Yousra's trying to convince Hanan Turk to take off the Hijab. Hana announced that the famous Egyptian star repeatedly tried to convince her to take it off. She also said that Yousra went as far as speaking to her husband about it in an attempt to have him pressure her too, but it didn't work.
Yousra's idea was to inform Hanan that the Hijab will affect her acting career which is a big waste.
It is interesting to point out that Yousra has attacked actresses who suddenly wear the Hijab saying: "Who are they fooling?"

We are all familiar with the romantic fiction books known as Mills and Boon.
These books started out in 1908, and afterwards Harlequin books, a Canadian company began to buy the rights in 1949.
According to some literary critics, these books are only read by "desperate housewives with one brain cell". the thing is not only men that sneer at such books and their readers but many women do as well. I was one of those to laugh at such books and dismiss them as trivial. then I began to notice that many women read them, of different classes and conditions of society.

The Tunisian courts are on Wael Kfoury’s side as he had filed suit against a concert contractor who apparently didn't pay the Lebanese singer's full amount.
The contractor canceled the concert that was supposed to be held in the city Sousse and that Kfoury should have done. This is the first time a Tunisian court rules that the contractor should pay $54,000 to a non-Tunisian singer.

• The famous Lebanese singer Miriam Faris is back from her visit to Amman, Jordan where she sang some of her most popular songs at the 4-Seasons Hotel. She probably left early since President Bush is holding his meetings there today.

• The famous presenter Hala Sarhan was able to draw a hot confession from Tunisian actress Hind Sabri regarding her love life. Hind said she was living a beautiful romance and that she might get married very soon. Keep an eye out for this episode.

• Lebanese director Nadine Labki, famous for directing a video clip for Nancy Ajram, is participating in the Cairo Film Festival, not as a director but as an actress for her role in the Lebanese movie "Bosta" which will be the 3rd Lebanese movie to be screened at the festival.

We all heard that "women talk more than men" and "men don't listen". Well a US female psychiatrist, Dr Luan Brizendine who is a self confessed feminist, has written a book about the differences in the female and male brains. The findings in the book are based on the author's analysis of more than 1000 scientific studies, in it she claims that " There is no unisex brain. Girls arrive already wired as girls, and boys arrive already wired as boys. Their brains are what drive their impulses, values and their very reality".

The Jordanian artist gone presenter gone singer now back to presenter, the ex-Pop Idol (Super Star) presenter Rania Al Kurdi is about to present Dubai International Film Festival on DIFF on Showtime Arabia. Along with Zoe Richards and Lina Sawan, she'll be interviewing the stars once they arrive giving the audience with all the juicy gossip about the stars direct from the event.

I love Seinfeld! I think it's the best and most down to earth comedy ever made. I can't stop watching it as I own every single season released so far.
My favorite character has to be, without a doubt, Kramer, as I'm sure lots of people agree too. But Kramer has taken a stroll down the wrong path!

His recent racist remarks could end his career, not to mention a total boycott of Seinfeld! The Reverend Jesse Jackson called for a boycott Monday of the latest Seinfeld DVD, a way of exacting economic punishment for Richards' racist meltdown.

With stars from all over the world, the Cairo Film Festival opened yesterday in a glamorous Hollywood-style ceremony. Red carpets, world-class stars, cameras flashing and dozens of press from all over the world.
The organizing company had promised to deliver something special this year and even though it’s quite early to judge, but it seems they’ve done a great job.

There were many Arab and international stars on the stage such as Danny Glover who wore a traditional African dress and opened his speech with “Alsalamu Alaikum”. Omar El Sherif who was the chairman of the festival.
Omar El Sherif said this year would be very special and distinctive from the previous years.
Also at the event were, English star Jacqueline Bisset and Argentinian star Maria Pitarresi, in addition to Yussra and Mahmood Abdel Azizi.

Click here to see some photos

• The first single for Star Academy 3 winner Joseph Attia "la trouhi" (don't go) is recently broadcasted on Sawt el ghad exclusively. The song is romantic and is really great, Joseph's voice is so strong... I loved the song and I hope that he will continue succeeding in his career. Go on Joseph, you rock.

• Also, LBC TV broadcasted the first video clip of Star Academy 3 contestant Hani Hussein from Egypt. A duet of Hani with Chris de Burg. Nice choice Hani.

• Do you remember what was LBC Star Academy 2 contestant Bashar Kaissi from Iraq used to sing for Katia in the academy? Do you remember when he came back to the academy on the stage while holding his guitar and singing a song...
'Zghayroun' was the name of that song and it was made into a video clip which is now being aired on Melody Hits TV.

By guest writer Aline

A Hollywood movie of the story of Mary and Joseph before the birth of Jesus, had its world premiere at the Vatican on Sunday and won strong praise from the man known as the "deputy pope". An audience of 8000 attended the Vatican church and received five rounds of applause AFTER and BEFORE it premiered !! which is greatly due to the fact it is the first feature film to be previewed at the Vatican."It is well done," said Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's Secretary of State, who ranks second only to Pope Benedict in the Vatican hierarchy."It re-proposes this event which changed history with realism but also with a sense of great respect of the mystery of the nativity," he told reporters afterwards. "It is a good cinematic event ... the judgment is positive."

On December the 1st, Walid Samara's first single will be released (2dam 3yonik). It will be played at Marina FM in Kuwait, Sout El Ghad in Lebanon, Syria, Australia and Jordan, FN FM in Jordan, Nojoum FM in Egypt and Also can be downloaded from Walid Samara website.

Words of the song are by Hanen. Song composed by Walid and music arrangements by Housam Yosry and was recorded in Studio 5 levels in Kuwait. Walid is traveling next weekend to Cairo to work on his Egyptian single which will be released as a video clip on the end of next January 2007.

• Many stars are expected to attend the Cairo Film Festival today from the Arab World and all over the globe. The festival is expected to draw widespread media coverage since the organizers have been preparing for the event for over 3 months.

• The Syrian singer Noura Rahal is preparing to release her new album "Dunyati Ahla" composed of 10 new songs, the main one is "Adi" which will be released this coming December.

• The director of the new movie set to be released soon staring the famous Lebanese singer Maya Nasri has changed it's title from "Black and White" to code 36. The movie will star Maya as an Aerobics instructor, she'll also be singing a couple of songs too.

The cat is out of the bag for Nancy Ajram. Sources are saying that they know who Nancy's new lover is! He's a dentist who lives in Beirut!
This comes at a time when rumors are sparking around the breakup between her and her manager Gigi Lamar, although he deigned that. ‘Probably because he didn't even know :)’

As for the Lebanese golden girl, she didn't reject the rumors but said she was in love and wouldn't say a word more at this time.
I guess she's not the kind to kiss and tell.

Famous Syrian Actress Muna Wasif has just finished shooting her role in the new Syrian TV series "Bab Al Hara 2" which is a sequel from the hit TV series which aired last Ramadan.
This time she will play a fortune teller for which said she was very happy to have done.
She said she was happy to work with director Bassam Al Mulla, whom she admired for his ability to extract the inner soul of an actress.