Tag: Records of Lebanon

ALGERIA / EGYPT / LEBANON / MOROCCO / PALESTINE / SYRIA / DUBAI, U.A.E : Mohammed bin Rashid honours winners of 2025 edition of Great Arab Minds initiative

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, honoured the six winners of the Great Arab Minds 2025 edition at the Museum of the Future in Dubai.

Great Arab Minds is the largest Arab initiative dedicated to celebrating outstanding Arab achievement, highlighting contributions to advance human civilisation, support the expansion of scientific and knowledge-based endeavours, and showcasing the creative impact of Arab talent across the region and globally.

His Highness affirmed that the Great Arab Minds initiative was designed to expand the horizons for established and emerging Arab talent, nurturing and investing in their potential; recognise Arab achievement across research, development, innovation, technology, culture, and architecture; and to reinforce a culture of pride and sustained support for Arab individuals who have inspired significant progress in key fields.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed said, “Today, we honour Great Arab Minds in recognition of achievements that advance civilisation and build societies. From the Museum of the Future in Dubai, we reaffirm our support for Arab talent committed to innovation, creativity, and excellence.”

His Highness further said, “We congratulate the winners of the Great Arab Minds 2025: Professor Abbas El Gamal in the Engineering and Technology category, Dr. Nabil Seidah in the Medicine category, Professor Badi Hani in the Economics category, Professor Majed Chergui in the Natural Sciences category, Dr. Suad Amiry in the Architecture and Design category, and Professor Charbel Dagher in the Literature and Arts category. We encourage them to continue their journey of achievement and contribution, serving as true role models for younger generations in our region and around the world, inspiring them to shape a better future through science and knowledge.”

His Highness expressed his confidence in the ability of Arab talent to drive progress in scientific research, knowledge creation, and the cultural sector, supported by expertise, institutional support, and the ambition of young people across the region.

Focused on a better future

Sheikh Mohammed noted that the Great Arab Minds initiative will continue to highlight the achievements of Arab individuals who look to the future with optimism and pursue ambitions that recognise no limits.

The awards ceremony was attended by H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the UAE; H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council; H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group; His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee; H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture); and H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid.

Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chair of the Higher Committee for the Great Arab Minds initiative, was among numerous ministers and senior officials in attendance along with scientists, academics and diplomats.

His Excellency Al Gergawi stated that the Great Arab Minds initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed represents a profound recognition of Arab achievement across disciplines, and a significant strategic investment in empowering talent and encouraging renewed contributions to Arab intellectual and scientific progress.

He added that the Great Arab Minds initiative embodies Sheikh Mohammed’s vision to inspire confidence in Arab capabilities and motivate individuals to take an active role in shaping their societies and the future of a region that has long contributed to human civilisation through science, literature, thought, and architecture.

‘Powerful message’

He praised the achievements of the Great Arab Minds awardees across medicine, engineering, technology, sciences, architecture, arts, and literature, saying, “Your presence today on the Great Arab Minds 2025 platform at the Museum of the Future sends a powerful message to hundreds of millions of young people to pursue excellence, achievement, and leadership in research, innovation, creativity, and knowledge, and to help shape a brighter future for Arab and human civilisation.”

The award recognised one winner in each of its six categories: Medicine, Economics, Engineering and Technology, Natural Sciences, Architecture and Design, and Literature and Arts.

In Medicine, Dr. Nabil Seidah was honoured for his medical and research achievements in cardiovascular health and cholesterol regulation.

In Economics, Professor Badi Hani was awarded for his pioneering contributions to econometrics and the development of economic analysis tools, particularly in panel data analysis. His work enabled more accurate and in-depth analysis by combining data across multiple time periods and sources.

In Engineering and Technology, Professor Abbas El Gamal was awarded for his pioneering contributions to network information theory.

In Natural Sciences, Professor Majed Chergui was honoured for his contributions to understanding light-matter interactions, developing techniques and applications that enable the study of ultrafast molecular and material dynamics at the atomic level.

In Architecture and Design, Dr. Suad Amiry was honoured for her contributions to preserving Palestinian architectural heritage through documentation, restoration, and adaptive reuse of historical buildings.

In Literature and Arts, Professor Charbel Dagher was honoured for a body of work that constitutes a key reference in the study of Arab and Islamic arts, Arabic calligraphy, and modern visual arts.

Professor Abbas El Gamal said, “I extend my sincere gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his vision in launching Great Arab Minds. Being honoured in this way is deeply meaningful to me.”

Professor Majed Chergui said, “I am Algerian of Syrian origin, born in Morocco and raised in Algeria and Lebanon. In this way, the Arab world comes together in who I am. For me personally, this award is not only the highest recognition of my achievements; it touches me deeply because it comes from an Arab country.”

Dr. Suad Amiry said, “In 1981, when I decided to live in the city of Ramallah, my aim was to study traditional architecture in rural Palestine. Ten years later, I founded the Riwaq Centre, which since then has been dedicated to documenting, restoring, and rehabilitating architectural heritage in Palestine. Winning this award is a great honour for me and for the Riwaq Centre.”

Professor Badi Hani said: “This award recognises not only my work, but also the people and places that shaped me, my family, my mentors, my city, and the Arab world that nurtured my earliest aspirations.”

