Power teenage authors Yamuna Hasan and Ayesha Hasan win best international author award
On May 17, teenage sensational authors Ayesha Hasan and Yamuna Hasan made history by winning Best International Author Award at the Gulf Achievers Awards 2025.
The Best International Author Award at the Gulf Achievers Awards 2025 showcased the bestselling tremor that rocked regions and all known platforms. Ayesha and Yamuna Hasan's The Art of Miracles conveyed something that penetrates deep within the trenches of one's heart and soul, and consequently built the foundation for inexplicable upliftment even when faced with tumultuous strife or harrowing happenstances.
Remarkably, from CEOs and literary elites to designers, founders, and global investors—practically every major figure in the building understood one fact—Ayesha and Yamuna are now part of an elite class of esteemed creatives who are out to make a beautiful revolutionary change.
The Art of Miracles continues to dominate conversations across age groups, and generations as it instigates reflection without the usual preachiness common to other self-help manuscripts. Theirs is relatable, realistic, with a touch of heartfelt motivation which inspires natural, perhaps voluntary metanoia — distinctly an Ayesha-Yamuna after-effect. And with that, both the book and the sisters are worthy of this adulation. Expect to see more groundbreaking achievements from these two young talents.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Being Muskaan Events hosts Mrs/Miss UAE International 2025, Gulf Achievers Awards
Being Muskaan Events once again captivated audiences with a spectacular celebration of grace, talent, and empowerment, as they hosted the Mrs/Miss UAE International 2025 pageant and the Gulf Achievers Awards 2025 in Dubai recently. Founded by the dynamic Meena Asrani (Muskaan) and co-founded by Anil Asrani, the event stood out as a beacon of inspiration — not merely a runway show, but a platform that honours women as role models, not just ramp models. It was a powerful tribute to strength, resilience, and the outstanding achievements of women from all walks of life. The event attracted an overwhelming response with over 1,000 entries, from which eight finalists were chosen to compete for the Miss UAE International title and 11 for the Mrs UAE International crown. Held in Dubai, the finale was judged by an esteemed panel of industry experts including Sona Malek, co-founder of Spectrum; Abdullah Darbar and Abdul Qureshi of – a renowned brand for contemporary footwear and fashion accessories; RJ Tayyab Arshamaan; Shaharyar Bashir Alam, CEO and founder of Next Generation Immigration; Mohammed Shaheed, founder of Underground Dance World; professor Adil Matin, president of WeTel TV; and fashion personality Mannoj Shetty. The runway came alive with spectacular fashion showcases by some of the UAE's top designers including FYOR, Iris Rose Fashion, Suchita Pandey, Golden Apple, Sabi's, and Rita Fashion. In the Mrs category, Mariya Saifee was crowned Mrs UAE International 2025, with Dr Sazina Khan and Hema Sikarwar being named first and second runners-up respectively. In the Miss category, Unnati Agarwal emerged as Miss UAE International 2025, while Ana Malik and Namya Shah secured the positions of first and second runners-up. The celebrations continued with the felicitation of Gulf Achievers Award winners, recognising individuals who have made significant contributions across diverse sectors in the region. For the latest updates and highlights, follow @beingmuskaanevents on Instagram.

The National
5 days ago
- The National
Acrobatic spinner dolphin found in Arabian Gulf waters inspires sculpture on show at Christie's Dubai
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Zahra Ebrahimi Behfar, who goes by Saghi, spent her days walking along the shores and swimming among the mangroves of Qeshm, an Iran-governed island in the northern Gulf. 'I would encounter aluminium cans scattered across the sand or floating in the sea,' she tells The National. This is what inspired her latest work, Spinning Dolphin Stool, a sculptural seat made from recycled cans, which will be on show from Wednesday at Christie's Dubai. 'The process began long before the physical work took shape,' says Behfar, who is an interior designer and creative partner at Element Curations, an art consultancy with services in Italy and the UAE, where she now lives. She started by collecting the cans herself while out on her walks and swims, but soon the community joined in. 'People began saving cans for me,' she says. 'I knew from the beginning I wanted to create a collection inspired by the anatomy, movement and spirit of marine creatures.' The act of collecting was her way of turning passive observation into active engagement. She saw each dive, each piece of trash removed from the ocean, as a 'small act of reciprocity in the greater cycle of the ecosystem'. A reminder that each of us has agency to protect the world around us. Spinning Dolphin Stool is inspired by the spinner dolphin, a species known for its acrobatic spins above the water. Behfar created it by 3D-printing the form using recycled plastic to design a prototype. She then made a mould from that model, which was used to cast the final version in recycled aluminium. 'Every step was intentionally chosen to reduce environmental impact while honouring the material's origin – waste transformed into a vessel of awareness,' says Behfar. It is one of six pieces in a collection inspired by the Gulf's native marine life, including the hammerhead and blacktip sharks, and the humpback whale. 'Each creature represents a part of our shared ecosystem and our forgotten connection to it,' she says. This desire to emphasise our link to our environment, as well as our collective human responsibility to preserve it, underpins the pieces. While the series is not yet fully realised, Behfar is hoping to bring the pieces in conversation with each other in a gallery or public space soon. 