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Rihanna has issued a public apology to the Muslim community for a “careless mistake” made in her Savage X Fenty fashion show.
Last Friday the fashion show launched on Amazon Prime and one of the songs which was used amongst the set was Coucou Chloe’s 2017 track Doom.

One of the verses in the song it remixes hadith, which is a sacred text in Islam which is a record of sayings of the prophet Muhammad and his companions.
Following the show’s airing, many took to Twitter to share their disappointment in the singer.

as a muslim, no words can describe how disappointed i am with Rihanna for letting her models dance to hadith. Hadith are the sacred words of our prophet, you can’t just use it for your lingerie show. disgusting and extremely disrespectful
— dee⁷ (@kookdice) October 4, 2020

i can’t let Rihanna have a pass w appropriating Islam like for her first show the models wore a scarf around their heads and it looked like HIJAB and her second show she used a track that remixed a HADITH….why is no one talking about this, my religion is not y’all’s aesthetic
— . (@reversecocunut) October 4, 2020

On Tuesday, Rihanna issued a public apology on her Instagram thanking the Muslim community for bringing her attention to the mistake and referred to it as a “huge oversight”.
“I’d like to thank the Muslim community for pointing out a huge oversight that was unintentionally offensive in our savage x fenty show,” she said. “I would more importantly like to apologize to you for this honest, yet careless mistake.
“We understand that we have hurt many of our Muslim brothers and sisters, and I’m incredibly disheartened by this!”
The fashion designer and beauty mogul also insisted she does not “play with any kind of disrespect toward God or any religion” and called the use of the song “completely irresponsible”.

rihanna’s apology to the muslim community. pic.twitter.com/xATuYfLMHX
— knee (@thickannawhore) October 6, 2020

“Moving forward we will make sure nothing like this ever happens again,” she added. “Thank you for your forgiveness and understanding, Rih.”
The artist of the song also issued a public apology and said she and her team were “in the process of having the song urgently removed from all streaming platforms”.

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Images: Twitter, Feature Image: Rihanna Instagram More

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has reaffirmed the that the United Arab Emirates is “everyone’s country”.
His words come after the 12th Annual ASDA’A BCW Arab Youth Survey 2020 results were released today. The survey showed that nearly half of young Arabs were considering leaving their home country, which His Highness said was “painful”.

“It is painful [to know] that half of our Arab resources wish to emigrate,” the Ruler of Dubai said on Twitter. “It is painful when the Arab youth do not find a homeland, safety and livelihood in his homeland.”
Despite this, the survey also revealed that it was the most sought after country for Arabs aged between 18 to 24 – it’s the ninth year in a row the UAE has come out on top.

أشار الاستطلاع أيضا إلى أن الإمارات هي البلد المفضل للعيش ل٤٦٪ من الشباب العربي تليها الولايات المتحدة ٣٣٪ ثم كندا وبريطانيا وألمانيا .. ونحن نقول لهم .. الإمارات بلد الجميع .. وقد حاولنا بناء نموذج ناجح .. وتجربتنا وأبوابنا وكتبنا ستظل مفتوحة للجميع..
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) October 6, 2020

“The poll also indicated that the UAE is the preferred country to live in for 46 per cent of Arab youth, followed by the United States, 33 per cent, then Canada, Britain and Germany,” His Highness said.
“The UAE is everyone’s country and we have tried to build a successful model – our doors and books will remain open to all.”
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This year has seen supermodel Gigi Hadid swap the catwalk for the cradle as she welcomed her first child with boyfriend Zayn Malik two weeks ago.
The 25-year-old gave birth to a baby girl who she is “so in love” with, as she said upon making the birth of the newborn public knowledge on Instagram.

A fortnight after welcoming her baby girl, Gigi is already an “amazing mum”, according to E! News.

“The first couple of weeks have been a hard transition but she hasn’t complained and is very elated to be a mom,” a source told the publication.
To help with the transition, her mother, Yolanda Hadid, and younger sister, Bella Hadid, have been on hand to assist the new mum.
Yolanda has been helping Gigi and Zayn and has basically become a “built-in nurse”, which the new parents are “so grateful” for.

