Claire Wrathall
18.11.09

Strolling along the Corniche, which runs along the northernmost stretch of Beirut’s Mediterranean seaboard, on a warm Saturday evening, dodging power walkers, promenaders and soignée women with dogs in their handbags, it was striking how very good-looking so many Beirutis are.

Not perhaps the fishermen hoping to catch supper with a spindly rod balanced on the parapet wall; the narghile (or shisha-pipe) smokers huddled close to their cars from whose radios blasted loud Lebanese pop; or ka’ik vendors, peddling discs of hot bread with fist-sized holes, through which locals thread their arms in order to “wear” them home, like giant bangles.

But many of the women — some in hijabs, a few in sweats, others in Saturday-night best — had the demeanour of models. Even the mothers of children en route to the giant Ferris wheel at Lunapark looked more serene than their western counterparts might in similar circumstances.

This is most likely thanks to cosmetic surgery. Even in these credit-crunched times, Lebanon’s First National Bank is offering loans of up to $5,000 to “cover all your plastic surgery operations”, under the banner “Beauty is no longer a luxury”.

The reason has its roots less in vanity than in Lebanon’s war-torn past. Twenty years ago, when the civil war still raged, 90 per cent of surgeons’ work was reconstructive; today it’s almost all cosmetic.

Three years on from the Israeli bombing of southern Beirut, and despite what the UK’s Foreign Office calls a “fragile” peace and a visible military presence, Lebanon feels reborn.

Take the vibrant pedestrianised downtown district known as Solidère, a risen-from-the-rubble development of offices, shops, bars and cafés, stylistically a little too polished and post-modern, perhaps, but its faux rue-de-Rivoli arcades keep the sun off shoppers concerned for their complexions.

This was the part of town I was staying in, at the city’s smartest, newest hotel, Le Gray, a sophisticated, efficient 87-room boutique that opened on 1 November.

A more stylish alternative to the two InterContinentals on the Corniche — hitherto Beirut’s best hotels — it’s already made the city a more alluring destination for European weekenders.

It’s already so popular with locals that my friends and I in our group couldn’t get a table here for Sunday lunch, neither at its smart sixth-floor restaurant, Indigo — which offers a broadly international menu like its London namesake — nor its buzzy corner café, improbably named Gordon’s (despite a fine range of Lebanese salads) after its proprietor, Gordon Campbell Gray, the hotelier behind London’s One Aldwych and Dukes and Antigua’s Carlisle Bay.

Fortunately, there was space on the roof terrace, alongside its heated mauve-tiled, glass-walled swimming pool, from which on a clear day you can see not just the sea, but snow-capped Mount Lebanon.

Le Gray’s location on Place des Martyrs couldn’t be better, close to the café-encircled Place d’Etoile (they don’t call Beirut the Paris of the East for nothing) and Beirut Souks (more of a mall than a medina).

It’s also convenient for the city’s three main mosques — its proximity to the visible-for-miles 21st-century Mohammed al-Amin mosque ensures you never get lost — and the city’s three cathedrals.

Not that there aren’t myriad secular sights, too, ranging from Roman baths and colonnades to the Sursock Museum of modern Lebanese art (Le Gray, too, has more than 500 contemporary paintings and sculptures), by way of Byzantine mosaic pavements, crumbling Ottoman mansions and the National Museum.

Le Gray is metres from the Quartier des Arts, aka Saifi Village, a redevelopment of the area once bisected by the Green Line, the barricade that divided Muslim west Beirut from the Christian east side during the 15-year civil war that ended in 1990.

Here I found galleries and shops selling jewellery, richly embroidered local fashion (check out the coats in Assyla, on Riadh Sohl Street), carpets and homeware.

On Saturday mornings, Saifi also hosts a terrific farmers’ market, Souk el Tayeb, where locals buy organic veg, aromatic spices, flatbread brushed with herb-infused oils, the deep-fried lozenges of minced lamb and cracked wheat they call kibbeh and exquisite home-made marzipan.

