In bad taste...

Israel TV is airing a supermarket-chain commercial that parodies security-camera tapes of the Hamas Commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh assassination.

They're tagline is : "We offer killer prices."

Look, im not saying that i believe in media censorship...but i do believe in self censorship.

Media officials should stick to certain "unofficial" media ethics... like not using the death of a person (murder i should say) to promote their services or products. It is completely unethical and I feel completely disgusted no matter how funny or entertaining it may be.

Indian Premier League showing in cinemas!

So the UAE media is evolving! How about this for an idea that's "out of the box" !

Entertainment and Sports Direct (ESD), which has acquired global theatrical rights to the matches, has collaborated with Al Nisr Cinema and Gulf Films to bring the matches to cinemas.

Arun Rangachari, the chairman of DAR Capital Group, which is promoting ESD, said they had been telecasting IPL matches at 650 cinemas in India. There, theatres have seen an average occupancy rate of just over 45 per cent, which is considered high.

Could this be a new footie-ist stadium for our dedicated football fans here in the UAE? We all know about FIFA 2010 what better way is there to watch football on a big screen with no smokers and all the popcorn and nachos you can afford!

UAE launches campaign to tackle diabetes pandemic

Dubai: The UAE on Wednesday launched a multi-million-dirham campaign against diabetes, specifically targeting mothers, in a bid to halt the pandemic which the minister of health said will take years to contain.

GulfNews.com

Dr Hanif Hassan, Minister of Health, said the ministry is working with Johnson & Johnson, which he said is a "wonderful example of public and private sector cooperation to serve the community".

He said 24 per cent of the UAE population (1.4 million people) suffers from diabetes. "There are so many patients in hospitals suffering from other complications from the disease," he said, adding that the government spends a "huge amount of money" on treatment of diabetics.

The Cabinet has approved the ministry's suggestion that 2009 be the year to fight diabetes, the minister said. "We need to educate and make people aware of the disease," he said. The slogan of the campaign is ‘Learn, Prevent, Control'.

The minister said researchers are needed and the ministry is looking and learning from international good practices.

Wim Boogaerts, Chairman of Johnson & Johnson Corporate Citizenship Trust - Middle East, said the "Healthy Family" initiative is being funded for three years.

"Walkathons and giving out free T-shirts is good, but it is the day after that counts," he said. "You need something sustainable." He said that it is not the doctors and nurses, but people at home who can make a big impact on lifestyle choices.

He said as early screening is important, it will start at schools and then continue in shopping malls and companies. The executive said as part of the strategy doctors and nurses will be trained on the management of diabetes.

He said the Juvenile Diabetes Education Centre, which was established last year in the Dubai Healthcare City has helped people manage and live with the disease