Tag: Arab Records

Qatar’s Ashghal Wins Nine International Safety Awards by the British Safety Council (BSC) 

 For the third year in a row, the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), represented by the Roads Projects Department (RPD), won nine international safety awards from the British Safety Council (BSC) for the Local Areas Infrastructure Programme projects during 2021. 

The awards include the Roads and Infrastructure Project in Umm Slal (Package 1), Roads and Infrastructure in South of Al Meshaf (Package 3), Roads and Infrastructure in Al Ebb and Leabaib (Package 2), Roads and Infrastructure in Umm Ebairiya Village, South Umm Al Amad, and North Bu Fesseela (Package 1), Roads and Infrastructure in North and East Al-Kheesa (Package 2), Roads and Infrastructure in Al Kharaitiyat and Izghawa (Package 3), and Roads and Infrastructure in Al Wajba East (Packages 1 & 3) in addition to the Roads and Infrastructure Project in South Al-Meshaf (Package 7) and Roads and Infrastructure Project in North of Ain Khaled received International Safety Award. 

It is noteworthy that in 2021, RPD conducted 1440 focused worker welfare inspections, obtained licenses from the Ministry of Public Health for 14 worker clinics and managed to get around 26977 workers medically screened for chronic diseases. This keen attention to implement top operational Health and Safety standards led RPD to achieve an Accident Frequency Rate (AFR) of 0.10 for the 88.7 million-man hours worked in 2021. This reflects both the magnitude of work handled by the department and its commitment to health and safety and workers’ welfare on its project sites.

Eng. Saoud Al Tamimi, RPD Manager, said: “Winning nine international health and safety awards for the third year successively, after winning 4 awards in 2020, and 3 in 2019, which were presented to the new and existing subdivisions projects, reflects Ashghal’s commitment to maintain health and safety in its construction projects, and the leading position which the Authority plays in the Qatari construction industry in terms of spreading awareness and best Health and Safety practices.” 

Eng. Al Tamimi also pointed out that “having Ashghal’s projects continuously winning safety awards from international institutions is an acknowledgment of the high level of safety in the Public Works Authority’s projects and a proof of its keenness to safeguard the workers’ health and lives, as safety is an important pillar of Ashghal’s project implementation strategy, and a culture that Ashghal strives to spread and uphold.”

Now in their 64th year, the International Safety Awards recognize and celebrate organizations from around the world which have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the scheme’s independent judges their commitment to preventing workplace injuries and work-related ill health during the previous calendar year.

Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, congratulated Ashghal on their success in winning the awards, saying, “The British Safety Council applauds all winning projects on their achievement. The award is in recognition of their commitment and hard work to keep their employees and workplaces free of injury and ill health. The vision of British Safety Council is that no-one should be injured or made ill through their work – anywhere in the world. Achieving this requires more than complying with legislation; it means people committed not only to health and safety but also more and more to workplace wellbeing and impelling others to follow suit.”

source/content: thepeninsulaqatar.com (edited)

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Eng. Saoud Al Tamimi, Roads Projects Department Manager at Ashghal.

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QATAR

Saudi Arabia’s First All-Female Crew takes Flight making Saudi Aviation History

Flyadeal made Saudi aviation history in May 2022.

Saudi Arabia’s first flight with an all-female crew took off this weekend May 2022, completing a short domestic journey and passing a milestone for women’s empowerment, officials said.

The flight was operated by flyadeal, the budget subsidiary of flag carrier Saudia.

“For the first time in Saudi aviation history,” the airline wrote on Twitter on Friday, “#flyadeal operated the first flight with an all-female crew, the majority of which are Saudis, by the newest A320 aircraft. Flight 117, flew from #Riyadh to #Jeddah.”

Most of the seven-member crew hail from Saudi Arabia, according to spokesman Emad Iskandarani, including the first officer, Yara Jan, who is also reportedly the youngest Saudi female pilot.

The country’s civil aviation authority, which confirmed the announcement, has been working towards expanding roles for women in the sector for years.

In 2019, Yasmeen Al Maimani , then 29, became the first female first officer to fly a mainstream commercial plane in the kingdom.