That said, it would be a shame to spoil your appetite for lunch, especially if you’ve booked a table at, say, Casablanca, an old villa on the Corniche with modern interiors, sea views and a menu rich in slightly Asian takes on local fish.

Beirutis dine late, after which the beautiful people gather in the bars of Gemmayzeh, immediately east of Saifi and 10 minutes from Le Gray.

For the moment, the place to be is Myu on rue St-Antoine but next weekend sees the opening of Bar ThreeSixty on top of Le Gray, a glass-walled, blue-lit, lantern-shaped structure with jaw-dropping views. Beirut’s beau monde won’t be long in making it their own.

DETAILS

The flight
BMI flies daily from Heathrow, returns from £429.40, www.flybmi.com

The hotel
Le Gray has doubles from $346.50, www.legray.com

The restaurants
Casablanca Ain el-Mreisseh, Corniche (0011 961 1369 334) Myu Rue St-Antoine (0011 961 334 476)

Tours
Black Tomato offers a Beirut-based four-day package from £1,105pp that can include skiing, from January to March, as well as visits to Baalbek, Byblos and into the Bekaa Valley, www.blacktomato.co.uk, www.lebanon-tourism.gov.lb

Michel Hayek’s new predictions in “Ahmar Bel Khat el-Aarid” on LBCI (28/10/2009)

- Unidentified objects will be seen, this time not only in the air, but in different places. These revelations will be the subject of many studies.

- An old archeological site will be discovered with carvings and paintings related to space, astrology and unidentified objects.

- Despite the many dialogues and negotiations and compromises regarding the government formation, I see a number of top Lebanese politicians regretting it after the formation.

- Joseph Sader’s kidnapping case reaches an end.

- The case of the four generals to further developments and complications; I see a red circle of heat around it that is about to expand.

- An unexpected event will accompany an official Lebanese holiday.

- Parliamentary brouhaha; some parliamentary seats will be in peril, there will be a rush to find a settlement.- Confusing battle over former minister Wiaam Wahhab’s name.

- An Iranian military action outside its borders.

- An israeli plot, of a different kind and with a different tactic

- according to my calculations, it has failed twice so far – a thrid attempt is on the way.

BEIRUT: Lebanon successfully made three entries in the Guinness Book of Records over the weekend for the largest plate and the largest plates of hummus and tabbouleh. The “Hummus and Tabbouleh are 100 percent Lebanese” festival took place on Saturday and Sunday at Saifi Market in Downtown Beirut. Thousands attended the two-day event marking Lebanon’s attempt to claim the two dishes.
The dishes were prepared un der the watch of Guinness adjudicator Tallal Omar by 250 sous chefs from the Kafaat catering school. The 50 chefs were led by the famous Lebanese chef and culinary figure Ramzi Choueiri.
The first attempt for the largest hummus dish reached an incredible 2056 kilograms, shattering the previous record of 362.8 kilograms set in New York in 2006. The tabbouleh dish weighed in at an even more astonishing 3557 kilograms, which surpasses Israel’s previous record of 2359 kilograms.
Both dishes were prepared in the world’s largest plate designed by Lebanese engineer Joseph Kabalan which was designed to hold over 3 tons.
The event was organized by the International Fairs and Promotions group (IFP), along with the Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALI) and the Industry Minister Ghazi Zaiter.
The event was held to affirm the origins of the dishes after the ALI’s claim that the specialties are sold internationally as Greek or Israeli dishes, undermining the cultural originality of the dishes and causing huge losses for the Lebanese economy.
At the event, Ghazi Koraytem, president of the Syndicate of Lebanese Food Industries called for the international recognition and registration of the dishes as being Lebanese in origin.
The festival, which attracted thousands of people to Saifi Market, was set up to include many stalls from Lebanese caterers and artisans. Famous presenter Michel Azzi acted as the master of ceremonies for the event, keeping the crowd lively and amused throughout the various stages of the record attempts.
At the event Azzi said: “We wish that the Lebanese could share this sense of unity all the time in all endeavors.”
At times the security struggled to keep the enthusiastic audience back away from the giant dishes. Mona, from Beirut, said: “This is an important issue to the Lebanese. If Israel attempts to break the record again, we will keep breaking it and prove that these dishes are Lebanese.”
The ALI has claimed their case is similar to the European Union court ruling in 2002 that ruled feta cheese to be Greek.
Geographical appellation rights exist for sparkling wine from the French Champagne region and Scotch whisky, and according to ALI, Lebanon should be able to patent hummus and tabbouleh dishes.

