated from Iraqi occupation in 1991.
The Liberation was the U.S. marshaled military operation — Operation Iraqi Freedom, to recoup Kuwait from Iraq after the 1991 bombing of Iraq. U.S. troops arrived to find the Iraqis surrendering as a whole, although pockets of resistance prevailed, especially at Kuwait International Airport where Iraqi troops, supposedly clueless that a retreat order had already been given, proceeded with fighting, which only resulted in an intense battle over the airport itself. Most of the fight happened in Iraq instead of Kuwait. The military operation is also commonly referred to as the Gulf War.
source/content : nationaltoday.com
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On February 25, Kuwait celebrates 61 years since it gained its independence from the British mandate. While the treaty was signed in June, Kuwait’s National Day was changed to February 25 in 1963 to coincide with the date that Abdullah Al Salem became ruler of Kuwait back in 1950. / Image Credit: Supplied / www.gulfnews.com
Sammy Clark (aka) Sami Clark (aka) Sammy Hobeika. .
Clark is most recognised for singing the opening credits for the children’s cartoon Grendizer which was popular in late ’70s to ’90s.
In 2018, Clark performed a rearranged version of the song with Emirati composer Ihab Darwish alongside the Beethoven Academy Orchestra.
“To celebrate 40 years since Grendizer aired in the Arab World, I dedicate this special rearranged medley to all who enjoyed this iconic animation. Together with Sammy Clark with his heroic voice and timeless performance, with his words cheering for our Space Robot Grendizer defending Earth from attacks by intergalactic invaders, I give you this masterpiece to enjoy your childhood memories,” Darwish wrote at the time of sharing the new musical arrangement of the track.
Sammy Clark passed away in Lebanon, on Sunday, February 20th, 2022.
source/content: thenationalnews.com (edited for space)
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Photo: Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi / thenationalnews.com
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