Dr. Nabil Seidah said, “My father’s adage, that knowledge is something no one can ever take away from you, has been the principle that guided me throughout my journey. Your trust represents a powerful motivation for Arab scientists to serve as role models for future generations, and I pledge to continue serving science with the same passion that has always driven me.”

Professor Charbel Dagher said: “Commitment to the Arabic language has remained a defining hallmark of everything I have done: teaching, writing, and research, to the point that I live within Arabic itself. We cannot exist outside our language or our culture. Allow me to share this award with those who supported me, and my gratitude extends to everyone who has worked and continues to work to ensure that Arabic remains a living language of science, knowledge, and culture.”

The awardees were chosen by six high-level specialised committees, one for each category. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, chaired the Economics Committee; Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education, chaired the Engineering and Technology Committee; Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library Foundation, chaired the Literature and Arts Committee; Dr. Amer Sharif, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Health and President of the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences headed the Medicine Committee; Professor Sehamuddin Galadari, Senior Vice Provost-Research and Managing Director of the Research Institute at New York University Abu Dhabi chaired the Natural Sciences Committee; Professor Hashim Sarkis, Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology chaired the Architecture and Design Committee.

In addition to the committee chairs, the specialised committees also included Essa Kazim, Governor of the Dubai International Financial Center; Dr Mohammed Madhi, Dean of the College of Business and Economics at UAE University; Dr Rabah Arezki, Chief Economist for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region at the World Bank and Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government; Ferid Belhaj, Fellow at the Policy Center for the New South; and Dr Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund.

The committees also included Professor Ismael Al Hinti, President of Al Hussein Technical University; Adel Darwish, Regional Director of the International Telecommunication Union; Dr Ahmed Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandria; His Excellency Dr. Alawi Alsheikh-Ali, Director General of Dubai Health Authority; Professor Elias Zerhouni, Professor Emeritus at Johns Hopkins University; Dr Noureddine Melikechi Dean of the Kennedy College of Sciences and Professor of Physics at the University of Massachusetts Lowell; Professor Nader Masmoudi, Professor at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University Abu Dhabi; Dr Latifa Elouadrhiri Laboratory Directed Research Staff Scientist at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility; and Professor Dr Jehane Ragai, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry at The American University in Cairo.

The specialised committees also included Dr Adrian Lahoud, Dean of the School of Architecture at the Royal College of Art; and Professor Ali Malkawi, Professor of Architectural Technology, Director of the Doctor of Design Studies Program, and Founding Director of the Harvard Center for Green Buildings and Cities.

The Nominations Committee included Huda Al Hashimi, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs; Chucrallah Haddad, Partner and Head of Advisory at KPMG Lower Gulf; Abdulsalam Haykal, President and Founder of Majarra Company; Ali Matar, Head of LinkedIn Middle East and North Africa and Emerging Markets in Africa and Europe; and Saeed Al Nazari, Secretary-General of the Great Arab Minds Initiative.

Widely known as the ‘Arab Nobel,’ the Great Arab Minds initiative recognises distinguished Arab achievement and highlights extraordinary contributions that reflect the region’s historic role in advancing knowledge and human progress globally. For a third consecutive edition, the initiative continues to strengthen its position as a platform for celebrating Arab creators and as a point of reference for promising Arab talent, by highlighting achievements that inspire young people and contribute to expanding Arab participation in global knowledge and civilisational advancement.

source/content: wam.ae (headline edited)

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ALGERIA / DUBAI, U.A.E / EGYPT / FRANCE/ LEBANON / MOROCCO / PALESTINE / SWITZERLAND / SYRIA / U.S.A

SAUDI ARABIA : The King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language (KSGAAL) announces names of 2025 award winners for serving Arabic language

There will be a ceremony honoring the winners held under the patronage of His Highness Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, minister of culture

The King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language announced the names of the winners of its awards celebrating efforts to serve the language.

Mahmoud Al-Batal won an award for his work in teaching Arabic in the US, which included carrying out in-depth research into linguistics, much of which has been published in peer-reviewed studies.

The Saudi-based Manahij International Foundation received an award recognizing its development of educational materials and curricula for early years language learning and Arabic for non-native speakers.

Manahij was also highlighted for developing training packages for teachers, and praised for its “originality, methodology and innovation” in the field, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Algerian Ahmed Khorssi was recognized with an award for his contributions to the language by developing more than 30 computer programs including tools for correcting pronunciation.

He has published more than 15 studies in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences.

King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology won an award for developing systems including an audio database, an automatic speech recognition system in local dialects, and other advanced tools.

Ramzi Mounir Baalbaki, from Lebanon, won an award that recognized his academic career that has spanned four decades

Baalbaki has authored 12 books and more than 80 research papers in Arabic and English in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Saad Abdel Aziz Maslouh, from Egypt, received an award recognizing a lifetime of academic achievements including the publication of 33 books and 29 research papers.

The Arabic Education Training Center for Gulf States, in the UAE, was awarded for developing evaluation tools and other educational content.

Mazen Abdulqader Mohammed Al-Mubarak, from Syria, won an award for his extensive scholarly work including the well-known book “Towards Linguistic Awareness.”

