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 News

Rai says Lebanon has lost trust in parliament

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(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai said that Lebanese lawmakers have abused their parliamentary mandate by leaving the country without a president for more than four months.

Rai says the Lebanese have lost confidence in their Parliament, saying working on behalf of the people is “not owned” by lawmakers.

“We appeal to the Parliament in Lebanon, which has failed in its 13th session in electing a president,” said the patriarch during his Sunday mass sermon in Rome.

Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Sleiman’s term ended on May 25.

Parliament, which is tasked with choosing a successor, has failed to elect a president amid a boycott of election sessions by March 8 lawmakers.

Rai also said that the nearly five-month presidential vacuum “is a disgrace to Parliament, which, apparently, has yet to come up with a serious new initiative to secure a quorum and elect a president.”

The patriarch called for presidential elections to precede the parliamentary vote, arguing that the move “would put an end to the series of constitutional violations.”

Rai said that the president of the country must be “moral and impartial” and enjoy “spiritual and moral integrity.”

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 News

AUB receives $8M endowment for Palestinian students

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — The American University of Beirut (AUB) received an $8 million endowment from the Kamel Abdel Rahman Endowed Scholarship Fund to support Palestinian students on Tuesday. AUB says this is the largest single endowment for scholarships in the history of the university.

The fund, which is named after a Palestinian AUB graduate and businessman, will support tuition scholarships for Palestinians from refugee camps, according to the university.

“This very generous gift will give opportunities to countless future students who, in turn, will make their contributions to their societies and the world,” AUB President Peter Dorman said.

Rahman was born in Haifa, Palestine, in 1907 and studied business administration at AUB. Upon graduating in 1931, he returned to Palestine and founded the Contracting and Trading Company (CAT) before he was forced to come back to Lebanon during the Nakba in 1948.

The company, which is headquartered in Athens, currently has 110,000 employees according to its official website. In 2013, the company’s revenue was more than 2.2 billion.

After selling his shares in the company and retiring from in 1976, Rahman established an education fund to support Palestinian students. After his death in 1980, the fund trustees decided to allow AUB to manage the fund.

“AUB had such a profound impact on the life of Kamel Abdel Rahman and on our own lives,” said trustee Isam Nubani. “We know that AUB will ensure that this fund will benefit deserving Palestinian students for generations to come.”

“Financial aid is one of AUB’s highest priorities, and scholarships support academically qualified students who would otherwise not be able to attend university,” AUB provost Ahmad Dallal said in a statement. “This extraordinary endowment from Mr. Abdel Rahman will impact so many students, their families and communities.”

Approximately 40 percent of the undergraduate student body receives some kind of financial aid to afford annual tuition, which AUB says has increased in recent years.

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 Entertainment, New York, News

Lebanese-American Muslim to play Jesus in Bill O’Reilly film

(NEW YORK, NY) — Lebanese-American Muslim actor Haaz Sleiman will play Jesus in a new National Geographic Channel film, an adaptation of Bill O’Reilly’s book “Killing Jesus.”

The Lebanese actor will join Kelsey Grammer, Stephen Moyer, Rufus Sewell, Emmanuelle Chriqui and John Rhys Davies in the project, according to The haaz-sleiman---photoHollywood Reporter.

Sleiman, who was born in the United Arab Emirates, was raised in Lebanon and moved to the United States when he was 21 years old. He previously starred in the 2008 indie drama film, “The Visitor,” where he played an undocumented Syrian immigrant.

Most recently, he had a recurring role in USA Network’s Covert Affairs, and in CBS dramas “Person of Interest” and “Reckless.”

“Traditionally Jesus has been played by a white man and I think the fact that this is a Middle-Eastern actor is significant,” Matthew Belloni, executive editor of The Hollywood Reporter, told ABC News.

One blogger called the selection of Sleiman “shocking.”

“I mean, if you were filming a Martin Luther King, Jr., miniseries, you wouldn’t cast Jim Caviezel or Diogo Morgado in the lead role. It’d be ridiculous and racist and insulting,” wrote blogger David Henson.

O’Reilly, who will serve as executive producer of the film, says “Killing Jesus” is a history book about Jesus the man, not the Messiah.

“The film (Killing Jesus) will break new ground in chronicling the life of the most famous human being who ever lived. The superb cast and script reflect much thought and research. Viewers are in for something very different and very special.”

Killing Jesus will premiere globally on the National Geographic Channel in 2015 in 171 countries and 45 languages.

Watch ABC News’ report about O’Reilly’s new film:

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 News

Hariri: Saudi-financed weapons for Lebanese Army arriving soon

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(PARIS, FRANCE) — Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri says Saudi-financed weapons for Lebanon’s army will soon arrive as part of a $1 billion grant from Saudi Arabia to help it fight Islamist militants spilling over into Lebanon from Syria.

Hariri, who has close ties to the Saudi royal family, originally announced the deal after visiting King Abdullah in August, days after Islamist militants attacked and briefly seized the Lebanese border town of Arsal.

The Lebanese army has since stepped up its efforts to prevent fighters from crossing into Lebanon, but it is repeatedly calling for more military aid.

