Rabih Dagher

Those working off the land in Lebanon face stiff competition for international trade, as they do not benefit from subsidies like many farmers abroad. But as Katy Watson from BBC reports, one man has now set up Beirut’s first farmers’ market to help local producers reap rewards closer to home.

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The skyline of the Syrian capital is changing, with tower blocks being replaced by new office buildings and malls. Damascus is also slowly opening up to private investment and encouraging an influx of entrepreneurs.

The BBC’s Lina Sinjab has met Abdulsalam Haykal, who runs a number of private businesses, and is one of many Syrians to return to do business at home.

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Lebanon has a reputation for cultivating local crafts, from metalwork to woodwork and many are still making a living from their traditional skills. But faced with cheaper imports from China and India it is getting tougher to survive. This has prompted some to try to raise the profile of local craftsmen.

Watch the 4 minute video below on this subject by BBC:

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The music video of the first Nations United song, I wish, directed by Chaker Khazaal. I wish is performed by 11-year-old Jackie Vainberg and talented Corey Brouwer. The music video star the Strain twins & lyricist, Olie Vainberg.
More information on the Nations United campaign and film on www.nationsunited.org

In Dubai, UAE, pet pampering has finally gone mobile. A company called ‘Shampooch’ offers pet grooming in a van. Watch the video below for more information:

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A vibrant young team filled the set while filming a fresh new music video produced by the Nations United group. The video titled, ‘I WISH’ is a feel-good anthem voiced by 11-year-old rising star, Jackie Vainberg, and directed by Nations United founder Chaker Khazaal. The lyrics to this incredibly catchy song were written by Olie Vainberg (Jackie’s mother) and edited by Christian Paré. The music’s lively tribal beats and rhythmic cords were composed by young new talent, Corey Brouwer and produced by Flavio Monopoli.

“Nations United has plans to produce a number of short videos before releasing Nations United, the movie next year. Our upcoming videos will feature women displaying positive and strong character traits, these qualities will play a major part in the leading role of NU,” says Mr Khazaal, who also co-produced the ‘I WISH’ video. The beautiful twin actors, Karissa and Katie Strain, shine as the female leads in I WISH, the first Nations United installment. I WISH, the song, was released exclusively on www.nationsunited.org on June 17, 2010, with the video released late in that month.

Entering its fourth month, the Nations United project has established connections and collaborations with people from over 50 countries in pre-production for the film, which is set to be released late 2011. The Nations United campaign is actively collecting short video submissions from individuals and groups worldwide. Select footage will appear in Nations United, the movie. The campaign and movie involves a series of events, film workshops, videos and songs that emphasize the importance of unity between nations and the power of positive national thought creating a positive reality.

To learn more, or become involved, please visit www.NationsUnited.org

'I Wish' song by Nations United

I have already blogged about Chaker Khazaal and his brilliant project Nations United which unites the nations through a collaborative movie combining people from different parts of the planet. Now, the “Art of Peace” gala is being thrown in Toronto on June 17, 2010, where all the proceedings of the event will be donated to the Nations United campaign.

Again, I would like to congratulate Khazaal for his efforts in creating a positive environment for people of under-privileged areas.

For more information on this project, please check the flyer below or the event directly on Nations United website at www.NationsUnited.org .

Art of Peace gala by Nations United

A day after firing a 10-ton hummus broadside in a food fight with Israel, chefs in Lebanon weighed in with another first for a Guinness record on Sunday - five tons of Falafel.

Falafel, like hummus and tabbouleh, are the objects of a cultural quarrel between Israel and Lebanon. Israel exports hummus widely, and is accused of claiming an Arab dish as its own. Lebanon set the tabbouleh record in October 2009, while the last Hummus battle was on Saturday.

With a Guinness World Records representative at hand to record the feat, organizers said it was the first time any country had tried to set such a high-frying Falafel record.

Guinness record for biggest Falafel by Lebanon 2010

In a continuous battle of Hummus with Israel, and after Lebanon set the record straight in October 2009 but again Israel stealing it in January 2010, Lebanon on Saturday May 8 2010 claimed another victory and set the biggest Hummus world record at 10,452 kilograms.

More than 300 chefs set the new record for hummus, which the Lebanese say is their national dish despite Israeli claims, in the presence of a Guinness World Records representative who confirmed its weight at 10,452 kilograms. That more than doubles the previous record of around 4 tons set in January 2010 by cooks in an Arab town near Jerusalem.