The National Coalition for Arabic Language in Morocco also received an award for promoting linguistic awareness in Moroccan society through lectures, seminars and intellectual forums.

There will be a ceremony honoring the winners held under the patronage of His Highness Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, minister of culture and chairman of the board of trustees of the academy, next Sunday in Riyadh.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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The King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language’s headquarters in Riyadh. (OIC)

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ALGERIA / EGYPT / LEBANON/ MOROCCO / SAUDI ARABIA / SYRIA / UAE

LEBANON : “A voice for the voiceless”: As-Safir founder and beacon of Arab journalism Talal Salman passes away at 85

Talal Salman, veteran journalist and founder of the iconic As-Safir newspaper, died on 25 August 2023 aged 85 after a long career in which he championed the rights of the oppressed and made his paper a “voice for the voiceless”.

On Friday 25 August, Talal Salman, the founder and publisher of the iconic Lebanese daily newspaper daily newspaper “As-Safir” passed away aged 85.

Salman remains one of the Arab world’s most prominent journalists and As-Safir, rightly, as a shining beacon of Arab journalism in its modern history

He was one of the few Arab journalists who always aspired for journalism to be a medium where opinions could be freely expressed, and made it a place in which he affirmed his commitment to national, nationalist and social issues.

When his dream of establishing an independent newspaper became reality in 1974, he succeeded in making it a genuine platform for Arab issues and the Palestinian cause, and it quickly became one of the largest Arabic-language independent newspapers. 

“Salman remains one of the Arab world’s most prominent journalists and As-Safir, rightly, as a shining beacon of Arab journalism in its modern history”

“As-Safir” became an important laboratory for ideas and opinions. Over more than 40 years, intellectual and political debates flared within its pages, and it became a forum where various intellectual and cultural experiences from the Arab world and Lebanon converged. This made it a rare experiment in Arab journalism, a place where Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian, Egyptian, Iraqi, Jordanian, and Tunisian voices at various times would come together.

Talal Salman was born in 1938 in the northeastern town of Shmustar. His father was a sergeant in Lebanon’s Internal Security Force (ISF), a job which required him to move with his family to various regions in Lebanon for various postings. Due to this, Salman never settled in one place or attended a fixed school. Perhaps this forced mobility played a role in shaping his political outlook later on, as it allowed him to discover different regions of Lebanon and to develop a broad understanding of Lebanon’s people – their internal divisions and rural nature.

His political awareness began to emerge following Egypt’s 23 July Revolution of 1952, which played a huge role in alerting his attention to politics. Additionally, his presence in the town of Moukhtara in the Chouf district in the early 1950s exposed him to certain aspects of the Lebanese reality.

Moukhtara was the stronghold of the prestigious Jumblatt family, leading figures in Lebanon’s Druze community. While living there he got to know Kamal Jumblatt, who inspired an entire generation of Lebanese youth who aspired for social justice and sought to connect Lebanon with Arab causes, Arab identity, and Palestine.

Salman would become an Arab nationalist without affiliating with any of the nationalist parties, such as the Ba’ath, although later on, he formed close relationships with founders of Arab Nationalist Movement, like George Habash and Hani al-Hindi, in addition to Ghassan Kanafani and Mohsin Ibrahim, who were closely associated with the pan-Arab, left-wing movement.

Salman’s passion for language began in his childhood; he was enchanted by the few books in his parent’s home, and had started writing articles for the magazine al-Anbaa before leaving school. After completing secondary school in 1955, he moved to Beirut with today’s equivalent of $200 from his father and started looking for work at a newspaper.

Passion for language

Salman’s passion for language began in his childhood; he was enchanted by the few books in his parent’s home, and had started writing articles for the magazine al-Anbaa before leaving school. After completing secondary school in 1955, he moved to Beirut with today’s equivalent of $200 from his father and started looking for work at a newspaper.

“Salman would become an Arab nationalist without affiliating with any of the nationalist parties, such as the Ba’ath, although later on, he formed close relationships with founders of Arab Nationalist Movement, like George Habash and Hani al-Hindi”

He initially found a job at Al Sharq newspaper as an unpaid proof reader, before swiftly transitioning to “cutting” – he would cut out stories from other papers in the morning and rewrite them for publishing in Al Sharq in the afternoon.

1956, the year Salman’s journey into the media world began was the year of the Tripartite Aggression against Egypt (the Suez Crisis) – and it was as though this major event was setting the tone for a journalistic career focused on the major Arab issues of the day, such as Arab unity, Palestine, Algeria and social justice.

Nor was it surprising, considering his background living in areas suffering from marginalization, poverty, injustice, and lack of government care, that he developed a clear sensitivity to social injustice and a strong awareness of the need to fight against it.

A meeting of minds

It wasn’t long before Salman moved to another paper, where he was given the crime and accidents beat. Every day he would walk to the police station, the courts, ambulance centres and fire stations to gather the day’s news. Then, he would walk back to his workplace to provide the summary of his day to the editorial secretary.

In 1958, after protests broke out against the rule of then President Camille Chamoun, renowned journalist Salim Lawzi, editor-in-chief of the pro-Nasser Al Hawadeth magazine at the time, was arrested, and held in Karantina Hospital – as more fortunate prisoners were at that time.