The Saudi woman piloted Nesma Airlines flight ATR 72-600 from Hail to Al Qassim on June 9.

“I thought it was going to be hard, being a female pilot based in Hail but it hasn’t been,” she said at the time. “I feel so comfortable with everyone else here, and the way they treat me. It’s like they are all my brothers, it’s a good feeling.”

Last year, figures showed female participation in the kingdom’s workforce rose to 33 per cent at the end of 2020, from 19 per cent in 2016, according to data from the General Authority for Statistics.

Saudi Arabia aims to generate 356 billion riyals ($95bn) of investment into its aviation sector by 2030.

Its National Aviation Sector Strategy is working to increase connections from Saudi Arabia to 250 destinations, reaching 330 million passengers.

The kingdom also plans to launch another airline to complement its existing national carriers, including Saudia, and to build a major international airport in Riyadh, in addition to eight more regional airports.

source/content: thenationalnews.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

Tunisian Start-Up ‘Kumulus Water’ Innovates, Creating a Drinking Water-Technology from Air. Collaborates with the NGO ‘WallahWeCan’ to Provide 570 School Students with Drinking Water from Thin Air

Tunisian start-up “Kumulus Water” has provided assistance to a school deprived of drinking water in Makhtar in the region of Siliana (north-west of Tunisia) through a technical solution “Kumulus 1”, designed to generate water from the ambient air.

It came to support its expertise in water technology, the efforts of the Tunisian NGO “WallahWeCan”, which campaigns for the improvement of living conditions of students in schools and educational environments in Tunisia, especially in disadvantaged areas.

Thanks to atmospheric water generators, each producing 20 to 30 litres of healthy drinking water per day, 570 students of the chosen school will now be able to benefit from a regular supply of drinking water.

Technically, the atmospheric water generator is a device designed to produce water from the ambient air. It sucks in the air and dusts it, then dehumidifies it by lowering its temperature to the dew point to create condensation. The condensed water in the machine then passes through four filters to remove impurities.

The smart machine can fit into a 1m3 cube and can be equipped with a solar pack, making it fully autonomous and independent, the startup says. “It offers mobile control options via a dashboard and an app designed by the six-person team at startup Kumulus Water. It also offers features that ensure water is delivered sustainably and economically,” its creators explain.

According to Kumulus Water, co-founded and led by Iheb Triki, there is 6 times more water in the air than in rivers. This water can be extracted by cooling the air below its dew point and exposing it to moisture absorbers or pressurizing it to make the water drinkable.

Kumulus was also installed at the Bayadha school (Delegation of Ghar Dimaou in the governorate of Jendouba).

According to Regional Commissioner of Education Rim Maaroufi, this is a project developed by a young Tunisian engineer and funded by the Orange Foundation in cooperation with the association “a child, smiles”.

In a statement to TAP, Maaroufi said that Bayadha School, where the Kumulus was installed, suffers from a lack of drinking water due to a lack of connection with the distribution network. Water tanks were installed in advance to provide drinking water to the students and teachers. The machine produces about 20 to 30 litres of drinking water per day.

In Tunisia as in many other countries in the world, access to drinking water is one of the most imminent threats facing humanity. According to the WHO, out of 7 billion people, 2.1 billion do not have satisfactory access to drinking water. The demand for water will increase further with the population growth and the increase in living standards.

In 2021, the co-founder of the Tunisian start-up Iheb Triki was selected by the prestigious Choiseul Institute as one of the 100 Young African Leaders.

Also, the start-up has been selected as the second-best impact investment opportunity in the prestigious competition (MBA Impact Investing Network & Training) “Turner MIINT 2022”.

The young Tunisian company managed to snatch second place among 40 start-ups from the best American business schools, having participated in the global competition Turner MIINT.

TunisianMonitorOnline.com (NejiMed) (edited)

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TUNISIA

Winners of the ’10th King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Awards for Translation’ Announced

The translators of books about culture, physics and data mining are among the latest recipients of the prestigious King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Awards for Translation.

This year’s event, covering works published in 2021, marks the 10th anniversary of the awards. There were six categories and the winners, chosen by the event’s board of trustees, were announced on Monday.

