When two embankments collapsed at the dam of a silver refinery in the Turkish province of Kütahya, workers began scrambling to keep the cyanide-contaminated water from leaking out of the dam. If it does, environmentalists warn, the accident could become “the most dangerous environmental crisis Turkey has faced thus far.” A silver mining and refining […]
Every culture seems to have its ghee. This is smen, clarified butter from Morocco. It gives a flavor to all your food.
UNICEF in this news piece has announced that although a number of countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have made considerable progress towards improving the health of mothers and children, disparities within these countries persist, making this progress inequitable. “The health and well-being of mothers and children is often determined not […]
Apart from the frigid air-conditioned buildings, there is another reason to ditch the little black dress when in Dubai. No one loves the ugly American who criticizes smaller French portions, the evangelist who pushes their unchecked religious euphoria down everyone’s throat, or the girls who walk around half naked in Dubai. Although there exists enormous […]
The three winners from the Middle East/MENA region are Tunisia, Bahrain and Qatar in new survey on tourism trends. The recently released 2011 “Travel and Tourism Competitiveness”report by the World Economic Forum, in co-operation with Booz & Company, reveals some interesting dynamics in the global tourism industry, including a shift to the East, with Central and […]
Want to attract Muslim readers and help them switch to a green way of life? Well, here’s how. A couple more weeks of blogging will make it a full year since I joined the Green Prophet team writing on Eco-Islam. I’ve enjoyed every moment of it and learnt a lot about writing green blogs for […]
A multi-level tomb in Tiberias, Israel, shows how one space may house the remains of several family members. In Judaism, respectful care of human remains entails burial of the whole body – discussed in our previous post. Islam’s funeral requirements are almost identical. (See Zaufishan’s post on Moslem conventional and sea burial.) Use of land […]
Tanning beds are NOT the way to get your Vitamin D fix. Last year, the Israeli Ministry of Health issued a statement that tanning beds are as hazardous to your health as sunbathing. “In light of the accumulating knowledge on the rise of skin cancer – including malignant melanoma – the ministry is warning the […]
That cappucino may not put a smile on your face if you are at risk for a stroke. A new study from The Netherlands suggests that having sex and drinking coffee can temporarily raise your risks of strokes or brain aneurysms. Several triggers were identified in the study published by the American Heart Association including […]
Life wouldn’t be interesting without a few spy characters. Sunday Times reporters go undercover to root out Fifa corruption. This is not the first time that two African Fifa committee members have sold their votes. Sunday Times undercover reporters learned from Ismail Bhamjee, a former Fifa executive committee member, that Cameroon and the Ivory Coast […]
Yaniv’s surprisingly colorful dolls are made solely from scraps of newspaper (and no paint!). Israeli artist Liat Yaniv‘s creativity – like that of many before here – was fueled by a shortage of materials and resources. When she was an art student in Denmark she had limited funds, and so she began to find ways […]
Despite its numerous environmental challenges, Egypt can go green, according to Dominique Gauzin-Müller. It’s hard not to compare Dubai and Cairo – two cities that occupy many of our worried green thoughts. Although different on so many levels, one thing stands out: despite being relatively young and stroppy, Dubai is definitely the cleaner city. Sure, […]
We pay for barbecued meat with our health Every year the air pollution rises steeply during Israel’s Independence Day, where even people with vegetarian (or vegaware) leanings have a sudden urge to fry ground beef “kebabs” on the mini BBQ grill sold at minimarkets and basically tossed out after use. But the effects of man’s […]
Tafline in Dubai shark market: “Sharks piled up in the back of a truck along with a spade and rebar.” The locals are proud to pose with their dead sharks, rays, and barracudas. Many of them will even open the shark’s mouth for dramatic effect. “Picture, picture,” they said repeatedly as Jacques Van Wyk, a […]
A body is prepared for a “full sea burial”. Note iron weights alongside the remains. Following the killing of Al Qaeda leader Usama bin Ladin and his burial at sea, Green Prophet’s Zaufishan asks Can Muslims Be Buried At Sea? The question I am asking is whether the bin Laden’s burial at sea was as […]