Category: Uncategorized

Carved by Naomi Sarna, the “L’Heure Bleu” is now the world’s largest cut tanzanite.

A 703-carat blue tanzanite carving by artist Naomi Sarna has set a Guinness World Record as the world’s largest cut tanzanite. 

The official weigh-in of the “L’Heure Bleu” took place on March 9 at the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks & Minerals in Hillsboro, Oregon. 

Gemstone experts, Jessie English of J.S. English Appraisals and Madeline Saunders of Oregon Estate Jewelry, were the official witnesses for the weighing, and Guinness World Records adjudicator Michael Empric verified and announced the results.  

Rice Museum Board President Gail Spann and Museum Director Kim Vagner were in attendance. 

“As the director of the Rice Museum of Rocks & Minerals board, and longtime supporter of this wonderful ‘gem’ in Hillsboro, I couldn’t have been more delighted that we hosted Naomi Sarna on her adventure with Guinness World Records that was enjoyed by many attendees. We are lucky to have such talent grace our museum’s doorstep,” said Spann.  Related stories will be right here … 

Several years ago, Sarna traveled to the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro—the only place in the world tanzanite is found—to select the rough from which to create the largest-ever carved tanzanite.

She was asked to create a carving for an international competition that would benefit the Maasai people, the tribe whose ancestral lands contain the tanzanite mines where a tribesman first discovered the gemstone over 50 years ago.

While in Tanzania, Sarna was presented with several tanzanite crystals and chose the piece that eventually became the L’Heure Bleu. 

In 2013, it won first place in the carving category of the American Gem Trade Association’s annual Spectrum Awards. 

The gemstone sits on a sterling silver base inspired by the winds of Tanzania’s Great Rift Valley.

Sarna is also involved in humanitarian work in Tanzania, which includes teaching Maasai women to make wire-wrap jewelry using tanzanite.

While in Tanzania, Sarna witnessed the effects of poverty and eye disease on the community. She plans to donate the profits from the eventual sale of the L’Heure Bleu to the Portland-based Casey Eye Institute to provide eyecare to the Maasai. 

In 2017, National Jeweler reported the asking price as $500,000.

“The Guinness World Records brings international recognition and attention to my tanzanite carving L’Heure Bleu. This recognition gives great strength to my promise to help the Maasai with their vision difficulties. This is the cornerstone for our future hopes to provide eye care to the Maasai in Tanzania,” said Sarna.

Dr. Andreas Lauer, chair of the Casey Eye Institute, attended the weighing ceremony. Simultaneously, doctors from the institute were arriving in Tanzania for a cataract conference.

“The Casey Eye Institute is in Naomi’s debt. In the future, patients, their families, and the Maasai community will feel her passion and love as they express it through their smiles and joy from improved vision,” said Lauer.

For information on purchasing the L’Heure Bleu, contact Sarna directly at 917-325-2455, or visit her website. 

source/content: nationaljeweler.com (headline edited)

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In a ceremony last month, Naomi Sarna’s carved 703-carat “L’Heure Bleu” set a Guinness World Record as the world’s largest cut tanzanite. Its sterling silver base is inspired by the winds of Tanzania’s Great Rift Valley.

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AMERICAN / TANZANIAN STONE

The annual event sees millions of pilgrims from around the world gather in Karbala for the Arbaeen commemoration.

Every year, millions of Shia Muslims and some people of other faiths from around the world take part in a special pilgrimage ritual, culminating in what is arguably the world’s largest public gathering.

Usually on foot, for about 20 days, the pilgrims trek hundreds of kilometres from cities around Iraq and Iran to the holy city of Karbala where they commemorate the death in battle of Imam Hussein.

Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and son of Imam Ali, was killed in 680 AD on the plains of Karbala in a battle against the forces of the Caliph Yazid, whose ascendancy to the caliphate was contested.

To mark the 40th day of mourning for Hussein – the traditional mourning period – the pilgrims arrive in Karbala to pay tribute at his shrine, which is surrounded by millions on the final day of Arbaeen.

Along the route, volunteers set up stations to provide the pilgrims with food, water and shelter while people from the villages along the way keep their doors open to anyone who needs a place to stop.

Many pilgrims opt to walk 80km (50 miles) from the nearby city of Najaf, where Imam Ali, Hussein’s father, is buried, to Karbala.

