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Meet the Moroccan designer modernizing the caftan

Kenza Bennani, a Moroccan fashion designer, has made it her mission to modernize the traditional caftan. The garment recently made it onto the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. A variety of modern caftans are displayed in the New Tangier boutique, each with its own unique color, fabric, and cut, inspired by Moroccan heritage but designed for everyday wear, not only for special occasions. "We design modern Moroccan clothes with a focus on different origins, as we are a crossroad of different civilizations historically. And so we try to reinterpret these different cuts and different heritages in a way that is contemporary," says Bennani. The work is done in her grandmother's house. It's here where she sits and sketches new designs, carefully selecting the right color and texture from fabric swatches. The result is a little different from the caftans her ancestors would have worn. “We're focusing on the form and the function of traditional Moroccan clothes and not focusing on the ornamental aspect, which is generally what is expected of Moroccan clothing, and that way that allows us to really kind of highlight the beauty of the cut and the modernity of the cuts, and the fact that they're extremely body-friendly, they're unisex, they're the same shapes for men and women, and we try to just really don't invent anything new. We're just really kind of digging into the history of Moroccan clothing,” she says. Her work has won the praise of Hicham Bouzid, creative director of the cultural agency “Think Tanger.” For him, the Moroccan caftan is a symbol of national identity, passed down from mother to daughter, and from master to apprentice, for over eight centuries. Artisans bring her designs to life in the basement of the house, tracing the pattern on fabric, sewing the cloth together, and carefully cutting each piece. Their skill is just as important as the designer's. The process of creating a single garment takes between 18 and 35 hours. Bennani is very strict about what materials are used. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

A Kenyan barber who wields a sharpened shovel thrives on Africa’s social media craze

In a sparse shack on the rural roadside in Kiambu, at the edge of metropolitan Nairobi, Safari Martins uses unconventional techniques to cut hair. On the shack’s wooden walls hang a shovel, an iron, agricultural shears, and a wrench. “I just use unconventional tools,” Martins says, smiling, moments before sliding a razor-sharp shovel edge across his client Ian Njenga’s head, lopping off a swath of hair in the first of a series of moves that yields a surprisingly clean haircut. Unconventional tools are a hallmark for Martins, who is one of Kenya’s most recognizable barbers with around 1 million followers on each of his Instagram and TikTok accounts, where he is known as Chief Safro. As he makes precision cuts across Njenga’s head, a helper stands to the side, capturing every moment from different angles on a smartphone camera. Influencer barbers are a new trend in Kenya, where social media usage has exploded in recent years and platforms like TikTok are being used both for entertainment and as a lucrative side hustle. Born in Rwanda and now based in Nairobi, Martins started barbering in high school in 2018. Using borrowed clippers, he began offering trims outside classrooms and in cramped dormitories. Five years later, he added a camera and dropped a conventional trimmer—and never turned back. Martins went viral for zany barbering methods, but he has increasingly incorporated traditional African folk tales into voiceovers on his videos. “I’m motivated by African culture, by African stories,” he says, adding that one of his tools, a sharpened iron box, was blessed by village elders. The barber’s staying power has come from the haircuts themselves, which his customers say they love—and the chance to be featured on one of Kenya’s most magnetic social media accounts. “If I compare him with other barbers, his talent is next level,” says Njenga, who first visited Martins last year. “When I get shaved here, I get very comfortable, while walking in the streets, I get very confident.” The draw of a unique barbering experience and five minutes of social media fame is enough for customers to push past the price. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Why ordering takeout or calling the dog walker might lead to a happier relationship

