Bella Hadid walks the runway at the Fendi show during Milan Fashion Week on February 23, 2017. Jacopo Raule / Getty Images
Bella Hadid walks the runway at the Fendi show during Milan Fashion Week on February 23, 2017. Jacopo Raule / Getty Images

US model Bella Hadid says she’s ‘proud to be Muslim’



NEW YORK // US model Bella Hadid has spoken out against president Donald Trump’s attempted travel bans, saying she is proud to be a Muslim and the daughter of a refugee.

Twenty-year-old Hadid is one of the most photographed and in-demand models of the moment, dominating the catwalks of the fall/winter 2017 fashion season in New York and Europe.

She is the younger daughter of Palestinian-American real estate developer Mohamed Hadid, who emigrated to the United States when he was a teenager, and Dutch-born model Yolanda Hadid.

Her older sister, Gigi, is a supermodel while their younger brother, Anwar, is also a model.

"My dad was a refugee when he first came to America, so it's actually very close to home for my sister and brother and me," Bella Hadid told fashion magazine Porter of Mr Trump's attempted travel bans.

“He was always religious, and he always prayed with us. I am proud to be a Muslim.”

Her father was born in Nazareth in 1948, and lived in the Middle East before moving to the US.

In January, the Hadid sisters marched against Mr Trump’s first attempted travel ban, which sought to block travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries until it was slapped down by the judiciary.

They were photographed in New York carrying a poster that said “We are all Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Atheists, Christians, Jews”.

The Trump administration is appealing against the decision of a US federal judge to freeze a revised travel ban, which had been due to come into effect last month.

"I come from a really diverse background," Hadid told Elle magazine in February about her decision to take part in the march.

“We shouldn’t treat people as if they don’t deserve kindness just because of their ethnicities. It’s just not right.”

Hadid was recently interviewed by The National in Milan where she spoke about her work, health problems and her relationship with Gigi.

Gigi graced the cover of the first edition of Vogue Arabia last month, wearing a jewel-encrusted veil.

* Agence France-Presse

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
The Buckingham Murders

Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu

Director: Hansal Mehta

Rating: 4 / 5

if you go

The flights

Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes. 

The hotels

Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes. 

When to visit

March-May and September-November

Visas

Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.

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What is graphene?

Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.

It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.

It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.

It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.

Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.

The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.

Tips on buying property during a pandemic

Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.

While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.

While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar. 

Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.

Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities. 

Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong. 

Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

The specs

Price: From Dh529,000

Engine: 5-litre V8

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Power: 520hp

Torque: 625Nm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.8L/100km

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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation

- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut

- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.

- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.

- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.

 

If you go...

Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.

Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50