Lifestyle
QATAR: Holiday-makers head to ‘now affordable’ Europe
Holiday-makers from Qatar are heading to destinations in Europe, making use of the present economic frost sweeping across the euro zone countries, tourism industry experts have observed. Qatari nationals and Asians, mostly Indians and Sri Lankans, form the bulk of customers who are still very willing to travel to Europe, especially eastern and central Europe, taking the advantage of fall in prices in those countries. Other nationalities, comprising Lebanese, Egyptians and South Africans, also favour holiday destinations in Europe, particularly the UK and Amsterdam, due to shared cultural history. Also, due to political imbroglio in some Arab countries, destinations like Mauritius, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia are gaining more popularity as holiday hot spots for another segment of travellers from Qatar and the rest of the Middle East.
Filed Under: Travel
UNITED KINGDOM: UK agency warns about 'Zam Zam' water on sale
The government's Food Standard s Agency (FSA) in Britain has advised Muslims that they should consider avoiding drinking bottled water described or labelled as Zam Zam water. The agency says scientific tests have found that 'Zam Zam' water sold in the UK, or brought into the UK for personal consumption, may contain high levels of arsenic or nitrates. Tests carried out on water described as Zam Zam in the UK over the past few years, including water brought into the country for personal consumption, have indicated the presence of arsenic at almost three times the legal limit, it says. The warning has come anew after similar warning by the authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that confiscated "fake bottles" labelled as Zam Zam water earlier this year, according to several media reports.
MALAYSIA: KFC or Quarter Chicken with Black Pepper Sauce, another first from KFC
For the very first time KFC restaurants in Malaysia are now serving a whole chicken leg, with the thigh and drumstick joined together, called KFC OR Quarter Chicken with Black Pepper Sauce. It is a freshly prepared juicy whole chicken leg, well seasoned with the KFC’s Original Recipe, pressure cooked to perfection and served with a generous portion of black pepper sauce poured over the whole chicken leg. A combo meal comes together with one butterscotch bun, one serving of corn kernels and one regular carbonated drink with an option to upgrade to a regular Tropicana Twister Blackcurrant for free. Priced at RM10.90 only at Klang Valley, KFC OR Quarter Chicken is now available at all KFC restaurants in the country for a limited period of two months only.
Filed Under: Food
UNITED KINGDOM: Legacy of a society that believes in nothing
Raw with grief, in a voice steady but tight with emotion, his appeal for calm on Wednesday was a beacon of hope amid the tumult and carnage of a horribly dark week for Britain. Hours before he spoke, Tariq Jahan had lost his 21-year-old son Haroon, murdered in the Winson Green area of Birmingham by thugs who drove at him in their car in what appears to have been a racist attack. No one could be more aware of the simmering racial tensions between Asians in his neighbourhood and those of Caribbean ancestry. Yet Mr Jahan had the dignity, the compassion and the common sense to demand an end to the violence that had shattered his life. ‘Blacks, Asians, whites — we all live in the same community,’ he said. ‘Why do we have to kill one another? Why are we doing this? Step forward if you want to lose your sons. Otherwise, calm down and go home — please.’
INDONESIA: Pilgrims uninformed about disease risk
Many Indonesians who travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the hajj pilgrimage are not aware that they are required to be vaccinated against Meningococcal Meningitis prior to their departure, the government says. The Health Ministry’s head of disease control and environmental health, Tjandra Yoga Aditama, said that many Indonesians, who travelled to Saudi Arabia on the minor hajj pilgrimage, or umrah, or as migrant workers, did not know about the government regulation, due to a lack of information and education about the disease.
AUSTRALIA: Eagle Boys franchisees serve up Halal-accredited menu
Catering for customer preferences has paid off for Eagle Boys Pizza franchisees Mustafa and Farah Rizvi whose Bexley store has become the first in any of the top three pizza chains in Australia to receive Halal-accreditation. "Roughly 70 percent of our store's demographic are people who would like to consume meat, but have been prevented because of Halal food laws," Farah said. "With Halal accreditation, Eagle Boys Bexley can now provide for the taste buds of all our loyal customers and offer more variety to a greater demographic of pizza lovers," she said. To gain accreditation, the store had to meet an 11 point checklist from the Halal Certification Authority Australia covering store suppliers and procedures. Items on a Halal menu use ingredients processed in a way that complies with the religious practices and standards of Islamic law. As part of the move, the Rizvi's have coloured pizza pans, lids, blades, chopping boards and measuring cups to differentiate the equipment.
Filed Under: Restaurant
MALAYSIA: Iranian glorious Quranic art show opens in Malaysia
The Iranian glorious Quranic art show centring on the Holy month of Ramadan opened last Sunday at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). Rare copies of calligraphy inscription of the Quran, as well as translations of the Quran in 50 different languages are on display at the 10-day long exhibition, the Persian service of IRNA reported. A beautiful Quranic carpet book comprised of 76 two-sided leaves of 70x45 centimetres is among the exhibit’s highlights.
Filed Under: Art
U.S.A: Muslim women shop for modest clothing in steamy summer
On the sweltering August streets of metropolitan Washington, sandals, short skirts and halter tops are seemingly de rigueur. Bare-legged women in the summer’s latest chiffon miniskirts crowd the Metro platform during rush hour. Yet not all women in the area are baring their arms and legs in the heat. The Washington area’s diverse population includes Muslim women who follow the rules of Islam in their clothing choices, no matter how high temperatures soar. Many cover their arms, legs and neck in all seasons, and many cover their hair with a headscarf, or hijab. U.S. Muslims number about 2.4 million (estimates vary), with about 250,000 in the Washington area, but no major fashion retail chain markets directly to Muslim women. As a result, many struggle to shop locally. Bridging the gap for the “modest” or “Islamic” market are online vendors of Muslim-style and modest clothing, offering specialized designs in swimwear, sportswear and professional clothing. Previously, such items were available only from overseas Web sites and specialty stores.
Filed Under: Fashion
VIETNAM: Malaysia's Halal@Saigon Wins Its Third Award in Vietnam
Malaysian-owned Halal restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, Halal@Saigon, has won its third The Guide Award in less than three years of operations in the economic centre and most populous metropolitan of Vietnam. The Guide Award from Vietnam Economic Times honours outstanding entrepreneurs in tourism and service sectors in Vietnam, and Halal@Saigon has been receiving the award for various categories since its started operations, said its founder, Dr M. Shimi Sumathi. For 2010-2011, the restaurant won for "Marvellous food served in a clean Halal atmosphere by polite and understanding staff," she said.
Filed Under: Restaurant
London’s historic connections to Islam
Last month as part of the Shubbak Festival Professor Jack Lohman, director of the Museum of London, gave a talk on London’s historical connections to the Arab world. A good bulk of the talk, however, went into the history of the Muslim presence in this city. Now, at the beginning of Ramadan, it is great to see the vibrancy that that history has led to. Lohman’s talk started with the concern that Arabs’ history in London is actually rather elusive, and ended with the request that anyone with any information or artefacts about the Arab history of London share them with the museum. Although short, the talk brought up findings spanning from archaeological studies to more modern urban histories, originating along the lines of migration and trade between London and the Arab world.