Associated Press For about a week my six-year-old son, Mark, was having a grand old time on Webkinz, one of several children s websites that have exploded in popularity in the last year or so. Then it dawned on him. His online pet, a gorilla named Ben, was playing games like Rock Paper Scissors and …

In typical stressful daily life, you can easily lose yourself in hectic responsibilities and forget about your health, fitness and inner peace. A specialized yoga center has recently opened its doors in Maadi to help you “attain well-being as their slogan reads. As you walk in, you are kindly asked to take your shoes off. …

Dramatic jump in trampoline-related injuries raises red flag for children’s safety They’re everywhere these days; in club playgrounds, at family restaurants, even in schools. Children can be seen bouncing ecstatically on the trampolines, some even daring a stunt or two. Parents willingly give in to their children’s pleas to bounce on the trampolines, hoping for …

Just as you relish in your summer warmth, you may be suddenly struck by a summer cold – its out of season ferocity will make you feel completely rundown. Besides taking vitamin C to help boost your immune system, try brewing up some Echinacea, an herb that helps relive the symptoms of the common cold. …

Associated Press Imagine looking at Leonardo da Vinci s heart sketch while listening to Hank Williams Your Cheatin Heart, or viewing a sculpture of an HIV-positive woman in a cast made from wax laced with the retroviral drugs she took to stay alive. If you’re traveling to London this summer, then stop by the city’s …

It’s a catwalk out there. Summer is upon us and everyone’s been flocking to the North Coast. Whether it’s Hacienda, Diplomatic Village or another popular beach resort, girls can be seen strutting around in the latest swimwear, so read this to be sure you’re not behind the times. Summer 2007’s hottest beach trends is shock …

Reuters It took Apple Inc. more than six months to build the iPhone but curious gadget fanatics needed only minutes to tear one apart. Within hours of the first iPhones going on sale on Friday in the US, enthusiasts scrambled to be the first to discover what makes the devices tick, posting photos and videos …

It was with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that I waited outside the studio for my first ever kickboxing class. A little more than two months later and I am already a fan. I am not an expert yet by any means, but I can certainly see that my original weak attempt at a …

Parents of a newborn baby are usually excited when their family and friends start visiting, carrying stacks of shiny wrapped boxes. But once the wrapping paper comes off, their excitement is overshadowed by the realization that most of their loved ones came bearing similar gifts. New moms and dads receive the likes of clothes, bottles …

“Do you know that I saw a man in a niqab in Heliopolis yesterday? gasped Heba.”You saw what? asked Yasmine. This particular coffee talk session kicked off quite fast leaving me no time to think of actually ordering coffee. Nodding, Heba answered, “A man dressed in a niqab. He lifted the niqab to show some …

Fastest growing franchise of women’s fitness clubs reaches Cairo For women, going to the gym can be traumatic. Floor-to-ceiling mirrors reflect a heaving and huffing image, not to mention all those jiggly bits we are working so hard to get rid of. The unpleasantness is magnified when you catch a glimpse of yourself doing a …

Hot shades evoking the sunny south and rock/leather chic dominated Milan s fashion ramps Tuesday as Giorgio Armani and Dolce and Gabbana unveiled their men s lines for next summer. Armani s silhouettes were sleek and classic: clothes gently draping the body and bottomed off by elegant moccasins or slip-ons styled like Turkish slippers. Coats …

The long-anticipated reopening of what was once El-Gezirah Sheraton, now under the management of Sofitel, is finally over. The venue which used to be one of the hottest spots in Cairo is now ready to reestablish itself as a trendy place to see and be seen. Every detail of the new Sofitel El Gezirah has …

As Egypt hasn’t been exempt from the recent extreme weather fluctuations that have struck the globe, Egyptians are already flocking to the beach. I decided to follow suit and find a spot on the outskirts of Cairo to grab some respite from the heat wave, and possibly even some good conversation as people drop in …

Getting to know Egypt’s beauty king In April, Amr Samaha was crowned Mr. Egypt, at the pageant’s second year -organized by Face to Face agency, which ran the Miss Egypt pageants in the last nine years. “These pageants seek the winner that possesses fitness, charisma, personality and good looks, said the company statement – all …

