Category: Uncategorized

MAURITANIA’s Precious Chinguetti Manuscripts : Time Capsules

Saif el Islam al Ahmed Mahmoud sat cross-legged on a sheepskin and gingerly turned the pages of an ancient manuscript.

“What would the world be without poetry?” he asked, using cotton gloves to handle the thin paper document , written in an ink concocted from charcoal and gum Arabic.

The manuscript is one of 700 that his family owns—in turn, part of a priceless legacy of knowledge, art and philosophy stored in Chinguetti, a town in the heart of the Mauritanian Sahara.

Across the UNESCO-listed city are 13 privately-owned libraries holding around 6,000 Arabic manuscripts, many dating from the Late Middle Ages.

The documents are a time capsule of human culture and advancement, dwelling on themes ranging from Islam and astronomy to law, mathematics and poetry.

Most of the manuscripts are paper or parchment, although some texts are written on sheepskin.

Chinguetti’s treasure derives from its position stradding a trade route linking the Western shores of the African continent to Mecca, the center of the Muslim world.

It was also historically a route well traveled by pilgrims on the way to the holy city for the annual hajj pilgrimage.

The manuscripts were collected by local families, who have been their custodians for generations.

“We are preserving the memory of the world which once crisscrossed these ancient streets,” said al Ahmed Mahmoud, with a theatrical gesture.

In Chinguetti’s main square, Abdullah Habbot opened the doors of another library, which his family owns.

He said his family acquired its more than 1,400 documents thanks to the travelers who halted in the dusty city.

But the manuscripts are facing a modern threat: climate change is causing flash floods that threaten the old structures housing the documents.

If the librairies collapse, al Ahmed Mahmoud warned, “ancient memories will be erased, and we will all be poorer

source /content: phys.org (headline edited)

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MAURITANIA

EGYPTIAN Couple Tarek Momen and Raneem El Welily make Guinness World Record as the ‘First Married Couple to become Squash World Champions’

Tarek Momen, Raneem El Welily add to Arab nation’s legacy of greats in the sport.

Ahmed Barada, Amr Shabana, Karim Darwish – the list of great squash players coming out of Egypt is one of the most intriguing phenomenon of the sport. There is another feather in the cap for the Arab nation as Tarek Momen and Raneem El Welily have been recognised by the Guinness World Records as the ‘first married couple to become squash world champions.’

Momen,32, has bagged the 2019-20 Professional Squash Association (PSA) men’s world champion trophy last November, seeing off New Zealand’s Paul Coll – a world No.5. Alexandria-born Raneem El Welily,31, was the 2017 women’s World Open winner – apart from being the player who ended Nicol David’s nine-year run as the uninterrupted world No.1 by topping the world rankings in September, 2015 – becoming the first Egyptian female star in any sport to be crowned world No.1.

The duo – who tied the knot in 2014 – hence defied the odds to defeat higher seeded and higher-ranking opposition to figure on top of the world rankings in their sport.

Replying to a query from the Guinness World Records about the mystery of Egyptian players’ global excellence in squash since the 90s, Momen said: “There are many theories, but I can tell you that Egypt’s squash hegemony offers lessons in how any country can compete in any individual sport, with the right combination of history, culture and geography.”

The current top four men in the world rankings are Egyptians while six more are in the top 20. Since 2003, an Egyptian has won the men’s world championship 10 times. And despite the fact that only few Egyptian women played the game at the beginning of the new millennium, all four of the top women’s squash players are Egyptian at the moment.

“It was that breakout performances by a 19-year-old Barada that started the craze. Academies here host massive number of enthusiasts aged from five to 10. I can honestly tell you that there are enough talents in these academies that could dominate squash for the next 20 years,” he elaborated.

“It is passion for sure, no question about it. Paving your way to the top is never easy. Raneem and I, for instance, would have never made it to smash a Guinness World Records title without passion. Achievement are always rewarding, it is not only that we broke the world record, but also made glory by becoming the first, so no one else is to break that record anytime in future.”

source/content: gulfnews.com (headline edited)

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Tarek Momen (left) and Raneem El Welily are the first couple of squash, according to Guinness World Records. Image Credit: Supplied picture

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EGYPT

OMAN’s New Zipline – the World’s Longest Over Water

Riders can reach speeds of up to 80kph on the flying fox, which soars for 1,800 metres along the Musandam shoreline.

Travellers heading to Oman can add a thrilling experience to their itinerary.

The world’s longest zipline over water has opened in Khasab in the Omani exclave of Musandam.

Known for its craggy mountain surrounds and traditional wooden dhow boat cruises, the Omani town has increased its tourism offerings by opening the 1,800-metre zipline.

Organisers say the attraction is certified by Guinness World Records as the longest zipwire over water. Riders travel 1,800 metres from Jebel Fitt, flying over the coast of the Wilayat of Khasab and reaching speeds of up to 80kph.