Meanwhile, Bella has already taken to the role of being a doting auntie and has been “having fun shopping for her and dressing her up”.
As for the name of baby Hadid-Malik, which has been kept private by the couple, is “unique” but the alleged source wouldn’t give anything else away.
Gigi’s pregnancy was first reported on back in April. The model first spoke of her pregnancy – news which was revealed in the press and not by Gigi or Zayn – during a video call appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, admitting they would have liked to reveal the news on their “own terms”, but also thanked everyone for their congratulations.
“Obviously, we wish we could’ve announced it on our own terms, but we’re very excited and happy and grateful for everyone’s well wishes and support,” she said.
Zayn and Gigi originally started dating in 2016, and have been on-and-off ever since, with their latest split taking place in mid-2019. However, the pair reunited earlier this year, but have been keeping their romance away from the public glare.
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Feature Image: Gigi Hadid Instagram More

One of the most famed, accessible and affordable art shows is returning this weekend – say hello to World Art Dubai 2020.
This year the event’s theme ‘Free Your Mind’ is encouraging people to unite through their creativity and escape in art – something very poignant given the current circumstances.

From Thursday, October 8 to Saturday, October 10 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the event will host more than 120 artists and galleries from 25 countries who will showcase a collection of 2,000 pieces of art. The collection of pieces range from $100 to $20,000.
The artists behind these pieces include Emirati artists, fashion designers, photographers and more.

Trixie LohMirmand, the Executive Vice President, Exhibitions & Events Management, DWTC, shared her excitement about this year’s World Art Dubai.
“Art has served as an escape for people all over the world this year,” she said, acknowledging the difficult year. “We will cultivate this energy and enthusiasm through World Art Dubai’s theme of ‘Free Your Mind’ which will connect international artists and stimulate creativity and exploration.
“We are excited to welcome our first overseas participants back to Dubai and look forward to stimulating creative exchanges within the wider community.”
To ensure the safety of all visitors, and in line with government guidelines, a number of measures will be implemented during the show including limiting the number of entries and providing floor stickers to facilitate social distancing, regular disinfection and clearly marked and defined entry and exit areas.
Masks must be worn at all times and temperature checks will be in place.
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Images: Supplied More

Above: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and vice-president of the UAE,  with Her Excellency Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy at the Gender Balance Index in 2017. 
Last week, by decree of His Highness President Sheikh Khalifa, an equal pay law between men and women was passed in the UAE for those working in the private sector.
The law states that “female employees shall receive wages equal to that of males if they perform the same work or another of equal value”.

It’s a move, which the UAE CEO of Standard Chartered, Rola Abu Manneh, believes will create “significant headway” for the conversation around gender equity across the wider region.
She tells Emirates Woman, she’s hoping this will further be able to crack the glass ceiling in the region for women.

“It opens up a world of opportunity for female success,” Manneh tells EW. “I believe that this law will open numerous doors for women looking to crack the glass ceiling and, as a result, we are set to witness a surge in female leadership across the UAE’s private sector.
“Women are a key pillar of social and economic development across the Emirates and it is encouraging to see that the UAE government has attested to this fact.”
While she notes there’s “still a long way to go” in order to create equal access for opportunities for women, the law is a promising move towards that.
EW discussed further her reaction to the passing of the law, how she intends to see this through at Standard Chartered and the responsibility she has as a female leader in finance.

