Jeddah coffee shops raided

Truant schoolgirls in meetings with unrelated males, large screens set up to show “scandalous films”, stages for music performances with light and lazer displays: Offenses too grave to be ignored by the authorities and too glaring to be continued on the sly for long.

It did not take much time for the Jeddah authorities to realize that a number of coffee shops were, in fact, places for dating and other offenses. Officials from the Police, Passports Department, Civil Defense, the Labor Office, the Mayor’s Office and the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice raided suspect sites over recent days.

In one instance a 14-year-old girl was found in the company of two males in their twenties after reportedly sneaking out of her house without the knowledge of her family. In another, two sisters were found with six young men.

In a secluded corner of one coffee house a young man was found in the company of a woman with a computer screen before them displaying a pornographic website. The man confessed to officials that he hacked sites with the woman’s help and pirated material.

Coffee houses that had set up stages for music performances with light and laser displays, held parties or had large screens showing banned television channels were ordered closed and their owners summoned and investigated by the Commission for Investigation and Prosecution.

Some of the coffee shops had employed security staff to warn of the arrival of authorities.

Other infractions included the employment of staff residing in the Kingdom illegally, and offering shisha without a license from the municipality.

Spokesman for Jeddah Police Misfir Al-Ju’aid, said that each case of khulwa – being in the secluded company of an unrelated member of the opposite sex – was handled according to its specifics.

“We take into consideration family relations and social regulations, or the girl is handed over to police and returned to her guardians,” Al-Ju’aid said. “Where regulations are found to have been breached warnings are given, but any legal violation results in on-the-spot action.

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Top 11 Health Benefits of Coffee

They say that hot dogs are bad because they contain nitrates. They say you should limit your egg yolks because they're high in cholesterol.

Stay away from too much soy - it causes impotence, milk chocolate causes pimples and coffee's just plain bad for your system.

Why is it that "they" always seem to find something wrong with the foods that I like? The foods that we've been eating for hundred of years and now suddenly we find out are bad for us? Why the need to ruin a good thing?

Well lucky for us, "they" have decided that coffee is in fact healthy, and that despite the negative effects attributed to it in the past, coffee is good for you! Yes, it may have some flaws, but so do most good things in life. I prefer to focus on the good and overlook the bad (like my mom taught me to!)

So looking for an excuse to drink that extra cup? Well keep reading, below are 11 great ones! 1. Antioxidant Rich - coffee, due to its high caffeine content, is a great source of antioxidants. Antioxidants are cancer preventative and help fight the negative affects of aging.

2. Magnesium Rich - unfortunately studies have proven that many American's are magnesium deficient, a mineral necessary to many of the enzymes in your body in order to catalyze reactions.

3. Anti Bacterial and Anti Adhesive Qualities - believe it or not, Italian researchers discovered this interesting little fact as they were conducting experiments regarding their favorite national drink that was getting a bad rep by health researchers ("them"). Practically speaking, this means that coffee is proven to prevent cavities (provided you don't dump an ocean of sugar into your drink).

4. Promotes Digestion - because coffee is a diuretic, it generally speaking, sends people straight to the bathroom. When I was doing my research for IBS articles, although some doctors claimed coffee may irritate the stomach, other doctors recommended it as one of the natural tricks to "help move things along" and prescribed drinking a cup or two a day.

5. Improves Athletic Endurance and Performance - Believe it or not, coffee has recently been labeled a "controlled" substance for athletes participating in the Olympic Games due to the unfair performance advantages large amounts of the drink provides. Coffee has proven to increase athletic endurance as well as general coordination and performing abilities in serious athletes. 6. Decreases Depression - studies conducted on school age children in Brazil demonstrated that children who drank a cup of coffee before going to school had a much lower instance of depression later in life than those who didn't drink coffee.

7. Decreases Your Chances of Developing Parkinson's Disease - 6 separate studies conducted by researchers have proven that people who drink large amounts of coffee on a regular basis are 80% less likely to develop Parkinson's disease then those that don't.

8. Decreases Your Risk of Developing Colon Cancer - studies have shown that people who drink 2 cups of coffee on a regular basis have a 25% reduced risk of developing colon cancer. 9. Offsets the Damaging Effects of Smoking - coffee has proven to offset some of the negative side effects of heavy smokers, such as heart disease and liver damage.

10. Treats Asthma and Headaches - asthma and headache medicines contain large doses of caffeine in them due to the substance's ability to treat their symptoms. The caffeine found in coffee, although present in smaller amounts, has proven to have the same positive affects on alleviating headaches and treating asthma.