JEDDAH: The prosecutor in the case of a woman journalist who was handed 60 lashes for her role in an LBC program covering the sex exploits of a Saudi man has appealed the ruling and called for a harsher punishment.

Suleiman Al-Jumaei, lawyer for sex braggart Mazen Abdul Jawad, said the prosecutor appealed the sentence handed to LBC media person R.A., one of seven accused in the case.

“The public prosecutor challenged the punishment of 60 lashes saying it was too light and not in sync with her role as a coordinator and the one who prepared and advertised the program,” said Al-Jumaei.

“The verdict, however, is only at its primary stage. It will not be executed without the approval of the appeals court. The court may either uphold or revoke it,” he added.

He also expressed his worry at how slowly the Disputes Committee for Publications is dealing with Abdul Jawad’s complaint against the LBC. The complaint was submitted three months ago to the committee, which operates under the Ministry of Culture and Information.

Abdul Jawad claims that the LBC edited and re-contextualized a long video shoot into a short segment to present him in the worst possible light.

“LBC has violated printing and publications regulations by portraying Abdul Jawad in a bad manner, particularly as it goes against the religious values and traditions of Saudi Arabia. It was the channel that violated these values first when it filmed the segment. The channel also violated Saudi law by operating from an unlicensed Jeddah office,” he said.

He added that if the Disputes Committee for Publications does not carry out its job properly then his client has the right to sue the Ministry of Culture and Information for damages.

“When the committee’s decision comes, I will study it and pursue the channel anywhere in the world if it is in the interests of my client,” he said. The lawyer has also submitted an additional petition to the committee urging it to pass judgment quickly.

The Ministry of Culture and Information says it has forwarded Abdul Jawad’s complaint to the Disputes Committee for Publications, which would only examine whether there are violations of regulations pertaining to printing and publication.

Arab News failed to get any comment on the matter from the channel’s office. Malik Maktabi, the host of “Bold Red Line,” said in an earlier statement that he was not authorized to comment on the case.