What was your reaction when you heard this legislation had been passed?
When the legislation was initially introduced in 2018, I was overcome with pride. I had just taken on my role as CEO of Standard Chartered UAE and had felt tremendously proud of the UAE government’s efforts to progress gender equity in the workplace. I was equally as hopeful that this milestone act would positively impact the UAE’s corporate landscape for decades to come.
Now that the act has come to fruition, my pride in being both a UAE national and a female leader has only been further reinforced. I commend the UAE government’s pioneering vision and ongoing efforts to ensure gender equity in the workplace and bolstering equal opportunity for both men and women in this regard. A truly historic moment!
How will you ensure this is implemented in Standard Chartered?
At the Bank, we take gender equality very seriously and we believe that inclusion is an organisational strength. The Bank has already placed a tremendous focus on ensuring men and women are seen as equals across the board, be it through the onboarding process, compensation, opportunity or representation.
For decades, Standard Chartered has taken a strategic direction to prioritising gender diversity and equality and this is present throughout its global operations. In line with this, we have committed to ensuring that women occupy 30 per cent of our top-four levels of management by the end of 2020. What’s more, two of our four regions, and a number of our large markets including China, Hong Kong, India, Nigeria, and the UAE are led by female CEOs. I am proud to be one of them.
Like the UAE, at the Bank, we too are continuously prioritising the integration of new policies and commitments to drive our vision forward.
What is your commitment to female employees at Standard Chartered to ensure they continue to prosper in their careers?
At the Bank, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our operations and remain a focal point of ensuring employee wellbeing. I believe that diversity is getting the mix right, while inclusion is making the mix work.
We are always looking to improve our workplace by introducing wellness, work-life balance, and career opportunities, aimed to be the country’s employer of choice.
Standard Chartered has been a key contributor to the gender equality movement and has introduced a number of measures that ensure women are able to progress in their career paths while also fulfilling other duties. This is reflective in our policies and procedures, from the time we advertise a job to the selection criteria, the interview and the onboarding process. We have taken the initiative of increasing maternity leave days from 90 calendar days to 140 calendar days, with new fathers getting 10 days that can be used anytime in the first year, further reinforcing our commitment to gender equity. Derived from our brand promise ‘Here for good’, we believe that inclusion is an organisational strength, which in turn will have a positive impact on key aspects of the bank’s operational and managerial performance. D&I is paramount to unlocking innovation in the organisation. That’s how I see it.
As a female leader in finance do you feel a responsibility to lead the way when it comes to equality?
Of course. Women, including myself, who were able to progress in their careers and achieve senior leadership positions, in what are considered as male-dominated fields, play an integral role in leveraging their years of experience and expertise to advocate for the gender equality cause. As such, I feel very strongly that I have an innate and moral responsibility to stand in solidarity against unconscious bias and inequal opportunity in the workplace.
Throughout my career, I have championed women empowerment and female entrepreneurship through various initiatives. I will continue to exercise my position in service of women so that they are not hindered by corporate hurdles or stereotypes and are able to achieve their full potential.
One thing that I would like to highlight here is the fact that women will also need to find their seat at the table and make their voices heard! They need to earn that seat. It is down to them to make that happen.
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Feature Image: Dubai Media Office More

The UK’s Prince Charles has arrived in Kuwait following the death of the country’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al Ahmed al Jaber al Sabah last week.
On behalf of himself and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Prince of Wales shared his condolences to the nation of Kuwait.

Prince Charles also met the new Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah.
The British prince’s arrival in Kuwait comes after the Queen issued a statement following the death of Sheikh Sabah.

Prince Charles is in Kuwait tonight after the death of the Amir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah.The Prince is representing the UK and offered his condolences. He also met the new Amir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah 🇰🇼 pic.twitter.com/jLPAWTJ8et
— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) October 4, 2020

“Your distinguished brother devoted his life to the service of the State of Kuwait and especially its relationship with its allies and friends,” the statement, which was posted to the Royal Family Twitter page, said.
“He will be long remembered by all who work for regional stability, understanding between nations and between faiths, and for the humanitarian cause.”
The Queen also said she “deeply valued his friendship towards the United Kingdom”.

The Queen’s message of condolence to The Amir of Kuwait, following the death of The Amir. pic.twitter.com/uSn38zjvHA
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 30, 2020

“I offer Your Highness my sincere condolences. I offer also my sympathy to the people of Kuwait,” she added.
“May the long history of close companionship between our two families continue.”
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Images: Chris Ship Twitter More

For the last four years, Khalid Al Ameri and his wife Salama Mohamed have cultivated an incredible online community for themselves through genuine storytelling and connection with their audience.
For Khalid, he credits all of his success to Salama, who is the person who believed in him when he didn’t.

Sharing a heartfelt public message on Instagram to his wife, the Emirati influencer reflected on how far he has come in the last four years.
Back in 2016, Khalid didn’t have a job but was desperate to work in the media. Writing an array of scripts and pitching ideas to anyone he could, nothing appeared to be happening.

“I was scared and worried about the future but never shared it with Salama as I didn’t want her, or the kids, to get worried or carry that burden,” he admitted.

View this post on Instagram

Ok story time, in 2016 I had no job and and as a family we had about a year of savings to pay for all the necessities(kids school, rent, food and cars). I wanted to be in media so I wrote script after script, show after show, and pitched the ideas anywhere I could get a meeting but nothing worked out. I was scared and worried about the future but never shared it with Salama as I didn’t want her, or the kids, to get worried or carry that burden. One day as were were driving I finally gave in and told Salama how I was feeling, we talked about my worries, my fears and how things weren’t working out, and that I was starting to lose hope. As we were in the mall picking up some things we passed by an electronic store, then we walked in and Salama bought me my first camera. She said that she knew that all I wanted in this world was to be a creator and tell stories, so she gave me the camera and told me to get to work and do it on my own, but more importantly she said that she would support me no matter what and always believed in me. Four years later I am creating videos as a career, working on projects I never dreamed of, all because this incredible woman believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself, so here she is buying me a new camera to improve our work, it’s kind of like our thing, where she is the only one who buys me cameras and invests in our future. Moral of the story you don’t have to fight your battles alone, you don’t have to struggle alone, the people who love you are your greatest source of strength, always keep them close and anything is possible inshAllah. I love you Salama, you are the reason for everything good in my life الحمدلله
A post shared by Khalid Al Ameri (@khalidalameri) on Oct 2, 2020 at 1:26am PDT