11. Reduces Your Risk of Liver Disease - studies have shown that people who drink 2 cups of coffee on a daily basis have an 80% reduced risk rate of developing liver cirrhosis So what else is left to be said folks - Drink Up!

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Phoenix Among Top 10 in Coffee Shop Spending

PHOENIX - How often do you treat yourself to that mocha, latte or whipped blended drink? A recent study shows that residents of the Phoenix metro area rank high among cities that spend money on "designer" coffee.

Another Arizona city, Tucson, happens to beat out Phoenix. Now that the economy appears to be rebounding, Americans have increased their coffee shop spending by 21 percent since last year. Phoenix is one of the top 10 cities that spend the most on designer coffee, and that $5-a-drink habit can add up fast. In 2009, Phoenix residents spent an average of $352 in designer coffee. So far in 2010, they are spending an average of $33 a month. That's up from last year.

Top 10 coffee-consuming cities (2009):

1. Seattle - $674
2. Las Vegas - $391
3. Portland - $388
4. San Antonio - $377
5. San Jose - $366
6. Tucson - $362
7. San Francisco - $358
8. Denver - $354
9. Phoenix - $352
10. Dallas - $314

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Most Popular K Cups Coffee Brands

There are many different varieties of K cup coffee brands on the market. If you're the proud owner of a Keurig coffee maker you surely have begun your search around to see which you prefer. While most of the Keurig K cups are quite tasty, not all of them are created equally. There are certainly some brands that have gained respect as being the best. Additionally, other brands are especially well suited to specifically desires or coffee tastes. Here's an overview of the best K cup coffee brands available.

Timothy's World Coffee: Timothy's has a very diverse collection of roasts and flavors, nearly all of which are extremely highly rated by consumers. They have excellent blends covering the scope from light to bold, and have some unique flavored varieties as well, such as cinnamon pastry.

Green Mountain Coffee: Nobody has a wider collection of different roasts and flavors of Keurig K cups than Green Mountain. They have literally dozens of options to choose from. They have various blends which are tied to different charitable efforts, and they have a great selection of both flavored and classic flavor roasts.

Gloria Jean's Coffee: Gloria Jean's might be the best brand to choose when you are seeking excellence in flavored varieties. They only have three different roasts of classic coffee - all of which are still great - but then have another 10 or so flavors. In addition, Gloria Jean's is also the best brand for Keurig K cups with tea. They have half a dozen tea flavors which get the highest ratings among any other tea variety available for a Keurig coffee maker.

Newman's Own: While companies like Green Mountain and Timothy's produce dozens of different varieties, blends, flavors and roasts, Newman's Own Organics sticks with only two variations. They have what they call their special blend, and they have a decaf version of it as well. Both are excellent and there are no frills attached.

Diedrich Coffee Roasters: Another company that focuses less on quantity and instead hones in on just a few varieties is the folks over at Diedrich Coffee Roasters. They make a handful of different blends and roasts that cover the spectrum for any coffee lover.

There are many other brands of Keurig K cups on the market today, but these are the best and most enjoyed K cups coffee makers out there today. It will be hard to go wrong with any of these brands, so find the flavors or styles that work best for you and enjoy!

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Choosing Your Next Coffee Maker

A coffee maker is an electric appliance that produces brewed coffee automatically, consisting of a hotplate, coffee pot, filter basket, and water reservoir. When it comes to coffee makers there are many, many to choose from. But if you are a coffee lover, you are probably very discriminating in your preferences so it's worth your time to do your analysis.

But first, determine what you want in a coffee maker. Are you satisfied with going to the nearest box store and picking one up for about twenty dollars? That's fine, they make a decent cup of coffee. Or maybe you're looking for something with a bit added style. Something that will fit into your kitchen decor nicely. Or something of best quality that will outlast the 20 buck special.

What options are essential to you? Should it have a clock built in that will allow your coffee to be ready and waiting when you hit the kitchen? Programmable coffee makers are a type of coffee maker that is becoming additional more popular not only in the workplace, but in homes as well.

Another type of coffee maker that is gaining popularity is the single cup type. Whether you just need one cup of Joe to start the day or you are trying to limit your caffeine intake by fixing just one cup at a time, the single cup coffee makers are an excellent solution. They are also accomplished for the stay at home types who may just want a single cup mid-day and don't want to make a whole pot. They also are available in a programmable version.

