UAE Cake Shop Creates Guinness World Record at Expo 2020 Dubai : October 08th, 2021

A tasty Guinness World Record was broken at Expo 2020 Dubai , four days after the initial attempt was postponed due to a tropical storm in the region.

A warm, sweet scent filled the air inside the Swedish Pavilion at the world’s fair, as an attempt to create the world’s “longest cinnamon bun train” got under way.

Fifteen hundred sticky and delicious buns, made from about 6kg of butter, 11kg of sugar and 36kg of flour, were placed in a spiral pattern on a large circular table.

All ingredients used to make and connect the buns – which were comically referred to as the “original gangsters of Swedish bakery” by the chefs – had to be edible, so no glue, tape or sticks were used.

“To bake our way into the record books is a testament to the hard work, agility and dedication that you see every day in our 22 cake shops,” said Tushar Fotedar, a director at Mister Baker.

The world record commemorates Fika, which is a Swedish social phenomenon that brings together colleagues, family members and friends over coffee and pastries.

source/content: thenationalnews.com

_________

A tasty Guinness World Record was broken at Expo 2020 Dubai on Friday, four days after the initial attempt was postponed due to a tropical storm in the region. All photos by Khushnum Bhandari / The National / thenationalnews.com

________________________________________________________________________

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E) / SWEDISH PAVILION @ Expo2020Dubai

Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah Wins Morocco Desert Rally and Leads Cross Country World Cup : October 2021

Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah.

Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah won the 21st edition of the Moroccan Desert Rally, the fourth round of the 2021 World Cup for Cross Country Rallies, which lasted for seven days amid the participation of the most prominent rally drivers, and topped the general ranking of the world championship.

The coronation of Al Attiyah and his navigator French Mathieu Baumel in a Toyota Hilux, came after taking first place in the general standings at the end of the five stages with a total time of 15.52.10 hours, 15.58 minutes behind of his nearest competitor, the Saudi driver Yazid Al Rajhi, accompanied by his British navigator Michael Oro in a Toyota Hilux, who came second with a total time of 16.08.08 hours, while Argentine driver Lucio Alvarez, accompanied by his Spanish navigator Armand Monleon in a Toyota Hilux, came third with a total time of 17.03.02 hours.

The title is the sixth for the Qatari rider in the Morocco Rally after 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, topping the general standings of the World Cup for Cross Country Rally Championship, before competing in the last two rounds, the Emirates Challenge Rally and the Hail Rally in Saudi Arabia during the coming months of November and December respectively.

source/content: iloveqatar.net

__________

pix: QNA / iloveqatar.net

_________

QATAR

Egypt’s 5th edition ‘CineGouna Platform announces 20 Winners : October 2021

The CineGouna projects awarded cash and other prizes this year were 13 projects in development, 6 films in post-production, in addition to one guest film in post-production.

The CineGouna SpringBoard jury included Mohamed Soueid, the Lebanese producer and film critic; Nina Lath Gupta, former CEO of the NFDC; and Ismaël Ferroukhi, the Moroccan director and screenwriter.

The jury gave a special mention to Abo Zabaal 1989 (Egypt) by Bassam Mortada for its ability to create a home for memories and surpassing the filmmaker’s own understanding of his life’s events, which were portrayed from the perspectives of his parents. 

A Quarter to Thursday in Algiers (France) by Sofia Djama won the Best Project in Development award with a cash prize of $15,000; a CineGouna Platform certificate; and US $2,000 worth of in-kind services from Clackett.

They Planted Strange Trees (Palestine) by Hind Shoufani won the Best Film in Post-Production award with a CineGouna Platform certificate; a cash prize of $15,000; and The Indie Deer’s cash grant of $10,000.

Fifty Meters (Egypt) by Yomna Khattab won multiple cash prizes: a $10,000 full film promotion package from The Cell Post Production; a $10,000 cash grant from Trend VFX; a $10,000 from Synergy Films; a US $15,000 cash grant for script development from Mariam Naoum and Sard Writing Room; a $5,000 worth of post-production services from BEE Media Productions; a $10,000 from Cult; a $1,000 for locations services from Clackett; and a $7,000 Master’s Degree US scholarship from Gemini Africa.

This project also won a chance from Arab Cinema Center to participate in Rotterdam Film Lab.

Haysh Maysh: False Drama (Morocco) by Hicham Lasri won $30,000 as a minimum guarantee on film distribution from MAD Solutions and Ergo Media Ventures as well as a $5,000 cash grant from Malmö Arab Film Festival.

Aisha Can’t Fly Away Anymore (Egypt) by Morad Mostafa won a $5,000 cash grant from Gemini Africa as well as EGP 50,000 from The Cell Post Production, and was selected for IEFTA’s Global Film Expression initiative. 