Save the «man in the cube», who chose to be held within 3 days what will future generations can afford: in addition to Snoop pedestrians on the sidewalk Achrafieh who received volunteer Rami Eid, will bear the last rise in water level, high temperature, scarcity of water and food for the world to know the effects of climate change, in the Association by «Indy ACT» expose the Arab position which impedes the Copenhagen negotiations
Bassam Kantar
Since eight in the morning, he chose activist and playwright Lebanese Rami Eid (24 years), to voluntarily enter into a transparent cube 2X2 square meters, placed on the pavement of Achrafieh in Beirut. Rami knows that the task chosen to implement the Commonwealth of independent activists «Indy ACT» difficult, if not almost impossible.
Rami was the title of «men in the cube», which will live for 3 days, began yesterday morning, and ending the tenth on Sunday morning. Rami testing, during this period, the various impacts of climate change, where Sikabd a bitter struggle with rising temperatures and shortages of food and water, rising sea levels, threatening the sinking of the entire cube where he lives.
And consider «Indy ACT» to this activity that represents the «excessive realism» what will be the future of humanity, if the global warming.
Expect responsible media «Indy ACT» gift Farhat, this activity is to attract the attention of the public and the media because it «a unique and innovative». It adds to «News»: «in the past, many of our activities on climate change, but this issue is still far from the attention of Arab public opinion. To the extent that some story of a man plunge into a cube, fictional, but they already represent the case of symbolic of what could be the future of humanity after years. Our message from Beirut says that we still have a little time remains to avoid becoming the story «The last man in the cube» reality.
Indicate that the selection of Farhat Rami Eid to do the job came after the announcement «Indy ACT» via «Facebook», and set strict conditions for participation, in particular the full commitment of the living conditions inside the cube. And draw the Farhat that provide many of the activists to carry out this role, including girls Abidin their willingness to carry out this task. She adds: «already chosen one of the girls, but declined later, and after Eid Rami expressed its full commitment to, ruled out other candidates. In response to a question: Farhat recognized that the choice of a girl swimming gown to perform the task, he would draw more attention, but not to the issue of climate change. It adds that the ability to survive for a long key, in addition to a sense of culture and environmentalists, and these qualities met in Rami.
It contains the transparent cube, made locally, on a chair and table, television and put them a PC and an Internet connection and an electric fan, also provided food and water. However, this does not mean that all of these tools will remain available for the scope of the cube, when noon spare volunteer guarding the cube for fear of intrusion passing electric current, which led to the breakdown of the fan, and thus is on the Rami looking for a way to adjust it with high temperature in the absence of ventilation. But at night, no one knows!
Rami chose to transcribe notes within three days of the cube through the Internet. Refuses to talk directly to people, but contacts are friends through his cell phone. Rami writes on the special page on the site «twitter» http://twitter.com/Man_In_The_Cube short comments, and interact with those who write to him and ask him how he felt after long hours of sitting in a cube and exposure to sunlight Achrafieh not overshadowed by yesterday, although no cloud the passage of nearly a month early autumn.
And comments by: «I will now read the book« Life of Pi »the author Yan Martel, and I invite you all to read. Later he wrote: «show high insect people to know what’s going on here and why I sit in this cube and I am a fan backlash of their actions, even though I do not speak directly with them».
In addition to «twitter», Rami chose to write lengthy notes on the blog site set up by the «Word Press» http://themaninthecube.wordpress.com. At two in the afternoon Rami wrote in his blog: «It has been 6 hours. All I can say that the weather is hot and humid here too. Cube began sinking, and the water will rise shortly. There is little food and water, and I’m trying to adapt to it ».
When the fifth night, the water has inundated more than half a meter of the cube, and this morning, if all goes well, will begin a new phase Rami within the cube, representing the residents of the land who are exposed to floods resulting from sudden and severe hurricanes, likewise try to save purposes and the rest of the precious food in their homes, but the difference is that Rami will not be able to leave the cubic, as do thousands of refugees Almnakhien, especially in the areas of the Far East, Valmkaab is Earth, but will also be in the event of disaster.
In turn, indicates the Executive Director for «Indy ACT» Wael Hmeidan that this event is part of the path of Mosul campaign «350.org», which will culminate on 24 this month «Global Day of Action against climate change». Organized during this day, thousands of activities, and coordinate «Indy ACT» these activities in our region, to encourage Governments to participate actively in the negotiations, the Copenhagen Summit.
This summit is one of the last opportunities to save the Earth from the effects of climate change. Humaidan just return from a tour of the negotiations that took place in Bangkok last week, he expressed dismay at the position of Saudi Arabia during the negotiations. He points out that the Saudi delegation holed behind the G-77, which calls for shared responsibility, but differentiated responsibilities, between the industrialized and developing countries, in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Humaidan adds: «in Bangkok and in all previous rounds remaining oil trade, the only reason for the enthusiasm of Saudi Arabia, which does not seem interested in what happens to the population of Arab countries in the event of continuing climate change».