There are many ways to brew your coffee using the ever-reliable coffee maker. Decaf and coffee types that contain caffeine can be equally as appealing to the taste buds. For an analysis of more coffee subjects, visit http://www.fmcoffee.com.

As you begin your analysis of coffee makers, the first thing that you need to think about is what kind of coffee drinks you want to make. Do you prefer regular coffee, espresso, latte, or cappuccino? Espresso makers create a powerful and strong coffee that can really wake you up in the morning. But maybe that's not you cup of tea. Just know that there are unique and different types of cappuccino, espresso and coffee makers on the market.

If you are a gourmet coffee drinker, you may want to opt for a Cafetiere. A Cafetiere is a French coffee maker that is also known as a French press. Since no filters are used, this coffee pot makes rich, strong coffee. But beware: if you are not going to serve the coffee immediately, avoid using a Cafetiere. If left to sit, your coffee will continue to brew and you will be left with a coffee that is very bitter.

So weather it's a single cup style, a traditional coffee maker, an espresso, capuccino, or latte type, enjoy your down time with a terrific coffee. And here's a bonus: once you have a new coffee maker, you will be able to save time and money by spending less time waiting in lines at the coffee shop.

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Vietnam Coffee Output to Rise in Year, USDA Unit Says

Coffee production in Vietnam, the world’s second-biggest producer, will rise 7 percent next year because of favorable weather, a U.S. Department of Agriculture unit said. Output will increase to 18.7 million bags in the 12 months starting Oct. 1 from an estimated 17.5 million this year, the USDA’S Foreign Agricultural Service said in report posted today on the agency’s website. Vietnam produced 18 million bags in the year that ended Sept. 30. A bag weighs 60 kilograms (132 pounds).

Production will increase “due to reasonable rainfall during the coffee-blossoming period and the current drought of the dry season not yet reaching a critical point for coffee trees in the major coffee-growing areas,” the service said. Projected output is down this year because of early torrential rains, the attache said.

Robusta coffee accounts for 97 percent of the country’s total output. Arabica production is projected to rise because of the expansion of growing areas, the service said.

Arabica is grown mainly in Latin America and brewed by specialty companies including Starbucks Corp. Robusta beans, used in instant coffee, are harvested mostly in Asia and parts of Africa.

Brazil is the biggest coffee grower.

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Coffee Makers For Different Coffee Types

There is nothing quite like waking up in the morning, stumbling to the kitchen and finding your favourite coffee brewed and waiting for you. Of all the drinks in the world, coffee seems to have universal appeal. But if you have ever travelled you quickly discovered that one person's coffee can be quite different from another's. A World Wide Business--Coffee Types

Coffee is grown on five different continents and dozens of countries around the world. There are coffee plantations in Columbia and much of South America. There are hundreds of plantations in Africa. The growing region expands to the east and west including the West Indies, Sumatra, and Java.

All of the coffee growing regions are in tropical zones within 30 degrees or so of the Equator. While all coffee grows in bean form, there are different types or varieties of coffee plants, hence the many different coffee types.

Roasting and Brewing

Although plant variety can affect the taste of coffee, the way it is handled following harvesting has a great deal to do with the flavour as well.

Some coffee beans are naturally roasted. These generally produce the darker and bitterer tasting coffees. The sun does the roasting and then the grinding and brewing take care of the rest of the flavourful attributes.

There are many different recipes for a great cup of coffee and variations on how they are served. The cooking methods require specific kitchen gadgetry to help make the best rated coffees.

>From Coffee Makers to Cappuccino and Espresso

There are different types of cappuccino, espresso and coffee makers on the market. Each of these appliances is designed to make specific coffee types. Cappuccino is a rich, dark coffee whose recipe originated in Italy. It is a milder version of Espresso, but not as light as "city" coffee.

Espresso is made by high heat and pressure which produces a thicker and more potent cup of coffee.

This is usually served in much smaller cups and quantities because of how strong it is.

Electric machines are making their way from the restaurant into many home kitchens. The cleaning and care including the job to decalcify are made easier by the popularity of stainless steel appliances. There are coffee makers also that do all of the jobs of creating the perfect mug of coffee right on your counter top and even while you sleep. The grind and brew combination machines are the ideal way to get the freshest cup of coffee possible.

Decaf and coffee types that contain caffeine can be equally as appealing to the taste buds. An important fact to remember is that just because a coffee type taste strong, it does not necessarily contain more caffeine. On the other hand, a decaf cup of coffee will taste and smell just as good, but without the health concern of having too much caffeine. The process with all of the new recipes available at coffee shops, restaurants and even at home, it is possible for anyone to make the best rated coffee around. This includes caffeine and decaf varieties.