Women of My Life (Iraq, Switzerland) by Zahraa Ghandour won a $10,000 cash grant from Maqam Production Films and was also selected for IEFTA’s Global Film Expression initiative. 

Searching for Woody (Egypt) by Sara Shazli won a $5,000 cash grant from BEE Media Productions in addition to $2000 worth of services from Clackett. 

The $50,000 cash grant per sale from OSN prize went to A Song for Summer and Winter (Syria, Denmark, Germany, United States) by Talal Derki and Ali Wajeeh. The film also won $10,000 worth of a full DCP package from The Cell Post Production.

Hanging Gardens (Iraq, United Kingdom, Palestine) by Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji won a $30,000 worth of services and color-grading package from Mercury Visual Solutions, while Hyphen (Lebanon) by Reine Razzouk won a $10,000 cash grant from Clackett. 

Happy Lovers (France, Morocco) by Hicham Lasri won a $10,000 cash grant from Rotana, while Arab Radio and Television Network (ART) gave its $10,000 cash grant to SINK (Jordan, Sweden, Canada, France) by Zain Duraie. 

My Father’s Scent (Egypt) by Mohamed Siam won a $10,000 cash grant from New Black, while The Blind Ferryman – Al Baseer (Iraq, Switzerland) by Ali Al-Fatlawi won a $5,000 worth of post-production services by Hecat Studio.

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg

_____________

pix: english.ahram.org.eg

____________________________________________________________

EGYPT/ IRAQ / LEBANON/ MOROCCO / PALESTINE/ SYRIA

Gender Equality ‘Champion’ Jordanian Sima Bahous appointed as Executive Director to Head ‘UN Women’ : September 13th, 2021

Dr. Sima Sami Bahous (aka) Sima Bahous. Diplomat. Leader.

Sima Bahous is one of the highest highest ranking officials from the Arab world in the UN system.

Secretary-General António Guterres described Sima Sami Bahous of Jordan, as “a champion for women and girls”, announcing on Monday her appointment to lead the UN’s gender equality and empowerment entity, UN Women.

Ms. Bahous brings to the job more than 35 years of leadership experience at the grassroots, national, regional and international level. 

Most recently, Ms. Bahous served as Jordan’s UN ambassador in New York.   

Prior to that, she was the Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States at the UN Development Programme (UNDP) from 2012 to 2016 and Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Social Development Sector at the League of Arab States, from 2008 to 2012. 

The new UN Women chief has also served in two ministerial posts in Jordan as President of the Higher Media Council from 2005 to 2008 and as Adviser to King Abdullah II from 2003 to 2005.   

She has also worked for UN Children’s Fund UNICEF, and with a number of UN and civil society organizations, as well as teaching development and communication studies at different universities in her native Jordan.  

She is fluent in Arabic and English, and proficient in French. 

source/content : www.news.un.org

________

UN Photo/Manuel Elías
UN Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Sima Sami Bahous of Jordan as Executive Director of UN-Women. / news.un.org

__________

JORDAN

Lina Ghotmeh – Awarded the ‘Tamayouz’ Prize, for ‘Excellence of Women Architects in the Middle East and North Africa’ : January 2021

Lina Ghotmeh. Humanist Architect . Founder of Lina Ghotmeh – Architecture, France

French-Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh recently received the “Tamayouz” prize, which rewards the excellence of women architects in the Middle East and North Africa.

An additional recognition for this architect, who has won several other international awards.

www.linaghotmeh.com

________

© Hannah-Assouline-ok./ pix: linaghotmeh.com

_______________________

FRENCH / LEBANESE

Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al Qemzi Secures 3rd World Title ‘UIM F2 World Championship’, Grand Prix of Portugal : October 2021

Rashed Al Qemzi

It was Al Qemzi’s fourth successive Grand Prix win in Portugal

Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al Qemzi secured his third UIM F2 world championship title on Sunday with an emphatic victory in the Grand Prix of Portugal.

Starting from pole position, the brilliant Emirati driver completely dominated the final round of the series at Vila Velha de Ródão, winning by the commanding margin of 8.686 seconds against Duarte Benavente, the defending world champion.

It was Al Qemzi’s fourth successive Grand Prix win in Portugal and his second taste of world title glory this season following July’s endurance championship success in Polamd.

Italian powerboat racing legend Guido Cappellini has now landed 13 world titles since taking charge as Team Abu Dhabi manager in February 2015.

source/content: khaleejtimes.com

____________

Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al Qemzi. (Supplied photo) / khaleejtimes.com

________________________________________________

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Dana Ballout Emmy-Nominated Producer

Dana Ballout, the Lebanese-American Emmy-nominated producer of “Trafficked with Mariana Zeller,” knows the exact moment she started paying attention to what was going on in the world. It was February 14, 2005.