“In my opinion we need to do more,” Hariri said. “The Islamic State group is advancing and the Western alliance must be more concentrated on destroying all of the Islamic State. What we need is not strategic strikes, but strikes that really hurt the Islamic State.”

Hariri met with French President Francois Hollande to discuss the $1 billion deal and a second contract, which was agreed in December for which Riyadh agreed to grant Lebanon $3 billion to buy French weapons.

“With regard to the $1 billion that I am managing, in a few weeks, you’ll see results,” Hariri said. “It is finalized and some equipment will arrive soon.”

Lebanon has officially tried to distance itself from Syria’s conflict, but the country’s powerful Shi’ite movement Hezbollah has sent fighters to aid President Bashar al-Assad.

Lebanon, which is still rebuilding after its own 15-year civil war, has also seen clashes between gunmen loyal to opposing sides of the Syrian conflict, as well as militant strikes on the army and crossborder attacks by Syrian rebels.

Hezbollah itself suffered one of its biggest death tolls in a single action on Sunday after 10 of its fighters were killed in clashes with fighters from Nusra Front in eastern Lebanon.

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 News

Hezbollah claims responsibility for border blast

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Hezbollah claimed responsibility on Tuesday for planting a bomb that wounded two Israeli soldiers on the southern border of Lebanon, according to a statement released by the group.

An explosive device targeting an Israeli patrol in the Shebaa Farms was set off at 2:22 p.m. on Tuesday, said the statement.

The brigade responsible for setting off the device was named after 25-year-old Ali Hasan Haidar, a Hezbollah explosives expert, who was killed while attempting to dismantle four Israeli devices planted on Hezbollah’s telecommunications network in Adloun, south Lebanon last month.

An Israel army spokeswoman confirmed that two troops were wounded when an explosive device was detonated during activities by the Israeli army near the Lebanese border.

The attack prompted a retaliation by Israel, which fired artillery shells at a number of positions in Shebaa, the nearby Kfarshouba Hills, and al-Saddaneh area.

The Lebanese army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon went on alert in the area following the unrest.

Al-Manar reports that Israeli drones are hovering over the area of the blast.

UNIFIL later issued a statement saying that “at approximately 14:30 p.m., the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that two IDF soldiers were wounded at an Israeli position in the Shebaa area as a result of an improvised explosive device.”

UNIFIL is launching an investigation to determine the facts and circumstances of the incident.

“This incident is a violation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701. Such actions are in contravention of our objectives and efforts to reduce tensions and establish a stable and secure environment in southern Lebanon,” it said.

The blast comes just two days after Israeli soldiers fired at a Lebanese Army post and wounded one soldier in the same area.

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 City Beat, Detroit, News

Lebanese-American businessman sues government for being on ‘watch list’

(DETROIT, MI) — A Detroit area Lebanese-American businessman is suing the U.S. government for what he calls unfair targeting based on his Arab American race.

Dearborn resident Nasser Beydoun says he’s on a government “selectee” list that requires him to undergo secondary checks and questioning every time he tries to fly.

“We’re just fighting for our God-given rights that the constitution guarantees us … and to make sure government doesn’t become obtrusive and denies the rights of people without giving them the due process,” said Nasser Beydoun, a Muslim and former chairman and director of Arab American Chamber of Commerce.

Beydoun says his status doesn’t allow him to check in online for flights, his bags get screened, and TSA agents have to call the Terrorist Screening Center before Beydoun boards a plane.

“This happens every single time,” Beydoun said.

Beydoun says he’s never been told why he’s on a watch list, but that he’s being unfairly targeted because he’s Arab American.

“I don’t have any connections to known terrorists or associate with terrorists or support terrorists or sympathize with terrorists,” he said.

Efforts to clear his name with the Department of Homeland Security have gone nowhere, according to Beydoun.

That’s why he wants to take the government to court.

The class action lawsuit filed on Friday names U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the heads of the FBI and Terrorist Screening Center.

“People might say, ‘Hey, look. He’s an Arab. Maybe he’s a terrorist.’ We’re not gonna fall for that. We’re gonna basically fight for our rights because when we fight for our rights were fighting for everybody else’s rights,” Beydoun said.

Beydoun says he’s willing to represent thousands of other Arab Americans in metro Detroit and across the country in his fight for due process and transparency from the government.

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 Lifestyle, News

Sally Greige becomes Miss Lebanon 2014

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(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Sally Greige was crowned Miss Lebanon 2014 during a ceremony on Sunday evening in Beirut, beating 13 other contestants in the annual pageant.

When asked what cause she would feel compelled to join, Greige vowed to champion women’s rights.

“If I were to take part in one demonstration, I would choose to participate in a demonstration to defend the rights of Lebanese women,” she responded to panelists.

Greige, along with the 13 other contenders were dressed exclusively by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad’s 2014-2015 Fall/Winter collection. The event was hosted by TV Journalist Dima Sadek who also wore a design by Murad.