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Nescafe speciality coffees recalled

Nescafe has announced a voluntary recall of its Alta Rica, Cap Colombie, Suraya and Espresso soluble coffee range, contained in a specific type of 100g glass jar with a distinctive black plastic sleeve. The recall is being made since there some of these jars may be susceptible to breakage during the delivery process to customers. Only the 100g jars of these coffees are potentially affected.

Nestle said in a statement that the quality and safety of its products was a non-negotiable priority for the company. Consequently, although there no such incidences were reported in Malta, Nestlé Malta decided to recall the range as a precaution. People who had one of these coffees should return it to Nestlé Customer Care Centre, Pantar Road, Lija or freephone 8007 2209 for further information. The returned product would be replaced by an alternate product of the customer’s choice. Nestle Malta apologised for the inconvenience caused.

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Coffee culture continues to make headway into China

Just 10 years ago, any foreign java junky looking for a fix while walking the streets of Beijing would have had to walk far - and they would have had to walk wide.

How things have changed. In just a decade, the number of coffee outlets in the sprawling Chinese capital has jumped from less than 1,000 to more than 8,000, according to the China Coffee Association, and more are opening each month.

The number of companies roasting coffee for the market has similarly jumped from around 20 to 140 today - and from working their way through an average of 400 kilograms of beans per month, they are churning through more than 400 tons each as they work to satisfy the country's new coffee cravings.

Starbucks, of course, has been quick to move and are finalizing international plans for their first "made in China'' coffee blend, called "South of the Clouds.''

After first rolling out the blend in mainland China last year, the company tested the waters with the new product in Hong Kong over the Chinese New Year period in February and says that all it was "overwhelmed'' with the response.

Similar test runs were held in both Singapore and Malaysia and the company is now gearing up to have its "South of the Clouds'' blend situated on its shelves throughout Asia, alongside blends from Africa and Latin American by 2011. The company has an estimated 370-odd coffee shops throughout mainland China - and more than 100 in Hong Kong.

The scenic Yunnan province - situated in southwestern China - annually produces about 30,000 tonnes of its green (or unroasted) coffee beans, which accounts for 98 percent of China's total coffee output.

In Hong Kong, sales of Yunnan beans account for between 1.5 to two percent of the 3,875 tonnes of green coffee beans imported each year.

Traditionally, the city has been a unique market for the product due to the fact that Hongkongers have long enjoyed sipping on a drink they call "Yin Yang," which is a 50-50 mix of milky tea (made with condensed milk) and coffee and which sets you back around HK$15 (1.5 euros).

In mainland China, though, the most prized brew continues to be the kopi luwak, or civet coffee, which is made from beans that have been ingested - and then discharged - by the Asian palm civet. A cup of this heady brew will set you back around 200 yuan (24 euros).

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How office coffee breaks make staff work harder

Researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that that caffeine helped improve workers' memory and concentration as well as reducing the number of mistakes they made. For those on long overnight shifts.

It has a similar effect to taking a “power nap”, the findings, published in the Cochrane Library journal, suggest. The researchers also suggested that drinking coffee could help reduce accidents at work, traffic crashes involving people at the end of long shifts and even medical errors by doctors on call for long periods of time.

The team reviewed the findings of 13 separate studies from around the world involving shift workers, mostly in their 20s, in simulated working conditions. Volunteers had been asked to perform tasks to test their memory, concentration, use of words and reasoning while two of the trials measured how prone they were to making simple errors.

Some were given caffeine while others were given a placebo to compare the effects.

The tests were then repeated when the volunteers were exposed to other factors such as bright lights or allowed to take a nap.

In memory, reasoning and concentration tests, those who had been given caffeine all scored moderately better than those given a placebo.

The effect could be seen irrespective of whether they drank a cup of coffee, an energy drink, took a caffeine pill or ate food with a high caffeine content.

Although there was little difference between the results of those given a cup of coffee compared with those allowed to take a nap overall, one study showed that those given caffeine made fewer errors.

Katharine Ker of the London School of Tropical Medicine in London, the lead researcher, said: “The results of the trials suggest that compared to no intervention, caffeine can reduce the number of errors and improve cognitive performance in shift workers. “It seems reasonable to assume that reduced errors are associated with fewer injuries, although we cannot quantify such a reduction.” The team called for more research to measure the effects of caffeine on older people.

