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

Lebanese Prof. Niveen Mohammad Ali Khashab. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Lebanese Prof. Niveen Mohammad Ali Khashab. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Lebanese Prof. Niveen Khashab Wins Great Arab Minds Award in Natural Sciences

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

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.

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Varieties

Gaza Documentary 'NAZA' to be Available Online Free

Directors Yuval Abraham, left, and Rachel Szor pose for photographers at the photo call for the film "NAZA" during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)
Directors Yuval Abraham, left, and Rachel Szor pose for photographers at the photo call for the film "NAZA" during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)
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Gaza Documentary 'NAZA' to be Available Online Free

Directors Yuval Abraham, left, and Rachel Szor pose for photographers at the photo call for the film "NAZA" during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)
Directors Yuval Abraham, left, and Rachel Szor pose for photographers at the photo call for the film "NAZA" during the 83rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. (AP)

Israeli director Yuval Abraham said Thursday that his documentary "NAZA", which won an award at the Venice Film Festival and has faced fierce backlash at home, will be made available online for free in November.

The film is based on testimony from 24 anonymous Israeli military whistleblowers who accuse the army of widespread killing of civilians in Gaza with the use of AI-powered targeting systems.

In a message posted on X also on behalf of co-director Rachel Szor, Abraham said that he wanted to make the film accessible to as many people as possible to allow the "truth to emerge."

"I made this film to spark a public debate about the government's actions in Gaza, the killing of more than 73,000 people, most of them civilians, and the normalization of a war of annihilation," the filmmaker wrote, AFP reported.

"NAZA" takes its name from the Israeli military term for civilian casualties expected in airstrikes, an abbreviated form of the Hebrew phrase for "collateral damage".

The film has triggered strong reactions in Israel. Culture Minister Miki Zohar requested that authorities consider revoking the citizenship of the two filmmakers on account of "treason", while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described it as "shocking".

Shortly after the documentary was screened in Venice, a crowd of protestors marched to Szor's parents' home two nights in a row, calling on authorities to "expel the traitors".

The Israeli military, for its part, has "categorically rejected" the allegations, stressing that the anonymity of those interviewed and the absence of locations or dates made any verification impossible.

It reiterated that decisions on strikes are made by humans and that significant efforts are made to protect civilians.

Abraham said he believed his film had "cracked the screen of indifference" in Israel despite a "high personal cost", adding that he and Rachel Szor would return to Israel to "continue fighting" for the country's future.

Launched in retaliation for the deadly attacks carried out by Hamas on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023, Israel's military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 people, according to the health ministry in the territory controlled by the Islamist movement, whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.

Varieties

Saudi Flag Flies High in Makkah for National Day

Flying the flag at such a height underscores its national significance and the values of monotheism - SPA
Flying the flag at such a height underscores its national significance and the values of monotheism - SPA
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Saudi Flag Flies High in Makkah for National Day

Flying the flag at such a height underscores its national significance and the values of monotheism - SPA
Flying the flag at such a height underscores its national significance and the values of monotheism - SPA

The Saudi flag was raised high in Makkah to celebrate the National Day, reflecting dignity, pride, and honor, and serving as a symbol of the Saudi state's unity and sovereignty.

Located on Prince Mohammed bin Salman Road, the flagpole is one of Makkah's most prominent national landmarks.

Standing more than 80 meters tall, it is among the city's tallest flagpoles, with the flag visible from afar at one of its main gateways, according to SPA.

Flying the flag at such a height underscores its national significance and the values of monotheism, justice, and strength it represents, while reflecting a deep sense of belonging and loyalty to the nation and its leadership.

Varieties

India Takes Battle Against Junk Food to Shops Near Schools

A schoolchild inside a grocery shop in Cuttack, Odisha, India, September 18, 2026. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh
A schoolchild inside a grocery shop in Cuttack, Odisha, India, September 18, 2026. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh
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India Takes Battle Against Junk Food to Shops Near Schools

A schoolchild inside a grocery shop in Cuttack, Odisha, India, September 18, 2026. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh
A schoolchild inside a grocery shop in Cuttack, Odisha, India, September 18, 2026. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh

India is moving closer to new regulations to restrict the sale of foods high in fat and sugar within a 50-meter radius of schools, the latest proposal to cut the consumption of junk food in a country battling growing rates of obesity, especially among children.