By chance, Salman’s father was chief officer at the hospital guard station, and his son visited regularly. This led to the aspiring young man meeting the veteran journalist who had worked in Palestine and Egypt before returning to Lebanon to set up the weekly magazine.

Following their meeting, Salman joined Al Hawadeth, where he was suddenly the colleague of well-known journalists like Shafiq al Hout, Nabil Khoury, and the artist Niazi Jaloul.  He went from proofreading to preparing the readers section, to writing his own column and then moved into the investigations department. It was not long before he was made sub-editor and he wasn’t even 20 – a testimony to both his journalistic talent and his hard work developing the magazine during a period Lawzi was forced into exile.

However, perhaps the most significant event in his professional and personal life was his meeting with President Gamal Abdel Nasser in Damascus in early 1958. His image alongside Nasser remained on proud display in the As-Safir offices for many years afterwards.

Salman’s rapid rise in journalism also saw him become a figure noticed – and targeted – by Lebanon’s authorities. In August 1961 he was arrested, interrogated and held for 20 days by Lebanon’s General Security services, charged with maintaining ties with Ahmed El-Saghir Jaber (representative of the Algerian Liberation Front in Lebanon), smuggling weapons to Algerian revolutionaries, and plotting military coups in some Arab countries.

“Salman’s rapid rise in journalism also saw him become a figure noticed – and targeted – by Lebanon’s authorities”

In the decade before he founded As-Safir, Salman moved between three magazines – Assayad, Al Ahad and Al-Hurriya. He had plenty of opportunity to delve into secrets and the hidden stories and backgrounds of notable figures and events, and became acquainted with many of the most brilliant Arab authors, artists, politicians and activists of the time. All the information he was absorbing would become part of his arsenal when it came to his own project – the As-Safir daily newspaper.

On 26 March 1974 the first issue was published, carrying two slogans: “the newspaper of Lebanon in the Arab world and the newspaper of the Arab world in Lebanon”, and “the voice of the voiceless”.

Almost instantly, the paper was under attack – in its first year 16 lawsuits were raised against it, following a legal challenge mounted by the Banks Association in Lebanon. However, the nature of those targeting the paper only highlighted how effectively it was beginning to champion the rights of the marginalised, and confront the political system and capitalist stakeholders in the country.

Since its early days, As-Safir’s pages carried illustrious names in contemporary Arab thought and literature, and it also opened its pages to myriad intellectual and political trends, such as Nasserism, Baathism, Arab nationalists, Syrian nationalists, secularists, and communists with their various Soviet, Maoist, and Trotskyist tendencies.

When Lebanon’s civil war broke out in 1975, As-Safir adopted an unwavering political stance: a complete rejection of the civil war, and a total distancing from the right-wing political forces who’s destructive policies had led to the outbreak of the fighting.

While it unequivocally rejected the war, As-Safir’s stance of sympathy and solidarity with the programme of the Lebanese National Movement and the Palestinian resistance was staunch. Its writers were made famous for their condemnation of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s visit to Jerusalem in November 1977, and its front page on the first day of the visit was headlined: “The Scoundrel visits the Usurper”.

Both the newspaper and Salman were targeted in terrorist attacks multiple times. In 1981, an attempt to destroy his house with four timed rockets, was foiled just minutes before they were set to launch. Explosive devices were placed near As-Safir’s offices on 28 March and 5 April 1984.

That July, there was an assassination attempt on him in front of his house, resulting in injuries to his jaw and various parts of his body. However, neither As-Safir nor its founder were intimidated, and both continued to be faithful to their nationalist and progressive principles.

During Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in 1982, As-Safir was the only Lebanese newspaper that didn’t cease publication. Its daily headlines were rewritten on Beirut’s walls as a form of the city’s resilience and it became known for headlines like “Beirut burns but doesn’t raise the white flags”.

A shining era in the history of Lebanese journalism came to an end in 2017 with the closure of the pioneering, left-wing, pan-Arab experiment which was embodied for over 40 years by the As-Safir newspaper, as well as the end of the liberal, right-wing An Nahar in 2012 with Ghassan Tueni’s death.

Talal Salman’s contribution, both to journalism in Lebanon, and to the country’s political and cultural history, is huge, and he and As-Safir are owed a debt for the bold stances they took countless times and the brilliant, enlightening and incisive content they provided in its pages.

This was Talal Salman, who never stopped brimming with kindness, humility and generosity; and who burned with pain and grief at what the situation of the Arab world has come to, who spent his twilight years continuing to read, research and write in his never-ending pursuit of an Arab renaissance.

This is an edited and abridged translation from our Arabic edition. To read the original article click here.

Translated by Rose Chacko

This article is taken from our Arabic sister publication, Al-Araby Al Jadeed and mirrors the source’s original editorial guidelines and reporting policies. Any requests for correction or comment will be forwarded to the original authors and editors.

source/content: newarab.com (headline edited)

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From L to R: Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade Marwan Hamadeh, Talal Salman and Pierre al-Daher, head of the independent Lebanese Broadcast Corporation (LBC) television attend the opening session of the 2003 Arab Media Summit in Dubai [Nasser Younes/AFP via Getty]

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LEBANON

LEBANON : Ziad Rahbani, pioneering Lebanese musician and composer, dies at 69

The trailblazing artist, son of legendary Fairuz and composer Assi Rahbani, was also a playwright, pianist and political provocateur.