Greige, a brunette with green eyes, won the highest marks in the swimming suit and evening gown competitions, impressing social media followers and the panelists, which included Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad, Future Movement MP Serge Torsarkissian and TV Host Georges Kordahi.

Among the prizes she won were a $300,000 apartment, a 2014 Audi Q3 and $50,000 worth of jewelry.

The new Miss Lebanon was styled in a black and white embroidered sheath dress.

Greige is from the Koura region of Lebanon and is a student at the University of Balamand.

Greige will represent Lebanon at the Miss World pageant on December 14 in London and at the Miss Universe pageant, which will take place at Florida’s International University, on January 25, 2015.

Watch Sally Greige the moment she was crowned Miss Lebanon 2014:

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 City Beat, Detroit

PHOTOS: St. Laba Hasroun Society celebrates 90 years

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(Left to Right) St. Laba Hasroun Society Executive Board Members.

(WARREN, MI) — The St. Laba Hasroun Society celebrated their 90th anniversary during an annual brunch at St. Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church in Warren, Michigan on Sunday.

Founded in 1924, the society was created to “connect local Detroit Maronites from Hasroun who share a common love for their village,” says Maurice Farah, president of the group.

Hasroun is located in the Bsharri District of northern Lebanon. It overlooks the southern branch of the Qaddisha valley.

“Hasroun has long been the gateway of charm and glory of Lebanon’s scenic villages,” Farah said. “With God’s blessings, Hasroun will continue to rise through thick and thin and prosper as one of Lebanon’s most beautiful places.”

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(Left to Right) St. Laba Hasroun Society Vice President Genie Abboud and Treasurer Mikhael Farah.

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(Left to Right) St. Laba Hasroun Society President Maurice Farah with board members.

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 Entertainment, News

Three Lebanese politicians to attend Clooney and Alamuddin’s London ceremony

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — A London ceremony celebrating the wedding of Amal Alamuddin and George Clooney will welcome three Lebanese politicians on October 23.

Progressive Socialist Party Leader Walid Jumblatt, Environment Minister Mohammad Machnouk, and MP Marwan Hamade will fly to England for a dinner hosted by Alamuddin’s father Ramzi.

Previously, Jumblatt voiced positive opinions of Alamuddin and Clooney’s marriage, expressing hope they would set an example of openness for the Druze community.

“Tell me when George Clooney will be coming to Lebanon so I can greet him in Moukhtara,” he wrote, referring to his ancestral home in the Chouf mountains. “I will bring a delegation of Druze sheikhs.”

Ramzi Alamuddin is a retired professor of business studies at the American University of Beirut and comes from a prominent Lebanese Druze family. Amal’s mother, Bariaa Alamuddin, is the foreign editor of the Pan-Arab newspaper al-Hayat.

During the 1980s, when the Lebanese Civil War was in full scale, Alamuddin’s family left Lebanon for London and settled in Buckinghamshire, England.

Amal Alamuddin is a graduate of the University of Oxford and the New York University School of Law.

The Lebanese-British human rights lawyer Alamuddin, 36, and Hollywood actor Clooney, 53, dominated world headlines last weekend in a lavish Venice affair that included a wedding ceremony at one of the famed city’s luxurious hotels, the Aman Canal Grande.

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 City Beat, Detroit, New York, Photos

PHOTOS: Lebanese American University leaders visit Detroit

(DETROIT, MI) — Lebanese American University (LAU) officials visited Detroit this week to network with local Lebanese-Americans and potential scholarship donors during planned banquets and private gatherings.

LAU Vice President for University Advancement Marla Rice-Evans and LAU Assistant Vice President of Development Robert Hollback visited St. Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church on Friday, touring the church and joining potential donors for a dinner at La Saj Lebanese Bistro.

LAU operates a $20 million scholarship budget, which requires corporate and individual financial contributions and grants.

“Any student who has the credentials should be able to come to the university regardless of their income,” said Robert Hollback, LAU Assistant Vice President of Development.

The Lebanese American University is a private American university and research institution located in Lebanon. The university is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York.

The university receives financial assistance from the United States government and other educational aid organizations.

In a past news release, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut said LAU gives students a chance “to pursue American-style education that promotes tolerance, gender and social equality and challenges students to develop leadership skills, critical thinking, and initiative.”

According to Rice-Evans, LAU has over 8,200 students in their Beirut and Byblos campuses and around 2,300 graduating students each year.

IMG_2093(Left to Right) Prominent Lebanese-American Attorney Joumana Kayrouz, LAU Vice President for University Advancement Marla Rice-Evans, and Chorbishop Alfred Badawi of Saint Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church.

IMG_2087(Left to Right) Dr. Wissam Shaya, LAU Vice President for University Advancement Marla Rice-Evans, and Chorbishop Alfred Badawi.

IMG_2112(Left to Right) Local businessman George Habbouche, LAU Vice President for University Advancement Marla Rice-Evans, and pharmacist Pierre Boutros.

IMG_2105(Left to Right) LAU Vice President for University Advancement Marla Rice-Evans, La Saj Lebanese Bistro owner Alex Awada, and LAU Assistant Vice President of Development Robert Hollback.

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