Those who make the trip from distant cities, like Mashhad in Iran – 2,600km (1,600 miles) away – opt to drive.

source/content: aljazeera.com

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IRAQ

Saudi Arabia is set to become the first G20 country to install LED street lights to conserve energy, said a top official of the National Energy Services Co., known as Tarshid. 

Speaking during a panel titled “Saudi Vision 2030 Outlook” on the first day of the Global Project Management Forum 2024 taking place in Riyadh from June 2 to 3, Mohammed Muaafa, technical services director of Tarshid, said the company has worked on a large number of projects to conserve electricity in various types of commercial and residential projects across the Kingdom.

These efforts are in line with the Kingdom’s target of producing 50 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.

“We will be the first country in G20 that fulfills this goal of turning all the street lamps into energy-saving ones,” Muaafa said.

The top official said Tarshid’s main objective is to reduce the consumption of electricity and reduction of emissions.

He said the project provided us energy savings of 70-75 percent.

The Global Project Management Forum 2024 is designed to bring together the most influential global community of project managers and diverse stakeholders for immersive learning, networking, and collaboration.

The two-day annual aims to highlight the latest developments in the field of project management across various sectors and serve as a platform for industry experts to share creative ideas to achieve their professional goals.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Mohammed Muaafa, technical services director of Tarshid, speaks at a panel titled “Saudi Vision 2030 Outlook” on the first day of the Global Project Management Forum 2024 taking place in Riyadh from June 2 to 3. AN photo

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SAUDI ARABIA

Talal Omar, Guinness World Records’ Middle East & North Africa (MENA) Regional Director, announced that Egypt’s Silo Foods Industries company has been named by the Guinness World Records as the world’s largest distributor of school meals in less than a year – from September 2021 until June 2022 – with 600,426,453 meals.

His announcement came during the inauguration of the second stage of the Silo Foods Industries city in Sadat City in Menofiya governorate, which was attended by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Thursday.

Silo Foods, an affiliate of the National Service Projects Organisation (NSPO) of the Armed Forces, is the first food industries city in the Middle East.

Omar said Silo Foods company fulfilled key criteria of the Guinness World Records and provided the evidence required for official documentation.

Afterwards, Omar awarded the Guinness World Record certificate to Chairman of Silo Foods company General Taimour Abul Magd.

source/content: egyptian-gazette.com (headline edited)

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EGYPT

“The Brink of Dreams” received the L’Œil d’or (the Golden Eye Award) for Best Documentary Film at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.

Directed by Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir, “The Brink of Dreams” marks the first Egyptian film ever to win this award at the festival.

It is noteworthy that 22 documentary films were nominated for the award in all the festival’s categories and programs, including films by salient directors such as Oliver Stone, Ron Howard, and Claire Simon.

“The Brink of Dreams” landed its premiere during the official competition of the Critics’ Week that was attended by the film’s cast and crew including directors Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir alongside the girls of Panorama El Barsha Troupe. The film received a wide audience acclaim after its premiere, in addition to critics’ who wrote about the film in Le Monde, Variety, and Screen Daily.

“The Brink of Dreams” is directed by Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir and produced by Felucca Films. The film stars Panorama El Barsha troupe; Magda Masoud, Haidi Sameh, Monika Youssef, Marina Samir, Myriam Nassar, Lydia Haroun, and the founder of the troupe, Youstina Samir.

The events of “The Brink of Dreams” take place in a remote village in southern Egypt, in which a group of girls rebel by forming an all-female street theatre troupe. They dream of becoming actresses, dancers, and singers, challenging their families and villagers with their unexpected performances. Shot over four years, The Brink of Dreams follows them from childhood to womanhood, facing the most crucial choices of their lives. 

The most recent work of directors Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir includes the short fiction “Fakh” (The Trap), which premiered at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and received a special mention at the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) in the same year. Their feature-length documentary Happily Ever After premiered at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam in 2016, one of the most important documentary film festivals around the world.