Lebanese musician and composer Ziad Rahbani, son of the iconic singer Fairuz and a pioneer of fusion jazz, has died at the age of 69 of a heart attack.

“On Saturday at 9:00am, the heart of the great artist and creator Ziad Rahbani stopped beating,” said a statement from the hospital where he was being treated in the capital, Beirut, on Saturday.

Rahbani influenced generations of Lebanese people with his songs and especially his plays, whose lines are known by heart by both young and old.

He was the son of Fairuz, the last living legend of Arabic song – and one of the most famous Arab women worldwide – and composer Assi Rahbani, who, along with his brother Mansour, modernised Arabic song by blending classical Western, Russian, and Latin American pieces with Middle Eastern rhythms.

“I admire the music of composers like Charlie Parker, Stan Getz and Dizzy Gillespie,” Rahbani once said. “But my music is not Western, it’s Lebanese, with a different way of expression.”

Fairouz also became an icon for young people when Rahbani composed songs for her influenced by jazz rhythms – he called it “oriental jazz”.

Lebanon’s leaders paid a heartfelt tribute to the Lebanese composer, who was also a playwright, pianist and political provocateur.

President Joseph Aoun called Rahbani “a living conscience, a voice that rebelled against injustice, and a sincere mirror of the oppressed and marginalised”.

“Lebanon has lost an exceptional and creative artist, a free voice that remained faithful to the values of justice and dignity” and who said “what many did not dare to say”, said Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

Rahbani’s works reflected the hybrid heritage of Lebanon, which, until the civil war erupted in 1975, was a cultural melting pot. It also reflected the ensuing sectarian strife, which involved bloody street battles between rival militias and three years of violent Israeli occupation after the 1982 invasion.

While Fairuz transcended the powerful sectarian divides in the country, her son chose to be resolutely left-wing and secular, denouncing Lebanon’s longstanding divisions. His breakout play, Nazl el-Sourour (Happiness Hotel), premiered in 1974 when he was only 17, portrayed a society disfigured by class inequality and repression.

The play follows a group of workers who take over a restaurant to demand their rights, only to be dismissed by the political elite.

In another play, Bennesbeh Labokra Chou? (What About Tomorrow?), he plays a jaded bar pianist in post-civil war Beirut. The work features some of Rahbani’s most poignant music and biting commentary, including the famous line, “They say tomorrow will be better, but what about today?”

Rahbani was also a composer of staggering range. He infused traditional Arabic melodies with jazz, funk and classical influences, creating a hybrid sound that became instantly recognisable. His live performances were legendary, when he often played piano in smoky clubs in Hamra, one of Beirut’s major commercial districts.

In recent years, Rahbani appeared less in the public eye, but younger generations rediscovered his plays online and sampled his music in protest movements. He continued to compose and write, speaking often of his frustration with Lebanon’s political stagnation and decaying public life.

“I feel like everything is over, I feel like Lebanon has become empty,” wrote Lebanese actress Carmen Lebbos, his former partner, on X.

Rahbani is survived by his mother, now 90, his sister Reema and brother Hali.

Source: News Agencies

source/content: aljazeera.com (headline edited)

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Ziad Rahbani gestures while wearing a scarf of the left-wing Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine group, during a concert in Sidon, southern Lebanon, October 9, 2014 [File: Ali Hashisho/Reuters]

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LEBANON

LEBANESE-AMERICAN : Nour Arida is the First Arab Woman to Book a Audemars Piguet Campaign

Model & Lifestyle Influencer Nour Arida Joins Serena Williams in Audemars Piguet Campaign.

When Audemars Piguet picked the faces for its 150th anniversary campaign, it chose icons. Nour Arida was the only Arab woman among them.

In the world of luxury watchmaking, Arab women aren’t often on the moodboard. But this year, that changed.

For its 150th anniversary, Audemars Piguet didn’t just call in the usual faces – it summoned a lineup of global icons. Serena Williams. Winnie Harlow. Tamara Kalinic. And, for the first time ever, an Arab woman: Nour Arida.

Draped in AP’s legacy, the Lebanese model-slash-creative-slash-cultural force owned the frame.

“I always try to push boundaries,” Arida says, in what might be the understatement of the year. “It’s like being part of a real family, being part of the AP family.”

source/content: cairoscene.com (headline edited)

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AMERICAN – LEBANESE

LEBANON : Farewell Elias Khoury, the journey isn’t over

Renowned Lebanese novelist, journalist, critic and lifetime advocate of the Palestinian cause Elias Khoury died on Sunday aged 76. We delve into his life & work.

Elias Khoury (1948-2024), who died last Sunday in Beirut, once said: “I confess I’m scared. I’m scared of a history that has only one version. History has dozens of versions, and for it to ossify into one leads only to death.”

This sentence remains highly significant when it comes to defining the career of the Lebanese novelist, storyteller, critic, and journalist.

