An Urdu speaking parrot in Britain
London: A parrot in Britain has learnt to speak in English and Urdu as well after the bird’s owner trained him to utter Islamic phrases.
Two-year-old African grey Mittu can say the traditional Muslim greeting ‘Asalaam Alaykum’ and speak other religious passages meaning in the name of Allah, as well as the more customary “who’s a pretty boy?”, Daily Mail reported.
According to Mittu’s owner Ghaffar Ahmed, his beloved bird can say “come here”, “hello, how are you?” in Urdu along with other religious words.
“He (the parrot) speaks Urdu and English. I don’t know how many bilingual birds there are in the Britain but there can’t be many,” says Ahmed, 36.
“My in-laws live in Bradford and a family, who they know, were looking to re-home the parrot as he was becoming too much of a handful.
“They wanted him to go to a home that spoke the same language, so we said we’d have him on board and ever since then he has become part of the family.
“He says a few words including ‘Asalaam Alaykum’, ‘Bismillah’, which means – in the name of Allah – and ‘Shabaash’ – which means well done,” he said.
Ahmed tells Mitto likes making all sorts of noises, as this bilingual bird can bark like a dog and make the noise of the refrigerator alarm! (IANS)
US woman faces jail for begging friends to stab her
London: A drunk US woman who begged her friends to stab her to avoid a probation hearing faces up to five years in jail, a media report said.
Jessalyn Stierwalt, 21, from Nebraska, US, allegedly asked two friends to knife her in the stomach and arm, The Star newspaper reported Saturday.
She said she had told the men to wound her so she could dodge a probation meeting the following day, because she needed time to “sober up”, according to the report.
If convicted, Stierwalt could be sentenced to five years in prison. (IANS)
UAE breeds world’s first Arabian cobra
Sharjah: The UAE emirate of Sharjah has bred the world’s first Arabian cobra in captivity, it was announced Sunday.
Nineteen eggs of a cobra were placed by researchers in an incubator at the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife (BCEAW). After 59 days, 16 of them hatched.
With up to two metres long, the cobra is one of the largest venomous snakes in Arabia and is found in the highlands of Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman.
BCEAW’s key job is to breed endangered wildlife, and the centre also serves as a base for research on mammals, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrate species in the Arabian Peninsula. (IANS)
High street offers £310 anti-ageing secret for £9.99
London: High street stores are offering anti-ageing creams shared only by the well-off women at affordable prices.
Three creams containing the key ingredient, as in the high-priced range, went on sale in Superdrug and start from just 9.99 pounds rather than a staggering 310 pounds at Harrods.
The Optimum range – an eye cream, a night cream and a day cream – use an ingredient based on stem cells from the Gamay Teinturier Freaux grape, found in the French region of Burgundy.
The grapes are known for having a high UV resistance and have been shown to protect against sun-induced skin ageing.
The creams’ key ingredient, PhytoCellTec Solar Vitis, is based on the grapes’ stem cells.
In human skin, stem cells are responsible for creating new cells and rejuvenating ones, which are damaged.
As the skin ages, the number of stem cells declines and they become less efficient at repairing the skin.
But scientists have found that plant stem cells work in a similar way to those in humans, and can help the way skin stem cells regenerate.
Developers say effects, such as the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, can be expected within four weeks.
The creams are cheaper in Superdrug than Harrods as it has chosen lower cost ingredients and cheaper packaging.
“The choice to fight wrinkles should not be the preserve of wealthy women who can make it their full-time job, or women who think nothing of spending 200 pounds on a tiny jar of magic elixir,” the Daily Mail quoted Andrew Groom, the company’s own-brand director, as saying. (ANI)
‘Useless’ dad to father 15th child with 13th lover!
London: A ‘useless’ father in Britain is all set to become a dad again – his 13th lover is due to give birth to his 15th child in November.
Jobless Jamie Cumming’s own mother is now so sick of his philandering ways that she has pleaded with him to stop having babies and start taking responsibility for his actions.
Lorraine, 55, said her son needs to find a job before his 19-year-old girlfriend gives birth so he can start paying maintenance rather than let each mother claim benefits.
Lorraine has branded her son as ‘useless’ and said he needs to try to be a decent parent to all his other children before having more.
“I love Jamie and I love all of my grandchildren. But enough it enough. It is time for my son to stop fathering babies and start being a father,” the Daily Mail quoted embarrassed Lorraine as telling The People.
Cumming, from Dundee, has had numerous jobs and has been a barman and a security guard in the past but has never been able to hold down a job. (ANI)
200-year-old Ka’aba shroud goes on display
Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has brought a 200-year-old Kiswah, the shroud that covers the Ka’aba in Mecca, to the country to mark the holy month of Ramadan this year, it was announced Sunday.
The Kiswah, one of the most sacred Islamic artefacts, is open to public viewing at the dome in the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi this month.
Muslim pilgrims from across the globe visit Mecca in Saudi Arabia during Hajj.
Tirad Mahmoud, CEO of ADIB, said: “It is a great honour to be able to present this Kiswah to people of the UAE. We are delighted to serve our community during the holy month and allow them to view a piece of our history.”
This initiative aims to educate the UAE community about Islamic art and showcases Islamic history.
The displayed Kiswah was commissioned by Sultan Selim III (1789-1807 AD), in the Hijri year 1219 (1804-05 AD), and is historically important as it is the last Kiswah to be produced in the colourful and rich design of the imperial Ottoman Turks before a conservative style was adopted.
Muslims began draping the Ka’aba, the holiest site among the Muslims, in the 9th Hijri year (630 AD). This continues to date with the Kiswah being replaced every year.
It was customary to change the Kiswa, Hizam, and Burqa annually on the 25th of the month of Dhu’l Qa’da.
The plain black cloth was cut up in pieces and given as presents to dignitaries performing the annual pilgrimage. (IANS)