“The Brink of Dreams” is produced by Felucca Films and its crew including; line producer Mohamed Khaled, assistant directors Hamees El Balshy and Doha Hamdy, DOPs Dina El Zeneiny, Ahmed Ismael, and Ayman El Amir, sound recording by Mostafa Shaaban, Sameh Nabil, Osama Goubail, and Shadwa Ali, music by Ahmad El Sawy, and editors Veronique Lagoarde-Segot, Ahmed Magdy Morsy, Ayman El Amir and Nada Riyadh. The PR in Egypt and the Middle East is handled by Carrots (Marwa El Sawy). Nada Hossam is the actresses’s stylist, in collaboration with Mystic, La blanca, Cache, Indira, and Rana Ghazy Jewellery.

source/content: egypttoday.com (headline edited)

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The Brink of Dreams cast.

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EGYPT

The Red Devils clinched the title following a thrilling final match against rivals Manchester City that saw the team win 2-1.

Morocco international and Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat became today the first Moroccan to have won the English FA Cup title.

Manchester United clinched the title following a thrilling 2-1 win in a highly anticipated final match against rivals Manchester City. 

The Red Devils scored two goals in the 33rd and 39th minutes through Garnacho and Meino. 

Doku scored a goal for City in the final minutes of the game, but a comeback was ultimately prevented as Amrabat’s teammates put on a solid display of resilience to shut down City’s attacking initiatives.

This FA Cup win comes after Amrabat had a less-than-optimal season with Man United. Amidst speculation and criticism surrounding his underwhelming performances with the English club, there have been reports that the player may return to Italian club Fiorentina.

While fans hoped to see their solid Moroccan defensive midfielder rediscover his stellar 2022 World Cup level, Amrabat has constantly struggled to make a significant impact on the field for Manchester United.

Joining the club on loan from Fiorentina in September last year, Amrabat’s transfer followed a remarkable showing at the 2022 World Cup, where his performance caught the attention of most elite football clubs. 

However, the transition to the Premier League has proven challenging for the Atlas Lion, who has openly acknowledged the difficulties he has faced in Manchester and hinted at his determination to put this underwhelming episode behind him by next season.  

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (headline edited)

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Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat

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MOROCCO

Saudi fashion star Nojoud Al-Rumaihi turned heads this week at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, wearing a blush ensemble by Saudi designer Mohammed Ashi, founder of Paris-based label Ashi Studio. 

The pink two-piece set from the designer’s 8PM collection featured a strapless corset-style top with simple yet intricate embroidery, and a criss-cross back.

The skirt had a mermaid silhouette with a train that trailed on the red carpet. To complete the ensemble, the set included fluffy, feathered detached sleeves. 

The fashion icon, with her makeup done by Dior Beauty, styled her brunette locks in a short retro bob. She accessorized with Marli jewelry.

Al-Rumaihi attended the premiere of the highly-anticipated movie “The Apprentice,” directed by Ali Abbasi.

As Donald Trump’s hush money trial entered its sixth week in New York, an origin story for the Republican presidential candidate depicted a critical portrayal of the former president in the 1980s.

“The Apprentice” stars Sebastian Stan as Trump. The central relationship of the movie is between Trump and Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), the defense attorney who was chief counsel to Joseph McCarthy’s 1950s Senate investigations.

Cohn is depicted as a longtime mentor to Trump, coaching him in the ruthlessness of New York City politics and business. Early on, Cohn aided the Trump Organization when it was being sued by the US government for racial discrimination in housing.

According to AP, “The Apprentice” is a potentially explosive big-screen drama in the midst of the US presidential election. The film is for sale in Cannes, so does not yet have a release date.

Al-Rumaihi was not the only Saudi celebrity in Cannes this week. 

Actress Maria Bahrawi attended The Red Sea International Film Foundation Industry Networking Event which took place on Sunday, at which she donned a long-sleeved dress adorned with white florals, featuring pastel hues of purple, yellow, and orange, elegantly cinched at the waist.

She also graced the celebration of “Norah,” a film in which she stars, hosted by Film AlUla during the festival. For the occasion, she opted for a black jumpsuit with a white cape attached to the sleeve, sourced from Dubai-based Etoile La Boutique.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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SAUDI ARABIA

The events are expected to gather more than 4,000 participants, including 250 speakers and 200 notable media figures.

Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council, and President of the Dubai Press Club, has announced the launch of the Arab Media Summit. This new initiative will serve as the umbrella for key media events organised by the Dubai Press Club (DPC), creating a unified platform for events and activities focused on knowledge exchange and dialogue in the media industry.