Izz ddeen Khattabi Riffi’s translation from the original French of “Beyond Nature and Culture” by Philippe Descola took the award for works in the humanities category translated into Arabic. It was shared by Abdelnour Kharraki for his translation of “Data Mining for the Social Sciences: An Introduction” by Paul Attewell, David Monaghan and Darren Kwong, originally published in English.

The award for institutions went to the publishing and translation department of Obeikan Company, and to Al-Arabi Publishing & Distribution.

There were also two winners in category for works in the natural sciences translated into Arabic, both for books originally published in English: Dr. Sausan Hassan Al-Sawwaf and Dr. Laila Saleh Babsil for their translation of “Physics in Biology and Medicine” by Paul Davidovits; and Yahya Khlaif and Abdullatif Al-Shuhail for their translation of “Introduction to Carbon Capture and Sequestration” by Berend Smit, Jeffrey A Reimer and Curtis M. Oldenburg.

Three awards were presented in the category of Individual Efforts in Translation, to Hamza Qablan Al-Mozainy from Saudi Arabia, Murtazo Saydumarov from Uzbekistan, and Samir Mina Masoud Greeis, who is of Egyptian-German nationality.

The judges decided to withhold the awards in the two remaining categories, for books about the humanities and natural sciences translated from Arabic into other languages.

source/contents: arabnews.com (edited)

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EGYPTIAN / GERMAN / SAUDI ARABIA

Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan amongst ‘Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, 2022’

Tanzania’s first female president, Samia Suluhu Hassan, has been named among the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.

President Suluhu joins other prominent figures in the 2022 list, including US President Joe Biden, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Apple CEO Tim Cook.

The Time 100 Most Influential People in the World list is divided into six categories: Pioneers, Icons, Artists, Titans, Leaders and Innovators. Samia is named under the Leaders category.

Although not new in Tanzania political scenes, she was sworn in as president on March 19, 2021 following the death of her predecessor John Pombe Magufuli.

In her one year as president, Samia has appointed more women to her cabinet to lead prominent ministries, including ministries of Health, Tourism and Security. She has also held talks with opposition leader Freeman Mbowe three times.

“Her leadership has been a tonic,” noted Time magazine.

“That year has made a big difference to Tanzania. A door has opened for dialogue between political rivals, steps have been taken to rebuild trust in the democratic system, efforts have been made to increase press freedom, and women and girls have a new role model.”

Born and raised in Zanzibar Island, President Samia began her political career in 2000 when she was elected as a special seat member to the Zanzibar House of Representatives.

Contrary to her predecessor, President Samia is a soft politician, who has recently insisted on peaceful, decent political campaigns.

source/content: theeastafrican.co.ke (headline edited)

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Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan / Photo|PSCU

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TANZANIA

Biomedical Engineer Afnan Almarglani becomes First Saudi Woman to Obtain Autocross Trainer License

After a number of years of competing in various local autocross competitions, Afnan Almarglani recently became the first Saudi woman to hold an autocross and safe driving skills trainer license.

Her journey in the sport began when her motor sports-mad brother brought home a brand new PlayStation when they were growing up. The two competed in video games such as Gran Turismo 3, a racing title.

“From when I was young, I used to see my older brother Fahd interested in sports cars, modifying them and buying car parts from abroad. We used to race with each other in video games. I was so fascinated by cars, by the shape of the cars, the sound of engines and how they were driven incredibly fast. I played the game every day until it got to the point that I couldn’t beat my own fastest lap times,” she said.

Almarglani works in biomedical engineering. She previously took part in the first women’s race in Saudi Arabia during time off from her work at a project management office at the Ministry of Health.

Her blending of roles as a biomedical engineer and racer makes her unique, and her talent in both careers has allowed her to take opportunities that most women do not have.

Almarglani, who holds a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from a US university, told Arab News that her love and passion led her to work with sports cars, and that she chose to enter the field to gain experience.

“Alhamdulillah, we live in a great country with the decision to allow women to drive. So, I participated in the first women’s autocross championship and won second place in the qualifying round,” she added.