The gigantic serving of the popular Middle Eastern chickpea paste is the latest shot in the two countries’ ongoing war to assert ownership over the dip. A Guinness World Records adjudicator confirmed that Lebanon now holds the record.

Lebanon accuses Israel of stealing traditional Arab dishes like hummus and marketing them worldwide as Israeli.

Guinness world record for biggest Hummus plate by Lebanon in May 2010

Lebanus, the Lebanese organization behind the famous Lebanese Night in Montreal, is celebrating their 10th edition of the Lebanese Film Festival in Montreal on May 15th and 16th.

It is a great opportunity to discover and learn more about the many talented authors of short and feature-length films from Lebanon. All proceeds will be donated as scholarships for Lebanese students.

Showtime:
5 pm and 7h30 pm – Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th of May 2010

Address:
Cinémathèque de l’ONF
1564 Rue Saint Denis, Montreal, QC
H2X 3K3

For more information, you may check the event’s Facebook page here.

Lebanese Film Festival 2010 in Montreal by Lebanus

In Beijing, China, nothing quite says fine dining… like a toilet-themed restaurant. At this establishment in Beijing, it’s no use complaining to the waiter that the food looks a bit like ****.

Watch the video below for more information:

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In Lebanon, having plastic surgery for the nose, lips, or even breasts is a very normal thing between young females. It has become a very lucrative market for plastic surgeons to a point it became the country where plastic surgery is practiced the most in the world!

Here is what Nora Awada - the subject behind the French documentary “Beyrouth, supermarché du lifting” - has to say about it:

Elles sont jeunes, belles … et la plupart sont refaites de la tête aux pieds. A Beyrouth, se faire retoucher les seins, le nez ou les lèvres par un chirurgien esthétique est presque un acte banal, dès l’âge de 20 ans. Le Liban est le pays où l’on pratique le plus d’opérations plastiques au monde, et tous les excès sont permis. Il y a même des modes : en ce moment, les clientes réclament le nez d’une célèbre chanteuse locale. Pour celles qui n’ont pas les moyens, les banques proposent des prêts spéciaux « chirurgie esthétique ». Si les Libanaises se livrent aussi fréquemment aux bistouris des chirurgiens, c’est parce que, dans ce pays, la concurrence est très rude pour trouver un mari : à cause de la guerre et de l’émigration, il n’y a qu’un homme pour cinq femmes. Mais revers de la médaille : cette dictature de la beauté crée aussi une pression sociale très forte difficile à supporter au quotidien.

Watch below the documentary (in French) by Nora Awada which was broadcasted on the French show 66 Minutes:

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“Lebanon’s cosmopolitan capital is finally getting its groove back”. That’s how the New York Times Travel magazine introduces Beirut in their Spring 2010 edition.

Though it was once known as the Paris of the Middle East, ‘‘Beirut never truly lost its sheen,’’ says Gordon Campbell Gray, the British hotelier who finally opened Le Gray last November, having forged ahead even through the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. The Lebanese capital surely has a touch of Parisian glamour, but it also has a dash of Berlin (bullet-pocked buildings after a civil war that lasted from 1975 to 1990) and Miami (flashy night-life zones choked with Ferraris and S.U.V.’s). There’s a burgeoning gallery scene, world-class shopping — from avant-garde boutiques like IF to big-ticket designers like Marc Jacobs and Dior — and five-star hotels like the new Four Seasons and Le Gray. ‘‘The Lebanese have a spirit for living for the day, and it permeates every aspect of their life,’’ Campbell Gray says. ‘‘You really understand this when you head back to a Western city.’’

Check the featured article at http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/03/28/t-magazine/travel-issue/28remix-beirut.html

Le Gray, Beirut - New York Times Travel Magazine Spring 2010

A 22-year-old Lebanese-Canadian man is seeking to unite the nations through a collaborative movie combining people from different parts of the planet.

People from every nation are invited to create a film, 3-5 minutes in length, displaying anything they wish to show the rest of the world. There are no restrictions to the footage they film or the message they wish to present. A selection of chosen footage will be edited into a pre-existing concept for a movie called Nations United or NU, written by Chaker Khazaal, the man behind the project.

Chaker Khazaal on the 17th of March 2010 became a Canadian Resident and his dream since childhood has always been to unite humanity and its people.

Born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, of Palestinian background, Chaker Khazaal moved to Toronto, Canada in 2005 as an international student at York University where he completed a BA degree in International Development Studies. He also took courses in the fields of film, languages and International Relations.