Tair Falsieh gathering up the tails of blast media rumors
As if they had been waiting for some event, Israel initiated with the first news of the explosion Tair Falsieh to exploit it and put it in the context of breach of resolution 1701, and lodge a formal complaint against Lebanon in the UN Security Council, led in his news headlines Hebrew media, which aired a videotape allegedly Army occupation that «prove» that Hezbollah the means of escape from the combat scene. Quoted a delegate of Israel to the United Nations, Gbriila Shelef, complaint against Lebanon to the Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, and the President of the Security Council. Claims Tel Aviv through the complaint, that the event is a «serious breach of resolution 1701», and to talk about «a second explosion of a weapons depot belonging to the Hezbollah in the past three months, and it proves that the organization maintains a weapon is illegal south of the Litani River, and build military infrastructure in the region ».
The following Shelef, in its letter, that Hezbollah «use villages inhabited by civilians for the storage of ammunition … In this way the (Hezbollah) have used residents as human shields ». He also pointed the finger at the Lebanese army, saying that the «parties in the army (Lebanese) turn a blind eye deliberately building up Hezbollah, renewed infrastructure in southern Lebanon», stressing that «the Lebanese government responsible for each event is located on the territory».
A spokesman for the Israeli army had been circulated the tape, which says that an Israeli drone image of the sky of Lebanon. The video shows a persons occupation they claim «Hizbollah militants in possession of the means of combat on the back of a truck in an attempt to smuggle them before the arrival of UNIFIL and the Lebanese army to the scene», with reference to the pictures are not clear. Continues to monitor the video trucks that came out of the scene. The Israeli military claims that it «went to another store in the village of Deir Qanun river».
In turn, accused the Israeli President Shimon Peres, Hezbollah as «exposes Lebanon at risk», and saw that Israel «re what was to be returned to Lebanon», and therefore they «are not a threat to Lebanon». The Peres, during a speech at the Galilee, that «there is no reason not to be peace between us, was in Lebanon could become a Switzerland of the Middle East, but Hezbollah is destroying Lebanon as Hamas, the Palestinian Authority Palmyra». And Perez expressed his confidence in «we will be victorious in the field of security and other areas as well».
According to Israeli media that the army of occupation, called UNIFIL forces to investigate the explosion, on the background as evidence that Hezbollah continues to smuggle weapons into southern Lebanon and hiding in the houses, contrary to Resolution 1701. And saw an Israeli military spokesman said the blast «a continuation of the explosion in the Armory in Khirbet peace», on 14 July.
The former chairman of the research division of Military Intelligence, Brigadier General Jacob Amidror reserve and saw that the “explosion Tair Falsieh enabling Israel to achieve political gains achieved if the international forces of the incident, and this is what will not be, because it will violate the Hezbollah point of resolution 1701, and this is precisely what Israel will want working on the show ». But he pointed out that the talk about the «active filter or store a weapon of bombing would weaken the party, is the word of exaggerated».
I tried some of the Israeli media suggest that there is a role for the Israeli security services in an explosion Tair Falsieh over the question of the fact causes, although the result of a technical error, or the work of the long arm of Israel.
Some Israeli media have suggested that there is a role for the Israeli security services in the blast
The “Ha’aretz” that “Israel is following developments in the preparedness of southern Lebanon since the explosion to make sure that Hezbollah will not try to ignite the front with Israel in the wake of the explosion.” The “Maariv” newspaper quoted a security sources said that “there are aerial photographs that show for a second bombing in the village in the wake of the first explosion, and that Hezbollah seeks to strengthen the offensive and defensive Mnzawmath in Lebanese villages.”
The field, according to correspondent “News” in the district of pictures (Amal Khalil) that the people of the village, who slept the night of the explosion to rumors talked about the killing of Jesus and his son, 3 others, and the house was destroyed by an explosion of an ammunition depot in the garage, woken by the White Btbakte erected without damage, as Jesus himself Touring the whole health of the journalists in front of his home, the future well-wishers on his recovery. The son, still since before the incident in Beirut, where he lives and teaches at the university, and found no trace “of the three men” alleged: What Every one is infected, one of the elements of civil defense, the result was suffocating smoke, fire, and is treated.
Surprising that seized people from inflating the media of the accident also appeared on the Lebanese army soldiers and members of the Italian contingent, who flocked in the morning, to impose the necessary measures, as many have expressed surprise at the limited damage that focused on the burning garage, which is an area of 4 square meters.

Stories of deportees from the UAE: Who are they? What are their investments?