The 22nd Arab Media Forum, set to be held from 28 – 29 May, and the second Arab Youth Media Forum, scheduled for 27 May, will be organised under the Arab Media Summit umbrella. Additionally, the 23rd Arab Media Award and the fourth Arab Social Media Influencers Award, to be held during the upcoming Arab Media Forum, will form part of this summit.

Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri emphasized that the Arab Media Summit will serve as a prestigious platform for exchanging ideas, insights, expertise, and experiences. This will help the media industry contribute to realising the aspirations of the people in the region. The Summit aims to bring together media professionals to discuss the sector’s transformations and challenges, ensuring that Arab media fulfills its role as a key partner in sustainable development.

At a press conference, the organising committee of the 22nd Arab Media Forum, chaired by Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri, revealed the forum’s agenda. As the premier platform in the Arab world for discussing the future of the region’s evolving media landscape, this year’s forum will feature participation from prominent politicians, media industry leaders, editors-in-chief, distinguished writers, thinkers, influencers, and content creators from the UAE, the Arab world, and the region. The forum will include discussions focused on analysing the key political, economic, social, technological, and cultural developments driving media transformation and the sector’s role in these changes.

An expanded agenda has been developed to discuss significant media issues, the positive impact, and potential challenges from the shifting economic and social landscape both in the region and globally. The Arab Media Forum will feature several closed sessions with experts and specialists to discuss various topics directly impacting the media sector, aiming to generate ideas and suggestions to enhance Arab media’s capacity to fulfill its mission effectively.

The second Arab Youth Media Forum will be dedicated to empowering the next generation of media professionals and influencers in the region. Notable speakers include His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs and National Security Adviser, and His Excellency Dr Sultan AlNeyadi, UAE Minister of State for Youth, in a main session titled ‘Aspirations of the Youth’.

Her Excellency also highlighted the inclusion of more young media talent in the next Board of Directors of the Arab Media Award, marking the end of the current board’s term. The new board will focus on evolving the award to keep pace with regional and global media advancements.

Key sessions at the 22nd Arab Media Forum include ‘Future of Yemen’ with His Excellency Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, Prime Minister of Yemen, sharing his vision for peace in Yemen and the media’s role in promoting dialogue. His Excellency Jasem Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, will speak on ‘Charting the GCC’s Future,’ discussing media integration in the GCC. His Excellency Dr Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash will engage in a conversation covering regional challenges. His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama will speak on ‘Tech Updates in Media,’ exploring technology’s role in advancing media excellence.

Other notable sessions include ‘Palestine Through the Lens of Arab Media,’ discussing media coverage of the Palestinian cause amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and ‘Impact of US Elections on the Region,’ analyzing the ramifications of the US elections on the region.

Global industry leaders like Pavel Durov, Founder of Telegram and VKontakte, will participate in discussions. The forum will also highlight success stories of Arab women in global media organisations, with sessions featuring Caroline Faraj and Samia Nakhoul. Dan Murphy will lead a session on regional peace and stability, and Rani Raad will discuss media investment trends.

The forum will address the growth of streaming platforms, the complex world of disinformation and AI in media, and feature renowned media figures like Bassem Youssef.

Shaima Al Suwaidi, Director of Brand Dubai, highlighted the involvement of Brand Dubai’s ‘Proudly from Dubai’ network, showcasing innovative AI-driven media applications.

The prestigious Arab Media Award will honour outstanding achievements in regional media, and the Arab Social Media Influencers Summit Award will recognise the contributions of digital influencers. The Arab Youth Media Forum will feature masterclasses by leading global digital platforms, offering young media professionals valuable opportunities to hone their skills.

The 22nd Arab Media Forum will also celebrate renowned Arab authors and their literary contributions, reflecting the forum’s commitment to supporting the Arab creative and literary world.

source/content: broadcastprome.com (headline edited)

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ARAB

The Algerian Academy of the Arabic Language (AALA) has announced the launch of the constitutive session of its National Prize for Arabic Language Sciences for the year 2024, aiming to encourage studies and research into Arabic language sciences and contribute to its dissemination, according to a press release from the Academy.

source/content: aps.dz/en (headline edited)

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ALGERIA