In his career, in both literary terms and human, as all of the above, he never ceased to experiment and innovate, but more than that, his work showed his deep preoccupation with the search for the meaning in history and events, and the significance of this aspect is evident in most of his literary works.

It was perhaps the Palestinian issue, which took on a central place in many of his works, where he probed the sufferings which had befallen the Palestinian people and the dilemma of their fragmentation.

He did this by intertwining the human and political dimensions using characters and events, which were both rooted in reality – yet brimming with imagination.

This style was among what imbued his works with a literary depth and created a unique experience for the reader.

The way he interwove these aspects allowed him to explore psychological, political and cultural worlds, through characters and events which in some cases seemed unconventional, often relying on the technique of polyphony (using multiple voices), and alternating between narrative and inner dialogue.

Time, as a concept in his novels, was often non-linear, reflecting the complexities of life and memory.

This style is clearly evident in novels like Yalo and Gate of the Sun, where his poetic prose infuses the narrative with an aesthetic beauty.

However, when it came to addressing issues around identity and belonging, Khoury often relied on the emotional depth of the characters and events to tackle these aspects; he dealt with Palestinian and Lebanese identity in relation to their background of political unrest, occupation, and displacement.

In this way, he offered ethical and philosophical insights into the meanings of belonging in a world beset by constant upheaval.

The theme of Palestinian asylum appears extensively in his most prominent works, rooted in the many stories he collected from refugee camps during the long years of Israel’s occupation.

Many critics consider his novel Gate of the Sun (“Bab Al-Shams”) (1998) to be the first epic work with regard to the Palestinian narrative, which gave voice to their unfinished journey and their continuing torment.

The novel Gate of the Sun was associated with a later youth-led experiment opposing settler colonialism in the Palestinian territories in 2013, where young Palestinian activists gave the novel’s name to a tent village they established that year on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Israeli forces demolished the site less than two days after it was erected.

In 2013, Khoury gave a speech from Beirut to a group of 250 Palestinian activists who had been involved in establishing the Gate of the Sun encampment.

He said among other things that day: “I will not say, ‘I wish I were with you,’ for I am with you … This is the Palestine that Yunis envisioned in the novel Bab Al-Shams.”

The stories in this novel, although told from the viewpoint of Khalil, one of its protagonists, are written as different versions of the same story, with the narrator moving back and forth with the passage of time, as he wrestles with the evasiveness of memory, and questions of motive and identity, which reflect the instability of the truth, and the impossibility of capturing even one version of it.

In one interview, Khoury said: “I discovered, to my surprise, that there were basically no written accounts of the war. There was no archive to consult, there were only the whispers you might hear at home—the Druze killed your grandfather, the Christians murdered your uncle, that kind of thing.

“To me, this lack of a specifically written past meant that we Lebanese had no present, either. I’m not interested in memory as such, I’m interested in the present. But to have a present, you have to know which things to forget and which things to remember. Our lack of written history made me feel that I didn’t even know the country I grew up in. I didn’t know my place in it.

“I don’t think I made any great discoveries as a historian, but when I began writing novels, a few years later, I found that I wanted to write the present—the present of our own civil war.”

In his novel, White Masks (1981), which he wrote during the Lebanese Civil War, Khoury used a journalistic style to portray the physical devastation wrought on Beirut, its buildings and infrastructure, and the psychological toll of the war on its residents. He dealt with issues rarely addressed by Arabic novelists at that time, like women’s rights, societal restrictions and religion.

Moreover, in his novels, Khoury did not simply describe the horrors that took place, but went further: he went into their impact on people, nature and relationships.

The relevance of the colour white in this novel is in its ability to reveal; its symbolism of light, which exposes things as they are, revealing scenes with all the absurdity, tragedy, and madness they contain.

Khoury did this, letting us read into phenomena and what lay behind them, to understand what was happening around us, so that we would not unwittingly become tools in a game in which we had no choice but compliance; to perform a part.

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition. To read the original article click here

Translated by Rose Chacko   

This article is taken from our Arabic sister publication, Al-Araby Al Jadeed and mirrors the source’s original editorial guidelines and reporting policies. Any requests for correction or comment will be forwarded to the original authors and editors

Have questions or comments? Email us at: info@alaraby.co.uk

source/content: newarab.com (headline edited)

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LEBANON

LEBANESE / YEMENI-ARAB AMERICAN mayors in Michigan nominated by Trump as ambassador to Kuwait and Tunisia

Amer Ghalib and Bill Bazzi were among a number of Muslim leaders from the state who publicly endorsed Trump for the presidency last year

‘It’s a great honor to have the trust of the president,’ Ghalib tells Arab News. ‘I will utilize my skills … to strengthen the relationship between’ the US and Kuwait

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FAST FACTS

• Amer Ghalib, who became mayor of Hamtramck in November 2021, is the first Arab American and Muslim to hold the office in the city.

• Bill Bazzi, who was born in Lebanon, was appointed mayor of Dearborn Heights in January 2021 following the death of the incumbent and won the election for the office in November that year.

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Amer Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, said on Friday he was “honored” to be nominated by President Donald Trump for the post of US ambassador to Kuwait.