UAE is no longer a safe haven for investments (Bilal Jawish)
Started from scratch and then returned to zero! This is the situation of deportees from the UAE, some of them born there, and some settled in this country for 3 decades, believe the promise, established companies, carried out the projects, opened restaurants, and they played different positions, even got them «Security UAE», and forced them to leave their lives and their property and the liquidation of their business … Who are these people?
Mohamed Wahba
The exiles hope return to work in the United Arab Emirates, but they still refuse to reveal their identities for fear of what was left of the dreams they built in exile … Being swamped by the fear of the reaction of «Security UAE», if accused of incitement, “Most of these institutions and left there properties and relatives and friends, we must maintain them, as someone says to« News ».
What did not lose in the global financial crisis and stock market losses, field the unjust decision under the title of «national security», as suddenly, as he tells them, asked them to leave the UAE and give up their old-taking … All of them did not understand why, though some of them subjected to interrogations and the temptations and threats were not relevant to their business or career and dedicate his time there.
There is a feeling of disappointment to the deportees, not because of their loss, but because of the way to deal with the case in Lebanon, they did not act publicly until after they witnessed the unwillingness of the official authorities in dealing with this issue seriously, and this is what made them raise many questions: «What if I changed accounts UAE policies and long-exclusion of other categories? What are the consequences of deportation on the work of the Lebanese in the UAE? What about the reputation of the UAE itself? ».
To keep the political negative repercussions on the reputation of the UAE economy, and an issue is not easy to overcome for a country that is marketed the same regional economic center, what happened with this issue of the Lebanese and the Palestinians and the Iranians in the UAE shows that the conditions do not learn to play a continuing role of the Center, and it is no longer a safe haven for many investors, as the deportees are not people or migrants crossing the living on the margin, but the investors, most of whom employed their wealth in this country, and now find they do not have any protection or stability.
Says president of the Lebanese businessman Camille Manasseh the «mixing politics with the economy is not acceptable», in Lebanon followed this method «and see where we are», and hoped that it be «just a misunderstanding, because the effects of political exclusion would be a negative impact on Lebanon and the UAE, particularly that long number of investors, businessmen and owners of small and medium enterprises ».
If, on the deportees are these? What are their business? Any high places they occupied in big companies in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain, and Fujairah?
■ slaughtered
Are investors in real estate, restaurants, trade and the owners of the achievements in the oil fields
Spring slaughtered, deported from the UAE, he had a trade office in Dubai, is satisfied that the background of the expulsion decision comes against the Lebanese resistance, but they «become against whom, if the changed political situation and the accounts of UAE?».
The Office of the slaughtered ship goods from Dubai and Sharjah to Africa, Iran, Lebanon, various goods, such as garments, electronics, «We were dealing with Al Habtoor Electronics, and import coal from the port of coal, and take the car market Aweer to Africa … We had expansion plans and the transfer of the company’s primary from Beirut to Dubai, but we canceled the project now after what happened ». He points out that it was shipped about 10 containers per month worth, according to the type of goods, between 20 and 70 thousand dollars for each one. After the deportation, and the exploitation of his sponsor, advised investors «not to invest in the UAE. If the matter today against the resistance, it would be expelled if the changed political situation, the UAE is no longer a safe haven for investment ».
■ Masood
Hussein Massoud, owner of a group of companies for contracting and aluminum and iron, as he recalled his participation in the celebration of the third national holiday in the UAE, and has had five years old only, and the UAE just desert, sandy roads … «The country had opened its doors to the Lebanese fleeing the fires of civil war, Voshmua projects in the urban renaissance and economic development, and invested in various sectors, but today, they are afraid of cutting their livelihood and property loss and the injustice of kin».
Massoud and the family found in the UAE for 35 years, he is 85 employees in its collection, valued at market capitalization of about $ 10 million, and has become a real estate property today «without any benefit» in spite of its good reputation and their projects is a constituent in the UAE, such as «state Saqr Hospital which contributed to its inception 30 years ago in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah »and some of his more recent nature, such as« diamond factory », Chalets« Hilton », Imran Rashid Hospital,« Expo Land ».
■ Hattit
Tells a nearby outcast from the family of Hatit, he was considered the first to set up a bakery in the UAE and has investments in this area millions of dollars, and has three brand names for this is the most famous bakeries in the United Arab Emirates (Sinbad, the chosen flower of Lebanon) is located in Abu Dhabi and Dubai , and up its share of the total sales of two Arab bread to 90 percent.
■ al-Moussawi, Abu Afif Abu Wael
And knows most of the Lebanese in the UAE Ahmed Moussawi, who works in Abu Dhabi for 30 years, and owns a construction company … They knew the father Afif Abu Wael and who possess well-known restaurants in the country, as well as the Al-Fadel, who own a restaurant «desert» the famous, which was established in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah investment in 1999 worth $ 1.5 million, a specialist in Lebanese cuisine, and draws some Lebanese resident there, that this restaurant lauded by the emirate’s ruler at the time, Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, when he met the Lebanese ambassador in the UAE with the Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah at the time, Shaikh Khalid bin Saqr Al Qasimi, touched on the importance of establishment of the tourism sector in the emirate, note that Al-Fadel were before, had founded the first restaurant in Lebanon Ras Al Khaimah in 1985, and they are working in this area since that time, and their clients are senior senators, ambassadors … With real estate on which the restaurant (8 stores) owned by the emirate’s ruler.
Stories deported many investors, but there is also a distinguished staff were working in the major oil companies such as Al (b. O) who worked in the company «ACT» of the land areas of oil exploration, which owns the largest share of the oil companies in the emirate (3 oil fields) , recording a number of inventions in the Public Safety Act and environmental issues relating to the Company, he has witnessed the development of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi for 19 years when he was the biggest building in the UAE does not rise more than 5 layers, and the roads were sandy, as it is today skyscrapers and glass towers and buildings .