Ballout was a senior in high school in Beirut, and as she sat in class that Valentine’s Day morning, a bomb went off just down the block, sending the building’s shatter-proof windows into convulsions. Lebanon’s recently-resigned prime minster, Rafic Hariri, had been assassinated.

She spent years covering the war in Syria as a reporter for outlets including The Wall Street Journal, but it was in podcasts and documentaries that she fully found her voice, allowing her to journey in depth into people’s lives in a way she never could before.

Ballout is a storyteller, but the stories she chooses to tell are ones that few are brave enough to tell. Often they can be harrowing, including the latest documentary she co-produced, “Groomed,” which follows a woman returning to her hometown in search of answers about the man who abused her as a child.

In “Trafficked,” recently renewed for a third season at National Geographic, Ballout and company travel across the world to profile the global underworld, sitting down with the titans of illegal industries such as scamming, steroids, counterfeiting and poaching.

source/content : arabnews.com

________

Ballout had grown up in a household with a newspaper on the table every morning. (Supplied) / arabnews.com

__________________________

AMERICAN / LEBANESE

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Pope Francis receive Trophies for ‘Zayed Award for Human Fraternity’ : October 2021

His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb and His Holiness Pope Francis have received their respective Zayed Award for Human Fraternity trophies.

The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity is an independent global award recognising individuals and entities who are making profound contributions to human progress and peaceful coexistence.

The award was established in February 2019 to mark the historic meeting between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Professor Ahmed Al-Tayeb, in Abu Dhabi, where the two religious leaders signed the historic Document on Human Fraternity – under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan , Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and patron of human fraternity – and became the first honourary recipients of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity.

The trophies were presented by Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso, meeting chairperson of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity (HCHF) and Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of HCHF.

The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity is named in honour of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founder of the United Arab Emirates. The values the award celebrates reflect Sheikh Zayed’s dedication to working closely with people from all backgrounds, his moral legacy, humanitarianism, and respect for others and helping them, regardless of their religion, gender, race, or nationality.

The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity is decided every year by an independent judging committee, appointed by the HCHF. Earlier this week, members of the 2022 judging committee held meetings with Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, in Vatican City and Rome, respectively.

The independent Zayed Award for Human Fraternity 2022 judging committee includes Mahamadou Issoufou, former president of Niger and winner of the 2020 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership; José Ramos-Horta, the 1996 Nobel Peace Laureate and former President of East Timor; Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former Deputy President of South Africa and former UN Under-Secretary-General; Cardinal Michael Czerny, Under-secretary of the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Holy See; Dr. Leah Pisar, president of the Aladdin Project; and Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary General of the Higher Committee on Human Fraternity (HCHF).

www.zayedaward.org

source/content: wam.ae

____________

_________

EGYPT

Bodybuilding: Egyptian ‘Big Ramy’ claims ‘2021 Mr. Olympia’ Title held in Florida, for 2nd year in row: October 2021

Big Ramy (aka) Mamdouh Mohammed Hassan Elssbiay (aka) Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay

For the second year in row Egyptian bodybuilding star Ramy Elssbiay ‘Big Ramy’, has claimed the 2021 Mr. Olympia title that took place in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, United States.

The 37-year-old, Big Ramy defeated the 2019 Mr. Olympia champion Brandon Curry of America and Hadi Choopan of Iran to snatch the 2021 title.

Big Ramy made eight appearances in the Mr. Olympia competition as he finished in the runner-up place four years ago.

After winning last year’s title, the Egyptian bodybuilding star became the first non-American to win the title since British champion Dorian Yates in 1997 to prove himself as the best bodybuilder in the world.

The 2021 Mr. Olympia top five:

1. Big Ramy (Egypt) $400,000
2. Brandon Curry (USA) $150,000
3. Hadi Choopan (Iran) $10,000
4. Hunter Labrada (USA) $40,000
5. Nick Walker (USA) $35,000

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg

_________________

pix: english.ahram.org.eg

________

EGYPT

Emirati Engineer Mohammed Hassan Wins Seat in Int’l Electrotechnical Commission Young Professionals Programme (IEC YPP) : October 07th, 2021

Mohamed Hassan. Engieer.

 Mohamed Hassan, Physical Health Engineer at the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, has won the Asia and the Middle East seat in the International Electrotechnical Commission’s Young Professionals Programme (IEC YPP).

The UAE nominated four candidates in security, services, nuclear energy, oil and gas, renewable energy, industry and telecommunications for the IEC YPP, which was an integral part of the 85th General Assembly of the IEC.

The event was hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology and took place in Dubai between 3rd and 7th October, 2021.

The IEC provides a global institutional framework that encourages global cooperation between 172 countries (89 members and 83 affiliates) and more than 20,000 technical experts, who come together to discuss, shape and enhance the field of standards, specifications and certifications in electrical and electronic devices and systems.

source/content: wam.ae

_________

___________________________________

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)