Meanwhile, Bill Bazzi, the mayor of Dearborn Heights, also in Michigan, was nominated by Trump this week to serve as the US envoy to Tunisia.
Arab American Muslims Ghalib and Bazzi were among the Michigan officials who publicly endorsed Trump for the presidency last year over Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.


“It’s a great honor to have the trust of the president placed in me to represent our great county and serve as the next ambassador to the State of Kuwait,” Ghalib told Arab News on Friday.

Bazzi did not respond to Arab News when asked to comment on his nomination, but in a message posted on Facebook, he wrote: “I am honored and appreciate President Donald Trump’s appointment to serve as US Ambassador to Tunisia.


“Among the distinct countries I have visited over the years, I hold a great affinity to Tunisia and its honorable parliament, elected officials, educators, and other industry leaders — along with the people I met while touring orphanages, women’s career institutions, schools, and a multitude of companies which distinguish the country’s rising presence in the region.


“With my visits overseas, the cohort’s visits to the US, and the relations we have established over the years, I am excited to return and honorably represent our Country in Tunisia as its US Ambassador. My purpose is to continue serving in capacities which make an impact, promote peace and diplomatic partnerships, which benefit our Country and enhance global relations.”


Trump wrote on social media platform X: “Bazzi is a decorated US Marine, who honorably served our Country for 21 years, collaborating with US Embassy Ambassadors, Diplomats, and Leaders throughout the world.”


Bazzi, who was born in Bint Jbeil, Lebanon, was appointed mayor of Dearborn Heights in January 2021 following the death of the incumbent and won the election for the office in November that year. He had previously served as the temporary chairperson of Dearborn Heights City Council since 2017.


Bishara Bahbah, the founder of Arab Americans for Trump, an organization that worked in several states to rally Arab and Muslim American elected officials and leaders in support of Trump’s presidential campaign, praised the appointments of Ghalib and Bazzi as “a demonstration of the president’s commitment to the Arab and Muslim community.”


He told Arab News: “Arab Americans for Peace, formerly Arab Americans for Trump, is delighted with President Trump’s nomination of two distinguished Arab American mayors from Michigan as the new ambassadors to Kuwait and Tunisia.


“Both men risked their political careers, having been elected as Democrats to their posts. Mayor Bazzi and Mayor Ghalib are outstanding individuals who wanted to see the end of the wars in both Gaza and Lebanon.”


The nominations reflect the growing influence of Arab Americans in US politics, Bahbah said, and are “a testament to the newfound power of Arab Americans in this past US presidential election and future presidential elections.


“We are confident that both mayors will be effective ambassadors representing the best interests of the United States. Their Arab backgrounds will undoubtedly help foster better US-Kuwaiti and US-Tunisian diplomatic relations.”


The nominations must now be considered and approved by a majority vote in the US Senate.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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US President Donald Trump introduces Democratic Muslim mayor of Hamtramck Amer Ghalib during his last campaign rally at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 5, 2024. (AFP file photo)

Dearborn Heights, Michigan, Mayor Bill Bazzi†speaks as U.S. President Donald Trump listens during a campaign rally at Suburban Collection Showplace on October 26, 2024 in Novi, Michigan. (AFP file photo)

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AMERICAN / LEBANESE / YEMEN

LEBANESE Prof. Niveen Khashab Wins Great Arab Minds Award in Natural Sciences

Lebanese Professor Niveen Mohammad Ali Khashab won the Great Arab Minds Award-2023 in Natural Sciences, for her contributions in chemistry, bioengineering and biology.

Her research interests focus on applications of programmable, intelligent, engineered nanomaterials and their uses for medical, pharmaceutical, industrial and environmental purposes. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president, prime minister and ruler of Dubai, said that scientific and cognitive curiosity has been the base of nations’ cultural development throughout history.

The winning announcement was made by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Prof. Niveen Khashab is associate dean of Physical Sciences and Engineering Division and Professor of Chemistry at KAUST – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, given her pioneering contributions in the field of natural sciences and her research in Arab universities.

“Today we announce the winner of the Arab Minds Award in natural sciences, Professor Nevin Khashab, a researcher and academic who inspires a new generation of young scientists in the Arab world and transforms research into advanced innovations in medicine, advanced industries, nanotechnology and sustainable agriculture,” said the Ruler of Dubai.

“Scientific achievement is the basis of civilizational development. We want to preserve scientists, empower them, honor them, celebrate their achievements and provide them with the space they need to transform their ideas and research into reality. Resuming the region’s contribution to human civilization is a comprehensive project and a strategic commitment that focuses on the Arab citizen capable of achievement, creativity and excellence in science and knowledge,” he added.

Khashab is exploring the new opportunities that nano capsules and devices can provide in drugs, gene therapies, medical diagnosis and industries, given their sturdiness, durability and superior thermal resistance.

Khashab is currently experimenting with carbon nanotubes characterized with their exceptional rigidity and strength, as well as electronic properties. She is also testing applications of carbon tubes in smart membranes. Khashab also collaborated on designing smart materials used in biomedical systems based on molecule assemblies at the nanoscale using non-covalent interactions.