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Coffee lovers to cough up more for a cuppa

Brisbanites may soon have to stump up an extra 25 cents for their daily coffee fix. Coffee suppliers say they have been battling rising costs for a number of months - and it appears consumers will have to foot the bill. Brisbane's Merlo Coffee told brisbanetimes.com.au it had been holding off on increasing prices, but financial pressure had finally forced their hand."We've seen prices of our coffee beans steadily increasing for the past 18 months," a Merlo spokesperson said.

Costs have also skyrocketed for sugar, cocoa and milk powder, as well as shipping and packaging, suppliers say. Merlo is expected to raise the cost of an average coffee by 25 cents soon. Over the last two weeks, the price of `dry' coffee has gone up about $1 per 1 kilogram bag.

"Coffee bean prices have been going up for a while," co-owner of supplier Di Bella Coffee, Gianna Di Bella, said. She said the global price spikes had put pressure on several cafes, with those who source multi-national brands facing the most difficulty.

Ms Di Bella expected coffee prices would steadily increase over the next five years. Campos co-owner John Ronchi said they relied on variable international prices, rather than a fixed rate. Prices are set to increase even further as of July 1, with the introduction of wage increases for hospitality workers.

As part of the changes, many cafes will have to pay their casual staff penalties of 20 per cent extra on Saturdays and 50 per cent on Sundays. "To cope, the cafe owner will have to pay the staff with the increased coffee price," Ms Di Bella said.

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Colon cancer not associated with coffee, sodas - U.S. study

Drinking coffee and sodas might not boost the risk of colon caner, a new study suggests. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health drew the conclusion after analyzing 13 studies which involved more than 730,000 people, of whom more than 5,600 developed colon cancer.

The new research findings, published online on May 7 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, showed that drinking more than six eight-ounce cups of coffee or eight-ounce cups of sugar soft drinks a day did not boost the risk of colon cancer. The researchers said the findings were not affected much by factors such as gender, smoking and alcohol consumption.

Previous research has been inconsistent about whether coffee and tea boost the risk of cancer. Sugary sodas, meanwhile, are linked to obesity and other conditions that are thought to boost the risk of colon cancer in particular.

The new study, however, found a small boost in colon cancer risk for heavy tea drinkers, who drank more than four eight-ounce cups of non-herbal tea a day. But since there were not so many people that consumed that much tea, more study is needed to determine if too much tea raises risk, the researchers said.

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Coffee may offer benefits

What is the number one source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet? It's not a fruit or a vegetable. Believe it or not, the answer is coffee.Yes, the drink that jumpstarts many Americans every morning has been shown to provide health benefits.

I have touted the benefits of drinking green tea and will continue to do so. But I am also a coffee drinker and was gratified to find that a beverage I so enjoy is actually good for me. Before I proceed with the health benefits, let me say that there are problems that can be worsened by drinking coffee. These include insomnia, anxiety, hypertension and heart problems.

I do have to limit my consumption to two or three cups per day or I experience heart palpitations. But recent research suggests that coffee drinkers may be at lower risk of liver and colon cancer, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson's disease.

Other studies suggest that men who drink coffee seem to have a lower risk of advanced lethal prostate cancer, and middle-aged people who drank moderate amounts of coffee had the lowest risk for dementia and Alzheimer's disease later in life. According to the CNN article, women who drank coffee regularly were less likely to die of various causes. Since decaf coffee seemed to show the same results, researchers don't credit caffeine with these benefits.

Coffee contains the same types of antioxidants found in other foods and drinks. And even though it is found at even higher levels in some other foods, people tend to consume coffee more frequently, thus making it the main source of these antioxidants. Researchers also think other ingredients in coffee help improve health. Some have said it most likely is not one single component but rather the combination that is beneficial.

I am particular about my coffee and have even been called a "coffee snob." Mornings, I like to grind the beans and press my coffee. I don't know that freshly ground beans have any greater health benefit, but to me they just taste better.

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Coffee helps cut uterine cancer risk

Two cups of coffee a day can lower the risk of uterine cancer, claims Mayo Clinic research. Uterine cancer is the most common cancer for women's reproductive organs.

According to the American Cancer Society, last year, 42,160 new cases were diagnosed, and it caused 7,780 deaths. The research found that, among the 20,000 women who participated, those who drank more.

Than two-and-a-half cups of coffee daily were less likely to develop uterine, or endometrial, cancer as compared to women who did not drink coffee at all, reports CBS.

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