Reuters People eat more when they are glued to the television, and the more entertaining the program, the more they eat, according to a recent research. It seems that distracted brains do not notice what the mouth is doing, said Dr. Alan Hirsch, neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in …

Ever thought of buying your wife or girlfriend a piece of jewelry just to show how much you care? For no reason in particular – no birthday, Valentine’s Day or wedding gift. Most men would not give the notion a second thought. It is entrenched in Egyptian culture that such an expensive present means that …

Candles and fire torches surround the pool, live music is in the air and couples or small groups of people sit enjoying the food. A light summer breeze makes the atmosphere perfect. For the summer season, the Four Seasons Nile Plaza vamped up their pool side menu, creating a fusion of Moroccan, Indian, Middle Eastern …

Mounaya Gallery has become a household name ever since the Zamalek venue opened about a year and a half ago. Owned by Ghada Abdel Hak-Khalife, the shop is a mesh of oriental and elegant funk. “The concept is that you work with a lot of artisans and designers and have everything either hand-embroidered, hand-finished or …

There are moments in life when all the noise stops, the pollution evaporates, the heat descends and Cairo becomes the most romantic place on earth. The sunset breeze hugs your face, the Nile glitters like a shiny crown and birds dance like perfect ballerinas to the sound of their own chirps. At one such moment, …

We arrived at dusk, two Americans with no visas, midway through a shared taxi ride from Beirut to Damascus. The fact that we reached Damascus by midnight, after a two-and-a-half hour wait at the border, seemed like a stroke of luck. “Since you chose not to process your visa with the Syrian embassy in the …

Malaysian researchers claim they have created a nutty alternative to Viagra based on walnuts in a pill healthier than its pharmaceutical counterpart, according to a report Sunday. Kim Kah Hwi, who headed the team of researchers from the University of Malaya, said he was inspired to look into walnuts after reading about their use in …

US doctors report seeks to declare it one Associated Press CHICAGO: The telltale signs are ominous: teens holing up in their rooms, ignoring friends, family, even food and a shower, while grades plummet and belligerence soars. The culprit is not alcohol or drugs. It is video games, which for certain kids can be as powerfully …

Have you ever danced and had sweat pouring down your face, soaking your clothes, and felt like you didn’t have a care in the world? If so, you will know that dancing can be a reviving and exhilarating experience; if not, then it’s about time you did because dancing is therapeutic for the mind, body …

In the labor market of today, the traditional vacation seems like an abstract concept to many workers. According to a recent poll conducted jointly by Associated Press and market research firm Ipsos, 20 percent of those surveyed admitted to taking their laptops away with them. The poll found that a fifth claimed to work while …

Getting a visa to visit Sudan these days is almost impossible. Fortunately, getting to Matam Al-Khartoum is not. Finding the place is still an adventure though; you must turn down an alleyway, marked only by two small trees, a helpful Sudanese man instructed me. But at the end of the dirt pathway, you find a …

Reuters Talk show queen Oprah Winfrey has replaced Tom Cruise as the most world s most powerful celebrity and jailbird Paris Hilton has dropped off the annual Forbes magazine list of the 100 most influential stars. Golfer Tiger Woods ranked second while singer Madonna was No. 3 on the list, which aggregates earnings and media …

Cereal companies plan to up the nutritional value of kids’ products When we walk down the cereal aisle at the supermarket, my daughter’s eyes immediately widen. That’s when the great debate begins. She is drawn – almost hypnotically – to the colorful cartoon characters on the package, the delectable chocolate and fruit flavors, and sometimes …

While some people turn to smoking, drinking, dancing or spirituality to get high on life, I get drunk on the lives of other people when I need to escape my own down side. So at my favorite coffee shop, at the corner table, you will always find me with my gear out, my ears perked …

A few laughs a day may help keep the doctor away More than a bemused pastime, laughter is proving to be the best anecdote to good health. As well as erasing feelings of gloom, comic relief can protect us against disease and alleviate our pain. When we laugh, a multitude of actions take place in …