The applications of the scientific innovations and smart materials developed by Khashab are diverse, including medical in the fields of sensing and drug, therapeutic and surgical delivery; industrial as in nanocomposites and others; and environmental in sustainable agriculture solutions and platforms.

Mohammad Al Gergawi, chairman of the Committee leading Great Arab Minds, congratulated Khashab on the phone, hailing her contributions in natural sciences and its pioneering research that opened new horizons in the uses of ultra-fine nanomaterials for medical and pharmaceutical purposes and advanced technology applications.

The initiative aims to promote the reverse migration of Arab minds and keep them in the Arab world by celebrating, honoring and highlighting their achievements.

The competition received thousands of nominations in its six categories: engineering and technology, medicine, economics, literature and natural sciences, arts, architecture, and design.

The Great Arab Minds Awards’ winners announced so far are: Dr. Hani Negm from Saudi Arabia in Medicine, Professor Fadel Adib from Lebanon in Engineering and Technology, Dr. Muhammad el-Erian in economics, and Professor Niveen Khashab in natural sciences. The winners in the two remaining categories will be announced later.

source/content: english.aawsat.com / Alsharq Al-Awsat (headline edited)

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Lebanese Prof. Niveen Mohammad Ali Khashab. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

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LEBANON

LEBANON : Étienne Chaer Just Broke The Powerlifting World Record, Druskininkai, Lithuania

Lebanese athlete Étienne Chaer has made headlines in the world of powerlifting after breaking the IPF Raw Deadlift world record by lifting an impressive 396 kg at the IPF Classic Powerlifting World Championships 2024 in Druskininkai, Lithuania, from June 15 to 23.

At the beginning of the 2024 season, Étienne el-Chaer, a prominent competitor in the junior category, became ineligible to compete in that division.

Undeterred, the young Lebanese athlete moved up to the 120 kg category. He showcased his determination and strength by setting a new IPF Raw Deadlift world record with an astounding 396 kg lift.

His journey during the competition had its challenges. Despite a solid start with a successful 370 kg lift in his initial attempt, he faced technical difficulties in his second attempt at 396 kg, resulting in a disallowed lift due to minor form adjustments post-lift.

However, he showed resilience and determination, regrouping swiftly and securing the record on his third attempt, completing the lift in under five minutes.

His performance highlighted his raw strength, technical skills, and competitive spirit among some of the sport’s top athletes.

Following his achievement, Étienne shared a video of the moment on Instagram, expressing satisfaction with his standing record.

source/content: the961.com (headline edited)

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LEBANON

LEBANON / ARAB: Arab News columnist Baria Alamuddin receives lifetime achievement honor at May Chidiac Foundation Media Awards

  • The MCF Awards ceremony was held on in Dubai, UAE, for the second year

  • Mamdouh Al-Muhaini, general manager of Al Arabiya and Al Hadath, received the Excellence in the Media Industry Award

Acclaimed international journalist and broadcaster Baria Alamuddin was celebrated at the May Chidiac Foundation Media Awards for her valuable contributions to the Arab world’s media industry.

Alamuddin, an Arab News columnist, editor of the Media Services Syndicate and former foreign editor of Al-Hayat newspaper, accepted the Antoine Choueiri Special Tribute for Lifetime Achievement during Tuesday’s ceremony.

Presenting the accolade were Pierre Choueiri, CEO and chairman of the leading media representation group in the Middle East, Choueiri Group, and Lebanon’s ambassador to the UAE, Fouad Chehab Dandan.

The annual MCF Awards, hosted by Dubai for the second year in a row, recognized the contributions of several other prominent figures in the Arab media industry.

Awards were presented by MCF President May Chidiac and other notable media personalities, including Lebanese journalist and writer Samir Atallah, CEO of International Media Investments and former CNN Commercial Worldwide president Rani Raad, and Beirut Institute founder and executive chairman Raghida Dergham.

Mamdouh Al-Muhaini, general manager of Al Arabiya and Al Hadath, accepted the Excellence in the Media Industry Award.

The Excellence in Media Award went to Nadim Koteich, general manager of Sky News Arabia, International Media Investments, to recognize his commitment to excellence and his impact on the media landscape over the past two decades.

Palestinian journalist Heba Akila, best known for her coverage of the Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip, was recognized for her Courage in Journalism.

Anas Bukhash, entrepreneur and podcast presenter of ABTalks, accepted the Content Development Award from award-winning international journalist Hadley Gamble and Bahraini business pioneer Akram Miknas, who heads Promoseven Holdings.

Award-winning investigative journalist and television host at France 2, Elise Lucet, received the Engaged Journalist Award, presented by Nobel laureate Ouidad Bouchamaoui and Lebanese Member of Parliament Ghassan Hasbani.

The Outstanding Media Performance Award was presented to American journalist and war reporter Ben Wedeman, CNN’s Beirut-based senior international correspondent.

Founded by journalist and former Lebanese Minister for Administrative Development May Chidiac, the foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to research and development in the fields of media, international affairs, women’s rights, democracy and social welfare, among others, with the aim of establishing Lebanon as a proactive player in the Middle East and global economy.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Alamuddin received the Antoine Choueiri Special Tribute for Lifetime Achievement at the MCF Awards ceremony in Dubai. (MCF/Instagram)

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LEBANON