More than 200 Harley Davidson bikes checked in at the InterContinental Mzaar Mountain Resort & Spa on their first night in Lebanon.

Designated by the event’s organizers as Lebanon’s most prestigious and trendy hotel, InterContinental Mzaar was proud to accommodate the 1st Lebanon Harley Owners Group H.O.G. Tour, an officially recognized event organized by the H.O.G. Lebanon Chapter for Harley-Davidson owners only.
“The resort’s alpine architecture, spacious guestrooms and cozy lobby were perfect for kicking-back and relaxing after a day-long ride” explained one of the bikers enjoying a sip of coffee in the hotel lobby along with his wife/bike partner.

After spending a refreshing night at 2000m above sea level, the riders enjoyed the exquisite Mzaar buffet breakfast before gathering in front of the main entrance, ready to take off to the Cedars, their next destination.
Dressed up in original Harley Davidson gears, the bikers coming from all over the world were riding along the scenic Lebanese roads from seaside’s to winding mountains in a fun-packed adventure until reaching the resort where they lived an authentic InterContinental Mzaar Experience.

© 2009 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

Aoun, on the anniversary of October 13: Resistance to the desired reform

Has not yet announced a date for the meeting Aoun-Hariri, who will discuss the names and bags. However, sources in both parties confirmed that the meeting between the two men is near. Meeting is supposed to be preceded by overcoming the pitfalls of opposition from Speaker Nabih Berri, and the pitfalls of the majority of MP Walid Jumblatt

Is expected to benefit politicians earlier this week from the regional support provided by the Syrian-Saudi summit, to access more quickly to the solutions on the level of the government. In this context, the member bloc «change and reform» Attorney Alan claim that the expected meeting between the prime minister in charge of Saad Hariri and President of the bloc «change and reform» General Michel Aoun to discuss the subject of bags and the names «because we are in the final stage of the process of formation of the government». It was also confirmed by MP Mohammed Qabbani, who noted that the next meeting between Aoun and Hariri will enter into the details of government to discuss the two sides in the distribution of portfolios and names. It seemed that Hariri told Qabbani retreat from the principle of refused to discuss the names and bags, and is convinced that «this needs to consult with all factions». The station revealed «or T in» Hariri had touched in his last meeting with Aoun to the names, but he quickly changed the subject, saying: «forget it, and did not touch him No new».