It’s the first attraction to open at Oman Adventures Centre, a new development supported by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and designed to boost the sultanate’s adventure tourism offerings. Other plans in the works for the Musandam region include new hiking paths and mountain biking trails.

If you’re feeling adventurous, here’s everything you need to know about visiting Oman’s newest attraction.

Where is Oman’s new zipline?

The new zipline is part of Oman Adventures in Khasab. It’s in Musandam, an Omani exclave that lies to the north of the UAE.

Adventure seekers can head to the base of Jebel Fitt, then follow the road upwards to the Oman Adventures Centre.

When is Oman Adventures Centre open?

The world’s longest zipline at Oman Adventures is now officially open.

It will operate daily from 9am to 4pm, and remain open during holiday periods. Available ride slots change daily and more information is available on the Oman Adventures website.

How long is the zipline and how fast does it go?

Starting from a platform on Jebel Fitt, the zipline descends towards the coast of the Wilayat of Khasab, giving gliders aerial views of Khor Qadi and the Mokhi region.

Riders will reach speeds of up to 80kph on the 1,800-metre journey, which comes to an end at the Atana Khasab Hotel.

How much does it cost and how do I book?

Bookings can be made on. Rides are 18 OMR (about Dh170) for a single ride, or 25 OMR for two rides.

source/content: thenationalnews.com (headline edited)

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OMAN

MOROCCAN Hasnae Taleb, First Arab, African Woman Nominated as Shewolf of Nasdaq

The Moroccan investor managed to create a name for herself in the financial industry at such a young age.

Moroccan entrepreneur, investor, and financial expert Hasnae Taleb has become the first Arab and African woman to be nominated as “The Shewolf of Nasdaq” by the New York-based American stock exchange.

Taleb’s passion for finance and trading began at a young age. She started her career as an equity trader at Nasdaq at the age of 21, making her the youngest and only Arab woman in that position. 

At 17 years old, she won the NASA Marshall’s Space Competition, representing her country, Morocco.

The Moroccan entrepreneur, who is currently a member of the American Chamber of Commerce in the UAE, made her first million dollars at the age of 23. Since then, Taleb has gone on to become a “successful entrepreneur, financial expert, TV personality, and investor,” indicated a press release published by EIN Presswire.

Thanks to her hard work and passion for the financial industry, Taleb was nominated as “The Best Youngest Trader of the Year” in the United States by TheRichest in 2014. The same year,  Nasqad nominated her as “The Youngest Self-Made Equity Trader.” 

Taleb attributes her success to her hard work, dedication, and passion for the financial industry. She believes that individuals from humble beginnings often develop a strong work ethic and resilience that are crucial to success, regardless of the industry. 

“When someone comes from a background that lacks privilege or resources, they are forced to rely on their own drive, determination, and resourcefulness to achieve their goals,” she said.

While Taleb recognizes the role of “luck and external circumstances” in achieving success, she puts a huge emphasis on “individual effort” as well. 

The Moroccan trader, who has become a role model for women and youth in finance, has built an important following on social media. With nearly 100k followers on Instagram, Taleb regularly shares tips and advice on trading and investing with her audience.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (headline edited)

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Moroccan entrepreneur and investor Hasnae Taleb

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MOROCCO

Riyadh beats Paris, Berlin, and Madrid in global Smart City ranking

Riyadh has beaten the capitals of France, Germany and Spain in a global Smart City ranking, with Makkah, Jeddah, and Madinah included in the list for the first time.

The list, which seeks to find out how technology is enabling cities to achieve a higher quality of life for their inhabitants, places the Saudi capital 30th on the global ranking – making it the third highest Arab city.

It is also up from 39th last year and 55th in 2019.

Makkah is placed 52nd – which still makes it the fourth highest Arab city – with Jeddah coming in the 56th position and Madinah ranked 85th.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai lead the way for Arab cities, coming in at 13th and 17th respectively on the list of 141 settlements. 

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the Smart City observatory is one of the global indexes that evaluates the preparedness of cities and it is an assessment tool and holistic, interdisciplinary approach for urban planners, decision-makers, and researchers to evaluate smart tech systems’ contributions to improving the living standards of residents.

The improvement in the Saudi cities’ ranking in the Smart City index was the result of collaborative efforts of all concerned agencies, including the National Smart City Platform, launched by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, added SPA.

The top ranked city is Zurich in Switzerland, followed by Olso in Norway, and Canberra in Australia.

The full report notes the absence of American or African cities in the top 20, which is dominated by those in Europe or the Asia-Pacific – with the exception of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

New York ranks 22nd while Cairo, at 108th, is the leading African city. Medellin in Colombia is the leading South American location at 118.

The report notes: “The 2023 rankings reflect a growing interest and higher levels of concern about the quality of life that residents are expecting to enjoy in their respective cities. 

“Size is often a handicap rather than an advantage in this regard. This explains why most large metropolises such as Boston (34th) or Paris (46th) rank relatively low in the index, in spite of remarkable progress in a number of key areas such as sustainability and mobility.”