The rule would impact family-run stores, restaurants and food stands selling everything from sugary soft drinks and salty chips to greasy samosas and fatty pizzas or burgers close to India's 1.5 million schools.

It could prove another hurdle for multinationals such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Mondelez and Nestle, which already face proposed rules to put red warning labels on products high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS), bringing India into line with markets such as Chile and Mexico that have tougher food safety regulations.

Some Indian businesses and grocery shop owners near schools are already fretting. In Bhubaneswar city in eastern India, a dozen shopkeepers said sales could drop by a third or more, Reuters reported.

At one shop, 15-year-old Priyanshu Palei bought two packets of PepsiCo's popular Uncle Chipps, stuffing them into his backpack on the way to class. "I will have these during recess," he said, preferring them over his mother's packed lunch of rice and lentil stew.

That's the habit India wants to ⁠break.

Rajit Punhani, the ⁠chief executive of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, which is driving the changes, said the "safe food" schools plan aimed to steer children away from unhealthy habits early on.

"We have to discourage children from having these. We have to inculcate this habit," he told Reuters. "It will not have an impact on businesses in a major way. Shop owners can sell non-HFSS foods," he added, saying regulations are aimed at nudging companies to reformulate recipes.

Packets of chips and snacks hang at a grocery shop in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, September 17, 2026. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh

There is no fixed timeline for the law, first proposed in 2020. Amid a nationwide food safety crackdown, the authority in August published thresholds for fat, salt and sugar content that would trigger restrictions on sales near and inside schools, inviting public feedback until October 6.

In recent years, products ranging from Lay's chips to Cadbury chocolates and Maggi noodles have ⁠grown in popularity. Some Indians with lower incomes view buying foreign brands as a mark of an improving lifestyle, while also being drawn by cheap prices. In 2023, Domino's launched its cheapest pizza in the world in India, selling for just 49 rupees (50 US cents).

As diets changed, the number of Indian children aged 5-19 deemed overweight or obese has also climbed. From 28 million in 2015, it surged nearly 50% to 41 million by 2025 and will touch 56 million by 2040, World Obesity Federation data shows.

While India's federal law aims to block near-school shops from selling and advertising HFSS products only to schoolchildren, the western state of Maharashtra, home to Mumbai, has taken a stricter approach - no shop within 50 meters of schools can carry such products, state food safety commissioner Tukaram Mundhe told Reuters.

"There will be hundreds of such shops near schools. How will one regulate if they are selling to schoolchildren or not? Shops cannot stock these items," said Mundhe.

State data accessed by Reuters showed inspectors have so far found violations at 133 shops within 50 meters of schools, and ordered 51 to discontinue their business.

The Confederation of Indian Food Trade and Industry is concerned, saying compliance would be difficult as many schools are close to congested ⁠markets serving the general public, according to ⁠its confidential draft submission made to respond to the proposal, and reviewed by Reuters. The trade group did not respond to queries.

The law can cause "loss of business and livelihood," the document said, arguing restrictions should only apply inside schools.

Asked about the schools proposal, PepsiCo, which owns Lay's, referred Reuters to its global policy which limits what products it allows to be sold in schools. Nestle, which makes Maggi noodles, said it follows its global policy which only allows the sale in primary and secondary schools of products that meet specific nutrition criteria.

Coca-Cola and Mondelez, owner of Cadbury, did not respond to Reuters queries.

Rahul Khanna, a food regulations specialist at Indian law firm RAKLaw, said there was a "wave of concern" among his firm's clients, especially confectionery makers for whom children are an "important consumer segment". He did not name the clients.

Schoolchildren stand at the front of a grocery shop in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, September 18, 2026. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh

Around the world, five countries have proposed or implemented sale restrictions around schools, while 48 have restricted junk food sales inside schools, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina.

In 2016, Chile imposed new rules on warning labels and prohibited the sale and promotion of junk food in schools. A Lancet study this year said that 18 months of exposure to the law saw a 2.85% lower probability of excess weight among girls, and 2.4% among boys.

The law also pushed manufacturers to reformulate recipes of many products in Chile.

"If the law were ineffective and consumers did not change their behavior, producers would not push back," said Guillermo Paraje, a professor at Adolfo Ibáñez Business School in Chile.

"They know the law will make them reformulate as much as they can."