Slowly starting to lose hope, he shared his concerns with his wife. The couple happened to be going to the mall at the time, which is where Salama surprised her husband with a camera, encouraging him to share his stories himself.
“Four years later I am creating videos as a career, working on projects I never dreamed of, all because this incredible woman believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself, so here she is buying me a new camera to improve our work, it’s kind of like our thing, where she is the only one who buys me cameras and invests in our future,” he said.
“Moral of the story you don’t have to fight your battles alone, you don’t have to struggle alone, the people who love you are your greatest source of strength, always keep them close and anything is possible inshAllah.
“I love you Salama, you are the reason for everything good in my life.”

Khalid’s personal and empowering videos have captured an audience not only here in the UAE, but beyond.
From telling stories about his family, to the coronavirus pandemic, to his wife’s skin condition vitiligo, it’s Khalid’s personal touch which has really engaged his audience.
Earlier this year, Salama told Emirates Woman her husband’s video about her vitiligo – which was made two years ago – still brings tears to her eyes.
However, the video is a reminder for Salama on how far she has come on her journey to self-love. Today, Salama embraces her condition with “every inch” of her being, and she’s actually more than happy to answer people’s questions if they ask about it.
“[It means] I can explain and educate, so I can support other women and men going through what I went through, to let them know they are not alone, and that we are beautiful in our own unique way,” she told EW.
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Images: Khalid Al Ameri Instagram More

Patricia Morris, author of Mother Without A Mask, a book that provides unique insights into traditional Emirati culture, passed away in August at her home in Cornwall, UK, at the age of 96.
The book, written under her maiden name, Patricia Holton, chronicles her intimate relationship with an Emirati family in the early days of the UAE. Published by Motivate Media Group in 1991, the novel has been a bestseller for three decades and remains in print.

Born on October 23, 1923, in Westchester County, New York, Patricia served as a Red Cross nurse in Paris during the last days of the Second World War.
Following a whirlwind romance, Patricia married British publisher and author Claud Morris after the war. She paused her career as a television producer to move to London, where she worked with him as an editor for two of his publications.

Both Patricia and Claud had a deep curiosity about the world and a desire to better understand different cultures. Claud went on to establish The Next Century Foundation – an organisation which encourages global peace through dialogue, focusing on the Middle East – which is today run by their son William.
Claud, who passed away 20 years ago, spent many years promoting a better understanding of the Arab world in Britain, launching Middle East Magazine and then Voice of the Arab World. He was a frequent visitor to the Emirates in the early days of the UAE federation, interviewing many leading members of the government and writing The Desert Falcon – the first-ever biography of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan – published in 1974.

Accompanying her husband on many of his trips to the UAE, Patricia became close friends with a prominent Emirati family. As she learned about the UAE from them, they were also keen to develop a knowledge of the West. Invited to spend time with the family, she often visited them in their Al Ain compound, attending family weddings and other events, as well as talking with the women of the family and learning more intimately about their customs and way of life. For several years in the late 1970s, she and her husband welcomed the family’s teenage sons into the Morris home in London, where they learned the English language and customs.
The book she authored only recorded the early years of the relationship, which continued until the end of her life. She continued to visit the Emirates after her husband’s death in 2000, her last visit being in 2010, when she stayed with the family in Abu Dhabi. Always in close contact, Patricia received a phone call from one of her Emirati “sons” less than a week before she died.
Paying tribute to Patricia, Ian Fairservice, Managing Partner of Motivate Media Group, said: “Our relationship with Patricia began in 1991 when we first published Mother Without A Mask and we soon became friends. We were privileged to stay in touch with her and always met when she visited the Emirates – the last time being in 2010 when we shared a memorable lunch in Abu Dhabi along with long-time resident Jocelyn Henderson. She was a remarkable woman and, like her husband Claud, had enormous affection for the Arab world, particularly the Emirates, where she was so well regarded.”
Patricia is survived by her three children, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Patricia’s book Mother Without A Mask is available at booksarabia.com.
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Images: Supplied More