After her first foray into the sport, Almarglani took part in various local autocross championships held in Riyadh, Jeddah and Alkhobar. “After gaining experience and skills, I moved to a higher level in the autocross racing, which enabled me to take part in the Toyota Autocross Championship in Alkhobar, and I was able to win the best time in the women’s category.”

She also competed in the Speed ​​Madness (Autocross) Championship in Riyadh’s Dirab Park, placing first.

The other biggest challenge for Almarglani is finding sponsorship opportunities. “Motor sports is an expensive sport and finding a sponsor is very difficult, so to maintain that training and to have a good team, and a good car, requires a lot of investment and you need both if you want to do well. The way to find sponsorship is through exposure and by winning races,” she said.

Almarglani is often asked how her parents feel about the dangers of her sport. She said: “Of course, at first, they were concerned about me, especially that motor sports has risks, so the level of safety in it is high, and it is expensive in terms of preparing the driver and the car. After I explained to my family all the means of protection and safety, and after they observed my passion and happiness after each race, they supported me and told me to continue, and they were always in the first ranks to encourage me.”

Recently, the official account of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, via Twitter, congratulated Almarglani for obtaining a training license.

Almarglani’s goal is to support every woman who wants to enter motor sports and to build a professional women’s motor sports team to represent Saudi Arabia in the world championships. “To achieve this goal, I hope there will be sponsorships offered to me as well as other Saudi female drivers in order to participate locally and regionally, to represent our beloved country.”

source/content: arabnews.com (edited)

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SAUDI ARABIA

United Nations Elects Oman’s Dr.Mohammed bin Awadh Al Hassan as Chairman of ‘ The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee)’

The United Nations General Assembly has elected Oman’s Permanent Representative to the world body as chairman of its Special Political and Decolonisation Committee.

In his speech to the 77th session of the General Assembly, H E Dr Mohammed bin Awadh al Hassan, the sultanate’s Permanent Representative, stated that Oman is keen to chair the Special Political and Decolonisation Committee, owing to its belief in the freedom of peoples and their independence, as well as the importance of ending colonisation in line with the UN’s related decisions.

The Special Political and Decolonization Committee also known as Fourth Committee considers a broad range of issues covering a cluster of five decolonization-related agenda items, the effects of atomic radiation, questions relating to information, a comprehensive review of the question of peacekeeping operations as well as a review of special political missions, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Israeli Practices and settlement activities affecting the rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied territories, and International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.

source/content: muscatdaily.com (headline edited)

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OMAN

Emirati ‘218’ Star Amal Mohamed Wins Best Asian Actress at Dutch Septimius Awards, Amsterdam

The film, Sharjah Media City’s first production, was nominated in three categories – Best Director, Best Actress and Best Asian Film.

Emirati actress Amal Mohamed has won Best Asian Actress at the Septimius Awards for film, in the Netherlands, for her role in the Emirati film 218: Behind the Wall of Silence.

The movie is the first production by Sharjah Media City or Shams and is the result of a two-year initiative that involved more than 2,000 aspiring creatives from around the UAE.

The film, which deals with issues of domestic violence, nostalgia and revenge, tells the story of three young women from different backgrounds, whose fates become intertwined because of a mysterious event in apartment 218.

It is directed by The Tainted Veil filmmaker Nahla Al Fahad and stars, alongside Mohamed, several renowned Emirati actors including Habib Ghuloom, Merei El Halyan, Mansoor Alfeeli, Abdulla Bin Haider and Haifa Al Ali.

The film was nominated in three categories at the Septimius Awards, namely Best Director, Best Actress and Best Asian Film. The festival, held on Monday and Tuesday in Amsterdam, is aimed at encouraging independent film talents and supporting visionary films.

“Shams is proud to produce works of art that leave an unmistakeable mark on the Emirati creative scene,” Shams chairman Khalid Omar Al Midfa said. “The film 218 is our first foray into this field, and for Emirati actress Amal Mohamed to win Best Asian Actress at the prestigious Septimius Film Awards truly underlines the meticulous quality of the production, as well as its ability to deliver an important social message. This, in turn, demonstrates our ability to compete and produce works that can make an impact in the film industry.”