The television said «Future News» that «this week is essential to a detailed level of the government», and Hariri’s intention to hold «a new round of consultations and fast». President

Solomon dissatisfied with the fact not allowed to start the wheel of the rule has not yet exercised

The taxpayer has held the past few days, a series of consultations with allies and the opposition, said by messengers, or through dial-up networking.

The sources of the majority opinion that there was agreement on the application of the principle of rotation in the ministries, which was confirmed by a relatively Minister Mohammad Shatah who said that the rotation principle is acceptable, but «can not assign a bag capital of the Group enter into government opposition». The sources of the majority that the missionaries solution are primarily Saudi-Syrian Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and MP Walid Jumblatt. Thus, it is necessary to sacrifice a little to the two men make up the government. He explained one of the Vice bloc «First Lebanon» Jumblatt that concession from the Ministry of Public Works of the Lebanese Forces could solve a big problem, and the land concession from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ministry of Health will aid a greater problem.

In this context, sources familiar with the negotiating track, the question of Tozer repeaters are no longer the trump card, however, Hariri, following the recent attitudes of the President of the Republic, which in any case, General Aoun has not approached during the last meeting to bring them.

■ Jumblatt, Nasrallah

The familiar atmosphere of the meeting Jumblatt and Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, last Friday night, that I expressed fear of a serious apology to Mr. Hariri, and the two men agreed to make further efforts on many levels to overcome the remainder of the contract hinder the birth of the government. Jumblatt announced during the meeting that it will coordinate with Speaker Berri and President-designate in the coming days. As for Nasrallah, he stressed, in turn, that Hezbollah will intensify his consultations with the Free Patriotic Movement, to contribute to Pfkvkp also part of this decade. The same source noted that the political aide to Nasrallah Haj Hussein Khalil as a political aide to President Berri, MP Ali Hassan Khalil, have gone back on Saturday from Damascus, which Qsaddaha on Thursday, for the immediate reality of the Saudi position on the issue by the Lebanese government.

■ Baabda Palace

On the other hand Baabda, projecting sources to intensify President Michel Suleiman pressure in the coming days, the annoyance of the continuation of this practice, especially that it was preparing for a state visit to Spain this week, which was not expected to be Lebanon without the government on this visit and that, unlike the traditions and customs that govern this type of visits, will be forced to head a delegation comprising ministers of doing business. It is known that the state visit often punctuated by the signing of agreements, even treaties, but to achieve this it is difficult under the circumstances the current government. From here, sources expected to press for Suleiman the birth of a quick and easy way to Hariri’s son’s first government, hoping to ease the embarrassment to his hosts, the Spanish first, and relaunching the rule has not practiced yet, right, II.

■ masses October 13

In another context, set up the Free Patriotic Movement, yesterday, several masses on the occasion of the anniversary of 13 October, the most important in the Metn and Zahle. In Rabia, was attended by Gen. Michel Aoun, gave a mass after which the word referred to the need not remain this anniversary celebration traditionally limited to the exercise of social duties or appropriate for trafficking with the blood of the martyrs. Aoun stressed the need not only to the voices at the ballot box to pick up the pieces, but voices of resistance function continuously and tirelessly to reach the desired reform.

In Zahle, spoke at the meeting the head of Awn «Solid» Ghazi Aad, who surprised turning the Lebanese-Syrian Joint Committee to discuss the fate of missing persons to the Commission to search for the missing Syrians in Lebanon. He appealed to the Syrian authorities to give answers about the fate of the missing are alive or martyrs. Lebanese authorities also called «even once, to shoulder their responsibilities in this file and clarify the fate of children», calling for the adoption of a scientific mechanism, serious and transparent access to the truth and to provide clear answers about the fate of missing persons.

Source Al Akhbar

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