More information on the project Nations United can be found at www.nationsunited.org

Chaker Khazaal's Nations United Vision - www.nationsunited.org

You have previously heard about the documentary exposing Lebanese faking their Canadian permanent residency, and this one just adds to it.

Quebec’s healthcare system RAMQ (Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec) is trying to recuperate around $500,000 caused by the illegal use of the system, which made it the largest fraud in RAMQ’s history in relation to illegal use of the medical card. And guess what, the majority of this is caused by Lebanese.

RAMQ has investigated in the recent months around 1,700 immigrants. More than two-third of them, the majority Lebanese, have simulated their presence in Quebec with the help of a fraudulent Lebanese immigration lawyer, the famous now Nizar Zakka. They have obtained a medical card and used it for healthcare services totaling $500,000. RAMQ was only able to recuperate around $42,000 since most of the immigrants do not live in Quebec. The control of this fraudulent activity will not be easy until RAMQ implements its new barcode card.

You can read the investigation report on RAMQ’s official website here.

Quebec's healthcare system (RAMQ) medical card

Lebanon was once home to a thriving Jewish community, but its estimated that there are now fewer than a hundred Jews left in the country. So it came as a surprise when the tiny Jewish community announced the rebuilding of one of Beirut’s historic synagogues.

Natalia Antelava from BBC reports on the Beirut synagogue in the video below:

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If you think the Man Bra is weird, well check this out.

Ever been in the middle of something, then realized you really want a game of golf? Well the Japanese lingerie manufacturer Triumph have come up with a solution: a putting mat bra. The bra can be transformed into a 1.5 meter long putting green which is fully equipped along with a special skirt to ensure silence during the game.

Check it out in the video below:

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Where would you find the weirdest creations on earth?

Japanese online lingerie shop Wishroom has recently unveiled a strange addition to its new product line: the Man Bra. Strangely, the $30-dollar Man Bra is now Wishroom’s fastest-selling men’s garment. The Man Bra comes in three colours - black, white, and of course, pink.

Check it out in the video below:

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One by one, Lebanese designers are conquering catwalks across Europe. While many designers in Europe have faced problems due to the economic downturn, Lebanon’s fashion designers have had no shortage of work. They are thriving as the country profits from a year of political stability.

BBC correspondent Natalie Antelava reports below from Beirut on Lebanon’s bid to become the capital of the Middle East fashion world:

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After bringing you the Beer Bath in Czech Republic and the Chocolate Bath in Hanoke, Japan, a new type of bath will be added to the list. It’s the Noodle Bath, again in Hanoke, Japan.

The Yunessan Spa House have launched a bath containing noodles and broth for their customers. Health authorities have banned edible noodles , so a synthetic noodle is used. A noodle bath is apparently good for the skin, and can increase metabolism.

Check it out in the video below:

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China has just launched the fastest express train in the world on the longest track on earth. At a speed of around 400 km/h, this locomotive is so smooth that even a standing cigarette won’t be toppled. It ran from the central city of Wuhan down to the south coast in a record of less than 3 hours, compared to the 10 and a half hours that it normally used to take.

This is not something new for the Chinese, and if you’ve been to Shanghai then you know what I mean. They have the Maglev train that takes you from Shanghai airport to downtown at a speed topping 432 km/h.

Check out the express train in the video below:

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Now, I feel like doing laundry.

In Hamburg, Germany, the Wash-Bar is no ordinary laundromat. It’s in fact a disco laundromat! While the spin dryers get to work, DJs spin tunes for the customers. The laundromat even serves food and drinks.

Check it out in the video below:

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I have previously blogged about beer bath as the ultimate relaxation treat, but for non-alcoholics or chocolate lovers, these top it all. They are the latest craze in Valentine’s gifts: the chocolate spa in Israel and the chocolate bath in Hanoke, Japan.

Check them out in the video below:

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In Tokyo, Japan, this recital is the only one of its kind in the world, since most of the audience members… are asleep. In this two-day event called “Dolce Heavenly Concert”, spectators are invited to relax in luxury beds and since it’s sponsored by Haagen-Dazs, they are provided with as much ice cream as they can eat.

Check it out in the video below:

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The Kayabukiya Tavern in Utsunomiya, Japan, employs two waiters with special background: they are both macaque monkeys. If you’re wondering how they are tipped, well they earn boiled soybeans as tips. Though in line with animal regulations, they only work for two hours a day.

Watch them while they’re working in the video below:

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