Al Midfa congratulated Mohamed on her achievement and said this was “only the beginning” for Shams.

How ‘218’ was made

218 was the first film to be produced under the Shams initiative UAE Entertainment Experience, and is touted as being the “first crowdsourced film in the Arab world.”

The campaign began in 2019 by calling on fresh university graduates from around the UAE to enrol in a free filmmaking training programme.

“We had a team in every major city that actually met those interested in participating in the initiative,” Shihab Alhammadi, director of Shams, previously told The National. .

In its early stages, the programme had more than 2,000 participants taking part in the training courses, that were offered online and in person. The training focused on developing various skills in filmmaking, from scriptwriting to directing and post-production to scoring.

A committee consisting of film professionals oversaw the training programme and offered mentorship to its participants.

“We have experts in directing, acting, scriptwriting and music production to name a few,” Alhammadi said. “They were all involved in the team as well as those who were involved in managing the programme.”

The committee included Al Fahad, Ghuloom, scriptwriter Mohammed Hasan Ahmed and Bin Haider.

source/contents: thenationalnews.com

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Emirati actress Amal Mohamed shows off her Septimius Award for Best Asian Actress, in Amsterdam. Photo: Shams

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

Saudi Student Itizaz Alnefaie breaks World Record. She is honoured by Tabuk Governor Prince Fahad bin Sultan for Top Two Finish in Worldwide Mental Arithmetic Competition, Egypt

Tabuk Gov. Prince Fahd bin Sultan honored Itizaz Alnefaie, the primary school pupil from Tabuk International Schools who won second place in this year’s Worldwide Mental Arithmetic Competition, recently held in Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh.

Alnefaie broke the world record by solving 100 maths problems, testing herself against the clock.


He congratulated Alnefaie for this achievement, wishing her more success, noting the Saudi leadership’s support for outstanding students in all scientific fields.


“I’m pleased to meet you and everyone is proud of your achievement,” Prince Fahd said, praising the efforts made by Alnefaie’s parents and teachers, who created the environment for her to reach excellence, and who supported her talent. He also wished her and all of Tabuk’s students future success.

The prince then offered Alnefaie his personal pen as a gift. The head of Tabuk International Schools, Maram Al-Atwi, praised Prince Fahd for the achievement, which comes as a result of his great support for the education sector in Tabuk, noting that this success is an extension of the local and international achievements made by public school students from all Saudi regions.


Hundreds of talented pupils representing more than 25 countries, including Saudi Arabia, participated in this year’s competition.


Solving a math problem might take most people a few minutes. However, Alnefaie takes just a second or two.

source/content: arabnews.com (edited)

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Tabuk Gov. Prince Fahd bin Sultan honors Itizaz Alnefaie, the primary school pupil from Tabuk International Schools. (SPA)

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SAUDI ARABIA

Omani Diver Omar Al Ghailani Sets Record for the 3rd Time ‘Deepest Asian Record in Dual Fins ‘, AIDA Freediving World Cup, Egypt

Omani diver Omar Al Ghailani achieved the deepest Asian record for the third time in the dual fins specialty with a depth of 92m CWTB in the diving championship held in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt – AIDA Freediving world cup – May.

Omar Al-Ghilani said that he is determined to achieve more national numbers in the coming days, noting that the feeling is different every day in the atmosphere of the tournament.

Al-Ghilani said: Every day I develop a plan and scenario for the next day, but changes occur that can change everything, explaining: Sometimes there are unexpected waves or the water temperature changes, and these are some conditions that can affect concentration and readiness to dive.

Al-Ghilani confirmed that his diving experience made him ready to perform better and enjoyable despite all circumstances, adding: I am still learning and developing myself in this field.

Omani diver Omar Al Ghailani achieved a national record on the second day of the championship, as he managed to dive to 92 meters in free diving.

It is worth noting that the Omani champion Omar Al Ghailani is the world record holder in free diving and has strengthened the position of the Sultanate of Oman in regional and international forums.

source/content: arabiandaily.com (headline edited)

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OMAN