It turns out, love may benefit from a little less labor. Couples who spend money on time-saving services—like getting takeout, hiring a house cleaner, or calling a dog walker—report greater relationship satisfaction, especially during stressful periods, says Ashley Whillans, a behavioral scientist and professor at Harvard Business School. Whillans studies the "tradeoffs people make between time and money." "When you spend money to save time—hiring an accountant, a babysitter, a cleaner—you feel more control over your life," she said. "That sense of autonomy boosts well-being." Not everyone can afford to outsource bigger household chores. But Whillans says even a little bit can help. She advises couples to take a "time audit"—examining how they spend their hours and what small changes could reclaim even a few moments. "People underestimate how much these choices matter," she said. "It's not about luxury—it's about freeing up time to connect." Whillans' team tracked busy, dual-income couples—partners working full-time who often report feeling time-starved—and found consistent patterns. In one six-week diary study, couples who made "time-saving purchases" on a given day were happier and more satisfied with their relationships. Simply outsourcing chores isn't a magic fix, however. "It's about being intentional with the time you get back—using it to spend quality time together, to reconnect," Whillans said. "Think of that half hour not as an opportunity to send more emails, but as a chance to spend time with your partner." Targol Hasankhani, a Chicago-based marriage and family therapist, stressed that while outsourcing domestic labor can ease daily stress, it doesn't replace communication. Juggling careers and kids takes a toll on families, and housework is often freighted with resentments over who is doing it. "If conflict around chores is rooted in something deeper—like inequity or not feeling heard—hiring a cleaner won't solve that," she said. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Foods with healthy-sounding buzzwords could be hiding added sugar in plain sight

Many consumers feel pride in avoiding the glazed pastries in the supermarket and instead opting for “all-natural” granola that comes packed with extra protein. The same goes for low-fat yogurts “made with real fruit,” organic plant-based milks, and bottled “superfood” smoothies. However, buyers should be aware that healthy grocery buzzwords like those often cover up an unhealthy amount of sugar. Added sugars are difficult to quickly spot because many companies use clever marketing to distract consumers, said Nicole Avena, a professor of neuroscience and psychiatry at Mount Sinai Medical School and Princeton University who has studied added sugars. Avena said while some health-forward brands know people are starting to become aware of the hazards of added sugars, "a lot of the bigger brands don’t worry so much about people’s health.” Along with saturated fat and salt, eating excess sugar is linked to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and other health risks. The average American consumes 17 teaspoons of added sugar a day, which adds up to 57 pounds (26 kilograms) per year, according to the American Heart Association. About half of that comes from beverages, but much of the rest is sneaked into cereal, salsa, prepared sandwiches, dairy products, bottled sauces, and baked goods, including many brands of whole-grain bread. To help control sugar intake, start by checking the nutrition label. Since 2021, food companies have been required to list the quantity of added sugars separately from total sugar content. But the plan backfired, Avena said. Companies reduced common sweeteners like refined beet sugar and high-fructose corn syrup but added alternatives, such as monk fruit and the sugar alcohol erythritol, which aren’t considered “added sugars” under FDA regulations. “Now our foods are even more sweet than they were back in 2020,” Avena said. According to Collin Popp, a dietitian and professor at NYU Langone Health, the key is to be mindful of what you’re eating, even if the product seems healthy or if the package is labeled organic. Roasted nuts, plant-based milks, and wasabi peas, for example, can include a surprising amount of added sugars. So can English muffins and Greek yogurt. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

New York subway ends its MetroCard era and switches fully to tap-and-go fares

When the MetroCard replaced the New York City subway token in 1994, the swipeable plastic card infused much-needed modernity into one of the world's oldest and largest transit systems. Now, more than three decades later, the gold-hued fare card and its notoriously finicky magnetic strip are following the token into retirement. The last day to buy or refill a MetroCard was December 31, 2025, as the transit system fully transitions to OMNY, a contactless payment system that allows riders to tap their credit card, phone, or other smart device to pay fares, much like they do for other everyday purchases. Transit officials say more than 90% of subway and bus trips are now paid using the tap-and-go system, introduced in 2019. Major cities around the world, including London and Singapore, have long used similar contactless systems. In the U.S., San Francisco launched a pay-go system earlier this year, joining Chicago and others. The humble MetroCard may have outlasted its useful life, but in its day it was revolutionary, says Jodi Shapiro, curator at the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn, which opened an exhibit last December reflecting on the MetroCard's legacy. Before MetroCards, bus and subway riders relied on tokens, the brass-colored coins introduced in 1953 that were purchased from station booths. When the subway opened in 1904, paper tickets cost just a nickel, or about $1.82 in today's dollars. "There was a resistance to change from tokens to something else because tokens work," Shapiro said on a visit to the museum, housed underground in a decommissioned subway station. "MetroCards introduced a whole other level of thinking for New Yorkers." The Metropolitan Transportation Authority launched public campaigns to teach commuters how to swipe the originally blue-colored cards correctly, hoping to avoid the dreaded error message or lost fares. Officials even briefly toyed with the idea of a quirky mascot, the Cardvaark, before coming to their senses. This article was provided by The Associated Press.