'The Gulf, in particular, has always been a platform for life. People would sail to trade goods like spices, dates and fabrics. They dived for pearls. They went fishing to feed their families. These waters connected distant cultures and economies – they were a lifeline. The spinner dolphins are part of that same ecosystem.' It's a step away from the artist's usual oeuvre, which has always been steeped in community research, but was less personal and transformative. Her work is informed by the layers of culture, nature and history, inspired by 'unheard voices and forgotten stories that have quietly shaped our present'. Yet this latest project emerged not only from research, but also her own lived experience. 'The connection I formed with the sea and the mangrove forests during the quiet of the pandemic was not just inspiring, it was transformative,' she says. 'Every morning I woke up thinking: 'How can I give something back?'' In-depth research into each species and the marine environment at large was still integral to her creative process. Now she hopes to take this further as she develops the collection by working with UAE organisations that focus on the country's environmental, cultural and ecological landscapes. 'What I feel most urgently is the need to slow down and go deeper,' she adds. 'To research more about our environmental and cultural heritage, to listen to the stories that live in the landscape, in the sea, and in the people who've been shaped by both.' Ultimately, Spinning Dolphin Stool is not about a dolphin or a stool, adds Behfar. 'It's about the sea that has always carried our stories, our food, our dreams and our futures. The Gulf has long been a living bridge between people, languages and histories, and I want viewers to feel how much we owe to it, and how fragile that connection has become.' Other pieces include Humpback Whale, which has been designed as bench. Behfar envisions it will sit along the UAE coastline, allowing people to take a seat as they look out at the Arabian Gulf, 'not only to offer a place of rest, but also to carry the weight of the story'. Blacktip Shark, meanwhile, is a public light sculpture that blends form and function. 'Inspired by the shores of the Gulf, it's designed to live in harmony with the land that shaped it, serving as a reminder of how deeply our urban lives are connected to nature, even in the most everyday things.' In this way, all artists should start to see their individual practices as part of a larger ecosystem, she believes. 'We are now at a critical threshold. If we don't act, if we don't tell these stories, protect these spaces or offer something back to the future, there may not be much left to pass on.'


Khaleej Times
6 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Xbox unveils ROG Ally handhelds and 'Black Ops 7' at Games Showcase 2025
At the 2025 Xbox Games Showcase, Microsoft made one thing crystal clear: the future of gaming is about you. With an ambitious lineup of first-party titles, groundbreaking hardware reveals, and a renewed focus on cross-platform accessibility, the showcase delivered a future-forward vision. But two highlights rose above the rest—the introduction of the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds and the world premiere of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Xbox is stepping into the handheld arena—boldly. Teaming up with ASUS, Microsoft unveiled the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, two new devices that bring Xbox's expansive gaming ecosystem into the palm of your hand. Set to launch during the 2025 holiday season in select markets, the handhelds are designed to combine the freedom of Windows with the power of Xbox gaming. What makes the Xbox Ally series a game-changer isn't just mobility. It's that every title shown at the showcase—including AAA blockbusters and indie darlings—will run on Xbox Ally. The devices also support Xbox Play Anywhere, allowing seamless transitions between console, PC, and handheld with cross-save and cross-achievement support. Even better? The Xbox Ally will support libraries from Xbox, and other major PC storefronts, making it one of the most versatile gaming handhelds to date. Pricing and pre-order details are expected in the coming months. One of the most jaw-dropping moments of the showcase was the reveal of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7—a direct sequel that continues the psychological warfare-heavy narrative thread woven through Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6. Set in 2035, Black Ops 7 plunges players into a fractured world teetering on the edge of total collapse. A new villain manipulates not only world powers but minds themselves—weaponizing fear and chaos in terrifying new ways. Fans of the franchise can expect a deeper dive into the Mason family legacy, with David Mason leading the charge in this narrative-driven campaign. But the real innovation lies in the Co-op Campaign—a first for the series—which allows players to team up through the story, adding fresh depth to Black Ops' already legendary storytelling. Alongside that comes a multiplayer suite with near-future tech, brand-new maps, and the return of Round-Based Zombies, now set in the eerie heart of the Dark Aether. While the full gameplay reveal is coming later this summer, this teaser has already set the internet ablaze. Xbox, Anywhere and Everywhere Every game at the showcase—from The Outer Worlds 2 and Gears of War: Reloaded to indie follow-ups like Super Meat Boy 3D and High on Life 2 —is part of the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative. Buy once, play across Xbox consoles, PC, and the new Xbox Ally family, with your progress intact. It's a unified ecosystem aimed at breaking barriers and putting games in your hands—literally. And while Xbox's 25th anniversary in 2026 looms large, promising Fable, Forza, Gears of War: E-Day, and 'the return of a classic that's been with us since the beginning,' 2025 is already looking like one of Xbox's most transformative years yet. Between the promise of mobile-grade freedom, console-grade performance, and genre-defining franchises like Black Ops embracing bold, new ideas, Xbox has drawn the blueprint for the future of gaming—and it's one you can carry in your backpack. The message is clear: wherever you are, Xbox is ready to play.